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墨書 Inktalez
"You're back?" As soon as he stepped into the room, Xu Xiaofei heard Shen Jinglan's voice.
He looked in the direction of the sound.
Shen Jinglan was sitting at the desk, wrapped in the soft, thick fur of the chair. In front of him lay a pile of ink-soaked papers and a set of brushes and inkstone, as if he had been writing something. He looked up at Xu Xiaofei and Spirit Sword Destiny.
Xu Xiaofei's gaze met his.
It was rumored that the leader was an extremely handsome man in his youth; given that everyone else resembled him, Xu Xiaofei could mostly imagine it. When he saw Shen Jinglan three years ago, although he bore a sickly appearance and was no longer as handsome as before, he was still not unpleasant to look at. But now, his appearance shocked Xu Xiaofei.
Even though he had anticipated it in his heart, Xu Xiaofei could hardly bear to look at him; Shen Jinglan had become... emaciated.
What kind of feelings did Spirit Sword Destiny have upon seeing him transformed like this?
Just from the first glance, Xu Xiaofei felt their strange connection reestablish itself. He once again sensed the pain that Shen Jinglan endured every moment. He still bore injuries himself, with a dull ache in his wounds, but Shen Jinglan's suffering far surpassed his own.
These fleeting thoughts could only be buried deep within his heart.
"Come, sit." Shen Jinglan smiled pleasantly. When he smiled, he was still as warm and sunny as before, evoking a sense of joy in those who saw him, almost making them forget about his illness. With that smile, he transformed back into an incredibly charming man.
There was no trace of sorrow on his face. Although he could do nothing about his deteriorating body, he still managed to control himself, refraining from self-pity or blaming others. He did not wish to let even a hint of gloom spread into others' hearts.
Naturally, both of them sat down around the few tables in front of him to listen to what he had to say.
Spirit Sword Destiny said, "Leader, I brought back a batch of Good Fruit this time; I've sent someone to deliver it to the Alchemy Room. You should take it daily from now on."
"Good. It seems you have made quite a harvest this time," Shen Jinglan replied with a smile.
His breath was shallow and short; even speaking seemed laborious for him.
“Xu Xiaofei, have you mastered your Divine Celestial True Technique?” he asked Xu Xiaofei again.
“I’m ashamed to say I still have one last hurdle to overcome,” Xu Xiaofei replied.
He had previously made an agreement with Shen Jinglan that once the Divine Celestial True Technique was mastered, he would come to join the Evil Sect. This time, he arrived early due to the pressing circumstances.
“If you have any difficulties… feel free to ask me later,” Shen Jinglan said. Xu Xiaofei's progress was actually quite fast, and he did not nitpick. He then looked at Spirit Sword Destiny, who was silently organizing his desk, tidying up the ink and brushes, and carefully stacking the scattered manuscripts. Xu Xiaofei glanced over and noticed words like “Mysterious Phenomenon” and “True Qi” on the paper, thinking that the leader seemed to be writing a summary of cultivation essentials.
Once Spirit Sword Destiny finished organizing, Shen Jinglan's hand subtly covered the back of his hand. Spirit Sword Destiny lowered his head, silently complying with his action, not pulling away.
Spirit Sword Destiny's hand was fair and soft, while his fingers were longer and much thinner, resembling a few withered branches in deep winter that had lost their vitality.
This had once been a hand that held many romantic encounters, that had wielded stunning sword techniques at the Discussion Conference, and had raised wine cups with friends in joyous revelry… Now, everything he once possessed was drifting away piece by piece, but at least there was still one last thing he could gently hold in his hand.
Xu Xiaofei witnessed this action and felt a pang of bitterness in his heart.
He had always thought that Spirit Sword Destiny had merely temporarily forgotten him and would eventually return to his side. However, seeing their interaction again made him realize that not only did he have no hope, but he also truly could not bring himself to be harsh. There was no reason for anyone to take Spirit Sword Destiny away from Shen Jinglan, nor should anything or anyone separate these two people.
“There’s no rush with cultivation,” Shen Jinglan smiled and said, “Now… tell me about your journey.” He coughed lightly and intermittently added, “I previously called Xiao Chong here… to report on the situation within the sect… and then chat with me. However, he is just too honest; it’s rather dull… it almost put me to sleep.”
“This trip went relatively smoothly, though there were some minor setbacks…” Xu Xiaofei exchanged glances with Spirit Sword Destiny and began recounting their experiences in turns. Neither of them was tongue-tied; they would never let the atmosphere grow cold and soon engaged in lively conversation.
Knowing that Shen Jinglan wanted to listen, they deliberately chose interesting stories to share while omitting any mention of the dangers they encountered.
At first, Shen Jinglan would occasionally interject a comment, but later he leaned back in his chair and listened quietly.
They understood that speaking was laborious for Shen Jinglan, so they took the initiative to speak more themselves, allowing him to simply listen.
After chatting for a while, they suddenly realized that Shen Jinglan had not spoken for quite some time.
While still smiling, their gazes unconsciously turned toward him.
Shen Jinglan's eyes were lowered, and a shadow fell across his face, obscuring his expression. He suddenly said, "I need to go into seclusion," his voice hoarse and dry, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished.
Spirit Sword Destiny abruptly stood up, his face changing dramatically.
"Has the leader... reached the time for seclusion again?" Xu Xiaofei asked.
He had heard from Spirit Sword Destiny that Shen Jinglan needed to go into seclusion periodically to disperse his energy and refine his Flesh; otherwise, he would not be able to endure it. Was it that time again?
Spirit Sword Destiny stared blankly at the empty space before him for a moment before quietly saying, "The leader just came out of seclusion not long ago."
