The sound of staffs striking the earth echoed outside the valley — thud, thud, thud — followed by a fit of wheezing coughs.
Lady Serpentis's cold voice swept over the crowd like frost on winter stone. "Leave."
Galen Ashford, Gareth Halloway, and the other battered warriors froze, their hairs standing on end. Her gaze slid toward them like the edge of a cold blade. In a panic, they all dropped to their knees.
"Lady Serpentis, spare us! We have nothing to do with Edric Thornwell or his wife!"
A dismissive snort cut through the air. "Then crawl out of my sight. And once you do, spread word that Ashley Thornwell is in my hands. Tell Edric Thornwell to come to Butterfly Valley to see me."
It was as if they had been pardoned from death itself. Even with the poison still lingering in their bodies, they scrambled away, stumbling over one another in their haste. Every man silently vowed never to speak of this day — it was far too humiliating.
Her voice followed them like a shadow. "If I discover you failed to carry out my orders, I will pay you each a personal visit."
A shiver ran down their spines. Their escape became even more desperate; in mere moments, they had vanished into the mountains.
Lady Serpentis's eyes turned toward Lady Moira Drake and her daughter, Isla. Her tone was ice. "You two — leave."
They were still weakened by Ashley Thornwell's poison, Isla trembling in fear.
Liam Ardent stepped forward, planting himself between them and the elder. "Befitting your status, Lady Serpentis, grant them safe stay. In exchange, I will treat the chronic ailment plaguing your body."
He had no interest in the likes of Gareth or Galen, but Moira and Isla were different — one was a gentle beauty, the other his nightly comfort. There was no reason to let them slip away.
"You dare boast so brazenly?" The elder's voice was sharp. "My illness has endured for fifteen years. You think you can cure it with a few words?"
Beside her, her disciple Lilith Stormbane's feelings toward Liam hovered in a neutral place — trust regained only slightly, her favor sitting at 0 (Indifferent).
Liam's mind flickered briefly — Selene Moor should now be around fourteen or fifteen; he wondered when their paths would cross. But now was not the time for wandering thoughts.
Calmly, he said, "Your ailment lies in your lungs — a cold injury from prolonged exposure to extreme frost. You've held it at bay with internal energy and rare medicines, but it remains buried deep."
Her eyes narrowed, a glimmer of surprise flashing in them. "Correct. I once entered a frozen pool in my youth and left with this affliction. But after so many years, can you truly heal it?"
"I wouldn't claim it if I couldn't deliver." His voice was firm.
"And how would you proceed?" she asked, her gaze locked on his face.
Feeling the weight of the legendary beauty's eyes — even hidden behind her aged mask — Liam steadied his breath. "Merely treating the lungs is pointless. To heal you, I must awaken the vitality of all five viscera, harmonizing your entire body's qi. Only then can I force out the cold locked in your lungs. Within three days, you will be whole."
She tapped her cane lightly. "That method has occurred to me before, but awakening the body's hidden vitality is no simple matter."
"For me, it isn't difficult," he said evenly. "But only if you trust me — I won't work under suspicion."
Her eyes studied him. At last, she said, "Very well. I will trust you this once. But I know medicine — if you play tricks, I will kill these two women before your eyes. If you fail, the outcome will be the same. Do you accept?"
"I do," Liam replied without hesitation.
She gestured with her cane toward Ashley Thornwell, lying pale and unconscious on the ground. "Treat her first. If she dies before Edric arrives, this all becomes pointless."
Liam was just reaching for his gold needles when a flicker of movement caught his attention. His head turned sharply toward the valley entrance.
A lean figure was sprinting toward them, cloak snapping in the wind.
It was Edric Thornwell himself.
This story is inspired from various Wuxia novels ,so if you find any similarities please dont mind . and if you think this is boring wait till the Dual cultivation starts ,Thank you .
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