“Chapter 33 [VIP] The Wandering Swordsman Saga (14)”

"Chapter 33 [VIP] The Wandering Swordsman Saga (14)"

"Nan Yan was obviously doing it on purpose. After tormenting him, she felt significantly better, yet her face still showed an expression of regret and sorrow."

"Xiao Guanxue had no choice but to comfort her, despite feeling helpless."

"Seeing her getting more uncontrollable the more she cried, he sighed softly and then comforted her by saying:"

""Alright, stop crying. It's just a sip of water you missed. Just bear with it for now, things will get better once we're back in the village.""

"Upon hearing Xiao Guanxue's words, Nan Yan's crying abruptly stopped. She lifted her head to look at him, her eyes, cleansed by tears, flickered with disbelief."

""Don't you blame me for being useless and always holding you back?""

"Xiao Guanxue felt uncomfortable under her intense gaze. They were already sitting very close on the tree branch, and with her looking at him like that, his figure filled her view."

"This made Xiao Guanxue feel strange, but he didn't voice any objection, instead turning his face away to explain:"

""What's there to blame? You didn't do it on purpose, and even if I blamed you, the water wouldn't fly up by itself. I don't have the energy to argue about these things right now.""

"His words sounded right, but it wasn't entirely true. Seeing the young lady crying so pitifully and sadly, he felt an inexplicable softness in his heart."

"Perhaps it's a man's natural reaction to feel both annoyed and helpless towards a woman who cries easily. In any case, he wasn't very angry."

"Moreover, after spending the past few days together, he realized that this seemingly contrary young lady wasn't all that bad at heart."

"Although she could be unforgiving in her words at times, she had never done anything to harm others."

"Upon hearing his explanation, Nan Yan fell silent for a moment, then slowly lifted her head to glance at him."

"Her gaze was earnest, filled with relief and an indescribable sympathy. 'Brother Xiao, I have misunderstood you all along.'"

"'Sumo must be blind to have chosen Xie Yu, that insensitive man. Now, I feel immense pity for her, having missed out on a peerless man like you. It's truly her life's regret.'"

Xiao Guanxue: "..."

"Why do these words feel so unsettling?"

"Is it a compliment or an insult? It's like rubbing salt in the wound."

"Thus, Xiao Guanxue glanced at her and replied lightly, 'That's not entirely true. She's not the only blind one. What about you, a gentle and considerate woman like yourself? Didn't Xie Yu also overlook you?'"

"So this is mutual hurt, is it?"

"Nan Yan couldn't help but burst into laughter."

"Her frown disappeared with her laugh, scattering the previously sorrowful and melancholic air, her smile blooming like a begonia."

"Her expression quickly became lively, her eyes and brows conveying the confident demeanor of the past, captivating anyone who saw her."

"Nan Yan gently patted Xiao Guanxue's shoulder, seemingly not angry, 'Since when did the great physician become so petty? I came to comfort you with good intentions. You're not grateful, fine, but why say such things to hurt me?'"

"But Xiao Guanxue was stunned by her smile."

"He gazed at her face, so close at hand, feeling an unfamiliar emotion stirring in his heart, making his breath slow."

"This strange feeling made Xiao Guanxue uncomfortable, so he immediately turned away, refusing to look at her again."

"He wondered why he had recently been so affected by every little thing this woman did. Could it be that he was bewitched?"

"Afterwards, when Nan Yan spoke to him again, Xiao Guanxue seemed somewhat distracted, responding only sporadically, his mind clearly elsewhere. Nan Yan pretended not to notice, assuming his wound was causing the distraction."

……

"Moments later, dawn broke."

"Both of them were troubled by the sight of the wolves circling below, reluctant to leave. They couldn't possibly hide in the tree forever, and the longer they waited, the more dangerous it became for the infected villagers."

"And there was Mo'er and the others, with their condition unknown."

"Thinking of Sumo, Xiao Guanxue remembered something. She had been infected by a wolf bite."

"He too was scratched by a wolf last night, but woke up this morning without any fever. Could it be that the poison didn't affect him?"

"Xiao Guanxue checked his own pulse first. Although weak, there was no sign of the poison."

"Concentrating, he suddenly had a thought and immediately unwrapped the bandage from his hand."

"Upon inspection, he found the wound still red and swollen. Having administered three needles last night without completely removing the poison, could it be that the snake venom neutralized the poison, negating its effects?"

"After a thorough examination, Xiao Guanxue found only residual poison in his system, besides the external injury on his back. Elsewhere, he was unharmed."

