Chapter 55: Missing Two Ribs

A fierce empty sound pierced the wind and glass, shooting toward me; I instinctively lowered my body, yet still felt a powerful gust slam into me.

Ugh!

I lay slumped on the rear seat, a sharp pain gripped my chest, a sweet metallic taste rose to my throat, and blood trickled from the corner of my mouth.

That pain came extremely fierce, quickly gathering at my shoulder blade, making me grit my teeth and groan.

The driver also noticed my abnormality, pulled the car over to the side, and asked about my condition.

But I was in so much pain I couldn't speak; the driver immediately turned the car around and took me to the county hospital.

After a full examination, the doctor stared at my CT scan for a long time, then called for help; soon three more doctors came, and they all gathered around to look at my scan.

It seemed as if I had contracted some incurable disease.

I anxiously awaited the doctor's final verdict; he told me, "Little miss, your body is fine—it just seems you're missing two ribs."

Me: "?!"

"Saying you're missing two ribs isn't accurate," the doctor said, frowning as he searched for words. "The two lowest ribs in your body were likely shattered long ago by some powerful force, the bone almost liquefied and semi‑transparent, yet many branch‑like meridians have taken hold inside, firmly bracing the ribs."

The doctor scratched his head, saying gravely, "It's quite tricky; our county hospital's medical capabilities are limited and we can't give you a definite diagnosis. I suggest you go to the provincial People's Hospital—there's a young doctor named Bái Jīngmò who specializes in all kinds of difficult cases; perhaps he can help you get a diagnosis."

Bái Jīngmò?

Or maybe I'll forget it.

If I fall into his hands, wouldn't that be like a lamb walking into a tiger's den?

Besides, I now have a sense in my heart that this isn't an ordinary ailment but the 'physical defect' spoken of by the Wisdom Spring Grand Master.

Moreover, this defect likely came from the womb, and recovering from it is beyond ordinary medical means.

Still, I agreed, had the doctor prescribe some painkillers, and left the hospital.

The driver uncle had been waiting for me, solicitously asking about my condition; I had him take me back to the pawnshop, thanked him repeatedly, and gave him a thousand yuan via mobile payment.

I really caused him trouble today.

The painkiller eased my pain temporarily, but I had no strength left; I could only lie in bed, my mind filled with that girl.

She, like me, uses a longbow with no arrow on it.

The difference is, I used to be able to draw the bow and produce an empty sound, but it lacked power; now drawing the bow shoots out flames—clearly not ordinary flames, for they can scorch souls.

While the girl draws her bow using inner strength.

Her powerful inner strength, transmitted precisely through the bowstring, struck me, making my ribs ache.

She was obviously waiting there at that intersection on purpose, just to give me a lesson.

She is declaring war on me!

Is it because of Liu Junyan?

Is it because I've taken over her nest, stolen her position, and she's warning me?

What should I do then? Should I sensibly step aside?

But this matter doesn't seem to be up to me, after all—I was pawned off to Liu Junyan when I was six.

Perhaps I should sit down with Liu Junyan to talk this over properly, have him return the pawn ticket to me, and we can call it even?

I seriously considered that if the true Xiao Huoli returns, Liu Junyan would gladly let me go, hand over the Wufu Town Pawnshop's this shabby stall to Xiao Huoli, and I'd go back to school to continue my studies?

Being able to continue studying would, of course, be good.

I even roughly tallied how much money I have on hand now; although I can't afford to buy a house, I could rent a place, and the school also has dormitories.

The money for studying is sufficient.

It seems that even if I leave here, I could still get by fine.

But why do I feel so upset inside?

Overburdened with thoughts and feeling unwell, I drifted off to sleep in a daze.

I don't know how long I slept, but I began to dream.

In the dream, I seemed to be lying prone in a pit, corpses piled beneath me, the smell of blood filling my nostrils, making it hard to breathe.

I struggled to lift my head to look up, but just then a sudden thunderclap boomed and struck my back squarely.

My ribs felt as if they had been broken, a piercing pain.

In the flash of that thunder and lightning, I saw the entire pit wall covered in bloody runes.

It was the blood sigils that summoned the heavenly thunder!

At the edge of the pit stood a man and a woman.

The man wore a black cloak, its wide brim shading his face, while the woman lowered her head, giving a wicked grin as she looked at me; in her hand she held a gold mask that kept dripping blood.

She crouched down, looking down at me.

Under my gaze, she placed the bloody gold mask on her own face: "A Li, look, does it resemble?"

Quite like it, right?

Don't look at me with such hatred; you've occupied her nest too long—this is your retribution!

She violently ripped the mask off and smashed it hard onto my face.

Along with the mask falling down, something heavy also came down, pressing hard against my back.

Bolts of heavenly thunder rained down, setting the whole pit ablaze; amid those flames I saw the corpses beneath me—every one of them was a half‑grown child.

Meanwhile, the man and woman were locked in a fierce kiss on the pit's rim.

The woman stood on tiptoe slightly, the man cupped the back of her head with one hand, and they kissed, unable to part.

On the man's wrist, revealed from his sleeve, was tattooed a black feather.

I struggled violently to lift the weight off my back, but my ribs hurt too much; the weight on my back felt like a thousand jin, while all around rose the wails and howls of ghostly children.

Pain!

Too painful!

The dream images kept twisting and fading, everything turning unreal, until only the unbearable pain at my shoulder blade remained.

"Xiao Jiu, wake up, you're having a nightmare."

"Liu Junyan's voice suddenly pierced through, his large hand covering my back, continuously pouring true Qi into my body."

After a while I jolted awake from the nightmare, opened my eyes, and met Liu Junyan's amber vertical pupils.

He looked at me full of worry, calling my name.

I stared at his face, unconsciously comparing him to the cloaked man in my nightmare.

Could it be him?

Was that just a dream?

Or did it actually happen before?

That girl in the dream is clearly the one who shot me with a longbow today!

If she is truly the little fire fox, then the man who can be with her and kiss her passionately should be Liu Junyan, right?

My gaze might have been too frightening; Liu Junyan shook my body and asked, "Xiao Jiu, what's wrong?"

I forced myself up, enduring the pain, grabbed Liu Junyan's left hand, rolled up his robe sleeve, and examined it back and forth.

None.

No black Feather-like mark...