Chapter 2246: Miao Jiang Youth Ruthlessly 09

Jin Que pushed the wheelchair over, his gaze lingering on Nan Yixi for a moment.

Before he could speak, Jin Chen stepped forward, narrowing his eyes and warning, "Don't try to take him from me."

Jin Que looked at Jin Chen with a complex expression, then suddenly gave a bitter smile, lowering his eyes to hide his mixed feelings.

He pushed the wheelchair to He Mo Ning's side and said softly, "Physician He, would it be possible……"

He Mo Ning was examining the silver needle when he looked up, slightly surprised.

"Yes."

On the other side, Bai Mo was furtively glancing at Luo Xiao's silver dagger at his waist, deep in thought.

Luo Xiao seemed to sense it, turning his head to look at Bai Mo.

"Bone-Piercing Needle..." Bai Mo's throat bobbed as his gaze fixed on the altar's wooden chest, "Can it really raise the dead and flesh white bones?"

Luo Xiao chuckled softly, leaning close to his ear and whispering, "Rest assured, I'll bring it back for you."

Bai Mo immediately broke into a smile.

With the Bone-Piercing Needle, once we return, Master will surely look at him with new eyes.

No longer will I have to watch Nan Yixi's face.

Shan Man and Fan Ruoxi over there, meanwhile, were straightforward.

The two exchanged a glance across the space, and Shan Man asked in a rough voice, "Together?"

Fan Ruoxi replied succinctly, "Mm."

The Grand Priest watched the scene, tapping his scepter, and said, "The participants have been decided; we'll set out tonight."

——

Shan Lin, the Grand Priest stationed his troops at the base of Broken Dragon Cliff.

Night spread over the cliff face, the Grand Priest drew a line in the middle of the camp.

The bonfire illuminated the neatly arranged tents.

"Tonight we rest together; tomorrow each will set out to cultivate gu," the Grand Priest said, planting his scepter into the ground.

Outside Jin Chen's tent, Jiu Tian and A San were teasing the gold silkworm gu in the jar with a silver dagger, saying, "Young Master, Gongzi said he wants to go play with Lotus Flower Sister, so he's not coming down."

"Let him go play."

Jin Chen glanced at the restless tent not far away.

Jin Que's cough tore through the night as He Mo Ning and the Miao Jiang Great Doctor went in and out frequently, looking anything but easy.

What the hell, what illness is he having again in the middle of the night?

Jin Chen clutched his chest and walked over to see.

As Jin Chen lifted the tent flap, a damp night wind blew in.

Jin Que was half-reclined on a soft pillow, coughing; his pallid face looked especially fragile in the candlelight.

Hearing the movement, he suddenly lifted his head, his dim eyes suddenly brightening.

"Ah Chen..."

Jin Chen couldn't be bothered to answer him, remaining silent and just standing with his arms crossed three steps away.

The candlelight revealed the cold sweat on Jin Que's forehead and his trembling fingertips.

He Mo Ning was inserting the needle into Jin Que's wrist; the silver needle's tip trembled slightly, obviously suppressing some severe pain.

"If you're not going to die, stop wailing." Jin Chen kicked the medicine jar on the ground, the shards scraping with a piercing sound.

His gaze swept over the faint indigo gu pattern appearing on Jin Que's neck, confirming the marking had calmed, and he turned to leave.

He Mo Ning found it hard to listen, frowning involuntarily, "Young Master, Jin Que just……"

"Physician He." Jin Que weakly grabbed He Mo Ning's sleeve and shook his head.

He looked at Jin Chen's back, his voice so faint it was almost inaudible, not knowing who he was speaking to, "Ah Chen, I'm sorry."

Jin Chen's steps paused for a moment, a chill shuddering his shoulders.

"Keep your apology; say it again when you actually die someday."

"Besides, if you lag behind tomorrow, I'll throw you to the gu."

Back inside the tent, Jiu Tian was throwing realgar powder into the fire.

"Where's Elder Brother?" Jin Chen scanned the area, not seeing Nan Yixi, and asked puzzledly.

