Chapter 57
The cold glint of the longsword in his hand, under the dim light, was no more than three feet away from Su Zhelan's vulnerable throat!
"Playing dead?!" Sheng Chi's voice was as cold as ice. "Get up! Speak! What's the deal with your evil blood?! What's your relationship with that mother Gu?!"
The chilling killing intent, like a tangible needle, pierced Su Zhelan, causing her to struggle awake from the abyss of unconsciousness.
He struggled to open his eyes, his vision blurred for a moment before focusing on Sheng Chi's murderous face and the longsword that was so close to him, exuding an aura of death.
Fear? No, what occupied Su Zhelan's heart at this moment was a despair more overwhelming than fear and a kind of madness driven to the brink of despair! Years of concealment, enormous sacrifices, excruciating pain, and now this merciless suspicion and murderous intent... all the grievances, fears, resentment, and bottomless guilt erupted in his chest like a volcano!
"Heh...heh..." Su Zhelan suddenly chuckled softly, his laughter hoarse and broken, carrying a chilling desolation and self-mockery. He no longer tried to explain, no longer begged for trust; his once clear eyes now held only an almost manic resolve!
Amidst Sheng Chi's shocked and furious gaze and Su Yan's heart-wrenching cry of "No!", Su Zhelan suddenly used all her strength to tear open the already loose collar of her clothes!
"Sizzle—!"
The sound of tearing fabric was particularly jarring in the deathly silent tent.
Under the dim light, Su Zhelan's pale, thin chest and shoulders were instantly exposed to the cold air—and to Sheng Chi's shocked gaze!
It was covered with marks that made your scalp crawl!
It wasn't a knife scar, nor an arrow wound, but an extremely bizarre brand that couldn't be created by human hands! Countless twisted lines of dark red, deep purple, and even gleaming crisscrossed the skin, like the tracks left by countless venomous insects crawling, or like some ancient and evil spell forcibly branded into the flesh!
These lines spread from below his collarbone to his chest, covering most of his chest and even wrapping around his slender neck, forming an eerie and terrifying totem on his pale skin! Around the newly bandaged wound on his chest, the lines were even denser, like a spider web, pulsating slightly with his rapid breathing, as if they were alive!
"Did you see it clearly?!" Su Zhelan's voice suddenly rose, carrying a tearing sharpness and a broken sob. He stared intently at Sheng Chi, his fingers trembling as he pointed to the shocking Gu marks on his body.
"This is the dirty stuff you've been trying to uncover! This is the mark of the 'remnants of a cult' you've been tracking day and night! Are you satisfied now?! Huh?!"
He roared almost maniacally, tears mixed with cold sweat streaming down his face. His body trembled violently from agitation and weakness, as if it would fall apart at any moment: "My blood can save him? Yes! Because those ghostly things are raised in my blood! I am the mother Gu host you are looking for! Are you satisfied now?! Are you satisfied now?!"
This almost self-destructive confession, like the most violent hurricane, instantly swept through the entire camp! Sheng Chi's pupils shrank sharply. Even though he was used to the bloodshed of the battlefield, he was shocked by the bizarre and terrifying scene before him and Su Zelan's hysterical collapse! The long sword in his hand subconsciously dropped an inch due to the sudden impact.
However, after the initial shock came an even stronger, more overwhelming rage, fueled by deception and fear! "It really was you!"
Sheng Chi's eyes widened in fury, the last trace of hesitation in them completely extinguished, replaced by icy killing intent. "Cult heretic! You must not be allowed to live!"
His mind was made up to kill! With a flick of his wrist, Sheng Chi unleashed a blinding glint of light from the tip of his sword, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound that tore through the air. Like a venomous snake striking, it viciously pierced Su Zhelan's exposed throat, which was covered in Gu wounds! This sword strike was fast! Accurate! Ruthless! It showed absolutely no mercy!
"No—!" Su Yan's scream was swallowed by the wind outside the tent.
Just as the cold tip of the sword was about to pierce Su Zhelan's throat—
A figure flashed in from outside the tent with incredible speed! So fast that only a blurry afterimage remained!
It's Xiao Qiyun!
He had arrived at some unknown time. Perhaps he had heard Sheng Chi's furious roar, or perhaps he had sensed Su Zhelan's impending collapse! His eyes no longer held their usual gentle composure, but were filled with an almost frozen chill and... a trace of deep-seated panic that was now almost overflowing with shock and anger!
"clang--!"
A piercing clang of metal clashing against metal shattered the deathly silence of the tent!
Xiao Qiyun's exquisitely crafted dagger, decorated with cloud patterns, narrowly blocked Sheng Chi's fatal sword strike! Sparks flew! The immense impact made Xiao Qiyun's hands go numb, and the dagger almost slipped from his grasp, but he remained as steady as a rock, firmly blocking Su Zhelan and holding Sheng Chi's sword firmly, refusing to yield an inch!
"General Sheng Chi!" Xiao Qiyun's voice was no longer as clear and gentle as before; it was filled with the buzzing of internal energy and an undeniable force. He stared intently at Sheng Chi's face, which was twisted with rage. "He cannot die now!"
