Jun Changxiao led Xi Jingxuan into another cave dwelling. The ceiling was embedded with luminous pearl-like objects that illuminated the interior brightly.

This place didn’t resemble an artificially excavated cave dwelling—it looked more like a constructed palace, with eight pillars supporting it, carved with lifelike birds and beasts.

Grand it was, but it also exuded an eerie atmosphere.

Jun Changxiao carefully walked forward and soon arrived at the central area.

There stood a stone platform piled to a height of one zhang, with two stone coffins placed on top. Perhaps due to the passage of many years, they emanated a desolate aura.

“Buried here isn’t just one person?” Jun Changxiao was astonished.

Just as he was about to ascend, suddenly a coughing sound came out of nowhere, making him hastily turn around on alert. He saw a hunched old man emerging from the darkness where the light couldn’t reach.

His hair was disheveled and messy, his body withered like a dried branch, and his complexion had not even half a trace of blood color. If not for the life force still emanating from his cloudy eyes, it would be easy to mistake him for another corpse.

“Who are you?” Jun Changxiao asked warily.

The old man gave a withered smile and said, “Little child, coming to the tomb I guard, that question should be mine to ask you.”

His voice was cold and sinister, like a ghost hidden in the underworld.

Jun Changxiao could tell that the voice was similar to the one that had echoed outside earlier, just lacking the heaviness and desolation.

“You’re the tomb keeper here?”

“Correct.”

The old man looked toward Xi Jingxuan and said, “You two were able to break through the Karma Boundary, so you’re qualified to pay respects to my master.”

Jun Changxiao asked, “Whose tomb is this?”

“The Hundred-Faced Medical Sage couple.”

Though the old man spoke casually, a trace of pain flickered in his eyes.

Standing behind, Xi Jingxuan’s body trembled slightly, and she said dejectedly, “So Senior Medical Sage truly has passed away…”

Unable to find famous physicians worldwide to cure her eye ailment, the Hundred-Faced Medical Sage was her only hope. Now that he had died, it was undoubtedly an extremely heavy blow.

Jun Changxiao said, “Palace Master Xi, as long as you and I are still alive, there will always be hope. Don’t give up on yourself, don’t easily surrender!”

At this moment, he wished he could pour out every motivational quote he knew.

But it was too late.

The death of the Hundred-Faced Medical Sage dealt too great a blow to Xi Jingxuan. Her entire state of mind had been completely shrouded by utter despair.

“Whoosh, whoosh—”

In an instant, surges of violent power erupted.

“This is bad!”

The corner of Jun Changxiao’s mouth twitched.

Standing behind him, Xi Jingxuan’s black hair danced wildly, and her vacant eyes instantly became cold and fierce.

Swish!

Sect Master Jun suddenly turned around and grasped her wrist, wanting to seal off her qi meridians!

Bang—

However, Xi Jingxuan’s entire body seemed to contain some kind of power. Just as he was about to make contact, he was repelled as if struck by electricity.

“Hm?”

The old man said in surprise, “This girl is sick.”

“…”

Jun Changxiao immediately felt devastated.

Old man, this isn’t sickness—this is a personality problem!

“Palace Master Xi…”

“Die!”

Xi Jingxuan shouted coldly, then extended her palm and gathered cultivation comparable to a peak Wuwang, blasting toward him.

Jun Changxiao easily caught it with one hand and tried again to seal her qi meridians, but was still repelled by some kind of power. Having no choice, he backhanded to grasp her wrist and said, “Palace Master Xi, pardon my offense!”

Slap—

A hand chop swung out, breaking through her protective spiritual energy and striking the back of her head. Because he used considerable force, Xi Jingxuan’s body went limp and she fainted directly in Jun Changxiao’s arms.

Fortunately, Sect Master Jun’s strength was formidable; otherwise, he really wouldn’t have been able to subdue her.

“Little child.”

The old man said, “She seems quite seriously ill. No wonder you two could enter the tomb—this is perhaps fate’s mysterious arrangement.”

Jun Changxiao ignored him and instead picked up Xi Jingxuan in his arms.

