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墨書 Inktalez
Spirit Sword Destiny opened his eyes and saw a person.
Xu Xiaofei was looking down at him, leaning in so close that it almost felt like he was about to touch his face. When he noticed that Spirit Sword Destiny had woken up, he suddenly straightened up, seemingly startled.
What was he doing? Spirit Sword Destiny had no idea.
He panicked for just a moment, then smiled and said, "You finally woke up. I was worried because you seemed to be in a deep sleep for so long."
A person with the name containing "Xiao" might not necessarily be good at smiling, but his smile was indeed more sincere and warm than others, making people feel a sense of goodwill upon seeing him.
What he had been doing just now seemed to appear more upright.
"It was just a fall, no big deal. It sounds like you woke up much earlier than I did."
Spirit Sword Destiny struggled to sit up, and Xu Xiaofei helped him. His whole body ached; every bone felt as if it had been smashed by a heavy hammer.
He tried to sound relaxed, but in reality, he felt like he was falling apart from the fall.
The spirit energy that resembled Water Wave was emitted from a protective jade pendant he wore, which could resist magical damage but could not lessen the force of impact. As long as one practiced for a while, their body would become tougher than metal, so the protective treasures used by cultivators generally did not have anti-fall functions.
"I have practiced some Dao techniques; my bones are sturdier than yours," Xu Xiaofei said. "This time you and Han Daozhang saved me. I won't forget this kindness and will repay it in the future."
"Repay? What are you talking about? That Demon Cultivator clearly intended to let you go; don't you blame me for acting rashly?" Spirit Sword Destiny sighed. "This High-Level Secret Treasure was passed down from my ancestors. I thought it would be enough to deal with that Demon Cultivator, but I didn't expect him to still have the strength to counterattack before dying, which left us both injured."
"How could I blame you? You acted out of goodwill!" Seeing his expression downcast, Xu Xiaofei quickly comforted him. "Han Daozhang too; those from the Demon Path are full of tricks. Even if he agreed to the conditions, he might not truly let me go. He saw that you were unfamiliar with Dao techniques yet acted fearlessly and boldly; he praised you quite a bit."
This was indeed true. Spirit Sword Destiny knew that if he hadn't intervened, in the original plot, that Demon Cultivator would have severely injured Xu Xiaofei before letting him go. Han Yue, eager to bring him back to the sect for treatment, wouldn't have had time to pursue him further.
Listening to him, Spirit Sword Destiny looked around.
This is certainly not the collapsed tea house; the room is filled with calming incense, and the furnishings are quite elegant. He is sitting on a large, soft bed.
"This is the Xiaoyao Sect," Xu Xiaofei said. "Han Daozhang brought us back here to let us rest for a while until we fully recover before leaving."
Indeed, Spirit Sword Destiny was not surprised. This was the original plot of the game.
"He just came to check on us. If you feel unwell, I can use the communication talisman he left behind to call him."
"No need," Spirit Sword Destiny shook his head.
He glanced at Xu Xiaofei again and suddenly said, "There’s something I actually wanted to ask you earlier. Why are you wearing a nightgown while checking on me?"
"This, this is because I sneaked over from next door to see how you were doing..." Xu Xiaofei's face turned red.
Spirit Sword Destiny immediately understood; this guy was exactly the type of patient that doctors found most troublesome. Han Yue must have advised him to stay in bed and rest.
"Since you've seen me, shouldn't you go back and rest?"
"It's boring being alone; are you really trying to chase me away?"
Spirit Sword Destiny remained silent, just looking at him.
After a moment of eye contact, Xu Xiaofei conceded, "Fine, I'll come back to see you later."
"Just focus on healing; don't sneak over again. If you really want to come back, at least wear proper clothes."
"...Okay," Xu Xiaofei replied.
Xu Xiaofei was driven away just like that. Before leaving, he asked Spirit Sword Destiny one last question: "By the way, do you have..."
"What do you have?"
"Do you have..." This seemed to be a difficult question for him to ask. After hesitating for a moment, Xu Xiaofei shook his head and said, "It's nothing."
