Chapter Seventy-Two
Elder Zhi seemed to have fallen into a trance, gathering his Inner Force at his fingertips, completely oblivious to his surroundings.
An Jiu lowered her gaze and saw the red plum blossoms before her feet blooming brighter and brighter, her vision growing increasingly blurred.
She stood in the cold wind for an unknown length of time before her body swayed slightly. She only felt a pair of hands steadying her arms before darkness swallowed her vision, and she lost consciousness.
This sleep was deep—dreamless, yet exhausting.
When An Jiu pried open her heavy eyelids, she was met with Mo Sigui’s gaunt, almost skeletal face, though his ever-charming peach-blossom eyes remained as striking as ever.
"You're awake!" Mo Sigui’s eyes lit up with triumph as he declared arrogantly, "Damn it, how could I let you ruin my flawless reputation!"
"What happened to me?" During her unconsciousness, An Jiu had thought she was going to die. To her surprise, she had woken up alive.
"What happened?" Mo Sigui raised his voice, but upon hearing how hoarse hers was, he turned to pour a cup of water and fed her with a small spoon. "You really have no regard for yourself! Then again, talking about this to someone who’s determined to die is pointless."
Most people who sought death did so because they couldn’t bear the suffering of living. But none were as ruthless to themselves as An Jiu.
The agony of having one’s Meridians destroyed was something Mo Sigui didn’t even dare imagine.
"I really don’t understand why someone like you would want to destroy yourself!" Mo Sigui snapped irritably.
"Did Mei Jiu not react?" An Jiu asked.
Mo Sigui slammed the cup down heavily and plopped onto the stool by the window. "Maybe she did. You cried the whole time you were unconscious, but you just wouldn’t wake up."
"That was her, then." An Jiu had never shed a single tear from pain. "My Meridians…"
Mo Sigui released his Mental strength to scan the surroundings, confirming no one was nearby. "Your Meridians are completely destroyed. It’s nearly impossible for you to ever wield Inner Force again."
An Jiu’s expression remained indifferent.
"In other words, the Startling String you performed half a month ago might have been the last in your life." Mo Sigui tapped his folding fan rhythmically against his palm. "A person’s Inner Force aligns with the Five Elements, and Meridians have innate attributes. Yours were of the Fire nature. Not long ago, they were forcibly expanded by a Fire-attribute Inner Force. Though you were injured then, it actually benefited you greatly. With proper recovery, your Inner Force would have grown rapidly afterward. But Elder Zhi’s Inner Force is the most domineering of the Water nature. Your entire Meridians were torn apart, and even your dantian was nearly obliterated."
With Meridians so ruined they no longer retained any elemental attribute, how could Inner Force ever be generated again?
An Jiu’s attention, however, was entirely elsewhere. She murmured, "I was unconscious for half a month?"
Mo Sigui sighed helplessly. "Since you came to me, it means you didn’t want to hurt Shi Si. But even if things went as you wished, how is she supposed to live on after this? You were too impulsive."
It was rare for him to speak so seriously about something, but An Jiu remained unmoved. "How she lives is her business. I’m not her mother—I have no obligation to take care of her!"
Mei Jiu could have taken control of the body but had made no effort to resist. An Jiu felt no guilt whatsoever.
"I begged Elder Qi to keep this matter hidden. If Elder Zhi deliberately tests you, it won’t stay concealed." Mo Sigui smirked lazily. "But right now, he probably doesn’t have the time to bother with you."His robes were loose, and the way he leaned lazily against the table carried an air of effortless charm. His slightly hoarse voice felt like rough fingers lightly grazing the skin, sending a tickle straight to the heart. "I've long seen through it—in this family, aside from the younger generation, only Elder Qi and my uncle still have some human warmth."
Mo Sigui hadn't been entered into the family registry. By all rights, he should have been sent away from Plum Blossom Village immediately. It was Elder Qi who stood against the opposition and insisted on keeping him by his side. The only reason Mo Sigui was willing to stay was because Elder Qi treated him like family.
"Thank you," An Jiu said.
Mo Sigui flicked open his folding fan and chuckled. "No need for thanks. I suddenly realize I quite like you. When it comes to people I like, I'm never stingy."
An Jiu turned her head, silently watching him, waiting for him to continue.
"You're like a block of wood—no matter what I say to you, I don't have to worry about stirring up trouble." Mo Sigui's eyes curved into crescents. "Besides, you always seem to come down with rare injuries and illnesses. As a physician, how could I not like that?"
An Jiu was displeased. She hated being treated as an experiment most of all, but Mo Sigui seemed different from the doctors she'd encountered before.
"You disliked me not long ago," An Jiu said, more interested in this point.
Not long ago, An Jiu had also intensely disliked Mo Sigui. Yet now, something seemed to have changed—though she couldn't pinpoint when or how.
"Don't ask why. I've always acted on whims." Mo Sigui tossed his fan onto the table and pulled two tokens from his sleeve. "I guessed Elder Zhi would go into seclusion for cultivation, so I got these tokens from him beforehand. After paying such a high price, we can't let this fall through. Rest a few more days, then we'll head to Bianjing."
There were many reasons for Mo Sigui's sudden enthusiasm toward An Jiu. To begin with, this whole matter had started because of him. Though the situation had developed beyond his expectations, and it wasn't entirely his fault, he couldn't help feeling some guilt. Moreover, as a physician constantly pursuing the pinnacle of the way of medicine, he couldn't possibly ignore such a unique case as An Jiu. Among these explicable reasons, there was also a trace of sympathy—something even he couldn't quite define.
The following days brought clear weather, and the accumulated snow melted away completely. An Jiu spent her time basking in the sun and reading in the medicine hall, enjoying a comfort she'd never known before.
Mei Ru Yan visited her daily.
An Jiu watched as the girl grew increasingly radiant. Yao Ye often whispered in her ear about Mei Ru Yan's infatuation with Mister Mo, but An Jiu had always minded only her own business. Besides, with her own affairs in disarray, she couldn't be bothered to intervene.
Instead, she pondered many things in her leisure. She noticed that Mo Sigui had always been the one in charge of her injuries, while Elder Qi only occasionally stopped by for a glance. He never actually treated her—likely having given up on her case, leaving her to Mo Sigui as an experiment.
What caught her attention most was that the Inner Force condensed by Elder Zhi was identical to that of the Transformation Realm archer from the temple. If this was a coincidence, it was far too convenient.
These matters gave her plenty to mull over.
After seven days, once Mo Sigui confirmed her injuries wouldn't hinder their journey, they prepared a carriage. Accompanied by a retinue of maids and servants, they set off for Bianjing amid the envious gazes of the onlookers.The carriage swayed gently as An Jiu took the initiative to speak to Mo Sigui. "How many people have reached the Transformation Realm with water-based Inner Force?"
"Well... it should be countable, fewer than twenty, with most at the third grade. Someone like Elder Zhi at the second grade is extremely rare," Mo Sigui replied curiously. "Why do you ask?"
Instead of answering, An Jiu countered with another question, "Are there many with Inner Force attributes like Elder Zhi's?" (To be continued...)
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