Chapter 745: Reunion

Chapter 745: Reunion

The siblings dashed through the forest.

Yet, daggers came whistling through the air from behind!

Yu Yonggui had no choice but to release Xingxing’s hand, turn around, and parry with his flexible blade!

A barrage of hidden weapons rained down, forcing Yu Yonggui to dodge behind another tree.

Xingxing also hid behind a tree. The wind was against them; if she used the knockout drug now, it would only knock them out instead.

She had to get upwind first.

Xingxing quietly shifted her direction.

She was almost successful!

But at that moment, the pursuers spotted her!

Xingxing gritted her teeth and lunged toward the upwind side, tossing a handful of knockout powder at the group from above!

At the same time, her attackers hurled daggers at her!

Too far to help, Yu Yonggui roared, "Xingxing!"

Xingxing dodged in panic but tripped over vines on the ground, stumbling backward several steps!

Those few steps led to a sudden disaster—Xingxing fell backward, only to find a cliff behind her!

Yu Yonggui’s eyes blazed with fury!

Most of the pursuing squad had inhaled the knockout drug Xingxing had scattered and could barely stand.

Yu Yonggui was utterly shattered. He rushed to the cliff’s edge, but the drop below vanished into darkness.

"Xingxing!" he screamed into the chasm.

Only silence answered.

His eyes burning red, Yu Yonggui turned back to glare at their pursuers.

...

Xingxing plummeted down the cliff but was incredibly fortunate—thick vines broke her fall, leaving her with only minor scrapes and no serious injuries.

She rolled into a cave hidden in the shadows, its moss-covered walls. She landed barely hurt in the pool at the cave’s base.

*Splash!*

The pool’s water was freezing.

Xingxing had feared water since childhood. As she sank into the pool, the icy water choked her, locking her muscles rigid—like she was back in that moment Zou Wan Shi had thrown her off the boat years ago.

The cold swallowed her alive, sucking her under.

But then, someone leaped into the pool. After a desperate struggle, her rescuer hauled her out.

Dazed and half-conscious, she only felt a hard press on her stomach.

She coughed up mouthfuls of icy pond water, then collapsed onto the ground, coughing violently.

After who knows how long, Xingxing's coughing gradually subsided.

Soaked through and shivering, Xingxing lay on the ground, her voice hoarse from the choking and coughing: "...Thank you for saving me."

Her rescuer had remained completely silent from the start.

But Xingxing somehow knew.

She turned her head and looked toward the dark corner of the cave—

Years later, Xingxing would recall this moment and feel as though that look was fate.

Something told her he'd be there.

So Xingxing looked in that direction.

And so she saw him.

The faceless young man from her dreams sat in the shadows, leaning against the cave wall.

Though little sunlight reached him, Xingxing finally saw his features clearly.

He was strikingly handsome, almost unnaturally so, his hair cascading over his shoulders, his entire body soaked, like a drowned star.

His expression was impassive, but when Xingxing struggled to sit up and turned to look at him, their eyes met, and his face showed something complicated.

The deathly quiet cave grew even quieter.

After a moment, Xingxing spoke softly: "Brother Yan?"

Brother Yan's face changed.

His pale lips parted: "Xingxing?"

His deep voice, like jade on stone, made Xingxing's eyes sting.

Sunlight streamed in through a narrow opening above the cave. Xingxing pushed herself up from the ground and staggered toward the shadowed area where the young man sat.

The young man also stood and walked toward the sunlit area where Xingxing was, though he walked with a slight limp, despite his otherwise poised posture.

Her heart hurt, and Xingxing quickened her steps.

Where light met shadow, Xingxing grabbed the young man's arm, too choked up to say more: "...Brother Yan!"

The young man looked down at her hand on his arm.

It had been so long.

But Xingxing hadn't changed.

Though she had a thousand questions, she went straight to what worried her most:

"Sit down - your leg!"

Xingxing held Wei Shiyan's arm, half-holding him up as she guided him.

Wei Shiyan gazed down at Xingxing.

He had grown taller over the years, now taller than even his master, Qin Gongfeng.

Xingxing still didn't reach his shoulders.

From his perspective, she seemed even more delicate.

Yet this delicate girl was helping him with such care.

The years they'd spent apart seemed to vanish in that moment.

Wei Shiyan allowed Xingxing to guide him to the stone wall and, following her lead, sat down.

Then, shocking him, Xingxing immediately began reaching for his trouser leg.

Even Wei Shiyan was startled.

Xingxing said sternly, "Brother Yan, I need to check your leg. Don't refuse treatment just because you're scared."

Wei Shiyan fell silent.

Silently, he gently pushed her hand away, coughed, and pushed up his right trouser leg.

His right leg was marked with numerous scars, some clearly old wounds. Xingxing felt her heart clench at the sight.

But what pained her most was the clearly malformed area—a large, twisted bulge on his lower leg.

It was clear the bone had healed improperly after a fracture, without proper treatment.

Xingxing carefully examined it, then took his pulse, her face fell.

Wei Shiyan’s pulse was weak, his overall condition alarmingly poor.

And his leg was worse.

Xingxing wiped away the tears threatening to spill with the back of her hand. "Brother Yan, your leg needs to be refractured and reset. Otherwise, walking will become difficult in the future."

Wei Shiyan hadn't cared at first.

But the unshed tears glistening in Xingxing’s eyes burned him.

After a moment of silence, he said, "Do what you must."

"Is it safe around here?" Xingxing asked softly. "I’ll look for tools nearby. Your leg needs to be refractured and properly set."

But Wei Shiyan suddenly caught her by the wrist.

"Your clothes are soaked. Let me start a fire first."

Though the weather outside was warming, the cave was freezing.

Xingxing hesitated. "Is it safe to light a fire?"

Wei Shiyan replied, "Deeper in, this cave connects to a narrow valley with trees, wild fruits, and game. I’ve gathered some firewood."

Xingxing felt another pang.

It was clear Wei Shiyan had survived here, hauling his damaged leg, relying on these meager resources.

Once the fire was lit, Xingxing removed her outer robe and hung it to dry.

Wei Shiyan stepped away, sitting at the other end of the cave, leaning against the stone wall, deep in thought.