“Little Bi!” Bai Yanzhou’s face changed drastically.
His usually calm eyes were instantly filled with unconcealed heartache and anxiety.
He rushed to the altar almost instantaneously, supporting Bai Jimu’s limp body.
His fingers quickly pressed on his wrist pulse while sending demonic energy inside to check his internal condition.
Sensing the evil energy rampaging through Bai Jimu’s meridians and his nearly shattered internal organs, Bai Yanzhou’s heart clenched painfully.
He immediately took out his most precious life-saving pill and stuffed it into Bai Jimu’s mouth without hesitation, using his own gentle and mellow demonic energy to help dissolve the medicine and protect his heart meridian.
Looking at the terrifying, scorched, bloody wound on Bai Jimu’s back and his body slightly twitching from internal pain even in coma, after the heartache, an uncontrollable rage surged in Bai Yanzhou!
He raised his head. His originally gentle eyes were now sharp as knives.
First, he glared viciously at the dissipating Xiangliu phantom in the center of the altar, which still radiated hateful fluctuations.
His gaze was so cold it seemed he wanted to slice the non-existent phantom into a thousand pieces.
I’ll remember this debt!
Then, he looked down at the unconscious Bai Jimu in his arms.
Angry and anxious, he couldn’t help scolding in a low voice, “You reckless brat! How many times have I told you to act within your means! Don’t act recklessly just because of your lousy constitution! You only have one life. Do you think you’ll be this lucky every time?!”
His voice carried an imperceptible tremor of fear, clearly infuriated by Bai Jimu’s suicidal act, and pained to the extreme.
Xiao Duchuan arrived beside them.
Seeing Bai Yanzhou lose his composure so rarely, his eyes flickered.
He raised his hand, and the ghostly blue flames turned gentle, covering Bai Jimu’s wound to help suppress the erosion of the evil energy.
“Let’s leave first. His injuries need immediate rest.”
Bai Yanzhou forced down his churning emotions and nodded.
He carefully lifted Bai Jimu onto his back, his movements so gentle they contrasted sharply with his anger just moments ago.
Bai Jimu was his brother, even if he was just picked up.
Seeing him injured so severely, Bai Yanzhou was the one whose heart ached the most.
Before evacuating, his gaze swept over the three herb pickers—now subdued by Ming Shu, their eyes clear but their bodies collapsed weakly—then glanced at the dimmed patterns on the altar due to the core’s destruction, and finally landed on the meteorite core fragments on the ground that Bai Jimu had protected with his life.
He freed one hand and grabbed at the air; the fragments flew into his hand.
Cold to the touch, containing strange and powerful energy.
Bai Yanzhou’s eyes brightened slightly.
This is good stuff, rare in a thousand years. Whether for cultivation, making medicine, or… hmm, it must be worth a lot of money.
His nature made him subconsciously weigh the value of the fragments.
But this thought only flashed by.
He put the fragments away without hesitation.
The most important thing now was to get Little Bi back for treatment.
Money was attractive, but compared to the safety of those around him, it wasn’t worth mentioning.
However, Xiangliu and the guys controlling the old officials behind it hurt his people like this and still wanted to plot a resurrection?
This isn’t over! His reputation for seeking revenge for the smallest grievance wasn’t for nothing.
Sleeping for a thousand years didn’t mean he lost his fangs.
“Go!” Bai Yanzhou secured Bai Jimu on his back, his tone resolute, and led the way out of the cave.
Carrying the unconscious Bai Jimu, the group walked down the slippery mountain path in silence.
Dusk came early in the Ailao Mountains.
The thick fog hadn’t dispersed; instead, under the afterglow of the setting sun, it was dyed a layer of eerie orange-red.
The light in the forest dimmed rapidly.
Ming Shu had reverted to her orange cat form, lying listlessly in a basket Xiao Duchuan had found temporarily, carried by him.
She had consumed a lot of energy, plus her ankle was still uncomfortable.
Her cat face was written with exhaustion and displeasure, only the tip of her tail occasionally flicking irritably, revealing her inner unrest.
Xiao Duchuan steadied the basket with one hand, his other hand hovering to support Bai Yanzhou, who was carrying Bai Jimu.
Most of the time, his gaze fell on Bai Yanzhou, watching his slightly sweat-dampened temples and those eyes that were usually calm but now filled with worry and unresolved anger.
Bai Yanzhou walked very steadily, lightening every step deliberately, afraid of jostling the person on his back.
The wound on Bai Jimu’s back had been temporarily sealed by his demonic energy and medicine, no longer bleeding, but the scorched, hideous marks were still shocking to look at.
Every time Bai Yanzhou thought of it, his heart twitched with pain, followed by suppressed anger.
