Lin Fan, with his mind blank, could feel a fire burning in his body; slowly the sensation of being burned from the inside subsided.
Pain from his internal organs subsequently disappeared.
Replacing the pain was a cooling sensation, like iced water poured down onto his internal organs.
Bit by bit, his consciousness came back.
Sounds of chatter getting louder.
Chairs being dragged on the floor.
Tea being poured into teacups.
His eyeballs rolled left and right, and he opened his eyes.
"Finally, you are awake. How are you feeling?" Zhao Rui asked.
Lin Fan, still in his grogginess, turned toward the source of this voice.
Out of his blurry vision, he couldn't make out who it was.
So, he squinted hard to let his vision get back into focus.
Zhao Rui was standing beside his bed, and beside her were Bai Qiao and Bai Ti.
"I feel great," Lin Fan replied.
Hearing that he was all right, Zhao Rui sighed in relief and said, "You've been out for only an hour; the Ying and Yang restoration pill is certainly more effective than the blood and Qi restoration pill."
"You've done well. Didn't expect you to be so brave," Bai Ti nodded approvingly at Lin Fan.
"And we have great news for you," Bai Qiao chimed in and looked at Zhao Rui. "I've spoken to senior martial sister Zhao Rui; she agreed to write a recommendation letter for you to join Qing Feng sect. With that letter, you wouldn't have to pay the one tael of silver."
"Thanks. I am so grateful..." Lin Fan tried to get off the bed and thank them for the help, but Bai Ti held him down onto the bed and said, "Forgo the formalities."
Zhao Rui nodded her head and added, "Your fire deer's demonic core helped me in my breakthrough. We should be the ones thanking you instead."
To show his thanks, Lin Fan sat up straight on the bed after some struggle, clasped his hands together, and bowed at Zhao Rui.
"Here is a bottle of Qi concentration pill and the recommendation letter. Take the Qi concentration pill to help solidify your foundations and heal your internal injuries."
Zhao Rui handed a porcelain bottle with a red stopper to Lin Fan; inside was the Qi concentration pill to help Lin Fan get ready for the abilities test.
Being worth more than one tael of silver, Lin Fan carefully handled the letter in a brown-colored envelope with caution.
After all, if he ever got into Qing Feng sect, he would need lots of money for weapons, manuscripts, pills, and elixirs.
"What about the blood pool? Will the village be safe?"
Worried about revenge from the Dark Lotus sect, Lin Fan asked about what was going to happen next.
"Those bastards! The very mention of their name makes my blood boil," Bai Ti blew hot air out of his nose, raised his fist, and shook it as he grumbled.
Bai Qiao shook his head and put his index finger on his lips to gesture him to stop.
When Bai Ti stopped, Zhao Rui explained, "We will ask for backup to clear up the blood pool. Don't worry about the village; we will have manpower searching from the imperial court and Qing Feng sect to kill all the remnants of the Dark Lotus sect."
"You were so brave and strong. I see a great future ahead of you when you join the sect."
Having witnessed what Lin Fan did, Bai Qiao was impressed.
Lin Fan was already so much stronger than an average hunter; how much stronger would he be when he became a cultivator?
Having seen so many people with all sorts of abilities in the sect, Lin Fan's abilities stood out as some of the best.
"Thanks. I will try my best. Hope I don't let you down," Lin Fan replied.
Bai Qiao nodded and gave him an approving face.
Satisfied with Lin Fan's recovery, Zhao Rui and Bai Qiao bid farewell to Lin Fan shortly after.
Time was of essence for them to report back to Qing Feng sect; Bai Ti would stay to protect the village in case of any attacks from Dark Lotus sect.
...
In the woods.
Beside the blood pool stood two men.
One was the Dark Envoy, and next to him was an old man.
This old man was skinny and bald, with scriptures in red smudged all over his forearms and body.
The peculiar thing about him was that his skin seemed to be sewn together with different patches of skin from different people and beasts.
"Hehehe... what a pity. This blood pool formation array all gone to waste. The Dark Lotus Lord wouldn't be too happy."
The old man spoke in a high-pitched voice.
With his hands crossed on his chest, the Dark Envoy gave the old man a side eye and said, "Skin Puppet Diao, just clean this place up as instructed. I will investigate and make sure the culprit who killed all the guards here pays for it."
"Hehehehe..."
When Skin Puppet Diao heard the Dark Envoy speak about the guards, he laughed louder.
The Dark Envoy just stared at him.
Sensing that he couldn't get any more response from the Dark Envoy, Skin Puppet Diao got to work.
He took out a bell from his robe and rang it.
Around ten men who were standing behind them started to move upon hearing the bell's ring.
These men's faces were mangled or, to be precise, sewn together with different patches of skin.
With their expressionless faces, they cleared the stilts, ropes, and filled the blood pool with soil.
Bodies that were strewn around were carried away.
Skin Puppet Diao walked up to Master Tan's body, squatted down, and looked at it.
"This one's a good specimen; I shall add him to my collection. Hehehehe..."
The Dark Envoy just looked down in silence.
With his failure at the blood pool, the Dark Lotus Lord wasn't too pleased with him; Skin Puppet Diao would take over.
I will make sure it wouldn't go smoothly, the Dark Envoy thought to himself.