Here, without water or food, no matter how skilled you are in martial arts, if you can't get out, you're doomed. Jiang Chuting certainly wouldn't sit idly by and wait to die.
He turned his gaze to the dozen or so luminous pearls supported by bases on the stone wall.
This place shouldn't be a trap set to ensnare people, otherwise why would they have left lighting equipment? Besides, this place is so large that it can accommodate many people, making it an excellent hiding place. They just happened to be locked up here.
After a moment's thought, Jiang Chuting got up and collected all the luminous pearls on the wall. After careful observation, he found that each pearl had a different flower pattern drawn on it, and the colors were very light. If one did not have good eyesight, it would be very difficult to notice.
Jiang Chuting wanted to find the pattern and try to rearrange the luminous pearls in order, but he couldn't figure it out. How could he tell the difference?
Lin Zhi, still feverish, leaned over weakly upon seeing this, silently picking up the beads one by one to examine them. She forced a smile, a hint of relief in her eyes, and looked at him, saying, "Chu Ting, I think I know how to do it."
Jiang Chuting glanced at him quietly with her dark eyes.
Lin Zhi continued, "The Lin family crest is related to flowers. They usually use more than a dozen other flowers to distinguish subordinates of different ranks, and these flowers just happen to fit the description."
Jiang Chuting had never heard of this before; it seemed to be their internal terminology, which Lin Zhi, a member of the Lin family, happened to know.
"This orchid is number one, this azalea is number two, and this one..."
Following the order he suggested, Jiang Chuting and Lin Zhi rearranged the dozen or so luminous pearls.
After finishing, Lin Zhi waited a moment, looking somewhat anxious, before finally responding.
The right-side stone wall made a heavy sound and began to slowly rise, revealing a secret passage.
Jiang Chuting immediately strode over to check, but Lin Zhiyi, limping, blocked his way without saying a word, insisting, "Let me scout ahead."
Jiang Chuting had just given him medicine for internal injuries, which wasn't very effective at reducing fever; he was still running a high fever. They were very close when they spoke, and Jiang Chuting could feel his scalding breath.
Jiang Chuting's lips moved but she didn't speak. Lin Zhi walked ahead first, and Jiang Chuting followed. They didn't encounter any danger along the way. After walking along the secret passage for about fifteen minutes and climbing several dozen steps, the path ended. However, this time the mechanism was easily found. After opening it, they discovered that the exit led to a stone mountain.
And so they returned to the dense forest.
The underground trap was clearly set by the Lin family. Qiao Xun probably wasn't familiar with the place, and he was injured and might have already left. In addition, he probably didn't expect them to find a way out so quickly, so no one in the stone forest was blocking them.
It was already dark, and with another patient still hospitalized, Jiang Chuting didn't plan to linger any longer. Using the moonlight, she wandered through the stone forest, intending to leave first.
Lin Zhi followed unsteadily behind him, gazing at his back as if looking at an unreachable star in the sky, filled with longing and heartache.
Jiang Chuting heard his breathing become a little rapid, tightened her grip on the sword, and subtly slowed her pace.
Finally, I heard the sound of the person behind me collapsing softly to the ground.
Jiang Chuting paused for a moment, then turned back, helped him up, carried him on her back, and continued on their way.
The arms that had been limply draped over his shoulders suddenly tightened, encircling his neck, their strength seemingly appearing out of nowhere.
Lin Zhifu leaned on his shoulder, his nose stuffy, his voice hoarse: "Chu Ting, are you really annoyed just seeing me right now...?"
It was as if fate was deliberately working against him. He just wanted to get close to Chu Ting and protect him, but things always went against his wishes, and he always ended up doing things that hindered him. It was as if he really was just a child who never grew up.
He was talking in a daze, as if in his sleep, and Jiang Chuting didn't intend to respond.
Lin Zhi choked up, "I really know I was wrong... You can't forgive me, but please let me stay by your side, okay? Please."
Jiang Chuting walked steadily, seemingly oblivious, when suddenly he felt hot tears dripping onto his neck, the burning heat seeming to penetrate his skin and flow into his blood.
Lin Zhi was heartbroken, her long eyelashes wet with tears, and said, "Chu Ting, please don't ignore me, I'm so sad, I'm really so sad..."
