"Do you think the king is alright?"
"Nothing will happen!"
"The king has lost a lot of blood. I wonder if the old man of the snow mountain can heal the wound on his chest!"
"If you can't cure him, kill him!" Hao Yueyi coldly ordered, gripping his longsword and flashing coldness in his eyes.
"General Hao is always killing, killing, killing. How can killing save the king's life?" Elder Jin glared at him.
Hao Yueyi hummed softly and remained silent.
The inner room.
Yiyun Shangcheng coldly stared at the old man sharpening his knife in front of him, his face pale, but he clearly forced himself to be energetic. "When will you treat me, Your Majesty?"
"At the moment you are about to die but haven't yet breathed your last." The old man from the snowy mountain didn't even look up, continuing to sharpen his knife.
Yiyun Shangcheng looked at the knife in his hand, which wasn't really a knife, just a dagger, and asked, "...So, you're sharpening this knife to cut open my flesh?"
"Cut away the rotten flesh, then apply medicine," the old man from the snow-capped mountain replied simply. "Your wound, tsk tsk, you really don't cherish your life. If you don't cherish it, why come up the mountain to seek medical treatment!"
"I would not regret dying, but I still have unfulfilled wishes in my heart, so I cannot die." Yiyun Shangcheng sighed. "If you cannot save me, just tell me how much longer I have to live." If it is more than three months, that will be enough!
"Entering my house means entrusting your life to me. As long as you're still alive, you can be saved! If you're dead, you'll become fertilizer!" The old man from the snowy mountain then placed various knives and silver needles on the fire to heat them. "Do you see the forest outside? It's all fertilizer from the dead, and the trees that have grown from it are truly lush!"
Yiyun Shangcheng's lips twitched. "I will not be buried here."
The old man from the snowy mountain seemed not to notice his title, regardless of whether he was the King of the Western Regions or anyone else. He simply smiled and said, "Anyone who dies here will be buried in the forest, without exception, no matter if you are the Emperor of Heaven!"
Yi Yun Shangcheng's eyes darkened, her purple eyes lowered slightly, and when she raised them again, they had turned crimson. "You dare? Aren't you afraid of death?!"
"Haha! I'm not afraid of death. But if I die, your wish will never be fulfilled!" He said leisurely as he stepped forward. "Later, I will tie you to the bed so you can't move. Then I will use anesthetic to paralyze your whole body and stuff a cloth into your mouth to prevent your voice from disturbing me! I will take off your shirt and use a knife to cut your chest repeatedly until it is bloody and the rotten flesh is gone. Then I will disinfect it with vinegar and apply medicine."
"No need! I'll just sit here, and you can cut flesh from my chest as you please!" Yiyun Shangcheng sneered. What's a little pain!
"Really?" The old man from the snow mountain was startled. "I'm afraid you can't bear the excruciating pain of having your flesh cut off! The flesh in your chest is connected to your nerves; it's not something an ordinary person can endure."
"Truly. I, the King, only desire the Hundred Flowers Wine." Yiyun looked outside from the city walls. "Snow is falling outside; wine should accompany us." If she were by his side, this life would be enough! Enough!
The old man from the snow-capped mountain took out a jar of wine from a corner. "This is Beauty's Brew. What do you think? Isn't the name lovely?" he said, handing it to Yiyun Shangcheng. Yiyun Shangcheng smiled and took it, pouring it into the bowl in front of her. "Beautiful, beautiful!"
The old man from the snowy mountain shook his head as he listened, "Let's try it and see."
Yiyun Shangcheng picked up his bowl and drank it down, but it was just mountain spring water, with only a faint sweet taste and no alcoholic flavor. He panted, "Good wine!"
The old man from the snow-capped mountain nodded. "I have a cleverly designed chess game. Would you be interested?"
"If you don't mind, why not give it a try?" After drinking the beauty wine, Yiyun Shangcheng felt that her mood had improved and her emotions had become much more stable.
The old man from the snow-capped mountain put the knives aside, then went into another room. A moment later, he brought out a chessboard. “Come, come, let’s play chess while I treat you.”
"Alright!" Yiyun smiled. "Please!"
