Chapter 82: Blood and Loyalty
"Bi Xue Dan!" Feng Yanyuan suddenly roared.
Everyone was stunned.
They had never seen Young Master Feng San like this—tears and madness mixed in his scarlet eyes, and the smile on his lips seemed to be twitching.
His fingers trembled as he roughly tore at Yun Yuan's sleeve pocket.
In a trance, he imagined the busy figure in the pharmacy—Yuan'er, sleeves rolled up, delicate fingers gripping the paper stalks, carefully grinding the crimson powder. Sunlight filtered through the window, casting a small, flickering spot of light on the tip of her nose.
"The Blood-Resurrection Pill isn't actually an antidote..." Her voice was as soft as water in my memory. "It's a remedy for life. As long as you take it within a quarter of an hour after a serious injury, it can reverse the fate of anyone, no matter if they've suffered from qi stagnation and blood deficiency, severed meridians, or even complete damage to their internal organs..." The paper mortar and stone mortar collided, making a crisp clinking sound. "That's why there's the saying 'healing the dead'..."
"A quarter of an hour... a quarter of an hour..." he murmured softly.
"Bi Xue Dan?" King Huainan was stunned. "The Bi Xue Resurrection Dan from Mo Yuntang back then? Wasn't it hard to find even one pill a long time ago..." When he saw Feng Yanyuan find the white jade bottle, his words stopped abruptly.
Feng Yanyuan's hands trembled as he poured out two red pills from the bottle.
"It's her new one." Feng Yanyuan's voice was low and broken. He lifted Yun Yuan's chin very gently, pried open her tightly pursed lips, and put the pill into her mouth.
"Water! Who has water?!" The young man suddenly raised his tearful eyes.
The King of Huainan handed over his water bottle, but his arm froze in mid-air, his eyes filled with unconcealed shock. "She can actually... restore the lost art of Mo Yuntang..."
Drops of water trickled down the corners of Yun Yuan's pale lips, and Feng Yanyuan gently wiped them away with his fingertips. He wrapped his palms tightly around Yun Yuan's frighteningly cold wrist, his pure, powerful internal energy transforming into a trickle, carefully channeling it into her damaged meridians. His gaze was fixed, as if nailed to the bone, on her pale, lifeless face. He ignored the King of Huainan's surprise and questions. All that remained was this faint breath before him, seemingly ready to die at any moment.
Time flows slowly in the dead silence, and every breath seems extremely long.
Finally, the girl's furrowed brows seemed to relax a little, and her pulse, which had been so weak that it had almost disappeared, suddenly beat noticeably! Then it slowed down, then jumped up again! This repeated process, finally stabilizing into a weak but regular beat.
Feng Yanyuan's body, tense as a bowstring, relaxed, and he felt cold sweat soaking his shirt. A wave of exhaustion and fear washed over him like a tide. He gripped Yun Yuan's hand tightly, burying his face deep in her cold palm. As he closed his eyes, a single, scalding tear silently fell, spreading warmth across her pale arm.
The King of Huainan let out a long sigh. He looked around. The mountains and fields were muddy after the rainstorm, and the cold wind was howling. It was definitely not a place to recuperate.
"The pharmacist's life is temporarily safe, but he has severe internal injuries and needs to rest. This place is dangerous and it is not advisable to stay for long. Commander Xiao!"
"I'm here!" Commander Xiao immediately stepped forward upon hearing the voice.
"Immediately select two capable men and carefully explore the surrounding area for any hidden retreat. Abandoned houses and caves will do. Be sure to avoid official roads and human habitation." The King of Huainan swept his sharp eyes over the exhausted soldiers around him. "The rest of you, remain on guard, bandage your wounds, rest, and wait for orders. Pharmacist..." He looked at the unconscious Yun Yuan in Feng Yanyuan's arms, his tone subtly gentle. "She is our savior. Make sure to protect her."
"Yes!" Commander Xiao took the order and quickly ordered his men to leave.
