48 - The Cannon Fodder is Prepared to Divorce

The red-clothed figure sat in the depths of the cave, with two long swords and a plain lute by his side. There were also a white cloak and a sturdy blue horse in the cave. Yue Bai, clutching her uncomfortable chest, happened to see the man open his eyes. "It seems I was meddling unnecessarily." Given that setup, it was clear she had already prepared an escape route. Ji Wu Nian smiled, coughing up a mouthful of fresh blood. She appeared not to hear Yue Bai and muttered to herself, "You really came..." No one knew how she had managed to escape everyone's watchful eyes this time. Seeing no reaction from over there, Yue Bai’s discomfort grew, feeling a stifling sensation in her chest. The heavy depletion of her spiritual energy left her feeling tired, while the frustration that it was all for nothing gnawed at her, making her grit her teeth. "Your mission system truly has issues," repeated Yue Bai. Jiu Yi didn't know how to retort and could only awkwardly change the subject, "So what do we do now..." "We still need to leave here first." Yue Bai closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "She's seriously injured." The cold wind outside howled, mixed with some faint sounds. Before Yue Bai could steady her breath, a bloody warmth leaned closer beside her. The person rested on Yue Bai’s shoulder, undoubtedly staining her light-colored clothing again. "Yue Bai." Yue Bai opened her eyes and slipped a pill into her mouth. "Ugh..." The person who intended to speak properly grimaced, unable to utter even a word of complaint against the bitterness. Yue Bai lifted her, pressing down on her abdominal wound, and mounted the horse. With a flick of her finger, the white cloak enveloped them both securely, seemingly prepared to keep them warm in the swirling wind and snow. The plain lute and swords were stored away. Yue Bai asked her, "Where to?" Since even the horse was prepared, there had to be a destination set. Hurting and unable to speak clearly, it took Ji Wu Nian several breaths to stammer out, "South... across the snowy mountains..." "Be more specific." "North of Ling... Xing Mountain..." Jiu Yi chimed in, “That’s almost two thousand miles away…” Knowing the destination, it wasn’t hard for Yue Bai. She wrapped one arm around Ji Wu Nian and took the reins with the other. Seeing that every sight of the person in her arms was blocked by the cloak, she spurred the horse forward, riding over a formation that appeared at the cave entrance. Ji Wu Nian, eyes closed, leaned against Yue Bai’s shoulder. The thick cloak beside her, the gentle steps of the white horse below them. No wind or frost intruded, no malice disturbed them, only the faint fragrance of the person beside her disturbed her mind. They say there's osmanthus on the moon. Is this scent the same? As the snowfall turned into a bright sun, Yue Bai guided the horse through the forest, asking softly, "Where in Xing Mountain?" The person in her arms remained silent, and Yue Bai too fell silent. After inquiring with some forest spirits about a place to rest, Yue Bai followed their guidance and arrived at a misty hot spring. Nearby was a small hut, long abandoned but complete with a bed and a table, passable as a resting spot. "This place was built but never occupied," a small spirit circled Yue Bai, feeling very close to her aura. Yue Bai cast a spell, cleaning the place up. "When was it built?" "Um..." Lacking a concept of time, the spirit struggled, "Ten years? Twenty years? A long time ago..." "Mm." Yue Bai placed Ji Wu Nian on the wooden bed. The red clothes were matted with patches of dried blood, just as Yue Bai’s light outfit was similarly ruined. Her lips were bloodless, pale to the point of turning purple. Only after undoing her clothes did Yue Bai see the gaping wound on her right abdomen. Judging by the torn flesh, it seemed a spear had pierced her from the front and, upon withdrawal, dragged the back muscles along with it, creating a gruesome sight. Ji Wu Nian had stopped her own bleeding by freezing the wound with cold energy, enduring both the tearing pain and the cold seeping into her body. She couldn’t die, but she would surely suffer greatly. The only comfort for Yue Bai was that Ji Wu Nian had obediently changed her face. If her identity were exposed, there would have been no need for Yue Bai to slaughter the Cangxue. "...Yue Bai, I think your idea is very dangerous." Jiu Yi trembled nervously. "Dangerous?" Yue Bai herself felt uncomfortable, the depletion of her energy leaving her exhausted. "How can I keep it secret without killing everyone?" "Have you forgotten you're still just a fledgling cultivator who hasn't even built a foundation...?" Jiu Yi laughed dryly. Yue Bai’s space contained medicine capable of regenerating flesh, but unable to retrieve it now, her frustration grew, making her even less patient with Jiu Yi. "I may not be able to win, but I can still kill them. At worst, I'll just be struck by lightning a couple of times. I can still kill them." Compared to mission failure and soul damage, Yue Bai didn't mind being struck by lightning at all. “...” Jiu Yi felt like a meek little creature. "What should we do now... get struck by lightning?" Though Yue Bai didn’t mind being struck by lightning, they still needed to remain hidden. Summoning lightning would be too conspicuous. Yue Bai exhaled deeply again and placed her hand on Ji Wu Nian’s body. Faint golden light flowed from her palm, seeping into the torn flesh, smoothing and aligning the tissues, repairing damaged organs, and restoring them to their original state. The golden light gently caressed every fissure, filling in all the damage, until everything missing was replaced. "…What the heck is this?" Jiu Yi was astonished, having no idea Yue Bai possessed such an ability. Yue Bai’s consciousness was already