The old man from the snowy mountain immediately put the things on the table aside with a smile, leaving only the bowl from Yiyun Shangcheng and the wine from Jiaren.
After tidying up, the exquisite chessboard was placed in front of the two of them. Yiyun Shangcheng, while sipping her fine wine, began to ponder the game. Such a chessboard did not exist in the Western Regions, but ever since he met her when she was six years old, he had been studying various teaching methods from the Great Xia Zhou Dynasty.
His pieces are black, while the old man of the snow mountain's pieces are white.
Just as I was about to take action, there was a knock on the door.
Hao Yueyi and the five elders looked at the young medicine boy knocking on the door and felt a surge of frustration. Why was he allowed to knock on the door and disturb the two people inside, while they had to wait outside?
The old man from the snow-capped mountain stroked his long beard. "Someone else has come seeking medical help. Little Si, come in."
The young apprentice, nicknamed Xiao Sizi, immediately pushed open the door and respectfully said to the old man of the snow mountain, "Master, a young woman has ordered people to carry her husband up the mountain. She is kneeling and begging Master to heal her husband."
"Who is it?" Yi Yun Shangcheng asked first, his hawk-like eyes fixed on Xiao Sizi.
Xiao Sizi turned to look at him, his eyes clearly asking, "This is Master's place, how can you be so rude?" Therefore, Xiao Sizi completely ignored Yiyun Shangcheng's question!
"How badly was that man injured?" the old man from the snowy mountain asked casually.
"He looks like he's seriously injured; there are silver needles stuck in his head. It must have been that woman who ordered someone to stabilize his heart!"
The old man from the snowy mountain turned his gaze to Yiyun Upper City, then stroked his white beard. "Let's see how long she can hold out. Go, prepare some hot water for your master." Anyway, she won't die anytime soon, so let's see how she manages to move me!
"Yes." Xiao Sizi immediately withdrew.
"Why don't you ask who that woman and her husband are?" Yi Yun Shangcheng looked at the Snow Mountain Elder. Could it really be them? What a coincidence! And how could they move the Snow Mountain Elder like this? Damn it! If it were her, if she kept kneeling and praying up the mountain... Yi Yun Shangcheng couldn't bear to imagine it.
"All beings are equal, why should I ask who they are?" The old man from the snow mountain smiled, then picked up his knife. "Come on, I'm about to make my move!"
"I want to see who that is... I feel her presence is so close..." Yi Yun Shangcheng stood up, but unexpectedly, he aggravated his wound, and sat back down in pain. He clutched his wound, and saw that it was bleeding again.
"If you want to die, go ahead and I'll prepare a coffin for you; if you don't want to, I'll treat you."
"Hurry!" Yi Yun Shangcheng propped herself up and looked outside. What if the person kneeling was really her? Kneeling and climbing the mountain for Nan Xu Cong? At this moment, Yi Yun Shangcheng felt as if someone had cut her chest with a knife, and the pain immediately spread to her limbs and head.
He braced himself, his gaze fixed on the exquisite chessboard. He lightly tapped his finger, then with a slight exertion, placed a black piece on the board. "Your turn!"
The old man from the snow-capped mountain smiled, glanced at the chessboard, and uttered a single word, "Go." Immediately, a white piece flew out of the bowl and landed directly on the chessboard. "Your turn."
Yiyun leaned to one side, letting him cut away the rotten flesh, while her other hand pointed at the chessboard, placing another black piece. "If I beat you, you must quickly tell that woman to stop kneeling and heal her husband!" She didn't want her to kneel; if she kept kneeling as she climbed up, even if she didn't die from exhaustion, her legs would surely be ruined! This mountain path was covered in snow that never melted, enough to freeze her legs stiff! She was just courting death by kneeling.
"Hehe, this is how she won me over, why did you have to get involved?" The old man from the snowy mountain chuckled and placed a chess piece down. "If the five elders hadn't joined forces to defeat me, you would probably have had to crawl up the mountain on your knees!" He added immediately after saying that, "Besides, you don't seem to know who that woman is, do you?"
Yi Yun Shangcheng was speechless with anger. After a pause, she said, "It should be her... her husband was the one who injured me, and the wound on my chest was inflicted by her husband. Do you understand now?"
