Chapter 148
The two walked out of Shuyu Courtyard one after the other. The afternoon sun was indeed quite scorching, and Sheng Xuan deliberately walked on the outside of Su Zhelan, using his tall figure to shield him from most of the sunlight.
The medicine hut was located in the relatively secluded west courtyard of the general's mansion, where a faint scent of herbs permeated the air year-round. Just as one reached the courtyard gate, the sounds of pounding herbs and fanning a fire could be heard from inside.
Sheng Xuan stepped forward first and gently knocked on the door: "Master?"
"Come in, the door isn't latched." Su Yan's voice came from inside, tinged with weariness.
Sheng Xuan pushed open the door and stepped aside to let Su Zhelan go in first. The medicine hut was dimly lit, and the shelves around it were filled with various medicinal herbs and bottles and jars.
Su Yan was facing away from them, fanning himself in front of a small stove. On the stove sat a small medicine pot, inside which simmered dark brown medicinal liquid, emitting a strange, faintly fishy medicinal aroma.
"Master," Su Zhelan called softly.
Su Yan turned around at the sound of her voice, and when he saw it was Su Zhelan, a gentle smile appeared on his face: "Are you feeling better?"
Su Zhelan let Su Yan's warm hand touch her forehead to check her temperature. The usual coldness in her eyes faded, replaced by a gentleness and dependence: "Hmm, I'm rested."
"Alright, alright," Su Yan waved his hand, his attention quickly returning to Su Zhelan, and pulled him towards the stove, "You've come at the perfect time, the fire was just extinguished."
He pointed to the small medicine jar that emitted a strange medicinal fragrance, "The timing was right, the heat was just right, and the medicinal properties are very stable."
As she spoke, she carefully removed the medicine pot from the fire using a cloth as a pad, and deftly opened an inconspicuous wooden box next to her, taking out a small, palm-sized, warm white jade box.
“Here,” Su Yan handed the jade box to Su Zhelan, which was icy cold to the touch. “The ointment is almost ready. Let it sit for another half day. The smell is a bit strong, but the effect will definitely be good.”
He looked at Su Zhelan, his eyes filled with understanding and a hint of barely perceptible heartache, and lowered his voice, "The medicinal ingredient is special, go back and rest well, don't do anything reckless."
Su Zhelan took the jade box, her fingertips tracing the cool jade surface, and gave Su Yan a faint, reassuring smile: "I understand, Master. Thank you for your trouble."
"Why are you being so polite with me!" Su Yan glared at him, but his tone was affectionate. He picked up a slender silver needle, took out a little dark red to almost black ointment from the jade box, brought it to his nose and sniffed it carefully, then looked at its viscosity in the light and nodded in satisfaction.
He paused, his tone taking on a cold, sharp edge, "Why not just apply it directly to the arrowheads? The arrows will cut through the wind and embed themselves in the flesh of those cultists, allowing the medicine to flow through their blood. Those Gu worms they've raised with their evil magic will probably go berserk and burrow into their bodies like madmen when they smell this 'catalyst'!"
A cold, sharp smile curled at the corner of his lips: "Let them taste what it's like to be devoured by the very poison they raised!"
Su Zhelan's fingers tightened slightly around the jade box, a cold glint of approval flashing in his eyes. He nodded gently: "Master is right. This method is excellent."
Standing to the side, Sheng Xuan's heart skipped a beat when he heard "special medicinal ingredient." Now, hearing Su Yan's bloody plan, especially the phrase "let the Gu worms crawl into their bodies," and recalling the faint, sweet-smelling smell of the ointment, a terrible thought instantly seized him.
He suddenly looked at Su Zhelan, his eyes filled with shock and indescribable heartache: "The medicinal ingredient... that medicinal ingredient is... your blood?!"
Su Yan glanced at Sheng Xuan without saying anything, but his eyes already acquiesced.
Su Zhelan didn't look at Sheng Xuan, but lowered her eyes to look at the jade box in her hand, her voice calm and unwavering: "To deal with them, we should naturally use what they are most familiar with."
