Rest in the cave

The flickering light of the bonfire caught Tiaotiao's eye, and he slowly opened his eyes. His clothes were dry and warm, and the Green Light Sword lay quietly beside him.

He pushed himself up with his hands, trying to sit up. A sharp, tearing pain shot through the wounds on his arms. He gasped, his teeth clenched tightly, and a fine layer of sweat instantly covered his forehead. After struggling for a while, he managed to lean against the cold cave wall. His eyes instinctively glanced to his side. Su Baiwei was curled up there, wrapped in a purple sari and covered with several black guards' tunics, still trembling slightly in her sleep.

He endured the excruciating pain and reached out to touch her forehead. The burning sensation of his fingertips made his heart sink. He then took her wrist pulse, and the weak, rapid beat made him feel as if he had fallen into an icy cellar.

Frowning, he suppressed the uncontrollable trembling of his left arm from the excruciating pain and clumsily untied the straps of his blue robe. Every subtle movement tugged at the wound, a sharp pain following him like a shadow. He laboriously removed the robe and carefully draped it over her, pressing the guards' uniforms firmly against her, as if building a barrier against the chill with these layers. His movements were interrupted several times by the pain. The firelight illuminated her pale face, her tightly pursed lips devoid of color, and a few strands of sweat-soaked hair clung to her cheeks, fragile as if they would shatter at the slightest touch.

Several images suddenly flashed before Tiao Tiao's eyes: muddy sewage dripping from the ends of her hair, and she was hunched over and retching heartbreakingly; her hand holding the knife to remove the poison was trembling, and her tears fell into his palm, burning hot; and there was also those resolute eyes, and the oath that was engraved in his heart - "Even if I have to go through the underworld, I will definitely fish your soul out."

He reached out his left hand, trying to brush away the strand of wet hair clinging to her cheek. The movement strained the wound, sending a sharp pain through him, and his brow furrowed. He held his breath, suppressing the subtle trembling of his fingertips, and very gently tucked the strand of hair behind her ear. His lips moved silently, and a thousand words finally dissolved into a low, husky sigh, filled with care and heaviness, gently landing on her burning forehead:

"Fool……"

At this moment, a vague mutter escaped from her tightly closed lips: "Medicine... time... has arrived..."

"Is it time?" Tiao Tiao stared at her trembling eyelashes and let out a deeper sigh. "I'm confused..."

There were footsteps outside the cave.

Tiaotiao's heart tightened. He endured the sharp pain in his right arm and gripped the hilt of the sword. The green sword slid out quietly an inch. He glanced at Su Baiwei, who was sleeping beside him, and then closed his eyes to pretend to sleep, leaving only a slit of his eyes to focus on the swaying vines at the cave entrance.

The vines were lifted up, and Lan Tu's figure came in.

Tiao Tiao's taut knuckles loosened, and the hand that was pressing on the hilt of the sword dropped down.

"Jump!" Lan Tu's worry eased slightly. Her eyes flickered over his thin undershirt, and she remembered the biting coldness she'd felt when she'd carried him on her back. Then, seeing his blue shirt tightly wrapped around Su Baiwei, she sighed silently. Her gaze fell on Su Baiwei's pale face, and the image of her resolutely leaping into the sewage pool that day flashed back to her mind, bringing a surge of bitterness.

Tiaotiao's gaze also fell on Lantu. There were no wounds, but her sweat-soaked clothes were clinging to her body, and fatigue was hard to hide on her face.

"Are you okay?" His voice was hoarse. "Where are the others?"

"No." Lan Tu avoided his gaze and sat down a little further away from the fire, her hand caressing her ribs. "Uncle Li, take everyone and hide. I'm going to distract the pursuers."

Tiaotiao didn't ask any more questions. He had clearly noticed her evasive gaze and the deliberately lowered voice when she answered him just now.

There was a moment of silence, broken only by the crackling of the firewood. Tiao Tiao lowered his eyes, his voice muffled, almost drowned out by the crackling of the sparks. “Thank you,” he said.

Lan Tu was slightly startled, and turned her head to look at him. The bonfire flickered in her clear eyes. "Seven Sword Brothers, why should I thank you?" She said softly, "If you really want to thank me, then live well, and more importantly... live happily." Her eyes were calm, and she looked into his. "Everyone hopes that you are well."

