Help, I’m Being Forced to Marry a Frail and Sickly Immortal Doctor! 7

Chapter 7: A Sword’s Startling Appearance

…only then could she confirm if the person before her was real…

After she spoke, Ning Ruoque herself felt awkward for a long while. After a few simple instructions, she hurriedly slipped into the back hills of the guest house.

Although her statement wasn’t wrong.

Medical cultivators were, after all, a scarce “resource” in the cultivation world.

For an ordinary person to embark on the path of immortality, they needed spiritual veins in their body to mobilize the world’s spiritual energy. Such people were already rare.

And medical cultivators not only needed spiritual veins, but they also had to be able to resonate with all living things and have an affinity for a hundred medicines. Only then could they transform spiritual energy into medicinal power, allowing cultivators’ wounds to heal and severed limbs to regrow.

However, the cultivation method of medical cultivators was too unique. They lacked offensive means, and their constitutions were generally weaker than cultivators of the same rank.

So even though medical cultivators had strong spiritual souls and an easier time with tribulations, in this world where strength was paramount, they were considered the weaker party.

A thousand years ago, there were even vicious incidents of immortal sects forcing and raising medical cultivators.

All these reasons combined once led to a continuous decline in the number of medical cultivators, with their lineage almost severed.

Until a peculiar medical cultivator appeared out of nowhere, researched a technique of using poison as medicine, and spread it without any reservation.

She also founded Azurefall Creek, which only accepted medical cultivators, providing them with a sanctuary.

It was rumored that when she traveled in her early years, the sect masters of several sects died mysteriously from poisoning, their deaths extremely gruesome.

Some were unconvinced and gathered thousands of cultivators to annihilate Azurefall Creek and suppress the “poisonous woman.” In the end, not a single one survived; they all died in the Pit of Ten Thousand Gu.

After that battle, no one dared to call her a “poisonous woman” anymore. Now, the cultivation world respectfully addresses her as—

The Medicine King.

Today, nine out of ten medical cultivators in the world are in Azurefall Creek. Their numbers have increased, but they are still few and far between, and a doctor is hard to find.

Therefore, if one encounters a medical cultivator outside, most cultivators will choose to help them out and form a good connection. Consultation fees are also paid promptly, and no one dares to owe them money.

This is absolutely not because everyone in Azurefall Creek is extremely protective of their own and seeks revenge for the smallest grievance!

Ning Ruoque would also do her best to protect medical cultivators.

She had struggled with this all night, even weighing the pros and cons while talking to Yan Lingge.

In the end, she still chose to stay, even though she knew Yin Buran must be carrying many protective artifacts.

Yin Buran’s body was just too weak.

Although medical cultivators naturally had poor constitutions, Yin Buran’s weakness was clearly beyond the normal range.

Cultivators didn’t actually need to sleep.

Some would still retain the habits of sleeping and eating, not for restoring their spirits or satisfying their hunger, but simply as an experience.

But she found that Yin Buran was different.

Yin Buran had slept very soundly last night. Ning Ruoque had piled up quilts and moved them around at will, but she couldn’t wake her up.

This was more like her body was over-exhausted and her spiritual energy depleted, so she had to rely on deep sleep to speed up her recovery.

This was a very dangerous sign.

After all, although artifacts were useful, if one couldn’t summon them, everything was for naught.

She was staying out of a sense of moral obligation, just like helping Yan Lingge.

Ning Ruoque worriedly picked a fresh spirit fruit, then wrapped a roasted chicken leg in a leaf and stuffed it into the pouch at her waist.

Without a storage artifact, even hoarding food was difficult for her.

She still had to cultivate diligently!

The sky was already bright. She stepped on the rosy dawn light, skimmed over the glazed tiles of the roof, and returned to Yin Buran’s courtyard without a sound.

The room was quiet.

Large swathes of sunlight poured onto the cool couch, making the quilts on the bed soft and warm.

But no matter how warm it was, it was missing the person who needed it, making it seem a bit empty.

Ning Ruoque held the fruit in her arms, pushed the door open with one finger, and then cautiously stepped inside.

Just as she crossed the threshold, a gust of wind seemed to pass before her, and the door instantly slammed shut.

