Qin Xiumo lay on the ground, unable to move for a while. He didn’t even know who his opponent was or where they were. He took a deep breath, and his natal sword, which had been suspended in the air, slowly returned to his side.
Who is it?
Who is helping Lu Qingran?
Qin Xiumo supported himself with his hands, trying to stand up.
Lu Qingran’s eyes widened in bewilderment, full of confusion. She looked around blankly, seemingly unsure of what had just happened.
“She can’t die,” a soft voice suddenly whispered near Qin Xiumo’s ear. The voice seemed close, as if murmuring gently right into his ear, yet also distant, as if coming from the misty sky. He couldn’t tell if the voice belonged to a man or a woman, but it sounded pleasant, filled with an indescribable flavor. Just a few simple words, not commanding, yet a thought suddenly emerged in Qin Xiumo’s mind: he shouldn’t want to kill Lu Qingran.
“Don’t you like her too?” The voice seemed to chuckle, continuing, “You should like her, right? Now you hate her, isn’t it just because she doesn’t like you back?”
Yes, he does like her…
“Do you remember the first time you saw her?” The voice spoke softly again, “Remember the first time you opened your eyes and saw her? Weren’t you already attracted to her then?”
It seems… that’s true…
Qin Xiumo felt his head getting heavier. The only thing that remained clear was the voice whispering in his ear: “So, how could you kill her? You love her.”
“I…” he murmured in response, repeating, “I do…”
“Yes, that’s right, don’t deceive yourself anymore, you love her. You live for her, and could die for her too,” the voice continued.
“I live for her…” Qin Xiumo raised his head, seeing Lu Qingran running towards him, worry filling her beautiful eyes. Was she worried about him?
“See, even though you wanted to kill her, she’s still so worried about you. Isn’t she the kindest girl in the world, the one most worthy of your love?” the voice continued persuasively.
“Yes,” Qin Xiumo murmured in reply. He vaguely felt something was amiss, but couldn’t pinpoint what.
Lu Qingran had already reached him, bending down to help him: “Are you alright?”
“I…” Qin Xiumo reflexively grabbed Lu Qingran’s hand, her soft fingers cold in his palm. He slowly lifted his heavy head, their proximity allowing him to clearly see the tear streaks on Lu Qingran’s face and her long, wet eyelashes, trembling like butterfly wings in the stiff wind.
“Qin Xiumo, are you okay?” Lu Qingran asked again, her tone full of concern.
“See how worried she is for you, so sincerely concerned about you? She is the truly kind girl, the one who won’t ask you for spirit stones… Ah!”
The voice suddenly shrieked, the previously pleasant tone now filled with unspeakable anger: “Damn it!” In the distant azure sky, it seemed as if red bloodlight exploded suddenly, turning the horizon momentarily blood-red.
Qin Xiumo, who had been in a daze, suddenly felt as if a bolt of lightning had struck his mind, snapping him back to clarity.
“It’s him again!” the voice said through gritted teeth. Its tone was laced with evident hatred.
Who?! Qin Xiumo brushed off Lu Qingran’s hand, his strength returning as he slowly stood up. Was there really someone in the Ten Absolutes Mountain capable of making even this formidable entity wary?
“Hmph!” He heard the voice snort coldly, and a wave of chill suddenly attacked him from all directions.
…
Meanwhile, Meng Qi had just completed one-tenth of her third challenge. This challenge was also related to medicine. There was a straight, flat road leading forward, with countless huts along its sides. Every five steps Meng Qi took, she would arrive at the next hut. Inside, there was either an injured or sick person waiting for her treatment.
The road was not difficult to walk, nor was it long. Meng Qi could see the exit from the entrance. However, treating the patients in each hut consumed a lot of time. Currently, she is on her ninth patient. As she busily moved the silver needle in her hand, her cauldron was bubbling with medicinal liquid on her side, emitting a bitter scent. It was at this moment that a sudden chill attacked her.
“Ugh—” Meng Qi let out a grunt. Her Five Spirits Cauldron, despite being engraved with a Lihuo fire array, was instantly frozen, extinguishing the burning Lihuo fire in a mere moment.
Such a powerful chill!
Meng Qi instinctively looked up at the sky. None of the huts had a roof, allowing her to see the cloudy sky clearly. On the distant horizon, the blood light flared up again, this time almost illuminating half of the sky.
Meng Qi’s heart raced wildly. A feeling of panic she had never experienced before suddenly overwhelmed her, and she stood up abruptly.
What’s going on? Meng Qi stared at the sky, her heartbeat accelerating. She couldn’t help but touch her chest, wondering what this sudden sense of panic was all about.
In the room, the patient waiting for her treatment maintained his posture silently, as if time was stopping as long as Meng Qi didn’t continue.
In that instant, the red light in the sky flickered once more, distinctly different from before. Meng Qi looked up, her gaze fixed on the sky. As the red glow faded, the sky regained its azure hue. Yet, now, seven stars shone brightly above.
A Big Dipper…
Meng Qi stared at the seven stars arranged in the shape of a ladle, shining brilliantly, clearly visible even in the daytime.
Could it be… Sovereign Qingyan?!
This thought suddenly flashed through her mind!
Is it him?!
Was that why her heart was racing so fast just now, and the sudden worry and agitation she felt, were they because of Yun Qingyan? What had happened to him?!
Just then, a flash of red light swept across the sky, and this time, the earth trembled with it. Meng Qi, too, felt the tremor. She staggered, almost losing her balance. Suddenly, a voice echoed in her mind: Meng Qi…
Is this… Sovereign Qingyan’s voice? Meng Qi was somewhat uncertain. The voice was too faint and vanished too quickly, just a fleeting moment.
—Meng Qi.
Not long after, the voice suddenly resounded again.
This voice… is someone calling her?
Who is it?
She pondered carefully. The voice sounded somewhat unfamiliar, ethereal and indistinct, and also seemed to be coming from far away. Meng Qi felt uncertain, wondering if it might be a figment of her imagination.
By this time, the sky had returned to its calm state, a clear azure with only a few wisps of white clouds on the horizon. The earlier flashes of lights and stars had completely disappeared.
Meng Qi touched her chest, feeling her heart still racing, thumping loudly as if it might jump out of her chest anytime.
What’s going on? Meng Qi closed her eyes, looking at her open fingers. While the Five Spirits Cauldron continued refining the medicinal liquid, she withdrew her spiritual consciousness and swiftly scanned her body. Inside her spiritual sea, her inner core hovered silently, strands of aura slowly descending and finally merging into the sea below.
The bamboo slip given to her by Lin Yan lay quietly beside the rotating core, occasionally enveloped in spiritual aura that separated from the core.
Except for her unusually fast heartbeat, everything seemed normal.
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