Help, I’m Being Forced to Marry a Frail and Sickly Immortal Doctor! 31

Chapter 31: Short Are These Bitter Days

She began to silently recite the Heart Calming Mantra.

There were clearly only them inside and outside the shop, yet Yin Buran had said, “they’re everywhere.”

Thinking about it carefully… it was a bit creepy.

Ning Ruoque would not doubt Yin Buran’s judgment.

Back at Brightlight Pavilion, she could even sense the half-dead Yan Huaifeng under Brightlight Tower. If she said there were human auras everywhere, then it must be so.

Chu Xuan’s face was a little unsightly.

They hadn’t even reached Xiaochi Village, and they had already encountered such an incredible thing.

Who knew if that small village, which had suffered a demonic calamity and where many had died tragically, was related to Yunling Town?

Suddenly, the sound of undisguised footsteps came from behind. Qingtong came out with a tray and inadvertently ran into the two people downstairs.

Her eyes widened in an instant. “This is—”

Qieyu, who was beside her, promptly covered her mouth, but it still caught Wang Laosan’s attention.

He looked up abruptly, and upon seeing five people appear on the stairs, he was so shocked that he even dropped his cloth.

“Who… who are you? What are you doing in my shop!”

Chu Xuan, on the other hand, grinned, revealing a sharp canine tooth.

“You’ve forgotten. The snowstorm was heavy last night. We are travelers seeking shelter from the snow. It was you who personally welcomed us in.”

Her eyes were deep and bright, and her expression did not seem fake.

Coupled with the fact that they were just a few weak women, Wang Laosan relaxed his guard.

He scratched the back of his head and turned to ask, “Why don’t I remember… Fourth Brother, do you remember?”

The strong man had been woken up earlier and was still dazed. “I don’t remember. There was no such thing. Could it be that we drank too much?”

Chu Xuan took out a piece of loose silver from her pocket and threw it onto the table from a distance.

The silver rolled a few times and was quickly pressed into Wang Laosan’s hand. He breathed on it, then bit it, and his face immediately lit up with a smile.

It’s real.

When he looked at the group again, his eyes were filled with a few more points of flattery and an undisguised scrutiny.

Ning Ruoque’s hand pressed on the scabbard of her sword, and she couldn’t help but want to draw her sword and kill this person.

Noticing her own emotions, she took a deep breath without a sound and began to silently recite the Heart Calming Mantra.

Her killing intent is too strong. This is not conducive to cultivation.

Ning Ruoque lowered her eyes, turned sideways to block Wang Laosan’s line of sight, and let Yin Buran grab her arm, slowly leading her down the stairs.

Chu Xuan followed slowly, her smile bright. “You did smell of alcohol last night. You must have been drunk and forgotten.”

Hearing her say this, Old Wang San nodded repeatedly in agreement. He wiped the tables and chairs several times and obsequiously invited everyone to sit down.

Qingtong sat down next to Yin Buran. She put down the tray, which contained a brand new set of bowls, dishes, tea set, and a bowl of black, steaming medicine.

Yin Buran had a cleanliness obsession. She had to change her own bedding, and naturally, she didn’t like to use the bowls and chopsticks from outside.

Qingtong placed the medicinal soup in front of Yin Buran, and the latter frowned slightly.

Chu Xuan also sat down with her legs crossed. “We’re here looking for someone. Have you seen three tall, strong people in red? Two women and one man, they probably arrived a few days ago.”

Wang Laosan prepared tea while recalling.

“I haven’t seen them. There aren’t many people living in this town. If any outsiders came, I would definitely remember.”

Chu Xuan asked the same question as last night, and Wang Laosan’s answer was the same.

It was still the demonic calamity in Xiaochi Village that had caused the people of Yunling Town to move away.

Yin Buran was staring blankly at the medicinal soup, as if she had left this matter entirely to the other two to handle.

Ning Ruoque and Chu Xuan exchanged a look, and she said faintly, “What day is it today?”

Wang Laosan replied casually, “The fifth year of the Zaihe era. It’s the winter solstice.”