Sheng Chi's sword was blocked, and his anger intensified: "Your Highness! Are you going to protect this demon too?! He admitted himself to being the host of the Mother Gu! He's a remnant of an evil cult!"
"Precisely because he is the host of the mother Gu! He absolutely cannot die!" Xiao Qiyun's voice was resolute, his gaze sharp as a blade, piercing straight into Sheng Chi's eyes. "The offspring Gu in Sheng Xuan's body has not yet been cleared! The Gu poison is only temporarily suppressed! If the host of the mother Gu dies, the offspring Gu will inevitably retaliate violently! What will happen to Sheng Xuan then? Does the general intend to personally extinguish Sheng Xuan's last chance of life?!"
These words were like ice water poured over his head, instantly calming Sheng Chi's furious mind. The backlash from the Gu poison… He recalled the terrifying records in medical books about the mutual devouring of Gu poisons of the same origin, and his hand gripping the sword trembled slightly.
Xiao Qiyun caught Sheng Chi's momentary wavering and immediately pressed his advantage, softening his tone but carrying an even deeper strength.
“General, killing him now would be as easy as turning your hand. But Sheng Xuan’s life is also in his hands! Which is more important? Please think it over, General!” As he spoke, he subtly shielded Su Zhelan behind him with his body, but his eyes remained fixed on Sheng Chi, not giving the other party any chance to bypass him and attack Su Zhelan.
At the same time, Xiao Qiyun's other hand, hanging by his side, was subtly and gently placed on Su Zhelan's cold, trembling shoulder, concealed by the wide sleeves of his robe.
The coldness and trembling from his fingertips surged through Xiao Qiyun's heart like an electric current, almost causing the suppressed tenderness and anger deep in his eyes to burst through the ice.
He loved Su Zhelan, and at this moment, that feeling transformed into the strongest shield and the sharpest spear, supporting him as he stood before the blazing sword.
The air inside the tent seemed to freeze. The flame of the oil lamp had been nearly extinguished by the sword energy, leaving the light even dimmer. The blazing sword tip still pointed at Xiao Qiyun, its blade trembling slightly from the immense force of the impact, emitting a low hum.
He stared intently at Su Zhelan, who was curled up and barely breathing behind Xiao Qiyun, and then he thought of Sheng Xuan, who had just escaped danger on the bed. The huge contradiction tore at his reason.
To kill or not to kill?
Killing intent and reason clashed fiercely in Sheng Chi's eyes. The long sword hanging before Su Zhelan's throat flickered with a cold light, like a candle flame swaying in the eye of a storm, ready to be extinguished at any moment, or... burn everything to ashes.
Xiao Qiyun's words were like cold chains, instantly binding Sheng Chi's murderous intent that was about to erupt. The phrase "backlash from the Gu" was like a bucket of ice water, extinguishing the anger in his heart and leaving only a chilling feeling and a lingering fear.
He stared intently at Su Zhelan, who was curled up on the straw mat behind Xiao Qiyun and barely breathing, and then he thought of Sheng Xuan in the next tent, who had just escaped danger and was still pale.
The image of his brother's pained and contorted face flashed through his mind, gripping his sword-wielding wrist more forcefully than any words could.
The murderous intent, after being weighed by reason, receded slowly like the tide, leaving behind a colder, harder reef—suspicion, vigilance, and a sense of humiliation from being coerced by fate.
The anger in Sheng Chi's eyes gradually subsided, replaced by a deep, icy coldness, like that of a frozen pool.
He slowly withdrew the longsword that had been pointing at Xiao Qiyun, the tip of the sword falling and leaving a thin mark on the ground. But his gaze was sharper and heavier than the blade, fixed on Su Zhelan.
“Alright.” Sheng Chi’s voice was low and hoarse, carrying an undeniable decisiveness that broke the dead silence in the tent. “Your Highness is right. Sheng Xuan’s life depends on this scoundrel.”
He no longer addressed Su Zhelan by his name, using only the cold term "this scoundrel" to draw a clear line between them.
"Guards!" Sheng Chi turned around abruptly and shouted sternly at the outside of the tent.
Two guards clad in black armor, exuding a cold and aloof aura, entered in response and knelt on one knee: "General!"
Sheng Chi's gaze swept over Su Zhelan, who lay on the ground like a broken doll, his eyes devoid of any warmth: "Take this man to the prison cart and keep him under strict guard! Together with Sheng Xuan, set off immediately and return to the General's Mansion!"
He paused, his voice sharp as an icy blade, and commanded clearly, word by word: "Upon returning to the manor, imprison this fiend in the 'Cold Water Courtyard,' and assign three additional shifts of guards, rotating every twelve hours! Without my general's order, no one is to approach! Including..." His gaze swept almost imperceptibly over Su Yan, whose expression had drastically changed, "...including Mr. Su Yan!"
This order was tantamount to imprisoning Su Zhelan completely! "Cold Water Courtyard" was the most remote and heavily guarded courtyard in the General's Mansion, perpetually cold and damp, like a water prison. The three shifts of guards further severed any possibility of contact.