Jiang Chuting remained silent throughout.
After sobbing softly for a while, Lin Zhi fell asleep on him.
Jiang Chuting turned her head slightly and felt his warm breath, a feeling of indescribable heaviness filling her heart.
It took Jiang Chuting nearly half an hour to finally lead Lin Zhi out. Ling Guang emerged from the hiding place, letting out a long sigh of relief: "Young Master, you're finally out."
Ling Guang was afraid that if he went in, he would miss them, so he didn't dare to act rashly. He waited anxiously, and finally they came out, but...
Ling Guang couldn't help but ask, "Young Master, what happened? Are you injured?"
"I suffered some internal injuries." Jiang Chuting said succinctly, "Let's leave first."
Back in the city, it was almost dawn. Jiang Chuting carried Lin Zhi on his back, and Ling Guang knocked on the door of a clinic. After examining Lin Zhi, the doctor instructed someone to prepare the medicine.
Jiang Chuting meditated and regulated his breathing beside him. Lin Zhi kept dozing off and waking up. He tried to open his eyes and saw that Jiang Chuting was still there, so he closed his eyes again for a while.
When Ling Guang tried to feed him the medicine, he refused to drink it.
Although they could find Chu Ting by his scent, they were still afraid that he would take the opportunity to leave after Chu Ting fell into a deep sleep from the medicine.
Ling Guang figured out what he was thinking and couldn't help but smile, saying to him, "Young Master, if Young Master Jiang wants to leave, he will leave now, it doesn't depend on whether you are asleep or not."
His tone wasn't exactly harsh, but it wasn't particularly polite either. Lin Zhi finally met his gaze, took the bowl of medicine from his hand, and drank it all in one gulp. His slightly hoarse voice said, "You seem to have a lot of complaints about me."
Lin Zhineng sensed that this dissatisfaction wasn't just because of Chu Ting.
“There’s not much to it.” Ling Guang took the empty bowl and raised an eyebrow. “My main problem is the Lin family. But my family has been sold into the Lin family for generations. We can’t leave even if we want to, just like… Young Master Yun back then.”
Lin Zhi fell silent.
Looking back now, it's clear that all the information his family instilled in him back then was heavily biased. In their eyes, his father was someone who climbed the social ladder but didn't know what was good for him and couldn't resist a man's seduction, thus betraying his mother.
Even his father's biological parents, his grandparents, said so, how could Lin Zhi not believe them? They couldn't possibly slander their own son, could they?
No one ever told him that his father never wanted to climb this so-called high branch, and even felt disgusted and wanted to vomit.
Judging from his father's reaction when he saw the hairpin, if his father were still alive today, he would probably only want to stab him to death if he saw his son.
Ling Guang put the bowl aside and then said something shocking: "Young Master, have you always thought that Young Master Yun committed suicide by taking medicine? Actually, he was forced to his death because he discovered Lin Xuan's secret."
Lin Zhi's eyes widened suddenly, her body a mixture of cold and heat: "What did you say??"
Then she suddenly looked towards Jiang Chuting and saw that he had his eyes closed and was adjusting his breathing, without any extra reaction.
Lin Zhi recalled that back then... at the Lin residence, he had indeed said that his father's death was suspicious. But at that time, he was blinded by jealousy and refused to believe a single word.
Ling Guang had no more reservations in front of Lin Zhi now, so he spoke his mind: "Young Master Yun and Young Master Jiang were a perfectly good couple, but they were forcibly separated. One of them lost his life, and the other has been vilified by rumors for nearly twenty years. Oh, and among those who misunderstood him was you, Young Master. But what's frightening is that compared to the evil deeds committed by the Lin family, this matter is nothing. So, can you understand my dissatisfaction with the Lin family, Young Master?"
Lin Zhi's breathing became heavier as he said, "Doing evil..." Did he mean there was more to it than just testing the medicine?
He'd been the young master of the Lin family for so many years, yet aside from business dealings, he knew absolutely nothing else. How ironic!
“Yes, but this isn’t something that can be explained in a day or two. If you want to know, young master, you should go home and ask the head of the family yourself. However, whether she will tell you the truth is unknown.” Ling Guang paused, then added, “For now, you should rest well.”
