TM CH65

Chapter 65 Who Stinks More?

Gu Yunxing took Rong Qi away and commanded all the people of Tianji Sect who had attacked Lihuo Palace to retreat.

Inside the main hall, the Wulin Alliance’s main forces noticed the movement of their allies. Sun Zhiyi hurriedly left the hall and rushed towards Yanhuo Ridge, only to meet a hurried group at the entrance.

He saw Gu Yunxing, and when he noticed the person in his arms, his brows furrowed immediately.

Sun Zhiyi prided himself on being a senior figure in the jianghu, with deep experience and qualifications. He especially disliked the younger generation’s lack of discretion and recklessness.

“Sect Master Gu, today is the day to destroy the demon palace. Tianji Sect is also a major sect of the jianghu. How can we retreat halfway? If the people of demon palace use this chance to escape, wouldn’t that be a disaster?”

Gu Yunxing’s expression was grave, his steps hurried as he walked swiftly forward.

Behind him, the people of Tianji Sect followed closely.

Watching the large group retreat, Sun Zhiyi pressed on without letting up, “Sect Master Gu, the Wulin Alliance and Tianji Sect should stand united in eradicating this evil! If your mother were here, she wouldn’t just let this go. If your friend is injured, he can always… Lihuo Palace’s Right Protector?!”

He accidentally caught sight of the face of the person in Gu Yunxing’s arms, causing his expression to change drastically.

“Sect Master Gu, why are you saving this demon? He committed many atrocities for Zou Yuchuan in the past. Even if he’s left the demon palace, his nature is unlikely to change…”

Gu Yunxing shot him a cold glance. “Elder Sun.”

Sun Zhiyi’s words were instantly cut off.

Gu Yunxing spoke in a low voice. “My Tianji Sect has never joined the Wulin Alliance. This humble Gu’s actions do not require the interference of an elder from another sect.”

He looked down at the unconscious figure in his arms, softening his tone. “As for Rong Qi… he is someone my Tianji Sect must protect. Elder Sun, if you have objections, you are welcome to bring all the branches of Sun family from Jizhou and present your formal challenge in Lincang City.”

Sun Zhiyi’s face flushed red with anger at being called ‘Elder Sun’ repeatedly. “I am no longer an elder. Sect Master Gu should address me as Alliance Leader Sun.”

Gu Yunxing sneered. “To be elected as the Alliance Leader, one must pass three trials. How many trials has Elder Sun passed?”

Sun Zhiyi: “You!”

Gu Yunxing glanced at the people behind Sun Zhiyi. Among them were members of the Sun family, but more were from the Wulin Alliance. “Alliance Leader Fang is currently battling Zou Yuchuan. Are you really planning to stay here with Elder Sun to stop me?”

The Wulin Alliance members exchanged looks, then saluted respectfully to Gu Yunxing before hurrying up the mountain towards Yanhuo Ridge.

Sun Zhiyi’s face darkened in an instant.

Gu Yunxing, not wanting to waste any more time, activated his lightness skill and swiftly made his way down the mountain.

The rest was no longer of any concern to him.

This was, after all, a dispute between the Wulin Alliance and Lihuo Palace. The conflicts between the righteous and the evil sects in the jianghu were always difficult to distinguish, and the right or wrong of the matter had nothing to do with Tianji Sect.

This time, Gu Yunxing had come only to save one person.

At the foot of the mountain, a carriage had already been prepared.

The driver was a young boy dressed in plain clothes. Upon seeing Gu Yunxing, his eyes immediately widened in excitement. “Sect Master!”

Gu Yunxing carefully placed Rong Qi into the carriage before standing up and addressing the boy. “Xiao Yi.”

Ding Yi curiously sneaked a glance at the unconscious person in the carriage. “Ah, yes! Sect Master, what do you need?”

Gu Yunxing: “Didn’t I ask you to fetch a doctor?”

Ding Yi paused, then replied, “My big sister already went to find one. It’s probably because the road was bumpy, but she’s still on the way.”

Gu Yunxing: “Start the journey. Head to the nearest clinic.”

Ding Yi responded with an “Aye” and was about to flick the whip when he suddenly heard shouts from behind him.

“Wait, wait!” Xue Yu waved his hands anxiously. “I am a doctor!”

Xu Yan grabbed him and threw him to the ground.

