Chapter 22 This melon is perfectly ripe. "Call me by my name!"...

Bitao called out "My darling" as she entered the room.

Seeing that this "Heavenly Emperor" not only woke up but also broke free from his restraints and sat up, I marveled at his tenacious vitality.

Such a severe injury, after just cleaning the wound, did not worsen.

He will fully wake up; it seems the high fever is starting to subside, and he must have been in very good health to begin with.

The baby screamed so loudly during the wound cleaning last night, probably because it was disoriented.

After regaining his senses, he immediately and quietly untied the restraints and put the misaligned bones back in place.

The pain was unbearable for most people, yet Bitao didn't hear a single sound outside, demonstrating her unwavering will.

At least he's much smarter than those people outside who, besides ruining their own lives, just yell and utter meaningless curses.

Bitao stood three steps away from his bed, not daring to approach him rashly.

The level of danger she perceived in this "Heavenly Emperor" continued to rise.

If he showed even the slightest intention to attack, Bitao was ready to call in the "wild boar" outside to subdue him again.

In fact, Mingguang had only just recovered from his high fever. He forced himself to untie the ropes binding him and gritted his teeth to forcibly put his dislocated bones back in place.

He sat there, his shirt soaked with sweat from the pain, his molars aching from clenching them.

However, the pain of bone setting and the realization of his difficult situation were not as intense as the fear he felt when he saw Bitao walking towards him.

It wasn't his imagination; she really was there!

Mingguang glanced down at his disheveled and tattered robes, the marks of which resembled evidence of a rampant criminal's disdain for concealment.

Her chapped lips were stained with blood.

So... were those previous "hallucinations" also real?

An indescribable shame washed over him like a wave, and Mingguang even dejectedly avoided looking into Bitao's eyes.

Thinking that Yin Han Gu would surely transmit everything back to the Heavenly Realm without reservation... he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Little did he know that his momentary lapse in attention revealed his inner turmoil, which Bitao noticed.

She had intended to test him, and seizing upon his subtle hesitation, she took a step forward.

She was really curious about what that "Bright Moon Girl" was talking about.

When exactly did she "meet" these strange people she had never met before?

Moreover, the way this "Heavenly Lord" looked away made Bitao feel that he seemed... a little afraid of her?

"My darling...are you hungry?"

Bitao walked to the bedside and reached out as if to touch his chin.

At the same time, he glanced discreetly at the "Heavenly Emperor" on the bed. Although he was in the correct position, his ankles were not properly secured.

He silently assessed the difference in strength between the two.

Although he was much taller and stronger than her, he was recovering from a serious injury.

If he intends to attack, this is the weakness that Bitao will need to exploit to retaliate fiercely later.

Kicking the lame leg of a cripple is always the most effective way to attack.

The term "darling" was like a thunderbolt to Mingguang.

That previous time was forcibly ignored by Mingguang.

Upon hearing such an absurd title again, Mingguang wished he could go deaf.

He couldn't hide his anger and suddenly looked up at her.

Has she completely abandoned all dignity as a celestial being after leaving the Heavenly Realm?

She repeatedly harassed him in the celestial realm, but at least in public she was polite and respectful, at least she could wear a fig leaf to cover up her unrestrained desires.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he looked up, his chin was supported by a soft, damp palm.

The immortals of the ancient immortal race, after descending to the mortal realm, are all prone to making the same mistake.

That is, they were born with immortal bones, and the power of the five elements was at their disposal from birth.

When all five aggregates are fully realized, even a gentle breeze can be sensed to indicate whether dark clouds are gathering a thousand miles away, or whether the earthy smell is rising and a mountain rain is imminent.

Having suddenly lost the ability to fly and disappear, they can still adapt to being grounded, but they always subconsciously forget that they can no longer predict what will happen based on their five senses.

For example, he was on guard, but his five senses, being those of a mortal, failed to anticipate the other party's actions and give him a warning.

His illness and injuries had further aggravated his dullness.

Bitao touched his chin right then and there.

Mingguang reacted blankly for a moment, then instinctively tried to use the spiritual power within his body to shake the person away.

However, the inner chamber was empty, and the two stared at each other wide-eyed, nothing had happened.

Mingguang snapped out of his daze, and the inescapable, suffocatingly shameful scene in his "hallucination" overlapped with her malicious smile at this moment.

He suddenly pulled back sharply and tilted his head back forcefully.

However, because he was sitting too close to the headboard, he managed to dodge it.

Its movements were swift and agile enough that it reached the innermost part of the bed in a flash.

However, he didn't control the distance of his backward lean well, and with a "thud," the back of his head slammed hard against the wall behind him.

Bitao: "..."

Wow~

She could tell from the aroma that the melon was perfectly ripe.

