Chapter 107

When the light of the teleportation array faded, Shi Ran only felt a blur before her eyes; upon opening them again, she found herself in a stretch of lush mountain forest.

A gentle breeze brushed her face, birds sang crisply, distant mountains loomed like mist, clouds swirled about, the spiritual energy here was abundant—clearly a blessed land of an immortal mountain somewhere in the mortal world.

Shi Ran's taut nerves finally relaxed, but her body, drained of spiritual power, swayed on the verge of collapse; her legs gave out and she almost fell, yet a strong arm steadied her.

"Stand firm!"

Ling Xiao's voice remained icy cold, yet the warmth transmitted from his palm made Shi Ran's heart flutter slightly; she lifted her gaze and met his eyes, deep as an ancient pool, and though his brows still bore a trace of sternness, when he looked at her a hint of tenderness flickered in the depths.

"Master, are you all right?" Shi Ran's voice hoarse, she unconsciously clenched his sleeve, as if fearing he might vanish at any moment.

Ling Xiao lowered his gaze to her and gave a faint, indifferent hum.

Yet that single simple word made Shi Ran's eyes heat up—wonderful, Master is unharmed!

Shi Ran opened her mouth, wanting to ask how he had escaped, why Yi Tong could impersonate him, and whether she had run into her senior brothers and sisters and junior fellows—but when the words reached her lips they turned into a low murmur: "... All that matters is you're safe... I... we were all so worried about you."

Ling Xiao's eyes flickered; after a moment of silence he suddenly raised his hand, fingertips lightly brushing the wound on her neck—"Does it hurt?"

Shi Ran startled, then shook her head. "It doesn't hurt!"

Yet Ling Xiao produced a small white jade bottle from his sleeve, tipped out a lustrous pill, and held it to her lips: "Take it!"

Shi Ran obediently opened her mouth; the pill dissolved on contact, a cool medicinal power instantly coursing through her limbs, even the prickling pain in her neck easing considerably.

"Thank you, Master!" Shi Ran said with a smile.

Ling Xiao said nothing, merely withdrawing his hand and turning toward a nearby cavern: "We'll rest here tonight; tomorrow we'll seek out the others."

"This is all for my sake!" Shi Ran hurried to follow.

Inside the cave it was dry and warm; Ling Xiao casually set up a barrier and ignited a spark of spiritual light, the firelight revealing his profile—clear-cut, handsome as a painting, yet a hint of weariness lingered in his brow.

Shi Ran furtively surveyed him, then noticed a tear in his sleeve through which blood faintly showed.

"Master, you're injured?" she exclaimed.

Ling Xiao glanced at her, his tone flat, as if the wound weren't his own: "Just a scratch!"

Shi Ran would have none of it, she moved close and carefully lifted his sleeve to reveal a ferocious wound running through his arm, flesh torn and blackened faintly—clearly the result of demonic corruption.

"This is no scratch!" Shi Ran fumbled through her storage bag in a panic. "Good thing I brought Clear Heart Pills—they can dispel demonic energy!"

Ling Xiao let her fuss, his gaze settling on her anxious brows, then suddenly said: "Why didn't you give the Seven-Colored Fire Lotus to Yi Tong, insisting on fighting to the bitter end instead?"

Shi Ran paused in her motions, wondering if this was settling old scores, and whispered: "This Seven-Colored Fire Lotus is a supreme treasure of the immortal realm—of course it must be guarded well!"

"What's the point of talking about protection if you're dead?!" Ling Xiao snapped coldly.

Shi Ran felt somewhat wronged, but her spiritual power was now blocked, she couldn't even open her sea of consciousness—there was no way to resist....

Ling Xiao's eyes darkened, then he suddenly seized her wrist and pulled her close; the distance between them shrank instantly, and Shi Ran could even feel the coolness of his breath.

"Remember!" His voice low and solemn, each word deliberate, "Your life is the most important!"

Shi Ran felt a jolt of fear in her heart, staring blankly at him, the firelight flickered, casting light between them, the air seemed to freeze for a moment.

After a moment, Ling Xiao suddenly released his hand, turned and walked toward the cave entrance, "Rest, I'll keep watch."

Shi Ran watched his back, her lips unconsciously curling into a faint smile. She knew that although Ling Xiao spoke coldly, his heart was ultimately soft.

As night deepened, Shi Ran leaned against the stone wall, in a daze she felt someone gently drape a coat over her; the familiar pine scent curled around her nostrils, letting her peacefully drift into sleep.

