The chill from the top of Kunlun Mountain seeped in, and after standing at the door for only a moment, her body could no longer withstand it.
"Go back to your room quickly!" he exclaimed, turning around to grab the trembling hand on his shoulder.
"Okay." She smiled slyly, grabbed his arm and pulled him inside, as if her trick had worked. "But you have to come in too."
The room was filled with the rich aroma of herbs, warm and inviting, but Xue Ziye's expression darkened.
"Who did this?" He murmured softly, looking at the wound beneath his outer robe. "Who did this? So ruthless!"
Miao Feng's back was covered with bruises, dark red in color, crisscrossing, each one an inch wide and a foot long. Although there was no swelling, it was clear to the touch that the injuries were severe: although the skin was intact, the internal organs were already injured.
She moved her fingers gently, and Miao Feng didn't make a sound, but the muscles in her shoulders and back trembled uncontrollably.
"This is the wound from the golden staff!" she suddenly recognized. "Was it that bastard Pope who hit you?"
Miao Feng was slightly startled, but remained silent.
"Why did he hit you!" Xue Ziye was furious, cursing as she searched for medicine. "You were so obedient, you worshipped him like a god, why did he hit you! He's a mad dog—"
Before she could finish speaking, a finger suddenly touched her throat.
“Even as an honored guest, one cannot be disrespectful to the King of the Sect.” Miao Feng turned around and spoke quietly, her finger resting on Xue Ziye’s throat.
“You…” she stared at him in astonishment, murmuring incredulously, “You actually spoke up for him.”
After a pause, a look of despair suddenly appeared in the female doctor's eyes: "I wanted to save you... Why are you always like this?"
His fingers paused there, feeling the warmth of her skin and the slight vibration of her vocal cords. A secret lingering affection suddenly welled up within him, and he was reluctant to let go. After a moment, he smiled and moved his fingers away: "The King has his reasons for punishing me, and I am willing to accept the punishment."
He stood up before the medicine was finished being applied: "Valley Master Xue, I've already said, there's no need to bother with someone like me."
Xue Ziye stared blankly as he stood up, pulled his outer robe over himself, and walked out the door.
"Ya-ya!" She stumbled to the door, calling his name, "Ya-ya!"
However, the Wind Envoy of the Great Bright Palace left without looking back. It was as if that wasn't his name.
Snowflakes, like playful sprites, landed on his shoulders, gently kissing his forehead with their icy touch. Miao Feng walked with his head down, suppressing the surging blood within him. A bitter smile suddenly appeared on his lips—yes, it was time to end it. After taking her to see the Pope tomorrow and curing his illness, he should send her down the mountain as soon as possible to avoid any further complications.
He didn't want her to know about the past, nor did he want her to know that he had disobeyed the King to protect her. He only wished that she could leave safely and return to Medicine Master Valley to live a peaceful life—she could still save countless lives, just as he would still lose countless others.
Someone like her originally didn't belong to the same world as me.
"I wanted to save you..." Her words still echoed in his ears, so sorrowful and helpless, yet containing a warmth he had never encountered in his life. She reached out her hand to him, trying to pull him out of the pool of blood. But he would never be able to touch that pure white hand again...
The bloodshed of that night twelve years ago had completely engulfed him.
As dusk enveloped the snow-covered peaks, countless jade trees and blossoms dimmed and gradually disappeared.
Xue Ziye sat alone in the warm and fragrant room, staring blankly at her hands.
Tomorrow, I will go to examine that pope... I will use these hands to save that demon's life. Then, I can once again dominate the Western Regions, training one boy after another into cold-blooded killers, and taking the heads of one enemy after another.
So... I was actually an extremely selfish and cowardly person, wasn't I?
To save his only family member, he was willing to save the life of a demon!
A bitter smile appeared on her lips as she looked at her palm, which was said to contain the destiny of a person's life. Her palm lines were very strange; all five fingers were whorls, and the lines on her palm were deep and chaotic, with three lines converging together and fiercely slashing across her entire hand.
She was so engrossed in the vortexes that symbolized fate that she didn't notice someone quietly appearing at the door.
"Valley Master Xue," the woman in blue waited a moment before finally speaking gracefully, "would you like to have your palm read?"
"The Envoy of Wonderful Water?" Xue Ziye was startled when she saw the woman standing at the door with her sword in her arms.
Although she had only met this woman once on the bridge, she left a deep impression on her. She possessed a peculiar, alluring aura, exuding a sweet fragrance and captivating charm—at a glance, she knew in her heart that this woman had most likely practiced the art of seduction.
“I find Master Xue’s palm lines quite difficult to interpret.” Miao Shui walked in, sat down with a smile, and took her hand to examine it carefully. “Look, this is a ‘single palm line’—people with this palm line are exceptionally intelligent, but they are too stubborn and their lives are full of ups and downs, often beyond their control.”
Xue Ziye glanced at her, wondering what the woman wanted to say. Her gaze fell on the sword in Miaoshui's arms, and she was suddenly shocked: This was clearly Tong's former sword, Bloodstained!
"Master Xue, your destiny line is quite good. Although it broke in the middle, a thin branch connected to it, indicating that you once escaped death." This woman from Persia seemed to have suddenly become a witch, smiling. "Your wisdom line is also very good, sharp and strong, and you have your own opinions. However, even with your exceptional intelligence, it is difficult for you to be a virtuous wife and loving mother."
Miao Shui carefully examined her hand, a smile playing on her lips, and whispered, "Unfortunately, your marriage line is not good. So tangled and difficult to unravel, you will inevitably face many difficult choices—Valley Master Xue, you are a blessed person, and will meet many good men throughout your life. However…"
She looked up, smiled at Xue Ziye, and said softly, "It's just that there are too many horizontal lines, and dangers abound. Most of what we seek will ultimately come to nothing."
Xue Ziye frowned and abruptly withdrew her hand.
"Mistress Miaoshui, why speak so intimately with someone you barely know?" She stood up, a hint of displeasure in her voice. "It's getting late, I need to rest."
Hearing this order to leave, Miao Shui did not move. She lowered her head and suddenly smiled: "Valley Master Xue, are you resting so early to be well-rested for the King of the Sect tomorrow?"
“Not bad.” Xue Ziye said coldly—now, shouldn’t this woman take her leave?
"Master Xue's medical skills are unparalleled, naturally he can cure any illness with ease—however..." But Miao Shui raised her head to look at her, smiled inscrutablely, and uttered each word softly and coldly:
"If I save the Pope, I'm afraid I'll be letting down the entire Maga clan who died tragically back then, won't I?"
"What?!" Xue Ziye stood up abruptly, knocking over teacups on the table, and exclaimed in shock, "What did you say?!"
How could this woman know about the bloody incident twelve years ago?
"Shh." Miao Shui raised a finger and quickly glanced around. "I came here secretly."
"What did you say?" Xue Ziye's face turned pale instantly. She desperately tried to lower her voice, but it trembled uncontrollably. "What did you just say? The massacre of the Moga clan back then was committed by the Pope?!"
Miao Shui nodded leisurely: "The Great Bright Palace has done this kind of thing quite often."