Chapter 41 Just Friends
Hong Xuzi finally spoke up to stop Qing Ran.
Hong Xuzi was of course not concerned about the life or death of a Golden Core cultivator; what worried him was Qing Ran's current situation.
Moreover, Hongxuzi harbored an even deeper worry in his heart.
He had previously noticed that Qingran had transferred the sealing array's core to her natal sword.
Seeing Qingran's current condition, Hongxuzi couldn't help but wonder if Qingran's actions were truly because her soul was about to perish and she wanted to find a successor to guard the seal? Or did she want to... completely destroy the seal?
The sudden, terrifying speculation made even Hong Xuzi's heart tremble.
He wanted to deny the possibility, but then he inexplicably recalled an old story that had long been forgotten.
That matter was buried for a very long time, and even Hongxuzi hardly remembered it.
Years ago, Lu Mingjun's Daoist partner was ambushed in the Shuoyue Secret Realm, his cultivation crippled, and unable to bear the humiliation, he committed suicide. Having witnessed his lover's final fate through the bond between them, Lu Mingjun drew his sword and went to the Wangxiao Sect, slaughtering them all by himself. Wangxiao was a medium-sized sect in the cultivation world at the time, so this event naturally shook the entire cultivation world.
It is certainly hateful that the Wangxiao Sect has lax discipline and that such a scoundrel has emerged in the sect, but Lu Mingjun's behavior is even more outrageous, and the latter was immediately wanted by the entire cultivation world.
Back then, Hong Xuzi was just a novice cultivator. Although with his current cultivation level, facing the already renowned Lu Mingjun would have been tantamount to suicide, he still joined in the fun. After all, so many people were chasing after him; as long as he didn't lose his mind and walk right into their trap, he wouldn't be in any real danger.
Hong Xuzi witnessed firsthand how his opponent, under the pursuit of most of the cultivation world, managed to escape for nearly half a month. In the eyes of the then-young Hong Xuzi, this feat was incredibly impressive. Just when Hong Xuzi thought this chase would continue for some time, Lu Mingjun died without warning, in an ordinary little town, before the tombstone he had erected himself. Like his Daoist partner in the tomb, he had committed suicide.
A swordsman of unparalleled talent, he was ultimately reviled by thousands and died a so wretched death.
This incident left a deep psychological scar on the young Hongxuzi at the time, and he made up his mind then and there that he would never find a Daoist partner in his life!
In the days that followed, Hongxuzi indeed practiced this principle and "did one good deed every day," while also incidentally interfering with his junior brother's marriage (Hongmengzi grumbled and cursed). But he never expected that every time his fellow disciples got into trouble, it was ultimately that his pure and abstinent junior nephew who would fall because of it.
When his Daoist partner was in trouble, Lu Mingjun dragged the entire Wangxiao Sect down with him.
Now that the object of the soul contract is in trouble, would Qingran possibly want to destroy the seal and drag the entire cultivation world down with her?!
Hancang Peak, Inn.
Xiao Hanzhou vaguely regained consciousness.
He almost thought he would die there, die at the hands of the Sword Master.
—At that time, he really didn't intend to live.
What made him even more desperate was that the seemingly insurmountable gap meant that even if he risked his life, he couldn't harm the other party in the slightest.
Xiao Hanzhou's consciousness hadn't fully returned, but he had already noticed the familiar figure beside him, and his breath suddenly caught in his throat. He felt as if he were fully awake, yet also as if he had completely fallen into some kind of illusion.
But at this point, Xiao Hanzhou had no interest in investigating whether it was true or false.
...Even if it's fake, it's fine.
He spoke almost cautiously, "...A-Yi."
The young man's gaze fell upon him, and Xiao Hanzhou saw that A Yi seemed to want to say something, but a sense of fear suddenly arose in his heart.
When he woke up from his injuries, A-Yi was by his side. How long had it been since he had encountered such a familiar scene that he had never paid any attention to it? Xiao Hanzhou felt as if he was dreaming.
Only in those occasional dreams about the past would A-Yi stay by his side like this.
Xiao Hanzhou sometimes wanted to talk to A Yi, but it was just a dream after all. He craved too much in the dream, and often the dream would shatter upon waking, and even that moment of illusory tranquility would be gone.
Therefore, seeing that Ren Yi was about to speak, Xiao Hanzhou became anxious and hurriedly pleaded before Ren Yi could speak, "A-Yi, don't go!"
Ren Yi blinked in confusion at the sudden surge of excitement surrounding the chosen one.
Actually, he's here out of necessity.
Xiao Hanzhou's current injuries are a mess caused by the alt account, but given that the latter was taken away by Hong Xuzi, who suddenly decided to give a lecture to his junior disciple for some unknown reason, and considering that the alt account of Sword Master doesn't seem to be someone who can take care of people, Ren Yi had no choice but to control the main account to retrieve the injured person.
After all, there weren't many people on Hancang Peak. With Sword Master's alt account taken away, the only ones who could take care of Xiao Hanzhou were his main account and Yan'er. He couldn't let a young girl like Yan'er handle the mess he created. Although he wasn't sure what kind of tool his main account was, Ren Yi had no choice but to bite the bullet and step in. After all, judging from Xiao Hanzhou's attitude last time, he couldn't possibly be an enemy.
I never expected the other person to be so excited when they saw him after waking up.
In fact, cultivators' wounds heal very quickly. As long as the meridians and spiritual palace are not damaged, ordinary flesh wounds will heal quickly. However, the sword intent attached to the wound is a bit more troublesome. Before the sword intent completely dissipates, the wound will reopen even if it has healed. That's why Xiao Hanzhou was almost covered in blood at that time.
Moreover, in order to "physically persuade" the Sword Master's alt account, he did indeed go to great lengths.
