Chapter 28: The World’s Best Sword is Indeed a Good Sword

Hold me.

Some words cannot be spoken carelessly; they must be deeply considered and weighed with caution. Otherwise, the consequences one must bear will be immeasurable.

Cheng Huan now deeply regretted uttering that threat.

She regretted it! She truly regretted it!

If she were given another chance, she definitely wouldn’t have said it.

Even if it meant directly carrying Mu Ge away, she wouldn’t have said that one sentence.

Cheng Huan let out a long sigh. “I really didn’t intend to hit you. The killers were closing in, and when I saw you weren’t leaving, I could only try to scare you away.”

She continued before Mu Ge could open her mouth. “I swear, I don’t dislike you, and I didn’t want to hit you. If I’m lying, may lightning strike me down and grant me a wretched death!”

“Cheng Huan!” Mu Ge’s expression turned stern. “Don’t talk nonsense!”

Cheng Huan wasn’t bothered by these oaths; to her, they were just words spoken casually, never taken seriously.

But seeing how much gravity and seriousness Mu Ge attached to it, Cheng Huan shut her mouth, lest it spark a new round of argument.

“Alright, alright, I won’t say it anymore. But please, stop being angry, okay? What I said was wrong, I won’t say it again, alright?” Cheng Huan said, mentally and physically exhausted.

Mu Ge’s eyes were red-rimmed. She hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

Seeing this, Cheng Huan felt a huge weight lift from her shoulders.

She mounted the horse in one fluid motion and extended her hand. “Come up. We need to hurry to Bochuan. The rest of this journey won’t be peaceful.”

Mu Ge grasped her hand. With a pull from Cheng Huan, her entire body landed in her embrace.

She tentatively nestled herself against Cheng Huan, their bodies pressing close.

Mu Ge felt Cheng Huan stiffen at her closeness. She had thought Cheng Huan would push her away, but instead, she felt Cheng Huan’s body relax, accepting her nearness.

Mu Ge pursed her lips into a smile. “Alright, I’ll listen to you.”

Cheng Huan flicked the reins and squeezed the horse with her legs. “Hyah—”

Between Heluo Town and Bochuan lay Zhaohe Town. After passing Zhaohe Town, it was still another half-day’s ride to reach Bochuan.

Late at night, the moon hung high in the sky. The two did not enter Zhaohe Town to find an inn to rest. Instead, they took a short break in a secluded forest on the outskirts.

From Heluo Town to Zhaohe Town, they had already experienced two interception attempts. Cheng Huan never even got the chance to make a move; those killers were all dealt with single-handedly by Mu Ge, efficiently and swiftly.

Cheng Huan discovered that Mu Ge could always produce a wide variety of poisons from all over her person.

Although she had bandaged Mu Ge’s wounds before, she had never thoroughly checked Mu Ge’s entire body.

Now, seeing her constantly pull out poisons that surprised Cheng Huan, a sudden curiosity sparked within her to understand Mu Ge’s entire body, inside and out.

“Curious?”

Cheng Huan blinked. “What?”

Mu Ge was roasting her hands over the fire and tilted her head to look at her. “Curious about where I hid all those poisons?”

Cheng Huan was genuinely curious and nodded. “Mm-hmm.”

Mu Ge stood up, walked in front of Cheng Huan, and spread her arms. “Try it.”

“Try what?”

“Try to see if you can find the poisons on me.”

Cheng Huan’s interest was piqued, and she became eager to try. “Okay.”

Mu Ge stood up straight, allowing Cheng Huan to fumble and search over her body.

Cheng Huan first felt Mu Ge’s boots. Empty.

Then she patted her sleeves. Also nothing.

Cheng Huan looked at Mu Ge’s belt. Her own belt could hold a sword, so naturally, Mu Ge’s belt could hold poison.

She felt along Mu Ge’s belt and indeed, near her side waist, she touched a bulge. “Is there poison here?”

Mu Ge nodded. “One spot, correct.”

Cheng Huan’s interest grew. She continued searching and felt another bulge under her upper arm. “Here too.”

“Another spot, correct.”

Cheng Huan asked, “How many spots in total?”

Mu Ge answered, “Four.”

So there were two spots left.

Cheng Huan’s gaze scanned Mu Ge from top to bottom, ultimately fixing on her chest.

She reached out her hand. “Here, certainly…”

Before she could make contact, Cheng Huan stopped in time and withdrew her hand. She pointed at Mu Ge’s chest. “There should be some here, right?”

Mu Ge lowered her eyes and nodded. “One spot, correct. One last spot remains.”

