While Lu Yin pinched a spell sign to stop the bleeding, the Medical Immortal stepped over to help. Fortunately, the injury wasn’t too severe—just a deep, wide cut on the arm, though not particularly penetrating.
“What on earth happened?!” The Master of Red Blood Lake slammed his hands on the railing and stood up abruptly.
A rising star from Supreme Will Valley collapsed to his knees with a thud. “Master! It’s all my fault! I was blinded by obsession!”
The Medical Immortal’s face flickered with doubt and shock. “You?”
The young prodigy kowtowed heavily. “I saw Brother Su Li taking so long to unseal his cauldron. I was terrified he would refine a pill far more exquisite than mine and bring shame to our Supreme Will Valley… So, I… I secretly snuck some Luan-Attracting Herb into his furnace…”
The Luan-Attracting Herb looked strikingly similar to Cold Ice Grass, but its properties were entirely different. It held no medicinal value whatsoever; its sole purpose, true to its name, was to attract Luan birds.
Thus, it wasn’t that Su Li’s pill was of supreme quality that it summoned an omen; it was merely a trick. The bird had been startled for unknown reasons and lashed out, attacking people.
The Medical Immortal flicked his sleeve in irritation. “Foolish! Go back and await your punishment!”
When he turned back around, he looked toward Lu Yin. “My apologies for injuring your disciple.”
Lu Yin shook his head, keeping his voice low. “It wasn’t your fault either. I trust you…”
His words were cut short by a quiet groan from Su Li. “Hss—”
Lu Yin looked down. “What’s wrong?”
Even the Medical Immortal paused in surprise, holding back the bandage. “I didn’t apply any pressure…”
Lu Yin took the gauze from him. “Let me do it.”
Slender, pale fingers rested against the snow-white gauze. The young man’s physique was forged just right—the rise and fall of the honey-toned muscles on his arm thrummed with a raw, youthful power, standing in stark contrast to Lu Yin’s skin, which was pale as fresh snow.
Especially when those hands had to reach around the youth’s chest to wrap the bandage, his snow-white knuckles were nearly damp with the sweat seeping from the young man’s body.
“Does it hurt that much?” Lu Yin asked softly.
Su Li forced a pale smile. “It doesn’t hurt at all, Master.”
In truth, his Master’s bandaging was quite firm, making for a rather poor experience. But to be touched by these hands, to be treated so gently, was pure, unadulterated bliss for Su Li.
He couldn’t even stop himself from imagining: if they weren’t in this setting, but somewhere else, using his own sweat to “defile” his Master’s snow-like skin…
He bit the tip of his tongue, suddenly finding the mild sting of the wound so sweet it made him dizzy.
Watching Lu Yin personally bandage Su Li’s wound, the Master of Red Blood Lake couldn’t help but sneer sarcastically. “Heh, what a fine disciple you’ve raised… making Lu Zizhuo waste his energy on him again.” He wasn’t worried about Su Li’s injury; he was simply displeased with Lu Yin’s overly attentive attitude.
The Medical Immortal met his gaze with a cold glare. “Zizhuo cares for his own disciple. Why don’t you go check on yours? If you’re going to put on a show, at least do it right.” Though his voice was gentle, he unsparingly exposed the hypocrisy of the Lake Master.
“You!” The Master of Red Blood Lake pointed a finger at him.
“What about me?” The Medical Immortal remained poised, quietly matching his hostility.
Seeing the grandmasters of two major sects squabbling right on the viewing platform, the onlookers below wished they could cover their ears and shut their eyes.
“Silence,” Lu Yin said quietly, unable to listen to it any longer.
The two grandmasters instantly froze, suppressing their anger and shutting their mouths tightly.
Right at that moment, the wounded disciple in Lu Yin’s arms weakly raised a hand, whispering, “Master…”
His honey-toned fingers hovered slightly open, as if yearning for a sliver of comfort from his Master.
Lu Yin hesitated briefly before catching his palm. With just a soft touch, Su Li wrapped his large hand tightly around his, the scorching heat of his palm pressing against Lu Yin’s cool hand, sending a subtle shudder through him.
“Master… don’t be angry for my sake. Worrying harms your health…” The disciple’s face was pale, yet he was still earnestly worrying about his Master.
Despite his limited cultivation, he had willingly used his own body to shield his Master from an attack. Even while bleeding from his wound, his primary concern was still his Master’s mood.
Lu Yin was slightly moved, his gaze lingering on him a moment longer.
Master of Red Blood Lake: “…”
Medical Immortal: “…”
What a strong scent of green tea.
“Hmph!” Unable to stomach the sight any longer, the Master of Red Blood Lake rose, vaulted over the railing, and transformed into a fiery red streak, soaring straight down from the pavilion.
Su Li softly closed his eyes, his feather-like eyelashes trembling as he concealed the surging joy in his heart.
The first day of the Sect Tournament drew to a close.
That night, at Lingyue Pavilion.
Su Li was settled into the Dream-Building Residence to rest.
