"What are you laughing at! Who is responsible for this appearance of mine!"
Xiao Zi wagged her tail, shedding a bit of dander with each flick, incredibly cute.
Bai Ran pursed her lips, smiling, "Yes, yes, yes."
Upon returning to Black Crow City, Bai Ran was plied with numerous tonics to replenish blood, qi, and spiritual power.
Long Jinhan, despite his injured hand, busied himself, fearing any harm to Bai Ran's health.
"Here, this is lotus root soup with thousand-year-old warm ginseng."
Long Jinhan looked at the table full of other medicinal broths, his handsome brow furrowing, "Why haven't you touched a single drop? Does it not taste good?"
Bai Ran helplessly pulled him to sit down, taking the bowl from his hand, "It tastes very good."
"It's just that your hand is so severely injured. Rest, and let me take a look."
Long Jinhan looked at the soup in her hand and said, "Girl, drink this soup first."
His hands were covered in wounds, yet he paid them no mind.
Bai Ran sighed softly, drank the medicinal soup in the bowl. The taste was a bit sweet, masking the bitterness of the ginseng. It seemed sugar had been added.
After finishing, Bai Ran tossed the bowl aside and pulled Long Jinhan's hand, "You were struck by lightning and still don't care."
One must know, the attack power of heavenly lightning was no ordinary matter. Injuries from being struck, if too severe, could very well be unhealed, leaving scars.
Long Jinhan's eyes were gentle, looking at Bai Ran's earnest expression, the corner of his mouth curved, "Girl, I am a man. A few scars are no big deal."
Bai Ran shot him a dagger-like glare, and Long Jinhan obediently shut his mouth.
The wounds on his hands were deep enough to see the bone, and now they were all scabbed over, leaving a terrifying mark.
Bai Ran furrowed her brows, feeling a pang of heartache. Such deep cuts, and yet he could still act as if nothing was wrong and brew soup for her.
She took out a porcelain bottle from her spatial dimension and carefully sprinkled powder onto his wounds.
Long Jinhan's gaze never left Bai Ran, watching her features contort in worry, her face etched with concern.
For a moment, he only wished for the wound to heal slower, much slower.
"How long have you been learning to cook?"
Long Jinhan started, realizing that Bai Ran had finished treating his wounds at some point. "Not long."
Bai Ran pursed her lips, saying nothing. Before, Long Jinhan's cooking used to blow up half the kitchen.
Now, with his hands full of injuries, he had managed to make so many medicinal broths.
He must have put in a lot of effort.
"Girl, the soup."
Bai Ran turned her head, following Long Jinhan's gaze to the dozen bowls of medicinal soup on the table, her mouth twitched.
She was already half-full after one bowl. If she drank all the soup on the table, wouldn't it kill her?
Sensing Long Jinhan's gaze, Bai Ran gritted her teeth. Fine, she couldn't waste his intentions.
Bai Ran picked up a bowl of medicinal soup and began to drink. By the fourth bowl, she couldn't take another drop.
Any more and she would truly vomit...
Suddenly, she had a flash of inspiration. She grabbed a bowl and handed it to Long Jinhan, "You drink too."
Long Jinhan was about to refuse, but met Bai Ran's intense gaze.
He hesitated for a moment, then took the bowl and drank. After finishing, Bai Ran handed him another bowl.
Thus, Long Jinhan was full, and the medicinal soup was still not finished.
"It seems... I made too much..."
Long Jinhan looked at the remaining six bowls of soup on the table, his expression somewhat grim.
"Jing Feng."
With a command, Jing Feng immediately appeared before them. Bai Ran sat aside, suppressing a giggle.
"Drink all this soup." Long Jinhan's tone was flat.
Jing Feng blinked, looking at the six bowls of medicinal soup on the table, "But isn't this what Your Excellency brewed for Miss Bai?"
Long Jinhan narrowed his eyes, and Jing Feng instinctively picked up a bowl and began to drink.
In fact, by the third bowl, he could no longer drink, but as it was His Excellency's order, he gritted his teeth and continued.
Finally, at his pace of one bowl per incense stick, he managed to gulp down all the medicinal soup.
"Your... Your Excellency, I'm done... *hic*."
Jing Feng burped, feeling the soup sloshing in his stomach with every slight movement.
Bai Ran nodded with a smile, "These are all highly nutritious tonic broths. They should also aid in your cultivation."
Just then, the communication jade pendant suddenly grew warm.
"Your Excellency, we lost sight of Bai Li Xiao..."
Long Jinhan's eyes turned cold, "Any movement from the Divine Emperor?"
"The Divine Emperor remains in the Divine Palace as usual, and has not summoned Bai Li Xiao."
Long Jinhan put away the jade pendant, his brow tightly furrowed, "Girl, if that Bai Li Xiao comes looking for you, contact me immediately."
Bai Li Xiao was missing?
Bai Ran's smile vanished. Right, Long Jinhan didn't know Bai Li Xiao's hardships.
"Long Jinhan, I have something to tell you."
Long Jinhan turned his head, seeing Bai Ran's somewhat serious expression, he dismissed Jing Feng and cast a soundproof barrier.
"It's about Bai Li Xiao."
As soon as she spoke, Long Jinhan's gaze fixed on Bai Ran. He did not want to hear this person's name from her lips.
The destined one was like a needle piercing Long Jinhan's heart, causing him sleepless nights and unbearable pain.
"Long Jinhan, Bai Li Xiao doesn't have much time left."
Bai Ran's tone was heavy, her fists slowly clenching.
But upon hearing this, Long Jinhan felt an inexplicable sense of relief, and even his tightly furrowed brows relaxed.
"Mmm, how much time is left?"
Bai Ran glared at him, and he finally closed his mouth and became serious, "Why?"
"I broke the third layer of the seal and finally understood everything."
Bai Li Xiao had never betrayed her. Everything had been a last resort.
He had used most of his lifespan to seal her pain, and then used his remaining lifespan to send her into reincarnation.
The aloof, pure, and unassailable figure had fallen from grace for the woman he loved, without regret.
He had killed Bai Ran with his own hands, time and time again, simply to send her soul back into her body.
And to protect Bai Ran's original body, he was exploited and used by the Divine Emperor for hundreds of years.
His remaining time was short. By now, his body must have begun to weaken.
After hearing everything, Long Jinhan's face darkened, and he remained silent.
"Long Jinhan, I owe him too much, I can never repay it..."
Bai Li Xiao had given everything for Bai Ran, yet willingly stood behind her, watching her fall in love with someone else.
He had even, fearing Bai Ran wouldn't see him, impersonated Long Jinhan by changing his face to meet her.
The pain and suffering Bai Li Xiao had endured, no one could empathize with, no one could truly feel it.
Before Bai Ran knew these things, she hated him, wishing she could eat his flesh and drink his blood.
But when Bai Ran understood everything, an inexplicable sorrow and desolation overwhelmed her.
Hate? How could she still hate him?
Bai Ran's soul grew more complete, more full, while Bai Li Xiao's body deteriorated day by day.