The medicine apprentice finished examining Yan Hui's wound. Before he left, Yan Hui took advantage of his presence and asked: "I want to cleanse my bones and essence to enter the demon pathway. With my body as it is, can it endure the process?"
Zhu Li was immediately startled by those words: "Cleansing at this time to enter the demon pathway? You......."
The head apprentice looked young. He also sounded young and innocent, but his words were clear and logical. He rationally spoke: "The majority of miss's bones and muscles are broken. Normally under these conditions, we wouldn't advise cultivating. Regardless if it's xian or demon cultivation, both will be a burden on your body."
Yan Hui remained firm: "Can I still cultivate?"
When the apprentice saw how set Yan Hui was, he could only nod his head: "If miss insists, then entering the demon pathway isn't impossible. As for cleansing your essence, now would actually be the best time. Your muscles and bones are broken. Even your xian cultivation base is mostly broken. Now would be the easiest time to get rid of the rest of it. It can directly become a demon neidan. Once your body heals, you could be considered as entered the demon pathway. You would become a demon."
"Good." Yan Hui didn't hesitate for even a moment. "Where's a place near here that I can cleanse myself?"
"More southwest of here is a forest. Enter it. There's a river, the Black River which flows from Black Mountain. Its waters can cleanse you."
The apprentice saw Yan Hui had no more questions and left the room.
After the apprentice left, Zhu Li disapprovingly walked up to Yan Hui: "Southwest of Qing Qiu has even less people and even heavier miasma. With your body in this state, can you even withstand it?" He continued. "Can you take your time? Let your body heal before thinking about cleansing."
Yan Hui shook her head. It was like no words could dissuade her.
Zhu Li looked towards Tian Yao. He wanted Tian Yao to urge Yan Hui to change her mind. However, Tian Yao just silently stood there. His silence clearly said that he had no objections toward Yan Hui's decision.
Zhu Li was helpless and could only sigh: "There are many demons southwest of here. I have a token signifying the nine-tailed fox demon clan. I'll give it to you to wear. Other demons won't harass you then. It's just that Qing Qiu needs everyone right now. I can't send anyone to escort you........"
Yan Hui shook her head: "I don't need it, thanks."
Tian Yao spoke up at this moment: "After you're able to get out of bed and move around, I'll accompany you."
"Also no need." Yan Hui closed her eyes. It was like she refused it without a second thought. "I'll go alone." She continued. "Since there are no demons to bother, let me walk this path alone."
She wanted to be alone for awhile with no one else to disturb her.
Zhu Li frowned.
When he left the room, Zhu Li directly asked Tian Yao: "What happened at Chen Xing Mountain? How did Yan Hui get like this? You aren't really going to let her go all alone to Black River, right?"
"So noisy." Tian Yao didn't even look at Zhu Li and continued walking out of the courtyard. "Tell me the route to Black River."
Zhu Li clenched his jaw in anger: "Not a word said in explanation, but you tell me what to do. I'm not here to serve you two!" But when Zhu Li recalled Yan Hui's ashen complexion, he fell silent.
Before, she was such a free and unrestrained girl. Now, she was spiritless. It really.........
Made one's heart hurt.
Five days later, Yan Hui was able to move about without help. She got a map to Black River from the apprentice and left without telling anyone.
In the forest, Yan Hui casually broke off a branch. She looked at it in her hand for a long time. Then she tossed it into the air and used the Propelling Sword technique as usual. However, the branch only flew for about 10 meters before Yan Hui fell off. She stumbled and fell onto the ground.
Her fallen state cut a sorry figure. Yan Hui crawled off and patted at the dirt on her clothes. She picked up the branch and looked at it for a long time. Then, she actually huffed out a smile. It was half mocking, half helplessly bleak. Her expression revealed the vicissitudes of life.
So it turns out this is now times crawls into the corners of people's eyes and carved itself into her cheek.
To Yan Hui, the flying Propelling Sword technique used to be as easy as eating. But now, it was like the hand she used to eat was broken.
Yan Hui gripped the branch but didn't throw it. She used it to push aside the weeds and brambles along the path. She went on foot to reach her destination.
She walked for an entire day and hadn't reached Black River yet. Yan Hui picked an even area of ground by the path to rest. Coincidentally, it seemed like a demon had rested in that area just the night before. There were bits of firewood piled and also a few pieces of uneaten wild fruit.
Yan Hui didn't look down upon the site. She wiped down the fruit and ate them; she lit the firewood. Bundling up her clothes, Yan Hui laid down and slept.
With regards to the condition of Yan Hui's body, she was extremely tired. However, she didn't sleep well. Her dreams were filled with a cacophony of voices, making her head ring with noise. In the middle of the clamor, a figure of a cultivator walked out. Yan Hui knew that it was Zi Chen. However no matter how long he walked, he never reached her side.
Thus Yan Hui went forward. She ran with all her might towards Zi Chen: "Head Senior Disciple! You're still alive, right? I was just having a nightmare, right?"
The entire night, Yan Hui was just running towards that figure, but she could never reach him. She looked at him there, unable to touch.
