Chapter 14 Feeding Fruit and Bandaging Wounds
Mingjian remained silent for a while, wondering if he should praise him again.
"Hehe." Mingjian gave an awkward laugh.
System: [Host, now's the perfect time to start leveling up! Besides, you're just a few points away from getting the newbie gift pack!]
Upon hearing about the "gift package," Mingjian's mind began to uncontrollably conjure up images of his elixirs and magical treasures. With a heavy heart, he grabbed Xiao Bumian's hand and examined it, finding, sure enough, an unhealed wound in his palm.
"Don't you use healing magic?" Mingjian asked, looking up.
Xiao Bumian felt a slight itch in his palms; it was too hot, and he wasn't used to it.
He lowered his eyes, his gaze slowly sweeping over Mingjian's hand that was holding his. He tried to pull away, but then, as if remembering something, he simply said, "It's no use."
"It didn't work?" Mingjian frowned in confusion, injecting some spiritual energy into Xiao Bumian's wound. Seeing that the wound hadn't healed, he asked in surprise, "Why didn't it work?"
Xiao Bumian didn't speak. After a while, he tried to withdraw his hand, but Mingjian pulled it back.
"Don't move, at least bandage it." Mingjian muttered, took out some wound powder from his Qiankun bag, and sprinkled some on Xiao Bumian's wound. Since he couldn't find any bandages after searching for a long time in his Qiankun bag, Mingjian had no choice but to tear off the silk ribbon that he used to tie his hair and wrap it around Xiao Bumian's wound a few times to secure it.
Fortunately, when he was at the fourth level of Qi Refining, he couldn't use the basic healing incantations, so he could only go down the mountain to buy some wound powder for ordinary people to use as a backup.
He looked at his masterpiece. Although it was a bit ugly, it was sturdy enough. "It's ugly, but it works."
Xiao Bumian wasn't angry. He looked at it with curiosity for a while. The foreign object in his hand felt strong. He shook it, but the blue ribbon was still not loose, so he didn't bother with it anymore.
About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Song Heyu and Song Yao came downstairs.
Song Yao had dark circles under his eyes and his steps were unsteady.
He stared straight at Mingjian, and for some reason, Mingjian felt uneasy.
Fortunately, he quickly looked away, bowed his head, and apologized to the others, "I'm sorry, I cultivated all night last night and didn't fall asleep until almost dawn."
Although Gu Zhi was somewhat annoyed, he was Song Heyu's cousin after all, so he didn't say anything unpleasant. He just said with a sour face, "Let's go. If we don't leave now, are we going to go in and pick up other people's leftovers?"
The group traveled on their swords, and after a quarter of an hour, they stopped and jumped off their swords in front of the entrance to the Yunlai Immortal Abode Secret Realm.
Just then, the secret realm opened, and countless ancient runes emerged from the void. The heavy sound of the door hinges turning crushed everyone's eardrums, and blinding white light poured out, making it impossible for people to open their eyes.
"The secret realm has opened!" someone in the crowd shouted.
As soon as these words were spoken, countless black dots surged into the Yunlai Immortal Mansion.
Mingjian originally wanted to turn around and find Xiao Bumian, since he was a big shot, he might as well try to get close to him. But someone shoved him, and before he could find Xiao Bumian, he suddenly felt his feet sink into the ground. It was as if he was being pulled up by an invisible giant hand, and the world suddenly spun around him.
The wind whistled in my ears, but I couldn't tell which way to go.
Mingjian subconsciously reached out, wanting to grab something, but only touched nothingness.
When I opened my eyes again, I found myself in an unfamiliar world.
Mingjian: "..."
Damn it, who pushed him?
He looked around, and the chill in his heart grew stronger. This secret realm was extremely strange. There was no sun or moon overhead, only a chaotic dark purple sky, with occasional silver-white streaks of light flashing by like swimming fish.
Ancient trees towered all around, shrouded in darkness, yet their branches and leaves glowed with an eerie blue light, appearing unsettling in the dim light. A low, guttural roar echoed from afar, its sound both distant and near.
Mingjian forced a smile, but didn't actually laugh.
Okay, once he finds out who pushed him, he'll definitely get his revenge.
Mingjian took out the Spirit Mirror from his pocket, trying to contact Song Heyu and the others. But the Spirit Mirror did not respond at all.
Mingjian remained silent for a while, thinking to himself that he could no longer rely on powerful figures.
"System, how many redemption points do you have now?"
The feeling he got from the Yunlai Secret Realm was too strange. The system said that he was just a little bit away from getting the big gift pack. If there was a life-protecting magic treasure in that gift pack, it would at least give him some sense of security.
The system blinked: [Host, it's six percent.]
Mingjian: "Is this what you meant by 'just a little bit off'?"
The system, feeling guilty, replied: [Hehe]
Mingjian didn't want to give any emotion to this useless and unpleasant inner demon.
[Current Mission Plot Point 1: First Encounter]
[Please complete the mission of rescuing Xie Linzhao.]
The system paused for a moment, then suddenly said.
