After the Stand-in Hugged the White Moonlight's Thigh Tightly - Chapter 13

Chapter 13: “Senior Brother, I’m in Pain.”…

Instantly, dust flew up inside the cave, and Ruan Mingyu couldn’t help but cough, fanning away the dust.

Song Chenxi pulled him up: “Let’s go, out.”

Ruan Mingyu followed him out. After staying at the bottom of the cave for so long, although they hadn’t seen the sun, they finally saw the sky, and Ruan Mingyu couldn’t help but be moved to tears.

Song Chenxi frowned. The situation was not what he had expected. Although they were out, judging by the surrounding environment, they were clearly still in hidden danger.

All around were tall, dense forests. The leaves were not green but a grayish-white, making the entire world seem a gray expanse with no color visible.

Mist blanketed the forest, making it impossible to see the path ahead.

They circled the forest a few times, thinking they could find an exit, but they always returned to the starting point.

Ruan Mingyu said, “It’s not working, just going in circles like this.”

As they walked, they encountered a fork in the road again. Song Chenxi grabbed Ruan Mingyu’s wrist. He walked in front, and Ruan Mingyu walked behind. They walked out together but circled back to the starting point again.

Ruan Mingyu said, “No, we can’t keep doing this.” He broke free of Song Chenxi’s hand and said, “Senior Brother, let’s split up and see if the situation changes.”

Song Chenxi hesitated for half a beat, then nodded: “Fine.” Before leaving, Song Chenxi unhooked his own sword and placed it in Ruan Mingyu’s hand.

“Keep this close. This place is not normal.”

Normally, Song Chenxi cherished his sword and usually wouldn’t let Ruan Mingyu touch it. Although Ruan Mingyu had been learning swordsmanship from Song Chenxi for many days, he had only used the sword a few times. Now, Song Chenxi had willingly given it to him.

“If there’s danger, you can call me at any time. Do you still have the sound transmission talismans?”

Ruan Mingyu: “Plenty. I haven’t used up the ones you gave me last time.”

Song Chenxi glanced back at him, and the two went their separate ways.

Ruan Mingyu walked forward, gripping Song Chenxi’s sword. He actually hoped not to run into Song Chenxi. If they met, they would undoubtedly be caught in a vicious cycle. How could they possibly get out?

However, now that he was walking alone in the empty forest, he felt a little scared. The occasional sound of a crow cawing in the air made Ruan Mingyu’s eyebrows twitch; he had a bad feeling.

Continuing to walk forward, Ruan Mingyu smelled a very strong scent of blood. He held his breath and sped up, trying to escape the area.

Vultures on the side of the road were tearing apart an animal carcass, pecking at the rotten flesh, then staring motionless at Ruan Mingyu.

Ruan Mingyu felt a shiver in his heart and quickly left.

He walked for nearly half an hour. Although he didn’t loop back to where he had started, he seemed to be getting into more secluded territory. Ahead was only a vast stretch of white mist, making it impossible to see the end of the road.

Ruan Mingyu forced himself to continue forward. At this point, even the sound of birds chirping had ceased.

Since beginning cultivation, his five senses had improved. He heard a panting sound, which was distinctly clear in the quiet forest.

Ruan Mingyu gripped the sword Song Chenxi gave him and continued walking. He had no way back and absolutely could not turn around.

“Heaven never seals off all the exits. A ready-made snack…”

He heard a man’s deep voice explode near his ear, accompanied by a beast-like gasp.

Before Ruan Mingyu could react, a pair of hands gripped his neck, strangling him, making it impossible to breathe.

It was a tall, sturdy man. His hair was like a lion’s mane, and black horns sprouted from his head. He looked primitive and ferocious.

In this strange world, there were humans, ghosts, and demons, and the one in front of him was most likely a member of the Demon Clan.

The man twisted Ruan Mingyu’s face towards him. He had green eyes, like a leopard in the forest. His eyes fixed intensely on Ruan Mingyu, a look of stunning appreciation flashing in them, followed by a somewhat cruel smile.

He gripped Ruan Mingyu’s vulnerable neck with one hand. With just a little more force, he could kill him.

Ruan Mingyu grasped his hands with both of his, using all his strength, barely managing to resist the man’s grip.

He tilted his head back, his face unnaturally flushed from the lack of air.

The man looked at him like a captured prey. His large physique completely overshadowed Ruan Mingyu. He also appeared to have injuries, seemingly having just escaped from a battle.

He looked at Ruan Mingyu with curiosity and scrutiny, unable to understand how Ruan Mingyu, with such low cultivation, had managed to enter this blood-soaked forest.

Ruan Mingyu’s lips parted slightly. His voice squeezed out from between his teeth—it was an incantation Song Chenxi had taught him.

“Break!”

Perhaps it was the instinct for survival, but the spell this time was remarkably successful.

A violent flame blasted towards the man’s face. The beast-like man finally released his grip, giving Ruan Mingyu some space to breathe.

Ruan Mingyu was certain that if he didn’t fight to the death today, he would likely die at the hands of this person.

The man licked his lower lip:

“Little cultivator, you’re going to die sooner or later, so why struggle? If you beg for mercy now, I might give you a whole corpse.”

Ruan Mingyu took out some medicinal powder, scattering it towards him, then seized the opportunity to attack him with the sword.