Xue Yu cursed as he got up, then jogged toward the carriage. “He’s lost too much blood, his body is too weak, and he has internal injuries. Luckily, I specially prepared some wound medicine.”

Gu Yunxing stopped him.

Xue Yu seemed a bit intimidated. “Sect… Sect Master Gu, I saw how hard you tried to save our Right Protector earlier. You must be… one of us, right?”

Ding Yi: “Who here considers you demons from Lihuo Palace as one of us!”

Xue Yu shivered slightly.

Gu Yunxing paused for a moment before speaking. “Get in.”

Ding Yi: “……”

Xue Yu pulled a few bottles of medicine from his robe, each with a small note attached. “I originally planned to quietly let the Right Protector go. These are the medicines I prepared for him. Who would have thought Zou Yuchuan tortured him to the point where he couldn’t even move. Sect Master Gu, I don’t know what you and the Right Protector went through, but I hope you’ll take good care of him.”

Gu Yunxing: “After today, there will be no more Lihuo Palace in Shengzhou. Don’t you plan to leave?”

Xue Yu shook his head. “I have many brothers in the Medicine Hall, I can’t just leave them behind.” Although he had joined Lihuo Palace because of Rong Qi, he had developed many ties in the hall.

Xue Yu: “Once this is all over, if I’m still alive, I’ll definitely go to see the Right Protector for a chat.”

Gu Yunxing paused for a moment before speaking. “Then let’s head to Lincang City.”

Soon, the sound of hooves echoed. Xue Yu stood by the road, watching the carriage disappear into the distance.

Xu Yan: “I’m leaving too.”

Xue Yu froze. “You still have poison in your body. Where are you going?”

Xu Yan: “Can you cure it?”

Xue Yu shook his head. “I haven’t figured it out yet… but if you leave, it’ll be even harder to cure!”

Xu Yan: “It doesn’t matter. I just took the antidote a few days ago. For the next twenty days or so, I want to live freely. I want to visit different places and do the things I never did before.”

A surge of sorrow suddenly filled Xue Yu’s heart as he looked at Xu Yan’s calm face. For a moment, he didn’t know how to persuade him.

“You’ve already made up your mind, haven’t you? That’s why you wanted us to open the prison door.”

Xu Yan glanced at him. “Don’t look at me like that. I’m not dead yet.”

Xue Yu: “Tsk! You two are both so worrying.”

The two of them fell silent.

Xu Yan: “I’m off.”

Xue Yu waved him away. “Go on, go on! Always causing trouble!”

Xu Yan smiled, then turned and followed the mountain path down. “Divine Doctor Xue, farewell forever.”

At first, Xue Yu didn’t look at him. A moment later, he turned around and shouted, “Xu Yan! If you really want to travel, go to Yingyue Valley in the southwest. My master completed his training there. The scenery’s not bad either!”

In the distance, only Xu Yan’s figure remained. Soon, even that disappeared. Whether he heard the words or not, Xue Yu couldn’t tell.

Back then, Xue Yu had gone to Yingyue Valley seeking help to avenge his master, but after months of searching, he found nothing. This suggestion, in the end, was little more than a gesture of comfort.

He knew he would never see Xu Yan again.

He had never liked people like Xu Yan, but matters of life and death always left one with a heavy heart.

Xue Yu let out a long sigh and headed back up the mountain.

This day was, after all, an unusual day.

Rong Qi awoke amid the jolting of the carriage. His entire body ached as though he had been whipped, his head was cloudy, and even lifting a hand took effort. But the pain in his chest had eased noticeably. Someone must have channeled energy into him to stabilize the internal injuries.

He slowly lifted his eyelids and saw Gu Yunxing’s face, just inches away.

Rong Qi had always disdained placing his life and future in another’s hands, but if that person was Gu Yunxing, it didn’t seem quite so intolerable.

At least in this moment, he truly felt at ease.

Gu Yunxing: “Awake?”

Rong Qi moved his fingers slightly and felt a smooth, warm touch. It was Gu Yunxing holding his hand.

He then stopped moving, and as the events of the day played back in his mind, he murmured with a hint of longing, “Gu Yunxing, right now… I have nowhere to return to.”

Gu Yunxing: “Do you still remember the tavern I mentioned to you on the ship?”

Rong Qi was momentarily taken aback.

Gu Yunxing: “We’ll travel back slowly, and by the time we get there, it will be just the season for drinking pear blossom spring.”

