"Li Ran, please go find Doctor Zhao and inform him that we'll be relocating soon and that carriages are being prepared," Gu Tianzhu instructed.
"Yes, Shizun." Li Ran nodded and left to find Doctor Zhao.
Gu Tianzhu remained in the chamber with Mu Qingran. She was still seated, looking bored. After a moment, she stood up and declared, "This Princess is bored. This Princess is going to look around."
With that, she left the chamber, walking in a random direction. Gu Tianzhu sighed and followed behind her.
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"Ling Yu," Zhao Zhi gently tapped her shoulder.
Ling Yu jerked awake, disoriented. "I'm not sleeping. I'm awake."
Zhao Zhi smiled. "Yes, you're awake. Sorry to disturb your rest, but we're relocating soon. Be ready."
"Relocating?" Ling Yu's eyes snapped into focus. "To where? And how are we going to move him?"
She turned to Xuan Tian, still unconscious. His condition hadn't changed since the last time she checked on him. She blinked away the sudden sting in her eyes. Now is not the time.
"A carriage is being prepared for Xuan Ge. Gu Tianzhu is quite considerate," Zhao Zhi informed Ling Yu.
She started to nod before remembering, "Zhao Ge, how is Xu Yun Jie-Jie? Did she manage to find Lin Qian Jie-Jie?"
"Yes, she did. They are both resting at the Baishan City yamen's infirmary. Don't worry. I'm sure Gu Zhenren has arranged for them to move in with us," Zhao Zhi reassured her.
Ling Yu exhaled in relief—finally, some good news.
"You go prepare for the move. I need to get the victims who are not fit to walk ready. They might need a carriage too."
Ling Yu glanced around. "Iron Wall has nothing to pack. When it's time, we can just move him. I'll help you, Zhao Ge."
She turned to Xuan Tian again and noticed a small smudge on his face. "Let me wipe this first."
Standing up abruptly, she scraped the edge of her palm against the sharp edge of the chair. A faint sting registered, but she barely noticed—too focused on Xuan Tian. It was a small scratch—barely noticeable—but as she wiped Xuan Tian's face, a tiny drop of blood welled up and smeared onto his bottom lip before slipping into his mouth, unnoticed by her.
Ling Yu finished wiping, stepped back to inspect her work, and smiled in satisfaction. "Let's go."
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Mu Qingran, followed by Gu Tianzhu, wandered through the cavern's interconnected chambers. She was fascinated—she had never been inside a cavern before. But with every step, unease settled in her chest. What if there were mice? Or worse, some other disgusting creatures?
She pointed toward a passage leading deeper inside.
"What's over there?"
"That's where the bedrooms are."
"Bedrooms? Real bedrooms with beds and everything?"
"Yes. Though calling them 'bedrooms' is generous. The furnishings—if they can even be called that—are the bare minimum."
"This Princess wants to see!"
Without waiting, she strode toward the chambers.
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Lying on his bed, Xuan Tian felt like he had been in the dark for a long time. Alone. Weak. Helpless. He couldn't see anything—not even the fingers he knew were there. He couldn't hear anything. Silence. Complete silence.
But he felt at peace. No disturbance. No pain. No killing. No blood. No golden dust. No blood-red dust. Nothing.
Maybe my time has come.
Then he could see—but before that, he felt something warm entering the dark space where he was. Warmth enveloped his body. Then came light. He could see his fingers, his hands, his legs.
Then pain. Everywhere. Mainly in his abdomen. He tried to look down, to see if his abdomen was still there. It was. His body was intact. No injury could be seen. Where is this pain coming from?
More pain. Starting from his abdomen, spreading throughout his whole body. It was so intense that he gasped.
His vision focused. He found himself staring at a stone ceiling. The pain in his abdomen was still there.
My core. Damaged. Seal broken. Tie Yanfang.
Memories drifted back, disjointed and fragmented. He recalled everything that had happened, but the moment he had broken the seal, it had been pure instinct. He remembered the feeling of having a fraction of his powers back. It was satisfying.
Out of habit, he sent his senses out of his room. He was surprised that he could. Didn't my spirit energy completely deplete? He tried circulating his spirit energy. He wasn't imagining things. He had spirit energy. True, it was as little as Low Immortal Stage Five, but it was there.
He groaned when the pain returned. He remembered someone shouting "Enemies!" but nothing beyond that. A blank void stretched in his mind after that moment. And then, warmth.
What was it? Where did it come from?
Xuan Tian circulated his spirit energy again, searching for that source of warmth. He found it. His mind wasn't playing tricks. Something had entered his body. And it contained spirit energy. He could refine it.
He knew he should be careful when refining unknown spirit energy, but he could feel in his soul that this energy was not harmful. He needed to refine it as soon as possible to start the healing process of his core.
A damaged core was the sole responsibility of its owner. No one else could intervene—exposing one's core to another was both dangerous and left one utterly vulnerable.
He groaned as he struggled to sit up. When he did, it felt like a small victory. Steeling himself, he crossed his legs, closed his eyes again, and began cultivating. He needed to be fight-ready as soon as possible. Feeling weak and vulnerable did not suit him.
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Mu Qingran was touring the cavern, slowly getting closer to Xuan Tian's chamber. Gu Tianzhu couldn't help feeling ansty. If he forbid Mu Qingran outright, she would definitely refused and used her authority to enter. If he stayed quiet, there was chance Mu Qingran will not enter Xuan Tian's room.
Gu Tianzhu needn't have worried—after stepping into one bedroom, Mu Qingran quickly lost interest. The furnishings were exactly as he had described—bare and uninspiring. Hardly fit for a Princess. She had no intention of entering another room. She was merely trying to relieve her boredom, continuing her 'sightseeing' without much thought.
Suddenly, they heard footsteps approaching.
"Shizhun, there you are. Please, come with me. Dr Zhao needs help with Feng Hailin!" Li Ran appeared.
Gu Tianzhu hesitated. Being the one with the highest cultivation, he was the only one who could deal with Feng Hailin.
"What's wrong with him?" Gu Tianzhu didn't really want to leave Mu Qingran alone or with Li Ran. But he also knew, that Zhao Zhi would never ask for him if it wasn't urgent.
"Feng Hailin's condition has worsened. No one else has enough cultivation to stabilize him."
Gu Tianzhu's heart sank. He was the only one who can do that.
He steeled himself and turned to Li Ran. "You need to accompany the Princess. Do not leave her alone."
Then, to Mu Qingran, he bowed slightly. "This Zhenren apologizes, Princess. It is an urgent matter."
Mu Qingran waved a dismissive hand. "Go. This Princess will just continue sightseeing."
Gu Tianzhu cast one last glance at Li Ran before departing.
Now it was only Mu Qingran and Li Ran left.
They stood there awkwardly. Li Ran didn't want to babysit this spoiled Princess. He wanted to go with Shizun or help his Shixiongs. Being stuck here made his irritation grow quickly.
Both of them just stood there in silence. Li Ran wanted to leave, while Mu Qingran didn't feel much of anything—just bored out of her mind.
Suddenly, they felt a burst of spirit energy surging from a nearby bedroom. Their eyes met in shock.
Without thinking, they both rushed toward the source.