Lave

Chapitre 62

"This injury will probably leave a large scar." Ming Er tried to move as gently as possible to close up the exposed flesh on his right palm.

"What's this?" Lan Qi bit her lip, her face as white as a sheet of paper, her lips as if covered in frost. Her gaze remained fixed on the stone wall above, her voice soft as if she were talking in a daze, yet utterly calm. "Back then... I had many scars. When I became the head of the Lan family, I cut off all the scars with a knife, then applied 'Purple Mansion Powder' again, and spent a lot of money to hire many famous doctors to prepare medicine to remove the scars. Then... all the scars disappeared, as if they had never existed. All the past... no longer existed."

Ming Er continued applying the medicine at his own leisurely pace, seemingly oblivious to what was happening.

After applying the medicine, Lan Qi suddenly said, "Fake Immortal, I'm hungry."

Ming Er remained silent.

"I'm hungry," Lan Qi continued.

Ming Er looked at her speechlessly.

"I'm hungry," Lan Qi said, smiling at him.

The Second Young Master Ming turned and left without a word.

Lan Qi watched his figure disappear, and then the scene before her eyes slowly blurred...

It was winter, and there were unlikely to be any wild fruits in the mountains. The second young master knew very well whether he could cook a meal with his own hands, so he didn't bother hunting for wild animals. Instead, he returned to the place where he had first met Fuxi the night before. Sure enough, both of their bags were still there.

When Ming Er returned with his bundle, he found the silence unusual. His heart tightened, and he swiftly leaped to the foot of the rocks. There he saw Lan Qi lying quietly on the ground. His heart eased, and he put down his bundle and went to her side. Her eyes were closed, and a blush had crept onto her normally snow-white face. Touching her, he felt as if his hand were burning. He immediately pressed one hand on her wrist and the other on her chest. After a moment, he released her, his gaze unfathomable as he looked at the unconscious woman on the ground. After a long silence, he sighed softly, "Life has been truly hard."

He took out a tiger-skin blanket from his bundle and spread it on the ground, then moved Lan Qi over to it and covered him with a fox fur coat. He quietly looked at Lan Qi's face, which was flushed red from the fever, and her brows were tightly furrowed. He knew she must be in great pain, but he didn't utter a sound; she seemed to be asleep.

After watching for a while, he finally took out a medicine bottle from his pocket, poured out a pill, helped Lan Qi up with one hand, took the water pouch with the other, and fed Lan Qi the pill. The cold water seemed to stimulate Lan Qi to some extent and make her more awake. Her eyelids twitched, and she slowly opened her eyes a crack. Her lips parted slightly, as if she still wanted to drink water. Ming Er fed her a few more mouthfuls, and the water flowed down her lips. Ming Er moved his wrist and wiped away the water stains. Lan Qi's body fell into Ming Er's arms with the force of the movement.

The warmth washed over her, a scent reminiscent of a distant memory. Lan Qi's lips curved into a slight smile as she softly uttered two words: "Brother... Brother..."

Ming's second hand was given a meal.

Lan Qi, in his arms, fell into a deep sleep again.

He helped her lie down again and covered her with the fox fur coat. Ming Er got up, walked to the side and sat down. He took out some dry food from his bundle and started eating. He hadn't eaten since last night and was really hungry.

The shadow of the sun moves from oblique to straight, and then from straight to oblique, and another day quietly passes by.

Ming Er ate some dry rations again and even gathered some firewood to start a fire, but Lan Qi remained unconscious.

Darkness gently descended, the moon rose obliquely, and its silvery light poured down, reflecting in the pool and frost-covering the rocks, plunging the world into a silvery realm. The night was silent, save for the occasional crackle of the campfire.

After washing himself and reapplying the medicine to his wounds, Ming Er closed his eyes and sat down to meditate under the rocks, intending to spend the night like this. However, in the middle of the night, a "sizzling" sound made his ears very uncomfortable. When he opened his eyes, he saw that Lan Qi, who had been lying comfortably, had curled up into a ball, and the unpleasant sound was coming from there. After a while, Ming Er realized that it was the sound of Lan Qi grinding his teeth.

He got up and went over, reaching out to touch her; Lan Qi was as cold as an ice pop. She was burning hot during the day, but at night she felt chilly. Sigh…

They added some firewood to make the fire burn brighter, and then took a cloak from Lan Qi's bundle and covered her with it. Lan Qi, curled up in a ball, had only half her head sticking out. Her body beneath the fox fur cloak trembled, her brows furrowed, and her fists gripped the fur's edge tightly. Blood seeped from her right palm again, but she remained oblivious, her eyes tightly shut. She recalled how, although she had suffered from the cold poison a few days ago, her martial arts skills remained intact, and she hadn't been injured. But now, the injury and poison had damaged her body and destroyed her will, leaving her so fragile that she couldn't control her grinding teeth.