Mingguang had just regained consciousness, and the impact was so solid that he felt dizzy and blinked several times.

Fortunately, it was an earthen cave with earthen walls; if it had been a rock, he might have suffered a head injury.

The bone, which had just been properly aligned, shouldn't have been pushed back against the bed with force just now, and he was in so much pain that the veins on his forehead bulged slightly.

Her long, slender fingers, which had been supporting her on the bed, trembled as she held her ankle.

Fine beads of sweat gathered on the tip of his nose, sliding down like tears.

His pale gold eyes were now bloodshot with pain and shame.

Although Mingguang was born into a noble family, he had never been pampered since childhood, and he always swallowed his pain and sorrow alone. Otherwise, he would have cried out in humiliation at this moment.

Bitao was certain; it wasn't a misperception, he was genuinely afraid of her.

I'm so scared.

It was a fear even more terrifying than when she encountered a pack of wolves alone in the mountains, a fear that made her panic and lose her way.

ha.

interesting.

If two animals of similar strength are encountered on a narrow path, and one is a carnivore while the other is a herbivore, the herbivore will definitely retreat first.

Now, Bitao and this "Heavenly Lord" are together; the one who eats grass is him.

What is Bitao, a carnivore, afraid of?

Instead of retreating, she advanced, sitting on the bed and grabbing Mingguang again, deliberately grabbing his injured ankle.

"What's wrong, my darling? Don't you recognize me now that we're here?"

Bitao had absolutely no memory of the man in front of her, so she had to use a question to bluff him.

With a "smack," Bitao's hand, which was gripping his ankle, was violently slapped away.

His expression was frosty, and he was filled with rage.

Even though he looked rather disheveled, his appearance was unparalleled in handsomeness. His shoulders and back were like those of a pine or bamboo, tall and imposing. Both of them were sitting, and he was taller than Bitao. Looking down at them from such a high position, he had a dignified and unapproachable air about him.

The slight panic he felt when he met Bitao's gaze earlier had vanished; his eyes were now filled with crimson gold, the blood vessels resembling a vast net suppressing evil spirits.

He pressed his thin, cracked lips together, which were bleeding, but like a saw-off gourd, he couldn't get a single word out.

He also tried to scare away Bitao, this "demon," with his icy and austere appearance.

It's not like we're in the Heavenly Realm. Bitao's Heavenly Soul was damaged, and she lost all her memories and emotions. Naturally, she has no tolerance for Mingguang's arrogant and haughty attitude.

If you can't get them to talk out of me by tricking them, can't you at least get them to talk out of me by

Bitao suddenly attacked his face, but he quickly blocked it.

Both men struck each other with their right wrists, three fingers extended, and their thumbs bent to press down on the tip of their little fingers—the single-palm Compassionate Deity Mudra. ①

Startled, Bitao slapped his wrist away and thrust her left hand toward his throat.

They've been intercepted again!

Bitao's eyes widened.

The two men's hand gestures remained identical, which seemed strange to him.

Extend your index and middle fingers, and press your thumb down on your ring and little fingers—the sword technique! ②

Bitao took a half step back, preparing to use her signature move against ferocious beasts.

Left hand over right hand, palms facing inward, left thumb pinching the right hand's Zi (子) line, right thumb pinching the right hand's Wu (午) line—aligned with the Mingguang (明光) heart area. ③

This location is a vital point, whether for animals or humans.

Although there were no fairy spirits available, Bitao used this skill to dent the wolf's sternum!

She refused to believe it—

However, as soon as she made her move, the person opposite her quickly clasped their hands together, mimicking her posture, and they collided violently.

"—It's the Tai Chi Seal."

By tracking the immortal positions of Mingguang and Bitao through the Milky Way net, someone recognized them.

"What a perfect Tai Chi seal! If it were imbued with a celestial spirit, even the lowest level of a Supreme Immortal would be powerful enough to split mountains and shatter seas."

"But it's so strange... why is it that the Heavenly Immortal Mingguang and this Fairy Bitao have the exact same sequence of hand seals and postures..."

Zhu Ming, who was meditating, heard this but did not open his eyes.

He thought to himself: These two are not only identical in their hand seals, but also in their sword moves, sword techniques, and movement methods. Even the way they hold and sheathe their swords is exactly the same.

If Bitao hadn't been of lowly celestial status in the Heavenly Realm and hadn't had no opportunity to fight Mingguang Celestial Immortal, someone would have noticed the strangeness between them long ago...

"Crack" is the sound of bones dislocating.

Although neither of the two combatants possessed any immortal spirits, the power of their close-range combat was still fierce and formidable.

Mingguang's fingers, which had just been put back in place, became dislocated again, and he was almost knocked off the bed to the ground.

