The warm spring water gradually soaked into my cold skin.
Xue Ziye lay in the hot spring of the snow valley, her pale face gradually regaining color, and the suffocating coldness in her chest began to melt away. The grass and trees around the hot spring were lush and dense, with tree ferns covering the lakeside meadow, their long branches hanging down towards the water. Countless butterflies fluttered and chased each other, while others perched on the branches, hanging in clusters on the water's surface.
That's a scene only found in the dense forests of southern Xinjiang, yet it appears deep in this snow valley.
When Xue Ziye woke up, a silvery-white glowing butterfly flew past her, like a drifting snowflake.
"Ah..." She let out a long breath and wearily opened her eyes, finding herself soaking in warm water, surrounded by the scent of camphor. She moved her limbs, trying to recall how she had suddenly ended up in the Summer Garden's hot springs again.
"Oh, you're awake?" A big smiling face suddenly appeared in front of me, leaning closer. "Take your medicine quickly!"
"Ah—" she cried out in surprise, instinctively dodging into the water, and slapped him across the face. "Get out of here!"
Huo Zhanbai was caught off guard and hit squarely. The medicine cup in his hand clattered to the ground, scalding him and making him cry out.
"Ah Hong! Greenie!" Xue Ziye, immersed in the hot spring, cried out, "Where have you all gone? Letting the sick wander around?"
"Valley Master, you're finally awake?" Only Xiao Jing emerged from the pavilion by the spring, almost crying with joy. "You...you fainted in the library, everyone was terrified! They've all rushed to the herb garden and pharmacy, how could they possibly care about a sick person?"
As she gradually recalled what had happened in the library, Xue Ziye's expression softened: "Making a fuss over nothing."
"How long have I been unconscious?" she asked, tilting her head back and gesturing for Xiaojing to bring over the long robe that was placed on the white stone by the spring.
“It’s been more than a day.” Huo Zhanbai frowned. The snow hawk made a cooing sound and flew over, carrying the purple brocade robe with cloud patterns in its beak, and threw it to the water’s edge. “Everyone was terrified by you.”
"Heh..." She lowered her head and chuckled, "It's not that easy to die."
"Do you think you're indestructible?" Huo Zhanbai was furious. This woman was really too ungrateful. "Granny Ning said that if I hadn't used the Divine Finger to forcefully push your blood through your uterus in time, you might have died before you could be saved! And now you're still spouting nonsense here!"
"..." Xue Ziye lowered her head, knowing that Granny Ning's medical skills were not much inferior to her own.
"Okay, I know you mean that since you saved me once, you can pay back less of that 600,000 debt—right?" She smiled teasingly, trying to change the subject.
"I don't mean to collect a debt, it's that you, you damned woman, have to pay me back in the future—" Huo Zhanbai said angrily.
"Alright, get out of here!" Before he could say anything more, Xue Ziye pointed at the garden gate and snapped, "I need to get dressed!"
Helpless, he walked out dejectedly, then stopped at the door: "I said, you should still—"
"Still looking!" An incense burner flew over with a whoosh, shattering beneath his feet, startling him so much he jumped back three feet. "Get back to the Winter Pavilion to recover! I'll be checking up on you tonight!"
Huo Zhanbai gave a wry smile—looking at her like this, she doesn't seem like the type to have a tragic fate.
After his figure disappeared outside the door, she pondered for a moment in the water before slowly standing up. With a splash, Xiao Jing quickly stood behind her and helped her unfold her purple robe to cover her body. She took a cloth and began to wring out her wet hair.
Startled by her, the butterflies hanging from the branches and falling onto the water fluttered up, as if five-colored fireworks had suddenly exploded on the water's surface.
Xue Ziye gazed at the vibrant, bustling life in the Summer Garden, and suddenly sighed silently—
what to do?
Even after such painstaking research, they could only find one prescription that could temporarily prolong Mo'er's illness for another three months—but how could they explain this to Huo Zhanbai after three months?
Moreover... there's still absolutely no way to deal with Mingjie's brain-sealing technique using golden needles...
Exhausted, she raised her head and looked at the countless butterflies fluttering on the water. Suddenly, she envied these beautiful creatures that lived for only a year but were carefree. How wonderful it would be if she could ride on a butterfly and go far away.
The northern sky had a faint, pale blue hue.
Mohe is known as the far north, but what lies north of Mohe?
While in Moga Village, she had heard Xuehuai mention an ancient legend of their tribe. The legend said that by crossing the frozen river and then traversing the vast, snow-covered wilderness, one could reach a boundless ocean of ice—
That is the true far north. The sky above the icy sea is filled with seven-colored light.
Red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and purple—the colors floated and shifted on the icy sea, like a dream.
Xuehuai... When we were fourteen, we looked at the North Star on the glacier and made a wish to cross the snowfield together and go to the far north to see that dreamlike light.
Are you already waiting for me under the Northern Lights?
Unfortunately, these butterflies could not fly across that icy ocean.
After drinking the medicine brewed by Granny Ning, Xue Ziye felt much stronger in the evening, her breathing became smoother, and her hands and feet were no longer cold. So she resumed her habit of being restless and began to take Lü'er for walks around the valley.
First, he went to the Winter Pavilion to see Huo Zhanbai and his bird. He found that the other party was indeed obediently staying to recuperate. He couldn't find a reason to punish him, so he just took his pulse, prescribed a calming and nourishing medicine, and instructed Lü'er to stay and take care of him.
After teasing Xueyao for a while, she stood up to leave, but suddenly stopped by the door: "Mo'er's medicine has already started to be prepared and will be ready in seven days—you still have time to get back before the deadline."
She stood by the door, speaking without turning her head, so Huo Zhanbai couldn't see her expression.
By the time he snapped out of his reverie, the figure in purple had already vanished into the snowy night.
Why did she feel a little lonely? She walked alone through the fragrant herb garden, carrying a glass lantern, lost in thought. Eight years—in that monotonous and desolate life, this person seemed to be the only bright spot.
For eight years, his annual visit gradually became the only day she looked forward to each year—although after meeting, they mostly bickered, argued, and drank together.
Each time he left, she would instruct the maids to bury new wine jars in the snow, awaiting their reunion the following year.
But this time, she could no longer deceive them.
She couldn't even imagine whether Huo Zhanbai would rush back and kill her if she couldn't save Mo'er this time.
Sigh... She raised her head and glanced at the snowy night sky. Suddenly, she felt that life was so heavy and helpless, as if the sky was full of inescapable nets that enveloped everyone's fate.
Passing by the Autumn Garden, I suddenly remembered the patient whose Ren and Du meridians she had sealed, and I couldn't help but feel a slight jolt. Because of my health issues, I hadn't been to see Meisuke for two days.
She couldn't help but leave the main path and turn towards the Autumn Garden.