Help, I’m Being Forced to Marry a Frail and Sickly Immortal Doctor! 34

Chapter 34: Short Are These Bitter Days

She felt very warm.

Ning Ruoque first carried Yin Buran and ran for a while.

Then she directly summoned the Sudden Rain sword, stepped on it steadily, and flew at a low altitude.

She carefully controlled the direction of the sword, avoiding branches from scratching Yin Buran, or turning too sharply and making her lose her grip.

Only after she could no longer hear the movements of the Shirou did she find an open space to put the person down and observe her carefully.

Yin Buran did not cough or faint. Her eyes were as bright as autumn water, but her hair was messed up by the wind, making her look a little disheveled.

Ning Ruoque finally let out a sigh of relief. It seemed that she could accept this way of being carried.

This was the end of a forest. Ning Ruoque used her spiritual energy to sweep away the thick snow, revealing the relatively clean and solid black soil.

Yin Buran did not immediately tidy her appearance, but tilted her head, her eyes slightly inquisitive. “What, the two of you can’t even beat it?”

Not to mention Ning Ruoque, Chu Xuan alone should have been more than enough to deal with that Shirou.

Ning Ruoque’s gaze shifted. “It’s not that we can’t beat it, it’s that we couldn’t find its demon core. And it feels like it has mutated, a little disgusting. Don’t look, I can describe it to you.”

“Also…” she felt her face heat up and whispered, “Can you not hug me while we’re talking?”

“No,” Yin Buran answered quite decisively.

Yin Buran was standing on the ground, but her hands did not let go.

Even though she had to stand on her tiptoes, she still insisted on hugging Ning Ruoque’s neck, as if trying to count the other’s eyelashes.

She just wanted to look at her like this, especially after being treated so considerately.

Ning Ruoque’s breath was filled with Yin Buran’s clear and sweet fragrance, dispelling the previous feeling of disgust.

What followed was a slightly too fast heartbeat and an inexplicable nervousness.

Although she was already skilled at carrying Yin Buran around and feeding her medicine, she was still not used to such intimacy.

When Yin Buran looked at her, she was too focused, and her undisguised care almost materialized, rushing towards her.

Ning Ruoque didn’t know how to respond, so she just stood there in a daze, not daring to look into Yin Buran’s eyes.

Just then, a gust of wind came from the forest, breaking the grass and trees with a domineering force, and crashing out a wide path.

Ning Ruoque hurriedly pushed the person away and coughed a few times very deliberately.

When she turned around, she saw a miniature flying boat rush out from the forest and come to a screeching halt in front of Ning Ruoque.

Chu Xuan flipped off the boat with a dashing move, still carrying the mentally unstable old woman.

Behind her were Qingtong and Qieyu.

The two little faces were a uniform deathly pale. Leaves and snowflakes hung on their heads, and their clothes were also dirty. They almost couldn’t stand steady when they stepped on the ground.

They were shaken by Chu Xuan’s driving skills.

Yet Chu Xuan herself was laughing wantonly. “I can’t even outrun a sword cultivator at the Dust Cleansing realm. I need to practice more. As a medical cultivator, how can you not know how to run away?”

Qingtong was both angry and annoyed. She trotted to Yin Buran’s side and puffed up into a steamed bun.

Ning Ruoque walked up and asked, “How’s the situation?”

“I saw it shrink back into the town.”

As Chu Xuan spoke, she threw a few pieces of charcoal on the ground, snapped her fingers, and a vigorous fire started.

She didn’t mind the cold and pulled out a few sacks from her storage bag to spread on the ground. Then she leaned against the flying boat and sat down, stretching lazily without any regard for her image.

“Ah, so tired. Let’s just take a break.”

It was also a good time to consolidate the current information.

Knowing that Yin Buran would never sit on the muddy ground, Qingtong and Qieyu took out thick cloths to lay down, and then placed soft cushions on top.

That was not enough. In the end, they draped a fox-fur cloak over Yin Buran before they were done.

Ning Ruoque sat beside Yin Buran.

Before she could speak, Yin Buran suddenly grabbed her wrist.

In front of so many people, Ning Ruoque’s heart tightened, and she looked at Yin Buran at a loss.