Tiao Tiao felt a tightness in his throat.

"Medicine...time..." Su Baiwei's vague mumbling sounded again.

Lan Tu finally came to her senses: "It's time to take medicine." She walked closer, leaned over and took out a small porcelain bottle from the cloth bag beside Su Baiwei. "Miss Su prepared this for you."

Tiaotiao took the cold porcelain bottle. His eyes swept across Su Baiwei's furrowed brows. He tightened his grip on the bottle, finally uncorked it, and drank the liquid in one gulp.

Another round of footsteps was heard.

Lan Tu's heart trembled, her hand already grasping the Ice Soul Sword, and she looked over with alertness. The vines parted, and Uncle Li walked in, his pockets full.

"Girl, you're back!" Uncle Li walked quickly to Lan Tu. "Are you okay?" He lifted a corner of his shirt, revealing the bright red wild fruits inside. He grabbed a handful and stuffed it into Lan Tu's hand. "I went to find something to eat. Mu Jin went out to collect herbs. Come, have something to eat first."

Lan Tu quickly caught it with both hands: "I'm not hurt, thank you uncle." Seeing the concern in his eyes, her heart warmed.

Uncle Li walked to the fire and sat down. He picked the reddest fruit, wiped it carefully on the corner of his clothes, and handed it to Tiao Tiao: "Does the wound hurt a lot? Eat something." His eyes swept over the dent under his clothes on his right arm. Remembering that he had never heard him make a sound outside the water dungeon, he felt a little respect in his heart.

Tiaotiao stretched out his trembling left hand to take it. But Uncle Li simply handed it forward and put the fruit to his mouth: "It's hard to hold it. I'll hold it and you eat it."

Tiaotiao stared at the fruit being held to his lips and froze. A flashback of his mother feeding him a peach flashed before his eyes. His Adam's apple rolled, suppressing the sudden surge of bitterness.

"No need..." He subconsciously wanted to turn away.

"Well, we are all family, why be polite?" Uncle Li held his hand firmly without moving.

Tiaotiao stared at the bright red for a moment, then finally lowered her head and took a bite of Uncle Li's hand. The sweet juice filled her mouth.

"That's right," Uncle Li smiled. "Isn't it sweet?"

Tiaotiao nodded. After swallowing the fruit, he realized his stomach was terribly empty; he hadn't eaten a single grain of rice in a day and a night.

Lan Tu picked up a fruit, wiped it, and took a small nibble. In the flickering firelight, she caught a glimpse of tears in Tiao Tiao's eyes, which seemed to flash quickly before disappearing just as quickly.

Uncle Li's eyes fell on the blue robe wrapped around Su Baiwei, and he sighed: "Ah, it reminds me of the old master Su. Madam, that was the apple of his eye. When Madam was seriously ill, he studied day and night..." He shook his head, his words full of regret, "What a pity..."

Tiaotiao was chewing some fruit when he choked and started coughing violently. This coughing affected all the wounds in his body, causing the veins on his forehead to bulge with pain, and his eyes instantly misted over.

"Ouch, slow down!" Uncle Li patted his back quickly.

Lan Tu's eyes flickered slightly, and she asked softly, "So, Hall Master Su is also a very passionate person. Then... why did he later..." She paused, as if weighing her words, "develop the mind-controlling Gu?"

The crackling bonfire illuminated Uncle Li's heavy profile. Lan Tu stared at him intently.

Tiao Tiao's gaze drifted involuntarily to Su Baiwei. The scene in the secret room suddenly flashed back to him: her eyes, filled with desperate determination and pleading, stared directly into his: "If this grown girl... asked you for help, Master of the Green Light Sword, Tiao Tiao, would you be willing to lend her a hand?"

The gradually brightening light shone through the gaps in the vines hanging from the cave entrance.

Li Bo sighed deeply: "In fact, the old hall master agreed to the Black Heart Tiger not only for his wife, but also because of one person... Chen Jin."

Tiaotiao suddenly looked at Li Bo, her pupils shrinking. Su Baiwei had never mentioned this name before.

