SC Chapter62

Outside the Medicine King Valley lies the Chuiyun Formation, set up by the foremost master of Qimen Dao. It shifts like the clouds, ever-changing and unpredictable. No matter how noble one’s status, those who seek the Medicine King Valley to treat an illness can only wait outside the valley.

Jiang Lingxin asked Zhou Yan, “Are you really going to take me into the valley?”

Zhou Yan tucked his cold hands into his bosom to warm them while deliberately teasing him, “Only an ugly daughter-in-law is afraid of meeting her in-laws, what are you nervous about?”

Jiang Lingxin did not give him a big slap across the face as he usually would but instead fell silent for once.

Zhou Yan couldn’t help but laugh: “What? Are you really nervous?”

Jiang Lingxin raised his eyes, looked at the swaying starry night above his head, then moved to Zhou Yan’s smiling lips, and whispered, “You know very little about me.”

Zhou Yan lowered his eyes, read a touch of loneliness in Jiang Lingxin’s pale gaze, and his heart ached, his voice unconsciously softening a bit. The white horse walked slowly along the mountain path, kicking up the faint fragrance of flowers under its hooves.

“I know you are from the Tianyi Division.” Zhou Yan’s voice was very soft, but it was exceptionally clear in Jiang Lingxin’s ear: “Perhaps you are in a very high position, walking on the edge of the storm with life and death hanging by a thread. As it happens, you met me, and from then on, it is your new beginning…”

Jiang Lingxin couldn’t hold back and laughed out loud.

Zhou Yan was stunned and looked down at Jiang Lingxin for a long while, before saying: “You should smile more.”

Jiang Lingxin’s lips dropped, then he closed his eyes and leaned into Zhou Yan’s arms, saying, “So the Medicine King’s foremost disciple turns out to be yet another shallow man who only loves appearances.”

Zhou Yan freed a hand to pinch the cold, soft face of the person in his arms and said, “There are countless beautiful faces in this world, yet I happened to fall for this one, for the night he fell onto me, soaked and dripping, with a sword pointed at my chest. For the nights he slipped into my arms, cold yet clinging…”

“Shut up.” Jiang Lingxin frowned in annoyance.

Zhou Yan suppressed his smile while looking at the pale face of the person in his arms, which was clearly tinged with a slight flush.

The white horse walked for half the night and finally entered the Medicine King Valley. Zhou Yan carried Jiang Lingxin directly back to the room.

“Aren’t we going to see your elders in the valley…” Jiang Lingxin asked groggily, half-asleep and half-awake.

Zhou Yan helped him undress, covered him with the quilt, and wrapped him in his arms: “No, it’s the middle of the night. Sleep with your husband, we’ll talk tomorrow.”

The next day, Jiang Lingxin slept until noon before waking up. Zhou Yan was sitting by the bed looking at him.

“You’re awake?” Zhou Yan helped him up before draping a robe over him, and pulled him to the bronze mirror to comb his long hair.

Jiang Lingxin looked listless while pressing his forehead, always feeling like he couldn’t get enough sleep. Zhou Yan had someone bring in food, but Jiang Lingxin only picked a bowl of white porridge and reluctantly ate a few mouthfuls before pushing the bowl away.

“You’re only eating this much?” Zhou Yan wanted to coax him to eat more, but Jiang Lingxin turned his back and refused to eat another bite.

“Alright, alright, no more eating.” Zhou Yan stroked Jiang Lingxin’s back, coaxing him: “I already had someone pick the Scorching Sun Flower this morning. I’ll help you detoxify once the medicine is ready, so you rest a little longer.”

Jiang Lingxin nodded, unusually obediently lying back down on the bed. Just as he was about to fall asleep groggily, Zhou Yan brought in the medicine. He reached out and took the dark, bitter herbal soup and drank it down without blinking. Zhou Yan steadied him by the shoulder, then reached out and released several of his major acupoints. In an instant, internal energy surged out from his core and Lingtai[mfn]Lingtai is a vital energy center within the body, often associated with the mind, spirit, or consciousness.[/mfn], rushing into his meridians.

“You should regulate your breathing first and force the poison out.” Zhou Yan watched from the side while supporting him.

Jiang Lingxin sat cross-legged on the bed, and in a moment, a thin layer of sweat appeared on his forehead. Zhou Yan immediately felt a pang in his heart. After about an hour, a little color returned to Jiang Lingxin’s pale face, and the strands of hair falling on his cheeks and neck were already soaked.

