What happened to Lin Xiangqing?
Wasn’t he fine when he came back? If he were to die, it wouldn’t be now.
Su Tangxing asked about it.
“Xiangqing has been suffering from a lingering illness, and he fell ill again after catching a chill.”
Su Tangxing was somewhat puzzled. “If he can’t handle the cold, why doesn’t he wear a Dharma robe that protects against wind and cold to keep himself fully protected?”
Guanshui Yuanjun replied, “That makes sense. But he also has his pride. If everything were taken care of for him… I’m afraid he’d feel even worse.”
Since Lin Xiangqing was ill, Su Tangxing naturally went to visit him.
He had fallen ill many times before and had even said he didn’t want to trouble his junior disciples, so there was no need to visit him—it would also allow him to rest quietly.
But Su Tangxing was neither a junior disciple nor a junior sister. She was the Great-Grandmaster.
She wasn’t on the list of those politely declined.
So, she bought Medicinal Pills beneficial to his health from Elixir Peak, picked up some processed water chestnut bamboo shoots from the dining hall, and brought them to his door.
She didn’t bring the dog.
She had sent it back to her Cultivation Cave.
The puppy woke up as soon as it left her embrace and started whining when it saw her leaving.
The puppy, having left its mother and arrived at a new home, was attached to its owner. It was unclear how it had managed to walk all the way here alone. But the Fox Master had already checked on it, so it should be fine.
She covered it with one of her jackets. As the puppy was covered, darkness suddenly fell before its eyes, and its whining paused. Su Tangxing seized the opportunity to leave.
Lin Xiangqing’s Cultivation Cave was located in a corner of the main peak.
The Cultivation Caves of the Cultivators here weren’t just randomly dug caves to live in. Each had its own considerations and charm, mostly a combination of natural caves and artificial structures, belonging to the composite type of Cultivation Cave.
Outside the cave were two stone doors. Passing through the courtyard to the second door, she saw a couplet inscribed on it. The brushstrokes were bold and flowing, with the fragrance of ancient ink, clearly written by Lin Xiangqing himself.
However, to see him in person, she had to go further inside.
The overall architecture was elegant and serene, with pavilions, terraces, water pavilions, and winding corridors leading into deep seclusion.
Su Tangxing walked around and finally spotted a two-story building, where she found the person she was looking for.
That was close.
She almost got lost in his home.
When she entered, she realized someone else was already there.
Rong Ye was also present.
He was talking to Lin Xiangqing, who was sitting on the couch.
His plump face and large ears made Lin Xiangqing, sitting opposite him, appear even more frail and delicate.
Hearing the sound, Lin Xiangqing turned to look. Seeing it was Su Tangxing, his pale lips parted slightly. “Great-Grandmaster… why have you come?”
“To visit you.”
Su Tangxing sat down on the other side, placed the food box on the small table, and took out the soup made with water chestnut bamboo shoots.
“Try this. I thought it smelled quite fresh. Would you like some?” The first part was directed at Lin Xiangqing, while the latter was addressed to Rong Ye.
As expected, he declined.
Fortunately, Su Tangxing hadn’t brought a portion for him.
She had asked Guanshui Yuanjun, and it was fine for someone with a cold to drink this. Moreover, it contained chicken raised by the Xianju disciples, which was rich in Spiritual Power and could supplement nutrition.
The chicken soup was warm, with the oil skimmed off, giving off a light and refreshing aroma that wouldn’t feel greasy.
Lin Xiangqing’s hands holding the jade spoon were almost translucent, like carved jade, making it hard to tell which was whiter.
After taking a sip, his lips gained a hint of color, and he smiled. “It tastes good. Have you had some?”
“No,” Su Tangxing replied, taking out another bowl. “That’s why I brought my own bowl.”
The two of them sat together, drinking the soup, while Rong Ye sat there awkwardly.
Lin Xiangqing’s fingers, holding the bowl, gradually warmed up, and he continued the topic from earlier.
He and Rong Ye were discussing the abnormal behavior of the Spirit Beasts, and he still seemed somewhat worried.
“I just came from Elixir Peak. Guanshui Yuanjun said the situation isn’t too serious and can still be remedied. Later they’ll start the furnace to refine pills. Once he takes a Heart-Clearing Pill, he’ll regain consciousness.”