An inch of visible blade light came at her, but such a speed was clearly not enough to pose a threat.

Ning Ruoque easily dodged it. The sharp knife grazed the tips of her hair and embedded itself in the door behind her.

Before she could say anything, she was grabbed by the collar and pressed against the door.

The force wasn’t great, but it still made a “thud.”

Ning Ruoque hurriedly caught the wild fruit that was about to roll off, and a cool question came from beside her ear.

“Where did you go?”

Ning Ruoque’s heart skipped a beat. She was caught off guard by a pair of ice-cold eyes, the chill of the blade’s edge paling in comparison to the coldness within them.

But the hint of red at the corners of her eyes and the wet, long eyelashes made this coldness seem exceptionally fragile.

As if it could be shattered with a gentle touch.

Ning Ruoque pressed her lips together and quickly lowered her head.

Oh no, Yin Buran seems to be angry.

Yin Buran had gripped the knife too tightly earlier, and now her hand was starting to tremble uncontrollably.

But even so, she didn’t let go, her breath coming in short, rapid bursts as she pressed, “Still like to leave without saying goodbye?”

She stared at Ning Ruoque’s exposed neck, wanting to bite down on it. As if only such heat could confirm if the person before her was real.

“I should have just tied you up from the start. It doesn’t matter if you can’t remember, as long as—”

Ning Ruoque had been staring at Yin Buran’s opening and closing lips. While she was venting her dissatisfaction, Ning Ruoque quickly stuffed a wild fruit into her mouth, cutting off the rest of her words.

“Mmph…” Yin Buran subconsciously tried to spit the thing out.

But Ning Ruoque raised her hand and covered her mouth.

She couldn’t spit it out, nor could she force herself to swallow it. Her jaw ached uncomfortably, and tears began to well up in her eyes.

She looked just like she was being bullied.

Seeing that the person was not placated and was even whimpering and trembling, Ning Ruoque felt terrible.

It was clearly Yin Buran who had been bristling and threatening her with a knife just now.

How did it end up making her look like the unpardonable villain?

She quickly let go of her hand and tried to coax her in a soft voice, “Try it. This is the sweetest spirit fruit I picked this morning.”

Yin Buran stared at her with teary eyes for a long while before finally taking a small bite.

The skin was thin and the fruit was juicy, with a cool, snow-like flavor and just the right amount of fresh sweetness.

It was indeed delicious.

She held the spirit fruit with both hands and nibbled on it in small bites, a teardrop still clinging to her eyelashes, not yet wiped away.

Thinking about it carefully, Ning Ruoque was only at the Spirit Induction realm. It was normal for her to go out to find food when she was hungry. It was indeed she who had overreacted.

Seeing her obediently eating the fruit, Ning Ruoque asked cautiously, “Is it sweet?”

“Mm.”

Ning Ruoque secretly let out a sigh of relief.

Heaven knows, seeing Yin Buran cry made her more nervous than when she had faced the Demon God.

In her memory, Yin Buran had never lost her composure like this.

Back on the ancient battlefield, she could calmly fend off the beast tide and even find time to treat the wounded, a picture of ease and competence.

So seeing Yin Buran cry like that had really given her a fright.

She had been devoted to practicing the sword in the past and had never experienced love, but from Yin Buran’s actions just now, she could feel an extreme sense of panic.

Perhaps it was because of that inexplicable memory.

A thousand thoughts raced through Ning Ruoque’s mind, but her eyes were still fixed on Yin Buran, watching as one fruit was almost finished.

She still said softly, “There’s more if that’s not enough.”

Yin Buran looked up at her and said hoarsely, “I’m sorry.”

That teardrop rolled down and shattered on the floor with a “pat.”

Ning Ruoque’s heart suddenly beat half a beat faster, like a startled bird that flapped its wings but couldn’t find a place to land.

She attributed this to her extreme fear of Yin Buran crying; she couldn’t stand to see a woman cry.

The misunderstanding was cleared up. Ning Ruoque pulled the small knife from the door and weighed it in her hand.

This was not the one from last night. That one had a notch in it, and she hadn’t had a chance to return it to Yin Buran yet.

