I'm Feng Aotian—And I’m Running Away from My Wedding - Chapter 19

“Perhaps I cannot achieve it now. But if you say so, I will try.”

Li Baiying spoke solemnly.

She thought that as long as there was even the slightest possibility of restoring her cultivation, she would be willing to pay any price.

Compared to the agony of watching her family fall, what did it matter if an eccentric senior mocked her with a few words?

“Heh heh…” The strange voice chuckled with amusement. After a long pause, as if deliberately building suspense, it slowly gave an answer. “First, let me see your potential. Take this cultivation method back and comprehend it. Return in seven days.”

Before the words faded, Li Baiying felt a sharp pain at her temples. Her entire body collapsed uncontrollably to the ground, trembling violently from the agony.

The overwhelming force not only imprinted the incantation into her mind but also guided the energy circulation pathways through her body.

“Remember it? Let me see your true talent.”

The demonic cultivator said mockingly, “If you truly cannot grasp it, consider it a set of strengthening exercises that might help you live a few more years. Who knows, you might even outlive your enemies.”

“You’ve seen my memories?!”

“That’s no secret. When your cultivation reaches my level, you’ll also see many things you never wanted to know. Besides, just by looking at the damage to your meridians, I can guess you have no shortage of enemies.”

The water weeds loosened, revealing a straight upward path.

In an instant, the pressure of being underwater weighed heavily on Li Baiying’s lungs again. Her survival instinct forced her to claw her way upward with all her might. Faintly, she heard a tiny voice in her mind:

“Don’t disappoint me, junior. You’re not even qualified to be my cauldron yet.”

Unable to respond, she used her last ounce of strength to burst through the water’s surface, gasping greedily for fresh air.

The incantation in her mind was real, and everything that had just happened had undoubtedly handed her the most crucial lifeline in her desperate situation.

“Whatever! Since I can’t practice any cultivation methods right now, I might as well give this a shot, treat a dead horse as if it were still alive!”

Dripping wet, she climbed out of the cold pond and was astonished to find that her previously frozen limbs were still flexible. Even the joints that had been entangled by the water weeds emitted a faint warmth, completely unlike what one would expect after being soaked in cold water.

“His power is likely even greater than my mother’s.”

She remembered that Li Anqing had reached the peak of the Golden Core stage, just one step away from the Nascent Soul stage. Yet, she had never seen anyone capable of manipulating water weeds or isolating the chill of the cold pond like this.

Demonic cultivators were despised among martial artists, so they were never emphasized in major texts. She had only heard vague rumors about them.

“Fine. The stronger he is, the more credible his promise to help me seek revenge becomes.”

Thinking of her mother, a wave of sorrow washed over her. When she snapped back to reality, her nails were already digging deeply into her palms.

“Overthinking is useless. I must return and cultivate!”

She nearly ran back to the cave, immediately sitting cross-legged and forcing herself into meditation.

“Cold Spring Sea-Severing Spirit Art.”

Once in deep meditation, a small white book appeared floating in her mind. She calmed her heart and quickly turned to the first page.

“Huh?”

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Li Baiying opened her eyes, her gaze filled with profound disbelief. “What’s going on? Why can’t I see the contents?”

She distinctly remembered that when that strange voice poured the cultivation method into her mind, a long string of profound and esoteric text had flashed by. Why couldn’t she see a single word of it now?

“Wait, I remember there was also a diagram for circulating the energy.”

She took a deep breath and focused on sensing the condition inside her body.

Her shattered dantian remained the same as before, unable to gather internal energy. She tried to perceive her meridians, but as she contracted and released them, her breath felt like it was flowing into a blocked pipe, unable to advance even a single step.

How could this be?!

She tried over a dozen times in succession, but the result remained unchanged. Beads of sweat unknowingly formed on her forehead.

The sensation she had felt back then was real, something had clearly entered her body. There was no mistake about it.

But what worried her now was that if things continued like this, seven days later, she would still be a cripple.

Could it be that she was destined to have no connection with martial arts in this lifetime?

An overwhelming panic seized her, and Li Baiying’s expression shifted erratically. Suddenly, she clutched her chest and spat out a mouthful of turbid blood.

Rage had agitated her heart. Continuing to try would only lead to qi deviation.

She stared blankly at the gloomy stone wall, too preoccupied to care about the churning energy and blood inside her. It felt as if her very soul had flown away.

Just then, a fragrant aroma drifted into her nostrils. She turned her head and saw Qin Yixiao walking toward her, holding a skewer of grilled fish on a bamboo stick.

“Eat something,” the girl said, as if completely oblivious to her distress, handing her the skewer. “Be careful, it’s hot.”

Li Baiying opened her mouth and took a fierce, large bite.

The tender fish meat, accompanied by the sauce, burst with flavor on her tongue. As she ate, she heard the sound of the girl’s returning footsteps.

“Eat slowly. I grilled plenty more.”

“Why are you helping me?” Li Baiying sniffled and spoke with self-abandonment. “As I am now, there’s nothing of value left on me.”

“Consider it… repayment for that bottle of elixir you gave me before,” Qin Yixiao replied, glancing at the ground medicinal herbs beside her, her tone pausing slightly. “A drop of kindness deserves a flood of gratitude.”

“……”

Li Baiying said nothing. Her chewing speed quickened even more. Soon, she had devoured three grilled fish in a row, and her expression finally lost some of its previous despondency. “I trust you.”

With that, she rolled up her sleeve, revealing an arm covered in abrasions. “Give me the herbs. I’ll apply them myself.”

Seeing the girl’s disapproving expression, she forced a faint smile and said, “You haven’t eaten yet, physician.”

Unable to persuade her otherwise, Qin Yixiao had no choice but to push the packet of herbs over.

Unexpectedly, Li Baiying directly applied the herbs to her wounds. Even though the pain made her grimace, she didn’t loosen her grip in the slightest.

As if venting her emotions, her movements grew increasingly rough.

Finally, Qin Yixiao could no longer stand by and watch. She grabbed Li Baiying’s hand and slowly pried out the crushed packet of herbs.

“Let me apply the medicine for you,” she said softly, meeting Li Baiying’s slightly reddened eyes. “It won’t hurt.”

As if to prove her words, her soft fingertips gently spread the medicinal powder, evenly coating the wounds.

It really didn’t hurt, it just felt a little itchy.

Li Baiying looked down at the girl who was focused on applying medicine for her. The faint firelight fell on her flawless profile, casting a warm glow, and in her eyes, Li Baiying could clearly see her own dazed reflection.

For some reason, she felt her heart beating a little faster.

Unlike six years ago, neither of them were clueless children anymore.

Yet six years later, by some miraculous twist of fate, they met again beneath a cliff known as an impassable abyss.

She could only attribute it to destiny.

“Alright, try to avoid getting it wet for the next few days.” Qin Yixiao gently set down her injured arm and unintentionally met her gaze.

Noticing that Li Baiying had been staring at her, her eyes involuntarily wavered. “Get some rest. I’ll take my leave now.”

“Wait a moment!”