Bitao was also pushed back several steps and almost lost her footing.

A moment later, the two men, back to back, violently shook their hands in pain, both looking slightly astonished.

Bitao was stunned because she had no idea that the strange moves she had suddenly learned since childhood were actually Taoist hand seals.

He was always proud of this, believing himself to be a self-taught genius.

But why does this "Heavenly Emperor" also know all of these things?

Why are their attack movements and stances almost identical?

Although Bitao was curious, she didn't believe a word that "Miss Mingyue" said.

Her probing was merely an attempt to expose the other person's lie.

But now, as Bitao blew on her fingers, which had become red and swollen in an instant, she began to feel uncertain.

Does she really know these people who don't even exist in her memory?

Mingguang was astonished, naturally because the two used the exact same moves.

It's not unusual for handprints to be identical, but each immortal rank will adjust these handprints according to their own immortal spirit attributes.

The act of making a seal, setting up a seal, and even the way the fingers are interlocked when forming a seal all relate to the five elements of one's own spiritual attribute.

He is a metal spirit, and all his handprints are of the metal element, but... why are all her handprints exactly the same as his?

Not to mention that she is of the wood element... Mingguang recalled that although he would occasionally use his sword under the big peach tree, he had never formed any hand seals in front of her.

These are all used in serious battles.

She shouldn't have seen it.

If she had never met him... how could she remember him in such detail?

Mingguang expressionlessly put his misaligned fingers back in place.

Bitao put her hands behind her back, looked up and met his gaze from a distance.

The two people and their four eyes met and then parted ways.

Each had their own ulterior motives.

Neither of them wanted the other to know what they were thinking.

They both realized that the other side was not to be underestimated.

After they parted ways, their eyes were filled with doubt for each other.

At this moment, "Bright Moon Girl," who had been listening vigilantly to the sounds coming from Bitao's side, stretched her neck, wishing she could squeeze her head out through the gap in the wooden door.

After hearing a creaking sound, as if something had violently struck something, Mingguang's room fell silent.

Thinking of Mingguang's terrible injuries, and Bitao's despicable, shameless, cunning, and cruel cult member, they didn't know how to take this opportunity to humiliate Mingguang.

She couldn't help but call out, this time not daring to curse Bitao, but calling her by her name directly.

"Peach Blossom!"

"Bitao, come here! I promise you."

"I promise you!"

Bitao: "..."

Oh, she really does know me.

Bitao never revealed her name in this cellar.

The "celestial maiden" and the "celestial ruler" would not exchange their real names.

Seeing that Bitao remained silent, "Miss Mingyue" seemed to be getting more and more anxious.

They started blurting out things without thinking: "We can take the chamber pot too—"

Upon hearing this, Bitao glanced at Mingguang again with a subtle expression.

She doesn't even need a chamber pot; this "Bright Moon Girl" must really like this "Heavenly Emperor."

A moment later, Bitao rushed out "fiercely" and kicked the broken wooden door.

With a "snap," a piece of wood was broken off.

I held it in my hand, weighed it in my hand, and then broke off a piece.

They grabbed a piece in each hand and smashed it together with a "smack, smack".

He said to the anxious "Bright Moon Girl," "If you don't shut up, I'll go in and beat him to death right now!"

"Miss Mingyue" immediately fell silent.

But she was so anxious that her eyes turned red.

Bitao glared at her, then turned around, picked up the plank, and went back into the earthen cave, only to find that the person on the bed was gone.

The "Heavenly Emperor" was standing in a corner by the bed, pressed against the wall, with his hands behind his back.

Like a wounded beast cornered, he leaned forward slightly, watching Bitao enter with extreme vigilance.

He must have heard what he said to scare "Miss Mingyue" earlier.

So he really thought he was going to beat him to death?

Bitao began to have doubts again.

It is known that they should have truly "met" each other even though Bitao doesn't remember.

"Bright Moon Girl" likes him, and it is also said that Bitao likes him.

However, he showed great fear of Bitao, to the point that he thought Bitao would really beat him to death.

So they definitely don't have any romantic relationship... right?

Otherwise, wouldn't that mean she's a jerk who would beat up her partner?

Bitao absolutely does not consider herself that kind of person.

What is their relationship?

It's no wonder Mingguang misses her so much, after all, all his impressions of Bitao can be described as madness and insanity.

Back in the celestial realm, she was willing to risk her life to get close to him.

Now that he no longer has the celestial spirit of a Heavenly Immortal to protect him, the feeling of being completely suppressed and imprisoned during his high fever, and having to endure the pain and humiliation, is still vivid in his mind.

She attacked him without warning, using a wood-elemental immortal technique to skillfully and forcefully strike his fingers, which had just returned to their original positions, causing them to become dislocated again.