After watching quietly for a long time, Ming Er finally sat down on the tiger carpet and hugged the bundle in his arms.

However... Lan Qi, who was unconscious and uncontrollably cold, trembled violently the moment she touched warmth, and then, with a sudden burst of strength, she struggled.

“It’s me,” Ming Er said softly. He assumed it was just a premonition from her dream.

"No..." Lan Qi continued to struggle, murmuring, "Brother...no...why...never again..."

Ming Er frowned, raised his hand to pat Lan Qi's face, trying to wake her up, but Lan Qi's eyes remained closed, her pale face showing sorrow and fierceness, and she struggled violently, refusing to stay in Ming Er's arms.

"Wake up." Ming Er grabbed her hands, looking at Lan Qi struggling desperately, puzzled. Was she having a nightmare?

"No!" Lan Qi's expression became even more resolute. "Never again... Brother..." The last two words suddenly turned soft and sorrowful, carrying boundless pain.

In that instant, Ming's hands suddenly went limp, and Lan Qi fell back onto the blanket. She stopped struggling, rolled around on the blanket a few times, and then curled up into a ball again in a corner away from the campfire.

Ming Er stared at the mass, countless thoughts flashing through his eyes before finally settling into a daze. He rose, returned to his original spot to meditate, and had just closed his eyes when he heard Lan Qi's urgent, soft shout: "False Immortal!"

Startled, she opened her eyes to see the same curled-up figure, eyes tightly closed, yet a voice could definitely be heard, "False Immortal... 'Lan Yin Bi Yue' is mine..."

Ming Er's eyebrows twitched.

“Fake immortal…you dare to compete with me…I’ll kill you!” These words were almost vicious.

Ming Er was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.

After a long while, the mass stirred again. Its brows, which had relaxed, suddenly furrowed slightly, and a soft murmur came again, "Ning Lang..."

Ming Er was startled again.

“…I…don’t want to…” A faint sigh drifted out.

Beneath the rocks, a profound silence reigned until Lan Qi's murmurs rang out once more.

"Such a strong rejection?" Ming Er looked at Lan Qi with a hazy gaze, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Even while unconscious, it still tries to refuse... but what is it refusing?

That night, Ming Er quietly watched the moon in the sky and listened quietly to Lan Qi's murmurs in her sleep beside him.

Brother, fake immortal, Ning Lang.

These three names took turns appearing on stage.

Many years later, Ming Er would still think of that night, that cold winter night, that frosty moon, that crimson campfire, and... that one and only time Lan Qi was vulnerable and out of control. But he never told Lan Qi about that night, and Lan Qi seemed to have long forgotten that such a night had ever happened, nor did she know that she had ever had such a dream.

25. A Faint Pain in My Dreams (Part 2)

November 18th, night, at the North Gate and South Peak of the Eastern Sea.

Unlike the towering and precipitous North Peak, the South Peak lacks the solemn and magnificent palaces found there. Instead, the South Peak is adorned with simple and unpretentious stone houses and buildings built against the mountainside, without any luxurious embellishments. These structures are situated at the base, waist, and summit of the peak, blending seamlessly with the surrounding landscape from afar. In the darkness of night, only the towering peak stands out prominently.

The South Peak and North Peak are forbidden areas of the Eastern Sea, and ordinary people are not allowed to enter. On the North Peak, everyone in the Eastern Sea knows that the King of the Eastern Sea lives there, but on the South Peak, apart from the people of the Young Master's Mansion, no one else knows what is there.

But tonight, two people took advantage of the dark and windy night to sneak up on the North Gate South Peak.

At the foot of the peak, a group of stone houses stood neatly in the night. Apart from a few lights in the four directions, the rest was pitch black and there was no sound of people. The only sound was the night wind blowing.

Of course, this is only what it appears to be on the surface.

The two men hidden in the darkness looked at the group of stone houses ahead. After a moment, one of them whispered, "Fake Immortal, the man surnamed Yun has a lot of subordinates, and they are all quite extraordinary."

Even from this distance, the seemingly deserted stone house exudes a heavy sense of oppression. In the silence, ordinary people cannot perceive it, but they can hear faint, slow, and long breaths. Only a top-tier expert could have such shallow breathing sounds.

"He's practically turned the martial arts world of the Imperial Dynasty upside down," another person whispered. The implication was that his companion's lament was unnecessary. If Dongming Island was full of useless people, how could they have stolen "Lan Yin Bi Yue"? How could they have caused so many masters of the Imperial Dynasty's martial arts world to perish here? Moreover, how could they have caused them to be injured and suffer so much?