The latter, however, only slowly passed over her spiritual energy, healing the injuries she had sustained in the fight earlier.

Yin Buran’s spiritual energy was like a spring breeze, gentle and just right. It smoothed away all the hidden pain and created an unbearable itching.

Ning Ruoque was worried about Yin Buran’s illness and advised, “Actually, you don’t have to waste your spiritual energy to treat me. They’re all minor injuries.”

She had suffered many injuries much more serious than this and had been on the verge of death several times. Compared to that, this was completely insignificant.

But Yin Buran did not look at her and continued to do as she pleased.

She said simply, “I care.”

Ning Ruoque was rendered speechless by this answer.

She could only stare blankly at Yin Buran’s beautiful side profile, thinking about how to repay this favor.

Chu Xuan’s calm voice sounded, “Are you two done?”

She was not sitting properly either, with one leg propped up.

She stared menacingly at Ning Ruoque and Yin Buran’s faces, listening to the two of them chatting as if no one else was around.

If this continued, she would really start to suspect that Ning Ruoque, this promising candidate for the path of ruthless cultivation, had actually been so bewitched by Yin Buran that she was hopelessly lost.

“…”

Ning Ruoque: “Cough, cough.”

It was nothing at first, but after being pointed out so bluntly by her friend, it made her feel embarrassed.

As if she had been caught doing something bad, she quickly pulled her hand back, sat up straight, and looked straight ahead.

Chu Xuan grinned. “Caught a cold? Drink more hot water.”

Without waiting for Ning Ruoque to respond, she pulled over the vacant-eyed old woman. “I think I heard her call me Sect Master earlier.”

At that time, the old woman was clearly conscious.

She remembered Ning Ruoque saying that this body was stuffed with several remnant souls, so perhaps one of them was her person.

Everyone present knew that Chu Xuan’s subordinates were more likely dead than alive.

Yin Buran was too lazy to move and lifted her chin at Chu Xuan.

Chu Xuan obediently pulled the old woman to her side and let her take her pulse.

The moment they made contact, Yin Buran’s brow furrowed deeply. Not long after, she withdrew her hand and sighed softly.

“Her situation is exactly the same as Wang Laosan’s. A demon’s body with a human’s soul. Try calling their names a few more times.”

Chu Xuan did as she was told and called out several times. Finally, the old woman’s cloudy eyes gradually cleared.

Then her body swayed, and she was caught by Chu Xuan’s quick hands before she could fall to the ground.

The old woman grabbed Chu Xuan’s hand with a trembling grip. It was clearly a wrinkled face, but her voice was like a young girl’s.

Her face was full of bewilderment. Before she could figure out the situation, she just asked foolishly, “Sect Master… are you here to take me home?”

The remnant soul’s memory was stuck on the day of its death, but it did not remember that it was already dead.

Chu Xuan’s movements paused slightly, and then she showed a gentle smile.

“Mm, we’ll be back soon.”

The young girl was still worried. “Then… the Shirou.”

Chu Xuan still smiled and promised, “I will kill it.”

The young girl also tried hard to raise the corners of her mouth, but her eyelids seemed to be filled with lead, getting heavier and heavier.

Her gaze began to wander, and she was still muttering, “Sect Master… is mighty. When I get back, I’m going to forge for three days and three nights. My sword is not… finished yet.”

Her hand slowly fell, and was forcefully held by Chu Xuan. Finally, she murmured, “Sect Master…”

Chu Xuan responded, “I’m here.”

As soon as her voice fell, the old woman’s eyes completely lost their spirit and returned to their dazed state.

The clouds were dark and the sky hung low. The wind howled through the cold forest, like a series of mournful cries.

Qingtong rubbed her eyes and turned her head away, not looking.

She didn’t know if the young girl from the Forging Fire Sect was thinking about her unfinished sword before she died.

Yin Buran reminded her, “The soul is too fragmented. It has already disappeared.”

Chu Xuan’s smile disappeared. She nodded with a normal expression and continued to call the other two names, but unfortunately, there was no response.

To be able to reach this position today, life and death were already a common occurrence for them.

Naturally, they understood that it was useless to be sad. The most important thing now was to find out the truth as soon as possible and avenge their fallen comrades.