"A realization dawned on him; by a stroke of luck, he might have found a way to counteract the poison. But how were the wolves unaffected without being bitten by the snakes?"

"Despite pondering, Xiao Guanxue couldn't figure out the reason."

"Nan Yan, seeing his furrowed brows, thought something was amiss. She instinctively touched his forehead, 'Brother Xiao, what's wrong? Do you have a fever, or is your wound hurting again? Why aren't you speaking?'"

"Perhaps too engrossed in his thoughts, Xiao Guanxue didn't quite catch what Nan Yan was saying. Feeling a hand incessantly touching his forehead, he instinctively grabbed it."

""I'm fine. I was injured by a wolf last night, but I woke up without a fever this morning, indicating I'm not poisoned. Moreover, I think I've found a way to suppress the poison.""

"Hearing this, Nan Yan's expression turned to one of surprise, 'Really?'"

"Discovering a method to neutralize the poison was indeed a cause for joy."

"Her face immediately lit up with joy, 'So that means the villagers can be saved. We need to hurry back and share this news with them.'"

"Xiao Guanxue seemed touched by her uninhibited smile, his gaze softening, though he still shook his head."

"'Not so fast. I need to find herbs to cure the snake venom first. The venom from last night hasn't been neutralized, and using poison to fight poison blindly could harm one's vitality and do more harm than good.'"

"Hearing this, Nan Yan nodded, her expression revealing a look of realization. Since he said so, she would just listen; after all, she didn't understand these matters."

"She tried to pull her finger away, but it didn't budge. Observing his obliviousness, Nan Yan playfully teased him, 'Brother Xiao, my hand is indeed very nice to look at and touch, but you've been holding it for quite a while now. Isn't it time to let go?'"

"Having been through life and death together, their relationship had evolved from the initial hostility. While not exactly intimate, joking as friends was harmless."

"Nan Yan gave him a playful look, her eyes and eyebrows curving in amusement, without any hint of blame, only a touch of mischief."

"The speaker was unaware, but the listener took it to heart."

"Xiao Guanxue then realized he had been holding her hand all this time. He instinctively let go, but the soft warmth of her touch lingered in his palm."

"Her teasing words made Xiao Guanxue's face warm slightly, as if the heat from her fingertips had spread to his cheeks."

"In just a moment, his normally pallid face turned a shade of light red, appearing quite uncomfortable, 'Don't talk nonsense, I just forgot...'"

"Xiao Guanxue pursed his lips, trying to suppress the stirrings in his heart, striving to maintain his usual calm and indifferent demeanor."

"But the person beside him wouldn't let him off easily. She blinked and teased, 'Oh... So forgetting gives you the right to take liberties with a girl? I didn't expect Brother Xiao to be that kind of person.'"

"Xiao Guanxue's face turned even redder."

"'I never meant... I didn't mean that...'"

"'Then what do you mean? Taking advantage without taking responsibility?'"

"'I...'"

"Even if I took responsibility, then what?"

"In that instant, Xiao Guanxue was startled by a thought that suddenly surfaced in his mind. When had he started harboring such thoughts, so easily elicited by her few words?"

"He looked up at Nan Yan, facing her face so close to his, and found himself momentarily speechless."

"Seeing him stunned, Nan Yan poked his forehead and laughed softly as he remained motionless."

"'Alright, I was just teasing you, Brother Xiao. I know you didn't mean it, so I don't blame you. But why are you so nervous?'"

"Xiao Guanxue then came back to his senses and frowned at her."

"He didn't know why he was so tense, feeling something different, but couldn't quite put his finger on what it was."

"Eventually, he turned away sullenly, refusing to look at her any longer. It was unclear if he was truly annoyed or something else, but he refused to make eye contact."

"Nan Yan didn't mind his unresponsiveness and looked down at the restless wolves beneath the tree, pondering their next move."

"Apparently impatient after the long standoff, one of the wolves headed into the depths of the forest, leaving the other still guarding below the tree."

"Xiao Guanxue also noticed this opportunity. They exchanged a glance, both realizing it was a good time to make their escape."

"Handling one wolf was feasible for Xiao Guanxue, but considering his injury, they waited a bit longer on the tree for safety, until they were sure the other wolf had really left. Then Xiao Guanxue took out his silver needles, already coated with anesthetic."

"With a swift leap, he stabbed the needles into the wolf, which howled and struggled before losing consciousness."

"This temporarily resolved their crisis, and Nan Yan seized the opportunity to jump down, caught safely by Xiao Guanxue."

