Chapter 9: Treasure Hunt (5) Part 2

She had a point. She had no other options.

Every muscle tensed, Yun Jinxue slowly approached until she was right before the well. “Satisfied?”

The girl said coyly, “Bend down.”

Yun Jinxue gripped Bright Star tightly, watching her movements from the corner of her eye, and bent over.

Even this simple movement caused searing, piercing pain. She clenched her jaw, her expression unchanged.

The girl cupped her hands around her mouth. “I’ll tell you. It’s at…”

With every word, she crept closer and closer, her body beneath the well stretching out like a white snake.

“It’s at… the Ye Family Residence, ooh.”

As her words fell, the girl spat out a wisp of white vapor. Yun Jinxue dodged in time, but part of the gas still blasted her shoulder.

Though separated by clothing, it was as if it bypassed everything. A pain like the direct twisting and snapping of nerves warped Yun Jinxue’s vision. She collapsed to her knees, retching.

“Ah…”

It felt as if her shoulder had been gouged out alive, yet a fiery, burning sting covered her skin. Before Yun Jinxue’s eyes, the heavens and earth inverted, colors chaotically crashing and merging. In a few short breaths, her face was already covered in tears.

“Uuugh…”

Yun Jinxue pressed her forehead to the ground, her whole body trembling uncontrollably. Her lower lip was soon bitten through, blood flowing freely, yet she still couldn’t stop pained moans from leaking through her lips and teeth.

“Hahahahaha!” The girl clapped and laughed uproariously not far away. “She’s at the Ye Family right now, ooh. Aren’t you going over? If you don’t go, I’ll kill her, ooh.”

Bright Star stabbed into the earth. Yun Jinxue stood up shakily. Teardrops dripped from her eyes, splattering onto the dirt and spreading into patches of wetness.

“Can’t…” The pain, which made all her muscles convulse, hindered her movement. She was practically limping as she moved forward.

The Ye Family… the Ye Family…

Before the pain could shatter the last of her spirit, she reached the Ye Family Residence at the fastest speed she could muster.

Ignoring the wound on her abdomen that had started bleeding again, she bent slightly, bracing herself against the wall to cross the threshold.

She could no longer think about Jiang Yanyu’s possible whereabouts. Fortunately, that golden light reappeared once more.

Step by step, she moved forward. Blood had nearly soaked the lower half of her robes. Using her sword for support, she reached the place emitting the golden light.

It was the Immortal Reception Garden.

Before the main gate, an offering table had been set up. On the table were three heads: the boar, the goat, and the ox from just before.

They seemed freshly severed, fresh blood streaming out, staining the entire tabletop and the floor tiles beneath its legs.

And in a chair behind the offering table sat Jiang Yanyu, the one who had been missing for some time. Except she was bound and unable to move.

Seeing the state Yun Jinxue was in, Jiang Yanyu seemed to freeze for a moment.

Not long ago, this had been an Immortal Lord like moonlight. Now, her hair was slightly disheveled, her jade crown crooked, large patches of red staining her robes—truly a wretched sight.

Jiang Yanyu cast an almost imperceptible glance in a certain direction before calling out, “Senior Sister!”

Seeing that she seemed unharmed, Yun Jinxue’s heart settled. Tears nearly rolled down her face again.

Forcing herself forward, she untied the bindings on her.

The moment she was free, Jiang Yanyu jumped up. She asked in shock, “How did you become like this? Senior Sister?”

Yun Jinxue had no strength to answer. The air she breathed was thick with the smell of blood.

She patted the back of Jiang Yanyu’s hand and managed to squeeze out the words: “Can you walk?”

Jiang Yanyu looked down. “Sorry, Senior Sister. My foot seems to…”

Before she could finish, Yun Jinxue had already turned and bent down, hoisting her onto her back. “We… we… ugh… have to leave quickly…”

Just carrying a single person made her legs feel ready to buckle. This wouldn’t do.

Yun Jinxue closed her eyes. “Windy, help me… in my sleeve… take out the bottle.”

Jiang Yanyu did as she said and retrieved a small jade bottle.

“Feed me… one pill…”

Her words were so faint they were almost inaudible. Luckily, Jiang Yanyu was right on her back, close enough to hear clearly.

She poured a pill into her palm and reached around to the front.

Yun Jinxue lowered her head slightly, taking the pill into her mouth. Her lips briefly brushed against the palm.

Jiang Yanyu pulled her hand back, looking at her palm thoughtfully.

Soft like a water pouch…

The pill went down, and a warmth spread through her. Yun Jinxue furrowed her brow, enduring as spiritual energy surged through her again.

This was a type of medicine described in the original story, capable of temporarily restoring one’s strength.

Although this could save a life in a critical moment, its side effects were immense. It was rarely used unless absolutely necessary.

This was precisely why, even though the pill-making industry had matured, naturally occurring spiritual fruits were still fiercely contested by the various sects.

At this point, even if the side effects were severe, she had to endure them. She was the one who had charged into such a dangerous place without any understanding. She deserved this.

Besides, this utterly useless System clearly had no intention of helping. She could only gamble on this.

As the medicine took effect, Yun Jinxue could finally speak a full sentence smoothly. “Windy, help me press on the wound. I can’t afford to lose any more blood.”

Jiang Yanyu paused for a moment before moving one hand down to her abdomen. The improvised cloth bandage beneath her palm was already soaked through. She pressed down firmly.

