243 - Destroyer of Ice and Fire

Gong Sun Yin smiled but said nothing, glancing sideways at Helan Mianmian. She understood his intention and nodded to signal her comprehension. Then, Helan Mianmian turned her gaze toward the direction where Ran Fanyin and the other person had disappeared. Chapter 96: Try It Ran Fanyin stood deep in thought, looking at the girl lying on the bed. Her mind kept returning to those red eyes and the girl's relieved smile the moment she saw her. But her master had said that the reborn Demon Emperor was a plague that had to be eradicated. Ran Fanyin slowly moved her hand up and gently wrapped it around the girl's neck without applying pressure; she hesitated. The girl seemed to sense something in her sleep. She frowned slightly and whimpered, "Master, it hurts..." Ran Fanyin jerked her hand back as if she had been shocked. She sighed, pulling the blanket up over the girl, "What should I do now?" Ning Songwu slept fitfully, extending her right hand out from under the blanket as if searching for something. Ran Fanyin took hold of her restless hand only to have it clasped tightly in return, bringing a peaceful smile to the girl's face as her brows relaxed. The girl's right hand bore a scar, allegedly from a wolf demon attack. The sorrow in her eyes when she spoke of her mother had not been feigned. Ultimately, she was just a girl who had suffered all her life. For now, Ran Fanyin decided to wait and see. It wasn't yet time to make a definitive choice. Keeping the girl with her might reveal if she had made a mistake and the red eyes were merely a side effect of absorbing negative energies. She found an excuse to spare Ning Songwu's life. "Master..." Ning Songwu's voice was weak yet filled with longing. She clung to Ran Fanyin's hand as if it were her last lifeline. Ran Fanyin tried to gently pull away but could not. The sensation of being so deeply depended upon felt strange. Unconsciously, Ran Fanyin's gaze softened. Sitting down by her disciple’s bedside, she let Ning Songwu hold her hand while gently stroking the girl's head with the other. Ning Songwu pressed closer, a contented smile spreading across her face. She looked exactly like a tabby cat Ran Fanyin once had. Pet it the right way, and it would narrow its eyes in bliss. Watching its cute demeanor always made Ran Fanyin smile, but unfortunately, that cat disappeared one day. She never raised another pet after that. The sound of something slicing through the air was heard outside the door, followed by hurried footsteps. It was clear that the person approaching was in a rush. Ran Fanyin's smile faded, and she reverted to her usual cold demeanor. The visitor was an elder from the Zhenqi Sect, rushing into the room. After a brief salute, he got straight to the point, “Venerable One, we have located Immortal Lin and Immortal Luo; both are unharmed.” Ran Fanyin sighed in relief. After rescuing Ning Songwu, those red eyes had caused her such turmoil that she had not attended to the others. After some thought, Ran Fanyin asked, “Did you see a man in blue clothing, with a sword at his side and a pair of mandarin ducks embroidered on his scent pouch, and a yellow tassel on his sword?” The elder from Zhenqi thought for a moment before replying, “No, Venerable One.” A hint of disappointment flashed in Ran Fanyin’s eyes. It seemed that it had just been an illusion. The dead could not return to life, and her master would never avoid her. “I understand. You may leave now.” Cold sweat appeared on the elder's forehead. He respectfully answered, "Yes," and left. This was the Zhenqi Sect's headquarters, but no one dared to object to Ran Fanyin's dominant presence. Besides, this time the Zhenqi Sect was feeling guilty. They had confidently assured that absorbing negative energies would have no side effects, yet Ning Songwu had become half-dead afterward. When Azure Frost Venerable had kicked open the council hall door, carrying the blood-soaked Ning Songwu, none of the sect elders dared to speak. They had never seen Azure Frost Venerable this enraged; usually, at most, she was slightly angry but never to the extent of kicking down doors. The sight had terrified the old bunch, who then promptly focused on saving Ning Songwu's life through an array of rare herbal medicines and elixirs. After much effort, Ning Songwu’s life was finally stabilized, though she required peaceful rest and recovery. However, unbeknownst to the Zhenqi Sect elders, Ran Fanyin's anger stemmed not just from her disciple being injured but also from the helplessness of indecision. The situation seemed increasingly tricky, and Ran Fanyin wished she could simply step away. But given her position, she had responsibilities she couldn't shirk. The girl on the bed fluttered her eyelashes and let out a soft moan before waking up. Supporting herself to sit up, she was gently pushed back down by Ran Fanyin. Still somewhat dazed, Ning Songwu calmed down when she saw Ran Fanyin beside the bed, her gaze fixed unwaveringly on her master. Ran Fanyin tucked her hand back under the blanket, noticing that Ning Songwu was staring at her. "Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked. Ning Songwu smiled more gently than usual, lacking her usual mischievousness. "I just think it's wonderful to see you again, Master. It really is good to be alive." Ran Fanyin paused, uncertain of her own feelings, "If you don't want to die, why did you fight so hard?" But then she reconsidered: if Ning Songwu hadn't fought so desperately, she would already be dead. Ultimately, it was her own failure to protect Ning Songwu that had led to this. As a master, she felt utterly incompetent. So she apologized, "I failed to protect you." Hearing the guilt in her master's words, Ning Songwu felt that her wounds no longer hurt. "This wasn’t your fault, Master. It's because I was too weak. If I were stronger, you wouldn't have had to worry. But Master, I'm so happy, happier than I've ever been." When Ran Fanyin had brought Ning Songwu back, her hands were almost useless. What happiness could there be in a beating so severe? "Happy? You nearly lost your life." Ning Songwu chuckled, though her feeble state made her laughter turn into a cough. Ran Fanyin quickly moved to support her, patting her back gently. Leaning into her master's embrace with a sense of attachment, Ning Songwu relaxed. "Because someone genuinely cares about me again. I never thought I, someone so insignificant, could end up with such a happy ending. Maybe the heavens really do have pity on me."