Lin Zhi lay on the couch, his head throbbing as if it were about to explode, his mind a complete mess. He tossed and turned for a while, but finally succumbed to the effects of the medicine and drifted off to sleep.
Jiang Chuting opened his eyes and got up, saying to Ling Guang, "Please stay here and watch over him. I'm going to take another stroll around the Stone Forest."
"Does the young master have any clues?"
"Hmm, but we'll have to go check it out first."
Jiang Chuting glanced at the bed and added, "If he wakes up and makes a fuss about finding me, just tell him that I don't need someone who only causes trouble."
Ling Guang still wanted to go with him, but then she thought that having another person might be a burden for him, so she said, "Okay, be careful."
Without wasting a moment, Jiang Chuting arrived at the trap set by Qiao Xun the day before.
Yesterday, when he pulled Lin Zhi away, he glimpsed the man in black who rescued Qiao Xun and then seemed to drag him into a secret passage in a nearby rocky mountain, just like the one they escaped from yesterday.
Jiang Chuting circled around, concentrating to identify the spot, and finally stopped in front of a rocky hill, reaching out to feel around.
...
After being rescued from the Stone Forest, Qiao Xun returned to Pearl Manor. This place had once been Lin Xuan's secret residence, and the surrounding Stone Forest served as a natural barrier, keeping the manor almost completely isolated from the world. Now, Qin Ye had moved here to refine medicine, essentially making it a new Misty Moon Valley.
Qiao Xun had a bandage wrapped around his neck. After giving his subordinates a few instructions with a stern face, he turned and went back into the house.
Although he cooperated with the Lin family, he didn't actually manage to infiltrate their territory successfully. For example, with that trap, he only happened to know how to open it, and the mechanism had limitations; to open it again, he would have to wait ten days.
He has absolutely no idea what the situation is between the two people below him.
It would be better if they died together. If they did, they could tell Lin Xi that Jiang Chuting dragged Lin Zhi down. But if they were lucky, Lin Zhi might complain to Lin Xi, which would be troublesome.
After all, Lin Xi is a crazy woman who cares about nothing but her husband and son. It's entirely possible that she might turn on him, her business partner, and even turn against him.
However, the traps set by the Lin family are incredibly ingenious, and they might not necessarily be able to find a way out.
Maybe in ten days when we go to check, there will only be two corpses.
From the moment he stepped into the house, Qiao Xun smiled, his eyes softened, and he called out, "A-Zhen."
Xie Zhen picked up a teacup and threw it straight at his face: "Get out!"
Qiao Xun tilted his head to avoid it, causing the teacup to fall to the ground and shatter. He then stepped forward with a smile, ignoring Qiao Xun's struggles, and wrapped his arms around Qiao Xun's waist: "I'm injured, don't you even care about me?"
Xie Zhen sneered, "Serves you right! Which chivalrous person was it? Why didn't they just cut your neck?"
Qiao Xun sighed softly, "Don't always say things like that, it hurts me too."
"You have no heart whatsoever! You're just a piece of rotten, stinking flesh that can reek of it from miles away!"
"You have such a sharp tongue..." Qiao Xun sighed helplessly and leaned over to shut him up, but Xie Zhen suddenly pushed him away, raised his hand and slapped him, glaring at him angrily, as if another slap was waiting for him if he dared to make any more moves.
Xie Zhen used all her strength and showed no mercy. Qiao Xun's face was turned to the side, and a bright red handprint appeared on it. Blood seeped through the gauze on his neck.
His face darkened for a moment, then he quickly smiled again and said to him, "All these years, I always thought you would sense my feelings and change your attitude towards me, but I never expected..."
Xie Zhen quickly retorted, "Qiao Xun? Do you think I'm as sick as you?"
Qiao Xun suddenly felt a little confused. He felt he had been devoted enough to Xie Zhen, and had been good enough to him, so why was Xie Zhen always so unresponsive to his words and actions? What exactly did he want?
After a moment, Qiao Xun looked at him and murmured, "If we could have a child together, things would definitely be different. Ah Zhen, do you like children?"
"..." Xie Zhen's eyebrows twitched violently twice, then she calmly retorted, "What business is it of yours whether I like children or not?"