“He needs to take a Heart-Clearing Pill?” Lin Xiangqing was startled, frowning. “What exactly is the reason for this?”
Su Tangxing lowered her head to eat a bamboo shoot, remaining silent.
Seeing he was still worried, she comforted him, “Don’t worry, my Master has also gone to check on him.”
Mentioning Tiankuang, Rong Ye cleared his throat lightly to indicate his presence.
Su Tangxing looked over at the sound and asked, “With such fine weather, aren’t you going to refine artifacts?”
Artifact refining, artifact refining—those were the only words she had for him whenever they met! Rong Ye was filled with frustration, but with his weakness held in her hands, he could only snort coldly in the end, rising to bid farewell.
Before leaving, he stared down at Su Tangxing for a moment, his gaze unfriendly.
Only after he had left did Su Tangxing set down her bowl and say, “Why think so much? If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up. Right now, recovering your health is what matters most.”
Lin Xiangqing curved his lips and softly replied, “Alright, then I won’t think about it anymore.”
After finishing her soup, Su Tangxing chatted idly with him, shifting the topic to the process of brewing wine.
Noticing weariness creeping into Lin Xiangqing’s eyes, she stood up and said, “Then I’ll head back first. You rest well.”
But he hesitated and said, “Great-Grandmaster, could you stay a little longer?” His fingers curled slightly against the edge of the table as he opened his mouth, “I don’t know why, but only when I’m by your side do I feel calm…”
Su Tangxing, who had half-risen, settled back down. “Alright.”
As she continued speaking slowly, Lin Xiangqing’s voice grew softer and softer until he fell asleep on the couch.
Lying on his side, half of his face was revealed beneath his black hair, the curve of his profile beautiful.
Su Tangxing closed her mouth, pulled a thin quilt over him, then took out a jade slip and pressed it to her forehead, immersing her mind in it.
The game was just the tip of the iceberg of the real world; there were many things she had never heard of.
Did Rong Ye have True Fire?
She racked her brains trying to remember, but could only recall players discussing his chains.
But she hadn’t seen any chains either.
When she had read most of the jade slip’s contents, Lin Xiangqing, sleeping beside her, stirred restlessly in small movements.
Su Tangxing withdrew her focus and opened her eyes to look at him.
He wasn’t sleeping peacefully, his brows tightly knit in pain, his raven-feather-like eyelashes trembling lightly. His cheeks and lips were flushed crimson, his fingers unconsciously clutching the collar of his robe over his heart as he breathed with difficulty in small, labored gasps. Each exhale carried heat, and behind his snow-white teeth, a hint of pink tongue was faintly visible.
Having a nightmare?
Or was his illness flaring up?
Su Tangxing pushed him, and seeing no response, patted his cheek. “Wake up?”
Her hand touched scorching heat.
Could he still get a fever after taking the medicinal pill?
Su Tangxing reached to feel his neck. Beneath his collar, there was a thin layer of sweat, but his body felt cold.
It seemed he really had a fever.
She intended to fetch a doctor, but her warm hand was grasped. Lin Xiangqing murmured incoherently, sometimes calling out that he was cold, sometimes that he was hot.
Su Tangxing forcefully pulled her hand free and piled several more layers of quilts over him, wrapping him up.
Holding your Great-Grandmaster’s hand is useless; your Great-Grandmaster can’t lower your temperature.
Her Tongjue didn’t have many added friends; after searching through it, she found only a handful of people.
There was also an unread message from Mu Liuyun.
A few days ago, he had asked if she had arrived at the sect and how she was doing now.
Both of the Mu couple had asked this question. Su Tangxing had replied instantly upon seeing theirs, but only Mu Liuyun’s message had been forgotten at the back of her mind.
Now that I saw it and remembered, I wasn’t in a hurry to reply. I first found Guanlan Yuanjun in my contact list and asked her to come take a look at Lin Xiangqing.
Only then did I reply to Mu Liuyun: “Everything went smoothly.”
Over there, the response was quick. Mu Liuyun’s pleasant voice came through Tongjue, equally concise with just one word:
“Mhm.”