41. Separation
Inside the hut, the air seemed frozen like a heavy block of ice. Mu Lin half-knelt beside Su Lin, three hard-earned medicinal herbs spread out before him: the chilling Snow Soul Grass, the scalding Red Sun Fruit, and the small, sweet-smelling, odorous sachet of the rotten saliva mushroom's secretions. The glow of the oil lamp danced across his focused face. A subtle blue light lingered on his fingertips as he carefully channeled the three distinct, even conflicting, medicinal energies, attempting to fuse them into a gentle, nourishing, vital essence.
Lei Qing, A Yan, and Xing Chen stood around, holding their breath, breathing lightly. A Yan's fists were clenched, her nails digging into her palms, her eyes fixed on Mu Lin's movements, as if she were willing to use her willpower to ensure the potion's success. Xing Chen clung to Su Lin, her small hands unconsciously tugging at the torn hem of her clothes, her obsidian eyes filled with a complex shimmer of hope and fear. Lei Qing stood a step behind, like a silent mountain, but his tense jawline and white-knuckled hand pressed against the hilt of his hunting knife betrayed the turmoil within him.
Ling Ye stood near the door, his back to the crowd, seemingly watching the movements outside. But the slight tilt of his head revealed that he was also keeping an eye on the developments within. His presence, like a thorn, pierced everyone's heart.
Time crawled slowly in the suffocating silence.
Finally, Mu Lin let out a soft sigh, beads of sweat covering his forehead. In his hand, a small wooden bowl appeared. At the bottom of the bowl, a thin layer of viscous liquid, a chaotic color, yet exuding a strange, warm luster, could be seen. Faint hues of icy blue, crimson, and a barely perceptible hint of dark purple slowly flowed through it, ultimately achieving a delicate balance.
"Alright." Mu Lin's voice was a little hoarse from exhaustion. "The effect of the medicine has stabilized temporarily, but it must be taken immediately. Ling Ye, the method you mentioned..."
Ling Ye turned around, walked over quickly, glanced at the potion in the wooden bowl, and nodded. "Yes, that's the correct state. Feed it to him, and then someone needs to continuously guide the potion with gentle energy, slowly penetrating it deep into his essence. No rushing, no interruptions, until a trace of life response is generated within him. This process... may take a long time, and it cannot be interrupted in any way."
His gaze swept across everyone and finally landed on Lei Qing. The meaning was very clear - an absolutely safe environment was needed, and outside, the threat from the Guichen Sect had not been eliminated.
Lei Qing's eyes darkened. Without hesitation, he stepped forward and took the wooden bowl from Mu Lin's hand. He sat down beside Su Lin, gently lifting his head and letting him rest in his strong arms. Su Lin's body was cold and fragile, as if it would break at the slightest touch. Lei Qing picked up the wooden bowl with his other hand and carefully and extremely slowly poured the chaotic-colored potion into Su Lin's pale lips.
As the medicine entered his mouth, Su Lin's unconscious throat moved slightly.
"I'll guide it," Mu Lin immediately said. His water-based abilities were the most gentle, making him the most suitable candidate. He sat cross-legged on the other side, his hands lightly pressing against Su Lin's chest and abdomen. A soft blue light, like a warm tide, slowly enveloped Su Lin's body, guiding the medicinal power he had taken to penetrate the deepest part of the source of life.
Next, there is another long wait.
Lei Qing held Su Lin in his arms, motionless, like an eternal guardian deity. His gaze dropped to Su Lin's tightly closed lashes and pale face, a look of suppressed pain and a deep, ocean-like love swirling in his depths. He could feel the faint weight of the body in his arms, yet this weight weighed heavily on his heart.
A Yan paced anxiously in the small space for a few steps, and finally forced himself to sit down, holding the hatchet, staring at Su Lin and Mu Lin without blinking. He knew he couldn't help, and his violent fire ability was useless at the moment. This feeling of powerlessness almost drove him crazy.
Xingchen remained at Su Lin's side, like a small stone statue. He didn't cry anymore, but pursed his lips tightly, suppressing all his emotions deep within his heart, transforming them into a more resolute will to protect him. He watched the sweat dripping from Mu Lin's forehead, watched Lei Qing's seemingly frozen figure, and the desire to "become stronger, to protect everyone" grew like a seed in his heart.
Ling Ye retreated to his position by the door, his back to the crowd once again, facing the howling snow and wind outside. His back seemed somewhat lonely in the dim light, making him even more unpredictable.