Without a doubt, these two were Lan Qi and Ming Er.

The two of them hid there for seven or eight days to recuperate. Thanks to the "Purple Mansion Powder" and the fact that they were both young and healthy, their wounds healed quickly. With Ming Er's help, Lan Qi's cold poison was effectively suppressed and did not flare up again.

Seeing that their injuries had almost healed, and that they were tired of the dry rations, wild rabbits, and pheasants, and that the small pool wasn't a luxurious place with fine wine, beautiful women, and brocade quilts, and that preparations were almost complete, it was time to settle accounts with Dongming Island, they appeared at the foot of Beique Nanfeng tonight. According to Lan Qi, Yun Wuyai still had one thing to do that Yun Wuyai wanted them to do.

"Fake Immortal, what kind of ending do you think we should give to fulfill Young Master Yun's last hope?" Lan Qi took out a jade fan that he hadn't used in a long time from his sleeve. He wanted to wave it, but it seemed a bit inappropriate in the middle of winter, so he just closed it up and used it as a jade ruler to tap Ming Er's shoulder.

The Second Young Master Ming's ears twitched when Lan Qi called him "fake immortal" again. Although he knew the term wasn't too offensive, and Lan Qi calling him that wasn't a big deal, it was just that she was used to it, and if she called him that in front of everyone later, it would really damage his usual gentle and refined image. So the Second Young Master decided to ignore it.

Lan Qi waited a moment, but Ming Er didn't respond. Curious, she turned to look at him. Although they were in the shadows, and the moon was hidden behind clouds, her eyesight was still good enough for her to see Ming Er's face clearly at such close range. So she leaned closer, and softly, in a drawn-out voice, called out, "Ming Lang..."

So, the Second Young Master Ming, who had never felt cold in the dead of winter, suddenly shivered and shivered.

Lan Qi, who was leaning against him, knew perfectly well, so she smiled silently and happily.

Whether it's the gentlemanly demeanor, the gentle and approachable words, or the virtues of humility, courtesy, benevolence, and selflessness, these methods that can win over anyone have never worked on Lan Qi. Therefore, the Second Young Master Ming could only sigh helplessly to himself and say, "Does Seventh Young Master intend to flatten or hollow out this three-story tower?"

"Well..." Lan Qi narrowed his eyes slightly, examining the towering North Peak in the night. Three stone houses and buildings formed a circle around the base, waist, and summit of the peak, like a belt or a protective barrier. A glint of light flashed in his blue eyes as he said, "I think it would be too unchallenging to just play around at the bottom of such a fine peak."

Ming Er thought for a moment and said, "That's true. The bottom of the peak is too easy to take, which is not enough to meet Young Master Yun's expectations. Then let's go up to the middle of the peak."

"Let's go."

Lan Qi tapped Ming Er's shoulder with her jade fan again, and the two of them simultaneously gathered their energy and flew away. In the darkness of the night, their original blue and purple clothes became as dark as ink, making it easier for them to hide their figures. Like two wisps of ink smoke, they floated silently by and arrived in front of the stone houses at the foot of the peak in the blink of an eye.

The two looked at the cluster of stone houses and nodded to themselves. They were indeed no ordinary stone houses; every room, every wall, every corridor, every pillar, even the corners and eaves, was full of hidden mechanisms and traps. They glanced at each other, nodded, and then Ming Er took the lead, with Lan Qi following closely behind.

Although Lan Qi was also quite proficient in mechanisms and formations, and although he would never admit that Ming Er was more powerful than him, at this moment, he was still willing to make a slight concession and let the hypocritical and righteous fake immortal go first.

Ming Er pushed his lightness skill to its limit, flitting across the stone houses like a falling leaf, turning left and right, and traversing them with safe footwork. Behind him, Lan Qi was like a gust of wind chasing a falling leaf; wherever the leaf fell, the wind stopped; wherever the leaf flew, the wind followed. The two truly moved with perfect stillness, their footsteps barely a sound, dodging the hidden masters lurking in the shadows of the stone houses and avoiding the concealed traps. Occasionally, they would encounter the masters guarding a formation, and at that moment, Ming Er would strike with lightning speed, knocking the guard unconscious before they could react, or striking their pressure points, or even… killing them in a single blow! At the same moment Ming Er struck, Lan Qi would gently fan her jade fan, and those knocked down would silently fall to the ground with the breeze, without disturbing anyone. The two would continue flying without stopping, and after about half an hour, they finally safely passed through the stone house formation and floated lightly towards the mountainside.

