Chapter 184: with translation of chapter title

After rushing out of Xiangyang City and not having gone far, Niu Dingtian finally couldn't help spitting a mouthful of fresh blood; his ruined body went limp and he collapsed straight onto the wilderness.

After falling, using the faint moonlight, Niu Dingtian lowered his head and saw his chest a bloody mess, with large patches of stark white bone exposed.

Having just taken two breaths, he gritted his teeth and climbed up, then, under cover of night, continued feeling his way toward Jiugong Mountain.

Given the extent of his bodily injuries at this moment, let alone withstanding the rampant Sunflower true qi inside him, even circulating the Yin Technique to heal his wounds was somewhat difficult.

Moreover, when he left, he didn't see whether Juexing was dead or alive, and there was no guarantee that the latter wouldn't suddenly burst out from behind him.

Although the troops guarding Xiangyang City were his own men, Niu Dingtian dared not guarantee that, if they saw him in this state, they wouldn't suddenly loose a few volleys of crossbow bolts at his life.

Thus, Niu Dingtian now only wanted to hurry back to Jiugong Mountain as quickly as possible and dig up a bottle of spirit spring water to heal his body.

As long as he can recover to normal by tomorrow, he believes that thereafter no one will dare to come forward and tug his tiger whiskers!

After one hour, Niu Dingtian stumbled and crawled his way to the summit.

In the distance, the sentry posts in the several camps were as usual; as for the several halls and rear courtyards, just as he had thought, they were already empty of anyone.

When Jiugong Mountain's summit was first built, a complete escape hideout had already been prepared.

And the words he had earlier had Yang Kang bring back were precisely an escape password prepared for contingencies, emphasizing that no one should be left behind.

Stumbling, he came to the rear courtyard, and in the dim night Niu Dingtian slowly lifted the first blue stone slab before his door.

Others would hide their most valuable belongings inside their own rooms, but he was different; he liked to hide them in a place that everyone would step on coming and going, yet could never be found.

After half an hour,

After digging open three feet of earth, Niu Dingtian finally felt a familiar small porcelain bottle.

Without bothering to clean off the sealing wax, he violently twisted open the bottle's mouth and tipped it up to pour the liquid into his mouth.

He only knew that his body was fucking painful, and if he didn't take another gulp, his body might truly not be able to endure it.

But just as the bottle rim reached his lips, out of the corner of his eye he faintly saw a flash of white gauze skirt beneath the eaves in the distance.

Which stupid woman? The thought flashed through his mind, and Niu Dingtian, without time to think further, exerted all his strength to pour the liquid into his mouth.

Afterward, he lay like a corpse, limbs splayed, eyes closed, directly relaxing his body and sprawling flat on the warm blue‑brick ground.

In just two breaths, he fell into a deep sleep.

Not long after Niu Dingtian fell asleep, perhaps noticing the lack of movement here, the shadow on the eaves began to stir in the darkness.

In silence, she landed lightly on the ground, after cautiously looking left and right a few times, she swiftly darted over here.

……

Both contain vast energy, but internal true qi is merely pure energy; although it can unleash inexhaustible power, it is like a dead thing.

Spirit spring water is different; it is a liquid condensed from the essence of heaven and earth, possessing vitality, able to repair, and even to grow.

Whether it can raise the dead is still unknown, but for it, mending flesh and bone is absolutely no problem.

In his stupor, Niu Dingtian's wound, which had been continuously bleeding fresh blood, quickly staunched, and at the stark white bone, new flesh sprouted at a visible speed, slowly healing.

With such terrifying regenerative ability, if outsiders were to learn of its existence, the martial world would surely plunge into endless frenzy.

As his injuries continually healed, his bodily resilience rapidly increased, and the violent Sunflower true qi within him, under the autonomous transformation of the North Darkness Divine Skill, gradually grew mild and merged with his own being.

Finally, the yang true qi and the vast essence also quickly took effect within his body.

In a daze, Niu Dingtian felt as if every part of his body were engorged with blood, rock‑hard.

He felt an unprecedented sense of power and bloating, more unbearable than having swallowed two taels of aphrodisiac raw, damn it! When he dazedly woke up, he discovered that his whole body was enveloped in warmth, with the sound of splashing water at his ears.

"Sister‑in‑law?"

In the hazy water mist, Niu Dingtian slowly opened his eyes and looked up to see his sister‑in‑law Chen Jin'er dressed in white.

Recalling the glance he had caught of the eaves before falling asleep, Niu Dingtian suddenly realized she must have been waiting there for him all along.

Thinking of this, a warm surge rose unbidden in Niu Dingtian's chest.

At this moment, Chen Jin'er had her sleeves rolled up most of the way, revealing two snow‑white lotus‑root arms; she held a towel, bent over, and meticulously wiped the grime from his body.

Perhaps due to the surrounding hot steam, Chen Jin'er's originally fair cheeks were now flushed red, and a few strands of hair, slick with sweat, clung tightly to her forehead and face.

Upon hearing Niu Dingtian's soft call, Chen Jin'er's hand froze instantly; she lifted her head, met his gaze, and immediately withdrew her hand as if shocked.