After another quarter of an hour, Jiang Lingxin finally opened his eyes, leaned forward, and spat out a mouthful of black blood. Zhou Yan stepped up and caught him in his arms, gently patting his back. “It’s alright, you’ll be fine now that you’ve spat it out.”

Jiang Lingxin was panting, he pressed his palm to his lower abdomen, and coughed lightly a few times with a frown.

Zhou Yan carefully wiped the blood from the corners of his lips with a handkerchief, brought him clear tea to rinse his mouth, and busied himself tidying up the room. Jiang Lingxin leaned against the headboard while watching Zhou Yan rush around, and said, “Is the poison finally cleared?”

Zhou Yan freed a hand to pull open his collar, intentionally brushing his fingertips against his chest as said, “See for yourself.”

Jiang Lingxin lowered his eyes and saw that the lotus mark on his chest was gone, replaced only by the red and purple bruises that had been added over and over during this period.

Zhou Yan smiled, leaned over, and strongly kissed Jiang Lingxin’s snow-white side face, and before he could get angry, he pressed him down onto the bed, “You must be tired, sleep a little longer. When you wake up, I’ll take you for a walk in the valley.”

Jiang Lingxin slept until dusk was about to end. Zhou Yan was watching a picture book by his side, and seeing him wake up, he couldn’t help but smile, his eyes curving. The burning afterglow washed over Zhou Yan’s robe, and his bold, handsome face made Jiang Lingxin’s heart skip for no reason. A line rose in his mind: wild flames soaring to the sky are still a brilliant light.

“What? My wife is enamored with his husband’s good looks and can’t take his eyes off me?”

Jiang Lingxin reached out, his palm customarily landing on Zhou Yan’s face, but without a sound, just quietly stroking past his lips.

Zhou Yan’s heart stirred, he directly picked the person up and walked out.

“Put me down.” Jiang Lingxin frowned.

Zhou Yan exited the courtyard, gave a whistle, and his handsome fine horse, Xiao Bai, then trotted over. He first placed Jiang Lingxin on horseback before flipping himself onto the saddle behind him, then drew the person into his embrace, saying, “Master is in seclusion and can’t receive anyone right now. I’ll take you to meet my martial uncles and nephews instead!”

The two of them rode at an unhurried pace, and whenever they passed someone, they got off the horse to exchange greetings. Zhou Yan looked as delighted as if it were New Year. Just as the last ray of twilight was about to fall, the white horse carried them to a medicinal field.

A wide stretch of blooming flowers lay under the fading red of the sunset. A few medical disciples were sorting herbs, and a white-robed Daoist in the field rolled down his trouser legs, picked up a hoe, and slowly walked toward a man in cyan standing at the center of the medicinal field. The two got together and said a few words, then walked away.

Zhou Yan pointed at the two and said, “Those are the Medicine Elder and Master Lin of our Medicine King Valley.”

“Master Lin?” Jiang Lingxin turned his face, slightly puzzled.

Zhou Yan nodded and said, “Yes, Master Lin is someone the Medicine Elder brought into the Medicine King Valley thirty years ago. For all these years, he has been responsible for teaching the children in the valley to read. They have been together for decades. In the future, we can be like this too…”

Jiang Lingxin did not respond to Zhou Yan and just watched the two figures in the medicinal field grow farther and farther away.

Zhou Yan spoke as they walked all the way. Although Jiang Lingxin had toured most of the Medicine King Valley, Zhou Yan did not know that Jiang Lingxin had kept all the places they went to in his heart.

At night, Jiang Lingxin sat cross-legged on the bed to regulate his breath. The Scorching Sun Flower had dispersed the remaining poison in his body. Before the moonlight was obscured by black clouds, he exhaled a long breath and opened his eyes. Zhou Yan was guarding him on the side.

“You must be tired.” Zhou Yan wiped the thin sweat from Jiang Lingxin’s forehead with a handkerchief. The soft silk handkerchief was a bit cool. It wiped across his forehead and was about to leave. Jiang Lingxin suddenly reached out and gently clasped Zhou Yan’s wrist.

Zhou Yan was startled, then suddenly smiled. He was clear and proper when he didn’t smile, but when he smiled, he looked somewhat bright and romantic. Jiang Lingxin was slightly moved, slowly lowered his head, and lightly touched the back of Zhou Yan’s hand with his forehead.