Ning Ruoque looked at Yin Buran. “You said Wang Laosan has a heart made of monster flesh. The monster here…”

Yin Buran: “It should be that Shirou.”

Wang Laosan’s recovery ability was exactly the same as the Shirou’s.

Thinking of that mutated Shirou, Ning Ruoque recounted what she had seen to Yin Buran.

Of course, she omitted some disgusting and unimportant scenes as much as possible.

Apart from the mutation, the most worrying thing about this Shirou was its perverted concealment ability.

It was so big, logically, its demonic aura should be overwhelming. But Ning Ruoque and the others had stayed in Yunling Town for half a day, and not a single one of them had discovered it.

Chu Xuan suddenly thought of something and slapped her thigh. “Yin Buran, you said at the beginning that the life force in the town was thick. Could it be that the Shirou created it?”

Even the compass she used to find people had lost its function.

Yin Buran lowered her eyes. “It’s very possible.”

The atmosphere on the scene became even more solemn.

Chu Xuan’s subordinates might have lost their lives because of this.

This kind of transformation was too dangerous.

One had to know that even cultivators of Yin Buran and Chu Xuan’s level did not discover the clues in time. This meant that the Shirou could sneak into a bustling city, or even an immortal sect, without anyone knowing.

Chu Xuan pulled at her hair, unable to help but feel a little annoyed.

“How many people has this thing devoured? Now that it has learned to hide its own demonic aura, is the next step to transform into a human form?”

She was now very suspicious that all the people in Yunling Town might have been devoured by the Shirou.

Ning Ruoque immediately spoke, “But there are still doubts about the death of your sect’s cultivator. Her remnant soul appeared in the woman’s body. The Shirou shouldn’t have the brains to do such a thing.”

According to past experience, the Shirou would only grow and attack blindly, and had no ability to think at all.

This was more like it was man-made!

But compared to dealing with people, Ning Ruoque was actually more willing to kill demons.

She clenched her sword, really unable to understand.

It was clearly a feud of thousands of years. Why were there always people who wanted to use the power of monsters to achieve their own goals?

Thinking of this, Chu Xuan also fell into silence.

No one spoke. In the end, it was Yin Buran who said unhurriedly, “Let’s rest for a while, then we’ll set off for Xiaochi Village.”

Xiaochi Village, the place mentioned in the anonymous letter.

Yin Buran had a premonition that the person who sent this letter would probably not write nonsense, let alone let them come for nothing.

She said it was a rest, and Qingtong thought it would be like usual, meditating and chatting.

But unexpectedly, Chu Xuan actually took out a bag of steamed buns and a gourd of wine.

She enthusiastically stuffed two into Qingtong and Qieyu’s hands. “A specialty of the Forging Fire Sect. It’s delicious.”

Qingtong took a bite with suspicion and instantly covered her mouth, her tears almost coming out.

So hard! It was even harder than a rock.

Chu Xuan laughed loudly. “Hahahaha, I forgot to say, this has to be roasted.”

Qingtong held her breath fiercely. She suspected that this person hadn’t forgotten at all, but had deliberately not said it.

Looking at Ning Ruoque again, this sword cultivator had silently gone into the forest.

She was about to complain to Yin Buran in a low voice, saying that it was a rest, how could she leave on her own!

But when she turned her head, she was stunned on the spot.

She found that her Little Senior Sister had set out a whole tea set and had called Qieyu to brew tea.

The fragrance of tea filled the air, the fire was warm, and the steamed buns were cut into slices by Chu Xuan, strung up, and roasted to a beautiful golden yellow.

And Yin Buran quietly held the teacup to warm her hands, her eyes half-closed, curled up in the fox-fur cloak, her posture a rare sight of relaxation.

Qingtong tugged on Qieyu’s sleeve and lowered her voice, “Why do I feel like they’re having a picnic?”

“It’s not a feeling.” Qieyu looked at the distance with a complicated expression.

Ning Ruoque hurried back, still carrying a plucked wild chicken and a rabbit.

She was very sure. “This is a picnic.”

Chu Xuan seemed to have seen their confusion, took a gulp of wine, and then explained slowly.

