Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
The barrage of powerful wind blades severed those vines almost immediately. The moment the severed plants hit the ground, they split themselves into two and began to grow at astonishing speed. They bloomed and flared their pistils at their enemy, charging towards the black shadow like a giant, bloody mouth.
“The Man Eating Flower!”
The black shadow finally paled when he recognized those flowers. Weren’t Man Eating Flowers only seen in the Misty Forest? Why would they appear in this place, and in such quantities?
However, he could no longer afford any more distractions. Those Man Eating Flowers began to attack him in unison, seemingly having taken him as food.
With the help of the Man Eating Flowers, there was finally a short window of time for Feng Tianlan to pull Xiao Qing up. Upon landing, even the earth shook when their feet touched the ground.
“Xiao Qing.” Feng Tianlan quickly went up to her. A piece of vine stretched out of her back, swaying along with her movements.
“Ugh…” Xiao Qing slowly blinked, her lids heavy as lead. She unfurled her wings and revealed a well-protected Gu Nansheng. Then, its muzzle curved upwards in a smile. It had fulfilled the Master’s instructions. It wasn’t useless after all.
“Xiao Qing.” Feng Tianlan reached out to touch the horn on Xiao Qing’s forehead. That pointy, silver horn filled with sacredness was now covered in blood. A piece was broken off. Xiao Qing had shielded her from the fatal blow in the beginning with its horn.
Pearl-like tears rolled from the corner of her eyes and dripped to the ground in the rain.
“I’ll avenge you for your broken horn.” Feng Tianlan bit her lips and lowered Xiao Qing into the Spiritual Pool within the Pill Scroll Realm.
Gu Nansheng lay on the ground, on the brink of death as brutal winds and rains battered her body. Feng Tianlan walked towards her and gathered her in her arms. She took out a Grade 5 Quick Healing Pill and fed it to her saying, “Nansheng, Nansheng.”
There was, however, no response. Nansheng’s breathing was so feeble, it was as if her breath was swallowed whole by the rain and lightning in this thunderstorm.
“Nansheng, don’t die. You’re getting married tomorrow. You’re marrying Wu Yuan.” Feng Tianlan’s heart trembled. How could this happen when Nansheng was still safe and well the day before at dinner? They even managed to meet.
It might have been the Quick Healing Pill, or that Feng Tianlan’s words stirred her, but Nansheng managed to force her tightly shut eyes open by a tiny slit. Drops of rain muddled her sight, and she could only make out a rough silhouette.
“Tian…Lan…”
“I’m here.” Feng Tianlan saw that it worked, and so she quickly fed her another Quick Healing Pill. “Don’t talk. It’ll get better. You’ll still be that beautiful bride tomorrow.”
“I’m…sor…ry…” She had become a burden. She had become deadweight and had even dragged Feng Tianlan down with her.
Feng Tianlan said nothing and simply fed her Quick Healing Pills one after another. How could someone as kind as Nansheng die like that? She would never allow it!
Gu Nansheng felt her eyelids getting heavier after making that apology. Her breaths became few and far between, as if she would draw her final breath the very next second.
“Don’t.” Feng Tianlan could feel Gu Nansheng’s gradually weakened breathing. Fear overcame her. She only had a few friends, so each and every one of them was of utmost importance to her!
The vines!
Right!
She still had the vines. If the vines could heal her injuries, they must be able to save Nansheng as well.
However, the vines could not save Nansheng if they weren’t born from Nansheng’s body!
The more flustered she was, the calmer she must be. Feng Tianlan looked at Nansheng, whose eyes were tightly shut, looking genuinely remorseful. She forced herself to calm down.
“Blood!” Feng Tianlan suddenly remembered how much the vines liked her blood. They grew from her heart, and so her blood might be useful. Also, she carried the Spiritual Force of Nature. She could try them all!
Without any hesitation, Feng Tianlan slit her wrist with Spiritual Force. The rain washed away the blood rolling forth from the wound, and she quickly put her bleeding wrist near Gu Nansheng’s lips.
…