Su Yan sighed as he looked at Sheng Xuan's suddenly pale face and clenched fists, and patted Su Zhelan's shoulder: "Alright, you've got the medicine and the method, go back and rest! Don't stand here." He gave Sheng Xuan a meaningful look.
Su Zhelan nodded: "Okay, then I'll go back. Don't overwork yourself."
"Go on, go on." Su Yan waved his hand, his gaze sweeping over Sheng Xuan beside him, his tone carrying a hint of entrustment, "Keep a close eye on him! Don't let him mess things up again!"
Sheng Xuan took a deep breath, suppressing his turbulent emotions, and nodded emphatically to Su Yan: "Don't worry, sir!"
The two returned to Shuyu Courtyard, pushed open the door, and saw Xiao Qiyun already waiting inside.
"Your Highness," Su Zhelan nodded slightly, her voice as cool as ever, "You've arrived. How did your discussions with the General go?"
Xiao Qiyun's gaze lingered for a moment on Sheng Xuan's protective posture, a faint, indescribable meaning flashing deep within his eyes before returning to calm. He didn't answer immediately, but looked at Sheng Xuan again, his eyes questioning.
Su Zhelan immediately understood his meaning and calmly said, "It's alright. He already knows." His voice was not loud, but it clearly reached the ears of both of them.
Xiao Qiyun's gaze lingered on Su Zhelan's face for a moment, as if confirming something, before he nodded almost imperceptibly.
"Um."
He responded, then looked up again, meeting Su Zhelan's eyes. His tone was steady as he got to the point, "The matter of borrowing troops has been settled. The prince has promised to allocate three thousand elite cavalry, who will arrive at the camp outside the city in three days. General Sheng Chi has also mustered two thousand elite infantrymen from his residence, who are ready to be deployed at any time."
He paused, his voice steady and powerful: "The initial deployment has been drawn up. The troops will be divided into three routes. One route will be led by General Sheng Chi, with the main infantry force launching a frontal assault on the main gate of the Burning Heart Sect's altar to draw their main force away. The other route will be led by a deputy general under the command of the Prince of Pingxi, with elite cavalry flanking the flanks to cut off their retreat and intercept any enemy reinforcements that may come to their aid."
His gaze fell on Su Zhelan, carrying a sense of entrustment: "The third team is an elite squad, with a lean and efficient number of members. You will lead them, infiltrating through the secret path in the back mountain and striking straight at its core. You must destroy it."
Xiao Qiyun's voice was not loud, but every word was clear, carrying the decisiveness and unquestionable force of a battlefield commander. Shuyu Courtyard fell silent for a moment, save for his steady narration.
Su Zhelan stood behind Sheng Xuan, listening calmly. His eyes were focused and serene, as if he were rapidly sketching out the entire battle situation in his mind.
Sheng Xuan also composed himself, straightened his back, and listened intently to Xiao Qiyun's plan. His gaze was sharp, and his brows were slightly furrowed, clearly indicating that he was also rapidly considering the feasibility of each step and the possible obstacles.
When he heard that Su Zhelan was going to lead a team to infiltrate the core, he subconsciously tensed up, his eyes becoming more focused, as if he wanted to engrave every word into his brain.
Xiao Qiyun's gaze swept over the two, taking in their reactions. He continued, "I have already ordered someone to prepare the map of the secret path, and it will be sent over later."
“Su Zhelan,” Xiao Qiyun’s voice deepened, his usual calm masking a turbulent emotion, “this infiltration has been exceptionally dangerous.”
He looked directly into Su Zhelan's eyes, his gaze still sharp, but now tinged with deep regret and helplessness: "As the commander-in-chief, I must sit in the central army and oversee the overall situation. I cannot... cannot accompany you into dangerous territory."
His Adam's apple bobbed, and the word "unable" seemed to be squeezed out with difficulty from between his teeth, carrying a heavy weight.
Inside the Shuyu Courtyard, the air was thick with the scent of water and plum blossoms, yet at this moment, everything seemed to freeze. Xiao Qiyun's voice echoed clearly in the silence, carrying an unmistakable heaviness:
"sorry."
