Xiao Zhou felt terrible all over. Was that dandy speaking mockingly about her?

She looked over, only vaguely seeing a pair of white cloud-pattern boots. She focused to look more clearly, but her vision became increasingly blurry. She knew it was the Lingering Interest taking effect.

They say that fighting with people brings endless joy.

Actually, when Heaven seeks a chance to gamble, fighting with human lives also brings endless joy, even if one ultimately loses.

She was a master of medical arts. Lian Jie had asked how to use needles to guide out poison, but how to cleanse organs already invaded by poison? Needles could penetrate skin but not organs, but the sympathy gu could. Its tendrils could seep through skin and enter the organs, completely guiding out the poison and transferring it to another host. The gu itself would digest part of the toxins, but naturally, what goes in must come out—without another host for its other appendages to attach to, it would never act, as it would cause too much self-harm.

But this had given her the advantage. She could freely choose the entry point, so she selected a position on her arm. Her martial arts were decent, and currently she could still use her internal strength to suppress it, preventing the poison from moving downward into her abdomen and organs, then spreading to her feet, crippling her legs and preventing her from walking.

However, if it didn’t go down, it would move up. Thus, among human organs, the most delicate eyes couldn’t withstand it first. She knew she was about to lose her sight.

But what she couldn’t bear most was Lian Yu’s heartbreak.

She absolutely couldn’t let Lian Yu see her lying in bed, losing dignity and waiting weakly for death.

And there was also Feng Shaoying’s guilt.

“Have you ever thought that if you told Wuqing the truth, his thoughts might completely change? He’s always felt you loved your beliefs more than him. But now, what you’ve done is no less than the Princess. You’re both my friends, and I hope you, like Lian Xin, have a chance to be fairly chosen.”

Before leaving, Leng Xue had said this.

She had refused. She didn’t need love based on sympathy, guilt, and charity.

Her master had given her freedom, and as Leng Xue said, he had put her and Lian Xin on equal footing. These past years, whenever she knew he had martial competitions, she would secretly follow to watch, fearing he might be in danger. But she hadn’t appeared. Because she knew he was also searching for Lian Xin. They suspected each other and appreciated each other, but from that night in the hunting forest, his heart began to soften for Lian Xin.

The day they had dinner, she was outside. Watching their warmth under the lamplight, she unconsciously revealed her hiding place. With his high martial arts, he immediately noticed. He didn’t know who she was, so his chopsticks struck her.

Her heart could also hurt and bleed.

But was there truly no one in this world who could love her like Lian Yu loved Feng Suzhen, or Huo Chang’an loved Wei Wuyan?

She had always known where the root of their problem lay, but she didn’t want Feng Shaoying, who would treat her the same way after learning the reason.

When Huaisu was still alive, what the two of them did most often was match wits and courage with various people. Actually, they had also talked about girls’ private conversations. Huaisu said that love was as gentle as water—feelings that needed life and death to prove were probably never love at all.

After leaving, her vision worsened day by day, but she couldn’t stop. If she stopped, the pain would become unbearable.

So she kept walking, kept walking.

“The Great Zhou is becoming more and more prosperous. The more prosperous a place, the more beggars there are.”

That man said with a smile again.

So she had squatted among the beggars without realizing it herself.

Listening to the old beggar beside her laughingly selling one of his broken bowls to that person, with money falling in front of her, the scene was obviously amusing, yet the emotions she had long suppressed seemed to burst forth like a broken dam—before her eyes was a foggy mass of white. A group of five or six people, she couldn’t see the man’s appearance clearly. She groped to grab the pottery bowl in front of her, and with her last remaining vision, aimed at the person in the middle and threw it hard.

This strike was too fast and sudden. Everyone was caught off guard. That man’s movements were also extremely quick, retreating rapidly at the critical moment, but was still grazed by the pottery bowl. Because he reached up to lightly press his forehead, before she completely fell into darkness, she couldn’t see his appearance clearly but at least gained this knowledge.

“What are you doing? Our master showed you kindness, yet you repay him like this. We need to get back at you for this.” Several people scolded sternly, with both male and female voices. Two sets of footsteps walked toward her.

The beggars around were also stunned, all retreating and hiding to one side.

She kept one hand behind her back, the other lightly shaking. The needle tube mechanism in her sleeve opened, ready to strike at any moment. Though she couldn’t see, it wouldn’t be easy for them to gain any advantage from her hands.

“Come back. She’s just a pitiful person.”