You have to pay for the sins you've created. Ren Yi certainly knew how to neutralize the sword intent of the smaller account, but the difference in cultivation between his main account and the smaller account was too great. Even though he knew the method, it still took a lot of effort to actually do it.
But regardless, Sword Master's alt account used ruthless tactics, not lethal ones.
Given how tough cultivators are, they're basically fine once they wake up.
Seeing that Xiao Hanzhou had woken up, Ren Yi breathed a sigh of relief. He was about to ask a few words of concern and then leave, since the remaining wounds were not fatal and would only hurt for a while. However, Xiao Hanzhou immediately said, "Don't go."
For a second, Ren Yi felt guilty, wondering if the other person had seen through his desire to slack off.
But he quickly retorted, "What does the person injured by the Sword Master's alt account have to do with the main account? He's just an innocent, kind-hearted person who heals the sick and saves people from life-threatening situations!"
After thinking it through, Ren Yi was about to speak when Xiao Hanzhou interrupted him again, "A-Yi, don't go, and don't say anything... just stay with me, sit with me for a while."
The tone was almost one of humble pleading.
Upon hearing this, Ren Yi's brow twitched, and his expression immediately turned sour.
It wasn't that Xiao Hanzhou's request was difficult. In fact, he was sitting right next to him, and he could have fulfilled the request simply by sitting still and not even making a sound. But what Ren Yi cared about more was Xiao Hanzhou's attitude.
There's a type of "tool person" called "white moonlight".
In most cases, the story of the "white moonlight" can be summarized in one sentence: "She dies in front of the chosen one at the best age, in the most miserable way," becoming the chosen one's regret in this life, and also the motivation to inspire the chosen one to strive for success in the future.
However, this kind of role card is extremely unpopular in the utility role department.
The reason is simple: they died a horrible death!
Although once certain of certain death, the quest taker can apply to leave the small world, leaving only an empty shell to suffer, there's a buffer period between leaving the shell and actually leaving the small world. They have to watch helplessly as their former identity is slowly butchered and dismembered…
Ren Yi: "..."
Compared to the chosen one who was being held down and howling in agony, his psychological trauma was no less severe.
Although Ren Yi received timely psychological counseling after returning to the Transmigration Bureau, preventing him from suffering permanent trauma, he still tried his best to avoid this type of role card after such a tragic experience. He would rather give his heart and soul to the chosen one and end up with nothing than let the chosen one worry about him and die a gruesome death.
Although we try to avoid accepting these requests, we do accept them none at all, since there are always times when coordination falls through.
Faced with the long-lost attitude of the Chosen One, Ren Yi couldn't help but recall the tragic events of the past, and his expression became increasingly unpleasant. Could this time, the main character's role as a tool be the white moonlight?
Ren Yi recalled the old injuries on Da Hao's body that he had examined during his previous seclusion.
The meridians were once destroyed, and although they have now healed, they still cannot withstand excessive spiritual power. The spiritual root and Dao bone were once dug out. This experience... is really quite similar.
Ren Yi took a deep breath and told himself to stay calm.
The plot has already unfolded; he's been injured where he was supposed to be injured, and he's died where he was supposed to die. What happens afterward has nothing to do with him. Moreover, compared to his experience as the "white moonlight" in the past, this "minor injury" is really nothing. If this "white moonlight" plot is only this bad, Ren Yi will understand why he was willing to take it on.
Ren Yi was already seven or eight parts certain that he was being used as a tool this time. He lost the mood to speak for a while and tried to organize his thoughts and calm himself down. Indeed, as Xiao Hanzhou said, he "didn't need to speak" and just sat silently to the side.
Ren Yi, I want to be quiet.
...
Ren Yi's complex emotions were naturally beyond the comprehension of others.
Xiao Hanzhou felt that the two of them hadn't spent so much time together in a long time. His eyes were fixed on Ren Yi, and he hoped that this "dream" could last a little longer.
But the prayer went unanswered. The tranquility of the room was abruptly broken by a series of urgent knocks on the door.
Xiao Hanzhou's expression changed, and he couldn't help but show a look of fear. "Is A-Yi leaving?!"
He instinctively reached out to grab it, but only grasped at empty air; his hand was almost trembling.
Ren Yi didn't notice Xiao Hanzhou's movements, nor did he know that simply turning his body to the side had dealt such a heavy blow to the Chosen One.
He was looking up toward the door. There was only one person on the entire Hancang Peak who would knock on the door like that. He called out, "Yan Er?"
A little girl's clear voice answered from outside the door.
Before Ren Yi could even let anyone in, Yan Er was already anxiously asking at the door, "I saw that the restrictions on the Peak Pharmacy were just touched. Brother Ren, has your old injury flared up again?!"
Ren Yi opened the door while making a hand seal, and reassured the anxious Yan Er, "It wasn't me."
The medicine was for Xiao Hanzhou, not him.
Beside him, Xiao Hanzhou was still in a daze.
The sudden noise did not interrupt the "dream." The boundary between reality and illusion was broken, and Xiao Hanzhou was stunned. Was it A-Yi? Was A-Yi really with him?
But before that joy could fully fill his heart, he heard Yan'er's words, "old wounds."
The cold reality was like a blade formed from frost, deeply embedded in his flesh. The pain, mixed with a bone-chilling cold, brought Xiao Hanzhou back to his senses.
Xiao Hanzhou awkwardly looked away, not daring to look again, but his gaze fell on Yan Er.
He also noticed the piece of Xiao's warm jade that the little girl was already wearing at her waist.
Memories flooded back: the way A-Yi casually handed over the jade, the polite yet distant address of "Master Xiao," and the icy, bone-chilling waters of the pool.
Xiao Hanzhou suddenly felt a sharp pain in the wounds on his body that he hadn't noticed before.
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