When it was the old man's turn, he was taken aback. "Then why did you make the bet that if you won, I would heal that woman's husband? We've been fighting to the death for so long, but now you're offering to plead for that woman's husband?"
I don't understand, these young people are really strange!
"My unfulfilled wish is for her." Yi Yun Shangcheng lowered her head and looked at the bloodied and mangled chest, then chuckled, "Senior, you truly have superb skills. Such knife work, yet it doesn't cause pain. I am truly impressed!"
The old man in the snow-capped mountains twitched his lips.
"Since that woman loves her husband so deeply, you should let her go." The old man from the snowy mountain placed a chess piece. "If you defeat me, I will immediately go and treat her. I will also ensure that her legs are alright!"
“It’s a deal!” Yiyun Shangcheng said calmly. “I can’t let go. If I do, she will have nowhere to go in the future. I love her so much that I’m willing to do things that no one else in the world would do. I’m willing to do things that are dirtier than dirt and more evil than evil. I only want her by my side. But she has never looked back at me once… Tell me, why is that?” he asked, even changing his self-reference, leaving only an empty shell that couldn’t pretend to be himself.
She doesn't love you.
Yi Yun Shangcheng was taken aback. Why would he say those four words to him? He laughed wildly a few times, then casually placed a chess piece down. "If you don't love, then hate! Love or hate, just choose one. She gives him love, I give her hate; that's fair." Yi Yun Shangcheng gave a bitter smile, but unexpectedly, a few tears fell. He casually brushed them away, as if nothing had happened.
The old man from the snowy mountain said, "To tell you the truth, the first time I saw you, I knew you were beyond saving. If I did, you would surely become a world-destroying demon, slaughtering living beings and committing a terrible sin. However, when I saw you muttering to yourself while you were unconscious, I became curious. Did this demon also have something on his mind? That's why I had a fleeting thought to give it a try. Now, listening to your debate, I'm quite curious to see if your heart is black or red."
"It's alright, senior, if you wish to see it, then please do," Yi Yun Shangcheng said with a smile. "If it's black, that would be even better."
The old man from the snow-capped mountain made a few cuts, the light in his eyes shining deep into the distance. After a long while, he said, "What a fine heart."
"Black?" he laughed.
"Red."
"I'd rather it were black." Yiyun Shangcheng sucked the bowl in, then drank the wine inside. "Good wine, good wine!"
"Master, the hot water is here." Xiao Sizi said as he carried in a basin of steaming hot water.
"Put it aside, go and ask the woman her name and the injured man his name, and tell them everything truthfully," said the old man of the snow mountain.
"Yes." Xiao Sizi immediately went down.
Yiyun Shangcheng squinted at the outside, "The wind is getting a bit strong."
...
Ji Wushang felt himself about to fall to the ground unconsciously. Looking at the road in front of him, he got up again, staggered two steps, and then knelt on the ground again.
"Madam..." Gong Shu couldn't help but step forward and call out. Several people around immediately rushed over to help Ji Wushang up.
Ji Wushang waved for them to make way, and struggled to her feet. "There's still a bit of road ahead, but I'm fine... I'll be alright in a bit!" She staggered a few steps before collapsing to her knees, her mouth moving silently. Her eyes were fixed on the snow palace ahead, that enchanting place.
These are nothing! Compared to the pain of those bone nails he once endured, they are nothing! Besides, it's all for Nan Xuzong! Ji Wushang braced himself on the ground and then got up. He could barely stand, but he still moved forward, "If you have pity on me and my husband, please give me a chance... If I commit any sins, Ji Wushang is willing to bear them all alone!"
The people around fell silent. Few people were going up the mountain with them anymore, since the mountain path was difficult to walk on, and it got colder the higher they went.
Ji Wushang suddenly smiled, straightened his body, and stared blankly at the road ahead, which still seemed quite far away. His path, and his, was like this road—cold to the bone, winding and tortuous, but at least, he had him by his side.
The wind began to blow, and it started to rain. Gong Shu, Hong Fei, and the others were taken aback and quickly took out oil-paper umbrellas to shield Nan Xu Cong from the rain, and then used them to shield Ji Wu Shang.
