She almost fainted on the spot, plunged into darkness. The news was a devastating blow for her, but soon Wu Daoxu's furrowed brow slowly relaxed.

"Miss Xue, don't worry too much. I only mentioned he's seriously injured, not that he's beyond saving."

"Regular doctors might struggle to treat him, but if I remember correctly, there are a few cultivators in Qingshui County. How about this: I'll protect his heart meridian first... cough, cough, cough cough..."

His expression suddenly turned pained!

His internal organs felt like they were burning with fire; the side effects from the fire intrusion were not just burning the Soul Puppet but also injuring his organs, especially his meridians, which felt painfully hot. Cen Yueyue, in her effort to completely burn away the residual Soul Puppet inside him, didn't spare a single meridian.

She might have enjoyed the burning, but Wu Daoxu suffered for it. This kind of torture isn't something everyone can withstand.

"Immortal Master, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine. I suffered some injuries recently. Alas, now I'm powerless. Normally, I could save him, but today I'm a ruined man, weakened after my arm was cut off. I'm powerless and can only try to carry him back for you..."

"Please don't say that, Immortal Master. I can't thank you enough for saving my life and Uncle Qian's. In the future, I promise to repay your great kindness and serve you like a horse and ox, Miss Caiyan!"

She wiped the tears from her face forcefully. Wu Daoxu looked at the girl in front of him with a blank stare—a face of steadfastness, resilience, and determination. That's why he always adhered to the teachings of his sect, to cut down evil and promote good. Especially seeing Xue Caiyan's determined eyes, he immediately found the meaning for his cultivation.

Enduring thirty years of bitter cultivation was just to be of use at times like these.

A genuine smile appeared on his face.

Since the upheaval three years ago, he had never smiled like this—so warm and gentle, just like he was three years ago. Despite half his face being scarred from burns, in Xue Caiyan's eyes, he looked truly handsome.

It was also at this moment that he learned the girl's name, Xue Caiyan.

A very pleasant name, carrying a lot of meaning.

"There is no need to be so formal. My surname is Wu; given name Dao Xu. You may call me by my name directly. I am unworthy of the title Immortal Master."

With one hand activating Spiritual Energy constantly, despite the piercing pain in his meridians causing him to sweat profusely, his body was like a broken doll, leaking everywhere. But decades of experience in controlling Spiritual Energy still allowed him to barely operate his Cultivation Technique within his body. His wound slowly healed, making Uncle Qian's complexion look slightly better.

"Rest assured, I've protected his heart meridian and wounds, though during this period, we must seek help from other cultivators. Otherwise, even if we save him by force, many hidden injuries may remain, posing a life-threatening risk when they flare up later."

The girl just kept nodding, seeing the man's pale complexion, she actually tried to lift the limp Uncle Qian from the ground. The scene made Wu Daoxu chuckle silently and gently pushed the girl aside.

"Let me."

He reached out, exerted strength, and effortlessly lifted the hundred-sixty-pound man onto his shoulder!

"Hoo—"

Exhaling a mouthful of turbid air.

Even injured, he was still a cultivator, particularly a Core Formation Stage cultivator. Even though his foundation was unstable, lifting an object weighing hundreds of pounds with one hand was still easy. However, given his current physical condition, he couldn't carry someone while in Sword Flight, so he could only walk forward step by step.

Seeing the girl's flustered appearance, Wu Daoxu immediately understood what was on her mind. Clearly, the little lass wanted to help but wasn't sure how, so he naturally brought it up.

"Miss Xue, your steed is quite impressive, a fine horse. All things have a spirit. I saw it fall and unable to stand in the water pool, so I helped it out. Now Wu only has one arm; if convenient, could you assist by guiding it?"

"I, I... understand."

She nodded vigorously, behaving exceptionally obediently.

The group walked in the rain. Uncle Qian, slung over his shoulder, seemed to show signs of liveliness after receiving the nourishment of Spiritual Energy. His breathing was short and rapid, but at least he could breathe smoothly. The rain curtain was still kept at bay, and although the ground was muddy, they were only a few miles from Qingshui County.

Seeing the girl beside him deep in thought, in an attempt to break the heavy atmosphere, Wu Daoxu initiated the conversation.

"Speaking of which, those bandits mentioned you being part of the Xue family in Qingshui County. While I am not a local, I am somewhat familiar with Qingshui County's past. Why did you choose to return today? If I'm not mistaken, the Xue family has long separated."

The girl tightened her grip on the horse's reins.

"Because soon it will be the death anniversary of my uncle and cousin. I, I have this life and the assets of my family, all thanks to my uncle. So I must return. I'm sorry for troubling you, Immortal Master..."

"I've told you not to call me Immortal Master. Use my name instead."

With a carefree smile, Wu Daoxu didn't care much for these customary formalities; he naturally said, "I'm somewhat familiar with your family's situation and deeply regret the misfortunes your family has suffered."

"Back then, I also came here to investigate because of this matter. Although I found the real culprit, understanding the truth makes it difficult for me to judge who was right or wrong. The commotion three years ago was not small; alas, it's all fate's play."

"But these bandits vented their anger on you defenseless women and children, and I couldn't stand by. When the incident happened back then, you must have been only thirteen or fourteen years old, right? Do you ever feel that the Heavenly Dao was unfair to you or your Xue family?"

The girl was somewhat silent, not due to being terse, but because she was thinking about how to respond to Wu Daoxu's words. By now, she was slowly recovering from her frightened state.

As the daughter of a merchant, eloquence is a basic skill; soon, the girl provided an answer.

"Thirteen."

Xue Caiyan spoke.

"I was only thirteen when the family's troubles occurred."

"I can actually understand what you're saying because many elders in our family mentioned that my cousin's behavior would surely bring trouble. Many also advised my uncle to remarry and have another child, to raise well and manage the family."

"But he was always unwilling, and many elders said back then, that the Xue family might end in his hands. Looking back now, it indeed became a prophecy."

Brows raised.

He discovered that despite her young age, this girl was quite mature, and he smiled, nodding slightly, trying to make his face seem less fearsome and frightening.

"Later, our family moved because of this matter, the Xue family members left and scattered. You asked if I ever resented... yes."

"When our family fell from grace initially, Caiyan indeed wondered why we were implicated, why one person's mistake required our entire Xue family to pay."

"But now Caiyan doesn't mind as much. If one can share in joy and hardship, must Caiyan only indulge in joy and not swallow hardship?"

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