Qiao Xun sensed a hint of relenting in his tone, and her face lit up with joy. She stepped forward and grabbed his arm, saying, "I have medicine here that can help you have a child. Ah Zhen, will you give me one?"
Xie Zhen looked extremely angry, his eyes filled with fury: "I'm a man, what nonsense are you talking about! Who wants to have your child?! Shameless!"
“Actually, I already gave you the medicine once before. I had Qin Ye prepare it specially for you, so there shouldn’t be any problems. But it seems that the medicine is too mild and still won’t work.” Although he was scolded, Qiao Xun could sense a subtle change in his attitude, and his dark eyes gleamed slightly: “Qin Ye has been working day and night on the research for the past two years, and recently he’s almost 90% sure of success. We’ll be able to succeed soon. Then I’ll ask him for the medicine, and everything will be perfect.”
Xie Zhen looked at him like he was crazy: "...Are you out of your mind? Do you think I'd believe you?"
Qiao Xun laughed and assured him, "It does sound hard to believe, doesn't it? But we really did it. When the time comes, I'll take you to see him, and you'll know whether it's true or not."
Xie Zhen felt as if his insides were burning, his fingertips trembling uncontrollably. He gritted his teeth and said with a sneer, "Fine! I was just about to ask the Valley Master in person what he meant by turning a blind eye to the forced abduction of his disciples!"
"Since you're his disciple, how can you not understand? To him, nothing matters except alchemy." Qiao Xun touched his face and said, "A-Zhen, after we have children, let's live happily together as a family, okay?"
Xie Zhen couldn't stand it anymore and said, "Go to hell!"
Qiao Xun still smiled and hugged him tightly. He seemed to see a ray of dawn and was deeply immersed in a beautiful longing.
After daybreak, Qiao Xun couldn't wait to take Xie Zhen to visit Qin Ye.
Xie Zhen, his hand in his, glanced around discreetly. The estate was large, yet desolate, as if it hadn't been properly maintained for a long time. Although he had been blindfolded when he arrived, he seemed to have passed through some secret passage.
That day, Jiang Chuting said she was looking for Qin Ye's whereabouts, and she didn't know how to inform him...
Qiao Xun turned to look at him and noticed his unusual obedience, so she couldn't help but smile slightly. Xie Zhen was annoyed and felt disgusted at his smile, pulling her hand away as if she wanted to slap him again.
Qiao Xun grabbed his raised hand and coaxed, "Alright, alright, stop it. If you want to fight, go back inside. There are people watching outside."
"..."
Xie Zhen tried his best to remember the route, but after many twists and turns, he was completely dizzy before finally arriving at the place where Qin Ye was refining pills.
To his surprise, there were only two guards at the gate. Xie Zhen followed Qiao Xun into the secluded courtyard. After taking only a few steps, he heard a burst of laughter suddenly erupt from inside. The maniacal laughter sent chills down his spine.
"I did it! I did it! Hahahahahaha! I did it! This is a world-changing feat! I really did it! Hahahahahahaha!!!"
Qiao Xun's expression shifted slightly, and he quickened his pace, pulling Xie Zhen along as they pushed open the door and entered.
In the dimly lit room, piled haphazardly, Qin Ye, disheveled and filthy, stood beside the alchemy furnace, holding freshly refined pills. His eyes shone with an eerie light as he muttered incantations, completely unaware that someone had entered.
Xie Zhen shook off Qiao Xun's hand. Qiao Xun, excited, stepped forward, grabbed Qin Ye, and asked, "Did it work?"
Qin Ye just stared at the pills in his hand with a grin, completely ignoring him.
Qiao Xun noticed that something was wrong with him and frowned, saying, "Valley Master Qin, wake up and answer my question!"
Qin Ye slowly raised his eyes, giving him an unpleasant look: "Who are you?"
Qiao Xun cursed under his breath, "Is this old man going crazy with joy?"
Qin Ye glanced happily at the pills in his hand, then suddenly narrowed his eyes, turned his head and said, "What are you doing?"
Qiao Xun subconsciously followed his gaze and saw Xie Zhen secretly stuffing something into his arms. When he saw this, his body stiffened.
Qiao Xun softened his tone and asked, "A-Zhen, what are you doing?"
Xie Zhen said with a blank face, "What nonsense are you talking about? What can I do?"