Ji Wushang's lips moved slightly. "Just take good care of Cong for me. I don't need anything else." Ji Wushang stared fixedly ahead, then used his hand to push away Hong Fei's hand. The oil-paper umbrella flew to the side, and the wind and rain immediately hit Ji Wushang's face and body.
She took a step forward, but unexpectedly lost her footing and fell to the ground!
☆、240 Healing Nan Xu Cong at the summit of the snow-capped mountain!
"Madam!" Hongfei immediately stepped forward to help Ji Wushang up. Ji Wushang suddenly burst into laughter and pushed Hongfei away. "Don't mind me!" She gave Hongfei a cold look, which frightened Hongfei so much that he stepped back to the side.
Ji Wushang sat on the ground, the snow water chilling her to the bone. She shivered, but then burst into laughter, "Haha, haha!" She looked up at the rain and wind falling from the sky, "What wind, what rain! It's nothing to me! But why, he was born a chosen one, why must he suffer all this! He was born into wealth and privilege, yet he's always confined to a wheelchair! He has extraordinary talent, yet he's always had to hide it! He loves me and cherishes me, yet fate has played a cruel trick on him! Heaven, is this the end? Am I, Ji Wushang, destined to never be loved by the one I love, never to have a good life? Since Heaven has given me a second chance, why does it repeatedly hinder me, repeatedly hurt the ones I love?! If Heaven wants me to die a horrible death, then you can bring all the suffering upon me! Why torment me like this!"
The cold wind and rain blew and lashed against Ji Wushang's body, and his words drifted away with the wind.
Xiao Sizi, holding a small umbrella, was about to go closer to ask when he heard such a cry, which made him freeze in shock.
Those around Ji Wushang who watched and listened were all moved to tears. Four burly men lowered Nan Xuzong's sedan chair, and then all covered their faces and wept.
Ji Wushang turned her head and looked at all of them. "Heh, heh!" she sneered twice. "Let's continue up the mountain. If Heaven doesn't favor me, I swear to fight against it!"
"I'm crying!" Gong Shu shouted loudly at this moment.
Ji Wushang was startled and stumbled forward, then looked nervously at Nan Xuzong, whose tears streamed down his face, making the cinnabar mark between his brows appear even more alluring.
"Cong..." Calling her lover's name, Ji Wushang reached out her cold hand and gently touched the corner of his eye, then gently pulled it away. "It's alright, everything is alright... We just need to be together. Cong, let's keep going!"
Xiao Si wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes with his sleeve, and then immediately ran up the mountain.
“Madam,” Hongfei stepped forward, “you…”
"Keep going up the mountain, I'm fine." Ji Wushang's tone was cold, but full of tenderness towards Nan Xuzong. The water had soaked her hair and her whole body, and she didn't know if the water on her face was tears or rain, but she didn't bother to wipe it away. Her eyes were blurry with tears, and she gently held his face, blinking her eyes. "No one is allowed to tell anyone about what happened today, not even Cong."
"Yes..." everyone responded.
Ji Wushang turned around, took three steps forward resolutely, and knelt down again.
The wind subsided, and so did the rain.
"Master, Master!" Xiao Sizi practically rushed into the house. The old man from the snow mountain had just bandaged Yiyun Shangcheng's wounds and frowned as he looked at the reckless Xiao Sizi. "Why are you in such a panic?"
"Master, sob sob sob..." Xiao Sizi said, and immediately burst into tears.
The two were taken aback. Yi Yun Shangcheng was still holding a chess piece in her hand. On the exquisite chessboard, the white pieces had heavily surrounded the black pieces, while the black pieces were far fewer. The situation was critical. If the black pieces made the slightest mistake, they would definitely lose the game. If they could make the right move, they might be able to turn the tide and win.
"Just now, Xiao Sizi went to check on the couple who were going up the mountain. Before he even got close, a storm started. The woman had already knelt and prayed for about half the way up, her legs were stained with blood, and she was staggering, almost falling forward. Her husband, though unconscious, could sense her suffering. Seeing the rain soaking her body and her eyes, he shed tears." Xiao Sizi looked at Yiyun Shangcheng, thought for a moment, and then spoke up, "Xiao Sizi is heartbroken just looking at her. Please, Master, go down the mountain quickly and treat that woman's husband!"