“This reckless thing…” He cursed inwardly. Bai Jimu, you brute! Wait until you’re healed, see how I deal with you!
He was angry at his lack of discretion and even angrier at himself for failing to protect him in time.
His nature of being protective and vengeful churned in his chest. Xiangliu and the guys behind it were already firmly engraved at the top of Bai Yanzhou’s blacklist.
Finally, before night fell completely, they returned to the inn at the foot of the mountain.
Seeing their wretched state, especially the young man on Bai Yanzhou’s back who was clearly seriously injured and unconscious, the proprietress turned pale with fright.
She quickly called her staff to help, preparing hot water and tidying up the quietest room.
“Oh my, what happened? Did you meet a wild beast in the mountains?” the proprietress asked fearfully while helping to make the bed.
Bai Yanzhou carefully laid Bai Jimu face down on the bed, his movements as gentle as if handling a fragile treasure.
He straightened up, his face already wearing that gentle, distant, yet reassuring smile, only a trace of exhaustion remaining deep in his eyes that couldn’t be fully hidden. “Sorry to trouble you. The mountain path was slippery, and he accidentally took a fall. The injury is a bit serious, so he needs to rest for a few days.”
He made up a reason casually, his tone natural, leaving no room for doubt.
“Ay, these Ailao Mountains are just wicked! You folks rest first. I’ll have the kitchen make some hot porridge and ginger soup!” The proprietress was discerning; she didn’t ask further and quickly went out to arrange things.
The room fell silent.
Ming Shu jumped out of the basket, leaped lightly onto the only chair in the room, curled up, and closed her eyes to rest, though her ears remained alertly pricked.
Xiao Duchuan silently fetched hot water, wrung out a hot towel, and handed it to Bai Yanzhou.
Bai Yanzhou took it, thanked him, and began to carefully wipe the mud and bloodstains from Bai Jimu’s face and hands.
His movements were extremely focused and gentle, a stark contrast to how he had been gritting his teeth and calling him a “brute” internally just moments ago.
Xiao Duchuan stood by, not disturbing him.
His gaze swept over Bai Yanzhou’s focused profile, landing on his fingers, which appeared even fairer and longer when wet. His eyes were deep.
This scene inexplicably reminded him of a long, long time ago.
When he was young and sick, his teacher also guarded his bedside like this, personally wiping him down to cool his fever and feeding him medicine.
Only then, his teacher’s eyes held more responsibility and faint pity, unlike now, filled with undisguised heartache and anger.
Coal Ball jumped silently onto the foot of the bed, finding an out-of-the-way corner to curl up in. His golden vertical pupils quietly watched everyone in the room in the dim light.
Just as Bai Yanzhou finished cleaning Bai Jimu and was about to check the wound and change the dressing again, his phone on the bedside table suddenly rang.
It wasn’t a normal ringtone, but a specially set, crisp chirping of a Cockatiel, sounding a bit clumsy.
This ringtone made both Bai Yanzhou and Ming Shu freeze for a moment.
Bai Yanzhou put down the things in his hand almost immediately and walked quickly to pick up the phone.
The contact name flashing on the screen was impressively [Little Xuan].
A flash of surprise crossed his face, followed by a knowing softness.
Before leaving, he had specifically bought a phone watch for Bai Xuan and told him he could call anytime.
Little Cockatiel was introverted and sensitive, having only recently taken human form, and still stuttered.
He rarely contacted the outside world actively.
For him to call, there was only one reason: he missed them, or… he sensed strong unease.
Bai Yanzhou immediately pressed the answer button, his voice filled with gentleness and patience he didn’t even notice. “Little Xuan?”
Silence on the other end for two seconds, then came a thin, timid child’s voice with a distinct nasal tone, speaking haltingly: “B-Brother Bai… w-when… are you… c-coming back?”
Sure enough, he missed them. Bai Yanzhou’s heart felt like it was tickled by a feather, softening completely.
Even the anger toward Bai Jimu and the killing intent toward Xiangliu were temporarily dispelled significantly by this call.
“Soon. We’ll be back very soon.” Bai Yanzhou lowered his voice further. “Is Little Xuan being good at the clinic? Have you been eating well?”
“Mmhmm… g-good.” Little Cockatiel’s voice brightened slightly, but still carried reliance. “A-Ate. Brother Lin… Lin You… peeled sunflower seeds f-for me.”
“Great job.” Bai Yanzhou praised unreservedly, the smile in his tone almost overflowing. “When we get back, we’ll bring you delicious food.”
“R-Really?” A hint of anticipation entered Little Cockatiel’s voice, but it quickly dropped again. “Where’s Bro M-Mumu? W-Why isn’t he talking?”
