Chen Ye stumbled back home.
The wound on his abdomen tore with each breath, and he could clearly feel the slimy sensation of his intestines shifting.
From afar, he could see the doorway to his home where the Dark Old Man was pacing anxiously.
Seeing Chen Ye, he exclaimed, "Brother Chen!"
"Shh! Don’t scare them."
Chen Ye pulled a wry grin, clutching his abdomen, and blood oozed through his fingers.
The pain surged throughout his body, like a tearing sensation, after the hot blood cooled.
"Damn it hurts!"
Chen Ye gritted his teeth.
Living a sheltered life in the past, when had he ever experienced such pain?
"Brother Chen, I told you Gao Ming was not someone you could face. Why put yourself through this? It’s good you’re alive, really good! That Taoist Zhang is like a leech that won’t let go once he sets his eyes on you! You should flee now!"
The Dark Old Man quickly approached to support Chen Ye.
He kept saying, how could Brother Chen, merely a Medicinal Farmer scraping by, be a match for a gang member skilled in combat?
"I killed Taoist Zhang," Chen Ye cast a glance at the Dark Old Man.
"Brother Chen, let this be a lesson. Gao Ming showed you mercy! He’s probably still eyeing your Spirit Plant Technique. Would you listen to my advice and run?"
The Dark Old Man scrutinized the wounds in Chen Ye’s abdomen, shaking his head and sighing.
"Taoist Zhang, I smashed him to death with my sword!"
The Dark Old Man meant well, but his nagging gave Chen Ye a headache, so he had to emphasize it again.
"Wait... you killed Taoist Zhang?"
The Dark Old Man nearly stumbled, almost dragging Chen Ye down into the snow with him.
"Yes, Gao Ming couldn’t stop me. Later, I even encountered Kong Hongxuan, and it was him who injured me."
"Kong Hongxuan? So how are you not dead, Brother Chen?"
The Dark Old Man gulped.
Not just in the shantytown, but throughout Yunxi District, Kong Hongxuan had quite the reputation.
He possessed a Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer, having once slaughtered ten Demon Hunter Cultivators from the Stone Mirror Association in the Three Thousand Great Mountains.
Wearing Frost Scale Armor forged from hundreds of Spirit Stones, he was nearly invincible to blades and spears!
"It’s a long story... Luckily, a neighbor helped, and I managed to escape with my life. But I fear I may have angered Kong Hongxuan, and it’s no longer safe to stay in this shantytown. A neighbor can help once, but not forever."
Chen Ye did not regret killing Taoist Zhang.
Killed or not, he had already offended Kong Hongxuan.
Not killing him would mean leaving a hyena lurking in the shadows, always waiting for him to slip.
As for killing him later?
Taoist Zhang was very slippery,
knowing Chen Ye harbored ill intentions, he had previously fled directly.
If he’d let Taoist Zhang slip away this time, it would be hard to track him down later.
It’s better to be a thief for a thousand days than to guard against a thief for a thousand days.
The Dark Old Man was deeply moved by this: "The conflict between the two associations is becoming more frequent. Living in a shantytown, it’s hard to avoid the fallout... Another day, I also plan to move to the Market."
Enduring the pain, Chen Ye joked,
"By then, we could even be neighbors. Having the old lady watch over the kids would ease my mind a bit."
The Dark Old Man laughed heartily, "Mom would be bored at home, that sounds great."
As the day grew late, the Dark Old Man supported Chen Ye to the door but didn’t linger.
Upon leaving, he still seemed somewhat incredulous.
Chen Ye glanced at the wound on his abdomen, shivering as he removed his straw raincoat.
The straw raincoat hugged close, barely covering the gruesome injury.
He smiled again, flexing the stiff muscles on his face.
Finally, he managed a gentle smile.
Only then did he push open the door.
The shabby house was very shabby.
But with two apprentices there, it held an indescribable warmth.
Chen Ye inexplicably relaxed.
Inside,
The White Furred Ball watched the fire pit with bright eyes, wiping the drool from her mouth.
Recently, she had learned how to roast meat.
Stringing beef, roasting it over the fire.
Her gaze never left the roasting meat.
Chen Ye was just about to raise his hand to greet Qing Jun, but then shyly lowered it.
Qing Jun didn’t care about whether he had returned or not...
Though Qing Jun seemed lively and innocent, Chen Ye always thought her demeanor was even stranger than Zhiwei’s.
If he had to draw an analogy,
One moment, Qing Jun would blissfully cradle a rabbit, cherishing it dearly.
But the next moment, she would mercilessly kill the rabbit, relishing its taste.
Her emotions came quickly and left even faster, making her seem unpredictable, somewhat... deceitful.
Perhaps, it was just his overthinking.
Chen Ye silently looked towards his other apprentice again.
The Black Furred Ball sat quietly by the window, gazing out.
Her bangs hid her eyes, an indescribable melancholy about her.
Usually, Qing Jun would occasionally talk to him.
As for Zhiwei, she would never take the initiative to interact with him.
The smile Chen Ye painstakingly maintained froze on his face, unnoticed by anyone.
Now, he felt like a clown.
"Sigh—"
Chen Ye sighed silently, the intense pain caused his vision to darken, his legs to weaken.
Not caring about dirtying the bed, he collapsed at the bedside.
He could barely see anything, but managed to find a Rejuvenation Pill wrapped in gold foil.
This was the last pill left from the previous owner.
A pill that’s worth its price of one hundred fifty Spiritual Sands for sure!
Swallowing it down, warmth spread from his Dantian.
It even had a pain-relieving effect!
Chen Ye exhaled a long breath, feeling relieved,
As his blurry vision suddenly cleared.
He saw a white fluffy head leaning in front of his face, with soft brows furrowed, speaking in a childish tone:
"Master! You’re hurt!"
She could have just said it, but she added a ’lah’.
This girl, could she be secretly happy?
Already feeling awkward, Chen Ye immediately felt displeased, closing his eyes, "Go eat your roast meat."
The little girl climbed down from the bed weakly,
Occasionally sneaking glances at Chen Ye.
Chen Ye turned to face the wall.
Until something warm pressed against his mouth: "Master, eat up and it won’t hurt!"
Chen Ye impatiently opened his eyes, only to be met with the sight of a little girl’s anxious face.
For her, how much courage did it take to feed their master?
Chen Ye’s heart softened, and he bit into the roast meat offered by Qing Jun.
Before he’d even finished eating,
The little girl ran back, grabbing another skewer of meat.
She leaned over the bed, carefully blowing on it.
Trying to mimic Chen Ye’s tone, "Ah~"
Chen Ye couldn’t help but curl his lips into a smile, pinching Qing Jun’s dainty nose, "Qing Jun is very good to her master."
And at that moment.
The older girl busily carried a basin of warm water from the kitchen, glancing quickly at Chen Ye,
Appearing very bashful, "Master... would you like Zhiwei to help you clean up?"
So they had both noticed he was injured.
Chen Ye looked down at his abdomen.
Blood had long dripped from his straw raincoat, the air filled with a pungent smell of blood.
How could he hide it from his apprentices?
Seeing his two busy apprentices,
The sense of loss in Chen Ye’s heart vanished completely.
Considering his former standing with them, it was already rare for them to do so much for him.
This alone proved that his past efforts were beginning to bear fruit.
Healing these two little bundles wouldn’t be a problem!
Chen Ye reignited his fighting spirit!