These two words, spoken by Xiao Qiyun, carried immense weight. Holding a high position and bearing heavy responsibilities, he rarely apologized. At this moment, this apology was not merely for not being able to accompany him, but also filled with guilt and worry for leaving Su Zhelan to shoulder such a dangerous mission alone. His inability to personally protect her was a feeling clearly etched in his deep eyes.
Su Zhelan spoke, her voice soft yet filled with unmistakable sincerity, breaking the suffocating silence: "Your Highness has done more than enough for me."
Su Zhelan's gaze fell on Xiao Qiyun's clenched fist. Her eyes were calm, without a trace of resentment or grievance, only a deep understanding and gratitude.
"Borrowing troops, deploying troops, making meticulous arrangements... every single thing was planned by Your Highness for me." Su Zhelan's voice was steady, as if stating a fact that couldn't be clearer. "Your Highness bears a heavy responsibility, sitting in the central army, where a single move affects the whole situation. Venturing into dangerous territory should not have been done by Your Highness in the first place."
He paused slightly, his clear gaze meeting the complex emotions surging in Xiao Qiyun's eyes: "Your Highness need not blame yourself. Su Zhelan is deeply grateful for Your Highness's wholehearted assistance."
Xiao Qiyun's Adam's apple bobbed, all the unspoken words stuck in his throat. In the end, he simply looked deeply at Su Zhelan, his eyes filled with relief, heartache, and an unspeakable heavy entrustment, all of which culminated in a low, resounding reply:
"……Um."
Then Xiao Qiyun shifted his gaze, his eyes regaining their sharpness and composure, and turned to Sheng Xuan.
"Ze Lan's safety is in your hands." Xiao Qiyun's voice was not loud, but it carried immense weight. "Stay by his side at all times and protect him."
Sheng Xuan met Xiao Qiyun's gaze without the slightest hesitation, her voice resolute: "Don't worry! As long as I have a breath left, I will never let anyone harm him in the slightest!"
After a brief silence, Xiao Qiyun's gaze returned to Su Zhelan, and his tone regained the calmness he had when making the deployment: "Let's go inside and talk in detail."
The room was simply furnished, but the warmth from the steam was even stronger than in the courtyard. Su Zhelan walked to the table, but instead of sitting down immediately, he took out a small, smooth white jade box from his sleeve. He gently placed the jade box on the table and pushed it in front of Xiao Qiyun.
Xiao Qiyun's gaze fell on the jade box, his eyes narrowing slightly. He naturally recognized it as something Su Zhelan had brought back from the medicine shop.
"What is this?" Xiao Qiyun asked, his voice steady, but his gaze swept sharply over Su Zhelan's slightly pale face.
Su Zhelan's voice was calm and even, as if she were stating something perfectly ordinary: "This is a medicinal ointment made by Master Tuo. It is made with a special medicinal ingredient and has a strong attraction to the Gu worms raised by the cult."
He paused, lightly tapping the smooth surface of the jade box with his fingertip, a cold, sharp glint in his eyes: "Apply it to the arrowheads."
Xiao Qiyun's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly; he immediately understood Su Zhelan's intention. He raised his head, his gaze sharp as he looked at Su Zhelan.
Su Zhelan met his gaze, her voice clear and calm: "The arrow cuts through the wind, piercing the flesh of the cultist, and the medicinal properties travel with the blood. When those Gu worms smell this 'catalyst,' they will instinctively and frantically swarm towards their master."
He paused slightly, his tone taking on a chilling edge: "Let them taste what it's like to be devoured by the very poison they've raised. This method can throw them off balance, or... use their own methods against them."
The room fell silent. Moisture floated silently in the air, carrying the scent of sulfur, but it couldn't mask the faint, sweet-smelling medicinal aroma that seemed to emanate from the jade box through its walls.
Xiao Qiyun's gaze shifted from the jade box to Su Zhelan's face, his eyes deep and unfathomable, churning with complex emotions. He remained silent for a moment before finally reaching out, his slender fingers covering the cold jade box and firmly grasping it.
