Put It Down Yourself

When You Su returned to the sect, Ji Lingruo had already been waiting at the entrance for quite some time.

"Why did it take you so long today? Don't tell me you lost?"

Ji Lingruo's close-fitting, snow-white dress outlined her graceful figure. Paired with her delicate features, she looked just like a serene Fairy. Yet the way she stood with her arms crossed and leaned against the doorframe was completely at odds with her attire.

"Junior Sister doesn't believe in me? Still, Wu Cheng was indeed stronger than I expected." You Su smiled and discreetly shifted his foot, trying to hide his wound. "He wanted to fight me so badly, and today he finally got what he wished for. He won't bother us again from now on."

"That's good. Looks like you really do have some ability." A pleased smile appeared on Ji Lingruo's face. Her Senior Brother winning the championship had been within her expectations, but that did nothing to diminish her joy.

Suddenly, she noticed that the hem of You Su's lower garment hung unusually low, as if it had deliberately been pulled down. She leaned forward and discovered that the trouser legs beneath it had been torn to shreds, revealing numerous wounds stained with blood.

Ji Lingruo's expression instantly turned furious. She asked anxiously, "How did you get hurt so badly?" As she spoke, she hurried to You Su's side and supported him, pressing close against him.

You Su had wanted to refuse. With his current mobility, he could walk independently, but the girl's movement had not hesitated in the slightest. Without giving him a chance to object, she tucked his arm beneath her armpit and held it fast.

Feeling the full curve pressing against the side of his arm, You Su felt rather awkward. As a blind man, he was exceptionally sensitive to physical contact. The more he tried to relax and avoid noticing that softness, the more he felt as though that was the only place on his entire body that still possessed sensation.

They had actually been in even closer contact when she taught him how to circulate qi, but then he had the excuse of legitimate instruction to deceive himself. Now, however, he could think of nothing to fool his body into ignoring this bewitching sensation. He gently twisted his arm, trying to break free, but the girl noticed immediately.

A faint blush spread across Ji Lingruo's pretty face. She mercilessly tightened her hold on the arm he was trying to withdraw and pretended to scold him.

"Stop moving around. I'm taking you back to lie down."

You Su could only obediently listen.

Forget it, forget it. I'll just consider this the reward I deserve for fighting so desperately...

Once they returned to the room, Ji Lingruo forcibly treated You Su like a patient completely incapable of caring for himself and rudely pressed him down onto the bed, leaving him half-reclining.

Ji Lingruo first brought in a basin of clean water. Then she picked up the several packets of medicine You Su had brought back and looked through them. They were all fairly common herbs used to stop bleeding and purge toxins. She then moved a stool to the bedside and made as if to lift You Su's foot.

"Junior Sister, what are you doing?" You Su hurriedly drew up both legs, looking exactly like a frightened little wife lying on a bed, terrified that her husband was about to try some new trick.

"I'm applying medicine to you. Hurry up! Don't act like some little girl." Ji Lingruo looked at him with impatient disdain and reached for his leg again.

You Su quickly stopped her. "There's no need, Junior Sister. I can do it myself. It's nothing serious."

Unexpectedly, Ji Lingruo did not argue with him. She simply smoothed the folds of her skirt over the graceful curve beneath her and sat down, pressing her legs tightly together. Her two straight calves slanted slightly at the same angle, their toes lightly touching. Her posture was elegant and proper, utterly like a young lady from an eminent household raised in a secluded inner chamber.

Only the girl's haughty expression spoiled her overall dignity. She slowly raised three fingers and threatened him, "If you don't want me to get angry, stretch your leg over here yourself. I'll count to three."

"It really isn't necessary, Junior Sister. I can manage. How could those precious hands of yours do this sort of thing?" You Su flattered her.

"Three."

"Junior Sister, listen to me. When I bought the medicine, the people at the pharmacy already treated the wounds once. Why repeat it?"

"Two."

