Qin Changqing’s first strike failed, and he immediately pulled back, widening the distance. His hand throbbed from the recoil of the opponent’s punch, trembling uncontrollably.
This black-clad figure had at least half-step Xiantian Realm cultivation. Even with a surprise attack, the opponent had managed to match him blow for blow with a hurried counter—and Qin Changqing had even suffered a slight loss.
“This won’t work. I definitely can’t handle this person alone!”
His mind raced as he glanced toward Luo Qingyi’s direction, hoping she would understand his intention.
He fixed his gaze on the black-clad figure. Seeing how cautious the opponent was, he knew he had to lower their guard first.
Qin Changqing lowered his hands behind his back, cleared his throat, and said, “Could it be that you are the assassin who attempted to kill His Majesty?”
“No… that doesn’t make sense. With your level of cultivation, there’s no way you could have escaped so many experts in the palace. You must be an accomplice of that assassin… am I right?”
The black-clad figure remained silent. Qin Changqing slowly began walking toward them.
“What exactly is your purpose?”
“The palace is swarming with people searching for you. I doubt you want to cause too much commotion. How about we talk?”
The black-clad figure slowly raised a hand, signaling him to stop, then spoke in a calm voice, “Young Master Qin, I am not your enemy. There’s no need for you to test me.”
“You recognize me? You’re someone from the palace? There’s a traitor within the palace!” Qin Changqing widened his eyes in feigned shock.
The black-clad figure chuckled softly at his expression. “I’ll say it again—I am not your enemy. In fact, whatever you’re looking for in the Royal Medical Institute, I can help you obtain it.”
“Young Master Qin, with your Postnatal Realm cultivation, there is no need for me to waste words. If I wanted to kill you, it would be effortless.”
Seeing the distance was just right, Qin Changqing suddenly mobilized all his internal energy and unleashed his full-power strike at the black-clad figure!
The black-clad woman’s face darkened. “Stubborn fool!” she said, striking back with a palm.
Caught off guard, she had not expected that this weaker young lord could unleash such overwhelming power.
She was instantly blasted backward.
Seeing his strike succeed, Qin Changqing shouted loudly, “Now!”
Luo Qingyi had been hiding in the shadows, carefully observing the fight. Her breathing was so faint it seemed to dissolve into the night wind.
She watched Qin Changqing crash into the cabinet with a muffled grunt, yet a victorious smile appeared on his face.
Suddenly, she recalled her master’s words: “One whose sword heart is clear must trust both the sword in their hand and the one who wields it.”
Her white gauze skirt brushed silently over the stone floor as she gripped the Shattered Jade sword tightly in her right hand. The backlash of the cold poison made her brows knit in pain.
Suppressing the agony, she swung her sword with all her strength. A pale azure sword qi shot forth like a three-inch frost, gleaming under the moonlight.
The black-clad woman was horrified. She had never expected another person to be hiding nearby.
As the sword qi howled toward her, she could only twist her body in a hasty dodge. Her lower back slammed into the wall behind her with a loud crash.
Qin Changqing rushed forward to check. As the dust settled, the black-clad figure had already vanished.
A voice echoed from the distance. “Young Master Qin, this time I lost. We will meet again! Hehe…”
“She escaped?” Qin Changqing felt a wave of frustration, but there was no time to dwell on it.
“Not good…”
He quickly ran to Luo Qingyi’s side. She was leaning against the wall, blood trickling from the corner of her lips, her face deathly pale without a trace of color.
Qin Changqing pulled her into his arms and examined her condition.
Her internal energy was unstable, and the cold poison was rampaging through her meridians. She had originally been suppressing it with spiritual power, but now her reserves were depleted, no longer able to keep it in check.
“This won’t do. I need to find the thousand-year blood ginseng immediately and treat her, or the cold poison will completely consume her!”
He gently leaned her against the wall, then leaned close to her ear and said softly, “Wait here for me. I’ll go inside and get the blood ginseng right away. Remember, you must not fall asleep. Hold on—I’ll be back soon, alright?”
Luo Qingyi gathered all her strength to lift her head and look at him. Under the moonlight, his resolute face seemed to carry a warmth capable of melting even the coldest ice.
Qin Changqing squeezed her hand reassuringly, then immediately turned and leaped into the Royal Medical Institute.
He moved swiftly through the halls, slipping inside with a few quick steps. Carefully searching, he looked at the rows of large medicine cabinets. They clearly did not contain what he needed.
Rare medicinal treasures like ginseng or snow lotus would never be stored in ordinary cabinets like these.
Qin Changqing continued searching for anything unusual. He vaguely remembered that the Royal Medical Institute had both an outer and inner section. Valuable medicinal herbs were likely stored in the inner courtyard.
Pressing deeper inside, he soon spotted a large door marked “Inner Repository.”
He hurried over and checked it, only to find it locked.
“Damn, their security awareness is pretty solid!”
What now? He paced back and forth. Pry it open? Impossible—no tools, and it would make too much noise.
Then suddenly, his gaze shifted. Beside the door were several exquisite chests, sealed with official markings.
They were likely tribute offerings that had just arrived. Because of the emperor’s assassination attempt, all the royal physicians had been summoned away and hadn’t had time to inspect them.
Qin Changqing quickly opened the chests and began searching. Inside were all kinds of rare and unusual items.
At the very bottom, he found an exquisite box that emitted a faint warmth.
Opening it, he saw exactly what he had been looking for—the thousand-year blood ginseng.
He also grabbed the box of snow lotus beside it. After all, since he was already here, no one would know he took it. There were no surveillance cameras in this era.
Clenching his fist, he muttered, “Finally. I just hope she can hold on!”
He quickly tucked the boxes into his robe and ignored everything else.
When he returned outside, he saw that she was still there, and he let out a deep breath of relief.
Her chest rose and fell faintly. Even in her current bloodless state, her delicate face still resembled a celestial fairy descended from the heavens, mesmerizing to behold.
Qin Changqing lowered his voice. “Fairy, forgive me.”
Without hesitation, he scooped her up into his arms. She lacked the strength to resist and simply let him carry her.
Looking at his refined face, calm yet faintly gentle, Luo Qingyi suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of security rise within her.
It was as if, with him there, an unbreakable barrier stood between her and all danger.
“Luo Qingyi… what are you thinking!”
She turned her head away, refusing to look at him, and closed her eyes.
The return journey was smooth, yet Qin Changqing’s heart remained in his throat the entire time.
Only when he finally returned to his residence did he let out a heavy sigh of relief, his mind finally able to relax. It felt as though an entire century had passed.
He laid Luo Qingyi on the bed, quickly opened the two boxes of medicinal herbs, and said, “Fairy Luo, take a look. Is this the thousand-year blood ginseng you were looking for?”
“Fairy Luo? Luo Qingyi? Qingyi?”