Sang Dai: “…”
Ying Heng asked, “Dai Dai, does the Beast King have a solution?”
Sang Dai: “…Yes.”
The gates opened, and a person stormed out, drawing a blade and slashing it toward Su Xuan.
“You damned fox, don’t think this young master is afraid of you!”
Su Xuan lazily sidestepped the attack, standing with his hands behind his back as he regarded Nangong Zhu.
Nangong Zhu was not tall, appearing to be a boy of thirteen or fourteen, and a full head shorter than Su Xuan.
Su Xuan had mentioned that Nangong Zhu was actually over a hundred years old, but due to being poisoned as a child while experimenting with toxins, his body had been permanently affected.
The little fox casually brushed off his sleeve and extinguished the Hellfire in his hand. “I’m here to ask you to look at a patient.”
Nangong Zhu gritted his teeth. “Didn’t your wife recover already? I heard she’s even reached the Grand Ascension stage. So what are you—”
He spun around in frustration, but the moment his eyes fell on the person standing next to Sang Dai, his words abruptly stopped.
Sang Dai tensed, her lips pressed tightly together in anxiety, fearing Nangong Zhu would recognize Ying Heng and refuse to help.
And indeed, Nangong Zhu recognized him.
His face instantly darkened, the handsome features clouded with hostility.
Su Xuan’s expression turned cold as well. He fixed his gaze on Nangong Zhu, ready to act at the slightest provocation.
The atmosphere froze in a heavy silence. Ying Heng seemed to sense something amiss and spoke in a calm tone. “Young Master, I am still a sinner. If you are unwilling—”
“Come in.”
Nangong Zhu cut him off with a voice transmission, glanced at Ying Heng briefly, then turned away and pushed the door open.
His sudden shift in attitude left even Su Xuan momentarily stunned.
Ying Heng’s lips moved slightly as if to speak but eventually swallowed his words.
Sang Dai exchanged a glance with Su Xuan, and the little fox gave her a slight nod.
The sword cultivator supported Ying Heng as they entered Divine Healer Valley.
Sang Dai had never been to Divine Healer Valley before. Upon entering, she saw vast stretches of medicinal fields, filled with herbs and celestial flowers as far as the eye could see. It was no wonder Nangong Zhu was so wary of Su Xuan’s Hellfire.
Nangong Zhu walked ahead briskly, leading them to a secluded courtyard.
The courtyard was cool and shaded, and he went straight into the house.
Sang Dai didn’t follow him in, instead helping Ying Heng to sit at the stone table under a tree.
A short while later, Nangong Zhu returned, his face still dark, but this time he was carrying a teacup.
He placed the cup heavily on the table, spilling some of the tea, which almost splashed onto Ying Heng’s face. Su Xuan quickly reached out to block the tea.
The little fox narrowed his eyes slightly. “Nangong Zhu.”
His tone carried a clear edge of anger.
Nangong Zhu glanced at Su Xuan, then turned his gaze back to Ying Heng.
Ying Heng, unaware of the details, remained composed until Chunying quietly relayed the situation to him.
He fell silent for a moment before speaking in a gentle voice. “Apologies, Young Master Nangong. I did not mean to offend.”
Nangong Zhu sat down beside them, pouring himself a cup of tea without looking at anyone.
He glanced at Ying Heng. As the best medical cultivator in the Four Realms, a quick sweep of his spiritual energy was enough to discern Ying Heng’s condition.
“His spiritual root has been extracted, his meridians are severely damaged, causing the loss of all five senses. Additionally, he appears to have been gravely injured and near death at some point, his soul shattered and then forcibly reassembled. As a result, his soul is also heavily damaged.”
Sang Dai’s voice trembled. “…What did you say? His soul was shattered?”
Even Liu Lixue had not detected this. He had only mentioned that Ying Heng’s soul seemed injured, likely from severe trauma.
Sang Dai and Su Xuan both turned to look at Ying Heng.
A shattered soul—it had never occurred to them that his condition was this severe.
Ying Heng responded calmly, “Apologies, I was not aware.”
Sang Dai’s expression darkened.
Nangong Zhu’s tone remained indifferent. “And the spiritual root?”
Su Xuan answered, “It was divided into three parts. We currently have only two.”
“…Then what do you want from me today?”
“Can you treat Immortal Lord Ying Heng’s injuries?”
“Liu Lixue can’t?”
“He healed the external and meridian injuries, but he has no way to restore the lost five senses.”
Nangong Zhu finished his tea and replied in a low voice, “I can treat it.”
Sang Dai immediately asked, “Young Master Nangong, what method would you use?”
Nangong Zhu looked directly at her. “Isn’t Ying Heng a sinner of the Four Realms? Why do you want to save him?”
Ying Heng did not refute the claim, his expression remaining calm.
Su Xuan’s face hardened. “There are reasons behind this. Will you treat him or not? I can offer you a spiritual vein in exchange.”
Nangong Zhu ignored Su Xuan and continued to look at Sang Dai, asking, “He is a sinner. Why do you want to treat him?”
“Nangong Zhu!” Su Xuan snapped.
“Because he is my master,” Sang Dai said firmly, her voice cutting through the tension.
Two voices fell in succession.
“Dai Dai…” Su Xuan murmured softly.
Sang Dai repeated herself, her tone unwavering. “He is my master. He is my family. Young Master Nangong, the matter of Guixu was not my master’s doing. I will uncover the truth, but I beg you—please save him.”
She stood and cupped her hands in a formal salute toward Nangong Zhu. “Young Master Nangong, I beseech you to save him.”