“Good.” Xiao Qiyun’s voice was deep and powerful, carrying the decisiveness of a commander. “This method is excellent. I will order people to prepare specially made arrows and distribute this medicine properly.”
“Your Highness,” Su Zhelan’s voice rang out again, calmly adding as he lightly tapped the jade box held in Xiao Qiyun’s hand with his fingertip, “this ointment is extremely concentrated and potent. Direct use would be difficult to control and too wasteful. When using it, simply take a grain-sized amount, dissolve it thoroughly in a basin of water, then immerse the arrowhead in it for a moment, and then remove and air dry. Arrows treated in this way are sufficient to attract Gu worms, and the medicinal effect will last longer.”
"Understood." Xiao Qiyun's voice remained steady, but with a sharper edge. "I will give instructions to handle this method carefully, ensuring that every arrow is used to its fullest potential." He tightened the jade box, and when he looked up again, his gaze was filled with a cold, murderous intent. "Once this blade is completed, it will surely draw blood and kill."
Seeing that the matter was almost settled, Sheng Xuan could no longer contain himself. He stepped forward, his voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable firmness, breaking the silence: "Your Highness, the arrangements are finalized, and the medicine has been delivered. Zhelan needs to rest."
"Hmm." Xiao Qiyun replied in a deep voice without any hesitation, "It's time to rest." He didn't say anything more, his gaze lingering on Su Zhelan's slightly pale face for a moment, and then said, "I have some things to do, I'll go first, I'll come back later."
Su Zhelan raised her eyes and looked at Xiao Qiyun. His gaze was calm, without surprise or attempt to persuade her to stay. He simply nodded slightly and said, "...Thank you for your trouble, Your Highness."
Xiao Qiyun gave him a deep look, his gaze complex and indescribable, containing trust, worry, and heavy expectations. He didn't leave immediately; instead, he took a step forward and approached Su Zhelan.
Sheng Xuan watched from the side, his body tensing instantly, a hint of vigilance and barely perceptible tension flashing in his eyes.
Xiao Qiyun ignored Sheng Xuan's reaction. His gaze was fixed on Su Zhelan's face, filled with an undeniable intimacy and a deep, almost possessive desire that seemed to devour her.
Before Sheng Xuan could even speak up to stop him, Xiao Qiyun had already made his move with lightning speed.
He supported Su Zhelan's nape with one hand, a force that was both firm and strangely gentle, stabilizing Su Zhelan's slightly tilted head. His other hand rested naturally on Su Zhelan's waist, gently pulling him closer to himself.
Then, under Sheng Xuan's shocked and almost unfocused gaze, Xiao Qiyun leaned down without hesitation and captured Su Zhelan's lips precisely and undeniably.
A kiss filled with scalding heat, intense scent, and deep possessiveness. Xiao Qiyun's lips pressed forcefully against Su Zhelan's, lingering and caressing with an irresistible strength.
Su Zhelan seemed to be caught off guard by the sudden attack, his body stiffening instantly. However, Xiao Qiyun's hand supporting the back of his neck was filled with an irresistible heat, and his other hand on his waist tightened, firmly imprisoning him in front of him.
The kiss was short, yet it was powerful and filled with a sense of almost desperate possessiveness. It was as if all the unspoken worries, the guilt of not being able to accompany her, and the burning possessiveness hidden deep in her heart were being conveyed to the person in her arms through the fusion of their lips and teeth.
Only when he sensed that Su Zhelan's breathing was a little unsteady did Xiao Qiyun suddenly raise his head, ending the brief but impactful kiss.
His forehead pressed against Su Zhelan's, their noses almost touching, their hot breaths mingling. Xiao Qiyun's eyes were as deep as unyielding ink, churning with emotions like a raging storm. His deep voice, tinged with a barely perceptible gasp and hoarseness, was almost uttered from Su Zhelan's lips, audible only to the two of them:
"Wait for me tonight."
After saying that, with a soft "bang," the door was closed, shutting out everything from the outside.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