But the next moment, as if recalling something, her bashful and uneasy look was swiftly replaced by anxiety and concern.

"Uncle, how do you feel now? Just seeing your injury earlier nearly scared me to death!"

Before she knew it, Chen Jin'er's eyes were reddened, her concerned voice trembling with tears. Tonight's changes had come far too quickly. Earlier, fireworks had just been set off on the mountain, and everyone was still laughing and chatting; then Yang Kang came running up the mountain carrying a half‑dead person on his back.

After hearing the password from Yang Kang's mouth and seeing Mu Nianci's token in her hand, she and Fentian immediately summoned everyone on the mountain and retreated into the escape tunnel.

But when she had brought everyone to the exit, she couldn't help worrying, so she ran out again, and after some thought decided to first keep watch in Niu Dingtian's courtyard.

At first, upon sensing someone entering, not knowing whether they were friend or foe, nor their strength, she dared not reveal herself immediately, lest she become a burden.

After all, whoever could make Niu Dingtian feel like facing a formidable foe on Jiugong Mountain is someone no one there could possibly deal with.

Later, when she appeared and saw the stark white bone on Niu Dingtian's chest, and saw him lying motionless on the ground, she still thought that a perfectly fine person had just died like that.

Overwhelmed with grief, she was tear‑streaked and nearly drew her sword to slash her own throat.

But what she saw next completely shattered her understanding.

The living dead with flesh and white bone—a phenomenon that exists only in legend—actually occurred right before her eyes.

In the end, as she witnessed with her own eyes, Niu Dingtian's whole body, aside from a few rags and being covered in filth, bore not a single scar.

Seeing this, she excitedly scooped him up and brought him to her room, taking advantage of his unconsciousness to quickly clean him up; but she hadn't expected that, halfway through her work, the person who could not be woken no matter what would suddenly awaken at that moment.

But compared with a daughter's shyness and reserve, what she cared about most was naturally Niu Dingtian's safety.

"Your injuries are fine, the great enemy has already withdrawn, sister‑in‑law, you needn't worry any further."

Looking at Chen Jin'er's red‑rimmed eyes, a soft hue flashed in Niu Dingtian's gaze, and he hurriedly spoke in a gentle voice to comfort her.

Reckoning it up, he had known Chen Jin'er since age four, and the two have depended on each other for nearly sixteen years.

It seemed to be the first time he had seen Chen Jin'er in front of him with tears streaming down her face.

"Really okay?" Chen Jin'er lowered her head to wipe the corner of her eyes, then lifted her head, her red eyes still uneasy as she asked.

"Sister‑in‑law, don't worry, I'm really fine," Niu Dingtian said softly.

Chen Jin'er heard that, the worry on her face faded a bit, her mood eased slightly, and she, with shy eyes and constantly averting her gaze, whispered:

"Since Uncle is not seriously injured, just wash yourself. Call me when you need to change the water, and remember not to exert too much force even after the wound heals."

As she spoke, Chen Jin'er lowered her head slightly, placed the cloth she held on the rim of the bucket, and prepared to turn away.

"Wait!" Niu Dingtian involuntarily shouted.

The words fell, and Chen Jin'er, who had just turned, halted her steps, her body instantly stiffened.

Seeing this, Niu Dingtian suddenly felt some regret, wondering why his reckless mouth sometimes got out of control.

Having shouted, what else could be done? After a moment of silence, Niu Dingtian, pressing his heart that pounded, said calmly:

"The wound is just fine, my body can't exert much force, so I still have to trouble you, sister‑in‑law, a bit."

After speaking, Niu Dingtian glanced and saw Chen Jin'er's ears flush red in an instant, her body stiffening as she stood motionless.

Could it be that I used too much force?

Niu Dingtian couldn't help but think.

After more than ten years of being together, their relationship had already become extremely special.

Uncle and sister‑in‑law were like uncle and sister‑in‑law, brother and sister like siblings, lovers like lovers.

Niu Dingtian only wanted to take this rare chance to pierce the layer between them.

In any case, even Miss Huang could see those questionable thoughts, so if I don't poke, should I wait for someone else to? Seeing that Chen Jin'er seemed to be struggling inside, Niu Dingtian also knew it was indeed a dilemma, but he still couldn't just jump out of the bathtub and pull her back, could he?

He immediately, with a disappointed face, whispered, "If sister‑in‑law can't, never mind, I'll do it myself; persisting, persisting should still be possible."

The words fell, and after a moment, a conflicted Chen Jin'er finally turned her face, blushing all over, her bright eyes filled with shyness.

Sure enough, no proper lady could calmly stare at a man as fierce as him.

Niu Dingtian let out a sigh, then picked up the cloth on the bucket rim and wiped himself, "Sister‑in‑law, don't worry, I can do it myself."

Chen Jin'er, seeing this, glared with her shy beautiful eyes, stepped forward, snatched the cloth, and whispered, "At this age you still have no proper bearing; if you truly can't act, how could I not help you? Who are you putting this pretence in front of?"

After speaking, she soaked the cloth in the bucket, her face flushed, averted her gaze, her hand trembling slightly, and continued to wipe Niu Dingtian's left chest.

PS: Some parts were deleted; will add them back later.

(End of chapter)