"Ah, Physician Nan said he found a rare hundred-year-old herb and headed west to the cliff." A San pointed to a spot.

—

The night was thick as ink, Jin Chen weaving through Shan Lin, the silver bell chiming lightly with his steps.

A red snake slithered at his feet, its scales flashing an eerie color in the moonlight.

This snake, usually as thin as a pinky finger, was now as thick as a man's arm, spitting a scarlet forked tongue and rustling through the dry branches.

Jin Chen's gait was extraordinarily light, yet each step landed on a dry twig, producing a crisp snap, as if he wanted to be heard.

The red snake suddenly straightened its body, scales grating with a grating sound, shooting off in a direction and dragging a winding poison trail across the mud.

Jin Chen followed at an unhurried pace, the silver bell's sound echoing strangely through the woods,

Nan Yixi stood at the edge of the forbidden land's boundary marker, the sound of scales scraping leaves coming from behind him.

He hurriedly stopped, a chill running down his back, and before he could turn, he saw a crimson snake tail emerge from behind a tree and slowly coil around the marker.

The silver bell's sound approached from afar, as if coming from all directions, leaving no place to hide.

How did Jin Chen get here so fast?

Nan Yixi frowned, his fingers unconsciously tightening, feeling an inexplicable eerie tension.

He lowered his eyes, seeing the injured tailless fox crouched at his feet, and bent to pick it up.

"Young Master, is that you?"

Nan Yixing suddenly asked in a soft voice, his tone carrying just the right amount of weakness.

Tree shadows swayed.

A pair of cool hands suddenly wrapped around his waist.

Nan Yixing couldn't help tensing his body.

Jin Chen's chin rested against his shoulder, the silver bell in his hair trembling lightly: "Older brother, how can you run around like that."

The youth's tone was affectionate, like a whisper between lovers, yet it made Nan Yixing's back tense, and as his breath brushed the side of his neck, it continually sparked fine shivers.

A red snake climbed onto Nan Yixing's arm, its tail tip sweeping over the wrist that held the fox.

The little fox was so frightened its fur stood on end, yet it oddly grew still when the snake's tongue lightly licked its ear tip, ceasing to move.

Jin Chen chuckled low, lightly rubbing Nan Yixing's earlobe as if by accident: "Look, even this little thing knows to obey."

Nan Yixing lowered his gaze, long lashes shading the darkness in his eyes, drew a soft breath, his face pale as he whispered: "I got lost; I had just finished gathering herbs when I ran into this fox, intending to treat its wounds."

Jin Chen brushed over the silver bracelet on Nan Yixing's wrist: "Lost all the way to the edge of the forbidden zone?"

He smiled, his violet pupils narrowing slightly, his voice gentle.

"Your luck is really good, older brother."

Nan Yixing: "……"

He was a little annoyed, raised his hand, and pressed a silver needle against Jin Chen's neck.

"Make it get lost."

Nan Yixing's voice was colder than the night breeze; the softness in his brow cracked like a seam, revealing the sharpness he had hidden for years, his benevolent mask slipping by a third.

The red snake's scales suddenly stood on end; before its fangs could pop out half an inch, its master flicked them with a finger, sending a little bump to its head, and it sullenly slid off his shoulder, darting into the grass, taking out its anger on a passing centipede, biting so hard the poisonous insect's shell cracked with sharp snaps.

Jin Chen's fingertip lightly pushed aside the silver needle at his neck, his pad gliding slowly along Nan Yixing's jawline, brushing over the tense cheekbone, feeling satisfactorily the warmth transmitted from his palm.

"Older brother, you don't know."

Jin Chen's tone sounded a bit aggrieved as his thumb stroked Nan Yixing's furrowed brow, lingering over the cinnabar mole there: "Those who cross this boundary marker, outsiders..."

"... must leave their lives behind."

Nan Yixing's Adam's apple twitched, a faint red mark appearing where his neck was gripped, and a hint of ruthlessness stirred within him.

He suddenly felt a little regret for provoking this fickle young lord of the Miao region.