“When you’re out and about, it’s good to have a balance of work and rest. After a fight, of course you have to reward yourself.”

She winked at Qingtong and raised her cup. “Who knows if we’ll be dead tomorrow.”

Yin Buran said faintly, “You’re not ashamed of scaring the younger generation all day long.”

Chu Xuan let it in one ear and out the other, not taking it to heart at all. She continued to roast steamed bun slices and drink wine with a grin, and threw a bag of seasoning to Ning Ruoque.

The rich juices of the meat hit the fire, making a sizzling sound.

Ning Ruoque skillfully brushed oil, spices, and a little chili powder on the wild chicken and rabbit, and the fragrance instantly soared.

Chu Xuan couldn’t wait to eat and began to walk around with a steamed bun slice in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other.

She sat down beside Ning Ruoque and laughed, “Hahahaha, when you were carrying Yin Buran before, you didn’t see her expression—”

Ning Ruoque snatched the steamed bun slice and stuffed it directly into her mouth, cutting off the rest of her words.

She unconsciously looked at Yin Buran.

The latter was curled up on the cushion, not speaking, her gaze fixed on the roasted rabbit. She was white and fluffy, looking very well-behaved.

Like a large snow rabbit.

She didn’t know if poking her would startle her.

Ning Ruoque’s heart moved, and before she could figure out the reason for her emotional fluctuation, she heard Chu Xuan shout:

“The Sword Venerable’s cultivation has dropped drastically. I never thought I would have a day to shine!”

Ning Ruoque: “…”

Chu Xuan was in high spirits. She began to sing out of tune, brag about her glorious deeds, and show Qingtong and Qieyu the artifacts she had made.

She took out something that looked like a fire gun. “This is a spiritual energy cannon. It can track targets on its own, but it can only be used to shoot mosquitoes.”

She then took out a seemingly ordinary fishing rod. “This is the North Sea Kun Fishing Rod. It can catch anything except fish.”

Qingtong and Qieyu were speechless. Chu Xuan took it as if the two of them were deeply impressed by her and became more and more enthusiastic.

Ning Ruoque pretended not to know this person.

The skin of the rabbit meat was already roasted to a golden brown, sizzling with oil. The meat was fresh, tender, and juicy, and the aroma was so enticing that it made one’s mouth water.

She used a clean leaf as a mat, tore off a rabbit leg, and handed it to Yin Buran.

Watching her eat in small bites, Ning Ruoque unknowingly had a faint smile on her face.

Chu Xuan suddenly poked her head over. “Let me have a bite too.”

Ning Ruoque punched her back. Not to mention a rabbit leg, she didn’t even want to give her a chicken neck.

She tore open the wild chicken with a sullen face, divided it into four parts, and reluctantly distributed it to the group. And she left two chicken legs for herself.

She had roasted it, so of course, it was all hers.

If she had already taken a bite, it would be even more impossible. No one could snatch food from her mouth.

Knowing that this person was protective of her food, Chu Xuan still couldn’t help but mutter, “Stingy.”

The sky gradually darkened, and only the bonfire steadily emitted light, illuminating one side.

The wind from all directions could not disperse this fire, and could only stir up the sound of the pine waves like the sea.

Chu Xuan leaned against the flying boat, her arms pillowed under her head as she looked at the sky.

She didn’t care what others thought and sighed to herself, “This is great. Since that great war, Yin Buran directly disappeared, and the fortune-teller went into seclusion. It’s been a long time since we’ve gathered like this.”

“It would be even better if the fortune-teller was here too.”

It was unknown if she was drunk, but she was humming a messy tune. She even dared to say things like “I’m going to beat the Sword Venerable until she cries.”

Ning Ruoque was helpless. She couldn’t really get angry with her, so she could only lower her head and drink tea.

But her peripheral vision inadvertently slid to Yin Buran.

Suddenly, the wind rose.

Yin Buran seemed to have been amused, the corners of her mouth couldn’t be suppressed, and her eyes reflected the warm fire. The white snow had just melted, and the spring wind blew in her face, just like in the past.

So in a moment of carelessness, Ning Ruoque also laughed.

It was really good to be able to see Yin Buran and Chu Xuan again.

She felt very warm.