With a flick of his wrist, Dongfang Xun sent Dongfang Han flying through the air. His words caught in his throat as his handsome body flew over the high wall of Fengsong Courtyard, crashing heavily to the ground. He grimaced in pain, his body aching all over. From within the walls came Dongfang Xun's icy warning:
"Go back and tell your father that if Dongfang Heng dies, your whole family should prepare to be buried with him!"
Behind a large tree, a pale yellow hem flashed by. Looking at the severely injured and disheveled Dongfang Han, Dongfang Xun's ruthless and cold warning rang in her ears. The corners of her mouth slightly raised. Had Dongfang Heng's condition worsened again?
As Shen Lixue listened to Dongfang Xun's angry and cold threats, a bitter smile appeared on her lips. She wanted Dongfang Heng to live well, not to have someone die with him.
The most skilled doctor in the entire world is the Ghost Doctor of Southern Xinjiang. If we want Dongfang Heng to live, we must start with him.
"Ghost Doctor, besides a heart transplant, there must be other ways to save Dongfang Heng, right?" Shen Lixue's deep, clear eyes flickered with hope, like the only ray of light in boundless darkness, making it hard to bear to discourage her.
"This..." The Ghost Doctor of Southern Xinjiang stroked his beard, frowned deeply, pondered for a long time, and then sighed softly, "There is indeed a way, but..."
"But what?" Shen Lixue's eyes suddenly lit up, and a glimmer of hope rekindled in her despairing heart. As long as Dongfang Heng could survive and didn't rip out Ye Qianlong's heart, she would do everything in her power.
“Ancient medical books record a very special medicine called Jade Glass, which can bring people back to life. If we can find this medicine, Dongfang Heng’s heart disease will be cured!” The Ghost Doctor of Southern Xinjiang lowered his eyelids and spoke slowly and deliberately.
Shen Lixue's gaze sharpened: "Where can I find this kind of medicine?"
"The book records that this medicine exists in the land that produces the finest jade. However, this medicine has been extinct for a hundred years. I have traveled all over the world, big and small, but I have not found a trace of it. Finding one is harder than climbing to heaven!" This is also why the Ghost Doctor of Southern Xinjiang has never told them about this method. The medicine has been extinct, so where else can they find it?
"The medicine has disappeared!" The light in Shen Lixue's eyes dimmed slightly. How could it have disappeared?
Dongfang Xun gazed at the ethereal fragrance: "This kind of medicine is extremely rare, and its growing environment is very special. Even if it hasn't become extinct, it certainly doesn't exist near Qingyan Capital. Dongfang Heng only has three days left; I can't wait for you to find Yu Liuli..."
"Dongfang Xun, what exactly are you trying to say?" Shen Lixue sensed the hidden meaning in Dongfang Xun's words and also subtly realized his intentions.
"Ye Qianlong's heart is Dongfang Heng's only hope!" Dongfang Xun said in a calm tone, stating the cruelest truth: Dongfang Heng needed that pure heart.
A storm brewed in Shen Lixue's eyes: "You promised me that you wouldn't touch Ye Qianlong until the mastermind behind this was exposed!"
"Dongfang Heng can only live for three days. He won't live to see us find out the truth!" Dongfang Xun said in a heavy tone. If Dongfang Heng still had time, he could come up with other solutions. He would never use Ye Qianlong's heart.
"Ye Qianlong is innocent. He did nothing to wrong Dongfang Heng. To rip out his heart is to harm an innocent person. Can you face your conscience?" Shen Lixue's tone was sharp and unyielding.
"I'd rather be tormented by my conscience for the rest of my life than not save Dongfang Heng!" Dongfang Xun's voice was deep, and each clear word seemed to be spat out from between his teeth. He had truly made up his mind.
"I won't let you touch Ye Qianlong!" Shen Lixue said coldly, turned around, and hurriedly walked out of Fengsong Courtyard. Ye Qianlong was still resting in the guest room, and she wanted to send him away quickly.
On the bluestone road, two guards supported a man as they strode towards Shen Lixue. The man was dressed in black, his eyes slightly closed, and his exquisite face and clean features were none other than Ye Qianlong.
"Qianlong!" Shen Lixue exclaimed in surprise. Just as she was about to run towards the guards and Ye Qianlong, Dongfang Xun's tall, slender figure in light blue descended from the sky, blocking her way: "Shen Lixue, don't waste your energy. I have captured Ye Qianlong and I will never let him go again."
"What did you do to Ye Qianlong?" Two flames of anger ignited deep within Shen Lixue's eyes.
Dongfang Xun lowered his eyelids: "I put something in his tea to make him fall into a deep sleep, so it would be easier to remove his heart!"
Ye Qianlong is the Crown Prince of Xiliang. He is highly skilled in martial arts and, although simple-minded, he is also vigilant. However, he completely trusts Shen Lixue. When Shen Lixue brought him to the Holy King's Mansion, he thought the mansion was absolutely safe and let his guards down. This allowed the guards to slip through the hole and put the drug in his tea.
"Despicable!" Shen Lixue shouted angrily, her beautiful eyes burning with rage that seemed to incinerate anyone who dared to do so. "You are the heir of the Holy King's Mansion, how can you go back on your word? How can you use such shameless means to deal with an innocent person?"