He seemed less confident than usual when he started cursing. Qiao Xun stared at him with his dark eyes. Qin Ye chuckled and said, "What a thief! You actually stole my prescription!"
Qiao Xun's pupils suddenly contracted, and she moved her feet, walking towards Xie Zhen. Her tone was still gentle: "Zhen, the prescription is of no use to you, so you should take it out."
Qin Ye, that eccentric man, was completely absorbed in alchemy, paying no attention to anything else. His medicine prescriptions were carelessly scattered on the ground, with no intention of concealing them. Xie Zhen happened to notice them and, taking advantage of their distraction while they were talking, quickly picked up the papers and a pill that had fallen to the ground, but was still discovered.
Xie Zhen stared at Qiao Xun warily, turned slightly to the side, and retreated step by step toward the door, cold sweat breaking out on the back of her neck.
He sneered, "Didn't you say you were bringing me here? What's wrong with me taking a look? Why are you being so aggressive?"
"How could I dare to yell at you?" Qiao Xun said helplessly. "You can look at it, but don't take it out. This prescription is of great importance."
"Is this of great importance?" Xie Zhen questioned him, "In your heart, isn't I the most important person? No matter how important the prescription is, can it be more important than me? So, it turns out, you were lying when you said you liked me!"
Qiao Xun's expression gradually darkened. Xie Zhen disliked him too much to even think about such unreasonable behavior. His reaction could only mean that he had ulterior motives.
Qiao Xun's gaze was fixed on his face, and she patiently said again, "A-Zhen, be good and return the things. I can pretend nothing happened."
Qiao Xun continued to approach Xie Zhen, who pulled out a dagger from somewhere and held it to his neck. The sharp blade cut through his skin, and bright red liquid flowed out instantly.
"You're not allowed to come any closer!"
Qiao Xun was startled and immediately stopped, raising his hands in a gesture of compromise: "Don't be impulsive, put down the dagger first, let's talk this out."
Xie Zhen backed away until she reached the door, angrily shouting, "Who wants to talk to you nicely! Let me go, and don't let your people follow me!"
Qiao Xun's eyes showed pain: "Azhen, didn't we promise to have my children and live a good life together as a family? Why did you do this?"
"Who wants to have your child!" Xie Zhen seemed to be provoked and roared, "Even if I had your child, I would strangle it! What kind of daydream are you having?"
Qiao Xun's breath was trembling, his eyes were red, and his hands were clenched into fists.
Xie Zhen maintained this position, while remaining wary of Qiao Xun, who had been closely following him, and kept retreating.
Qiao Xun's subordinates surrounded Xie Zhen, some at a distance, and dared not move without orders.
They walked out of the manor gate in this standoff. Qiao Xun knew Xie Zhen's temperament and didn't dare to provoke him. He spoke to him gently and said, "Zhen, you can't get away like this. You don't even know where the secret passage is. Why don't you come back with me first to heal your injuries, and I'll take you out, okay?"
However, Xie Zhen knew exactly what kind of person he was, and coldly snorted, "Unless I'm dead, I will never come back here. Tell me the direction of the secret passage, and I'll go myself!"
Qiao Xun gazed at him intently for a moment, then raised his hand and pointed in a direction.
Xie Zhen quickly retreated a short distance, then ran in the opposite direction without hesitation.
Qiao Xun watched his retreating figure as he fled, and muttered bitterly, "He really didn't believe me, but why this time of all? Fool."
Just then, a man in his forties, holding a dagger, rushed out of the villa and said gruffly to Qiao Xun, "I heard the prescription was stolen. Why are you still here instead of chasing after it?"
The visitor was Hong Yufei's younger brother, Hong Jun.
Qiao Xun said coldly, "It's none of your business what I do with him."
Just as he was about to chase after Xie Zhen, Hong Jun smirked and said, "If you let your emotions cloud your judgment, we'll be implicated sooner or later. The court has been planning to target the Lin family recently, but hasn't found an opportunity yet. You're just rushing to throw your head in the sand."
Qiao Xun: "Useless. If you're afraid of dying, don't get involved."