a bit hazy. She stumbled and fell, sitting on the edge of the bed. Her vision darkened, making it impossible for Yue Bai to respond to Jiu Yi before she fainted. *** Yue Bai didn’t sleep for long. When she woke, her head was still somewhat muddled. It took the sound of flowing water outside to draw her attention back. Instead of being sprawled on the edge of the bed, she found herself lying in it. The person who should have been seriously injured was now soaking in the hot spring outside. Stepping out, Yue Bai’s steps were still unsteady. She sat on the doorstep and spoke to Ji Wu Nian through the mist, "Your dark guards are good at finding places." Leaning against the edge of the pool, Ji Wu Nian had her hair done up, her neck stretching smoothly to her rounded shoulders, submerged in the water, covered by a thin layer of clothing. Her eyes were half-closed, "Do you want to soak for a bit? We just came from a snowy mountain after all." The sunset was half-sunken, its red glow evident, and Yue Bai intended to leave. Seeing a green light emerging, Ji Wu Nian called out to her, "Yue Bai." The green peak floated beside her, and Yue Bai was just about to leave. "What is it?" "You didn't meddle unnecessarily," Ji Wu Nian chuckled softly, her face flushed. "Thank you for saving my life." "A wound like that isn’t fatal." Yue Bai was indifferent, her gaze still on the red glow in the sky. If she didn’t leave soon, it would be nightfall. The sound of water splashing, Ji Wu Nian stood next to her, her wet clothes cutting through the water as she moved to Yue Bai’s feet. Yue Bai, having discarded her bloodstained long dress and changed into another with an embroidered crane at the hem, flicked her hand, bringing up a curtain of water. Her hand was held by another wet hand. Full of distaste for getting her clothes wet, Yue Bai knelt on one knee, making eye contact. "Were it not for you, it would have been more than just this wound..." She was dripping all over, even her eyes were wet. Her body clung close, sealing Yue Bai’s fate of having to change clothes again. Despite soaking in the water, her lips remained dry, perhaps from blood loss, adding to her weariness. Those warm arms wrapped around Yue Bai’s neck, soaking her clothes and drawing her closer. From one knee to both knees on the ground, Yue Bai found herself held tightly, Ji Wu Nian clinging as if to extract something from her, refusing to let go. Something seemed to shift in Yue Bai’s heart, squeezed out by the embrace, turning into a dislike for having her clothes wet, a disdain she didn’t bother to hide. “You’ve already ruined one set of my clothes today.” “Don’t worry about it, you won’t need this set either…” Ji Wu Nian didn’t let go, still smiling. “Leave them for me to wear.” “…Yue Bai, she wants to strip you…” Jiu Yi felt somewhat envious. “…I’m going back.” Yue Bai was unwilling to respond. If she didn’t return soon, Liu Li might have to search the mountain. Ji Wu Nian just rubbed her shoulder softly, without saying a word. Yue Bai didn’t urge her. She simply watched the water vapor scatter, as the golden-red light painted the sky, dimming little by little. Those arms finally loosened. Standing before her, Ji Wu Nian seemed to make the sun rise again, her brows bright and radiant, able to outshine the stars. “Yue Bai, before you leave, won’t you return my cold sword and plain lute sword?” Yue Bai’s lips curved slightly, “Are they yours?” “I stole them fair and square,” Ji Wu Nian laughed, shamelessly, “so they’re mine.” “Compared to the cold sword, the plain lute sword suits you better,” Yue Bai said, the plain lute sword slowly appearing to one side. A lute and a sword, elegant and refined; the nuanced sound of the lute, the intertwining intent of the sword. With Ji Wu Nian’s insufficient cultivation, such intricate manipulation suited her perfectly. “I’ll take the cold sword. You can try to steal it back from me if you can.” Ji Wu Nian was stunned. “But…” “You can ask for it when you need it.” “…” Ji Wu Nian opened and closed her mouth, but found no suitable words. She finally chuckled lightly, “Then, Yue Bai, may I ask for something as compensation?” Yue Bai stood up, her soaked clothes clinging to her body, especially around her shoulders and chest, forming dark patches. She untied her belt and asked, "What do you want?" Ji Wu Nian stepped back a few paces, then leaned against the edge of the pool, watching as Yue Bai loosened her clothes, "Your bow from that day?" Jiu Yi snickered, "Quite the opportunist, aren't you..." Yue Bai tossed her belt aside and nonchalantly removed her outer garment. "What do you plan to do with it?" "Just keep it for fun," Ji Wu Nian laughed brightly, "Aren't you taking off another layer?" Yue Bai shot her a glance but said nothing. "You shouldn't follow me anymore," Ji Wu Nian slid further down, her collarbones submerging in the water, her head resting against the pool’s edge, her face reflecting the reddish glow of the water, "I won't let myself get this way again." An ancient, almost imperceptible aura wafted from Yue Bai’s side, feeling like grains of sand entering the sea, perhaps too insignificant to notice the entirety of its presence. The Zhige Bow stood nearly as tall as a person, with minimal decoration, its exceptional material evident, though it seemed simply well-polished. Ji Wu Nian had touched the bow before; she knew it was a divine weapon. "One arrow, one kill," Yue Bai flung her outer garment over the Zhige Bow, also placing a vial of medicine beside it, her expression cold and indifferent. "As for where I go, it is..." none of your concern. "I'm heading to Nian Nan and then back to Sanqing." Yue Bai glanced at her, but Ji Wu Nian's expression remained gentle, like a bright day in spring. Not wanting to entertain her further, Yue Bai leaped onto the green peak and made her way back.