The bowstring’s resonant hum vibrated the air, seeming to suppress even the academy’s cheers.
The cheering stopped abruptly, once again so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Everyone’s ears seemed to become a vacuum, while their eyes all reflected that meteor-like arrow. Simultaneously appearing in their pupils was endless terror.
Fierce Ye Shiba—what was she trying to do now?
Kill someone in public!
Everyone’s flesh instantly broke out in goosebumps, their hair standing on end as they felt infinite chilliness despite the summer season.
Senior Brother Mu now experienced the shock Tie Ci had felt earlier.
That arrow appeared inexplicably, came ghostlike, shot irresistibly!
The people beside him once again desperately rolled toward him, but they were all a step too slow.
Death would arrive with a sinister smile!
He only had time to raise his shield, his entire body unable to shrink away.
Clang!
Senior Brother Mu only felt an overwhelming force like a mountain collapse crash into his shield, making his head ring, his chest ache severely, his vision go black. His whole person was like being struck by a heavy hammer. Then came explosive pain in his shoulder as that tremendous force carried him flying. Tilting his head back, he saw a sky full of red clouds.
In his daze he wondered why there would be such red clouds…
The students outside the field saw the arrow strike the edge of the shield, then pierce through the thinner edge, penetrate Senior Brother Mu’s shoulder, and fly out his back shoulder carrying a spray of blood. In mid-air, a shower of fresh blood scattered down, drenching those who had rushed up to save him.
“Bang.”
The human body hit the ground heavily.
Those who rushed up but failed to catch him got a mouthful of dirt.
The crowd roared as if to overturn the academy. Companions galloped wildly on horseback, countless people leaped over railings, teachers all rushed out.
Senior Brother Mu, lying in his own pool of blood, struggled to raise his head. Through gaps in the crowd, he saw Tie Ci sitting coldly upright across from him, her bow held vertically before her, dividing her face and the sunlight shining on her cheeks—half human, half divine demon.
In the distance, Rong Wei, who was bandaging his wound, suddenly looked up.
His face was also half bright, half dark, his smile divided at this point too, like an eerie jade statue coldly gazing at the mortal world.
He suddenly felt countless regrets and fears in his heart.
Shouldn’t have come…
He struggled to raise his palm.
Several people who had been protecting him understood, lifted him up, and quickly darted into the nearby woods.
Tie Ci watched coldly but didn’t pursue.
At the chaotic edge of the martial field, Rong Wei and Wei Xuan sat shoulder to shoulder.
Wei Xuan had originally planned to slowly and carefully treat Rong Wei’s wound. His injury was somewhat troublesome—half the arrowhead was embedded in flesh. Though it had no barbs, it faintly gleamed blue, clearly poisoned. Moreover, that location was near the wrist pulse. Pulling it out forcefully would cause severe pain, but that was minor—she feared that with one careless move, she might damage the tendons and ruin that hand.
The academy had a medical hall and attending physicians, but they certainly couldn’t handle such an injury.
Wei Xuan thought it would be better to leave the academy and find a renowned physician to treat it. She turned and was immediately drawn by the scene over there, exclaiming: “What is Ye Shiba trying to do!”
“What to do?” Rong Wei smiled. “Avenge me!”
He seemed quite pleased, his tone and eyes both suffused with mirth.
Wei Xuan listened without thinking much, saying enviously: “Shiba is strong. Sir, it’s a pity I’m not as strong as him—I can’t avenge you.”
“Didn’t you help me block an arrow? That’s also a life-saving grace.”
Wei Xuan’s eyes brightened as she turned her head. “That’s what I should do. Sir, Shiba avenging you is also what he should do. If not for you, he would have been hit by that cold arrow. You’re his life-saver too.”
“You’re wrong about that.” Rong Wei smiled and shook his head. “He blocked arrows for me first, which drew the assassins. At that time I restrained him, making it inconvenient for him to dodge. Naturally I should resolve it for him. Otherwise, with his abilities, how could he fail to avoid those hidden arrows?”
Wei Xuan smiled: “Sir is just such a reasonable person. So when we help you block arrows, it’s all voluntary. Sir need not take it to heart as a debt of gratitude.”
Rong Wei smiled, staring toward Tie Ci’s direction. Seeing Senior Brother Mu and others flee into the woods, he asked casually: “If not a debt of gratitude, then what is it?”
Wei Xuan suddenly blushed and lowered her head. After hesitating for a long while, she said quietly: “Shiba should be fulfilling the way of a disciple, while I…”
Before she finished speaking, she saw Rong Wei had already grasped the half of the arrowhead that was exposed and was pulling the arrow out himself.
She cried out: “Don’t!”
But Rong Wei completely ignored her. Not only did he pull it himself, he slowly rotated it, making the arrowhead avoid important tendons. Wei Xuan watched until her own arms went soft. She wanted to stop him but didn’t dare, wanted to help but didn’t know how. Seeing blood flow in a large pool, while under the sunlight Rong Wei’s expression remained calm as he continued chatting leisurely with her, though his forehead was snow-white and beaded with countless bright droplets of sweat. In panic, she frantically searched her sleeve pocket, pulled out a purple-gold pill, and regardless of anything else, stuffed it in Rong Wei’s mouth.
Rong Wei normally wouldn’t casually eat other people’s things, but at this moment he was weak. Before he could guard against it, the medicine had already dissolved and entered his stomach. A cool sensation spread through his throat—clearly not poison.
At this time, someone strode over quickly, pressed down his hand, and called loudly: “Brother Rong!”
Rong Wei’s consciousness was somewhat fuzzy from pain. Thinking someone was calling him, he chuckled softly: “Hey, I’m here. Shiba, don’t shout so loudly, okay? You scared me.”
