215 - Destroyer of Ice and Fire

Cheng Yunhuan had just returned and, with her sharp eyes, noticed the familiar figure of Ran Fanyin flashing by. Thinking something unusual might have happened, perhaps someone from the Heaven Burning Sect had shown up, she decided to follow. "Ran Fanyin!" Cheng Yunhuan called out loudly. Hearing this, Ran Fanyin had no choice but to stop and turn around with a frown. Lin Yuxue also hurried over, slightly out of breath. "What happened? Why were you running? And now you've stopped?" Ran Fanyin, anxious at heart, responded in a cold tone, "I just received news from the sect; something has happened in the discipleship. I need to go back right away." Cheng Yunhuan asked, "What kind of emergency has got you so fretful that you need to leave tonight?" She then lowered her voice slightly, "Is it more urgent than this? I just took some disciples to investigate the East Luo of Yin-Yang Path and discovered traces of Wen Jinglei!" "What? Wen Jinglei is in the city?" Lin Yuxue exclaimed in shock. "It's still unclear. If confirmed, things will get complicated. Ran Fanyin, are you still planning to leave?" Cheng Yunhuan looked at Ran Fanyin. Ran Fanyin lowered her gaze, lost in thought. The complicated and tense situation in Luo City did not allow her to leave on her own, but how could she delay the matter at the Beifa Sect? Being in Luo City, she had no idea what had happened to Ning Songwu, what injuries she had suffered, and whether she was awake or in a coma. After a long while, Ran Fanyin quietly said, "Senior brother, Ning Songwu is gravely injured and on the verge of death. If I stay and return later, I might only find her corpse. What then?" "Ning Songwu? Your little apprentice?" Cheng Yunhuan sighed. "Ran Fanyin, our stands are different on this matter; you should weigh the pros and cons yourself." Ran Fanyin lifted her sparkling eyes, tinged with a hint of apology but resolutely firm, "I'm sorry, senior brother. I'll handle the matter at Beifa first and return to Luo City to assist you as soon as I can." Cheng Yunhuan waved her sleeve, permitting her silently. Lin Yuxue, however, grabbed Ran Fanyin's sleeve, saying, "No matter how urgent, shouldn't you bring some money with you? If you get tired from using light-footed kung fu, you could buy a horse to travel faster." With that, she handed some large-denomination silver notes to Ran Fanyin. Ran Fanyin nodded. "Thank you." With that said, she turned around, tapped the ground with her toes, and merged into the desolate night. Ran Fanyin traveled non-stop for several days, day and night, maintaining a highly focused state without even changing the bandage on her hand. Strangely, the journey from Beifa to Yu Shui Pass seemed far longer now. Although she had chosen the shortest route, it felt like she could never reach the end. Sometimes on the road, she thought, many days had passed, and perhaps Ning Songwu was already out of danger. Maybe her return was not so urgent. After all, how seriously could one be injured at Beifa, and she had confidence in the skills of the medical hall. But what if... The journey that took her seven days before, she covered in just three days on her return. Despite this, she still felt she had wasted too much time. The closer she got to Beifa, the colder the weather became. Unlike her departure when she rode in a covered carriage, this time she watched as the ground went from being covered in yellow leaves to being blanketed by heavy snow. By the time Ran Fanyin reached the Beifa Sect gate, Luo Sheng had already been waiting there for some time. Cen Ran was still in Hongfei Pavilion tending to Ning Songwu, so she had sent Luo Sheng to wait for their master at the gate. Initially, Luo Sheng had some doubts about whether their master would return immediately, as she was busy with something important. But Cen Ran had confidently told him, "Just wait at the gate. You will definitely see our master within five days." Indeed, it had only been three days, and their master was already back. Suppressing her exhaustion, Ran Fanyin walked with Luo Sheng and asked, "What happened exactly? How is Ning Songwu now?" "She sustained injuries from a rod. A few days ago, she regained consciousness briefly but lapsed into a coma again. The injuries were severe; at the most critical moment, she was kept alive only by a life-preserving elixir. Though her condition no longer threatens her life, but..." Luo Sheng trailed off, hesitating to continue. "But what?" Ran Fanyin pressed. Luo Sheng sighed, "When she was awake, she ate a little but didn't say a word. She seemed dazed and didn't respond when called." "Was she struck on the head?" Ran Fanyin suddenly became nervous. "No, but she may have psychological trauma... Master, you returned in haste, did you resolve the matter at Beifa?" Ran Fanyin softly replied, "It's very troublesome. Senior brother Cheng Yunhuan is in great danger. You need to run to the Sword-Casting Pool and find senior brother Jiang Yue. Tell him I've returned and that Wen Jinglei is currently in Luo City. He'll know what to do. Then, go find senior brother Cheng Yunhuan's chief disciple, Jing Hu, and the two of you head to Yu Shui Pass immediately to support senior brother Cheng Yunhuan." Luo Sheng accepted the orders and immediately changed course towards the Sword-Casting Pool. Ran Fanyin followed her memory to Ning Songwu's bedchamber. Pushing the door open, the first thing she saw was Cen Ran sitting by the table, stirring a bowl of dark medicinal soup. Cen Ran looked up and saw Ran Fanyin. "Master! You're back?" Ran Fanyin nodded, indicating she was, and immediately turned her gaze to the bed, walking quickly towards it. Ning Songwu was asleep, her face visibly thinner after this short period. Her blanket covered her up to the chest, exposing shoulders wrapped in thick bandages that faintly showed blood. Her face was terrifyingly pale, making the cinnabar mark between her brows stand out even more vividly, red as blood. Ran Fanyin suddenly realized it had indeed been some time since she last saw Ning Songwu. The once adorably tender face now had distinct features. Nevertheless, seeing her lying lifelessly on the sickbed, Ran Fanyin couldn't help but feel an indescribable pain, as if she had returned to three years ago when Ning Songwu lay wounded in Rongku Pavilion. As the sect leader of Beifa, she often felt a deep sense of powerlessness seeing the ailing child. "Master! Your hand... why is it bandaged?" Cen Ran exclaimed in surprise. "It's just a small wound, nothing serious," Ran Fanyin said, her eyes fixed on the sleeping Ning Songwu. With her in sight, she finally felt some relief but couldn’t help asking, "Why did she get injured by a rod?" "Ning Songwu got into a fight with other disciples and stubbornly refused to admit her mistakes, so she went to the disciplinary room to receive a rod punishment."