He brought a pot of hot tea and greeted everyone with a smile.

“Have some tea, have some tea.”

This tea was still the familiar recipe, the sleeping drug so strong it was pungent.

Wang Laosan brought the teacup to Yin Buran’s side, personally poured it for her, and then carefully examined her face.

Having just woken up, Yin Buran’s hair was still down.

She frowned slightly, which didn’t have much of a deterrent effect, but instead added a touch of soft, floral fragility.

Ning Ruoque suppressed the urge to make a move and was about to tell him to get lost.

She heard Wang Laosan say, “Oh, the young lady is not in good health. To be honest, I also know a little about medicine. I’ve treated many people in the town in the past.”

He leaned in with a chuckle. “How about I take your pulse for free?”

The Heart Calming Mantra came to an abrupt end.

Can’t stand it for a second!

The sword cultivator stood up with a “swish,” and without a word, she raised her leg and kicked fiercely at Wang Laosan.

With a loud “bang,” the person flew several meters away, knocking over two sets of chairs before stopping.

Chu Xuan only subconsciously threw out a ball, knocking the strong man unconscious on the ground as well.

Unable to control this killing intent at all, Ning Ruoque stood to the side after hitting the person and hugged her sword in frustration.

What on earth is going on? Could it be that her cultivation has really gone wrong, causing her temperament to become unstable?

Her mind was full of worries, so she didn’t notice that the corners of Yin Buran’s mouth had turned up a little.

Chu Xuan walked towards Ning Ruoque, stood in front of her, and then showed a brilliant smile.

Ning Ruoque couldn’t figure out what this person wanted to do, so she simply hugged her sword tightly and met her gaze with a blank expression.

She saw Chu Xuan raise her hand and pat her shoulder, praising loudly, “Well done!”

Ning Ruoque’s neck stiffened, and she asked in a daze, “You wanted to beat him too?”

So this kind of behavior of hers is not a strange individual case? Wanting to protect Yin Buran from being coveted by disgusting people is a very normal thing.

Chu Xuan nodded with certainty. “Of course. This kind of thing should be taught a good lesson. Let’s tie them up first, and we’ll study them slowly.”

“Cough, cough…”

Yin Buran’s light cough came from not far away. Qingtong and Qieyu quickly surrounded her to check on her condition.

Ning Ruoque also glanced over, but was quickly pulled away by Chu Xuan to deal with the two half-dead people.

Chu Xuan carried one in each hand, threw the two on the ground, and tied them up, muttering as she did so.

“The fifth year of the Zaihe era. How is this person still living three years in the past?”

Ning Ruoque’s thoughts quickly returned to the matter at hand.

She closed her eyes and felt the surrounding spiritual energy, but her brow furrowed even deeper. “There’s no barrier, and it’s not an illusion.”

Then what was it that made the memories of the two stop three years ago and brought them back from the dead?

Thinking of the fact that Brightlight Pavilion also had a monster causing trouble, she frowned and thought deeply, What kind of monster has this kind of ability?

Chu Xuan also took out a compass and explained, “This compass can locate the position of my sect’s cultivators.”

She injected a trace of spiritual energy, and at first, the compass needle only swayed slightly.

But after a few breaths, it suddenly began to spin wildly, as if there were too many targets, so it couldn’t take them all into account.

Chu Xuan put away the compass with regret. “I tried it last night, and it was the same then.”

After her voice fell, she paused and saw Ning Ruoque’s hesitant expression.

She suddenly thought of Yin Buran’s words—

“They’re everywhere.”

Could it be that it’s literally everywhere?

A cold wind drilled in through the cracks in the window, rushing straight at people, one gust after another.

Even Chu Xuan couldn’t help but get goosebumps.

Ning Ruoque, on the other hand, reacted calmly. She called Qingtong to treat Wang Laosan, planning to question him later.

She then sat down beside Yin Buran, wanting to wait for her to finish her medicine before discussing.

But Yin Buran put down the medicine bowl directly, wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, and said unhurriedly, “Even if these two are dead, their life force has not been cut off.”