What kind of riddle was he trying to solve? Spirit Sword Destiny had no idea and couldn't guess.
He lay back down, a wave of drowsiness washing over him.
The Demon Cultivator's spiritual energy was toxic, and the poison seeped into his insides, leaving him feeling drained.
Before long, his breathing became steady, as if he had fallen into a deep sleep.
However, in his spiritual sense, he "saw" someone sneaking back in. Even without spiritual power, his perception was far beyond that of an ordinary person unfamiliar with the ways of the world; he could see everything clearly even with his eyes closed.
The person sneaking back in was, of course, Xu Xiaofei.
His expression was somewhat strange.
The cheerful smile had faded, and his brows were furrowed as he stared intently at his own face, as if trying hard to recall something or troubled by an unsolvable issue.
"...Brother Lin, Brother Lin?" he suddenly called softly twice.
Spirit Sword Destiny would not respond. He had already "fallen asleep," sleeping very soundly; unless there was a fire in the room, he wouldn't "wake up." He was really curious about what kind of scheme Xu Xiaofei was concocting.
Xu Xiaofei paused. After a moment, it seemed he had made up his mind.
Then he did something unexpected—he surprised Spirit Sword Destiny as well.
He gently lifted the blanket of Spirit Sword Destiny, uncovered his nightgown, and looked at his chest. When his gaze landed on a flame-shaped scar on the chest, he froze, his fingers trembling.
Aside from shock, there was confusion, melancholy, and pain...
All sorts of expressions appeared on his face.
Anyone with a soft heart who saw him like this would probably be unable to hold back their tears.
Xu Xiaofei slightly opened his mouth; it seemed he had used all his strength to suppress himself from crying out loud.
What was going on? Spirit Sword Destiny did not understand.
His heart was not soft enough; Xu Xiaofei's expression did not move him. He was simply very puzzled. This scar was known by almost no one; even if Xu Xiaofei was also a time traveler who knew many secrets, he should not know about it. If Xu Xiaofei really was, right now he had no spiritual power, and this was the best opportunity to eliminate his great enemy.
Yet Xu Xiaofei showed every kind of emotion on his face, except for killing intent.
Instead, there was a hint of tenderness amidst the pain.
This attitude was as if they had once been a pair of lovers who had weathered many storms but were ultimately separated by the fickle hand of fate. Upon their sudden reunion, they did not recognize each other until Xu Xiaofei remembered him again...
However, reflecting on both before and after the time travel, in two lifetimes Spirit Sword Destiny had never found such a person.
Xu Xiaofei took a few deep breaths, adjusted his nightgown for him, tucked in the blanket, and moved gently.
The painful expression gradually faded like dissipating clouds.
"Great," he smiled and murmured, "so you didn't die after all..."
The warm, slightly bitter medicinal liquid flowed down his throat.
When Spirit Sword Destiny woke up again, a Charming Young Lady with twin buns was feeding him medicine.
The first voice he heard was Xu Xiaofei's: "Brother Lin, are you awake? Do you feel any better? Would you like to eat or drink something? I'm starving; Han Daozhang and Miss Qi brought us some food. If you can eat, let's have it together later."
Han Yue was indeed nearby, and when Spirit Sword Destiny turned his gaze toward him, he smiled gently. In Xu Xiaofei's hands was a square wooden box from which a faint aroma wafted.
Spirit Sword Destiny sighed quietly; he felt a bit cramped in the room, and Xu Xiaofei was talking a little too much.
"Thanks to both of your elixirs, I already feel much better," he said. He truly felt more relaxed.
"The injuries are secondary; that Demon Cultivator practiced poison techniques, and the toxins have already invaded your internal organs. They need to be gradually removed. You will have to stay here for a while longer," the young lady said.
Spirit Sword Destiny recognized her as Qi Yan, a junior sister from the Xiaoyao Sect—also one of the potential love interests for the protagonist. At that moment, it seemed that Xu Xiaofei had little interest in her.
Though he didn't want to admit it, he might be more interested in himself.
"In that case, it seems I will have to trouble your sect for a few more days," Spirit Sword Destiny said.