Mingjian: "Hahaha, I won't help."
Even those in Jianming Immortal Mountain know that wage slaves need a few spirit stones a day to keep them afloat, but this inner demon only wants to get something for free.
But the next moment, Mingjian felt a sudden tightness in his chest, as if his heart was being squeezed tightly. A sharp pain instantly spread throughout his body, making his vision go black and his breath catch in his throat for a moment.
He groaned and fell off the sword, clutching his robe tightly to his chest.
[Warning! The host appears to be exhibiting rebellious tendencies and has violated the rules!]
The system's voice echoed coldly in his mind.
Mingjian: "..."
Could he say it? Actually, he was just thinking about it; he didn't say he wouldn't do it!
Perhaps his thought was too strong, because after a moment, the excruciating pain finally subsided.
The system remained silent for a long while before finally saying: [Sorry, host, plot point 051 cannot intervene. The punishment was set by the main system, and 051 does not have the authority to change it.]
Mingjian stood up, raised his hand to wipe the blood from the corner of his lips, and said, "Why didn't you say you had this trick up your sleeve sooner?"
If he had said so earlier, he wouldn't have suspected that this thing was his inner demon, or that he had gone mad from cultivating.
He wouldn't deliberately suffer for nothing, enduring this pain for no reason.
System: [Host, 051 thought you were the kind of person who would never give in no matter what.]
Mingjian: "Then you're really overthinking it."
He was too lazy to waste any more words with the system. He brushed the leaves off his body, took out the Yunlai Immortal Abode map he had bought for two spirit stones from his Qiankun bag, and looked at it to confirm that he was currently in the direction of the Misty Forest on the edge of the secret realm on the map.
No wonder the Spirit Mirror can't be used here.
He remembered that the elder had said during his lecture that communication talismans and similar items could not be used at the edge of the secret realm of Yunlai Immortal Mansion because the surrounding spiritual energy was disordered.
Mingjian put his mind at ease, remembering his purpose in coming to Yunlai Immortal Mansion: he had come for the Blood Spirit Grass, which could nourish his heart meridian. His separation from Song Heyu and her group was, in a way, accidental.
Therefore, Mingjian found the place where the human-faced toad often lived on the map, and used hand seals to control his sword.
Perhaps due to the disordered spiritual energy, Mingjian had to alternate between flying on his sword and walking along the way. His Qi cultivation was quickly depleted in such a harsh environment, so Mingjian had to stop and find a relatively safe place to sleep for the night.
Mingjian vaguely felt that someone was calling him.
Mingjian was not fully asleep that night. He suddenly opened his eyes and met a pair of dark eyes.
"Junior brother, you're awake?"
Song Yao grinned, his mouth almost splitting to his ears.
Mingjian frowned, looked at the person squatting in front of him, and silently took a step back. Song Yao's behavior was not right.
"Senior brother?" Mingjian asked patiently, "How did you find me?"
Song Yao raised his hand and scratched his neck, saying, "I don't know either. I only know that I wanted to find you and be with you, and then I inexplicably ended up here."
Mingjian: "Stay away from me for now."
Song Yao paused, but after a moment he took a few steps back, giving Ming Jian some space.
Ming breathed a barely perceptible sigh of relief; at least for now, Song Yao still seemed to be rational.
He got up, straightened his clothes, and washed up. After he was done, he said to Song Yao, "Senior brother, besides me, have you seen anyone else?"
A dark glint flashed in Song Yao's eyes, and he shook his head in denial, "Junior Brother, I've searched, and it's just the two of us here."
Mingjian stared at him for a while, and although she had doubts in her heart, she still chose to believe him and asked, "So, are we going to look for the Ice Lotus now?"
As he spoke, he used his divine sense to ask the system, "Where is Xiao Bumian?"
The system is stumped: 【Ahhh! I don't know either!】
It's clear I don't want to deal with this useless thing anymore.
Song Yao was now somewhat regretful. If he hadn't agreed to bring his junior brother to Yunlai Immortal Mansion, would his junior brother have even fallen for Xiao Bumian's face?
The thought of Xiao Bumian's face intensified Song Yao's anger. That pretty boy's cultivation was even inferior to his own, yet he had bewitched his junior brother with just his looks. As the senior brother, he absolutely could not stand by and watch his junior brother go astray.
Song Yao was completely unaware that his emotional fluctuations were far more turbulent than before, and that the demonic energy lurking in his consciousness was gradually taking over his dantian.
He heard the voice in his mind becoming clearer and clearer.
"Look, you wanted to see your junior brother, so I've let you."
“I can give you more.”
The voice was seductive, slowly eroding Song Yao's reason.
"If you do as I say, I can grant you your greatest wish."
Song Yao's pupils were unfocused as he stared at the elongated shadow cast on the ground, and murmured, "Anything is acceptable?"
The voice paused, then chuckled softly, "Sure, but you'll have to pay a price."
"Senior Brother Song, Senior Brother Song? Song Yao?" Mingjian frowned and waved his hand in front of Song Yao's eyes.