Cheng Huan scrutinized her carefully again but shook her head. “I can’t guess the rest. Just tell me directly?”

Mu Ge deliberately teased her. “Beg me?”

Cheng Huan: “Please, I’m begging you.”

“…” Mu Ge was momentarily speechless. “You’re a renowned Great Hero with a fearsome reputation. How can you say ‘I’m begging you’ so casually?”

She had just been teasing Cheng Huan, not actually intending for her to beg.

Cheng Huan didn’t mind at all and waved her hand dismissively. “Why care about empty titles and false fame? Just tell me where the last spot is?”

Mu Ge knew Cheng Huan’s free and uninhibited nature well. She drew the Pear Blossom Blade from her waist and made a cut across her finger. Blood flowed out.

“This is the fourth spot.”

Cheng Huan blinked. “Your blood is poisonous?”

Mu Ge nodded. “When I was young, someone poisoned me. It was a life-or-death crisis. Although Grandfather saved my life, I can never cultivate Internal Energy, and I was left with a body full of poisonous blood.”

“If someone drinks this blood of mine, or if it touches their wounds, eyes, or lips, that person will be poisoned.”

Cheng Huan asked, “Is there an antidote?”

“There is no antidote,” Mu Ge said, pulling a small bottle from her bosom. “But medicine can be used to suppress the poison’s outbreak.”

Cheng Huan’s eyes lit up. “Use medicine to suppress the toxicity? Then you could use your blood to control people! At that point, those people would be at your beck and call.”

Mu Ge’s eyes flickered. She smiled and said, “You could say that.”

Cheng Huan rotated the wild chicken roasting over the fire. Seeing the skin had blackened, she estimated the inside was cooked through.

She tore off a drumstick and handed it to Mu Ge. “Eat.”

Mu Ge accepted it, took a bite, and a look of nostalgia and sadness surfaced in her eyes. “You know, back in the valley, my friend and I would often sneak out to the mountains to hunt wild chickens and roast them. The smoke from the fire would drift upward, and at times like that, clan members would spot it and tell my grandfather to come catch us. To avoid being caught, we’d run all over the mountain, trampling many of the medicinal herbs Grandfather planted. It infuriated him so much he made us kneel in the ancestral hall as punishment.”

Cheng Huan chuckled. “You were quite mischievous.”

“Grandfather is all harsh words but a soft heart. He said we’d have to kneel all night, but as soon as someone pleaded for us, he’d just scold us a bit and let us stop kneeling.”

By the firelight, Cheng Huan saw that the corners of Mu Ge’s eyes were reddening, and she had stopped eating after just one bite of the drumstick.

“Want a steamed bun?” Cheng Huan took out the meat buns she’d bought in Heluo Town.

Mu Ge sniffled. “Yes.”

“Finish eating and rest early. I’ll keep watch tonight.”

Mu Ge bit into the bun. “I’ll keep watch with you.”

“No need for you,” Cheng Huan said. “You might be skilled with poisons, but your poisons will eventually run out. Save them well for protecting your life. I can handle those small fry alone.”

Mu Ge nodded. “Alright. If anything happens, call for me. Although my martial arts aren’t high, I can still lend you a hand.”

Cheng Huan said, “Alright.”

Cheng Huan sat by the campfire, warming her hands. In the deep hours of the night, the chill was as cold as a deep pool. A cold wind blew through the forest, making the flames flicker and the shadows dance along with it.

Cheng Huan surveyed her surroundings, wary of any hidden ambushers lurking nearby.

Her gaze swept past and landed on a stalk of Fluffy Grass in the nearby thicket.

Cheng Huan glanced back at Mu Ge, who was leaning against a tree trunk, head tilted and eyes closed. Her breathing suggested she was already asleep.

She plucked the Fluffy Grass, rubbing its fuzzy flower spike between her fingers. The bristles were rough, the texture mediocre, unlike the soft, cute feel of when she’d been a Lop-Eared Rabbit before.

Losing interest, Cheng Huan tossed the Fluffy Grass into the fire.

[Host, how long do you plan to stay in this world?]

As Bochuan drew near, Little Hedgehog knew that after Cheng Huan delivered the female lead to the male lead, she would go off to explore this Retirement Experience World.

Cheng Huan thought for a moment. “We’ll see. First, I want to properly travel this Retirement Experience World. It’ll likely take us quite a while.”

“By the way, what’s the female lead’s ultimate goal in this world? Guarding the treasure?” Cheng Huan guessed.

After all, she had seen the main storyline of this world and could roughly guess the plot’s subsequent development.