Yun Jinxue steadied the person on her back and began to run.

Fleeing the Ye Family Residence, she headed straight for the stone gate. The cold wind howled past her ears, her heart pounding wildly.

Reaching the edge of town, the exit was still there. Yun Jinxue’s nose ached with emotion. It seemed the monster had had its fun and wasn’t planning to settle scores with her anymore.

Since there was no obstruction, she kept running without stopping.

Bright Star was temporarily unusable. She could only rely on her legs, putting as much distance between herself and this place as possible before her strength gave out.

Just as they were about to break free of the fog, Jiang Yanyu, on her back, turned her head and cast a dissatisfied look at the figure standing beneath the stone gate.

Plague seemed to sense her displeasure and mouthed: Sorry, sorry, got carried away.

Jiang Yanyu raised a finger. An ice spike shot from her fingertip, blasting a large hole through Plague’s neck.

“Aiya!” It couldn’t help but cry out. “My already incomplete skin!”

The stone gate slowly receded into the distance. Jiang Yanyu turned her head around, noticing the damp hair of the Immortal Lord beneath her, and the cold sweat on her cheek.

She tentatively asked, “Senior Sister?”

But Yun Jinxue didn’t reply. She seemed to be running solely on instinct now.

Jiang Yanyu propped her chin on her hand, the one pressed against the wound gently rubbing. “You were a waste in your past life too. But getting wrecked like this by so few enemies… have you regressed?”

Naturally, she received no answer. The fog had completely dispersed. This place was a mountain path. Continuing forward would soon lead them into the deep forest.

She didn’t care where they went. She stretched and said, “Are you still okay? Don’t collapse and drop me in a bit.”

Looking down, this person she had considered lofty and powerful in her previous life—her shoulders were just this narrow strip after all. Beneath her robes, the bones of her shoulder blades rose and fell. There wasn’t much flesh on her; she could even be called frail.

There was nothing wrong with Jiang Yanyu’s leg. That had just been nonsense earlier, wanting to cause a bit of trouble for this Immortal Lord.

Who would have thought she wouldn’t even check, and just hoisted her onto her back?

She hadn’t expected this Senior Sister, masquerading as a good person, to be able to fake it so convincingly.

Even giving up the exit right before her.

She thought again of that moon-white figure, not long ago, without hesitation refusing that exit and throwing herself back into the danger-filled town.

Jiang Yanyu’s brow furrowed with dissatisfaction. She let her thoughts wander aimlessly.

Here she was, a Hall Master, a World-Destroying Calamity, perfectly fine everywhere, and yet making a seriously injured person carry her. It did seem a bit too much like bullying.

This wasn’t sporting.

Jiang Yanyu leaned forward. She was just about to tell her to put her down, when her view suddenly dropped.

With a thud, Yun Jinxue collapsed to her knees, her strength gone. Cold sweat and tears mingled, streaking down her utterly bloodless face.

Although she was unconscious, she hadn’t thrown Jiang Yanyu off. She held her securely on her back.

“Hey!” Jiang Yanyu said. “Are you okay?”

Yun Jinxue couldn’t answer her and slumped over.

Getting off her, Jiang Yanyu surveyed their surroundings. It was a place of clear mountains and beautiful waters, and not far away, there was coincidentally a cave.

“Senior Sister, you’re quite lucky.” She muttered to herself, bending down to drag and haul the person into the cave.

Because of her movements, Yun Jinxue regained a sliver of consciousness, but couldn’t utter a single word.

In this moment, all the pain and suffering of her previous twenty-plus years of life paled into insignificance. Her thoughts spiraled again into chaos.

Recalling the past: the elevated highways and traffic, the towering skyscrapers, the noisy crowds, the vibrating phone by her bedside—all of it was scooped out of her brain by a single hand, leaving only the great, grey fog and unendurable agony.

She began to shiver uncontrollably, yet her body grew increasingly hot, as if she were trapped in a furnace, and she herself was a block of ice about to melt.

Jiang Yanyu crossed her arms and leaned against the cave wall, looking down at the person on the ground.

Due to her injuries, her skin was shockingly pale, her black hair in disarray, spread across the ground.

The corners of her eyes were flushed red. Her breathing was labored, so her lips were slightly parted. Her entire body was drenched in cold sweat, trembling minutely.

Jiang Yanyu averted her gaze, tapping her temple. “Can’t let you die so early…”

She crouched down, lightly stroking her Senior Sister’s cheek, and smiled. “After all, I’ve tailor-made so many sufferings for you, and you have to try every single one.”

Seeing the person beneath her instinctively biting her lip from the pain, Jiang Yanyu unhurriedly reached out a finger. She pressed the pad of it against those red lips and gently pried them apart.

Then, slipping her finger between her teeth, she said, “Seeing as you didn’t abandon me and run, I’ll be a little bit nicer to you. Don’t bite yourself. Bite me.”

In her delirium, Yun Jinxue sensed another’s presence. In a daze, she seemed to see the Little Villain extending a hand towards her.

Not wanting to bite anyone, she used her tongue to push the finger out. Shaking, she raised her own hand, her palm wrapping around the damp fingertip, and bit down on the back of her hand instead.

Watching all her movements, the easy smile on Jiang Yanyu’s face vanished completely.