The vast grassland, about ten kilometers from their previous location.
The sky split open with a flash of teleportation light, and the next moment they were free-falling from the heights. The wind roared fiercely, sweeping their hair and clothes into a vortex as the ground rushed closer.
Bai Tian turned to Xuan Ying'er with an anxious face, his voice tense:
"Miss… open your eyes, quickly! We're in free fall!"
Xuan Ying'er, cradled in Bai Tian's arms, opened her eyes. They glimmered faintly under the twilight, and with a mix of fear and anger, she stared at Bai Tian:
"I… I no longer have spiritual energy. Right now, I am in a mortal state!"
They stared at each other for a moment, breaths ragged, hearts pounding. The realization struck them—they were truly about to fall and die within seconds. For a brief instant, silence enveloped the grassland, with only the howling wind in their ears. Then, both froze, looking at each other, and simultaneously realized: this was utterly ridiculous.
By their ears, the sound of wind grew sharper, while the view beneath them expanded rapidly. Xuan Ying'er shut her eyes tightly, her arms instinctively tightening around Bai Tian. This was not merely protection, but also the subconscious reaction of fear overwhelming her.
Her consciousness began to fade, but Bai Tian's gaze remained firm as he looked down, eyes wide, fixed on the terrain below. With extraordinary control, he began diving toward the ground, using colliding fireball and wind techniques, then harnessing the explosive impact and his own body to slow their descent. Each impact he absorbed with his body, shielding Xuan Ying'er within his embrace. Blood spilled from his mouth, his body battered by air pressure and energy, yet their speed gradually decreased.
Even so, Xuan Ying'er, now in a mortal state, could never withstand the impact alone. Just before reaching the ground, their velocity was still deadly. With his final strength, Bai Tian summoned all his spiritual energy to form a protective shield and further slow their fall.
Xuan Ying'er opened her eyes and saw a faint smile curve at the corner of Bai Tian's lips. Yet that smile slowly faded as the ground loomed closer… She tried to speak, but it was already too late.
Bang!!!
Bai Tian's body struck the ground violently. The explosion of energy shattered the surface, creating a massive crater and a fissure stretching over five meters. He didn't even have time to feel the pain before his consciousness slipped into darkness.
"Xiao Tian!!"
Only a few seconds later—four breaths after Bai Tian's fall—Xuan Ying'er nearly reached the ground, drifting like a falling leaf. From this height, it was nearly impossible for her to suffer serious injury. She landed gracefully on her feet, then immediately rushed toward Bai Tian.
Seeing the horrifying crater below and the fissure splitting the earth, Xuan Ying'er felt tension and worry that words could not describe. Without hesitation, she knelt at Bai Tian's side and began checking his condition, her hands carefully touching his body, her eyes filled with indescribable complexity.
After confirming that Bai Tian was still alive though unconscious, Xuan Ying'er looked around. All she saw was the wide grassland swaying under the night wind. The atmosphere was quiet and still, with only the gentle rustling of the breeze.
Resolutely, she began making use of the crater where Bai Tian had fallen. Branches and grasses around it were carefully arranged to cover the crater, forming natural camouflage so the place would not easily be spotted by approaching enemies.
Once done, she sat beside Bai Tian, closed her eyes, and began meditating. Her spiritual energy slowly recovered, though only a little, just enough to sustain herself and prepare for the next step.
Time passed, and by midnight, Xuan Ying'er opened her dimensional storage, examining items that might be useful in this emergency.
After searching for a while, she found a small bamboo house whose size could be adjusted. Along with it, she pulled out a defensive formation plate, though with her limited spiritual energy, she could only activate a basic version. She also prepared various medicines that could aid in recovery and defense.
After pondering for a long time, she decided on a strategy: use a simple concealment formation and enlarge the bamboo house to cover their presence.
Carefully, Xuan Ying'er carried Bai Tian into the expanded bamboo house. She gently lowered him onto a soft mat, ensuring his position was safe and comfortable. Though still unconscious, his breathing was weak but steady.
After ensuring Bai Tian was in a protected position, Xuan Ying'er sat by his side. With eyes closed, she began meditating, carefully circulating her spiritual energy to heal herself.
The night wind slipped through the bamboo gaps, carrying the scent of grass and damp earth. The soft moonlight filtered through the bamboo roof, creating an atmosphere of calm yet constant vigilance. Within the bamboo house, only the whisper of wind could be heard, while Xuan Ying'er remained focused, calming herself and channeling spiritual energy for recovery.
Time passed slowly, each second dragging in the silence of the night. From time to time, Xuan Ying'er opened her eyes, glancing at Bai Tian with slight worry. His breathing weakened, his face pale, and gradually she sensed his condition worsening. As a cultivator, her self-healing ability was relatively fast, but Bai Tian's injuries this time seemed far more severe. Only the wind slipping through the bamboo gaps accompanied the night, intensifying the tension pressing on her chest.
Suddenly, Bai Tian's necklace began to glow, radiating a gentle warmth. From within, the voice of a middle-aged man echoed:
"Truly bothersome… why is he on the verge of dying?" he said, sounding annoyed, then noticed Xuan Ying'er's presence beside Bai Tian.
"Little girl, what happened to your lover?" the voice asked, calm yet full of concern.
Xuan Ying'er stared at the necklace, her expression cold and resolute:"Who is his lover… he's just a temporary servant. If he dies, he dies… if he lives, he lives."
"Really? In half an hour, he will be dead," the voice sounded grave.