"Once they were both steady, Xiao Guanxue gave the wolf a few more stabs to ensure it was completely unconscious, then went forward to examine its wounds."

"There was nothing unusual about the wolf, other than the strong stench of rotting flesh, likely from eating decomposed bodies."

"Upon further examination, Xiao Guanxue found traces of the poison within the wolf, suppressed by some substance. He meticulously checked the wolf, finding several not too severe wounds on its abdomen."

"Strangely, these wounds were tinged with a greenish liquid that smelled bitter, resembling the scent of some medicinal herb."

"Xiao Guanxue seemed to understand something. The green liquid was the substance suppressing the poison, but it was only a temporary solution, not a cure."

"His own body's reaction to the snake venom was similar. His thoughts became clearer, suggesting that a combination of the three might be the key to the true antidote."

"Xiao Guanxue immediately shared his discovery with Nan Yan."

"Nan Yan, thoughtful, asked him, 'So, you want to check out the area where the grey wolves reside, right?'"

"Xiao Guanxue nodded, 'Yes, we might find something.' Then, turning to Nan Yan, his gaze lingered for a moment, as if worried she might be afraid, and added:"

"'The villagers can't wait too long. If you're worried, you can wait here for me. I'll be back in half a day at the latest to get you. Is that okay?'"

"Perhaps even he hadn't noticed how gentle his expression was at that moment, his tone even carrying a hint of cajoling."

"However, Nan Yan decisively refused."

"'No, I'm coming with you.'"

"Xiao Guanxue was left with no choice."

"So, after discussing for a while, they decided to follow the trail of the wolves to investigate, hoping to find a way to completely eradicate the poison."

"The two followed the footprints left in the forest, navigating through the dense undergrowth. Fortunately, with Xiao Guanxue leading, Nan Yan found it much easier."

"After some distance, they came upon a steep slope strewn with rocks, which seemed to be the territory of the grey wolves, and noticed an abundance of green snakehead grass growing on the other side of the slope."

"Xiao Guanxue's expression became focused. He suddenly plucked a blade of grass, sniffed it lightly, then broke off a leaf and tasted it in his mouth."

"Moments later, he spat out the remnants of the leaf, finally confirming that this grass was indeed the source of the liquid found on the wolves."

"It seemed that the wolves, after eating rotten corpses and being poisoned, stumbled upon this snakehead grass that could suppress the poison. By rolling and resting in the grass, they temporarily alleviated the toxins, thus temporarily suppressing the poison within them."

Nanyan handed the water bag she had just picked up to him to rinse his mouth, then asked, "How is it? Did you find something new?"

Xiao Guanxue nodded at her words, turned around with a gentle smile, and said, "Yes, we've found the antidote."

As his voice fell, a whooshing sound was heard beside their ears. It was the last grey wolf returning from hunting, in unbearable pain. It tried to roll in the bushes, as it had done before, to alleviate the bone-deep agony.

Little did they know that these two had found its lair. The grey wolf howled fiercely and pounced towards Xiao Guanxue.

Instinctively, Xiao Guanxue pushed Nanyan away and leaped back swiftly. He hadn't expected the slope, weakened by wind and sun, to crumble under his weight, its surface brittle and loose.

No sooner had he stepped on it than the ground beneath him gave way. The majority of the steep slope collapsed, forming a sheer cliff. The grey wolf, unable to struggle, tumbled down the cliff without even a whimper, disappearing from sight.

The incident happened so suddenly that no one expected the slope to collapse at that moment.

In the moment of collapse, Xiao Guanxue reacted swiftly, stretching out his hand to grab a protruding rock, using all his strength to avoid a fatal fall.

However, the cliff was steep and there was nowhere to find a foothold. Xiao Guanxue hung in mid-air, clearly unable to hold on for long.

By this time, Nanyan had also realized what happened. She looked towards the empty cliff and called out Xiao Guanxue's name instinctively, her voice filled with fear.

"Brother Xiao, Brother Xiao..."

"Don't cry, I'm alright."

Only upon hearing Xiao Guanxue's response did Nanyan stop shouting. She carefully approached the edge of the cliff, which protruded horizontally. Fearing further collapses, she dared not exert too much force.

Only when she got closer did she see Xiao Guanxue clinging tightly to a rock with one hand.

At this moment, he was pale, sweating coldly, with blood oozing from his fingers, looking like he could no longer hold on.