"I don't want to be implicated by you!" Hong Jun was enraged. "I think the wisest thing to do is to get rid of him now!" With that, he grabbed a dagger and chased after Qiao Xun before Qiao Xun could react. Qiao Xun was shocked and exclaimed, "You dare!"
They chased each other through the mountains and forests. Before long, Hong Jun spotted Xie Zhen's running figure and aimed his arrow at him without hesitation. Just as he was about to shoot, he shifted his body to dodge the sword coming from behind, and the arrow went astray.
Xie Zhen was startled by the arrow that whizzed past her, and heard Qiao Xun shout, "Zhen, let's find a place to hide!"
Looking back, Qiao Xun was fighting with a man.
Without needing his reminder, Xie Zhen naturally had to hide. Taking advantage of the cover of the jungle, Xie Zhen rushed forward with his head down. The sound of something cutting through the air rose again behind him. Before Xie Zhen could react, a pale blue light flashed before his eyes, and he was knocked to the ground, barely managing to dodge the arrow.
Xie Zhen's hair was disheveled and he was covered in dust. When he got up and saw that the person who saved him was handsome and gentle, it was Jiang Chuting. His panicked heart was strangely calmed down.
Without wasting any words, he took out several prescriptions and pills from his pocket and stuffed them into Jiang Chuting's hands, his voice trembling slightly as he spoke: "These are Qin Yecheng's prescriptions, and also some newly refined pills. Please take them, Master Jiang."
Jiang Chuting's eyes widened in disbelief. He had gone to great lengths to find the secret passage and come in, but before he could even begin to investigate, he had only come to check things out because he sensed something was amiss. He never expected Xie Zhen to be here, and even less did he expect that Xie Zhen had already obtained what he wanted.
However, now was not the time to ask these questions. Jiang Chuting quickly packed up his things, stood up, pushed him behind him, and drew his long sword.
Qiao Xun and Hong Jun, who were originally fighting, have separated and are heading this way together. Qiao Xun's subordinates have also arrived and surrounded them.
Qiao Xun initially thought Xie Zhen took the prescription to threaten him so he could leave. Only now did he realize that Xie Zhen had deliberately stolen the prescription as evidence.
Xie really wanted to kill him.
Qiao Xun's face showed a mixture of sadness and pain. In despair, he gritted his teeth, drew his sword, and attacked Jiang Chuting. His subordinates followed suit.
Hong Jun knew Jiang Chuting; his martial arts skills were truly formidable. Knowing he had no chance of gaining an advantage, he didn't attack from the start but instead observed from the sidelines. Seeing Qiao Xun struggling more and more, he shouted to him, "Give it your all, I'll go find someone to help." With that, he simply slipped away.
This place was not a place to linger. Jiang Chuting did not want to fight any longer. He made his moves decisively, and his aura was more murderous than usual. After seriously injuring Qiao Xun, he quickly left through the secret passage with Xie Zhen.
Qiao Xun's face contorted and trembled with pain, tears mixed with blood. He slowly raised his hand, as if wanting to touch Xie Zhen's figure who was not turning around, but he spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed to the ground.
………
Hong Jun wasn't bluffing when he said he was going to find someone to help; the person he was looking for was none other than his sister, Hong Yufei. Jiang Chuting and Xie Zhen had barely left the stone forest when Hong Yufei blocked their way.
Her face was veiled in black, revealing only a pair of overly calm black eyes. Approaching fifty, she showed no signs of aging.
Jiang Chuting's heart sank slightly when he saw her.
More than ten years ago, when Lin Xuan forcibly fed him medicine, it was Hong Yufei who led the way in subduing him. Now, so many years have passed, and both of their internal strength must have improved considerably. Although neither of them knew who would win before the fight, Jiang Chuting had an instinctive wariness that only he felt towards her.
If it were just him, he might have a good chance of getting away, but with Xie Zhen involved, things could get a bit tricky.
Xie Zhen, being quite perceptive, noticed Hong Yufei's unusual behavior and whispered behind Jiang Chuting, "You can go on your own, don't worry about me."
Jiang Chuting said, "I won't abandon you." Although she was a little uncertain, she wasn't entirely without a chance of winning if they really faced off.
To Jiang Chuting's surprise, Hong Yufei did not intend to make a move. She looked at him and said, "Leave the prescription and this man behind, and I'll let you go."
