A buzzing sound echoed between heaven and earth, and the Crimson Sky Sword vanished without a trace.

The wind rustled in his ears, carrying a strange, bloody smell. The boy's tall body knelt down, and blood gushed from a deep wound on his ankle that exposed bone. The blood soaked into the sand, and a tender blade of grass peeked out beside him.

His consciousness urged him to continue moving closer to Xie Shuci, but the burning pain in his ankles seemed to consume his body, and his legs slammed heavily to the ground, leaving him completely unable to move.

His sword strike completely severed any possibility of getting close to Xie Shuci.

Even when he looked ahead with blurred vision, barely able to make out Xie Shuci's back, the wound on his right shoulder that had almost severed his entire arm made it impossible for him to even make the slightest movement like reaching out to grab Xie Shuci.

Is Xie Shuci still alive?

He didn't know.

Xie Shuci should die!

The most primal desire in his heart transformed into a demonic voice, constantly lingering in his ears, urging and guiding him to continue toward Xie Shuci.

But the wisp of consciousness he desperately managed to squeeze out, having broken free from the control of his murderous urges, was frantically suppressing the speed at which his wounds were healing.

Chu Wenfeng stared blankly at Xie An, his eyes wide with disbelief, as if a hand had gripped his throat. The bloodstains all over his body, the murderous look in his eyes, and the two clashing forces within him—one desperately trying to heal his wounds, the other desperately trying to prevent them from healing.

His body was filled with contradictions; he wanted to thank Shuci, yet he also wanted to thank Shuci for living.

"If you hear the news, go!" Chu Guiyi gave Xie An a deep look, understanding that Xie An had gone so far as to sever his Achilles tendons and seal the Crimson Sky Sword so that they could take Xie Shuci away. At this moment, he felt a sense of shock, a shock stemming from the contradictions within Xie An and from the man himself.

In a state of extreme delusion, a person can desperately squeeze out a sliver of clarity within this seemingly unbreakable cage.

Chu Guiyi knew it was absolutely impossible for him to do it; in fact, no one had ever done it before, from ancient times to the present.

However, Xie An did it.

He couldn't help but admire the seventeen-year-old boy in front of him. Whether it was being a Heavenly Saint, cultivating the Path of Slaughter, or liking Xie Shuci, he had done everything to the highest degree.

Such boldness, such courage to take a desperate gamble and go against the grain, is truly admirable.

At this moment, Xie Shuci was unaware of what had happened, nor did he know what had happened to him.

The effects of the Crimson Sky Sword were enormous; he had to concentrate intently to barely piece together the king's pierced and burned internal organs and skin.

The king kept whispering in his ear, trying to make Xie Shuci stop. It wanted to lick Xie Shuci's wounds. Tears and blood mingled together, wetting its fur.

When Xie Shuci used all his strength to repair its damaged internal organs, he breathed a heavy sigh of relief. He knew that the king could live. His tense body relaxed instantly, and the pain piercing his chest once again took over his mind. He felt as if he had been thrown into a fire, his chest was charred, and thick black blood was gushing from the corners of his mouth and nose. But he dared not fall down. He always felt that if he closed his eyes, he would never open them again.

He wanted to see the king, and he wanted to see Xie An.

Xie An... He wanted to see Xie An again... even if Xie An looked at him with the same eyes one would give an ant... what if he died and forgot about Xie An?

"Waaah..." The king cried as he licked the blood off his face. Xie Shuci found it in the way and tried to push it away, but he couldn't muster any strength.

Make way, move aside...

I want to see the little blind man... let me see him again...

The next moment, Xie Shuci felt himself being picked up, and the Great King turned into a little dog and followed him.

Who is it...? Be gentle...it hurts so much...

Xie Shuci thought to himself, and when he raised his eyes and vaguely saw Chu Guiyi's anxious face, he thought, "It really is you, Xiao Wenzi, so clumsy."

Chu Guiyi regained some strength, and together with Sikong Ye, one picked up Du Pingsheng and the other picked up the pageboy, and they ran forward.

"Walk!"

Walk?

Don't go.

Let me see the little blind boy one more time; I'm afraid I'll never see him again.

Xie Shuci's head slumped limply in Chu Wenfeng's arms. He felt his body become very empty. He could not feel pain, he could not feel anything. He could only vaguely hear the wind blowing past his ears.

They all say that hearing is the last sense to disappear when one is dying.