About half an hour later, the guards who had been scouting the area reported that they had discovered a half-ruined temple deep in the dense forest, in a well-hidden location. Not wanting to delay, they immediately escorted Yun Yuan to their destination.
The temple had been abandoned for a long time, covered in cobwebs. Most of the painted Buddha statues had fallen off, revealing the clay inside. The air was filled with dust and the smell of mold. A cold wind whistled through the cracks in the collapsed walls.
King Huainan looked around at the dilapidated scene, took off his black cloak, and ordered his guards to take out all the relatively clean and soft clothes they had with them.
"Make it thicker." He personally directed the order, watching as his guards quickly built a simple but as stable "bed" out of clothes and hay in a relatively sheltered corner. He even carefully placed his own cloak on top to insulate the ground from the chill.
Feng Yanyuan carefully placed Yun Yuan on the makeshift "bed" and carefully covered her with his outer robe. Seeing her sleeping face gradually calming down with her breathing, his frown relaxed a little.
Night fell completely and a crescent moon hung in the sky.
Feng Yanyuan sat cross-legged beside Yun Yuan, never leaving her side, with one hand always on her wrist, sensing her condition at all times.
King Huainan sat on the other side of the campfire, the dancing flames flickering in his deep eyes.
"King Zhao, I've been informed that I'm not dead." The King of Huainan's voice broke the temple's silence. "Entering the city this time... I'm afraid it will be as difficult as ascending to heaven. Every checkpoint must have been set up with a tight net."
Commander Xiao said, "When the prince was in charge of the imperial guards, he was deeply loved by the soldiers. Why not contact his old subordinates..."
"The Imperial Guards..." The King of Huainan slowly shook his head, a hint of bitterness tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Gongsun Bai has always been good at observing the current situation. If he is willing to be used by the King of Zhao and set up such a murderous trap for me, it only proves that the King of Zhao has already completely controlled the court. Even if there are still some members of the Imperial Guards who still remember the old friendship, they will be under strict surveillance. Contacting them is tantamount to walking into a trap, and it will also endanger the lives of their entire families."
The temple was silent, and the howling night wind outside added a touch of desolation.
Who could have imagined that in just two or three months, the King of Zhao had already taken control of the entire imperial city. With the impenetrable city walls and checkpoints in front and the King of Zhao's relentless pursuit behind, they were now desperate and terrified outside the city walls. If they were lucky enough to enter the city, they would be trapped, surrounded by enemies on all sides.
It was difficult to advance, and there was no way to retreat. This deadlock seemed to have come to an end.
Feng Yanyuan stared at the bonfire, then down at the sleeping Yun Yuan, his knuckles white from clenching his fists. The King of Huainan closed his eyes in deep thought, the furrows between his brows as deep as a knife's.
In this suffocating night filled with worry——
“Snap!”
An extremely slight sound, like the breaking of a dead branch, was almost inaudible amid the whimpering of the night wind.
A cold light flashed in Feng Yanyuan's eyes, and almost at the moment the voice sounded, his figure suddenly rose up like a ghost!
Depression, anxiety, vigilance, protection... all these emotions condensed into a powerful palm force, which slammed hard into the night fog where the sound came from. The sharp whistling sound tore through the air, and grass debris flew wherever it passed.
A figure suddenly appeared in the air, with its clothes fluttering like crane wings, and it disappeared in an instant. When I looked again, it had landed in the front yard of the ruined temple.
In the moonlight, the tall figure with his clothes fluttering in the wind looked like a banished immortal.
The King of Huainan was slightly shocked—this man's Qinggong skills had reached such a high level! Feng Yanyuan's palm strike just now was like a wave of snow, even the top martial arts masters would have found it difficult to escape unscathed.
"You're such a good Third Brother, you always kill me every time we meet!" The ending tone was filled with his usual laziness.
"Second brother?!" Feng Yanyuan's eyes flashed with surprise, but then turned into annoyance in the blink of an eye. He raised his sword-like eyebrows and said, "Since you are here, why didn't you come out earlier? Why did you have to hide and act so sneaky?"