Tie Ci ignored him, pressed his wrist pulse to slow the bleeding, then called: “Rong Lianzhi!”
An umbrella slowly drifted over. Under the umbrella, Rong Pu’s features were clear and transparent like water jade, though his expression was somewhat helpless as he glanced at Rong Wei and slowly pulled out a packet of needles.
Tie Ci had only recently learned that Rong Pu was actually skilled in medicine, especially brain disorders. Wei Xuan said one important reason she brought her brother here was hearing that Rong Pu was skilled in treating brain disorders and came seeking treatment. Who knew that after arriving, Rong Pu had no methods for treating illness here, but instead encountered Tie Ci.
Though his specialty was neurology, naturally treating ordinary wounds was not difficult for him.
Rong Pu stepped forward and inserted a row of needles in Rong Wei, stopping the bleeding. After applying some medicine, he said: “With my needles inserted and medicine applied, there will be brief numbness around the wound. Who will lend a hand to dig out the arrowhead? My hands aren’t steady enough.”
He also said to Rong Wei: “Sir’s method of abusing yourself like this is absolutely unacceptable—others might think you’re playing a self-harm scheme.”
The two exchanged glances, then both looked away. Rong Wei smiled: “Lesson learned, lesson learned. So self-harm schemes can be used this way.”
Wei Xuan stepped forward, wanting to say she’d help. Tie Ci had already pulled Rong Wei’s wrist and placed it on her knee, saying: “I’ll do it.”
It wasn’t about competing with Wei Xuan—truly, no one could match her steady hands.
Rong Wei lowered his eyes to look at his wrist and inexplicably smiled.
Except for Wei Xuan, no one else saw that smile. Tie Ci’s attention was all on the wound. That arrow was a heavy arrow with a wide, flat head that had penetrated through the arm—a very large wound.
Rong Pu indicated she should follow his instructions, slowly digging out the arrowhead to minimize damage as much as possible.
He also reminded her to be very careful, as that location—one careless move could hit the wrist pulse.
Tie Ci stared at Rong Wei’s wrist. Though he was a martial artist with strong, well-defined arm muscles and flowing lines, his wrist was white and slender, with a kind of delicate fragility that formed a stark contrast with the inherent sense of toughness he gave off. At this moment, that large wound gaped there, faintly revealing the iron-black arrowhead. It looked rather shocking.
She paused before picking up the knife.
Digging out arrowheads was bloody work with great visual and psychological impact, and she had to be careful not to damage blood vessels. Tie Ci held her breath and worked slowly. Hot sweat rolled down her forehead, but her hands were steady as rock.
Wei Xuan watched from the side. Besides admiration, she also felt her earlier rashness—if she had really stepped in, she would have gone weak-handed the moment she started cutting, much less be able to consider so many factors.
Rong Pu suddenly said: “I brought little anesthetic. I’m afraid it won’t last long. How about two people hold down the sir to prevent movement—if the knife slips and cuts the wrist pulse, that would be terrible.”
Tie Ci turned to look at Rong Wei. She saw his forehead and nose tip covered in bright beads—clearly the anesthetic had worn off. But he made no sound, his hand casually resting on her knee. From beginning to end, he hadn’t even involuntarily lifted it slightly.
If Rong Pu hadn’t noticed something wrong and reminded her, she would have been completely unaware.
Was it naturally strong self-control, or had he experienced countless such injuries before, developing formidable endurance?
Meeting her gaze, Rong Wei said: “No matter. You do your embroidery well. Make it look nice—I’ll have face.”
Tie Ci smiled: “Alright then, I’ll embroider the words ‘divine beast’ for you.”
Both laughed heartily. Then Tie Ci continued working while Rong Wei lowered his eyes to watch her with interest.
Wei Xuan stood to the side, suddenly feeling that these two formed their own world, and everyone else had come to the wrong place.
Those two had their heads close together—one with unchanged expression, one working swift as wind. They occasionally commented on the shape of the wound, the material of the arrowhead, and the pattern of embroidery. Throughout, Tie Ci’s sweating hands never slipped, and Rong Wei’s aching wrist never moved.
When the arrowhead fell out with a clang, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. When the wind blew on their backs, they felt chilly and realized they had somehow been holding their breath and sweating profusely.
Tie Ci didn’t rest, continuing in one breath to suture the wound. She had been sutured many times herself, but this was her first time suturing someone else. Embroidering a divine beast was impossible—after finishing, looking at the shape, it looked like a pile of excrement no matter how she looked at it.
But she saw Rong Wei satisfiedly turning his wrist left and right to look, saying: “Shiba is so considerate. Even suturing a wound, it’s in the shape of love.”
Tie Ci: “…”
Fine then.
Impressionist artists were like this—my excrement, your love.
She looked at the blue-black arrowhead: “This arrowhead is poisoned…”
But Rong Pu, who was taking Rong Wei’s pulse, said: “The poison seems to have been neutralized… There might still be some residual poison, but it’s harmless. With sir’s constitution, it can be gradually resolved, but he needs good rest and recovery.”
Tie Ci looked at Rong Wei in surprise. How could the poison on this arrow be so easily neutralized?
But she saw Rong Wei turn to look at Wei Xuan, saying: “I must also thank Miss Wei for her miraculous medicine.”
Wei Xuan looked steadily at him, three parts shy within her natural grace, smiling: “Sir need not be polite—it’s proper.”
The two smiled at each other again.
Under the intense summer light, the man and woman facing each other were beautiful as bright flowers, both worthy of painting.
Tie Ci turned her head away, thinking about medicine that could neutralize poison without treating the right symptoms—generally such things were life-saving elixirs from great families. Wei Xuan had casually given it to Rong Wei just like that? In these days when she wasn’t paying attention, the two had made quite rapid emotional progress.