The old man continued, “Master planted a medicinal herb during his lifetime that has the effect of eradicating all difficult and complex ailments. Since you have this fate, take it.”

“Where is it?” Jun Changxiao asked.

“Follow me.”

The old man turned and walked, gradually merging into the darkness.

Jun Changxiao considered briefly, then followed him. Soon they arrived at another cave dwelling.

To be precise.

This place was more like a cliff.

In the central area floated a stone slab, covered with thick soil, and a lotus-shaped medicinal herb shrouded in luminous light grew within it.

Viewing it from afar, Jun Changxiao sensed an aura brimming with vitality and thought silently, “The quality is probably quite high!”

“This is the Pure Heart Sacred Lotus, one of Xingyun Continent’s few Divine-grade medicinal herbs. Master planted it here during his lifetime, originally intending to use it to cure his wife, but…” The old man sighed and shook his head, saying, “She still passed away before it matured.”

“And then?” Jun Changxiao asked.

The old man said, “Though Master was a Medical Sage, he couldn’t heal his wife’s illness. He constantly blamed himself, and finally chose soul dispersal to follow his wife in death.”

Choosing death because one’s beloved had departed—what a moving testament to their love.

The old man looked at the medicinal herb and said, “The Pure Heart Sacred Lotus matured the year after Master’s death.”

“If only…”

He clenched his fists, his voice choked with tears, “If the mistress could have endured one more year, Master wouldn’t have taken such extreme measures.”

Jun Changxiao remained silent throughout.

A Sage of Medicine, yet unable to heal his own wife, watching her slowly die in his arms—that kind of pain and despair was heart-wrenching just to imagine.

In an instant.

Jun Changxiao seemed to merge into a strange realm, as an observer witnessing the Hundred-Faced Medical Sage planting that Pure Heart Sacred Lotus, then seeing the final scene of soul dispersal as he followed his beloved in death.

*What is this thing called love in this world, that it commands life and death devotion? Flying companions from north to south, old wings weathering many seasons.*

*Joy’s pleasure, separation’s bitterness—among these are even more foolish children. You should have words: across vast myriad clouds and layers, thousand mountains in evening snow, where does this lone shadow go?*

…

“You can take this Pure Heart Sacred Lotus to cure this girl, fulfilling Master’s lifelong regret,” the old man said.

“Thank you,” Jun Changxiao said.

“However.”

The old man reminded, “A Karma Boundary is arranged around the medicinal herb. Unless a fated man and woman go together, it cannot be broken—otherwise, there’s absolutely no possibility of taking it.”

“You and this girl broke through the cave’s barrier earlier, showing your deep affection. There should be no problem.”

Jun Changxiao was immediately stunned.

Palace Master Xi and I are just friends—what deep affection? If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll sue you for slander!

Whatever, let’s try first.

Jun Changxiao held Xi Jingxuan and leaped forward, flying toward the floating stone slab ahead, then easily merged into the barrier and landed before the Pure Heart Sacred Lotus.

“Indeed, love as strong as gold!”

The old man said, “Little child, this medicinal herb is extremely sacred. You must carefully dig it out, and absolutely cannot store it in a spatial ring, lest its spiritual essence be depleted.”

Jun Changxiao held Xi Jingxuan with one hand, then gently dug through the soil, slowly excavating the Pure Heart Sacred Lotus.

Making close contact, he could sense an extremely pure life force aura. Just lightly sniffing the wafting fragrance would invigorate one’s spirit.

Divine-grade medicinal herb—truly impressive!

“Swish!”

He gently plucked the Pure Heart Sacred Lotus, then flew back to the original spot while holding Xi Jingxuan.

Whoosh—

However, just as he stabilized himself, a cold and fierce force surged from the side. The old man’s withered fingers contained power as he suddenly struck without warning!

Bang!

A thunderous sound erupted, shaking the entire mountain body!

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The old man staggered back several steps, his eyes flashing with shock.

Jun Changxiao stood motionless in place, his entire body enveloped in layers of flames like a materialized flame defensive wall.

Holding Xi Jingxuan in one hand and the Pure Heart Sacred Lotus in the other, he said flatly, “You wicked old codger, full of schemes.”