The cold, snow-like beauty lowered his head and gave way to him. Zhou Yan’s mind went blank, his lower abdomen tensed as lust surged straight to his head. By the time he reacted, Jiang Lingxin had already been pressed onto the bed and under him.

“You’re seducing me.” Zhou Yan’s tone was very certain.

Jiang Lingxin gazed deeply into the passionate affection in Zhou Yan’s eyes and after a moment, he closed his eyes. This was the biggest invitation he could give.

Zhou Yan felt that Jiang Lingxin was very different tonight. Although they had performed the act many times before, he had to admit that most of it was due to the cold poison at work. But now that the Seven Star Lotus on Jiang Lingxin had been cured, not only did he not kick him out of the room, but he even actively provoked him. It seemed that the cold mountain snow could also turn into a pool of spring water for love.

Zhou Yan squeezed Jiang Lingxin’s slender waist, his heart was soft, but the part below was hard. Jiang Lingxin’s skin was cold white, rubbed with streaks of blush, his slender waist arched, and he was moaning softly as he was being thrust into. Sweat drenched his body, while his hair clung to his supple waist like an ink-wash painting come to life.

“Zhou Yan…” In the height of passion, Jiang Lingxin’s face was pale as snow, his lips bright red, and the corners of his eyes slightly glistening. He reached out, hooked Zhou Yan’s neck before pressing his forehead firmly against Zhou Yan’s chest, and let out a soft whimper.

Zhou Yan was called to the point where he wanted to crush the person into his arms. He fiercely kissed the top of the head of the person in his arms and said, “My ancestor, don’t cry, I’ll give you my life.”

They were both people who had practiced martial arts since childhood, and they were young and strong with good physiques. After a night of tossing and turning, they finally fell asleep embracing each other.

By the fourth watch, dark clouds blanketed the window, leaving neither stars nor light. Jiang Lingxin sat up from the bed, the lust completely faded from his eyes. He quietly dressed, took his sword from the corner of the wall, and slipped out without a sound. As he pushed the door open, his steps faltered for a moment, and he glanced back at Zhou Yan, who was asleep on the bed.

He cast only a single glance before looking away. The door closed softly, and the night’s cool breeze carried away the last trace of warmth from Jiang Lingxin’s eyes. The long sword was then unsheathed, revealing its full killing intent.

Within the ten-mile medicinal field of Medicine King Valley, in a small courtyard with blue tiles, a purple gauze lantern hung under the eaves, swaying in the wind.

Inside the house, someone in a cyan robe had tied up a head of long hair streaked with white. He fastened the ties of his robe one by one, then turned around to carefully tuck the quilt around his sleeping old partner. Outside the window, the purple gauze lantern flickered out as the man in cyan pushed the door open and walked away.

“This day still comes.” Sighed the man in cyan, his temples streaked with white, but his expression was calm.

Jiang Lingxin stood with his sword, his robes fluttering in the wind, the sword edge frosted with cold. He raised his eyes, his voice dissolving into the night, cold and heartless: “Lin Wang, former Right Emissary of the Tianyi Division, has betrayed the sect and lived in seclusion for thirty years. This life should be paid back.”

The man in cyan smiled and shook his head: “I heard Ah Yan brought you in. Does he know?”

Jiang Lingxin was unmoved: “Whether he knows or not is not important.”

The man in cyan held his saber across his eyes, the long saber emerged inch by inch from its sheath, and he sighed, “Young man, you do not know how precious a human heart is.”

The long sword broke through the night, emitting a clear, cold hum—

When Zhou Yan woke up, the ten-mile medicinal field was a sea of fire, the towering flames reflecting a bloody red across the entire valley. He subconsciously reached out to hug the person beside him but only grasped emptiness. The bedding next to him was ice cold, while the long sword on the wall had vanished.

“Jiang Lingxin…” Zhou Yan’s heart tightened abruptly. He ran out barefoot. The valley was in turmoil, everyone scrambling to fight the fire. Zhou Yan’s mind was in disarray when someone grabbed him and spoke something. He then saw the white-haired, hunched Medicine Elder weeping sorrowfully while holding the cyan-robed Master Lin whose clothes were stained with blood, and also saw tens of thousands of medicinal herbs reduced to ashes. His master and martial uncles all stood by the fire, silently looking at him.

