"Uh..."
Qiu Bai lay on the ground, blood streaming from all seven orifices, the whip injury on his back nearly breaking him in half and causing him extreme pain, making him feel as if he had lost all sensation in his lower body.
But even though his spine wasn't actually snapped in half, the fresh blood gushing out from the wound on his back, along with his shattered internal organs, deeply conveyed to him that his life was ebbing away!
"Uh...hiss..."
Qiu Bai's breathing grew faint, inhaling more than exhaling now.
His heart was filled with fear and amazement, unable to imagine how Mu Jinyu, standing still without lifting a finger, managed to nearly cripple him with just a Bone Whip Treasure.
Had he secretly employed the power of the Mountain Protection Array?
Qiu Bai questioned in his heart.
But soon, as his life force drained away, he scoffed at himself, because even if Mu Jinyu did cheat, what did it matter? He was about to die; how could he still accuse him?
It was just a pity that he hadn't been able to fulfill his master's wish to have Mu Jinyu craft elixirs for his healing!
"Huh? So frail?"
After whipping Qiu Bai half to death with one lash of the Bone Whip and reeling back the Bone Ring, Mu Jinyu looked at the dying Qiu Bai on the ground and couldn't help but express his surprise.
The dire state Qiu Bai was in wasn't the worst it could be because Mu Jinyu, the moment he struck Qiu Bai with the Bone Whip, sensed something amiss and promptly dissipated most of the True Essence Power from the whip. Otherwise, Qiu Bai wouldn't just be nearly snapped in half.
He would have been whipped until not a trace of him was left, his soul scattered!
"Enough."
Seeing that Qiu Bai was on the brink of losing his last breath, Mu Jinyu sighed lightly and then started to apply the Green Emperor's Wood Emperor Art to treat Qiu Bai's injuries.
After all, having made a bet with him, Qiu Bai would serve him for five years upon losing. If Mu Jinyu simply whipped him to death, what would have been the point of their wager?
Qiu Bai, barely conscious, did sense Mu Jinyu approaching his side and crouching down, doing something. He didn't care to ponder whether Mu Jinyu was just searching the body and paid it no mind.
But soon, he noticed something was off; the previous numbness from the excruciating pain in his back gave way to a warm current that made him feel incredibly comfortable all over.
It was as if he had returned to his mother's womb, floating in the warm amniotic fluid, greedily absorbing nutrients to grow at an accelerated pace!
"Uh-huh..."
The comfort was so profound that Qiu Bai couldn't help but groan softly.
Then, he realized something was wrong—hadn't he been supposed to die? Why was he so comfortable, feeling no pain at all? Was this what being dead felt like?
Qiu Bai opened his eyes just in time to see Mu Jinyu lift his hand from his back and stand up.
"Hmm? I'm not dead? Did you save me, Dragon King?"
Seeing Mu Jinyu, Qiu Bai knew for certain that he wasn't dead; otherwise, Mu Jinyu wouldn't have perished with him or been in hell together.
"Of course, who else would save you?" Mu Jinyu replied indifferently.
"Why would you save me, Dragon King..."
When Qiu Bai heard Mu Jinyu's words, his heart swelled with complex emotions, thinking that for an injury as severe as his, Mu Jinyu would have had to use precious elixirs to save him.
If it were up to him, he definitely wouldn't be willing to use such invaluable lifesaving pills to save a worthless cripple.
Yet Mu Jinyu had done just that, eliciting complex feelings within him.
Mu Jinyu gave a faint smile and said, "Why? If I didn't save you, wouldn't my wager with you be for nothing?"
Qiu Bai was stunned at the words. So, Mu Jinyu had saved him just so the wager would stand, and he would have to serve him.
Realizing this, Qiu Bai couldn't help but bitterly smile and said, "If that's the case, Dragon Master, why did you have to hit me so hard just now?"
The tone carried traces of grievance and confusion.
Mu Jinyu said righteously, "How was I to know you were so weak that you couldn't even take one of my moves?"
Qiu Bai: "..."
Qiu Bai reflected on the scene of Mu Jinyu's One Bone Whip striking him just moments ago, his eyes involuntarily filling with fear.
Mu Jinyu was right; he truly was too weak to take even one of his moves.
"Sigh..."
Qiu Bai sighed dejectedly, feeling uncomfortable in his heart again.
He couldn't even withstand a single move from Mu Jinyu, yet he had laughably thought about competing in a wager with Mu Jinyu, hoping that if Mu Jinyu were to lose, he would create a Pill Elixir to save his master.
Now, not only had he failed to defeat Mu Jinyu, but he also had to serve Mu Jinyu for five years. How would he save his master this way?
Qiu Bai was utterly disheartened, thinking that it might have been better to have died under Mu Jinyu's whip, even though it would have been equally futile, at least he wouldn't have to live with a guilty conscience.
Mu Jinyu observed the changing expressions on Qiu Bai's face, from the initial surprise of narrowly escaping death to the subsequent despondency and despair as he seemed lost in thought.
After a moment's reflection, Mu Jinyu guessed it must due to his losing the wager with him.
With concern for his subordinate, he asked, "You insisted on waging a bet with me, asking me to create a Pill Elixir for you. What was your purpose?"
Upon hearing Mu Jinyu's words, Qiu Bai explained with some despair, "My master was recently corrupted by a demon during the dark turmoil. Half of his body is almost like a zombie's, exuding a gloomy and evil chill, getting worse every day."
"After the dark turmoil ended, although his condition improved, his constitution is special — he is of an extremely cold and evil nature. It used to be suppressed by the Red Limit Warm Jade, preventing any trouble from arising."
"However, the shock of the demon's evil Qi seemed to have triggered his extremely cold and evil body, and the Red Limit Warm Jade can no longer suppress his cold energies, rendering him unable to even speak. In order to save my master, I began to challenge others to wagers everywhere, winning objects of extreme yang!"
"Oh?" said Mu Jinyu upon hearing this, "Is this why you've been charging up the Divine Rankings to the tenth position and then came to wager with me?"
"Yes, I wagered with that senior and finally won a Magic Treasure of extreme yang, which just barely suppressed the evil chill in my master's body. Then, when I learned that Dragon King, you were skilled in alchemy, I thought maybe you could make a Mysterious Yang Pill that might save my teacher..."
Qiu Bai sighed.
Mu Jinyu carefully observed his expression, discerning that he wasn't lying, and nodded, saying, "Out of respect for your filial piety, although you lost, I can still make you a Mysterious Yang Pill. Of course, you must provide your own Pill Formula and materials!"
"Oh, huh? Really?!"
Qiu Bai initially didn't hear Mu Jinyu clearly, but once he realized what was said, he immediately jumped up from the ground, his face vibrant with excitement as he looked at Mu Jinyu.
"Of course," Mu Jinyu said with a nod, "I certainly don't want your work efficiency to be affected because of your master's situation while you serve under me."
"Thank you, Dragon Master!"
Upon hearing Mu Jinyu's words, Qiu Bai immediately knelt without hesitation, kowtowing several times vigorously in gratitude.
At that moment, he was ecstatic, wholeheartedly devoting himself to the Dragon King Hall, no longer feeling the slightest discomfort about serving under Mu Jinyu.
What could be better than the Dragon King Hall, where he could cultivate in such a heavenly Heaven Cave Blessed Land, with a Dragon Master who cared for his subordinates?
He resolved to persuade his master to join the Dragon King Hall upon his return!