Song Yao snapped out of his daze, startled, but quickly smiled and asked, "What's wrong?"
Mingjian pursed his lips, somewhat doubting whether the Song Yao standing before him was truly Song Yao. Although he knew Song Yao had feelings for him, he had never reciprocated, and had even rejected him openly and subtly many times.
Song Yao also kept his distance, and the two got along fairly well.
But Song Yao in front of him made him extremely uncomfortable. If you wanted to find out more, it was because Song Yao looked at him like a beast staring at its prey, which made him feel a chill down his spine.
Ming remained silent for a while, but finally suppressed his doubts and did not want to alert the enemy. He patiently said again, "Since that's the case, let's go find Bing Tan and meet up with Senior Brother He Yu and the others."
Song Yao instinctively wanted to refute, but when he met Ming Jian's unyielding eyes, the words he was about to say stuck in his throat, and he could only reply, "Okay."
Song Yao's appearance disrupted Mingjian's plans, so Mingjian's mood was not good throughout the journey.
Mingjian usually did most of the talking between the two, so the silence was unusually heavy.
Three quiet days passed in a flash, and the two finally found Song Heyu.
Song Heyu said gently, "I'm sorry, junior brother. There were too many people at that time. After entering the secret realm, Gu Zhi and I tried to send you a message using the communication jade talisman, but the talisman didn't respond at all. The Spirit Mirror also stopped working."
Who else can we blame?
If you have anything to blame, it's that you're just unlucky.
Who told him to start with a disastrous beginning, landing him right on the edge of the secret realm?
"It's alright, Senior Brother, you don't need to worry about it," Mingjian said with a hint of apology.
Fortunately, there are still two days before the Ice Flower blooms, so Mingjian can rest for a while after traveling for three days.
He glanced around, frowning slightly. "Has any of you seen Xie Hanwei?"
Gu Zhi, carrying a pile of firewood, said gloatingly, "Oh, weren't you two inseparable? Now you can't be found?"
Mingjian: "..."
How could he not know when he and Xiao Bumian had become inseparable?
Song Heyu glanced at the ancient branch.
Gu Zhi shrugged and fell silent.
Song Heyu then turned to Mingjian and explained, "Junior Brother, Brother Xie left on his own after coming in without seeing you."
They left?
Mingjian was furious. He now strongly suspected that Xiao Bumian had pushed him, and he wanted to settle the score with him, but he couldn't find him anywhere.
"Thank you, senior brother." After expressing his gratitude, Mingjian found an empty spot and sat down.
Within the secret realm, it was impossible to distinguish between day and night. Ming, gazing at the layers of leaves overhead, felt a bit sleepy. He had been constantly on guard against Song Yao these past few days, but now that Song Heyu and the others were there, he could finally relax. At least someone was watching over him; it was better than no one at all.
I slept very soundly.
When she woke up again, she clearly saw that she had been tickled awake.
A constant, ticklish sensation spread across his face, as if something furry had gently brushed against it. He instinctively raised his hand to wave it away, but before he could even stop, the annoying touch returned.
Mingjian suddenly opened his eyes, "Are you... sick?"
The word "sick" came to an abrupt halt upon seeing Xiao Bumian's face so close to his, and was swallowed back down. Then, upon looking at what Xiao Bumian was holding, he saw it was foxtail grass.
Ming slapped the door open expressionlessly upon meeting.
A yandere's affection is truly yandere.
Seeing that he didn't like it, Xiao Bumian immediately felt bored as well. "You don't like it?"
Ming felt a little better when he saw Xiao Bumian burn the foxtail grass. He could only say that he had finally gotten his revenge.
“I don’t like it.” Mingjian sat up straight. “Only cats would like it.”
Xiao Bumian glanced at him indifferently.
Mingjian: "?"
Why are you looking at him? He's not a cat.
Xiao Bumian didn't care and sat down on the ground with Jian Xueming in his arms.
Perhaps because she was used to his unpredictable appearances, Mingjian adapted to this situation exceptionally quickly. Coupled with Song Yao's torment over the past few days, Mingjian now found Xiao Bumian quite pleasing to the eye.
When he took out the fruit he had picked the day before from his Qiankun bag, he handed a few to Xiao Bumian, saying, "Here, eat up."
Xiao Bumian gave Mingjian a strange look again.
Is this little good-for-nothing out of his mind? He practiced abstinence from grains a thousand years ago.
Seeing that he didn't answer for a long time, Ming looked up and saw that the man was secretly watching him again. He was furious and shoved the fruit into the man's mouth. "Eat it!" You pervert! You lecher!
Of course, he only dared to say the last six words in his heart.
A warm touch brushed against her lips, and Xiao Bumian paused, her long eyelashes drooping as she blinked gently, but she still ate it. Then, as if thinking of something, she suddenly curved her lips into a soft laugh.
Mingjian was still munching on fruit when she heard him laugh. She silently rolled her eyes, thinking to herself that this yandere was at it again.
Laughing all the time, aren't you tired?
He wasn't tired, but Mingjian was.
A note from the author:
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