“Dai Dai, I can give him a spiritual vein!” Su Xuan said, gripping her wrist and trying to pull her up, but Sang Dai remained bowed, unmoving.
Through Chunying’s silent transmission, Ying Heng became aware of the situation.
Before arriving, Ying Heng had already guessed that Nangong Zhu might refuse this request.
Ying Heng himself was indifferent about his injuries, but he couldn’t bear to see his disciple humbling herself like this. He stood up, groping until he touched his disciple’s arm, and said simply, “Dai Dai, stand up.”
Sang Dai remained kneeling. “Young Master, please, whatever you need help with, I’ll do it.”
Su Xuan applied more force, trying to pull her up. “Dai Dai!”
Ying Heng, too, tightened his grip on his disciple’s hand, his previously gentle tone now firm. “Dai Dai, get up.”
Sang Dai grew increasingly anxious and looked up at Nangong Zhu. “Young Master, you—”
“Did I say I wouldn’t help?”
Nangong Zhu’s cold voice cut through the air.
Everyone froze.
The sudden reversal left them momentarily stunned.
Nangong Zhu stood, his stature barely reaching Sang Dai’s shoulder.
“Immortal Lord Ying Heng, do you still remember my parents?”
Ying Heng looked confused. “I… I’m sorry. I’ve forgotten many things…”
Nangong Zhu said, “One hundred and twenty years ago, when you were gravely injured and hunted by the Four Realms, my parents saved you. You stayed at Divine Healer Valley for a long time. Back then, I was only seven or eight years old, and I saw you during that time. You left the valley on a rainy night, and the day after you left, my parents were found dead in their home.”
Sang Dai fell silent, and Su Xuan furrowed his brows slightly.
Ying Heng opened his mouth but found himself unable to speak.
“Immortal Lord Ying Heng, my parents weren’t killed by you, but their deaths are inseparable from you. You’ve forgotten what happened back then, but I need you to remember,” Nangong Zhu said, his expression dark. Each word was heavy with emotion. “What exactly happened? Why did my parents die?”
Ying Heng spoke in a daze, “Young Master Nangong, I… I’m sorry…”
It seemed like all he could say was an apology.
Nangong Zhu extended his hand. “Give me the two segments of the spiritual root.”
Sang Dai hesitated. “…Young Master, will they be useful to you?”
“Do you want to save him or not?”
Without hesitation, Sang Dai retrieved two wooden boxes and handed them over. “Here they are, both for you.”
Nangong Zhu accepted them and handed over a slip of paper from his sleeve. “This lists the missing celestial herbs. They’re too expensive, and Divine Healer Valley doesn’t grow many of them. You’ll have to buy them.”
Su Xuan glanced at the list and said, “Some of these herbs can be found in the Beast Realm. I’ll send people to deliver them right away. As for the rest, I’ll arrange for someone to purchase them.”
Nangong Zhu looked at Ying Heng before adding, “He needs to stay here. The disciples of Divine Healer Valley will take care of him, but you’ll also need to send people from the Beast Realm to protect this place. If word gets out that Ying Heng is here, the valley will face extermination.”
Sang Dai quickly replied, “We’ll definitely send people to protect you in secret. Divine Healer Valley is close to the Beast Realm, so if anything happens, you can contact me.”
She pulled out a jade transmission token and handed it to Nangong Zhu. “You can summon me at any time.”
“I can first help him merge the two segments of his spiritual root. His five senses can be restored, but his meridians may not even recover halfway, and his cultivation base might plummet. The injuries to his soul will require nurturing with artifacts. Divine Healer Valley has a soul-protecting formation.”
“Alright, Young Master, whatever you say.”
“Come pick him up in forty days. During this time, the cost of celestial herbs and the wear and tear on the artifacts will be covered by the Beast Realm. I want double—no, triple—the payment.”
“Agreed.”
The process went so smoothly that Sang Dai could hardly believe it. When it was time to bid farewell to Ying Heng, she was still in a daze. Whatever Nangong Zhu said, she agreed to, her sword cultivator hands trembling slightly.
Ying Heng sighed softly and patted her head. “Dai Dai, your master will recover soon.”
Sang Dai covered her face and let out a long breath, the weight in her heart finally lifting.
She whispered, “Master… soon you’ll be able to see me again.”
Ying Heng reached out, fumbling to take her hand. Then, with Chunying’s guidance, he reached out and took Su Xuan’s hand, placing Sang Dai’s hand into Su Xuan’s.
Smiling, he said, “Dai Dai, go back with the Beast King. Forty days from now, come to Divine Healer Valley to bring your master home. By then, your master will prepare a grand ceremony for you two.”
Su Xuan held Sang Dai’s hand firmly and replied, “Immortal Lord, rest assured, I will take good care of Dai Dai.”
As Ying Heng was led away by the disciples of Divine Healer Valley, Nangong Zhu had already disappeared to begin preparing the formation.
Sang Dai turned around and threw herself into Su Xuan’s arms.
“Su Xuan.”
Su Xuan wrapped his arms around her waist and lowered his head to kiss the top of her hair. “Dai Dai, everything will be alright.”
Sang Dai’s tears soaked into the collar of his robes.
“Everything will be alright.”
The little fox held her close, soothing her until she calmed down. When Sang Dai finally composed herself and stepped out of his embrace, the little fox suddenly lowered his head.
Su Xuan looked at her and asked, “Everything is getting better, so Dai Dai, can you go through the mating season with me now?”
Sang Dai met his gaze.
[There are still two days left.]
Sang Dai pursed her lips slightly and said, “Tonight… let’s go visit Lady Liu.”
“We will. And then?”
“And then… I’ll go with you to Zhenhua Crossing.”