Rong Qi: “Pear blossom spring?”

Gu Yunxing: “It’s a sweet wine. I think you’d like it.”

Rong Qi: “…I actually don’t like drinking very much.”

Gu Yunxing’s expression stiffened.

Rong Qi smiled faintly. “I want to find a new longsword. Is there anywhere in Lincang City that sells them?”

“There is,“ Gu Yunxing replied, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. “I’ll go with you to pick one, until you’re satisfied.”

With that assurance, weariness washed over Rong Qi. He closed his eyes and began to rest.

He brushed his fingers lightly against Rong Qi’s cool cheek, remembering how bold and unrestrained he usually was when awake. A pang of sadness stirred in his chest. Leaning down, he pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead.

He would rather this demon continue to act lawlessly in front of him than be in such a weak and dying state now.

When Rong Qi awoke again, he was met with complete darkness. He became alert at once, and just as he tried to sit up, he felt warm breath brushing against his neck.

It was Gu Yunxing.

Realizing this, he relaxed. They were no longer in the carriage. Beneath him was a soft mattress, and the lingering scent of blood had been replaced by the strong smell of medicine. As he reached out and touched himself, he found his body wrapped in bandages.

The wounds still ached, but his strength had clearly returned.

After a while, a deep thirst crept up on him.

He nudged Gu Yunxing. “Water.”

Gu Yunxing had already awakened the moment Rong Qi stirred. He didn’t move at first, but when Rong Qi urged him again, he finally sat up as if roused from a dream and walked over to the table to pour some water.

After finishing the first cup, Rong Qi still felt unsatisfied. “Another.”

Gu Yunxing quietly poured him a second cup.

Only after drinking two full cups of water did Rong Qi feel much better. He sniffed, his nose finding its way to Gu Yunxing, and frowned. “Gu Yunxing, why do you stink?”

Gu Yunxing took a deep breath, then pulled Rong Qi into his arms and rubbed their cheeks together with exaggerated force. He let out a sigh. “Rong Qi, you’ve been unconscious for three days and three nights.”

Rong Qi immediately struggled to break free. “Your stubble is pricking me!”

Gu Yunxing: “……”

Rong Qi: “How long did you say I was out?”

Gu Yunxing: “Three days.”

That many days had passed already?

Rong Qi rubbed the sore spot on his face where he’d been pricked. “Light the lamp for me.”

Gu Yunxing, with remarkable patience, went to light the oil lamp.

The dim yellow glow of the lamp quickly filled the room. Rong Qi raised a hand to block the light. Once his eyes adjusted, he realized it was quite a spacious room. Judging by the surroundings, it was likely an inn. His gaze shifted, and landed on Gu Yunxing.

Rong Qi was stunned.

Gu Yunxing had dark circles under his eyes. He was unshaven, and his face was full of exhaustion, completely different from his usual appearance. Noticing Rong Qi’s stunned expression, he asked, “Why do you look like you don’t recognize this humble Gu?”

“……” Rong Qi silently shifted his gaze, then after a moment, he curiously looked back.

Gu Yunxing returned to the bed, kicked off his shoes, and climbed up beside him. “This humble Gu hasn’t slept in three days. Even if the Right Protector is disgusted, please bear with it.”

Rong Qi: “This venerable one is no longer the Right Protector.”

Gu Yunxing nodded. “Right, right Young Master Rong Qi.”

Rong Qi’s gaze lingered on his face. Whatever crossed his mind made him curl his lips into a grin. “Gu Yunxing, you’re done for.”

Seeing this person provoke and gloat as soon as he woke up, Gu Yunxing could only sigh helplessly. “Indeed, seeing that you were taking so long to wake up, I was so anxious and distracted that I wished I could crawl into your dream and call you awake.” In truth, he thought, I really am done for.

Rong Qi lay down beside him in good spirits, then covered his nose. “So stinky.”

Gu Yunxing finally lost patience. He grabbed Rong Qi and pulled him into a tight hug. “This stench you’re complaining about is all from your medicine. Between the two of us, who stinks more?”

Rong Qi hissed.

Gu Yunxing immediately let go and pulled back. “Did I touch a wound?”

Rong Qi didn’t answer.

Gu Yunxing: “……”

He finally understood. This demon, now that he was well-rested, was back to his usual tricks again.