What was he doing earlier? Only trying to make amends after his mother's death?
It was ridiculously laughable.
Bai Ran took out a communication jade pendant. Carved on it with spiritual energy was the character for 'medicine'.
"Master, please keep this jade pendant for me."
Xuan Qinghong stared at the jade pendant, his eyes closing tightly. "It's useless."
"This jade pendant has always been connected."
Bai Ran's expression stiffened. This jade pendant had always been connected?
She had always kept it on her person, so had all her conversations with her master been leaked?
"This is a special jade pendant unique to the Medicine Valley. It can remain connected year-round without the need to input spiritual energy."
Xuan Qinghong's previous words had been spoken for them to hear.
"Still couldn't avoid it," his voice was somewhat muffled and filled with sorrow.
His disciple needed the prescription for the Three-Veined Clear Spirit Pill. For her sake, he had to return to the Medicine Valley.
"We set off in three days. Prepare yourself and come back with this old man."
Bai Ran lowered her head and asked, "Master, if you can refine the Three-Veined Clear Spirit Pill, will you choose to revive your mother?"
Xuan Qinghong did not answer, but the hope and anticipation in his eyes could not be mistaken.
He accepted the jade pendant. Bai Ran looked back once before leaving.
"Miss Bai, if you refine the Three-Veined Clear Spirit Pill, will you resurrect your master's mother?"
Jing Feng followed by Bai Ran's side. He had heard most of Xuan Qinghong's words.
Resurrecting her master's mother would undoubtedly expose the matter of the divine-demonic blood.
Bai Ran did not answer, unsure how to respond.
Returning to the courtyard, Bai Ran saw Jiang Ye holding a feather from Zhuque's head and carefully rubbing it.
"Are your injuries healed?" Jing Feng walked closer, his sudden voice startling Jiang Ye into letting go immediately.
"Why do you walk so silently? You scared me."
Seeing Jiang Ye looking guilty, Jing Feng was amused. "You're up to no good while Zhuque is unconscious, aren't you?"
"What nonsense..." Jiang Ye shifted his gaze, his secret exposed. "I just saw that Little Pig's feather was askew, so I was straightening it."
Bai Ran looked at Zhuque's docile appearance and decided to help.
"Jiang Ye, have you ever expressed your feelings to Xiao Zhu?"
Jiang Ye looked at Bai Ran and blinked. "Expressed my feelings?"
Seeing Zhuque's increasingly serious expression, Bai Ran smiled faintly.
"You like her, and everything you do is to pursue her, not to deliberately tease her."
"Have you ever told Zhuque this directly?"
Jiang Ye stared blankly at Bai Ran, his mind replaying past scenes. He thought about it and realized he had never directly confessed his feelings to Zhuque.
"Say it, say that you want to marry her, and spend the rest of your life with her."
At some point, Xiao Zi, Zhong Zi, and Dong Ling had all gathered not far away to watch the spectacle.
Jiang Ye coughed a few times, not daring to look Zhuque in the eye. "But... isn't she unconscious right now?"
"Dilly-dallying like a man?"
"If not now, then when?"
Xiao Zi had a flash of inspiration and quickly went inside to retrieve something unexpected, stuffing it into Jiang Ye's hand.
Jiang Ye felt a pole in his hand, thinking it was a bouquet of flowers.
"Um... although I always make you angry, I really like you..."
"Those things, I didn't do them on purpose..."
His face was flushed red. He raised the 'flower' in his hand and offered it to Zhuque.
The next moment, Jiang Ye squeezed his hand hard, grinding his teeth in annoyance.
"Who gave me a feather duster—!"
"Hahahaha!"
Xiao Zi beside him burst into laughter, tears streaming down his face.
Jiang Ye lunged at him, brandishing the feather duster and swatting at him. "You foxy spirit! I knew you weren't up to anything good!"
Xiao Zi dodged and pointed behind Jiang Ye. "Why don't you look back?"
Jiang Ye froze, stopping his actions, and slowly turned his head.
Xiao Zi raised his hand, and purple spiritual energy transformed into a sky full of petals, scattering down.
Jing Feng reached out and caught a purple petal.
Instantly, a warm spiritual energy dissolved in his palm, reaching the depths of his heart.
Zhuque's face was flushed red, but she haughtily averted her gaze. "Idiot, only saying it now..."
With a whoosh, Jiang Ye's mind exploded.
He stared directly at Zhuque, his heart pounding in his chest.
"My 'Heart of Disaster' technique was broken ahead of time," Xiao Zi said, clasping his hands behind his back and smiling with interest.
"There's only one reason for it to be broken early, and that is that Little Chick truly likes you."
She already liked him...
Overjoyed, Jiang Ye felt an urge to kowtow to Xiao Zi.
"Why are you just standing there? I don't need to teach you what a couple should do, right?"
Xiao Zi pushed Jiang Ye forward. Jiang Ye stumbled a couple of steps and then walked to Zhuque's side.
"Shall we... have a baby tomorrow?"
As soon as he spoke, the scene fell into a terrifying silence.
Bai Ran held her forehead. She could vaguely hear Zhuque grinding her teeth.
"Bang—!"
As expected, Jiang Ye's head received a forceful punch.
"I was truly blind to fall for someone like you!"
Zhuque turned and walked away in anger. Jiang Ye, holding his head, quickly followed. "Hey?!"
Jing Feng patted Xiao Zi's shoulder and shook his head. "You worked hard."
Xiao Zi was furious, spitting fire. In all his years, he had never met such a bizarre person!
However, it was fortunate that their hearts were connected, and they finally got together.
It was just that Jiang Ye was either on his way to being beaten or was currently being beaten.
...
The moon was bright, and under the starry sky, several black figures flashed by at high speed.
At midnight, everything was silent, with only the rustling sound of leaves in the wind.
The lights in Bai Ran's room were extinguished, and it was now pitch black.
The black figures exchanged nods and silently infiltrated Bai Ran's courtyard.
"Are you here to visit?"
Crimson eyes glinted with a dark light, and a chilling voice was particularly frightening in the darkness.
The black figures turned around abruptly and saw a woman leaning against the door, a smile on her lips.
"Kill her!"
The black figures swarmed forward, but before the woman could even make a move, they were all rigidly frozen in place, their bodies stiff.
The lights in the room suddenly blazed. Inside, Xiao Zi waved his hand impatiently. "This is the fifth wave. Whose subordinates are you?"
Seeing that things had gone awry, the black figures immediately detonated their dantian, with perfect uniformity.
"The sixth wave. I suspect it's someone from the Jade Pool Goddess or the Divine Emperor's faction."
Bai Ran sat opposite Xiao Zi, pouring herself a cup of water.
The nights for the past two days had been exceptionally lively, with either professional assassins or well-trained soldiers.
Their purpose was singular: to kill Bai Ran.
"They don't even let me sleep," Xiao Zi pouted, sounding somewhat helpless.