Chapter Ninety-Three: Gravely Wounded and Falling Off the Cliff

"Senior! If you kill him, I shall surely follow him into death!"

Qian Biman turned to look: Gu Fanshuang had already swallowed a medicinal pill, her eyes filled with unyielding resolve.

"I know you can control my movements with your divine sense, Senior, so I have consumed a toxic pill specially concocted by my sect," Gu Fanshuang said, her lips pressed tight as she stared at Qian Biman. "Of the three of us, only he can provide the antidote for this poison. If you kill him, I will follow him into the afterlife within the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn."

Qian Biman narrowed her eyes, studying Gu Fanshuang’s face. "Are you threatening me?"

"I would not dare!" Gu Fanshuang bowed in apology. "I merely wish to spare you any trouble, Senior. If I were to watch my beloved die at the hands of my own master, what would I think of you? Would I hold you in reverence, or harbor deep-seated resentment? I beg you to consider this!"

Qian Biman watched her in silence, her thoughts unreadable.

"If you let us go, I swear I will repay your great kindness in the next life, even if it means serving you as a beast of burden," Gu Fanshuang pleaded, sinking to her knees.

"That boy will wake up within half a month. There will be no issues." Qian Biman finished her sentence, flicked her sleeves, and stepped onto the wind, vanishing into the distance. Only one sentence remained, echoing in the air: "I hope you do not come begging me again."

"Ah!" Gu Fanshuang gasped, her eyes snapping open as she took a deep breath.

Beside her, Su Bo heard her cry and woke up. He crawled over, gently stroking her back. "Did you have a nightmare? Don't be afraid, I am here."

Gu Fanshuang wrapped her arms around his waist. "Don't leave me, okay?"

Su Bo could guess the cause, but speaking of it would only increase her anxiety. He simply held her close, trying his best to comfort her. "It's alright, it's over now. Once we cross into Qingzhou the day after tomorrow, everything will be fine."

They fell silent, holding each other in the quiet summer night, savoring this rare moment of peace.

Feeling the rhythm of her breathing slow, Su Bo’s expression grew grave. *I wonder what terms Fanshuang negotiated with that old woman to make her spare us.*

He looked down at the dried tear stains on her face, his heart aching. *She could have lived a carefree life as a noble daughter; why must she endure this trial and suffer alongside a jinx like me?*

His eyes moistened. *Do I really have such charisma that a beauty would devote herself to me like this? I am truly flattered.*

He recalled their first meeting. They were complete strangers, yet she was willing to sacrifice so much for him.

"I wonder what I must do to break the seal on my body. I can't rely on you to protect me forever," Su Bo murmured, teasingly looking at her face. "Though, I must admit, being a 'kept man' feels quite nice."

He gently laid her back onto the hay and brushed away her stray locks. "Everything will get better. The road ahead is long, and we will surely walk it together until the end."

He wasn't sure if he was saying this for her benefit or his own. He took a deep breath, turned, and sat cross-legged to meditate. In a place like this, one had to remain vigilant. Gu Fanshuang had barely slept while tending to him, so he could not afford to rest.

***

As the sunlight pierced through the window and landed on her face, Gu Fanshuang squinted, shielding her eyes with her hands and murmuring softly. She hadn't slept this soundly in days; with Su Bo by her side, she had slept until the sun was high in the sky.

Hearing her wake up, Su Bo stood up from his meditation.

As her eyes fully opened and she saw how bright it was outside, she sat up and pouted. "Oh dear, it's this late already? I'm becoming a lazy pig."

Su Bo gently pushed aside her messy hair. "You've worked hard these past few days; a little extra sleep is nothing."

"If you keep saying that, I'll lose all my ambition and end up weighing two hundred pounds!" She puffed out her cheeks, pressing a finger to her nose to mimic a pig.

"Hahaha, that wouldn't be so bad," Su Bo laughed, lightly flicking her nose.

"Hmph! Enough of that. We need to get moving; we have to reach Qingzhou by the day after tomorrow." Her playful expression vanished, replaced by worry. "I don't know how to break the seal on you; we must find a master from a major sect in Qingzhou to heal you. Every moment we delay adds to the danger."

Su Bo nodded in agreement. In his current state, he barely possessed the strength of the Marrow Refining Realm; not being a burden to her was the best he could do. The main issue was that being unable to use his internal energy significantly hampered his abilities. Fortunately, before reaching the Concentration Realm, internal energy had limited impact, so he wouldn't easily be killed by someone one major realm above him.

"You're right. Let's not delay," Su Bo said.

"Yes," Gu Fanshuang nodded.

An hour later, the pair rode side-by-side under the scorching sun. The horses they had taken after defeating the barbarians had made their travel much easier. By dusk, they reached the edge of the desert.

Gu Fanshuang breathed a sigh of relief, pointing to the lush forest in the distance. "That is the Hongze Forest. It marks the border between Qing and Bing provinces. Once we cross it, we will arrive in Qingzhou."

"Yes," Su Bo muttered, bowing his head. Gu Fanshuang looked at him in confusion. When she turned to look, she saw he was wearing a worried expression, lost in thought.

***

"What are you thinking about? We're about to reach safety; aren't you happy?"

"It's not that." Su Bo shook his head, his brows furrowed. "I have a feeling that an unknown danger is getting very close..."

"Hahahaha! As expected of my disciple, you guessed I was here before I even revealed myself!"

A voice suddenly rang in their ears, startling their horses.

"How did you find us?" Gu Fanshuang gasped. With their current strength, they were no more than ants to an old fox like Xi Menghe.

Su Bo, however, showed no fear. He dismounted and looked Xi Menghe in the eye. "Xi Menghe... we finally meet in person."