Time passed by, and the sound of the wind and snow outside seemed to subside, but the vague sense of unease, of being watched and followed, did not dissipate.
Suddenly, Mu Lin, who had been closing his eyes to channel the medicinal energy, trembled slightly. A look of disbelief and surprise appeared on his face. He exclaimed, "There's a reaction! His essence... has produced a slight fluctuation!"
This sentence instantly brightened up the hut!
A Yan suddenly stood up, his eyes gleaming with ecstasy. Xingchen's small hands clenched suddenly, his eyes brightening with astonishing brightness. Even Lei Qing's icy expression softened slightly, and his arms around Su Lin unconsciously tightened a little.
Just then!
"Bang!!!"
With a resounding bang, the already crooked wooden door of the hut suddenly exploded inward! Amidst the flying wood chips, a far colder, heavier, and soul-freezing evil pressure, far greater than the previous encounter with the gray-robed man, instantly surged in like a tangible tide, filling the entire narrow space!
The flame of the oil lamp flickered violently and almost went out!
Mu Lin groaned, his channeling of the medicinal power forcibly interrupted. His face paled instantly, a trace of blood oozing from the corner of his mouth. A Yan and Xing Chen, as if facing a formidable enemy, instantly entered combat mode, their weapons pointed directly at the door.
The moment the door was flung open, Lei Qing had already used his utmost speed to secure Su Lin in his arms, using his broad back to shield him from the incoming attacks and the terrifying mental pressure. His eyes, sharp as a knife, stared intently at the door.
The wind and snow blew a few snowflakes into the house. Three figures stood at the door.
The leader also wore a gray robe, but the fabric was noticeably finer, its edges embroidered with dark gold patterns that twisted and twisted like a struggling soul. His hood wasn't fully lowered, revealing the lower half of his face—skin was a bloodless pale, lips were thin and deep purple, and his jawline was cold and hard. Simply standing there, he exuded an abyssal mental pressure that made everyone, except Lei Qing, breathless and their heads ache. This was the "priest" Ling Ye had mentioned!
Behind him stood two tall gray-robed guards. Their aura was several times stronger than the soldiers they had encountered before, like two silent killing machines.
"It's here, indeed." The priest spoke, his voice low and hoarse, like the grinding of metal, as if he hadn't spoken in a long time. His gaze, like an icy probe, ignored A Yan and Xing Chen, who were in combat stances, and passed directly past Lei Qing, who was protecting Su Lin, as if wanting to penetrate him and see the person in his arms clearly. "That... 'light source' that exudes an alluring and pure aura."
There was a creepy greed and possessiveness in his words.
"What do you want to do?!" A Yan roared, suppressing his mental discomfort. The flame on the short axe burned fiercely because of the anger of its owner, but it could not dispel the invisible coldness.
The priest's gaze finally glanced at A Yan with a hint of undisguised contempt, "The struggle of an ant." His gaze returned to Lei Qing's back, "Hand him over. The Lord of Dust needs such a 'sacrifice' to complete his ultimate sublimation."
"Don't even think about it!" Lei Qing's voice was like thunder exploding on an icy plain, laced with a resolute determination to do whatever it takes. He held Su Lin even tighter, and dangerous, unprecedentedly blinding lightning began to leap from his body. The air in the entire cabin crackled with the violent energy! He was ready to fight to the death!
A Yan and Xing Chen also stood beside Lei Qing without hesitation. Although their bodies were trembling slightly under the pressure of the priest, the fighting spirit in their eyes was burning to the peak.
Mu Lin struggled to stand up and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. The aqua-blue halo lit up again. Although it was faint, it firmly enveloped the four of him.
The war is about to begin!
Just then, an unexpected voice rang out.
"etc."
The voice was very soft, hoarse and weak from not speaking for a long time, but it was clearly heard by everyone.
Everyone paused.
Lei Qing suddenly lowered his head and looked into his arms in disbelief.
Su Lin... opened his eyes at some point!
His eyes were still a little dazed, their focus unclear, and his face was still frighteningly pale, but deep within those beautiful pupils, a faint yet real light had rekindled. The medicinal power guided by Mu Lin and his own tenacious vitality finally pulled him back from the brink of sleep at the last moment!
"Su Lin!"
"Brother Su Lin!"
Lei Qing, A Yan, and Xing Chen spoke almost at the same time, their voices filled with ecstasy and fear.