"Xie Shuci! You dare to die! If you die, I'll definitely dig up your grave and make sure you don't rest in peace even in death!"

"You idiot, of all people to mess with, why did you have to provoke Xiao Xun!"

"You're a fucking idiot!"

Chu Wenfeng, you brat... you're still cursing me at a time like this...

"Waaah..."

The king's soft sobs echoed in my ears.

Don't cry...it doesn't hurt...

"Xie Shuci... don't die..." Chu Wenfeng's voice gradually choked up.

A warm tear fell onto Xie Shuci's arm. Strangely enough, he couldn't feel anything, but the touch of this tear was unusually clear to him.

She cried?

Chu Wenfeng... cried...

Xie Shuci was really tired. He felt like a hand was desperately pulling him into the darkness. He couldn't take it anymore. He needed to sleep.

"Thank you for your resignation!"

Chu Wenfeng roared angrily, clearly feeling that the person in his arms had only a last breath left.

Xie Shuci could no longer hear his voice; he wanted to fall into darkness along with those hands.

So tired, so painful.

Xie An... Xie An... Xiao...

"It's Xiao Xun!!"

Not far behind them, a voice boomed like thunder.

A faint glimmer of light appeared in Xie Shuci's consciousness, which was about to sink into darkness.

Xiao Xun... Xiao Xun... It's Xiao Xun...

No, he can't sleep yet, he hasn't seen his little blind boy...

Xie Shuci struggled to break free from the hand that had dragged him into the darkness, trying to climb upwards. In the silent, still sea, he used all his strength to bring his eyes to the surface. His long eyelashes trembled, but the water's surface became an impenetrable film, refusing to let him out no matter how much Xie Shuci struggled.

Xie Shuci wanted to cry, but she didn't even have the strength to cry.

In this silent sea, Xie Shuci suddenly heard a distant sigh.

Immediately afterwards, he felt the water droplets on his wrist form a cool stream of water that flowed down his arm to the wound on his chest. The cool water lifted him from the stillness of the sea, and in an instant, all his senses rushed back into his body.

Blue water flowed around his wound, gently caressing his skin.

Chu Wenfeng was stunned by what he saw. "Senior Brother!"

Chu Guiyi turned to look at him, then her gaze was drawn to the blue spiritual energy on Xie Shuci's chest. "Senior Banxia's spiritual energy, did he foresee this day?"

Xie Shuci vaguely heard their voices, but he had no time to pay attention. He fluttered his eyelashes, opened his eyes, and looked back.

Outside a city gate stained with blood and littered with ruins, trees had fallen and sand was flying everywhere. A solitary figure knelt on the ground, facing Xie Shuci, gazing into the distance like a devout believer.

He was covered in blood, looking like a demon.

He looked at Xie Shuci, opened his lips as if to say something, but the distance was too great for Xie Shuci to hear his voice. He could only vaguely make out through the shape of his lips that he was saying, "Go...go..."

"Everyone be careful! It's Xiao Xun!"

At the same time, Deng Xingsen arrived behind him with a group of disciples from the immortal sect.

"careful……"

Xie Shuci murmured two words in a hoarse voice.

"He's seriously injured!"

"Xiao Xun is seriously injured! This is a perfect opportunity to annihilate him in one fell swoop!"

Upon seeing the several fatal wounds on Xie An's body, the disciples of the Immortal Sect were overjoyed, gripping their weapons tightly and surrounding Xie An.

don't want……

Seeing this, Xie Shuci was extremely anxious. He wanted to stand up and take Xie An with him, but he couldn't muster any strength at all.

He could only watch helplessly as the little blind man, surrounded by them, staggered to his feet. His legs recovered very slowly, and the movement of standing up was extremely difficult and contorted.

Under the thin moonlight, the blood-soaked boy stumbled to his feet.

Xie Shuci is gone. Will Xie Shuci survive? He doesn't know.

He didn't know if the mark left by Ban Xiayin would save Xie Shuci.

He didn't know if Xie Shuci was safe. He wanted to check, but he didn't dare.

At one point, he even clearly felt Xie Shuci's aura was like a drop of rain about to be evaporated by the sun.

He raised his bloodshot eyes and looked at Deng Xingsen opposite him, his intense killing intent making him forget the pain in his body.

Xie Shuci watched from afar as they rushed towards Xie An. A sudden, numbing pain shot through his heart, and a cry of alarm was about to burst from his dry throat. But just then, he felt a pair of warm, large hands cover his head, and a gentle voice whispered in his ear, "Shuci, take a nap."

