Faced with Lu Xian’er’s question, the cautious Bai Xiaoxue didn’t answer. Instead, she asked, “Senior, did you just say you’re from Joyous Harmony Valley?”
Lu Xian’er, enduring excruciating pain, nodded and said, “That’s right… I’m the Young Valley Mistress of Joyous Harmony Valley, Lu Xian’er.”
Hearing this, Bai Xiaoxue’s expression changed slightly. So it really was this woman. Remembering what the Invincible Director had once said, she always had a strange feeling that this woman might lure the Director away!
That thought stirred unease in her heart. Should I just kill her too…?
Lu Xian’er was stunned. Why did she suddenly feel like Bai Xiaoxue was looking at her with hostility? She hadn’t done anything to offend her, had she?
Trying to ease the atmosphere, Lu Xian’er asked, “Little sister, with talent and cultivation like yours, are you a disciple of some powerful force? Or do you have a formidable master?”
To have reached the Peak Postnatal Realm at such a young age, and even grasp sword intent—it was monstrous! She was genuinely curious where this girl came from.
But Bai Xiaoxue shook her head and said, “I’m not part of any faction, and I don’t have a master. I learned it all by myself.”
“Self-taught? That’s impossible!”
“I have no reason to lie to you.”
“This…” Lu Xian’er couldn’t refute it. That answer left her both shocked and amazed.
“In that case, would you be interested in joining Joyous Harmony Valley?” Lu Xian’er looked at Bai Xiaoxue with burning intensity. “With your sword talent, if you had access to our valley’s resources, you would definitely surpass me in the future as a sword cultivator.”
Anyone else would have immediately jumped at such an opportunity. From her perspective, there was no reason for Bai Xiaoxue to refuse.
Bai Xiaoxue hadn’t expected to be valued this highly and fell into contemplation. But before she could respond, she heard a thud—Lu Xian’er had collapsed in front of her.
“Senior? Senior, are you alright?”
Bai Xiaoxue quickly rushed over and found that Lu Xian’er had fainted from her injuries. Her wounds were indeed far too severe. She had already been slashed repeatedly by the blood-colored scythe when she was being suppressed earlier, and her body was covered in lacerations.
After the explosion at the end, her internal and external injuries had reached a terrifying level. Her white dress was now dyed almost entirely red.
“Wait… this is…”
Upon inspecting her wounds more closely, Bai Xiaoxue noticed a black aura corroding her flesh and blood. Initially, she thought the injuries were just severe, but now it was clear—the scythe had been laced with some sort of toxin. If left untreated, it could cost Lu Xian’er her life.
At this point, Bai Xiaoxue had no means to treat it. She could only pin her hopes on the Invincible Director. But the problem was how to get her back. Carrying her through the city would draw too much attention—and if someone targeted them on the way, it would be troublesome.
After thinking for a long while, her eyes suddenly lit up. “Right! I’ve got it!”
…
Lin Yun was currently accompanying Qing Yue in cultivation when he suddenly heard a system prompt beside his ear.
[Orphan Cultivation Mission, Part One: Completed!]
Lin Yun froze for a moment, only then realizing that Bai Xiaoxue had actually comprehended sword intent. “That little girl… she really pulled it off?”
Surprised, he turned to ask Qing Yue, “By the way, do you know where Xiaoxue went today?”
Qing Yue glanced at him and answered, “Didn’t you tell her to comprehend sword intent? I suggested she try going to Absolute Sword Valley.”
She then added with a hint of sarcasm, “Still, Director, your expectations are a bit too unreasonable, don’t you think?”
Lin Yun chuckled, “What if she’s just extraordinarily gifted?”
“With her cultivation level? How could she possibly comprehend sword intent?”
“But what if… she really does today?”
Qing Yue rolled her eyes. “If that happens, I’ll give you massages every day and be your maid for a whole month!”
“You said it yourself.”
“Hmph! This princess never lies!”
Hands on her hips, Qing Yue looked full of confidence.
Moments later, Bai Xiaoxue’s voice came from outside the door. “Director! I’m back!”
Hearing this, both Lin Yun and Qing Yue walked over, ready to ask her about sword intent. But instead, they saw Bai Xiaoxue wobbling in, carrying the same natural wooden box that once held Qing Yue.
Lin Yun frowned and asked, “Xiaoxue, what’s with the act this time?”
Before he could say more, Bai Xiaoxue plopped the box down with a thud, took a deep breath, and said urgently, “Director! Save her!”
“Uh… save who?”
Without delay, Bai Xiaoxue opened the box, revealing a blood-soaked, unconscious, masked woman inside.
“Holy crap, Xiaoxue, did you drag her out of a pile of corpses?”
Not wasting time, Bai Xiaoxue said directly, “This woman is the Young Valley Mistress of Joyous Harmony Valley—Lu Xian’er.”
Lin Yun and Qing Yue were both stunned. “It’s her? How did she get this badly injured?”
As Lin Yun spoke, he reached out to remove the bloodstained mask from her face. Oddly enough, the mask was strangely hard to take off. But once removed, the flawless face beneath made Lin Yun pause in a daze.
Especially in her current state, there was a unique kind of tragic beauty—like a flower on the verge of withering.
“Wow… gotta say, she really is stunning.”
“Director!”
Lin Yun gave a dry cough and quickly changed the subject. “Let’s get back to business. What exactly happened?”
“It’s a long story. Do you think she can be saved?”
“…These wounds are pretty severe,” Lin Yun muttered, his expression turning serious. After a moment of thought, he made up his mind. “Alright, I’ll give it a shot.”
Lu Xian’er’s injuries were dire—internal injuries, external trauma, and severe poisoning. The most dangerous was the poison spreading through her wounds. If not treated quickly, she wouldn’t make it past half a day.
His only hope now lay in the new healing ability he had just acquired—Healing Hand.
“Xiaoxue, go buy her a change of clothes.”
“As for you, Xiao Yue, boil some hot water.”
Both girls agreed and headed off in different directions.
Just before leaving, Bai Xiaoxue suspiciously reminded him, “Director, she’s still a pure maiden. Don’t you dare do anything lewd!”
“Do I look like the kind of guy who’d take advantage of someone unconscious?”
“…Kind of.”
“Get out of here!”
Bai Xiaoxue cheekily stuck out her tongue and jogged off.
Lin Yun carried Lu Xian’er in his arms and brought her to his room, preparing to heal her thoroughly.
Not long after, Lu Xian’er seemed to wake up from a dream. But her mind was hazy. She vaguely saw a man untying her waistband and removing her skirt—yet she had no strength to resist.
She could only barely make out half his face. He seemed like a handsome young man.
After that, the man’s hands began wandering all over her like some indecent pervert.
“Am I… dreaming?” Lu Xian’er murmured, her consciousness drifting like a dream.
But soon, the sharp pains from all over her body made her realize—it didn’t quite feel like a dream.
Driven by instinct, she whispered, “It hurts… please… be gentle…”
No one knew how long the treatment lasted, but eventually, Lu Xian’er fell back into unconsciousness again…