Chapter 579: The Blood Is Slowly Dying
Luo Wen turned his head and saw the person leaning against the wall. He let out a breath of relief, but his gaze swept around the cave, clearly still confused about the situation.
"It’s alright," Ye Qianning said. "Don’t panic. Just focus on recovering for now. Once we’re out of here, Ying Ge will answer any questions you have."
Hearing this, Luo Wen quieted down.
Ying Ge helped him lie down slowly. ’He’s so badly injured,’ she thought. ’If not for the Young Miss’s exceptional medical skills, he never would have survived.’
Luo Wen lay down, a dream-like conversation replaying in his mind. ’It didn’t feel like a dream.’
Ying Yuan’s injuries were less severe, and she had woken up that morning. She had been conscious while the Young Miss treated her. Her eyes stung with unshed tears. ’The Young Miss saved my life. From now on, I will live only for her.’
"I made some congee. Would you like some?" Gu Shuo asked.
"I’m alright."
Ye Qianning bent over to check her calf.
Qian Fanji walked over. "Let me change your dressing."
Ye Qianning didn’t refuse. She leaned against the wall, took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and entered her space.
Once inside her space, she looked down at the wound that stretched from her left shoulder to her chest. It showed no signs of healing. She took out a small porcelain vial and filled it with spring water from her space.
Then, she raised a hand and pressed hard on her left shoulder. The pain made her wince, and cold sweat beaded on her forehead as dark blood flowed into the vial.
The blood was a dark, crimson red and gave off a strange odor.
The blood in her upper body was gradually turning necrotic. If she hadn’t sealed her meridians to stop its circulation, all the blood in her body would likely be necrotic by now.
’This is going to be tricky to treat.’
The blood swirled in the water. She observed it closely, then took out several herbs, ground them into a liquid, and dripped it into the vial, carefully watching for any change in the blood’s color.
As Qian Fanji applied the ointment to her leg, he suddenly felt the girl give a violent shudder. Her brow was deeply furrowed, and a cold sweat broke out on her forehead. He immediately thought he had been too rough and hurt her.
His movements slowed, becoming lighter, and lighter still, as if he were afraid to even breathe too loudly.
Changing the dressing should have been a quick, half-hour task, but Qian Fanji was so deliberate that it took him nearly a full hour to finish bandaging her leg.
But he noticed the girl’s body was still trembling, and the sweat on her forehead was growing heavier. His gaze fell to her shoulder, which was only simply bandaged.
Qian Fanji reached out, intending to re-dress the wound, but the moment his fingers brushed against her shoulder, Ye Qianning’s eyes flew open.
Ye Qianning gasped for breath, her shoulder feeling as if it were being torn apart. She had never encountered an herb with such a potent burning effect. Smeared on the wound, it burned more intensely than alcohol and chili powder combined.
"Does it hurt that much? I’ll be more gentle." Qian Fanji reached for her shoulder again.
Ye Qianning raised a hand to stop him. "Don’t. I’ve already treated it."
"When did you—" Qian Fanji started to ask, but stopped himself. "Alright. You should get some rest."
"Mm."
Ye Qianning was completely drained. The pain in her arm and chest felt like a sword piercing through her, so agonizing she couldn’t even move.
The others sat gathered around, their gazes fixed on Ye Qianning. Their eyes were filled with worry, and their hearts ached for her, each of them wishing they could bear the pain in her stead.
Outside the cave, the heavy rain had fallen for a day and a night, thoroughly extinguishing the mountain fire.
By dawn, the heavy rain on the mountain had already been stopped for half a day.
The intensity of Ye Qianning’s pain had subsided considerably, but it would still take time for the injury to be fully cleansed.
Now that the rain had stopped, they needed to get down the mountain as quickly as possible.
Gu Shuo carried Ye Qianning in his arms, Zhan Chi hoisted Luo Wen over his shoulder, and Ying Yuan was able to walk on her own with Ying Ge supporting her.
The group filed out of the cave. As they emerged, the smell of scorched earth and damp soil filled the air.