Bai Yanzhou glanced at the unconscious Bai Jimu on the bed and lied without batting an eye. “Brother Mumu? He’s sleeping next to me. He played too hard today and got tired.” He deliberately made his tone sound relaxed and natural.
“Oh…” Little Cockatiel seemed to accept this explanation, but added in a small voice, “I… I d-dreamed yesterday… Brother Mumu fell… and c-cried…”
Bai Yanzhou’s heart jolted.
This child… is his perception that sharp?
He quickly comforted him. “Dreams are opposites. Don’t worry, Little Xuan. Brother Mumu is just sleepy. When he wakes up, I’ll have him call you, okay?”
“Okay…” Little Cockatiel responded obediently, seeming reassured. “Th-Then Brother Bai… you guys come back quickly. I-I miss you.”
“Okay, we will definitely be as fast as possible.” Bai Yanzhou promised solemnly. “Little Xuan, take care of yourself too. Listen to Brother Lin You.”
“K-Know. Brother Bai… b-bye bye.”
“Bye-bye, Little Xuan.”
After hanging up, the room was unusually quiet for a moment.
Ming Shu had opened her cat eyes at some point, her amber gaze holding pity for the little Cockatiel and a trace of understanding. That child didn’t speak, but he understood everything in his heart; he was very sensitive.
Xiao Duchuan took all this in.
He looked at Bai Yanzhou’s incredibly gentle profile when answering the phone, listened to his patient tone coaxing the child, and saw the complex expression on his face after hanging up—a mix of longing, doting, and a sliver of guilt from the lie… This teacher was someone he had never seen before.
Distinctly different from the image in his memory of the Imperial Preceptor sitting high in the court, cold as the moon, seemingly not eating the food of mortals.
The current Bai Yanzhou would be angry and heartbroken for his family’s injury, would patiently coax the sensitive child at home, would be eager to return home because of a sentence of missing… He was dyed with the colors of the mundane world, warm and real.
Xiao Duchuan’s chest felt filled with something, sour and swelling.
His thousand-year search and obsession seemed to find a more concrete, more vivid target at this moment.
What he wanted wasn’t just the cold shadow in his memory, but this Bai Yanzhou before him—who could get angry, laugh, be protective, and had a soft heart.
Bai Yanzhou put away his phone and exhaled lightly.
Interrupted by Little Xuan, his mood had settled a lot.
He walked to the table and picked up the millet porridge the proprietress had just sent over; the temperature was just right.
He sat down, took a spoonful, and ate slowly.
After a tossing day, he was indeed hungry.
While eating the porridge, he habitually picked up his phone with his free hand, unlocked it with a fingerprint, and the screen lit up.
It displayed the paused interface of a palace intrigue drama he was currently chasing, frozen on a close-up of a concubine with sharp eyes delivering a cutting remark.
Xiao Duchuan’s gaze swept over inadvertently, and he happened to see the familiar title and palace costume on the screen.
A trace of very faint surprise and… knowing amusement flashed through his eyes.
So Teacher has such a… hobby.
This formed an interesting contrast with his usual Buddhist-style image of seeing through the world.
Bai Yanzhou also seemed to realize someone had seen his phone screen.
His movement paused slightly, then he nonchalantly turned off the screen and continued focusing on the porridge, though the tips of his ears seemed to flush an imperceptible red.
Xiao Duchuan didn’t point it out, only the smile in his eyes deepened.
He walked to the window, looking at the completely dark night sky still filled with fog outside, and spoke in a deep voice. “Teacher, the wrap-up work here will be done by tomorrow. After that, I will return to the clinic with you.”
This wasn’t a question, but a statement.
Bai Yanzhou stopped eating his porridge, but didn’t turn back immediately.
He stared silently at the soft millet porridge in the bowl.
In his mind flashed Little Cockatiel’s tearful “I miss you,” the hideous wound on Bai Jimu’s back, and Xiao Duchuan’s seemingly casual but thorough protection along the way, as well as his unquestionable tone right now.
He knew he couldn’t shake him off this time, no matter what.
Moreover, after experiencing life and death together at Black Dragon Pool and seeing Xiao Duchuan’s concern for Bai Jimu’s injury and reliability in the aftermath, he couldn’t bring himself to say words of refusal.
After a long time, he gave a soft “Mmhmm,” the sound so low it was almost inaudible.
But this tiny response made the corners of Xiao Duchuan’s lips by the window slowly curl up into a faint but real arc.
At the foot of the bed, Coal Ball lifted his head. His golden pupils looked at Xiao Duchuan, then at Bai Yanzhou, and the tip of his tail swayed gently.