"He was the old hall master's most prized disciple. Back then, his wife was terminally ill, and the hall master already had a cure; it was just a matter of time. When Chen Jin learned that Black Heart Tiger was willing to contribute vast resources to the old hall master's research on a life-saving remedy, he knelt before the hall master and begged bitterly..." His voice trailed off, as if he could see the scene again. "The hall master looked at Chen Jin, as if seeing his own desperate self back then... In the end, he nodded. I was right there with him, and he asked me, 'Old Li, am I doing the right thing?'" Another long sigh, his voice filled with bitterness. "I replied, 'How could there be anything wrong with saving lives and curing illnesses?' Now thinking about it... I'm afraid I was wrong. But the bitter fruit has been sown, and it's too late."

The berry in Lantu's hand burst with a "pop," and bright red juice flowed down through her fingers. After a moment, she took a deep breath. When she looked up again, the shock in her eyes had replaced with a deeper regret, and finally turned into a weak sigh, dissipating in the crackling sparks.

Tiao Tiao's fingertips trembled slightly, and her gaze fell on the corner of Su Baiwei's eyes, where there was a wet mark that had not yet dried.

Uncle Li caught a glimpse of the sunlight filtering through the gaps in the vines, and his heart tightened. "Oh no! Why hasn't Miss Mu Jin returned yet? Could something have happened?"

My beating heart was also in my throat.

Lan Tu forced herself to be strong, threw away the sticky fruit pulp on her hand, and swung the Ice Soul Sword towards the cave entrance: "I'm going to find her!"

Just as she finished her words, a series of footsteps of varying depths echoed from outside the cave. Lan Tu stopped abruptly, her grip on her sword tensing. The vines parted, revealing Mu Jin. Her goose-yellow dress was scraped to shreds and stained with mud, and her bare arms were covered in bruises and bloodstains.

"You fell?" Lan Tu rushed forward and hurriedly supported her staggering body. The hidden injury under her ribs hurt, and her brows knitted slightly. Her voice was full of concern, "Where are you hurt?"

Mu Jin raised her head, her face pale, tears welling up in her eyes, her voice trembling: "While...picking herbs...my feet slipped...and I fell off the cliff..." She gasped for breath, "The grass roots I was holding...all loosened...I almost..." Her hands trembled as she took out a few herbs from her bosom as if she were holding some rare treasures. Although the branches and leaves were a little damaged, they were still intact. "The young lady is still waiting for the medicine..."

Tiaotiao's gaze moved from Mu Jin's tearful face to Su Baiwei's pale face, and a hint of warmth flashed in her eyes.

Lan Tu gently patted her back. Uncle Li had already picked the largest, reddest fruit, carefully wiped the dust off it with his sleeve, bent down to blow on it, and handed it to her: "Are you scared, girl? Come on, calm down." His words were full of heartache.

Mu Jin took the fruit and took a big bite, chewing with her cheeks puffed up. She wiped away her tears, her voice still sobbing, but her voice was firm: "I'm fine! As long as I can pick the medicine for the young lady, I'm fine."

The bamboo tube was placed on the fire, the medicinal soup was bubbling, and the bitter medicinal fragrance filled the cave.

Tiaotiao looked away from the bamboo tube: "Where are Hongmao and the others?"

Lan Tu added a piece of wood to the fire: "I've sent the message. Follow Xiao Liu, they should be here soon."

Tiao Tiao tucked the sleeve of her right arm with her left hand, but the fabric stubbornly stuck to her forearm, clearly outlining the concave area.

Mu Jin moved the scalding medicine tube to a rock to cool. Once it cooled slightly, Lan Tu carefully helped the unconscious Su Baiwei to her feet. Mu Jin placed the bamboo tube against Su Baiwei's lips. As soon as she took a sip, she frowned, turned her head away, and muttered, "Bitter..."

Mu Jin paused, surprised, "This medicine... isn't bitter at all." Her heart ached, "Young lady used to drink medicine without even a frown."

Tiaotiao's eyes fell on Su Baiwei's wrist, the layers of blood-drawing scars. It's not just the medicine that's bitter.

Mu Jin softened her voice and coaxed her, while Lan Tu carefully supported her chin. After a lot of struggle, she finally managed to force the medicine down her throat.

Mu Jin breathed a sigh of relief, accidentally glancing at Su Baiwei's drooping right hand, the very hand she'd used to administer the acupuncture. Suddenly, the image of the guard's bloodshot eyes and shrill howls flooded her mind. Her fingertips trembled, and she nearly dropped the bamboo tube.

This scene was seen by Tiao Tiao who was standing nearby.