Xi Menghe looked him up and down without making a move, his expression holding a hint of admiration. "Years have passed; you’ve grown taller, your martial arts have improved, your mind has sharpened, and your courage far exceeds your youth."

"I have you to thank for that, Master," Su Bo said coldly. "Otherwise, I wouldn't be who I am today."

Xi Menghe threw his head back and laughed.

"What is he to you?" Gu Fanshuang asked quietly after dismounting.

Xi Menghe looked at her, his old eyes gleaming with a sinister light. "Little girl, some things are better left unknown for the sake of your own life, no?"

Su Bo stepped forward, blocking Gu Fanshuang behind him. "This is a grudge between you and me. Let us end it here."

Xi Menghe narrowed his eyes, not rushing to strike. He had always known Su Bo to be cautious; he wouldn't do anything without a plan, yet here he was, showing no fear. *Could this brat have known I was coming and laid a trap?*

The two sides stood in a stalemate. Xi Menghe thought it over, unable to see how Su Bo could threaten him, and his aura surged as he lunged forward to kill them both.

"Wait!"

Su Bo shouted, causing Xi Menghe to pull up short. "What tricks are you playing now, brat?"

"If you only want my life, can you spare her?"

"Oh?" Xi Menghe hadn't actually intended to kill Gu Fanshuang; Su Bo's request played right into his hands. But he couldn't agree too easily. "You are a dying man. Do you have the right to negotiate with me?"

"I suppose not," Su Bo sighed, his eyes suddenly flashing. "But what if a master at the Qian Dao Realm ordered you not to kill her?"

*How does he know about my conversation with Qian Biman?* Xi Menghe frowned, realizing how Su Bo might have guessed. After all, Qian Biman must have met them before finding him to deal with Su Bo.

"How do I know if you're lying? Why should I let her escape under my nose?"

"Believe it or not, the choice is yours," Su Bo said indifferently. "It won't be me who deals with the trouble later."

Seeing the refusal, Xi Menghe decided not to push his luck. "Fine. You surrender, and she can go unharmed."

"I want to watch her leave my sight first," Su Bo said calmly.

Xi Menghe glared at him. "Don't push your luck."

"That is no longer up to you." Su Bo smirked and drew a dagger, holding it to Gu Fanshuang's throat. She was shocked, but immediately understood his intent.

"What are you doing?" she asked, feigning disbelief.

Su Bo didn't answer, instead feeding her a pill. "Senior, I have fed her poison. If you don't want to fail your mission with that old woman, you had better let her go. The antidote is with me. If I die, the antidote will naturally fall into your hands."

Xi Menghe moved to kill Su Bo and take the antidote, but Su Bo took two steps back. "One more step, and I'll kill her!"

Xi Menghe stopped. He didn't want to kill Gu Fanshuang, but letting her out of his sight was a risk. Still, he decided it was acceptable. "Fine. I will give her a half-tea-break's head start."

"Go, quickly," Su Bo whispered to Gu Fanshuang. Despite her reluctance, she knew his temper and didn't want to cause more trouble. She mounted her horse and rode off.

***

The moment the horse surged forward, a thin rope suddenly wrapped around Gu Fanshuang’s waist. She didn't look surprised; instead, she smiled and urged the horse on. The "poison" was just a sugar pill they had made for fun while at the Blood River Pavilion. The rope had been used to tie her up earlier, but it was coming in handy now.

Su Bo pulled the rope and vanished from Xi Menghe's sight. "Until we meet again."

Xi Menghe didn't pursue, instead watching Su Bo disappear with a grin. Su Bo frowned; the old man's behavior was unexpected. *What does he mean? Why do I have such an ominous feeling?*

He couldn't dwell on it. Su Bo used the rope to leap onto his horse, and they sped into the Hongze Forest.

Two hours later, a bright moon hung in the sky. The horse raced through the deep forest, carrying the pair. Suddenly, Su Bo pulled the reins, and the horse skidded to a halt. He stared at the hundred-foot-deep ravine before them, his anxiety spiking.

Gu Fanshuang looked at him, trying to comfort him. "We've run so far; he shouldn't be able to find us."

Su Bo nodded weakly. "He was indifferent when he watched me leave; it worries me."

"It's fine. It's hard to find us in this dense forest."

They dismounted to find a way around. Just then, an old voice sounded behind them.

"Oh? Is that so?"

"How did you catch up!"

Gu Fanshuang backed away, reaching the edge of the cliff. Xi Menghe didn't waste words, lunging not at Su Bo, but at Gu Fanshuang. Su Bo instinctively dove to block the attack, realizing too late that this was exactly what the old thief wanted.

The strike was unavoidable. Su Bo closed his eyes, waiting for death. A violent force shattered his frail body, and blood surged into his throat.

"Su Bo!" Gu Fanshuang cried out in horror.

The impact sent Su Bo flying backward, pinning him to the edge of the cliff. Gu Fanshuang caught him, heartbroken to see him unconscious and gravely injured. She glared at Xi Menghe. "I know I can't kill you, but if I die, you won't survive either!"

With that, she hugged Su Bo and took a step back, falling into the deep abyss.

"You!" Xi Menghe reached out, but it was too late. He had only intended to knock Su Bo unconscious to prevent any tricks; he hadn't meant to kill him, but Gu Fanshuang had ruined his plans.

He reached for them, but they vanished into the mist. He remembered Qian Biman's warning. A Qian Dao Realm master was not someone he could resist. Regardless of his age, in this world, power was the only measure of worth.

"Damn it, I have to find them." Without hesitation, Xi Menghe mounted his horse and rode toward the depths of the valley.