Xie Shuci recognized the voice; it was the voice of the Water God.

Why is the Water God here?

He couldn't sleep; he had to save the little blind boy...

"Shuci, listen to me."

What?

"Destiny..."

The Water God said something to him, and Xie Shuci's heart trembled upon hearing it. He was about to ask more questions, but the Water God's voice seemed to have a magical power, pulling Xie Shuci's consciousness. He gradually closed his eyes, and his consciousness fell into a state of tranquility.

Sikong Ye suddenly stopped in his tracks. "Chu Guiyi."

Chu Guiyi looked over in confusion. Sikong Ye tossed the pageboy in his hand to him, and Chu Guiyi caught it with one hand.

"I'll go back and take a look," Sikong Ye said.

"Young Master Sikong..."

"Xiao Xun cannot die at their hands."

Like Xie Shuci, Xiao Xun's secret realm is still unexplored, and he does not want it to disappear forever before that happens.

Moreover, he was so looking forward to the surprises these two people would bring him in the future, how could he let Xiao Xun die at the hands of this scum?

Even if Xiao Xun is destined to die today, he must make sure Xiao Xun dies by his own hand.

Chu Guiyi glanced at him but didn't say anything more. "Farewell."

"Goodbye."

The group of people walked in opposite directions.

When the magnificent city wall could no longer be seen when looking back, Chu Guiyi called for Chu Wenfeng to stop.

"Senior Brother?" Chu Wenfeng called out in confusion.

Chu Guiyi placed Du Pingsheng and the other person on the ground, and then took Xie Shuci from his hands.

Xie Shuci's chest wound was being repaired by aquamarine spiritual energy, which was full of life force. Xie Shuci's wound was healing at a speed that was almost visible to the naked eye.

Seeing this, Chu Guiyi breathed a sigh of relief.

"Awooo!" The Great King circled around his feet. Xie Shuci used his original spiritual power to repair its wounds before he died. Although it was not completely healed, it was nothing for a spirit beast.

It looked up, tears welling in its eyes, and gazed worriedly into Chu Guiyi's arms.

Chu Guiyi said, "Don't worry, Senior Banxia saved him. In another half hour, his body will be recovered."

Upon hearing this, the king excitedly circled around him, jumping and shouting.

"Senior Brother, aren't we leaving?" Chu Wenfeng asked, frowning.

Chu Guiyi carried Xie Shuci to a big tree, placed Xie Shuci under the tree, took off his outer robe and covered him with it. The king immediately went up and, like a little soldier, guarded Xie Shuci's side, and would lick his fingers from time to time, hoping that he would get better soon.

Chu Guiyi glanced at Xie Shuci's slightly furrowed brows in his sleep, sighed, and said, "Young Master Xie probably won't be able to catch up."

Chu Wenfeng said, "But..."

Chu Guiyi shook his head at him and said, "Let's talk about it when Shuci wakes up."

Upon hearing this, Chu Wenfeng frowned even more deeply. "Senior Brother, you're not planning to send him back to find that bastard surnamed Xiao after he wakes up, are you?"

"Ouch!" the king yelled at him in displeasure.

Chu Wenfeng glared at him, "You're not happy that I insulted him? Have you forgotten that he almost killed you and Xie Shuci?"

At this point, the king sadly collapsed to the ground, his eyes drooping listlessly.

Chu Guiyi shook his head and said, "Of course I don't want Shuci to go back to him, but I hope Shuci can make his own choice, instead of having someone else make the choice for him."

"Senior Brother! Why are you so stubborn! That Xiao fellow went into qi deviation and only chased after him to kill him. Isn't it obvious that he went into qi deviation because of Xie Shuci? If Xie Shuci goes back to find him, he will definitely die in the future. Senior Banxia can save him once, but he may not be able to save him a second time!" Chu Wenfeng was so angry that his eyes turned red.

Chu Guiyi looked at him and chuckled softly, “Wen Feng, some things are more important than life. Even if Shu Ci is doomed to die if he goes back, what if he knows this himself and still wants to go back? We are not him, we can't make the decision for him. Whatever he chooses to do is his choice.”

At first, Chu Guiyi also wanted to take him away.

However, Xie An's actions changed his mind. He and Shu Ci liked and cherished each other, and they should not be separated by any external force.

As for the outcome, it depends on what Shuci and he are capable of doing; Chu Guiyi doesn't want to interfere or make decisions for either of them.

