121: Escape from the rift, find solace in love and heal wounds

The sensation of space travel was unpleasant, as if his entire body was being torn and twisted by an invisible force. He didn't know how long passed—perhaps only an instant, or perhaps an eternity—until Lin Xuan felt solid ground beneath his feet, and the nauseating tearing sensation abruptly vanished.

He stumbled, stabilized his posture, and immediately scanned his surroundings vigilantly. This appeared to be a naturally formed cave within a mountain belly, damp and cold. Only a few faint beams of light filtered through a crack overhead, barely illuminating the immediate area. Qu Feiyan was right beside him, her face pale and her breathing unsteady. Clearly, the forced teleportation had taken a heavy toll on her.

"Wanqing!" Lin Xuan whipped his head around to look at the rapidly shrinking entrance of the space fissure, his heart burning with anxiety.

Just as the fissure was about to close completely, a blood-stained, moon-white figure tumbled out like a kite with a broken string, slamming heavily onto the ground! It was Su Wanqing!

Her condition was extremely poor. Her originally cold and ethereal face was utterly devoid of color, a trickle of fresh red blood spilled from the corner of her mouth, and the front of her clothes was soaked through with blood. Her frost silence sword had fallen out of her grasp nearby, its blade dim. To block the pursuit of the terrifying existence at the bottom of the Nether Abyss, she had obviously paid an immense price.

"Wanqing!" Lin Xuan's heart felt tightly constricted. He rushed forward in a single stride, carefully helping her up and letting her lean against his chest. Her body was ice-cold to the touch, and her breathing was as faint as a candle flame in the wind.

Qu Feiyan also stepped forward immediately. Seeing Su Wanqing in this state, her bewitching face was filled with solemnity and worry; any previous trace of jealousy instantly dissipated. She quickly took out the best healing Medicinal Pill: "Quick, give this to her!"

Lin Xuan took the Medicinal Pill, cautiously pried open Su Wanqing's tightly closed teeth, and slipped the Medicinal Pill into her mouth. He then used his own pure and gentle Spiritual Power to help dissolve the medicinal efficacy. His movements were extremely gentle, as if handling a rare treasure. His eyes were filled with heartache and regret. If only he had been stronger, why would she have needed to risk her life to cover their retreat?

[Detection: Target Su Wanqing's life signs are weak, Meridians are damaged in multiple places, Divine Soul is shaken, and high-Rank Soul Power erosion remains in her body. Suggestion: Immediately use Host's Vitality and Blood Qi Power (containing Blazing Sun Vitality) supplemented by the Grand Yin Origin (the target's own) for internal and external guidance, to expel the foreign Soul Power and stabilize the heart Meridians. The System can assist in guiding the energy flow to enhance efficiency.]

"System, activate Auxiliary Healing Mode!" Lin Xuan ordered without hesitation.

He sat down cross-legged, fully embracing Su Wanqing's cold body, placing his hands against the vital points on her back. His crimson-gold Vitality and Blood Qi Power, pulsing with vibrant vitality and mixed with his own comprehension of the chapter of the blazing sun, slowly poured into Su Wanqing's nearly frozen Meridians like warm sunlight. At the same time, he carefully guided the scattered Grand Yin Origin within Su Wanqing's body, forming a subtle circulation with his own Vitality and Blood Qi Power.

The System precisely regulated the input and circulation of energy, repairing the damaged Meridians and dispelling the chilling Soul Power erosion.

Qu Feiyan guarded them anxiously from the side, setting up layers of protective Restriction while vigilantly sensing the movements outside the cave.

Time flowed by in the silent healing session. Su Wanqing's pale face gradually regained a hint of color, and her weak breathing became steady and long. Her long eyelashes fluttered a few times, and she slowly opened her eyes.

What met her gaze was Lin Xuan's handsome face, close at hand, filled with worry and concentration. She could clearly feel the warmth of his embrace and the power flowing continuously into her body, carrying scorching vitality and infinite concern. She... was being held tightly in his arms.

A trace of panic flashed in her icy eyes, and she subconsciously tried to break free, but Lin Xuan held her even tighter.