Shi Ran was awakened by a faint rustling sound.

When she opened her eyes, the barrier at the cave entrance glowed faintly, while Ling Xiao's figure had already vanished. Morning mist seeped in from the mountains, carrying the damp scent of plants.

"Master?" Shi Ran sprang up, her outer robe slipping from her shoulders—it was Ling Xiao's cloud-patterned dharma robe. The hazy memories of last night suddenly cleared, her ears feeling slightly hot.

Outside the cave came the light ringing of a sword blade cleaving the air. Shi Ran trotted out; in the morning light, Ling Xiao was practicing sword on the cliff, wearing no outer robe, only a plain white single garment, his sword motion like a swimming dragon, startling the wild goose, as his sleeves flew they revealed his arm wrapped in bandages; the mountain wind lifted his unbound black hair, a dot of cinnabar on his lower lip blazing red in the sunrise!

"Had enough?"

The sword tip suddenly pointed three inches before her feet, startling her to retreat half a step. Ling Xiao, unknown when he had ceased his motion and stood still, had a dew drop on his sword tassel that clung to her toe.

"I, I'll change your medicine for you." She awkwardly lifted the green jade medicine bottle clutched in her hand, the bottle still warm from being held.

Ling Xiao sheathed his sword, suddenly frowned and looked southeast; Shi Ran followed his gaze, seeing in the distance a vague surge of blood-colored clouds.

"Soul-devouring miasma!" His voice turned icy, "Si Tong is tracking us!"

Shi Ran's heart tightened; fragments of last night flashed through her mind. The corpse puppet that looked like Ling Xiao, the great secret Si Tong told to let her lower her guard—the Five Directions Immortal Seal—and the demonic aura stain on Ling Xiao's hand.

"How could he disguise himself as…"

"It's the signature trick of the Heart-devouring demon." Ling Xiao casually pulled off the blood-soaked bandage on his arm. "When we were in the Lotus Secret Realm, to capture the fleeing Si Tong, the Heart-devouring demon swallowed half of my sleeve."

Shi Ran's hand paused while applying medicine; legend says the Heart-devouring demon can assume form through contact with objects—but she hadn't expected even Ling Xiao's sword intent could be imitated to seventy percent. The medicinal powder scattered over the gruesome wound, turning into fine golden specks that seeped into the flesh.

"Does it hurt?" She unconsciously leaned in and blew gently.

Ling Xiao's arm muscles tensed with a swish, then he suddenly reversed his grip to seize her wrist; Shi Ran lifted her head and met his eyes—those usually still ancient-well waters now rippled, reflecting her panicked visage.

"Soul-devouring miasma will blanket this mountain in at most half an hour!" His voice lower and hoarse than usual, "I'll take you to a safe place."

"And you?"

The sword sheath suddenly hummed. Ling Xiao's hand forming seals paused? "Your senior fellow disciples are still in the demonic realm? These matters must be settled by me. I will go bring them back."

Shi Ran suddenly understood, she clenched Ling Xiao's sleeve, the fabric wrinkling in her palm into an arc of despair. "Are you going to venture alone into the demonic realm again? And kill Si Tong, because she is your heart demon?"

The mountain wind suddenly stilled.

A flicker of surprise crossed Ling Xiao's eyes, then turned into a wry smile. "It seems your memory is slowly returning." He condensed a point of spiritual light at his fingertip. "Sleep, when you wake…"

Shi Ran suddenly stepped forward and embraced his waist. The action froze both of them; she felt Ling Xiao's heartbeat through his single garment—heavy and rapid, utterly unlike his usual calm, unruffled Wan Shan Jun.

"The Heart-devouring demon excels at probing obsessions." Her voice muffled against his chest. "If you intend to go alone and…" She lifted her head, her lashes brushing his chin. "Let me be your vanguard, alright? Or I could just be your sword sheath."

Ling Xiao's breath noticeably faltered, distant blood staining half the sky red, mountain birds and beasts scattering in panic. He suddenly raised a hand to cover Shi Ran's eyes, "Close your eyes!"

Shi Ran's vision went black; she felt something warm lightly brush her forehead. When light returned, Ling Xiao was drawing the final stroke of a talisman on her brow. A dab of cinnabar, scorching hot like a branding iron.

He summoned the Dragon Chant Sword; the blade reflected their overlapping voices. Shi Ran suddenly realized. Master's ear tips were reddened to the point of almost dripping blood.