Chapter Fifty-Four: Falling Off the Cliff

Huo Lin held Jiang Huan in one arm and a long sword in the other, his clothes fluttering and rustling.

He raised his arm and exerted force, the blade piercing the cliff face, sparks flying, and the two slid down.

"Don't be afraid."

Jiang Huan kept her eyes tightly closed. She could feel Huo Lin's rapid heartbeat from his chest and the arms wrapped around her waist.

The force was so great that it almost blew her into her bones.

Even though she was falling and could be doomed at any moment, her heart inexplicably calmed down.

It seemed like the blink of an eye, or perhaps just a fleeting moment.

The expected annihilation did not occur.

Huo Lin remained calm and, relying on his profound internal strength, quickly adjusted his body in mid-air, using a large tree branch on the edge of the cliff to cushion the impact.

His body jolted violently, which changed the direction of his fall, and the two of them crashed heavily into a protruding cave.

The moment Jiang Huan's back hit the hard rock, Huo Lin's hand cushioned the back of her head, but he himself groaned as his right shoulder slammed against the stone wall.

"emperor!"

Jiang Huan quickly got up and went to see Huo Lin.

Huo Lin immediately grabbed Jiang Huan's arm. The usually composed and calm emperor seemed to have lost his composure at this moment.

They scrutinized her from head to toe, practically looking her over from head to toe.

"I'm fine, how are you?"

"I..." His words trailed off.

Jiang Huan noticed that Huo Lin's right hand was hanging down unnaturally, his dark sleeve was soaked with dark red blood, and drops of blood were dripping from his fingertips.

You're injured!

When she fell off the cliff, Jiang Huan thought she was going to die.

She didn't believe Huo Lin would really risk his life to save her.

The fall was dangerous, with countless branches and rocks growing out of the cliff face. If you weren't careful, you could be scratched and injured by these things.

But she was completely unharmed, except for some dust on her clothes.

On the contrary, Huo Lin's robes were torn in many places, his jade crown that held his hair up fell off, and he was in a sorry state.

He single-handedly shielded her from all harm with his own flesh and blood.

Jiang Huan felt a lump in her throat and reached out to tug at her skirt to bandage Huo Lin, but Huo Lin grabbed her arm and held her down.

He didn't even frown, and his voice was indifferent.

"It's a minor injury, nothing serious."

It seems like my shoulder is dislocated...

[We can't let her see this; what if it frightens her?]

Even at a time like this, why is he still thinking of her first?

She's not some porcelain doll that will break at the slightest touch.

Can't he think about himself first?

Jiang Huan's eyes gradually reddened, and she stared at Huo Lin with teary eyes.

Huo Lin was taken aback when she cried, his body stiffened, and he panicked.

He instinctively wanted to raise his hand to wipe Jiang Huan's tears, but he was afraid of getting blood on her face, so his arm froze in mid-air.

Finally, all I could do was awkwardly ask, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?"

[Oh no! Could she have suffered internal injuries and be crying from the pain?]

[It's all my fault, didn't I fail to protect her?]

Hearing his panicked words, Jiang Huan's tears fell even more fiercely.

"I'm fine, but Your Majesty," Jiang Huan said, pointing to Huo Lin's bleeding right hand, her voice slightly choked, "you're injured."

"Don't cry, I'm alright..."

Huo Lin was somewhat taken aback, and his voice carried a hint of panic.

But the more they tried to comfort Jiang Huan, the harder she cried.

With so much blood lost, how could she possibly be alright?

Ignoring Huo Lin's attempts to comfort her, Jiang Huan grabbed his sleeve.

"If Your Majesty is truly alright, then let me take a look."

Jiang Huan still had tears on her face, yet she was still fierce, like a kitten baring its teeth and claws.

Huo Lin was completely helpless against Jiang Huan and even forgot to resist for a moment.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Jiang Huan unbuttoned his clothes, revealing the hideous wound that pierced his eyes.

His right shoulder was covered in bruises, clearly dislocated.

A deep, bone-revealing knife wound on his left arm was still bleeding, but the most serious injury was on his back.

Extensive abrasions mixed with gravel, leaving the flesh a bloody mess.

If Huo Lin hadn't come to save her, she wouldn't have suffered these injuries.

Moreover, jumping off a cliff can easily cost you your life!

She merely sent the emperor some food, and it was all for the purpose of getting promoted and making money. Was it really worth the emperor showing her his true feelings? Why treat her like this?

Jiang Huan felt even more guilty, her fingertips trembling, and the tears she had finally managed to stop fell onto Huo Lin's hand again.

"You call this a minor injury?"

The scalding tears burned Huo Lin's heart like a branding iron.

Huo Lin frowned, feeling helpless as he tried to comfort him, his voice softer than ever before.

"I misspoke, please don't be angry with me."

Jiang Huan raised her head, and through her teary eyes, she saw Huo Lin's face.

His face remained handsome, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, and a cool and imposing aura between his brows.

Even now, though he was in a sorry state, his imperial demeanor remained undiminished, though a hint of panic and helplessness was visible in his eyes.

All these injuries are nothing compared to the pain of her shedding two tears.

Huo Lin's wound had not yet stopped bleeding, and his clothes were soaked with a dark color, which also stained Jiang Huan's eyes red.

Stop crying, it's wasting precious first aid time!

Jiang Huan sniffed, wiped away her tears with her hand, her small face instantly streaked with tears, and her voice was muffled.

"Sit still, I'll bandage you up."

Huo Lin dared not say no, and nodded repeatedly.

"Alright, I'll listen to you."

"I'll do anything for her, as long as she doesn't cry."

Jiang Huan pursed her lips, wiped away her tears, and tore off the softest fabric from the hem of her skirt.

There was an underground river inside the cave. When Jiang Huan soaked the cloth strips with the river water, Huo Lin was still worried and gently grabbed her wrist.

"Let me do it."

[Ice water will make her catch a cold; we can't let her get sick again.]

[I'm more skilled at treating wounds than she is; I can do it myself.]

"Don't move!" Jiang Huan glared at him. "A wounded person should act like a wounded person!"

The low growl echoed three times in the cave, lingering for a long time.

Jiang Huan was always all smiles in front of Huo Lin, and had never spoken to him so forcefully before.

Huo Lin was taken aback by the stern look, and obediently sat down, but secretly he felt a sweet warmth in his heart.

This is the first time she has ever been so presumptuous in front of me.

[Although, the way she scolds me is so cute.]

Jiang Huan's hands trembled as she cleaned the wound.

When the strip of cloth brushed against the deepest wound, Huo Lin's muscles tensed up, but he didn't utter a single cry of pain.

"Did I hurt you?" Jiang Huan asked softly, her voice filled with deep concern.

Huo Lin's expression was cold and stern. "It's alright."

[It hurts terribly, but she bandaged me up. What would it look like if I screamed and yelled? I'll endure any pain.]

Jiang Huan's heart trembled slightly. She knew that Huo Lin was putting on a brave face, but she also understood that Huo Lin was doing this to put her mind at ease.

She's not a heartless person; how could she remain unmoved?

Jiang Huan pursed her lips, then suddenly bent down and gently blew on the wound.

She hoped that the slight cool breeze could alleviate Huo Lin's pain, even if only by a little.

At that moment, Huo Lin froze like a stone statue.

His heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to burst out of his chest, but his face showed no sign of it.

[She...she...blows on my wound.]

"My wound hurts so much, I can't be dreaming."

"Does it still hurt?" Jiang Huan looked up and met Huo Lin's gaze.

"I'm not in pain."

She now only has eyes for me.

The injuries I sustained today were truly worthwhile.