"I only want to save my younger brother!" Dongfang Xun said calmly, his voice undisturbed.
"Ye Qianlong also has a younger brother, a younger sister, parents and relatives. You only think about saving your own brother. Have you ever considered their feelings? Without Ye Qianlong, their pain will be no less than yours!" Shen Lixue rebuked angrily, her slender figure deftly passing Dongfang Xun and rushing towards Ye Qianlong.
Caught off guard, Dongfang Xun, with his superior martial arts skills and speed, grabbed Shen Lixue's wrist and pulled her back after she had only taken two steps: "Shen Lixue, Ye Qianlong, only one of Dongfang Heng can live. Who do you want to live and who do you want to die?"
The surroundings fell silent instantly, without even a breeze. Dongfang Xun looked into Shen Lixue's eyes, waiting for her answer.
Shen Lixue's heart skipped a beat, her beautiful eyes welled up with tears, and her lips twitched into a bitter smile, but her tone remained firm: "Your heart belongs to Ye Qianlong, and you have no right to take it away!"
Dongfang Xun smiled, a bitter smile: "Your friendship with Ye Qianlong is more important than your love for Dongfang Heng?"
"This has nothing to do with love or friendship; I'm just stating the facts!" Shen Lixue's cold eyes were filled with determination: "A person only has one heart. Without it, one cannot live. Ye Qianlong owes Dongfang Heng nothing. There's no reason for him to exchange his life for Dongfang Heng's. If it were Ye Qianlong suffering from heart disease who needed Dongfang Heng's heart, I would say the same thing!"
Dongfang Xun's eyes instantly turned unfathomable: "Dongfang Heng is..."
"Dongfang Xun, you are shameless! You are deliberately delaying my time!" Shen Lixue angrily interrupted Dongfang Xun's words. With a flick of her wrist, she skillfully broke free from his grip, and her cyan whip lashed out at him like a startled swan.
Dongfang Xun dodged Shen Lixue's long whip, glanced to the side and saw two guards supporting Ye Qianlong as they reached the entrance of Fengsong Courtyard, about to enter. A slight smile appeared on his lips.
Shen Lixue's insight was truly sharp; she noticed something was amiss so quickly. He deliberately blocked her view and intentionally provoked her feelings for Dongfang Heng and Ye Qianlong, thinking she would only realize she had been deceived after she finished speaking and the heart transplant began...
"Dongfang Xun, are you really going to dig out Ye Qianlong's heart to save Dongfang Heng?" Shen Lixue held a long whip, looking at Ye Qianlong who was being helped into Fengsong Courtyard, and clenched her fists tightly.
"Shen Lixue, this is the Holy King's Mansion. You can't win here. Give up!" Dongfang Xun's answer was irrelevant, but it expressed his determination to dig out his heart to save Dongfang Heng.
Giving up! That word didn't exist in Shen Lixue's dictionary: "Dongfang Xun, you asked for this. Don't blame me for showing no mercy!"
With a gesture towards the void, dozens of guards appeared out of thin air, filling most of the bluestone path. They were all dressed in uniform black outfits, mysterious and unpredictable, with sharp longswords at their waists. Their imposing presence was overwhelming. Shen Lixue stood at the very front, her black hair flying, her aura sharp and fierce: "Enter Maple Pine Courtyard and save Ye Qianlong!"
"Yes!" The guards' voices were deafening. They drew their longswords, the sharp blades flashing with a chilling light, and their black figures rushed towards Fengsongyuan like a gust of wind.
"Stop them!" At Dongfang Xun's command, the guards of the Holy King's Mansion appeared outside Maple Pine Courtyard, dressed in black robes and carrying sharp longswords. They confronted the secret guards of the War King's Mansion, and instantly, the sound of fierce weapons clashing rang out outside Maple Pine Courtyard.
A slender figure quietly slipped into the shadows, watching the chaotic battle of the guards and the fight between Shen Lixue and Dongfang Xun. Dongfang Xun raised an eyebrow. Dongfang Heng was on the verge of death and was about to have his heart transplanted. Dongfang Xun and Shen Lixue were locked in a contest and had no time to pay attention to anything else. This was her perfect opportunity!
A strange smile played on her lips as her slender figure darted past the chaotic guards and quickly entered Maple Pine Courtyard.
Inside the Maple Pine Courtyard, numerous guards surrounded the room, ready for action.
The pine resin burning in the corner of the inner room had been extinguished and replaced with calming incense. Dongfang Heng lay on the carved bed, fast asleep, his bronze chest bare, his chest covered with silver needles.
On the soft couch by the window lay Ye Qianlong, dressed in black. He slept peacefully, his face clean and clear, his long eyelashes slightly upturned, and the corners of his mouth curved into a beautiful smile, as if he were having a sweet dream, completely unaware of the danger approaching.
The Ghost Doctor of Southern Xinjiang stood in front of the soft couch, unbuttoned Ye Qianlong's clothes to reveal his fair chest, then sprinkled a packet of medicine into a basin of water, carefully washed his hands, gently dried them with a new cotton handkerchief, and slowly walked to the carved bed, removing the silver needles from Dongfang Heng's chest one by one.
He plucked very slowly and carefully, completely focused, and didn't notice at all that a man in black had appeared in the room.