Xin Jiuwei suddenly came to her senses, grabbed the jade bottle labeled "Blood Guide" and the notebook, and stumbled out.
Lin Wanyi had been practically "carried" here by Xin Kui, her plain blue dress damp with the chill of the night dew. Her cool face showed a hint of displeasure at being disturbed, but when she saw Xin Jiuwei's deathly pale face, her eyes burning with a mad flame, and the ancient notes and jade bottle clutched tightly in her hands, her brows furrowed instantly.
"Miss Wanyi! Help!" Xin Jiuwei's voice was hoarse, filled with desperate pleas. She turned to the pages in the journal that recorded "Corrosive Orchid" and "Blood Guide of the Same Origin," and shoved them, along with the jade bottle containing the "Blood Guide," into Lin Wanyi's hands. "His Highness has been poisoned by this in the Northern Border! The army doctors are helpless! The antidote is here! Please... save him!"
Lin Wanyi quickly scanned the records in the notebook, her cold eyes instantly narrowing! She abruptly looked up at Xin Jiuwei, her eyes filled with shock and disbelief: "The Corrosive Orchid? Blood of the Same Origin?! Xin Jiuwei, do you know what this means?! This method is extremely dangerous! The one who draws the blood must endure the pain of having their heart devoured, and their life force will be depleted! The slightest mistake..."
“I know!” Xin Jiuwei interrupted her, her voice resolute, carrying a desperate resolve, “I know it’s dangerous! I know I might die! But Xiao Xun can’t die!” She looked at Lin Wanyi, her eyes filled with a desperate madness and pleading, “Wanyi, help me! Tell me what to do! Take my blood! Now! Immediately!”
Lin Wanyi looked at the reckless flame in her eyes, at the unwavering resolve on her pale face to die for Xiao Xun, and a complex mix of emotions surged within her cool gaze. She remained silent for a moment, as if weighing her options, making a decision. Finally, she took a deep breath, her gaze becoming solemn and focused, like a healer entering a battlefield.
"Okay." Lin Wanyi uttered only one word, yet it weighed a ton. Without another word, she immediately ordered Xin Kui, "Prepare a quiet room! Strong liquor! The sharpest dagger! Boiled cotton bandages! And..." She looked at Xin Jiuwei, her voice carrying an undeniable command, "You, calm your mind and focus your attention! When drawing blood, your mind must not be disturbed!"
A secluded inner room in Jingyuan was quickly cleared out. Candles burned brightly, and the air was thick with the strong aroma of liquor and herbs. Xin Jiuwei removed her outer robe, leaving only a plain white undergarment, and sat cross-legged on the couch. Lin Wanyi carefully washed her hands with strong liquor and lit a calming incense stick. Xin Kui held a boiling dagger and a piece of cotton cloth, her face as solemn as a stone statue.
Lin Wanyi picked up the gleaming dagger and repeatedly heated it over the candlelight until the tip turned slightly red. She walked up to Xin Jiuwei, her voice unusually calm: "This method requires blood from the area near the Tanzhong acupoint on the chest to obtain the purest essence blood. The process is extremely painful, like having your heart ripped out. Are you... sure?"
Xin Jiuwei closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Images flashed through her mind: Xiao Xun's cold, commanding expression; his stiff posture as he handed her the medicine; his powerful figure shielding her from Xiao Zhuo's scheme in the warm pavilion… Finally, her mind settled on the sandalwood box he had entrusted to her before he lost consciousness…
When she opened her eyes again, all that remained was a stagnant calm and an almost tragic determination.
"I'm sure. Let's do it."
Lin Wanyi no longer hesitated. She gestured for Xin Kui to hold Xin Jiuwei's shoulder. The sharp dagger, carrying a scalding heat and the chill of death, precisely pierced Xin Jiuwei's left chest, above her heart, near the Tanzhong acupoint!
"Ugh—!" The excruciating pain felt like a million steel needles piercing her heart simultaneously! Xin Jiuwei jerked her head back, her body convulsing violently, a suppressed groan escaping her throat! Her vision blurred, and cold sweat cascaded down her back, soaking her undergarments instantly! The pain penetrated to her very bones, reaching her very soul, as if trying to rip out her life force!
Lin Wanyi's hand was as steady as a rock. The dagger pierced only a very shallow layer, precisely avoiding the main blood vessels, yet it was enough to cause precious, heart-warming essence blood to gush out. She quickly picked up the "blood guide" jade bottle and aimed the opening at the wound. Crimson blood beads, with an unusual luster, dripped slowly into the bottle, one drop, two drops...
With each drop of blood, Xin Jiuwei's body trembled uncontrollably, accompanied by suppressed groans of pain. Her face turned deathly pale, as white as paper, and her lips bled from being bitten. Sweat streamed down her pale cheeks, hitting the ground.
Xin Kui held her shoulders tightly, looking at her young mistress's face contorted in pain, her heart aching so much that she almost burst into tears.
Finally, as the seventh drop of her heart's blood dripped into the jade bottle, Lin Wanyi swiftly drew her dagger and pressed the wound firmly with a cotton cloth soaked in strong liquor and medicinal powder that she had prepared beforehand! A stronger, more intense pain surged through her, and Xin Jiuwei's vision went black. Her body went limp and she collapsed, completely losing consciousness.
Lin Wanyi swiftly stopped the bleeding and bandaged Xin Jiuwei's wounds, her movements swift and precise. She looked at the jade bottle containing seven drops of her heart's essence in her hand, then at Xin Jiuwei, who lay unconscious on the bed, her breath faint as a candle flickering in the wind. For the first time, a deep shock and…respect appeared in her usually cold eyes.
“A life for a life… Xin Jiuwei, what a fine woman…” she murmured, clutching the jade bottle tightly.
Qin Lang had been standing guard outside, listening to the suppressed groans of pain coming from inside. Even this seasoned general, who had seen countless deaths on the battlefield, felt a pang of fear. When he saw Lin Wanyi emerge with the jade bottle emitting a faint red glow, he immediately went to greet her.
"Miss Lin, this..."
"This item, along with the antidote prescription, must be sent to the Northern Border immediately! By the utmost speed! Day and night!" Lin Wanyi's voice was filled with unprecedented urgency. "Miss Xin used her own life essence as a catalyst to forcefully keep His Highness's life hanging by a thread! Once this blood leaves the body, the life force will dissipate extremely quickly! It must be delivered to His Highness before her life essence completely loses its effectiveness, so that it can be used in conjunction with the prescription! If it is delayed... both of them will be in danger!"
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