“This kind of small knife is cast too thin. It’s better not to use it for fighting.”

A weapon wasn’t necessarily better the lighter it was. It had to have enough weight to perform certain specific moves.

And being thin and light meant it was fragile. If the blade broke in the middle of a fight, it could even injure oneself.

Yin Buran took out a handkerchief to wipe her hands. Except for the slight redness at the corners of her eyes, she no longer looked like the tear-stained beauty from before.

She found the cool couch and sat down, looking as if she couldn’t stand for a moment longer. “It wasn’t meant for self-defense in the first place. This is the willow-leaf knife I use for cutting wounds.”

“My hands can’t lift heavy objects now. How could I use it if it weren’t cast lighter?”

Perhaps her emotions hadn’t passed yet, for Yin Buran’s tone was now laced with thorns.

“…”

Ning Ruoque didn’t ask. She just silently took out a wild fruit and sat far away to eat it.

The Yin Buran in her memory was a very proud person.

She had learned the art of poison from the Medicine King. When Ning Ruoque met her, she had already mastered an excellent technique of poison and gu-sorcery, capable of taking a life with a single dose, a master of snatching souls.

Ning Ruoque put herself in her shoes. To fall into such a weak state, where even holding a cup of water was difficult, Yin Buran was probably not feeling well.

“Little Senior Sister?”

A rhythmic knock came from the door. From the voice, it was the round-faced young girl from last night.

Yin Buran answered, “Come in.”

Qingtong walked in cheerfully with a tray, about to introduce her culinary skills, when she saw a sword cultivator in black sitting at the eight-immortals table.

Dull and slow-witted, not a thoughtful person at first glance.

Looking at her own Little Senior Sister, who was leaning against the cool couch with a cold face, her hair not even tied up, she knew she was in a bad mood.

She cursed the sword cultivator viciously in her heart.

No wonder sword cultivators had been ranked number one on the “Most Unsuitable Cultivator Types for Dao Companions” list published by the Hundred Rumors Tower for a hundred consecutive years.

She really didn’t know what her Little Senior Sister saw in this person!

Qingtong put down the tray and called out sweetly, “Little Senior Sister, I made you some pastries and fruits. Would you like to try them?”

Yin Buran was somewhat absent-minded. “Just put it here.”

Qingtong pouted, wanting to say more, but she also knew her Little Senior Sister’s temper.

If Yin Buran didn’t want to do something, she definitely couldn’t persuade her.

She said helplessly, “Alright. I mixed medicine into the plum blossom cakes. You should eat some, it’s good for you.”

Then, while Yin Buran was resting with her eyes closed, she shot a look at Ning Ruoque.

The meaning was to help persuade her.

But this sword cultivator had no perception at all and returned a rather confused expression.

Qingtong: “…”

She knew sword cultivators were unreliable!

The young girl lifted her skirt and walked away in a huff, leaving Ning Ruoque alone and at a loss.

How did she manage to anger another one?

Looking at Yin Buran again, the bright sunlight shone on her beautiful side profile, as if plating it with a layer of pale gold.

She lowered her eyes with a blank expression, dragging her chopsticks back and forth in the porcelain plate.

Finally, she put down her chopsticks directly and frowned at the pastries, as if contemplating how to destroy the evidence.

Her expression was solemn and dignified, but her actions were extremely childish.

Her chin was sharp, like a picky, skinny cat.

Ning Ruoque watched for a long while before weakly asking, “If you don’t want to eat, would you like some meat?”

Yin Buran turned to look at her but didn’t answer.

“I prepared it very cleanly.” Ning Ruoque took out the chicken leg wrapped in leaves from her pouch, feeling a pang of reluctance.

Because of her past experiences, she had a bad habit of hoarding and protecting her food.

Especially now that she hadn’t reached the stage of abstaining from food, it felt like she was back in the days of going hungry.

She had already given away food twice today.

Seeing Yin Buran’s calm gaze and then looking at the exquisitely shaped pastries on the tray, she felt a little annoyed at her own unnecessary action.

“If you don’t want to eat, then forget it.”

Just as she was about to take it back, a proud command sounded by her ear.

“Feed me.”