"How would I know who's in this dilapidated temple?" Feng Yanxuan stepped forward, his sleeves cascading like flowing clouds. "Where did you get the anger to strike me without a word?"
Feng Yanyuan was silent. He was indeed a bit reckless, like a frightened bird. If it had been an ordinary passerby, or if his second brother hadn't been paying attention...
Feng Yanxuan had already passed Feng Yanyuan and came straight to the King of Huainan. "My name is Feng Yanxuan." Feng Yanxuan bowed gracefully to the King of Huainan and said, "Greetings, Your Highness."
Prince Huainan leaned forward slightly and helped Feng Yanxuan up with both hands. "So it's the Second Young Master of the Feng Family! I wonder why the Second Young Master Feng is here?"
Feng Yanxuan had a lazy smile on his face. "I have some friendship with the Ruan family. I was a guest at the Ruan family a few days ago. Ruan Qilang has been closely watched recently. In order to avoid alerting the enemy, I have no choice but to send a message to the prince..." He swept his eyes over the people in the temple and paused when he fell on Yun Yuan. "Yuan'er?"
Prince Huainan followed his gaze.
"Gongsun Bai set up a false surrender scheme, tricking me into underestimating the enemy, and then laid a tight net at the Cliff of Falling Souls. Fortunately, the pharmacist got there first and abducted Liu Huai, giving her a glimmer of hope. However, she herself was seriously injured by Liu Huai..." He sighed softly, "She just took the Jade Blood Pill, and I don't know when she'll wake up."
Feng Yanxuan looked at Feng Yanyuan, only to see his usually cold and arrogant brother, now as helpless as a quail struck by frost. He sighed inwardly: No wonder he was so lost...
"Master Xuan just said he brought a letter from Ruan Qilang?"
Feng Yanxuan replied, "A few days ago, Qilang opened up a checkpoint at the Imperial Guards, allowing His Majesty to sneak in quietly. However..." He shook his head, "Now that Gongsun Bai has dared to set up such a trap, the Imperial Guards must have been completely infiltrated. I wonder if that secret door has been exposed..."
The situation returned to the previous stalemate, and everyone fell into silence again.
"But..." Feng Yanxuan suddenly changed the subject. "There's another piece of news. Hundreds of swordsmen have been gathering in Luoyang City recently." He pulled out a neatly folded list from his personal area. "These individuals have submitted their letters of allegiance to His Majesty through the Ruan family's secret agents—they're just waiting for His Majesty's order."
The King of Huainan was startled at the words, his hands trembling slightly as he took the roster. In the flickering firelight, he could clearly see the densely packed names: Luo Jiangping, Xu Ji, Hua Guimu, Xi Wugu, Zuo Xiaoyao, Wei Qianji, Wuwang… There were former servants of the Shouchun Palace, top masters from the ten major sects, and even a lone ranger renowned throughout the martial arts world.
Everyone says the world is bustling with profit. When he left Shouchun that day, he said goodbye to his followers without making any demands. First, his future was uncertain, his life or death uncertain; second, he had no one to promise. When it came to coercion and inducement, how could he compare to the all-powerful King Zhao?
If there's one thing he needs, it's a hero who, knowing full well there's a tiger in the mountain, still ventures there! A righteous man willing to be buried in a desolate hill, not seeking a place in history! A hero willing to stain the sky with his blood, simply for the sake of justice!
At this moment, the Prince of Huainan gazed at the heavy list in his hands, his eyes slightly warmed, but a long-lost smile appeared on his lips. It turned out that in this world, there really were such chivalrous and courageous heroes! They didn't seek fame, wealth, or glory, but with a sincere heart and a burning passion, they were willing to face danger and danger alongside a downtrodden prince like him!
Instantly, the atmosphere within the dilapidated temple perked up. The moonlight seemed even brighter. The tired wrinkles on faces covered in blood and dust gradually smoothed out, and the moonlight reflected in every pair of bloodshot eyes.
"In my humble opinion," Feng Yanxuan smiled, "if Your Majesty wants to enter the city now, there is a better way."
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