He unwrapped his bandages and discovered that the gruesome, terrifying wound from earlier today had already mostly healed.
In truth, he had known since he was young that his constitution was unusually resilient.
Back when he was still named “Suli,” every winter would see a few familiar beggar faces vanish from the streets. They disappeared like melting snow, dying without leaving a single trace behind.
Suli used to think he would inevitably become one of them. Once, while scavenging for scraps, someone had broken his leg. Slumped beneath a bridge, unable to move, he looked up at the winter sky—unusually bright and blue—and thought his time had surely come.
Yet he waited, and waited, for several whole days. He waited until his lips were parched and the cold bit into his bones, only to discover at the very end… that he could move again!
Dragging his injured leg, he somehow survived another winter.
“What a tough bastard! Ptui!”
Another old vagrant, who had been waiting to pick through his belongings after he died, was so infuriated to see him recover that he spat a few times and scurried away with his crutches.
Su Li knew he was remarkably tough. He knew he recovered quickly from injuries, which was why he had intentionally let the wound run deeper when he blocked the panicked Luan bird.
As long as it kept Master’s eyes on him just a little bit longer…
The corners of Su Li’s lips curled upward.
However, such rapid healing ultimately took a heavy toll on his stamina. Su Li decided to head to the small kitchen to fetch some spiritual fruit.
Inside Lu Yin’s bedchamber, Lu Yin sat cross-legged in midair, turning the Ice Dust Mirror.
Because his hand had slipped last night, accidentally turning himself into a Master Projection, he had used the Soul-Nourishing Spell incorrectly. Tonight, he was destined to be sleepless; he absolutely had to nourish and stabilize the soul-spirits for the two projections!
The mirror rotated like moonlight, and soon, a fiery red, wind-like figure of a sword cultivator appeared within it!
Thus, just as Su Li passed by Lu Yin’s bedchamber, he happened to glance up and catch a glimpse of a red-and-black shadow flying into Lu Yin’s room!
That shadow carried a searing sword intent—so hot that the air twisted slightly wherever it passed.
Is that the Master of Red Blood Lake?!
Wasn’t he mad at Master earlier today? How does he still have the nerve to come here at night?!
Su Li’s face darkened.
Soon after, an annoying sound of ringing bells echoed out.
The rapid, trembling sound grew louder and louder, like a small boat tossed in a violent storm, laying bare the rage being unleashed by the intruder.
It was entirely ungentle, lacking even a shred of pity. The owner of the bells could only passively endure it, shaking his head fragrantly, pinned in place and completely unable to resist.
“Still trying to call for help? To whom? The Medical Immortal?” the owner of the voice asked maliciously. In the next instant, rough fingers calloused from sword practice were stuffed into his mouth, smothering all his words.
The tiny mole near his lips was roughly sucked and bitten, sharp teeth leaving crimson marks on the snow-white skin. Tears spilled from the eyes of the struggling figure, only to be licked away and swallowed…
Su Li lowered his eyes. He knew these were just his own fantasies. Perhaps the ringing was simply from the occupants inside practicing sword strikes against each other.
He was sick in the head.
Who really knew?
He squeezed the fiery red spiritual fruit, letting the juice drip down drop by drop from the gaps between his fingers, before licking it off himself.
He raised his eyes, his gaze heavy and clouded with dark gloom. He simply allowed himself to stand there, listening to the bells while chewing on the spiritual fruit with an expressionless face.
Gradually, the ringing subsided.
Su Li stepped out of the small kitchen, raising his eyes just in time to see the dark shadow leave in satisfaction.
“Heh.” Su Li let out a soft chuckle, though even he didn’t know what he was laughing at.
When all was said and done, the Master of Red Blood Lake was Master’s Dao companion. Even when angry, he could freely enter and leave Master’s bedchamber as he pleased.
And what about himself? He seemed to be by Master’s side every day, yet to him, Master was like the reflection of the moon in the water—completely unreachable no matter how much he tried to scoop it up.
Despite all his calculated schemes, the Master of Red Blood Lake could still come and go whenever he wished.
He looked up at the bright moon hanging in the night sky, remaining silent.
Right at that moment, another figure stepped through the moonlight, floating down softly under a green umbrella and gliding smoothly like the wind through the window of his Master’s bedchamber.
Before long, the bells began to ring once more.
Only this time, the sound was like a babbling brook softly caressing the shore—holding a enduring power capable of wearing away the sharpest edges of a stone over time.
Su Li’s pupils contracted, then dilated.
He was rendered speechless by shock: He had thought he was gradually learning to accept this side of his Master, but in the end, he had severely underestimated him.
One for the first half of the night, and another for the second. Master certainly knew how to keep the waters balanced between them.
Strands of spiritual aura seeped through the window, carrying the scent of lush greenery and sweet osmanthus, blending intimately together—this was a spiritual aura unique to Nascent Soul grandmasters.
Su Li’s pupils trembled violently.
If I were that strong… would Master look at me a little more, too?
If I were that strong… could I… do that as well?