On the boundless wilderness, dozens of carriages pulled by beasts sped forward.
Behind the beast-drawn carriages rode thousands of cultivators astride Gale Beasts. The galloping beasts kicked up clouds of dust with their four hooves, while the cultivators on their backs remained steady as rocks, unaffected by the rushing wind around them.
“Cough, cough…”
From one of the speeding beast-drawn carriages, a faint cough occasionally sounded, quickly dissipating into the howling wind.
Cultivators, with their keen senses, could clearly hear the cough carried on the wind despite the surrounding noise.
The intermittent cough resembled the sound of someone long afflicted by illness, struggling to suppress the urge to cough up blood, an involuntary sound that drew attention.
“Are you okay?”
Ning Yuzhou gently patted the back of the person in his arms, frowning slightly as he felt the thin and frail back tense with each cough.
This time, the coughing fit seemed particularly severe. She covered her mouth with a handkerchief, and by the end of the episode, she coughed up blood. The bright red, tinged with streaks of purple, stained the white handkerchief conspicuously.
Wen Qiao leaned against his chest with a weary expression. Her internal organs felt as though they were burning, while her meridians throbbed with a needle-like pain that sapped all her strength, leaving her oblivious to her current posture.
“Open your mouth,” Ning Yuzhou said.
Wen Qiao obediently opened her mouth, and a spiritual pill was placed inside. The pill dissolved instantly, turning into a medicinal liquid that slid down her throat. A gentle spiritual energy soothed the pain in her internal organs and eased her tightly strung nerves.
After the relief, she felt even more drowsy.
Ning Yuzhou patted her gently and said softly, “Sleep. I’m here.”
His warm and gentle voice, like a spring breeze brushing over a still pond, subtly calmed her taut nerves.
Wen Qiao fell into a deep sleep in his arms.
But perhaps because her body was truly unwell, even in sleep, her brows remained tightly furrowed.
Ning Yuzhou lowered his gaze to study the person in his arms. His eyes traced her delicate features slowly. Perhaps due to her earlier episode, her pale complexion carried a faint bluish tinge. Her frail body nestled in his arms seemed especially petite and fragile, as if it weighed nothing at all, her breathing so faint it was almost imperceptible.
After a while, Ning Yuzhou carefully took the blood-stained handkerchief from her hand and examined it. Then, lifting her wrist, he pressed his fingers to her pulse to take a reading.
He lowered his gaze and remained silent for a long moment before gently releasing her wrist.
—
In a nearby beast-drawn carriage, the Fifth Prince Ning Pingzhou sat quietly in meditation.
Even while traveling, many cultivators would not relax their vigilance, using the journey as an opportunity to practice and refine their cultivation.
The Ninth Princess Ning Yaozhu shared the carriage with Ning Pingzhou.
Throughout the day, the faint sound of coughing coming from a nearby carriage had repeatedly reached their ears. Ning Yaozhu pursed her lips slightly.
“If they’re just a sickly person, why not stay in the city as a wealthy idle aristocrat? What’s the point of tagging along?” Ning Yaozhu couldn’t understand the behavior of that couple and felt a strong sense of disdain. “I originally thought we were only bringing along one mortal who can’t cultivate. I didn’t expect they’d also bring a sickly invalid. Won’t we end up having to protect them?”
Ning Pingzhou opened his eyes and said indifferently, “The Qianlin Guards will protect them.”
“No matter how skilled the Qianlin Guards are, they have their limits. Don’t forget what kind of place Lintai Hunting Valley is!”
The Lintai Hunting Valley is a secret realm located in the northwest of the Dongling Kingdom at Lintai Mountain. Its origins are untraceable. Every three years in mid-May, when thick fog blankets the entire mountain, a radiant light appears, signaling the opening of the Lintai Hunting Valley to the public. The valley remains open for one month, after which the fog dissipates, and the valley closes.
Currently, the Lintai Hunting Valley is controlled by the Ning royal family and several major clans of the Dongling Kingdom. It has become a training ground for young cultivators of the kingdom. Any cultivator under the age of twenty-five, regardless of their cultivation level, may enter.
Over the years, cultivators from Dongling Kingdom have explored the Lintai Hunting Valley countless times. However, since the valley’s environment changes every three years and it has sufficient time to recover, the resources within remain adequate. As such, the major powers in the kingdom use it as a training ground for the young disciples of their families.
Due to the ever-changing environment of the Lintai Hunting Valley, which follows no discernible pattern, its dangers are immeasurable. Occasionally, beasts of the fifth or sixth rank can be encountered, posing lethal threats to the young cultivators.
Ning Pingzhou remained indifferent. If Ning Yuzhou wanted to go and Emperor Chenghao allowed it, what happened to him was none of their concern.
Ning Yaozhu, however, lacked her brother’s calm disposition. She was still disgruntled, thinking that Ning Yuzhou was just causing trouble. As a mortal incapable of cultivation, he should have stayed in the imperial city and lived a comfortable life. Without any abilities, requiring the Ning family’s meticulously trained Qianlin Guards to specifically protect him and his wife was simply making unnecessary trouble.
The coughing in the air gradually subsided and had not sounded for a long time.
Unable to resist, Ning Yaozhu remarked, “It sounded like they were coughing pretty badly earlier. Are they about to cough themselves to death?”
“Don’t speak nonsense!” Ning Pingzhou reprimanded lightly before changing the subject. “I heard that our third brother will also be going to the Lintai Hunting Valley this time.”
Ning Yaozhu was surprised. “Has he come out of seclusion? Why didn’t we see him when we set off earlier?”