Su Lin's gaze slowly swept across Lei Qing's worried face, A Yan's anxious eyes, Xing Chen's tearful joy, and Mu Lin's pale yet relieved smile. Finally, his gaze passed over Lei Qing's shoulder and landed on the three gray-robed men at the door, exuding an extremely dangerous aura, especially the priest in the lead.
He saw the undisguised greed for his "pure breath" in the other person's eyes.
In an instant, Su Lin understood his own predicament, and the desperate situation his companions were facing. In their current state, facing this unfathomable priest and two powerful guards, their chances of success were slim, and the outcome would most likely be... total annihilation.
A thought, like lightning flashing in the darkness, became clear in his mind.
He took a deep breath, feeling the source in his body that was still depleted but no longer flowing. Using the little strength he had just recovered, he raised his hand and gently placed it on the back of Lei Qing's hand, which was tightly gripping the hunting knife and had bulging veins.
Lei Qing's body trembled and he looked down at him.
Su Lin met his gaze, which was clear and gentle, yet carried an unquestionable determination. He shook his head very lightly and slowly.
Then he turned to the priest at the door and said in a weak but remarkably calm voice, "I will go with you."
"no!!"
The voices of opposition from Lei Qing, A Yan, and Xing Chen erupted at the same time like a volcano!
Ah Yan's eyes instantly turned red: "Su Lin, you are crazy! You can't go with them! I will do this even if I die..."
"Shut up!" Su Lin interrupted him with a rare stern tone. He looked at A Yan, his eyes filled with pleading and a firmness that brooked no argument. "A Yan, listen to me."
He looked at Xingchen, who was clutching his sleeve tightly and finally crying. He reached out and gently wiped away his tears, his voice softening: "Xingchen, don't cry. Protect everyone."
Finally, his gaze returned to Lei Qing's face. This man, who always silently protected him, now had a pain and struggle in his eyes that he had never seen before, a pain that was almost shattering. Su Lin's heart felt like it was being clenched tightly, but he knew that this was the only way to save everyone.
"Lei Qing," he called his name, his voice so soft it sounded like a sigh, "Lead everyone... to survive."
Lei Qing's arm muscles flexed as he held him tightly, a force so strong it threatened to crush Su Lin into his bones and blood. His lips pressed into a pale line, and a suppressed growl, like that of a wounded beast, emanated from his throat. Reason told him this was his only option, but his emotions were like thousands of knives slicing through his heart.
The priest seemed very satisfied with this scene, and a cold smile appeared on his lips. "A wise choice. Then, 'Light Source', please."
Su Lin gently pushed Lei Qing, signaling him to let him go.
Lei Qing's arms were stiff for a long time. Finally, under the gaze of those calm and resolute eyes, he seemed to have lost all his strength and he loosened his arms very slowly and bit by bit.
Su Lin supported his weak body and tried to stand up on his own, but staggered.
Lei Qing subconsciously reached out to help, but was gently blocked by Su Lin.
He stood up straight, shaky but stubbornly refusing any support. He took one last, deep look at his companions—Lei Qing, who treated him like his life, A Yan, who would burn everything for him, Mu Lin, who tenderly protected him, and Xing Chen, who regarded him as her only faith and was rapidly growing.
Carve their appearance deep into your soul.
Then, he turned around, not looking back, and walked step by step towards the three gray-robed men at the door. His steps were slow and frivolous, and his back looked unusually thin in the dim light, yet it carried an indescribable, tragic determination.
"Su Lin——!!!" A Yan let out a heart-wrenching cry and wanted to rush forward, but was held back tightly by Mu Lin.
Xingchen bit his lips hard, blood seeping out from between his teeth. He stared at Su Lin's back like a wounded cub, as if he wanted to imprint this moment forever.
Lei Qing stood there, like a stone statue completely devoid of life. Only his bloodshot eyes, fixed on Su Lin's back, proved he was still alive. The hunting knife in his hand fell to the ground with a clang.
Su Lin walked up to the priest.
The priest looked at him, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes, and stepped aside to make way: "Please."
Two guards, one on the left and one on the right, seemingly guarding but actually escorting, surrounded Su Lin, walked out of the door of the cabin, and disappeared in the wind and snow outside the door.
The broken wooden door seemed to separate the two worlds.
Outside, the wind and snow seemed to be getting stronger.
Inside the house, there was deathly silence.
Hope is like a candle blown out by the wind. It has just been lit and immediately falls into deeper darkness.
Separation came so suddenly and so cruelly.
Inside the hunting lodge, there were only suppressed gasps, silent tears, and torn hearts.
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