Zhou Yan’s chest heaved violently, his eyes stung by the scorching fire.

“Master Lin is gone.” He heard someone say.

Zhou Yan suddenly shut his eyes, his knuckles whitening as he clenched them. After a long moment, he spoke hoarsely, “It wasn’t him…” When he opened his eyes, the firelight revealed the disappointment in his master’s gaze.

Zhou Yan whistled for his horse, gritting his teeth: “I’ll go find him.”

The towering flames became more and more distant behind him. Zhou Yan indeed found Jiang Lingxin on the mountain path leading out of the Medicine King Valley.

Jiang Lingxin’s white clothes were stained with blood, the blood stains winding behind him in a shallow and deep line. His steps were stumbling and unsteady. Hearing the sound of horse hooves, he subconsciously held his sword across his front, the killing intent in his eyes not yet faded. When he saw that the person who came was Zhou Yan, he couldn’t help but be startled.

Zhou Yan reined in his horse and stood before him, his heart gradually turning cold.

Jiang Lingxin groaned, clutched his lower abdomen, and slid down, only using the long sword plunged into the ground to barely support himself from falling. Although Lin Wang was old, the former Right Emissary of the Tianyi Division was not easy to deal with. To kill him, Jiang Lingxin himself was also heavily wounded. He could not escape.

“Jiang Lingxin…” Zhou Yan dismounted, subconsciously reaching out to support him.

Jiang Lingxin swallowed the churning blood in his throat and looked at Zhou Yan in silence.

The corners of Zhou Yan’s eyes were red. He tightly clenched Jiang Lingxin’s sword-holding hand, took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, his gaze was sharp as he stared at Jiang Lingxin and asked, “It was you?”

Jiang Lingxin knew what he was asking. He was silent for a moment, then nodded.

Zhou Yan’s eyes instantly turned blood red. He trembled as he gritted his teeth and asked sharply, “Why?”

Jiang Lingxin had lost too much blood, feeling cold all over. He pressed down on his throbbing abdomen, lowered his eyes as he said, “He was a traitor to the Tianyi Division. It is not wrong for me to kill him.”

Zhou Yan squeezed Jiang Lingxin’s wrist bones until they cracked and questioned him fiercely: “Master Lin is no longer involved in the martial world! Why couldn’t you spare him!”

Jiang Lingxin groaned, fighting back the dizziness, and murmured, “Zhou Yan… Zhou Yan…”

Zhou Yan’s heart ached from being called by him. The sound of horse hooves came from afar. The people from the Medicine King Valley were coming…

Jiang Lingxin reached out and slowly grabbed Zhou Yan’s collar, the blood on his fingertips staining his lapel. Zhou Yan’s eyes were watery red. He closed his eyes, suddenly yanked Jiang Lingxin into his arms, flipped onto the horse, and galloped out of the valley.

As the sky was about to brighten, Zhou Yan took Jiang Lingxin out of the Medicine King Valley. The faint light touched Jiang Lingxin’s pale face. He slowly opened his eyes, flipped the palm hidden in his sleeve, and launched a signal flare into the sky.

Zhou Yan pulled the reins, the great dream was about to end.

“Zhou Yan, come with me.” Jiang Lingxin whispered while leaning against his chest 

The blood-red haze in Zhou Yan’s eyes faded, replaced by a glimmer of clarity. He looked down at the person in his arms, and spoke in a hoarse voice: “What use am I to you now?”

Jiang Lingxin looked confused. There’s no use, yet he wanted to keep him, and to possess him.

In just a moment, several figures suddenly appeared in the forest, all dressed in black, holding long swords, and carrying a sinister killing intent. The killing intent was not directed at Jiang Lingxin.

In an instant, Zhou Yan understood. His fingers hovered over Jiang Lingxin’s face, and the last light in his eyes faded away. Zhou Yan threw Jiang Lingxin from his arms to the black-clothed shadow guards and no longer lingering. Indeed, the black-clothed leader steadily caught Jiang Lingxin and whispered, “Master!”

Jiang Lingxin only looked frantically at Zhou Yan, the churning blood in his chest making him unable to speak.

“Jiang Lingxin.” Zhou Yan’s expression was cold and desolate. He smiled bitterly and closed his eyes: “I thought I could warm your heart. I was wrong.”