When a person dies, their life is extinguished like a lamp, and their life force dissipates in an instant. Even a cultivator would not be like this.

Chu Xuan even directly carried the still-unconscious Wang Laosan to Yin Buran. “You check. Is this a person or not?”

So Yin Buran reached out, her slender white fingers lightly resting on Wang Laosan’s wrist through his clothes.

Ning Ruoque felt very awkward in her heart, but she suppressed it.

So strange. When Wang Laosan wanted to touch Yin Buran, it was fine for her to be annoyed. But when Yin Buran touched him, she was also very annoyed?

She simply lowered her head and didn’t look, turning to silently recite the Heart Calming Mantra instead.

After a moment, Yin Buran tilted her head and said softly, “It’s a person, but… there seems to be something else mixed in.”

Before Chu Xuan could ask, she continued, “The life force here is too thick. It will interfere with my judgment.”

The wind was strong here, and her hands and feet were cold from the blowing. The cloak that Qingtong had handed her was useless.

Her silvery white hair was like the snow outside the window, both exuding a chill.

Yin Buran took a breath and then said slowly, “I might have to stay another night before I can know why they came back to life.”

Chu Xuan agreed without thinking, “Alright. You stay here and keep watch. I’ll go out and see if there are any other living people.”

After speaking, she strode out the door and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Qingtong handed Yin Buran a hand warmer with heartache and reheated the unfinished medicine.

She supported Little Senior Sister with all her heart, but was afraid that the other two would have opinions. If they argued, it would upset Little Senior Sister again.

But unexpectedly, one was a great sect master, and the other was the Sword Venerable. Neither of them refuted Yin Buran, and they didn’t even have a single objection.

It was as if they had developed a habit of letting Yin Buran decide everything in such matters.

Qingtong’s eyes lit up, and a sense of admiration welled up in her.

Little Senior Sister must have been very powerful back then!

Unfortunately, before she could finish being excited, a basin of cold water was poured over her head.

Yin Buran yawned, tightened her cloak, and buried her face in the fluffy fox fur.

“Qingtong, Qieyu, you two make a diagnosis for him. I’ll come and check in half an hour.” Her voice was muffled, but it sounded unquestionable.

The two young girls quickly agreed, and Yin Buran softly grabbed Ning Ruoque’s sleeve.

She only glanced at her, and the latter understood.

She wanted to sleep for a while.

Ning Ruoque directly carried Yin Buran up, not forgetting to manipulate her spiritual energy to take away the unfinished medicine.

She carried the person to the bed in a few steps, tidied up the quilt, and then placed the medicine bowl by her hand.

She said simply and directly, “Finish it before you sleep.”

Yin Buran: “…”

She pressed her lips together, looking sullen. Her small face, set off by the fluffy fox fur, looked even more pitiful.

She had already made up her mind. Either coax her or feed her, otherwise, she would never drink it.

This move was indeed effective, but a certain sword cultivator was only at a loss for a moment before her attitude became even more resolute.

“Is it uncomfortable? Then you should drink it even more.”

Yin Buran’s eyes shrank, as if she couldn’t believe what she had heard.

But she soon returned to her usual indifferent expression and said nonchalantly, “It’s a little cold. Go and seal the window.”

Ning Ruoque obediently did as she was told, got up to close the window, and then reinforced it with her spiritual energy.

When she turned back, the medicine bowl beside Yin Buran was already empty, but there was an extra tea set.

She handed a cup to Ning Ruoque and said in a flat tone, “Have some tea.”

Ning Ruoque took it, not understanding, and stared at the strangely colored “tea” in the cup, hesitating to drink it.

Yin Buran snorted coldly, “What, you think I put coptis root in it? I wouldn’t do something so childish.”

Ning Ruoque was afraid she would get angry, so she quickly took a sip and let out a soft hiss.

She looked up and saw a certain person looking at her with a leisurely expression, a faint smile on her lips.

Yin Buran’s face was full of profound meaning. “I put poison in it.”

“…”

After a brief silence, Ning Ruoque sighed with a complicated expression.

“Yin Buran, did you pour the medicine from just now into my cup?”