Xie Shuci slept very restlessly. The last scene he saw kept replaying in his mind. He struggled to wake up from his dream and to break through the barrier on his body. After struggling for a long time, he finally tore through the shackles with a muffled groan and sat up from the ground, panting heavily.

"Thank you!" Xie Shuci suddenly sat up. The sudden movement pulled at the wound on his chest that had not yet fully healed, causing a sharp pain. Xie Shuci clutched his chest and took a deep breath.

"Awooo! Awooo!"

Upon seeing him wake up, the king excitedly stood up, jumping and hopping around, sticking out his tongue, wanting to jump on Xie Shuci. However, worried about his wounds, he spun around several times before barely managing to restrain himself from pounce on Xie Shuci.

"You're awake?" Chu Guiyi stepped forward and asked gently, "How are you feeling?"

Xie Shuci shook his head blankly, "It seems like there's nothing seriously wrong, it just hurts a little."

Chu Guiyi nodded.

Xie Shuci looked at the Great King again, and seeing its lively and energetic appearance, he couldn't help but frown. "How is the wound?"

The king fell to the ground, exposing his belly, lying on his back with his legs in the air, sticking out his tongue in a silly manner.

Xie Shuci gently touched its belly; the wound was almost entirely superficial and there was nothing wrong with it.

The king was overjoyed that his father had woken up, but Xie Shuci suddenly slapped the dog on the head, saying, "Who told you to act on your own? Don't you know how to dodge?"

"Aww..." The king covered his head and glanced at him timidly.

Xie Shuci glared at it, "If you do this again, I'll have the Water God throw you back!"

"Ouch!" The king shook his head, "Baby won't dare again!"

Xie Shuci propped himself up and asked Chu Guiyi, "Where is this?"

Chu Guiyi said, "I will inspect the area outside the city."

Xie Shuci was taken aback. "How long have we been out?"

Chu Guiyi said, "Half an hour."

Half an hour...

Xie Shuci's heart sank. Half an hour had passed, and he wondered how Xie An was doing.

I vaguely heard them say that he was seriously injured and attacked by so many people. Could it be...?

The thought of him staggering to his feet made Xie Shuci's heart tighten.

"Shuci, do you want to go back to him?" Chu Guiyi asked bluntly.

"Senior Brother!" Chu Wenfeng called out to him in dissatisfaction.

Seeing that his senior brother ignored him, he glared at Xie Shuci and said, "He almost killed you all, so you better have some backbone!"

Hearing their conversation, Xie Shuci silently lowered his head. He glanced at the king, who was lying beside him and secretly watching him, but instead of returning to Chu Guiyi, he asked the king, "Your Majesty, do you blame him?"

The king stared at him for a moment, his ears drooped, and he let out a "woof".

Chu Wenfeng was sensitive to their topic and immediately asked Xie Shuci, "What did it say?"

Xie Shuci gave him a speechless look. "Do you think I can understand dog talk?"

Chu Wenfeng: "..."

Chu Wenfeng awkwardly turned his head away, "Anyway, if you want to go back to him, I definitely won't help you."

Xie Shuci looked at the king and said, "Your Majesty, you don't blame him, do you?"

"Aww..." The king let out a low cry, then looked at Xie Shuci, as if asking Xie Shuci if he blamed his mother.

Xie Shuci shook his head and said, "I don't blame him. I knew yesterday that he wanted to kill me, and I accepted that fact. He cultivates the path of killing, and the rules require him to kill me."

Chu Guiyi looked at him. "So you're going back to find him? What about after that? What are you planning to do?"

Xie Shuci said, "I want to go back and see him. I'm worried about him. I just want to see him for a moment, to know that he's still alive. Then I'll leave quietly and won't implicate you."

"Xie Shuci! You have no backbone! He wants to kill you, and you're still worried about him?"

"You've known me for a long time, and I've never had any backbone!" Xie Shuci said confidently.

Chu Guiyi was not surprised by Xie Shuci's answer. Nevertheless, deep down he did not want Xie Shuci to come back to him; his selfish wish was for Xie Shuci to live a good life. However, he knew that his selfishness could not sway Xie Shuci's choice.

Chu Guiyi sighed and said, "I was planning not to tell you about this unless you went back."

Xie Shuci asked in confusion, "What is it?"

Chu Guiyi said, "Let's talk as we walk."

Xie Shuci was taken aback. "You're coming back with me too?"