Mingguang's five aggregates are currently only at the level of an ordinary person, but he has bodily memory of pain.

He was genuinely afraid of Bitao.

Moreover, the brief exchange just now, without the difference in spiritual power, and the fact that she seemed to know his techniques by heart, also made Mingguang wary.

Mingguang estimated that the two men were probably evenly matched in terms of fighting ability, given his current serious injuries and lack of recovery.

He had to be on guard.

He hadn't found his weapon, and was holding two handfuls of dirt he'd scraped off the wall.

Although the earth is despicable and despicable, this is not the realm of heaven.

As the saying goes, all's fair in war... He was forced into a corner.

He deliberately joined a cult to escape being hunted down by several groups of assassins.

Although he was seriously injured and had a high fever and lost consciousness for a time, he was still under Mingguang's control.

His men, who had been lying in ambush, should be able to clear a safe route back to the capital and come here to meet him.

Since a mortal body cannot heal itself, he deliberately made himself severely injured so that he could avoid the covetousness and exploitation of cultists for a short period of time.

He tested his physical limits and knew he wouldn't die.

This carefully planned avoidance of the enemy's sharp edge had one unexpected and uncontrollable variable: Bitao actually chased him into the cult...

She had subjected him to such controlling and humiliating acts... If she were to continue, Mingguang's eyes would be filled with icy coldness.

He was willing to fight her to the death, so that she would learn a lesson from this experience.

Yu Guangzhong's Bitao came with a wooden stick, while Mingguang gripped the sand in his hand, his heart resolute.

But he couldn't help but swallow hard, his Adam's apple bobbing.

How could there be such a cunning and cruel woman in the world?

Does her love mean a life-or-death struggle that can't end well?

Bitao had already walked up to him, and Mingguang's arm twitched slightly, as if he was about to receive the attack.

However, Bitao did not swing the wooden board in her hand at him.

She suddenly lowered herself and nimbly half-squatted in front of him.

Mingguang instinctively stepped back, and in the blink of an eye, he had already figured out how she would attack his injured leg and how he would retaliate.

The spot he chose wasn't good; it would be difficult for him to jump.

The situation was urgent just now, and this was the only piece of soil that could be scraped off...

However, Bitao, who was gesturing with a wooden board in her hand, pressed it against his leg—

Mingguang gritted his teeth, preparing to take the blow head-on. He had no choice; without the help of the immortal spirit, he couldn't rise from the ground.

The next step is to throw sand into her eyes!

However, he did not feel any intense pain, but instead felt her gently stroking his calf.

Like a giant, warm python winding its way up, Mingguang instinctively shuddered.

Bitao grabbed his leg and said, "Sweetheart, move your feet a little."

"I'll put the splint in place so the joint won't dislocate again."

Upon hearing this title again, Mingguang's long eyelashes trembled violently.

The look of utter despair in his eyes at that moment was truly heartbreaking.

However, Mingguang quickly closed his eyes, covering everything.

His clenched teeth and tense jawline, resembling a particularly steep and dangerous peak, betrayed the ebb and flow of his emotions in that instant.

Then, Bitao looked up in confusion, patted his calf, and said, "Open your legs a little wider, you can't fit them in..."

Mingguang moved slightly, his feet slightly apart, to make it easier for her to measure the wooden board.

He wanted to say coldly and with backbone, "Get out of here, I don't need you."

But the human body cannot heal itself...

He was skilled at entering the Five Thunder Formation and splitting himself into a bloody pulp, then summoning immortal spirits to revive his body and bones. However, after reincarnating for eighteen years, he could only roughly treat some simple injuries.

More often than not, it's a matter of waiting for the wound to heal on its own over a long period.

For injuries like bone dislocations, he knows that the correct orientation of the bone can be corrected, but he doesn't know how to reinforce it with a wooden board to prevent further dislocation.

After Bitao skillfully reinforced the wooden planks, she stood up, looked at him, and called him that offensive nickname again.

Mingguang belatedly realized that the sand he was tightly clutching in his hand had long since slipped away due to his excessive force.

"My darling, my darling? Are you crazy? I'm talking to you, can you tell that person in that room to shut up?"

In such a short time, the "Bright Moon Girl" could no longer hear the sounds coming from inside the house, and probably thought that Bitao had already killed her beloved lover.

It started calling out again, and its cries were becoming increasingly mournful.

"Mingguang!"

"Mingguang—"

It's like calling back a soul.

His bright, golden eyes were fixed on Bitao, and he snapped, unable to contain himself any longer, "You called me by my name!"

Bitao felt a shiver run down her spine from the sudden harshness.

As if struck by a sudden inspiration, she asked, "Ming...Guang?"

Mingguang closed his eyes as if he had been saved.

He responded softly, "Mm."