"Excuse me... Could we switch positions? Maybe carry me on your back?"
Chen Kuang was held in the embrace of the Black Armor Guard, enduring it for three seconds.
Finally, he couldn't bear it any longer and spoke politely despite the pain.
Qingcuo looked down at him: "Why?"
"..."
It's not a matter of dignity, but being carried like a princess is a bit too gay, buddy.
Two grown men in this position, don't you feel something's off?
Alright, maybe ancient people had conservative views, really didn't have the concept of male-male defences...
Thinking of this, coupled with Qingcuo's natural demeanor, Chen Kuang found it hard to say anything further.
Seeing him silent, Qingcuo thought for a moment and said:
"You feel pain? That's because your leg is broken, not because I'm carrying you in the wrong position."
Chen Kuang: "?"
Could this be a misunderstanding?
Did he think he was complaining about him not holding well enough or gently enough?
Just how insensitive must one be to think this excruciating pain is due to the position... It's almost insulting.
Chen Kuang explained: "There's a difference between the injured, the disabled, and the crippled—I may be blind but I'm not an idiot."
"I know."
"So you think I wouldn't know my leg is broken?"
"I was afraid you didn't know."
"..."
Chen Kuang took a breath and managed a smile: "Thank you for your concern then."
Qingcuo replied: "You're welcome."
Chen Kuang was starting to understand.
This guy is a total Dazed Beast, doesn't understand human speech.
Chen Kuang stopped protesting being carried like a princess and remained silent. Fortunately, after the brief exchange, he had somewhat adapted to the pain in his leg, making it not as unbearable.
Qingcuo glanced at his pale face and noticed his tense cheeks from clenching his jaw instinctively, showing a hint of surprise in his eyes and spoke up on his own.
"So you really do know your leg is broken."
Chen Kuang remained silent.
Qingcuo said flatly: "I thought you didn't feel pain. Generally, ordinary people would faint from this kind of pain."
His gaze was calm: "Yet you... didn't utter a sound."
Chen Kuang's brows twitched, but before he could speak, a respectful voice from an unfamiliar prison guard reached them.
"Sir! What is this..."
"Open the door."
The newly switched guard was puzzled by the Black Armor Guard carrying someone, but soon saw the large amount of blood dripping from Chen Kuang's clothes, staining everything below the knees red.
He immediately trembled in fear, quickly reaching out to open the heavy iron door of the Celestial Prison.
Watching Qingcuo enter, the horrifying trail of blood wended its way.
Chu Wen Ruo quickly stood up upon hearing the commotion, walked to the edge of the cell, and leaned forward, her beautiful eyes faintly glistening with tears.
Earlier, Qingcuo had swiftly killed two prison guards and took Chen Kuang, who was her only support, away, scaring this naturally gentle young woman.
Even when Chen Kuang left, he could hear her helpless and despairing cries.
Seeing Chen Kuang return at this moment, she was instantly overjoyed.
But as she got closer, Chu Wen Ruo noticed something amiss, seeing the extremely striking bloodstains, her expression froze, and her breath almost stopped.
The guard opened the cell door, and Qingcuo bent down to place Chen Kuang down.
Even thoughtfully placing him by the railing near Chu Wen Ruo.
Chu Wen Ruo, somewhat rigidly, slowly approached, tremblingly reaching out, seeing Chen Kuang leaning against the wall, his legs stretched out, with the shinbone already collapsed inwards, a sight almost unbearable.
"Mr. Chen..."
Chu Wen Ruo's beautiful eyes were filled with tears, streaming down her cheeks, the slightly drooping corners of her eyes reddened, looking so pitiful.
She couldn't imagine the pain of such torture, her heart felt like it was gripped and crushed by an invisible giant hand.
Her voice choked almost to silence, she could only slip her hand through the railing to gently wipe the cold sweat from Chen Kuang's forehead.
The beautiful lady's eyes were blurred with tears, her face full of guilt: "I'm sorry... Mr. Chen... it was my misunderstanding... I hurt you..."
What did she misunderstand this time?