"No, Junior Sister. That Immortal Master from Divine Mountain already gave me a spirit pill. If I had taken any longer to get home, these wounds would probably have healed on their own. Why apply medicine at all?"

Hearing this, Ji Lingruo lowered her head and glanced at the wounds on You Su's calf. There was clearly not the slightest sign that any medicine had been applied. She folded down her second finger and said coldly,

"One."

As soon as her voice fell, Ji Lingruo looked at the bloodstained injured leg hovering before her abdomen, the corners of her mouth rising smugly. Inside, she found it hilarious that her Senior Brother was putting on such a stubborn act. He had already stretched his leg over, yet he was still forcibly keeping it suspended so that it would not touch her.

She could not be bothered to tease You Su any longer. She reached out, intending to press his leg down onto her thigh. Unexpectedly, even with his injured leg, the fellow still had so much strength that she could not push it down after trying for quite a while. She was so exasperated that she nearly laughed. She had no idea what You Su was being stubborn about. In the end, she stopped exerting more force, withdrew her hand, and ordered him,

"Put it down yourself."

You Su seemed to resign himself to his fate. Helplessly relaxing his strength, he honestly placed his leg on Ji Lingruo's thigh.

You Su had never seen them, but he had touched them. He knew that the girl's thighs were not thin and bony. Through the close-fitting, lightweight silk, he could still feel their rounded, firm flesh.

Of course You Su wanted to grow closer to his Junior Sister, but deep within him, his worry over her circumstances made it impossible for him to accept her kindness with ease. In his eyes, this was no different from having someone who was even more seriously ill than you take care of you.

Besides, he understood that Ji Lingruo was doing this out of guilt. He had been fighting hard outside while she could only wait at home, so she had not rested all day and had kept waiting for him to return, wanting to do something for him. At that moment, he could only be thankful that his wounds had not scabbed over yet. Otherwise, his Junior Sister would probably have picked the scabs off first before applying the medicine again.

As he felt the girl carefully wipe his wounds with a towel, You Su was moved. He could not help sighing inwardly over how he, You Su, had earned such good fortune as to pick up such a wonderful Junior Sister.

"Hey, this is your reward for beating Wu Cheng, understand? You won't get anything this good next time."

"Heh heh, naturally."

The night grew deep.

Gu Yao walked out through the imposing gates of the Sky Guard Sect, with Qi Daodong and City Lord Liu accompanying him on either side.

"Senior Brother Gu, with this, we've finished visiting every sect in Chuyun City. The Sky Guard Sect can certainly be considered the pride of Chuyun City. In fact, many outstanding young people from other cities would rather travel far than stay close to home, just to come cultivate at the Sky Guard Sect. I wonder, after Senior Brother Gu's inspection today, are you satisfied?" City Lord Liu stroked his beard with a smile, probing Gu Yao for his opinion of the affiliated sects.

Qi Daodong, standing beside him, also wore an ingratiating expression. "City Lord Liu is too kind. The Sky Guard Sect still has many shortcomings, and is far from deserving the title of 'pride of the city.' We hope Immortal Master Gu will not hesitate to offer his guidance."

Gu Yao responded with two polite smiles. "Sect Master Qi is too modest. Among cities of the same size as Chuyun City, there are not many sects with the scale of the Sky Guard Sect."

"By the way, the Mandarin Sword Sect where You Su resides—we haven't visited it yet, have we?" Gu Yao asked in confusion.

"The Mandarin Sword Sect is extremely dilapidated. Its sect master has been wandering abroad for eight years and has yet to return, leaving only You Su as a disciple. To save Senior Brother Gu's time, I took the liberty of removing such small sects from the itinerary. I hope you won't take offense, Senior Brother." City Lord Liu replied apologetically.

"Never mind. I understand your good intentions, Junior Brother. But since we said every sect would have a chance, we cannot go back on our word. Tomorrow, I'll go to that sword sect myself. You need not come along."

With that, Gu Yao left the two of them with his back turned. City Lord Liu and Qi Daodong could only exchange a glance, their expressions inscrutable.