Chapter Eighteen: Fang Zhong

A band of bandits headed straight for the Poisonous Miasma Forest. Winding their way through the dense fog, they finally arrived at a marshland that, at first glance, resembled a lush green meadow. The grass seemed vibrant, with pools of pure, crystal-clear water scattered across, exuding an air of complete innocence and tranquility. But the bandits knew well that this was nothing but a deceptive façade. Beneath the seemingly harmless grass lay ten, dozens, perhaps even hundreds of meters of thick, treacherous mud. Once trapped, even a martial artist of innate strength would stand no chance of escape.

“Damn it, we have to cross this bloody swamp every single time! The two of you have it easy—I’m the one who has to haul you around, saving you all the trouble and effort!” Rukai complained as he trudged along. His solid, heavy frame always made him extra cautious when crossing this hazardous ground.

After wandering through the swamp for quite some time, they finally reached the bandits’ hideout.

“Prepare a room for them to rest. Once Lei wakes up, tell him to come see me,” Cui Ba ordered before striding away. The other bandits dispersed, each busying themselves with their own affairs.

Rukai escorted Lei Yan and Qingling into a small wooden cabin. Without ceremony, he tossed them both onto the bed—two heavy thuds echoed through the room as they landed. Whether intentional or not, the positions they ended up in were rather compromising. Lei Yan lay sprawled on his back, arms and legs wide apart, while Qingling was half draped over him, her lips inadvertently brushing against his.

Having deposited his burdens, Rukai clapped his hands as if dusting off a load, and left the cabin.

Qingling had a habit of hugging her pillow while sleeping. In her dazed state after being thrown onto the bed, she instinctively clung to Lei Yan and nuzzled closer. Suddenly, something felt off. She snapped her eyes open.

A piercing scream shattered the stillness inside the cabin. The shrillness alone was enough to drag Lei Yan out of unconsciousness. He struggled to open his eyes, and the first thing he saw was Qingling scrambling off him, frantically straightening her clothes.

Every muscle in his body ached as if it had been torn apart. Lei Yan forced himself upright, his blurred vision gradually adjusting to the surroundings. It was a modest wooden cabin: one bed, a cabinet, a battered square table with three stools beneath it, and a dusty tea set abandoned atop. From these clues, Lei Yan knew they had reached the bandits’ stronghold.

“You… you’re awake?” Qingling stammered, retreating nervously to the far end of the bed, her tone stripped of its former hostility.

“Yes, it seems I’ll be staying here for a while,” Lei Yan replied softly.

“Where are we?” Qingling asked.

“This is Longba. I’ve decided to stay. You don’t have to follow me anymore—you should go back,” Lei Yan answered, hearing from her voice that she no longer harbored intentions to harm him.

Just as Qingling began to feel a hint of affection toward Lei Yan, she heard his words of dismissal. A sense of abandonment washed over her, and tears welled up unbidden, slipping down her cheeks as she choked out, “If you don’t want me to follow you, then I insist on doing so!”

Lei Yan sighed. “You must understand, the path I’ve chosen is one of no return. Even I can’t promise I’ll survive it. Why put yourself through this?”

Qingling seemed to sense the loneliness and sorrow in Lei Yan’s heart. She suddenly felt an urge to comfort him but didn’t know how. So she simply said, “I don’t know what road you’re taking, but since you once called me your woman, you can’t cast me aside.”

“In that case, stay with me,” Lei Yan said with a smile. He’d already resolved that, should he survive his quest for vengeance, he would finally taste the sweetness of love. He retrieved a pill from the demon artifact and handed it to her. “Take this.”

Ordinarily, Qingling would never have dared to accept a pill from Lei Yan, but for some reason, this time she didn’t hesitate. She swallowed it in one gulp. As the medicine settled in her stomach, there was a faint sense of familiarity, though she couldn’t quite place it. “What kind of pill was that?” she asked.

Lei Yan nodded in satisfaction. “Haven’t you taken this before? How could you forget?”

Qingling’s expression changed as she suddenly remembered. “It’s the one that seals my spiritual power! You—”

Before she could finish, Lei Yan cut her off. “Having second thoughts? If you can’t even muster the most basic trust in me as my woman, how can you call yourself that?”

“But… but you don’t trust me!” Qingling protested. To her, Lei Yan’s refusal to restore her abilities was proof enough.

In truth, Lei Yan had his reasons. Although a Foundation Establishment cultivator's powers could be sealed, once the restriction was lifted after diligent cultivation, there was a high chance of advancing directly to the Golden Core stage, or at the very least, to the late Foundation Establishment stage. Yet Qingling seemed dissatisfied with Lei Yan withholding the antidote. With a smile, he produced another pill from the demon artifact and handed it to her. “This is the antidote to lift your seal.”

“You should have given it to me ages ago!” Qingling exclaimed in delight as she accepted the pill.

“You can choose to take this antidote or keep cultivating without it, as I suggest,” Lei Yan said with a smile, giving her the choice. If she took the antidote, he would let her go.

Lei Yan's words stalled Qingling’s hand. Something about the situation felt wrong, though she couldn't say what. Annoyed, she shoved the pill back at him. “Fine, fine! I won’t take it, all right?”

Lei Yan accepted the antidote with a smile. “Ling’er, trust me. Just keep cultivating as usual, even if you can’t feel your spiritual power right now. In time, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.”

“Understood,” Qingling replied, blushing at the change in how he addressed her.

Her voice was soft, but Lei Yan heard it clearly. The atmosphere grew charged with intimacy until Lei Yan coughed twice to break it. He fished out a few steamed buns from the demon artifact and handed one to Qingling. “Have something to eat.”

As they ate, the door banged open. Rukai barged in, his movements clumsy as ever. Seeing Lei Yan and Qingling, he grinned. “Lei, Cui Ba wants you to see him now that you’re awake.” Then, glancing at the bun in Lei Yan’s hand, he raised an eyebrow. “Hey, you brought food with you?”

“Yes, would you like some?” Lei Yan replied with a smile.

“You don’t have enough there to fill even the gap in my teeth. Come on, Cui Ba’s waiting!” Rukai said, baring his teeth in a grin.

“Ling’er, wait here for me,” Lei Yan said, rising from the bed.

Longba was vast, surrounded by swamps on all sides, like an island in a sea of marshes. Without guidance, outsiders could hardly find their way in. Rukai led Lei Yan to Cui Ba’s quarters. After knocking, they entered.

Lei Yan saw Cui Ba seated in the place of honor, a tiger-skin chair, while beside him stood a stooped old man. The elder barely glanced at Lei Yan before looking away, his eyes clearly tinged with disdain.

“Lei, let me introduce you. This is our healer, Fang Zhong. You’ll be working with him for now,” Cui Ba said with a smile.

“Doctor Fang,” Lei Yan greeted, cupping his hands respectfully.

“Mm,” Fang Zhong grunted, clearly unimpressed. He turned to Cui Ba. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave.”

“Go ahead. Lei, follow Doctor Fang and see what he needs,” Cui Ba instructed with a wave of his hand.