Chen Kuang sighed inwardly: "No need to worry, it's not your fault."
Qingcuo took a small porcelain bottle from his coat, sprinkling the powder on Chen Kuang's bloody leg.
Suddenly, Chu Wen Ruo, in her agitation, sharply exclaimed:
"You thieves, bastards, if there's anything, come at me!"
She desperately reached to grab Qingcuo's clothes from behind:
"Stop hurting innocent people! Do you hear me? I am Lady Liang, interrogate me! Leave him alone!"
Qingcuo said calmly: "This is healing medicine."
Chu Wen Ruo suddenly fell silent, her actions frozen, the quiet air carrying a hint of awkwardness.
If not for the pain distorting his features, Chen Kuang would surely have laughed aloud.
Qingcuo stood up and said: "This medicine can only heal superficial wounds; your legs are already crippled."
Chen Kuang remained silent.
Qingcuo paused, glanced again at Chu Wen Ruo, said nothing more, and turned to leave.
The guard locked the door again.
Chen Kuang moved his eyeballs, initially intending to open his eyes, only to find his eyelids were glued shut by sweat, making it difficult to open them, so he simply stayed put.
He took a deep breath, smiled, and softly reassured: "It's okay now."
"For the next seven days... everything should be fine."
Chu Wen Ruo, suppressing her emotions, hoarsely asked:
"Seven days..."
"Mr. Chen... is this the result you got by sacrificing your legs?"
Chen Kuang shook his head, reached out to touch his own leg, feeling the muscles and bones rapidly healing, he smirked:
"This is just the beginning, nowhere near the end."
What he sought wasn't just these seven days of survival.
Chen Kuang had already prepared for severe injury when he decided to confront Li Hongling head on.
In fact, this injury was much better than he anticipated, maybe even a bit too light.
After all, with the passive "Meat Ganoderma," unless he suffered a fatal injury, he wouldn't die instantly, and wounds would heal swiftly.
But what he feared wasn't death, it was being discovered regarding his physique, then imprisoned as a "Medicine Man," which would waste countless years even if he could escape later.
Ultimately, it was because his current strength was too weak.
Hopefully, in these seven days, he can accumulate enough useful passive abilities, and Huo Hengxuan hopefully really left a backup plan as he guessed, otherwise his plan has risks.
Maybe it was Li Hongling wanting to teach him a lesson, as no one came over the whole afternoon, no wine, no delicacies, no one offering him a zither.
Chen Kuang didn't find it hard to endure, silently pondering over the content of the withering and flourishing script, only finding it harsher than his leg injury, more exasperating.
Without any foundation or guidance, trying to comprehend a top-notch swordsmanship from scratch is truly difficult.
Fortunately, by evening, Huo Hengxuan was finally released and returned.
The same scene played out again, but the porter then guards were completely different, much more cautious, without any shoving.
Huo Hengxuan was a bit surprised.
He was dragged with handcuffs and shackles, carried back to the cleaned cell, and immediately saw Chen Kuang in the neighboring cell.
He widened his eyes, moved over for a closer look, suddenly laughing uncontrollably, swaying back and forth:
"Hahaha... I thought you had some skills, boasting sky-high, turns out it's just making you crippled!"
"And you want me to trust you? Bah, what nonsense!"
The old man laughed till tears spilled out, wetting his disheveled gray hair.
Though it's a comedic scene, it inexplicably carries a touch of despair.
After waiting for him to finish laughing, Chen Kuang calmly spoke:
"Really? Have you seen the prison guards here? Every face."
Huo Hengxuan was taken aback.
Recalling all the prison guards he saw along the way... they were all replaced.
The old man's pupils constricted, staring sharply at Chen Kuang.
Impossible...
"What happened to the prior guards?"
"Dead."
"Five?"
"All of them, you never specified how many to kill."
Huo Hengxuan was silent for a long time: "How... did you do it?"
Chen Kuang loved seeing this elder so bewildered.
He opened his eyes, the gaze beneath the blood and sweat filled with mirth:
"Take a guess?"