Little Hedgehog nodded. [Mm-hmm, guarding the treasure!]

Cheng Huan said, “Then the female lead should be able to accomplish it easily. With the male lead’s strength helping her guard the treasure, it won’t be a difficult task.”

She had learned a bit about this world’s male lead: courteous and polite, as refreshing as a clear breeze under a bright moon, a famously handsome man throughout Changxi City. The male lead had a gentle disposition and was the type who loved to champion good and punish evil. Although his martial prowess was only ranked tenth on the Expert Ranking List, being in the top ten at just the age of coming into manhood made him a martial prodigy of exceptional talent.

Moreover, the male lead’s father, the Master of the Yujian Manor, was ranked among the top three on the Jianghu Expert Ranking List. With his Windrider Sword, he could fend off a thousand foes, possessing a matchless momentum that no ten thousand men could oppose.

So, Cheng Huan felt quite at ease handing the female lead over to these two. The Yujian Manor also held no selfish intentions towards the treasure guarded by the Fanli Clan. The Manor Master and the Holy Elder of the Fanli Clan shared a relationship built on genuine mutual respect and friendship.

Little Hedgehog asked, [Then where will we go after Bochuan?]

“Is there a complete map of this retirement world?”

Little Hedgehog checked the data console. [There’s only a rough sketch map. It only shows the larger cities and towns. For specific city information, I’ll automatically collect data once we arrive at the destination.]

Cheng Huan looked at the two largest settlements on the map. The first was naturally Jinling; the second was Changxi City.

“After Bochuan, we’ll go to Changxi first, then Jinling. We’ll decide the rest later.”

Little Hedgehog: [Okay.]

The night passed without incident. Presumably, all the killers sent had not returned. The Golden Cicada Pavilion seemed to have calmed down considerably, not daring to send more people to provoke them.

At the first light of dawn, Cheng Huan extinguished the campfire and fetched some water from a nearby stream, pouring it over the eagerly flickering embers.

Mountain forest fire prevention is everyone’s responsibility.

Compared to the deep night, the mountain forest in the early morning was even cooler and fresher, with mist rising among the trees.

Cheng Huan was about to wake Mu Ge when she noticed her cheeks were flushed bright red, yet her lips were pale white.

Cheng Huan raised a hand to feel Mu Ge’s forehead. Sure enough, it was burning hot.

“Mu Ge, you have a fever. Do you have any medicine on you that can treat a fever?” Cheng Huan gently patted Mu Ge’s arm.

Mu Ge opened her eyes with great effort. “Only… poisons.”

“Should we… fight poison with poison?”

Cheng Huan: “…”

A simple fever, and she wanted to fight poison with poison. Cheng Huan was certain Mu Ge was delirious from the fever.

Figuring that Mu Ge probably carried nothing but poisons, Cheng Huan didn’t ask further. She scooped Mu Ge up in a princess carry, cradled her in her arms, and placed her onto the horse’s back.

Cheng Huan steadied Mu Ge’s body, then mounted the horse in a leap, letting Mu Ge nestle against her bosom.

“We’ll head to Zhaohe Town first to see a doctor and get medicine. You’re in bad shape. We can delay going to Bochuan for a couple of days.”

There were still a few days before the male lead was due to arrive in Bochuan; it was still manageable.

A fever in ancient times could be a minor or major affair. If her brain got cooked, even great celestial beings couldn’t save her.

Mu Ge closed her eyes, lying against Cheng Huan’s neck, and answered with a dazed, drowsy “Mm.”

She hadn’t heard clearly what Cheng Huan said, but whatever Cheng Huan did, she would agree to it.

Cheng Huan snapped the reins, riding towards Zhaohe Town.

“Cold,” Mu Ge curled her body, shivering. “Cheng Huan, I’m so cold…”

Cheng Huan quickened their pace. “We’ll be there soon. Then we’ll have the doctor prescribe you medicine. You’ll be fine.”

Mu Ge twisted her body, pressing herself closer against Cheng Huan’s form. She tightly hugged Cheng Huan’s waist, her tone almost pleading.

“Cheng Huan, hold me, please?”

“If you hold me, I won’t… won’t be cold anymore…”

A flicker of hesitation crossed Cheng Huan’s eyes as she felt Mu Ge trembling in her arms.

She held the reins with her right hand, while her left arm wrapped around Mu Ge’s back, pulling her into a tight embrace.

“Mm,” Cheng Huan sighed softly, her voice incredibly light and drifting. “If I hold you, you won’t be cold anymore.”