"Second Young Master, do you think if we cooperate, we can go anywhere in the world?" Perhaps because he was very confident in the guards at the bottom of the peak, there were no hidden sentries on the way to the middle of the peak, so Lan Qi could joke with peace of mind.

“I have always longed to live to be a hundred years old. Seventh Young Master, you would be better off finding someone with high martial arts skills and heroic courage to accompany you, such as Brother Lie Chifeng,” the Second Young Master Ming replied.

"Oh dear, Second Young Master, we've been through thick and thin together for so long. Our bond should be stronger than gold and our loyalty heavier than mountains. How could you say such heartless, ungrateful, and untrustworthy words?" Lan Qi's voice was comparable to that of a woman who had been waiting bitterly in a cold cave for eighteen years.

Ming Er suddenly stopped, and Lan Qi instantly overtook him, but then bent down and landed back in front of Ming Er. "What's wrong?"

"I'm thinking..." Young Master Ming looked hesitant.

"What is it?" Lan Qi's expression turned serious. Could it be that something was overlooked on this trip? It shouldn't be; she and the fake immortal had made arrangements and calculations for both the Ming family and the Lan family.

The Second Young Master of the Ming Dynasty stared intently at Lan Qi, his face solemn and dignified. He said, "Seventh Young Master is such a talented person, and has repeatedly expressed his feelings to me. I am not made of wood or stone, how could I be indifferent? Therefore, whether it is a matter of parting ways or growing old together, I have only one condition: if Seventh Young Master marries me, then the Lan family will be the dowry; if Seventh Young Master wishes to marry me, then the Lan family will be the betrothal gift. If Seventh Young Master is willing, then I will have no reason not to agree."

After Ming Er finished speaking, Lan Qi was first dumbfounded, and then gritted her teeth and glared angrily.

"Why wasn't the Ming family the bride price and dowry?!"

“Since it was Seventh Young Master who confessed his feelings to me, it is equivalent to Seventh Young Master proposing to me. Since it is a ‘proposal,’ there must naturally be ‘proposals.’” The Second Young Master answered quite smoothly and matter-of-factly.

“You…” Lan Qi stared wide-eyed.

"I have never confessed anything to Seventh Young Master, but Seventh Young Master has told me at least twice that he wants to 'take responsibility'," the Second Young Master stated clearly.

“I…” Lan Qi stammered.

"Seventh Young Master, you'd better think it over carefully." The Second Young Master patted Lan Qi's shoulder kindly and amicably, then walked past her and continued towards the mountainside. Hopefully, things will be quiet for a while now.

Lan Qi snapped out of her daze, lightly touched the ground with her toes and chased after Ming Er, saying softly and sweetly, "Ming Lang, I suddenly remembered that the beauty of the Qiu family once gave you clothes and wrote a poem, and I also have a fiancé named Ning Lang, so it is inconvenient for us to have a formal marriage, so why don't we have a secret affair?"

The highly skilled Second Young Master Ming suddenly stumbled, but after regaining his balance, he turned around, looked at Lan Qi, and smiled gently, saying, "Seventh Young Master, even if it's a secret affair, there should be some kind of token. How about using the Lan family head's order?" After a pause, the Second Young Master casually dropped another bombshell, "Moreover... I've heard there's some kind of night fee."

Lan Qi was speechless, as if he had swallowed a toad.

The second young master of the Ming family turned his head away, too lazy to pay any more attention, and leaped forward, continuing towards the mountainside.

Lan Qi caught up with a light step, but his face was full of heartache and indignation. He said, "You actually know about 'night fees'?! So you're a regular at brothels! You fake immortal are indeed a fraud! I've been so kind to you, and you...you..."

Ming raised his hand, signaling Lan Qi to be quiet, "We've arrived."

A few dozen feet ahead lay another cluster of stone houses, a dark and indistinct mass. Yet, four lamps hung on the mountainside high above the houses, their faint light illuminating only a small area, serving instead as markers to indicate the direction.

"Who...could be here?" Lan Qi tapped Ming Er with her jade fan.

Ming Er glanced back at her and casually said, "Your internal energy cultivation is of the Yin-cold type. If you fight later, use only 70% of your strength at most. Otherwise, if you trigger the cold poison again, don't call me." After saying that, he flew forward.

"What a cold-blooded, fake immortal," Lan Qi murmured, but a smile crept onto her lips as she flew to catch up.

The two stealthily approached, and the instant they were close to the cluster of stone houses, a murderous intent swept over them. They instantly dodged to the left and right, and then turned around at the same moment. Their hands moved lightly yet swiftly, and then a dark figure stopped in mid-air. Lan Qi's jade fan was inserted into his chest, and Ming Er's hand gripped his throat, preventing him from making a sound.