"Don't mention it," this time it was Han Yue who spoke, "It's my lack of skill that has caused trouble for both of you; I hope you won't hold it against us." He clasped his fists and sincerely bowed.
"Han Daozhang, you're being too polite," both Spirit Sword Destiny and Xu Xiaofei replied.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, the two from Xiaoyao Sect took their leave, while Xu Xiaofei stayed behind.
He sat on the edge of the bed and opened the Lunchbox, which contained several exquisite dishes and a can of plain water. "It's a pity there's no wine," he said, handing a pair of chopsticks to Spirit Sword Destiny.
"What kind of wine should a patient drink?"
"But without wine to complement it, no matter how good the food is, it feels like something is missing."
"I don't mind whether there's wine or not. If you care, just watch me eat."
"Brother Lin," Xu Xiaofei said, shifting her gaze from a plate of Honey Glazed Ham to Spirit Sword Destiny, her eyes sparkling as she smiled, "Is it just my illusion? You seem colder towards me than before. It's nice to see an old friend; you... aren't trying to deceive me, are you?"
Oh, I am deceiving you.
Spirit Sword Destiny certainly wouldn't respond that way. He looked back at Xu Xiaofei with a mysterious expression and after a moment slowly said, "Is that so? If I've neglected you, I apologize. I was just thinking about something strange."
"What is it?"
"I had a dream not long ago. I dreamed that a ghost crawled into my bed and blew on my chest, a cold gust of wind. I heard that the Taoist School is built on land abundant with yang energy; could there really be ghosts here?"
"Really?" Xu Xiaofei chuckled lightly. "That must be a mischievous ghost. Disturbing people's dreams is truly despicable."
"Indeed despicable. Let's not talk about that anymore; let's eat. I'm hungry too," Spirit Sword Destiny said.
He noticed Xu Xiaofei secretly let out a sigh of relief.
The dishes were quickly devoured, and Xu Xiaofei tidied up the Lunchbox and set it aside.
"Do you really want to hear me recite that mysterious... whatever scripture?" Xu Xiaofei asked. She had just been getting into it when Qi Yan had tossed her a few books to keep her entertained because he found her bored.
"I can read it to you if you'd like, since I have nothing else to do. If you don't want to listen, just bring the book to me, and I'll read it myself."
Xu Xiaofei was clearly unhappy being left aside and quickly said, "How about I read it to you? If there are any characters I don't recognize, please teach me. You really are a scholar; when I opened the book and saw it filled with dense text, I felt like my head was going to explode."
Before he got up to fetch the book from next door, he still held onto a glimmer of hope and said, "If you want to pass the time, would you like to hear me tell a few stories? There was a time when I didn't have a single copper coin on me and had to read in tea houses; quite a few people supported me back then."
"Oh, you used to perform?" Spirit Sword Destiny asked, somewhat surprised.
Actually, there was nothing surprising about it. The main character was originally a poor person who would do anything to make a living. It was just that he had rarely thought about what the protagonist's life was like before the story began.
"Not just performing; I've driven carts, set up stalls, worked as a waiter in restaurants... I've even been part of a juggling troupe as a 'shill,' the one who cheers first after their performance and throws money into the bowl," Xu Xiaofei said. "I've done all of that, although not for long. I was determined to seek the Dao in Xuancheng and saved up my travel expenses before continuing my journey."
These jobs were all low-paying; being able to eat was already quite good, and saving up for travel expenses wasn't easy. Spirit Sword Destiny recalled their first encounter when he had only a handful of copper coins left and was worried about what to eat, and couldn't help but say, "It seems you had quite a hard time before."
"It wasn't that hard; my physical strength is better than most," Xu Xiaofei smiled sincerely and said, "Plus, everyone treated me well."
Spirit Sword Destiny believed this statement. Although Xu Xiaofei talked too much and seemed a bit sneaky, he didn't find him annoying.
Was it the protagonist's halo? Not entirely. Xu Xiaofei had his own charm.
Of course, even if Spirit Sword Destiny didn't dislike Xu Xiaofei, if they found themselves on opposing sides, he would still act without hesitation.
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