"Nan Yan quickly extended a hand to him, cautiously saying, 'Brother Xiao, give me your other hand. I'll pull you up right now…'"

"It wasn't that Nan Yan truly wanted to save him; it was just that as long as the village's poison remained uncured, Xiao Guanxue would not die."

"The original text also described that beneath the collapsed cliff was a protruding rock wall, not completely broken. Xiao Guanxue had fallen onto this wall, suffering only minor injuries, with no serious harm elsewhere."

"At this moment, Xiao Guanxue's right hand was starting to weaken, and he hesitated upon hearing Nan Yan's words."

"Seeing her insistence, he tentatively reached out to her. The moment their fingers interlocked, the stone loosened suddenly, causing Xiao Guanxue to slide down an inch further."

"Fortunately, he managed to grab onto the crumbling rock in time, using friction to prevent falling. However, his palm was already muddy and in burning pain."

"Nan Yan, pulled forward, had her face turn red, lying on the ground, unable to muster any strength."

"Xiao Guanxue was a grown man; her strength was insufficient. Despite her efforts, his body could not be moved upwards at all."

"In such an anxious and tense situation, tears almost came to Nan Yan's eyes. 'What should I do, Brother Xiao, how can I save you?'"

"Seeing her pale lips and straightened wrists, Xiao Guanxue knew that if he persisted, he might pull her down with him. This would not only fail to save him but also endanger another life."

"He made his decision without hesitation, 'Let go, Yan Yan. I'm running out of strength. If you don't let go, I might pull you down with me.'"

"Nan Yan waited so long only to hear this response, immediately becoming upset. Her lips trembled, her eyes red with anger, and due to his self-defeating words, she cried out in frustration:"

"'No, what are you talking about? If I let go, you'll fall. How can I just watch you plunge to your death?'"

"'I won't let go, and you're not allowed to either, do you hear me?'"

"Xiao Guanxue was truly running out of strength, holding on only by sheer willpower. Yet Nan Yan clung to him tightly. He repeated urgently, 'Let go, Yan Yan! If we continue like this, both of us will die.'"

"Nan Yan shouted back, 'No, I won’t let go. I can't.'"

"Xiao Guanxue, in desperation, said, 'Yan Yan, listen to me. The snakehead grass on this slope, combined with the snake venom, should be the antidote for the Thousand Threads Gu. Take this information back to the village. There are other doctors there who should be able to develop the antidote. If we delay any longer, more people might die.'"

"Hearing this, Nan Yan's face turned pale for a moment, then she shook her head, 'No, don't tell me these things. You're the doctor, it’s your responsibility. You should tell them yourself; I won’t deliver your message.'"

"Hearing her words, Xiao Guanxue sighed softly and began to loosen his grip, slowly saying, 'Let... go.'"

"'No!' Nan Yan, eyes wide with horror, gripped his hand even tighter, 'I won’t let go, Xiao Guanxue, what are you doing? Don’t let go, you can’t!'"

"Nan Yan cried out in desperation, 'How can you let me watch you die? How can you do this? Do you want me to live with regret and guilt forever?'"

"Xiao Guanxue looked up, and from this angle, he could clearly see Nan Yan's face, tears in her eyes, her face smeared with dirt mixed with tears, looking pitiful."

"But why did this woman cry so much?"

"Since they met, he couldn’t count how many times she had cried: when angry, unhappy, her eyes red and the tip of her nose slightly pink, yet she was surprisingly easy to console."

"Thinking this, Xiao Guanxue felt she looked better when she was haughty, especially after causing mischief, standing her ground defiantly and counter-blaming others, which was somehow more endearing."

"Xiao Guanxue gazed at her for a moment."

"Nan Yan, seeing him silent, thought he had come to his senses and relaxed slightly, about to say something encouraging, when she heard him suddenly say:"

"'Yan Yan, have you forgotten? Xie Yu is still waiting for you at the righteous hall.'"

"Nan Yan was momentarily stunned upon hearing his words."

"Taking advantage of her momentary shock, Xiao Guanxue pried open her hand. Nan Yan felt a sharp pain in her fingers, and looking down, she saw Xiao Guanxue falling like a kite with its string cut."

"'No!'"

"In that instant, driven by an unknown courage, she leaped after him, throwing caution to the wind and diving down."

"Xiao Guanxue had anticipated her tears, but never imagined she would jump after him. In that moment, his heart was jolted, and his pupils dilated in shock."

I felt as if something deep inside my heart had been struck hard, my heartbeat accelerating, until finally, I was completely stunned.