Sunlight shined into her eyes, breaking the darkness. The figure disappeared. Yan Hui woke up. She stared up at the swaying tree leaves for a while before snapping back to her senses. So it was all a dream in the end.
A fantasy that nothing had happened.
She squinted her eyes against the glaring sunlight for a long time. Then, she finally put out the fire, patted her clothes, and continued on her journey.
It was quiet and peaceful. It was like she almost no longer felt that sense of loss and heartache.
It look Yan Hui three days to walk what would've been a jaunt with the Propelling Sword technique. Those three days, Yan Hui considered herself lucky. There was always fallen fruit along the path to eat, suitable bamboo tubes to carry water, and dry tinder to build a fire.
Aside from her restless sleep, Yan Hui thought she was suited for living in the countryside, especially because her luck was so good.
When night fell on the third day, Yan Hui calculated the time. Although she would be able to reach Black River tonight, she wouldn't have the energy to cleanse her essence. It would be better to get a good rest in a tree hole tonight to raise her vigor for tomorrow. It would also help with facing the pain of cleansing.
Yan Hui was originally going to clean out the tree hole, but she discovered there really wasn't anything to clean. The hole was pretty clean. There was also dried grass left scattered inside by some animal or demon. Yan Hui only needed to smooth out the grass before sleeping.
Tonight's dream was still noisy. Perhaps due to continuous days of tiredness all accumulated together, the voices tonight were especially loud. Before, she couldn't clearly hear the voices, but now she could.
Yan Hui was shocked into a cold sweat by the voices.
Those voices were her own voice.
It was her screams from that day in Chen Xing Mountain's prison. Scream after scream repeated again and again, mournful and terrified. Yan Hui looked at Zi Chen's faint outline. That's when she realized he wasn't going toward her. His back was to her; he was walking away from her. The direction where Zi Chen walked toward was filled with rushing red light. It was like the entire sky was a blood-red.
Yan Hui knew what laid there. In the midst of her own mournful wails, Yan Hui ran towards Zi Chen. She wanted to grab him, call for him to stop. Don't go to the red light. Just let the person who should be in that red light stay there themselves. Don't save her, don't care about her. Don't put your life on the line.
The one who should've died.......
Clearly was herself.
"Yan Hui."
A loud voice suddenly called out. It jolted Yan Hui out of her dream.
The sounds of the night rustled with the sound of the wind through the leaves and the chirps of insects. All was peaceful. It was so peaceful that Yan Hui could hear her heartbeat drumming. Her gaze relaxed and she swept unfocused eyes around her surroundings. That's when her eyes froze on the face of a person standing there.
That person was tightly clutching her shoulders with both hands. His eyebrows mirrored that tightness.
"Tian Yao......."
The name slipped through Yan Hui's lips. Her tone was uncertain and full of skepticism. It was like she still couldn't tell the difference between dreams and reality.
This was the first time after bring Yan Hui back from Chen Xing Mountain that Tian Yao saw such a confused and helpless look. Her forehead was covered with sweat, and her body trembled. Those emotions she had kept hidden in her heart weren't covered up in time and completely revealed.
Tian Yao's heart tightened: "I'm here."
Yan Hui's heart settled down quite a bit after hearing his response. She used Tian Yao's strength to sit herself up. Tian Yao felt a little unwilling after seeing her sit up; that meant she no longer needed his support. However, he still released her shoulders.
Yan Hui clasped her head in her hands and calmed down a little: "Why are you here?" Her voice sounded like normal now. She paused. It seemed like she suddenly figured it out.
"No wonder, I was wondering why this journey was going so smoothly........"
Tian Yao thought that Yan Hui would lash out at him. After all, he knew Yan Hui's personality. She meant what she said. He slightly explained himself: "Even though Zhu Li gave the nine-tailed fox demon clan token, there still quite a few demon clans that don't obey their orders. With your current condition, it really isn't suitable for you to be treking alone......."
"I understand." Yan Hui didn't say a word in blame. She nodded her head. "Thank you for accompanying me like this."
Tian Yao gave her space and respect. He arranged all of this and also took care not to leave a trace. He had to have spent a lot of care and attention to do so. Yan Hui wasn't foolish. She could image the effort he put in. She paused and said again: "Thank you."
The corner of Tian Yao's mouth trembled. He slightly moved gaze: "There's no need to thank me." It seemed like Tian Yao wasn't comfortable saying these kinds of words. Thus, he said that while walking out of the tree hole. He stood there outside of the tree hole with his back to Yan Hui: "I also have a lot to thank you for. I haven't thank you yet."
Yan Hui was a little startled.
Tian Yao slightly move his head over and saw Yan Hui's blank expression. The moonlight illuminated his facial profile to perfection. The corner of his mouth slightly moved: "You probably don't know what you've done for me."
Saving him. Protecting him. Being his sword and shield.
Up to now, Yan Hui didn't realize.
Tian Yao sat down. His back was ramrod straight, still facing Yan Hui. He focused outwards: "Tomorrow, you're going to cleanse yourself. Rest well tonight."
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