Elder Zhi, as if possessed, focused his inner energy on his fingertips, oblivious to his surroundings.
An Jiu lowered her gaze, watching the red plum blossoms at her feet bloom more vividly as her vision blurred.
After standing in the cold wind for an indeterminate time, An Jiu swayed. She felt a pair of hands support her arms before everything went dark and she lost consciousness.
This sleep was deep and dreamless, yet exhausting.
When An Jiu opened her heavy eyelids, she saw Mo Sigui’s gaunt face, his alluring peach blossom eyes still as captivating as ever.
“You’re awake!” Mo Sigui’s eyes lit up with arrogant satisfaction. “You bastard, how dare you ruin my lifelong reputation!”
“What happened to me?” An Jiu had thought she was dying during her unconsciousness, yet here she was, alive.
“What happened?” Mo Sigui raised his voice, noticing her hoarse throat. He turned to pour a cup of water, feeding her with a small spoon. “You truly don’t know how to take care of yourself! Then again, it’s pointless to say this to someone with a death wish.”
Most suicidal people seek death to escape life’s suffering, but An Jiu’s self-destructiveness was on another level. Mo Sigui couldn’t even imagine the pain of having one’s meridians destroyed.
“I don’t understand why someone like you would want to self-destruct!” Mo Sigui said irritably.
“Did Mei Jiu react?” An Jiu asked.
Mo Sigui set down the cup heavily and sat on the windowsill. “Maybe. You cried constantly while unconscious but wouldn’t wake up.”
“That must have been her,” An Jiu had never shed a tear from pain before. “My meridians…”
Mo Sigui extended his spiritual sense to check their surroundings, confirming they were alone. “Your meridians are destroyed. You’ll likely never have inner energy again.”
An Jiu’s expression remained impassive.
“In other words, the Jingxian from half a month ago might have been your last,” Mo Sigui tapped his folding fan against his palm. “A person’s inner energy aligns with the five elements, and meridians have innate attributes. Yours were fire-natured. Not long ago, they were forcibly widened by a ‘fire’ type of inner energy. Though you were injured, it was ultimately beneficial. With proper recovery, your inner energy would have advanced quickly. Elder Zhi’s inner energy is the most domineering water type. Your entire meridian system has been torn apart, even your dantian is utterly destroyed.”
With meridians so damaged they lost all elemental affinity, how could inner energy possibly be generated?
An Jiu’s attention wasn’t on this at all. She murmured, “I’ve been unconscious for half a month.”
Mo Sigui sighed helplessly, “You came to me because you didn’t want to hurt Fourteen, but by doing this, even if it’s what you wanted, how can she go on living? You were too impulsive.”
It was rare for him to speak so seriously about something, but An Jiu was unreceptive. “How she lives is her business. I’m not her mother. I have no responsibility to take care of her!”
Mei Jiu could control the body but hadn’t resisted at all. An Jiu felt no guilt.
“I asked Elder Qi to keep this matter secret. If Elder Zhi is intent on testing, he won’t be fooled,” Mo Sigui smiled lazily. “But he probably doesn’t have time to bother with you right now.”
His loose robes and languid posture leaning against the table exuded a unique charm. His slightly husky voice was like rough fingers gently caressing skin, tickling to the core. “I’ve long seen through this family. Apart from the younger generation, only Elder Qi and Uncle have any humanity left.”
Mo Sigui wasn’t officially part of the clan registry. By rights, he should have been sent away from Meihua Li immediately. It was Elder Qi who insisted on keeping him and took him under his wing. Mo Sigui stayed only because Elder Qi treated him like family.
“Thank you,” An Jiu said.
Mo Sigui opened his fan, chuckling lightly. “No need for thanks. I’ve suddenly realized I quite like you. I’m never stingy with those I like.”
An Jiu turned her head, silently watching him, waiting for him to continue.
“You’re like a block of wood. I don’t have to worry about causing trouble when I talk to you,” Mo Sigui’s eyes curved in a smile. “Besides, you always seem to have rare injuries and illnesses. As a healer, how could I not like that?”
An Jiu frowned. She hated being treated as an experiment, but Mo Sigui seemed somewhat different from previous doctors.
“You despised me not long ago,” An Jiu found this more interesting.
Not long ago, An Jiu had also intensely disliked Mo Sigui, but now things seemed to have changed. When exactly this shift occurred, she didn’t know.
“Don’t ask why. I’ve always acted on my whims,” Mo Sigui tossed his fan onto the table and pulled out two tokens from his robes. “I guessed Elder Zhi would seclude himself to cultivate, so I got these tokens from him before he did. Having gone to such lengths, we can’t let this opportunity slip. Rest for a few more days, then we’ll go to Bianjing.”
There were many reasons for Mo Sigui’s sudden enthusiasm towards An Jiu. The root cause of this affair was him, and though events had developed beyond his expectations, it wasn’t solely his fault. Still, he couldn’t help feeling some guilt. Moreover, as a healer constantly seeking the pinnacle of medical arts, he couldn’t possibly ignore An Jiu’s unique case. Among these identifiable reasons was also a touch of sympathy and pity that even he couldn’t fully explain.
The weather improved greatly over the next few days. The snow melted completely, and An Jiu spent her days sunbathing by the medicine stove and reading books. She had never experienced such leisurely days before.
Mei Ruruo came to see her daily.
An Jiu watched the young girl grow increasingly charming. Yaoyao often whispered in her ear about Mei Ruruo falling for Mr. Mo, but An Jiu had always minded her own business. With her affairs in disarray, she was even less inclined to interfere.
During her idle moments, An Jiu pondered many things. She noticed that Mo Sigui had been solely responsible for her injuries, while Elder Qi only occasionally checked on her without offering any diagnosis. He had likely given up on treating her and handed her over to Mo Sigui for experimentation.
What intrigued her most was that Elder Zhi’s condensed inner energy was identical to that of the transcendent archer at the temple. If this was a coincidence, it was far too extraordinary.
These matters gave her much to ponder.
After seven days, when Mo Sigui confirmed her injuries wouldn’t hinder movement, he prepared a carriage. The two of them, accompanied by a group of maids and servants, set off for Bianjing amidst the envy of others.
As the carriage swayed gently, An Jiu initiated a conversation with Mo Sigui. “How many transcendent-level water-type inner energy users are there?”
“Well… it should be a countable number, fewer than twenty. Most are at the third rank, with second-rank users like Elder Zhi being extremely rare,” Mo Sigui replied, puzzled. “Why do you ask?”
Instead of answering, An Jiu asked another question, “How common is Elder Zhi’s type of inner energy?”