Jiang Chuting was puzzled, but then she understood. If she wanted to make a move, she would; there was no need for her to trick him like this. The only possibility was that Lin Zhi had said something harsh, and Lin Xi had ordered her not to touch him.
Hong Yufei wasn't stupid, but she had an almost foolish obedience to Lin Xuan. Lin Xi was Lin Xuan's daughter, and she would certainly follow Lin Xuan's orders in accordance with his dying wish.
However, things aren't always certain. For example, if he doesn't hand over the item now, a fight will definitely still have to be fought.
Jiang Chuting stated succinctly: "Let's fight first."
Hong Yufei said, "You asked for this yourself."
What followed was a sandstorm, with the sky darkening. While fighting her, Jiang Chuting also had to keep an eye on Xie Zhen, because he saw two female subordinates about to attack him in an attempt to escape. He dodged in a sorry state, and just as he was about to be stabbed by a sword, Jiang Chuting forcefully pulled away, flew over, and swung his sword, knocking them away. He then pushed him to Ling Guang, who had arrived just in time.
“Take him away.”
After Lin Zhi woke up, Ling Guang was really worried and wanted to come and check on him, only to witness this scene. Without any hesitation, Ling Guang immediately accepted the task, nodded vigorously, grabbed Xie Zhen's waist, and flew away with him.
Jiang Chuting and Hong Yufei fought from dawn until dusk. The surrounding flowers, plants and trees were all hacked and slashed beyond recognition by their swords. Both of them were injured to varying degrees, but they still couldn't determine a winner.
However, Jiang Chuting gradually began to lose ground and was forced back. Just as Hong Yufei's sword was about to hit Jiang Chuting's vitals, a purple figure rushed over almost recklessly and blocked Jiang Chuting like an impenetrable wall.
Jiang Chuting was almost trembling with fear: "Lin Zhi!!!"
This happened in the blink of an eye. Jiang Chuting couldn't push him away in time. Although Hong Yufei forcibly withdrew her attack after seeing that it was Lin Zhi, she still managed to stab him with a sword that wasn't too deep or too shallow.
Hong Yufei was backfired by her own internal energy. After drawing her sword, she staggered back a few steps, using the sword to support herself on the ground. She spat out a mouthful of blood, and her veil was soaked.
Jiang Chuting threw down his sword, caught Lin Zhi, whose body had gone limp, pressed a few acupoints, and fed him two pills of medicine.
Lin Zhi's chest was damp with a dark stain, her face was deathly pale, and she was panting. Seeing his anxious expression, she swallowed the pill and then smiled happily, revealing her sharp canine teeth: "No, it didn't hurt you, that's good, that's good..."
Jiang Chuting was in a state of turmoil, her eyes reddened, and her tone was slightly cold: "Don't speak."
Lin Zhicai's fever had subsided, but his internal injuries hadn't healed, and he was injured again. However, he was relieved that at least he hadn't held anyone back and had even protected Chu Ting.
Although he really wanted Jiang Chuting to hold him a little longer, he still struggled to sit up, stared fiercely at Hong Yufei, and gritted his teeth, saying, "How dare you hurt me!"
Hong Yufei was also seriously injured at this time, and her voice was hoarse. She looked at Lin Zhidao and said, "Young Master, I didn't mean to hurt you. He took something that concerns the safety of the Lin family. If you make him hand it over, I will not make things difficult for him anymore."
"You dare to negotiate with me?!" Lin Zhi knew that Chu Ting must have obtained some crucial evidence, and said coldly, "I'm the one who gave permission to take this. You reap what you sow. Do you think you can stop me?"
Hong Yufei was silent for a moment, then asked in return, "Doesn't the young master care about your mother's life or death?"
"Even if she is my mother, I will not be unable to distinguish right from wrong! You have harmed so many people and you still have the nerve to say that?" Lin Zhiyi was agitated, and her wound began to bleed again. She hissed and leaned against Jiang Chuting's chest, continuing to say to her, "Now, get out of here right now! Don't ever show your face in front of me again."
Hong Yufei lowered her eyes slightly. She was already severely injured and at a disadvantage, and with Lin Zhi present, it seemed unlikely she would get her belongings back today.
