"Mu, Mubai?"
He strode over, his trembling hand reaching out to touch Qin Mubai's face, stroking it.
"Your injuries..."
"Grandpa, it's all thanks to Bai Ran," Qin Mubai said with a smile, his youthful innocence evident.
Watching the rotten flesh on his body grow and heal before his very eyes, no one could have been more shocked than he was. This also solidified Qin Mubai's resolve to follow Bai Ran.
He remembered the first time he saw her, a splash of red in the crowd, calm and bold. Though her appearance was ordinary, she was etched deeply into his heart.
"It's good that you're alright," Qin Mu said, tears of relief falling. "You rascal, you scared your grandpa to death!"
He wiped his face and said to Bai Ran, "Bai family girl, thank you for the trouble."
Qin Mu took Bai Ran's hand. "Such great kindness, I have no way to repay it." He then took Qin Mubai's hand and placed it on Bai Ran's. "All I can offer is my Qin family's treasure to you."
Bai Ran's face darkened like the bottom of a pot. She pulled her hand away.
"Patriarch Qin, you are too kind. Bai Ran is merely repaying the favor of your words at the Imperial Banquet. I have no intention of forming a bond with Young Master Qin."
Qin Mubai's face flushed with embarrassment. He had already let go of his hopes, merely wishing to follow her, and yet his grandfather was still so persistent.
Qin Mu lowered his head, pouting like a child. So, saving this boy wasn't because she had feelings for him.
"Bai family girl, wait a moment." Qin Mu turned and ran out, returning with a box.
"This is a treasured heirloom of the Qin family. Since you saved that rascal, consider it a token of my gratitude," Qin Mu said with a smile, handing the box to Bai Ran.
Bai Ran took the box and probed it with her spiritual power. Then, she unceremoniously put it away.
"If that's the case, Bai Ran should take her leave now." She bowed to Patriarch Qin and prepared to leave.
Qin Mu grew anxious and slapped Qin Mubai on the back of the head.
"Rascal, aren't you going to follow your savior closely!"
Qin Mubai rubbed the back of his head but still quickly followed her out.
"Bai Ran, please take me in."
"I'm skilled in everything, from laundry to cooking, and I can be your bodyguard."
"You can ask me to do anything."
Qin Mubai chattered incessantly beside Bai Ran, and even Fang Tianhui couldn't stand it anymore.
"Get lost! Sister Bai is mine alone."
She glared furiously at Qin Mubai, but he acted as if he hadn't heard her and continued to speak.
Bai Ran was truly getting a headache from the noise. She stopped and looked at Qin Mubai. "Following me might mean death. Your Qin family would have no heirs."
Qin Mu, hearing from a distance, quickly shouted, "Bai family girl! It's alright! My Qin family has many people and great strength. We can always have another one!"
Bai Ran was speechless and finally, Qin Mubai was forced upon her by his grandfather and left with Bai Ran.
The atmosphere between the three of them on the Vermillion Bird was eerily strange.
Upon seeing the Vermillion Bird, Qin Mubai was stunned. Was the Vermillion Bird Bai Ran's? She was the guardian!
Furthermore, her strength and medical skills were already heaven-defying. With the addition of the Vermillion Bird, was there any room for others to live?
He cautiously glanced at Bai Ran, swallowed, and wondered if this was just the tip of the iceberg.
The more he thought about it, the more he felt a chill.
Bai Ran rubbed her temples and opened the message Qingfeng had given her earlier, beginning to read.
Grandfather had gone to the border?
Bai Zhantian was the foremost expert of the Vermillion Bird Kingdom, unrivaled within its borders, and possessed a divine artifact. Bai Ran had not expected him to go to the border alone.
In the life-and-death struggles of the frontier, circumstances were unpredictable. The current appearance of demonized humans in swarms was undoubtedly linked to the border. It seemed she needed to make a trip to the border.
"Little Zhu, head to the border city."
The Vermillion Bird let out a cry and sped towards their destination. In less than half a day, the three of them arrived.
The entire frontier was like hell, reeking of blood. Countless corpses were piled into small mountains, with scattered limbs and severed arms, endless heads, and skulls strewn everywhere.
The living, once captured, were devoured by the ugly demonized humans. Intestinal fluids and blood mixed together, creating a suffocating stench.
Even Qin Mubai and Fang Tianhui, who had seen bloodshed before, were so stimulated by the sight that they felt nauseous.
The terrifyingly monstrous demonized humans, in dense numbers, continued to gather at the frontier. The soldiers, however, could only passively defend, wielding their weapons and advancing to the front lines.
They fought fiercely against the demonized humans, yet many soldiers, their strength waning, had their weapons snatched away and were torn apart by the demonized humans.
In a corner of the frontier, Bai Ran put away the Vermillion Bird and saw someone.
"Did your master send you again?" Bai Ran glanced at Jing Feng.
Indeed. Jing Yun had been frantic upon learning of Bai Ran's disappearance and had contacted their Lord. The Lord, however, was not angry and had ordered him to come to the border and wait for her.
Jing Feng could only come to "stake out" Bai Ran. However, he feared that if he stayed by Bai Ran's side any longer, he would be so intimidated that he would need to be remade from scratch.
"You guessed right," Jing Feng waved his hand.
"Who are you people!" a man who looked like a general demanded sternly.
"Is Bai Zhantian here?" Bai Ran asked, sizing up the man before her.
The man's expression shifted in surprise. He turned and shouted, "Guards! These people are with Bai Zhantian! Arrest them!"
Suddenly, a horde of soldiers swarmed from all directions, surrounding the group.
"What's going on?" the few of them were perplexed. Had the head of the Bai family committed some offense?
"Don't resist," Bai Ran said softly, allowing the soldiers to bind her tightly.
How could Bai Ran doubt her grandfather's character?
However, in the current situation, it was clear that Bai Zhantian had committed a crime, and a serious one at that, to have even those who mentioned his name arrested.
Even she was arrested, so her grandfather might have been arrested too.
The others also obediently followed Bai Ran's instructions, their bodies twisted like ropes.
"Take them away," the man said coldly.
The group was pushed and shoved by the soldiers, and confined to a dungeon.
"It seems Patriarch Bai is in trouble," Qin Mubai said softly, leaning against the wall.
Fang Tianhui did not know Bai Zhantian and could only look at Bai Ran with concern.
Bai Ran nodded. Her grandfather was powerful, but he couldn't guard against human hearts.
But at this moment, the most important thing was to find her grandfather and ensure his safety.
She released the Vermillion Bird Divine Fire from her left hand. The air crackled with the sound of flames. After a few breaths, the ropes turned to ash.
She flexed her wrist and stood up.
"Sister Bai, are you planning to rescue Patriarch Bai alone?" Fang Tianhui asked, understanding Bai Ran's intention from her actions.
"You two stay here," she said, releasing her spiritual power.
Her spiritual power instantly spread throughout the entire dungeon, and Bai Zhantian's aura was immediately exposed.
She tapped the hairpin on her head, and her entire being vanished into thin air.
Qin Mubai and Fang Tianhui stared with wide eyes, disbelieving. This was also possible?
Turning their heads, they realized that the other person had also disappeared at some unknown time. The entire dungeon was left with just the two of them sitting there dumbfounded.
"What bad luck, having to be stuck with you," Fang Tianhui grumbled, glaring at Qin Mubai.
"The feeling is mutual," Qin Mubai replied.
After a long while, the two of them sat in silence, neither speaking.