That dandy’s voice rang out indifferently—gentle, yet carrying irresistible authority.

“Yes.” The two hesitated momentarily, then immediately responded and returned.

“I’m a pitiful person. If you pity me, then pity me completely. If you cannot, then put away that so-called kindness and surplus compassion. When you want to bestow it, you should also see whether people will accept it or not.” She knew how detestable she was, but still said word by word.

“Hmm?”

She couldn’t see, but could feel he seemed to have turned around.

“So it’s a girl.” He said indifferently. “I naturally cannot pity you completely. Xie Wan, take this to her. Let’s go.”

Someone came over and stuffed something into her hands.

It was soft and fragrant to the touch—a handkerchief?

Her cheeks were ice-cold. Only then did she realize with alarm that tears had long been streaming down her face.

That group of people walked away, and she also slowly turned around, moving forward bit by bit.

Along the way she occasionally bumped into people and was cursed at as “a blind person,” but she didn’t care. Such trivial words could no longer hurt her.

After walking for an unknown time, she smelled cooking aromas just as she was becoming hungry. She felt for her money pouch, then cursed under her breath.

Damn, it had been stolen.

Truly, when it rains, it pours.

Thinking this, several drops of water suddenly fell on her head.

Fine, Heaven, she surrendered.

Following the people running for shelter, she entered what should be a temple. There were areas laid with straw mats, and she smelled the scent of burning incense.

She found an empty spot to sit. Thanks to her new appearance, no one dared approach, which wasn’t a bad thing. The temple was full of people sheltering from rain, but at least she claimed a small territory. Being out and about, no one bothered to chase her away. As a martial artist, her hearing was naturally better than ordinary people’s, and now that her eyes couldn’t see, her hearing became even more acute. Listening around, she knew that among them were passing martial world figures, local merchants and vendors, several families, and a few young women.

Soon, she smelled smoke and the scent of dry rations. She was cold and hungry, her clothes soaked through, feeling extremely uncomfortable. She pondered how to get some food.

Just then, more people entered, and at the same time, a thick bloody smell fiercely penetrated her nose.

“Look quickly, that person is covered in blood…”

She heard several women’s screams.

“Can anyone help me tend to my wounds?”

Then she heard a heavy object falling and a man’s voice.

Her heart suddenly skipped a beat.

“Brother, your injury is serious.”

“Look at that clean sword cut, and your wound has turned black in patches. Your enemies are skilled with swords and poison. If they trace who saved you, we can’t bear the consequences.”

The speakers seemed to be those martial world figures.

The man laughed but said nothing more.

“Doctor Guan, won’t you… take a look?”

At this time, a girl in the temple spoke softly. From her voice, she had already gone to help, while the middle-aged man called Doctor Guan said “Aiya” and continued: “Miss Ye, you’re so bold. Didn’t you hear these heroes say this person cannot be easily saved? If his enemies come looking and ask questions later, it could mean death.”

“Yes, Ah Qiao, this young master is handsome, and we feel sorry for him too, but this won’t do. Come back quickly.” Several women urgently called out.

“Young master, let me take you to see a doctor.”

But that Ah Qiao from the Ye family was a good person who didn’t agree, instead actively offering help.

“Thank you, miss. When my attendants find me, I will surely repay you generously.” The man said gently.

But he seemed severely injured, as there was another “thud” as he fell to the ground again. Though Ye Qiao had tried hard, she couldn’t help him up.

“What should we do?” Ye Qiao was greatly anxious.

“Please trouble the miss to go out and fetch a doctor for me.” The man pondered briefly before saying.

“Alright, I’ll go right away.” Ye Qiao said.

“Thank you. Miss, be careful on the road.” the man said.

“Good.”

Several women anxiously came up to dissuade her, but Ye Qiao insisted on going. When her close friends couldn’t persuade her, they had to let her go. At this moment, she finally spoke up: “Wait.”

Everyone was stunned. Ah Qiao turned around, looking at her strangely.

“Two points. First, this dandy’s injury isn’t something an ordinary doctor would dare treat. You’re going for nothing, and if you walk far away, you won’t be back for some time, and he’ll have bled to death. Second, this person is no good man—knowing it’s useless, he still let you go.” Xiao Zhou said.

As Ah Qiao stood in stunned confusion, the man laughed: “Well said. I indeed am no good man, because I know my enemies are approaching. Apart from this young lady, there are no good people here either. Having you all buried with me would be quite nice.”

As soon as he spoke, everyone’s faces changed.