“Overestimating yourself.”

With just one strike, the sword in Ruan Mingyu’s hand was blasted away. Immediately afterward, Ruan Mingyu felt a metallic taste of blood well up in his mouth.

The man twisted Ruan Mingyu’s arm and pinned him firmly to the ground. He pushed aside the black hair at the back of his head and unceremoniously sank his sharp teeth into his skin, sucking his blood.

This was indeed the fastest and most convenient way to obtain spiritual energy.

Although Ruan Mingyu’s cultivation was low, it was better than nothing.

Ruan Mingyu felt a sharp pain in the back of his neck; blood was rapidly draining from his body.

He could accept his own death, but definitely not at the hands of a stranger, especially a vicious Demon Clan member.

The man looked satisfied. He bit Ruan Mingyu’s ear and said, “If you beg me, I’ll spare your life and let you be my blood servant.”

Ruan Mingyu endured the pain silently, continuously stretching his hand forward towards the sword that had been knocked aside. He was pinned to the ground by the man in an extremely subordinate position. He lowered his head in a posture of humility and let out a whimpering sound. The man thought he was begging for mercy and leaned his head closer.

Now! Ruan Mingyu immediately plunged the sword into his back without hesitation.

The man was thoroughly enraged and reached out to strike Ruan Mingyu. Ruan Mingyu quickly rolled away, dodging the blow.

He picked up Song Chenxi’s sword, adopted a stance, and took a deep breath.

He only had one chance. Song Chenxi had taught him a move that could strike the opponent’s vital point in a very short time, paralyzing them.

The disparity in strength between him and the Demon Clan member was too great. Ruan Mingyu held his breath, daring not to be careless.

“I didn’t intend to kill you,” the man boasted arrogantly.

Ruan Mingyu’s palm was sweating. He lunged forward swiftly and delivered another strike with lightning speed.

Fortunately, he succeeded.

The man sneered dismissively: “That’s it? It’s just a tickle.” But when he tried to reach out and grab Ruan Mingyu, he couldn’t move; he was temporarily paralyzed.

Ruan Mingyu finally let out a sigh of relief. The sword in his hand slipped to the ground. Only then did he realize his palms were soaked with sweat. He dared not be careless. He picked up the sword and immediately fled.

“Don’t go!” the man roared. “If you don’t run, I won’t kill you…” He said in poorly accented Chinese.

However, Ruan Mingyu was already walking further and further away from his sight. The man laughed maniacally: “My name is Qiu Shi. Remember it. I will find you, no matter where you go, my prey…”

Ruan Mingyu flew for several kilometers, thinking he had escaped the demon’s clutches. He inevitably relaxed and burned a talisman for Song Chenxi, telling him his location.

Unexpectedly, an arrow pierced the sky and shot towards him.

Ruan Mingyu didn’t have time to dodge. The arrow plunged into his back, and Ruan Mingyu immediately spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.

Blood soaked his clothes. The arrow might have been poisoned. Ruan Mingyu felt dizzy. No, he was unwilling. He had only just managed to get out of the cave and hadn’t enjoyed a few days of good life. Would he die like this, or be captured by the Demon Clan?

Ruan Mingyu forced himself to crawl forward. Footsteps sounded behind him. The footsteps in the forest grew closer and closer, finally stopping right behind him. Ruan Mingyu thought the Demon Clan member had caught up. He tightened his grip on the sword in his hand and yelled, “Don’t come closer!”

Song Chenxi’s voice reached him: “What happened to you?”

He quickly picked him up and carried him on his back. Ruan Mingyu said weakly, “Run fast. There’s a Demon Clan member behind us. We are no match for him.”

Song Chenxi suppressed the urge to turn back and settle the score with the Demon Clan member. He quickly treated Ruan Mingyu’s wound and carried him at a full gallop.

Ruan Mingyu’s voice grew weaker and weaker, finally resting his head against his neck.

He was in too much pain to cry, only managing to whisper, “Senior Brother, I’m in pain.”

Song Chenxi comforted him, taking out the pill he had given him before and feeding it to him.

“The candy pill will make the pain go away. You hold on.”

Ruan Mingyu was too weak to open his mouth. Song Chenxi gently pried his mouth open and put the pill in.

Ruan Mingyu’s mouth tasted half of blood and half of the overly sweet pill. He coughed violently. The pill he had finally managed to swallow flowed out of the corner of his mouth with the blood.

His head rested on Song Chenxi’s shoulder, and he fell silent.

Song Chenxi’s body stiffened. He trembled, “Ruan Mingyu?”

The demonic energy on his body suddenly appeared. Fortunately, Ruan Mingyu’s eyelashes fluttered at that moment.

He was still alive.

Song Chenxi had never been so anxious. He kept saying, “You absolutely cannot sleep now! Wake up! Don’t you miss your family in your hometown? I’ll take you home right now!”

Ruan Mingyu’s gaze was scattered, but the mention of his past memories stirred him: “Take me home, I want to go home…”

“Don’t sleep, okay? We’ll be there soon. We’ll be at your home right away.” Song Chenxi carried him, rushing so fast they were only a blur.

Ruan Mingyu forced himself to glance into the distance. His hometown was thousands of miles away. How could he possibly go home?

Song Chenxi was lying to him again.

Ruan Mingyu closed his eyes and fell into the darkness.