He straightened himself up and managed to say one last thing to Lin Zhi: "Young Master, don't forget you're a member of the Lin family. If anything happens to the Lin family, you won't be able to escape either." Then he left, his steps unsteady.
Lin Zhi's expression was inscrutable, and he secretly glanced at Jiang Chuting's reaction.
He knew perfectly well that he couldn't escape the trouble that had befallen the Lin family. Yet, he still chose to do it.
Jiang Chuting had calmed down considerably by now, and her expression seemed as if she hadn't heard those words at all, or even as if she didn't care at all.
His jet-black hair was ruffled by the wind, and a few strands brushed against Lin Zhi's cheek, the tingling and itchy sensation seemingly spreading to Lin Zhi's heart.
Gazing at his face, Lin Zhi called out softly, "Chu Ting..."
"Let's go back and treat your injuries first." Jiang Chuting helped him up and walked back with him.
Despite her physical pain, Lin Zhi felt happy because she could be so close to him. The night before, her mind had been foggy, and she hadn't been able to properly appreciate it.
It was the same clinic. The doctor cleaned, bandaged, and applied medicine to Lin Zhi's wounds, and also bandaged several of Jiang Chuting's injuries. Lin Zhi needed to rest in bed, but Jiang Chuting's wounds were not as deep or as severe as his, and he could still move freely.
After the medicine was brought over, Jiang Chuting took it and handed it to Lin Zhi. Lin Zhi leaned against the bed frame, looking at him expectantly, but didn't take it. When she spoke, she emphasized with a strong sense of grievance, "My arm hurts, I can't lift it. Can you feed me?"
Jiang Chuting was silent for a moment, then said, "Raise your right hand. Your right hand won't hurt."
Lin Zhi looked sad, and tears began to well up in her eyes. Jiang Chuting reached out her hand, but showed no sign of softening.
After a brief standoff, he had no choice but to take it himself, then drank it all in one gulp, his mouth and heart filled with bitterness.
Jiang Chuting took the empty bowl, pondered for a moment, and thanked him: "Thank you for today. I will pay for all the medical expenses. Take good care of yourself and recover."
When Lin Zhi shielded him from the sword, he heard him call his name. The anxious, heartbroken, and tense shout made him even have the illusion that Chu Ting would forgive him immediately.
But an illusion is still just an illusion.
His polite yet distant attitude indicated that the distance between the two remained as vast as ever.
...
After he fell into a deep sleep from his grief, Jiang Chuting stared at his face for a moment, then stood up and walked out.
Ling Guang and Xie Zhen were waiting outside. The situation was still uncertain. Although Qiao Xun was seriously injured, there was no guarantee that he wouldn't attack Xie Zhen again. Jiang Chuting wanted to personally escort Xie Zhen and his two children back to the Nine Heavens, where their senior brothers would be there and they would be absolutely safe.
But... he's already taken long enough outings this time, and now, Pei Jing probably wants to kill him.
Therefore, Jiang Chuting had no choice but to ask Ling Guang for help again.
Ling Guang readily agreed without hesitation, saying it was his duty. Without taking a break, the three of them bid each other farewell after exchanging well wishes.
Jiang Chuting rented a secluded courtyard and took Lin Zhi there to recuperate. Apart from providing necessary care, no matter how Lin Zhi tried to strike up a conversation, Jiang Chuting simply shut him down with one sentence: "Keep quiet and focus on recovering."
After this happened several times in a row, Lin Zhi felt extremely frustrated.
He desperately wanted to whine and pester Chu Ting to talk to him, but right now, to Chu Ting, he was less than a stranger and didn't have that right.
The treatment he's receiving right now is only because he shielded someone from a sword. Once his injuries heal a little, who knows what awaits him... All he can do is cherish the present.
Four days later, Lin Zhi's condition had stabilized considerably. That evening, his subordinate reported, "Young Master, the head of the family has arrived in Cenzhou and is staying at Shuangxue Pavilion. She has been sending people to look for you."
Without a second thought, Lin Zhi said irritably, "I don't want to see her. Don't reveal my whereabouts."
Jiang Chuting, who was sitting at the table, heard the conversation, took a sip of tea, and lowered his eyes to hide his deep thought.
Lin Zhi fell into a deep sleep after drinking the medicine.
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