Xuan Ying'er fell silent, closing her eyes briefly as images of battle and sacrifice replayed in her mind. As though a decision was being forged within her heart, she finally spoke respectfully:
"Do you know how to save him?"
Hearing that, the middle-aged man sounded slightly pleased:
"Take out all the pills you have."
Without hesitation, Xuan Ying'er pulled out every medicine available from her dimensional storage.
The voice spoke again, more firmly:
"Give him a marrow-cleansing pill and a reconstruction pill, then stimulate him with your spiritual energy little by little. Remember, use the marrow-cleansing pill first."
"The rest is up to you, little girl. I'll return to sleep," the middle-aged man added before fading away.
Xuan Ying'er remained silent, staring at the weakened Bai Tian before her. The necklace's glow dimmed, leaving behind an oppressive stillness. The night wind slipped through the bamboo gaps, carrying the scent of grass and damp earth, adding to the atmosphere of solitude and tension.
She drew a deep breath, her eyes fixed on Bai Tian's body with firm resolve.
"Consider this… me repaying a debt to you," she muttered softly, her voice nearly drowned by the whispering wind.
Carefully, Xuan Ying'er tried to place the pill into Bai Tian's mouth, but it failed. His jaw was tightly clenched, his body weak, and his breath ragged.
Xuan Ying'er's eyes trembled as the awareness of limited time pressed on her mind. Ordinary methods clearly would not work. Every wasted second could mean the difference between life and death.
She closed her eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, and murmured softly, almost as if speaking to herself: "Do I really have to use that method…"
A sadness appeared on her face, her tone mixed with frustration and despair.
"Sigh… why must I look like this? First, forced without being able to resist… and this time…" she continued, her voice weakening yet full of sorrow.
Silence enveloped the bamboo house, while the night wind blew gently. Xuan Ying'er closed her eyes, feeling the heavy burden of responsibility—between saving and protecting herself from surpassing her own limits.
After taking a deep breath, Xuan Ying'er opened her eyes. Carefully, she positioned Bai Tian to sit facing her. Then, she lifted her veil and placed a marrow-cleansing pill into her mouth.
With nervousness, she moved closer to Bai Tian's lips, and once they connected, she forcefully pushed the pill into him with her tongue.
At the same time, Xuan Ying'er felt a strange tingling spreading throughout her body, accompanied by a wave of familiarity difficult to explain. Her heart pounded, yet she restrained herself, calming her mind, and staying focused. With both gentleness and firmness, her hands pressed against Bai Tian's waist, channeling her spiritual energy, warm and pulsating, as if awakening every hidden property within the pill.
Time seemed to slow, each second filled with tension and hope. Until finally, their lips parted. Xuan Ying'er took a deep breath, calming herself, then carefully took the reconstruction pill. Once again, she did the same as before, letting her spiritual energy dance softly yet powerfully, guiding the pill to work as intended…
Sensing Bai Tian beginning to regain consciousness, Xuan Ying'er immediately pulled away her lips and hands. Hastily, she stepped back a few paces, lowered her head, put on her veil, and walked out, as if wanting to vanish from the world's sight.
Her face flushed red, her cheeks burning with embarrassment, and her steps slightly brisk, like a child caught doing something wrong.
Yet behind that embarrassment, her heart surged. This is already the third time… no… the fourth time… but why don't I feel disgusted? Is he truly the same person? she thought, as if something refused to be acknowledged—a feeling strange, warm, and confusing, mixed with shame that made her heart beat faster than usual.
Though she tried to calm herself, she could not erase the feeling pressing closer, leaving Xuan Ying'er alone at the crossroads between duty and emotions she could not understand.
After steadying herself, Xuan Ying'er inhaled slowly, then stepped inside. Her eyes fell on Bai Tian, now awake, her heart and mind filled with a strange mixture of emotions.
"Young Miss… you… are you all right?" Bai Tian asked with concern.
"I… I'm fine," she replied softly, coldly, her voice slightly trembling.
Bai Tian frowned, slowly observing.
"Really? You look… a little pale. Do you need something to eat?" His voice sounded casual, though he knew well that when they had fallen, Xuan Ying'er's body was in a fragile state.
Xuan Ying'er ignored him. Bai Tian only sighed, then realized his position—he was sitting while Xuan Ying'er stood, appearing to be in the proper place. Calmly, he stood and offered his seat.
"My apologies for my rudeness, Young Miss. Please," Bai Tian said politely.
Seeing that Bai Tian could stand, Xuan Ying'er immediately sat down, signaling for him to sit as well. A brief silence filled the room, until moments later Xuan Ying'er spoke,
"My condition has stabilized. By tomorrow morning, my spiritual energy will have fully recovered," she said calmly.
"How about you? Can you set out again before dawn?" she asked, her eyes watchful yet gentle.
"Yes, Young Miss. My body feels lighter… as if reborn. It seems you've given me some high-grade pills," Bai Tian replied. Unconsciously, he licked his lips in front of Xuan Ying'er and muttered in surprise, "Why is there a vanilla taste… warmth… and this strange addictive feeling?"
Hearing that, Xuan Ying'er jolted, her face burning red. Her heart raced, and she quickly straightened herself.
"Xiao Tian, go outside! Stand guard for now. I will recover inside," she said, her voice trembling slightly yet firm.
Bai Tian nodded and stepped out. Inside, Xuan Ying'er closed the door, took a deep breath, and let her body lean back, calming herself.