"Don't move. You are severely injured." Lin Xuan's voice was deep and husky, carrying an undeniable tenderness.

Su Wanqing froze. Feeling the solidity and warmth of his embrace, and hearing the heartache in his words, her frozen mental defenses completely crumbled at that moment. She stopped struggling. Instead, she gently leaned her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes, allowing the warm aura to envelop her. An unprecedented sense of security and stability washed over her, as if a long-drifting solitary boat had finally found a harbor to dock.

[Target Su Wanqing's Emotional Awakening Degree has significantly increased! Bond Rank has been raised to 'Life-and-Death Dependence'! Host receives feedback: Comprehension of Grand Yin Origin deepened, Divine Sense strength slightly increased.]

Watching the two embracing, Qu Feiyan's eyes were complex—there was envy, relief, and finally, an almost inaudible sigh. She quietly retreated to the cave entrance, leaving the space to them. She knew that after this incident, Su Wanqing's position in Lin Xuan's heart was unshakable, and she herself was content with what she currently had.

After a long while, Su Wanqing's injuries finally stabilized under Lin Xuan's costly treatment and the System's assistance.

"How do you feel?" Lin Xuan asked softly, still not releasing his embrace.

Su Wanqing nodded slightly, her voice soft but no longer cold: "Much better... Thank you." She paused, raising her icy eyes to meet Lin Xuan's gaze. They were no longer purely cold, but like spring water where ice had melted, carrying a hint of shyness, but more so, determination. "Lin Xuan, I..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but the feelings, clarified by their brush with death, were self-evident.

Lin Xuan looked at the unprecedented tenderness in her eyes, his heart surging. He lowered his head and pressed a solemn kiss on her smooth forehead. "I understand. From now on, I will protect you."

This simple promise was heavier than Mount Tai. Water shimmered in Su Wanqing's icy eyes, and she softly hummed her assent, burying her face deeper into his chest.

After a tender moment, Lin Xuan remembered the urgent matters at hand. He gently helped Su Wanqing sit up, allowing her to lean against the rock wall. "Wanqing, how did you find that space fissure? What is the situation like at the Qinglan Sect?"

Su Wanqing organized her thoughts and replied: "I sensed the Taiyin Power fluctuations triggered when you activated the incomplete map, which roughly confirmed the direction. Then, relying on the subtle connection between the frost silence sword and the Nether Power, I narrowly managed to find that long-abandoned ancient teleportation fissure. The Qinglan Sect..." Her expression dimmed. "When I left, the Grand Elder had mostly stabilized the situation, and the investigation into people like us was becoming increasingly severe. I suspect that more than one high-level figure in the Sect may have been infiltrated or controlled by the Guixu Cult. We must return quickly, or the foundation left by Revered Master may..."

Lin Xuan gripped her hand and said solemnly: "Don't worry, we will definitely go back and purge the Ranks! But before that, we need to understand more information and increase our strength." His gaze swept across the cave. "System, scan this location, determine the specific position, and connect to the Qinglan Sect regional map."

[Scan complete. Current location: Eight hundred miles southwest of the Qinglan Sect perimeter, on the edge of the Black Wind Mountain Range. Connected to the Qinglan Sect regional map, known faction distributions and suspicious areas have been marked. A faint Spiritual Qi fluctuation is detected deep within the cave, suspected to be a small Spiritual Vein branch.]

Just then, the System suddenly warned again:

[Warning: Multiple Cultivator auras detected outside the cave, approaching rapidly! Identity recognized: Qinglan Sect Law Enforcement Hall attire! Cultivation of the leader: Early Nascent Soul Stage!]

The expressions of Lin Xuan, Su Wanqing, and Qu Feiyan changed simultaneously!

The Law Enforcement Hall? How did they find this place? Was it a coincidence, or... was Su Wanqing's whereabouts already exposed?

"It seems some people couldn't wait." A cold glint flashed in Lin Xuan's eyes as he slowly stood up. Just as they had stabilized their injuries, a new storm was upon them. The waters of the Qinglan Sect were deeper than he had imagined!