Chu Guiyi nodded and said, "Yes, maybe I can be of some help."

"No, please stop interfering. I just want to go back and check on his safety. I... I won't appear before him. You don't need to come back with me." They had already helped Xie Shuci a lot, and Xie Shuci didn't want to put them in danger again. "I want to leave the King with you temporarily until I return..."

Before he could finish speaking, the king protested loudly.

"Awooo! Awooo! Awooo!"

No, no, no! Baby wants to go back too! Baby wants to go back to see Mommy! Even though Mommy is scary and might hit or hurt baby, baby really loves her! Baby wants to go back with you.

Chu Guiyi smiled and said, "Shuci, if it were you, would you stand idly by?"

"I……"

"Don't worry, I can protect myself. If something like that happens again, I'll definitely leave you behind and run for my own life," Chu Guiyi said jokingly, even winking at him playfully.

Xie Shuci knew that he was just trying to relax in this way, but even so, Xie Shuci couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Guiyi, thank you."

"Let's go, or we'll be too late." Chu Guiyi pulled him up from the ground.

Xie Shuci seemed to remember something and looked at Chu Wenfeng again. Chu Wenfeng had a dark expression on his face, and when he saw Xie Shuci looking over, he glared back at her without any politeness.

"I'm sorry," Xie Shuci said after a moment of silence.

Chu Wenfeng didn't know if he understood what he meant, but his eyes immediately reddened, and he cursed, "Idiot."

He turned his head away, kicked the two sleeping men at his feet, and changed the subject, "What will happen to them if we go back?"

Chu Guiyi said, "It's safe here now, they..."

However, before Chu Guiyi could finish speaking, Du Pingsheng and the other man, who had been unconscious, immediately sprang to their feet. "Brother Xie, today we are your little followers, we will follow you wherever you go!"

What a joke! If we leave them here, what if they run into some disciples of the Xiaoyao Sect? They're powerless and won't even be able to fight back. Compared to that, it's safer to stay with them. Although there's a killing god eyeing Xie Shuci's life, he's only eyeing Xie Shuci's life.

Chu Wenfeng's eyes widened. "You two were faking it?"

Du Pingsheng chuckled dryly, "Brother Xie has a good point: extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures."

Chu Guiyi chuckled, "Let's go."

Xie Shuci gave them a deep look. "Thank you."

The four people and the dog walked back, and on the way, Chu Guiyi told him about Xie An.

“Shuci, I suspect that the reason why Young Master Xie has been so weak during this period is because his Dao heart has already been damaged.”

Xie Shuci was a little confused. "What do you mean?"

Chu Guiyi said, "You mentioned before that you learned about Senior Tang Xianxiao in Huaizhou. Senior Tang suffered a qi deviation after his Dao heart was damaged, and killed the Tang family disciples. Do you still remember the reason?"

Xie Shuci was stunned for a moment. "Because she fell in love with Xu Yi?"

"That's right."

"You mean, Xie An is because..."

——

How could such a ridiculous thing happen in the world?

The more severe his injuries, the clearer his mind became.

When Xie Shuci was in front of him, he desperately tried to regain his senses, but he couldn't do anything about it. However, after Xie Shuci left, his senses gradually returned.

The clearer his mind was, the less he wanted to be.

The image of Xie Shuci desperately healing the dog, his back to him as the Crimson Sky Sword pierced his chest, remained vivid in his mind.

Is Xie Shuci still alive? He didn't know.

"Xiao Xun, prepare to die!" A cultivator covered in wounds once again raised his sword and thrust it at him.

Xie An neither dodged nor avoided; he neither wanted to nor had the strength to do so.

He was like a broken kite, his body covered in blood so that no trace of its original color could be seen. Around him, corpses lay strewn everywhere, and blood flowed like rivers, like a living hell.

A strong stench of blood filled the air, and the night sky was shrouded in a bloody mist.

Will Xie Shuci hate him?

He was so afraid of death, yet he stayed by my side even though he knew I was going to kill him. How much courage did that take?

In the end, she still hurt the dog he liked in front of him, and even almost killed him.

How terrified he must have been at that moment.

What Xie An found even more ridiculous was that as long as he and Xie Shuci were alive, this kind of thing would happen a second time sooner or later. No matter how far Xie Shuci went, as long as he didn't die, he would find him and kill him.

This matter seems to have no solution.

Either he completely forgot Xie Shuci, or he died before Xie Shuci.