"General!" Su Yan exclaimed in shock, staggering forward. "No! Zhe Lan's injuries haven't healed yet. The Cold Water Courtyard is bitterly cold; how can he endure it?! He just had his heart's blood drawn, and his vital energy is severely depleted. He needs to rest..."
"Rest in peace?" Sheng Chi abruptly interrupted Su Yan, his eyes sharp as knives. "Mr. Su Yan! He is the source that can drive thousands of Gu worms mad! He is a double-edged sword that can save Sheng Xuan, but can also take Sheng Xuan's life in an instant! Tell me, what else can we do besides keeping a close watch on him?!"
He took a step closer, his imposing aura intimidating. "Are we going to keep him in the warm chamber, giving him a chance to reactivate the poison, or... seize the opportunity to escape?!"
Su Yan was speechless when questioned, tears welling up in his eyes. Looking at the lifeless Su Zhelan on the ground, his heart ached.
Sheng Chi ignored Su Yan and turned his gaze to his personal guards, continuing to issue cold orders: "Furthermore, convey my order! The physician in the manor must collect three cups of blood from his wrist daily, which, under the personal supervision of Mr. Su Yan, will be used to concoct a medicine to suppress the Gu poison! If the medicine is insufficient, or if Sheng Xuan's condition relapses..."
He paused, his gaze piercing Su Zhelan like an icicle, "...then take your heart's blood! Make sure Sheng Xuan's life is safe!"
The words "blood collection" struck Su Zhelan's numb heart like a cold hammer.
His curled-up body trembled almost imperceptibly, and a single, murky tear silently slid down his tightly closed eyelashes, mingling with the cold sweat on his forehead and disappearing.
He stopped roaring and arguing, as if all his strength had been exhausted in the self-destructive collapse just now, leaving only boundless coldness and numbness.
It's going to become like before again; his existence is nothing more than a living container that can continuously provide "catalysts".
"Yes, sir!" the guards replied in a deep voice, rising to walk towards Su Zhelan. Though their movements were not rough, they carried an undeniable force as they lifted Su Zhelan's limp body from either side.
Su Zhelan was lifted up like a puppet, his head hanging limply, his disheveled long hair obscuring his pale face and empty eyes. The freshly bandaged gauze was pulled, and new blood seeped out, staining the guard's cold armor red.
He didn't struggle, nor did he utter a sound, letting himself be dragged towards the cold prison cart outside the tent. Every step felt like walking on endless ice.
Xiao Qiyun stood rooted to the spot, his moon-white robe appearing particularly aloof in the dim light. His lips were tightly pressed together, his jawline taut as if carved by a knife, and his eyes churned with a storm of emotions—anger, heartache, resentment, and a profound sense of powerlessness.
Watching helplessly as Su Zhelan was dragged away, and seeing Sheng Chi's cold and unquestionable command, his hands in his sleeves were already clenched into fists, his nails digging deep into his palms, and he didn't even notice the blood seeping out.
He couldn't stop it, at least not at this moment.
Although Sheng Chi had sheathed his sword, his killing intent had not dissipated; it was merely forcibly suppressed. He could only fix his cold, sharp gaze on Su Zhelan's dragged-away figure, as if trying to etch that frail and fragile image into his heart.
A resolute glint flashed in Xiao Qiyun's eyes. He would never allow Su Zhelan to be imprisoned and killed as a drug addict! But for now, he had to endure.
Su Yan watched as Su Zhelan was dragged out of the tent and disappeared into the cold night. Finally, he couldn't hold on any longer. His legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground, covering his face. Suppressed sobs escaped from between his fingers.
Gu Linzhao silently walked to his side, squatted down, and tightly grasped Su Yan's trembling shoulders with his broad hands, providing silent support, while his eyes were equally solemn as he looked out of the tent.
Outside the tent, a cold wind howled. A specially made prison cart with iron bars was already prepared.
Su Zhelan was shoved inside without any mercy, the cold iron bars isolating him from the outside world.
The guards locked the car doors, the heavy iron locks clicking with a sharp "click," as if tolling the death knell for Su Zhelan's fate.
Another spacious and comfortable carriage was parked next to them. Sheng Xuan was carefully carried inside, his still unconscious body wrapped in a thick brocade quilt.
Sheng Chi mounted his horse, his black cloak fluttering in the cold wind. He glanced one last time at Su Zhelan, who was curled up in the prison cart, as still as a corpse. His eyes were complex and unreadable, but finally turned into a cold and resolute expression.
"Set off! Return to the manor!" With that command, the cavalry slowly began to move.
The prison van jolted along, the cold iron bars digging into Su Zhelan's thin body.
He huddled in the corner, his face buried in his arms, motionless. Only the slight undulation of his shoulders and back proved that he was still alive.
The cold wind blew in through the gaps in the iron bars, blowing his disheveled long hair and revealing the still-grotesque scar on the back of his neck.
The outline of the General's Mansion gradually became clear in the night, like a lurking beast opening its cold maw, waiting to devour the boy who had been pushed utterly into the abyss by fate. And his blood would become the only nourishment to sustain another person's life.
In this cold cage, he was no longer a doctor, no longer anyone's apprentice or friend; he was merely a "medicinal ingredient" waiting to be exploited.
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