In the secret chamber beneath the Evil Sect, Shen Jinglan collapsed, unable to hold back his groans any longer.
He had initially wanted to endure a little longer and listen to their stories. But a sudden wave of intense pain surged through him violently, sweeping over his entire body like a fierce wind. Even he, who had endured pain for years, could no longer bear it. The last words he managed to utter and the use of his teleportation technique had exhausted all of his remaining strength.
Cold sweat instantly soaked through his heavy clothing as he writhed on the dark, empty floor of the secret chamber in agony.
Even if those two did not notice, he could tell that Xu Xiaofei and Yan shared a deep understanding. He knew they were intentionally talking about things for his sake, but he couldn't help but think that they must have experienced many thrilling yet interesting events together. He looked at Xu Xiaofei, watching him smile and talk; he was so much like himself yet so healthy and young, able to go anywhere with a long future ahead.
He truly felt... extremely envious.
It felt as if countless sharp knives were stirring within his body, as if an invisible millstone was grinding his flesh and bones into blood and mud inch by inch. Strands of hair clung to his forehead from sweat and fell into his mouth; he lacked the strength to push them away. His throat gradually became hoarse until he could no longer even produce a groan.
The specially constructed underground chamber sealed off all sounds and breaths, isolating him from the outside world.
He absolutely cannot let anyone see him like this... especially Yan.
Walking into the courtyard, Xu Xiaofei looked around. In front of the Evil Sect's Left Guardian's residence, there was a pond, surrounded by trees that were in bloom, creating a serene environment. The house itself was not large, just enough to live in. Although Youzhou had poor soil and water conditions, with some effort, it could still create a bit of scenery.
When he left Shen Jinglan's place, he thought to come and take a look at Spirit Sword Destiny, and Spirit Sword Destiny brought him here.
After sitting in the house for a moment, Spirit Sword Destiny handed him a cup of tea and said, "I don't have any snacks prepared to entertain you."
Xu Xiaofei took a sip and set it down, smiling as he stood up and said, "Forget it... it's not worth the trouble."
He could tell that once Shen Jinglan left, Spirit Sword Destiny could no longer hide the weariness on his face.
Perhaps it wasn't physical fatigue but rather the accumulated sense of loss and depression over many years. He had been too worried about Shen Jinglan's illness for too long, his spirit strained too tightly.
Seeing that he was about to leave, Spirit Sword Destiny called over an Attendant and instructed him to take Xu Xiaofei to the accommodations he had arranged.
He seemed too lazy to take another step himself. As Xu Xiaofei departed, he walked him to the door and watched as he casually sat down on the stone steps under the eaves.
Xu Xiaofei was led to his quarters, which included a small courtyard and several rooms. The yard was also quite nice; it seemed that the Evil Sect had no shortage of space.
He dismissed the Attendant who guided him and walked alone into the side room. The furnishings inside were all brand new, made of good materials, and the bed looked very comfortable.
Xu Xiaofei took off his clothes and lay down on the bed. His injuries had not healed yet, and he felt somewhat tired.
However... how could he possibly fall asleep?
He lay there with his eyes open for an unknown amount of time until the window, through which the bleak twilight shone, finally let in the deepest darkness of night.
He suddenly sat up.
His heart was pounding, and he was very worried... he just couldn't put his mind at ease.
He put on his clothes and went out to find Spirit Sword Destiny. Following the memory of his departure, he walked back to the large courtyard with a pond and a few trees. No one stopped or questioned him along the way; perhaps Spirit Sword Destiny had already informed them.
As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw Spirit Sword Destiny.
He almost cried out in surprise.
Spirit Sword Destiny was still sitting on the stone steps under the eaves, just as he had been when he left, even the posture seemed unchanged, staring blankly at the void before him. He looked as if he had turned into a piece of wood, a Puppet.
The Left Guardian of the Evil Sect, who was usually calm and sharp-witted, was certainly not someone like this.
Spirit Sword Destiny didn't even notice his return at first; it wasn't until a moment later that his gaze began to shift, eventually focusing on his face.
Had he really sat here all night in the dewy night?
This journey had yielded so many Good Fruits, which should have been a cause for celebration—according to the old customs of the Fruit Appreciation Conference, even the first major sect of the Righteous Path, Kunlun, would find it difficult to claim even a fraction of the fruits. But such an outstanding result meant little to him. Even if Azure Green Good Fruit was effective, it could only delay things for a short while, treating the symptoms rather than the root cause.
Xu Xiaofei could no longer contain the pain in her heart; she appeared before him, bent down, and wrapped her arms around him.
"Don't worry," Xu Xiaofei said gently, "I'll think of a way with you."
He held her close, comforting her with words softer than ever before.
"You've done very well already. From now on, with me added in, I'll accompany you to find the antidote for him. Until we find it, I won't run away."
"You know me, my luck has always been good. There really aren't many things I can't find."
Spirit Sword Destiny remained silent.
Xu Xiaofei suddenly felt warmth on his chest, as if something had dampened it. He lowered his gaze, not revealing any unusual expression, still silently holding this person.
Beneath his calm exterior, the turmoil rising in his heart was truly hard to express.
In a moment of daze... he caught something from the illusion that appeared before him. This might be the closest he had come to the past he had lost. Though he had forgotten who he was and where he came from, he always remembered that there was one most important thing waiting for him to do.
Now he was certain that this thing was the promise he had just made to Spirit Sword Destiny, which was to find a way to save Shen Jinglan and also rescue both of them from their deep suffering.
Xu Xiaofei's voice became more resolute.
"I promise you, I will definitely bring him back."
Definitely.
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