“He didn’t leave with us. He’ll come directly after exiting seclusion.”
Mentioning the Third Prince, Ning Zhezhou, brought a rare flicker of emotion to Ning Pingzhou’s usually indifferent expression, and Ning Yaozhu also became serious.
The Third Prince, Ning Zhezhou, was the most talented cultivator of the Ning family’s younger generation, progressing in cultivation at an extraordinary pace. This year, with the Lintai Hunting Valley opening, he would lead the Ning family’s disciples in their training.
Although the Fifth Prince Ning Pingzhou had decent talent, he was always overshadowed by the Third Prince. While they were both members of the Ning family, competition within the family was fierce, and Ning Pingzhou regarded the Third Prince as his ultimate rival.
Originally, Ning Pingzhou was supposed to lead the Ning disciples for this training. However, with Ning Zhezhou coming out of seclusion, Emperor Chenghao decided to let Ning Zhezhou take charge instead, much to Ning Yaozhu’s displeasure.
When they stopped to camp for the night, Ning Yaozhu caught sight of Wen Mei, one of the Wen sisters. She pursed her lips, her expression subtly shifting.
Wen Mei was Ning Zhezhou’s fiancée, and it was said that if the two became dual cultivation partners in the future, their cultivation progress would be greatly enhanced.
Wen Xian approached with a smile and asked, “Ah Jiu, is the Ning family being led by His Highness the Fifth Prince this time?”
What a pointed question. Ning Yaozhu, slightly irritated, answered curtly, “I don’t know. Maybe it’s my third brother.”
Wen Xian was momentarily surprised, a hint of jealousy flashing in her eyes. “Oh, so it’s His Highness the Third Prince? Has he come out of seclusion?”
“Yes.”
“I wonder how his cultivation level is now? The last time—”
Ning Yaozhu interrupted her abruptly, speaking stiffly. “Did you come here just to talk about my third brother?”
Wen Xian, well aware that this little princess of the Ning family was upset, immediately softened her tone. She didn’t want to offend Ning Yaozhu, so she quickly replied, “Of course not. I came to see you. And while I was at it, I wanted to check on my third sister. I think I heard her coughing quite severely earlier today.”
Ning Yaozhu snorted coldly. She disliked both Ning Zhezhou and Ning Yuzhou. Naturally, she had no fondness for the Wen sisters, who were connected to them.
With a flick of her sleeves, she walked away.
Wen Xian had no idea who had provoked the little princess but didn’t want to strain their relationship. She decided against seeking out Wen Qiao and instead hurried after Ning Yaozhu, coaxing her repeatedly until she finally brightened up.
—
When Wen Qiao woke up, it was already nighttime, and the traveling party had taken the opportunity to set up camp and rest.
She glanced around and realized she was lying inside a tent, cushioned by a soft blanket. Her body was enveloped in a warm quilt, insulating her from the cold chill of the wilderness night.
Ning Yuzhou was reclining nearby, flipping through a book. The moment she woke up, he immediately noticed.
“Are you hungry?” Ning Yuzhou asked, pouring a cup of spiritual medicinal tea and bringing it to her lips.
Wen Qiao, still groggy from sleep, absentmindedly drank the tea he offered.
When her mind cleared, her face flushed slightly. She struggled to sit up and was about to say something when she noticed Ning Yuzhou bringing out a bowl of warm spiritual rice porridge from a food box to fill her stomach.
“You’ve slept for most of the day. Eat something first and then continue resting,” Ning Yuzhou said, placing the food box on a small table beside him and handing her a spoon.
Though her stomach was empty, she didn’t feel much appetite. However, seeing the way Ning Yuzhou looked at her, she reluctantly agreed and silently began eating the porridge.
For this trip to Lintai Hunting Valley, Wen Qiao hadn’t brought her attentive maid Lian Yue along. After all, Lian Yue was a mortal and much safer staying at the Seventh Prince’s residence. Without a maid to serve her, Wen Qiao had to handle everything herself. Fortunately, Ning Yuzhou took care of her needs. But being looked after so much by him made her feel slightly embarrassed.
Ning Yuzhou watched her closely and spoke. “Your body…”
“Born with fragile meridians, my internal organs are infected with fire poison,” Wen Qiao said calmly, repeating what the alchemists had diagnosed.
Ning Yuzhou thought about it. The bloodstains on the handkerchief, with their red-purple hue, did indeed resemble the effects of some kind of fire poison. However…
Lacking an appetite, Wen Qiao ate only a small amount before setting the spoon aside.
Ning Yuzhou handed her another cup of spiritual tea to soothe her throat and said, “If you feel unwell, just rest.”
Wen Qiao had no energy. Every time the fire poison flared up, it drained the little vitality she had left in her body. All she could do was lie weakly in bed all day, unable to do anything, let alone cultivate.
Before long, she fell asleep again.
Ning Yuzhou sat beside her, watching over her pale face, lost in thought.
The following day, before dawn, the party resumed their journey.
Wen Qiao was moved to the beast-drawn carriage while still asleep. Many people witnessed the scene, and although no one said anything, the meaning in their eyes was evident.
Ning Yuzhou ignored what others thought. After entering the beast-drawn carriage, he lowered the curtains, blocking all outside gazes.
On either side of the carriage, Qianlin Guards in black armor stood vigil.
Wen Qiao slept deeply. She vaguely felt herself being moved but was too exhausted to open her eyes. She could only let the person carry her, quickly falling back into a deep slumber.
This cycle of waking and sleeping continued until Wen Qiao finally regained some energy. By then, the party had already reached Lintai Mountain.