Tian Ling'er stared at the scene in terror. How could this be? How could this be?
Zhong Shan did not want to die. He really did not want to die. After finally gaining the ability to cultivate, was he going to die here? But the rocks above were shaking, as if, in a moment, the two of them would fall down together.
"Ling Er, control Red Silk and fly up. Then knock me toward the surrounding mountain wall. I'll stab my broadsword into the mountain." Zhong Shan immediately came up with the quickest response.
"It's no use. Red Silk is broken. They damaged it, and it can't carry me anymore." Tian Ling'er spoke anxiously.
Hearing Tian Ling'er's words, Zhong Shan's heart tightened. What could he do?
"Zhong Shan, I won't abandon you, but I can't hold on much longer. It's just that... I'll never be able to see Senior Brother again." Tian Ling'er looked sorrowful.
Hearing Tian Ling'er, Zhong Shan was filled with emotion. Looking at her, he said, "If we're rescued, I'll take you to find Senior Brother."
As soon as he finished speaking, the rocks above suddenly came loose. The rocks, Tian Ling'er, and Zhong Shan all fell toward the foot of the mountain.
"Ah~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"
Tian Ling'er screamed in terror. Along with Zhong Shan, she plummeted toward the deep valley below.
With no way to borrow force, could they only fall to their deaths? Zhong Shan believed that falling from such a height meant certain death. At this critical moment, perhaps in the next instant, they would be smashed into bloody mush and die utterly.
However, the closer it came to the brink of life and death, the calmer Zhong Shan became. His body was dropping rapidly, yet in his eyes, the entire world seemed to have frozen. His mind spun at lightning speed.
Two breaths—only two breaths—and Zhong Shan thought of a difficult countermeasure.
He grabbed Red Silk at his waist with his right hand and pulled. Tian Ling'er above was yanked down, and she quickly plunged into Zhong Shan's arms.
"Ah~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"
Tian Ling'er kept her eyes tightly shut. Even as she fell into Zhong Shan's arms, she was still screaming. Once she confirmed it was Zhong Shan, she hugged him even more tightly, as if he were the last strand of life-saving straw.
Zhong Shan had no time to concern himself with the Tian Ling'er in his arms. At this moment of utmost urgency, he grasped Red Silk and pulled again. The huge rock falling alongside them above also began moving closer to Zhong Shan.
Holding Tian Ling'er in one arm, Zhong Shan used the force of Red Silk to turn over and half-crouch atop the huge rock.
His body kept shifting, and Tian Ling'er gradually regained consciousness. Looking at herself held in Zhong Shan's arms, with him changing their positions at this final moment, Tian Ling'er had no idea what was going through her mind.
"Release Red Silk," Zhong Shan said.
Acting on reflex, Tian Ling'er quickly controlled Red Silk, withdrawing its force and releasing its bind around the boulder.
The bottom was already close. They could already see it.
The speed at which the two were falling had reached a terrifying level.
"Roar~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"
Holding Tian Ling'er tightly, Zhong Shan roared. From his half-crouched position, he suddenly straightened and leaped fiercely toward the sky above.
"Whoosh~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"
The huge rock's speed suddenly increased fivefold. Like a cannonball, it shot rapidly into the ground, while Zhong Shan, holding Tian Ling'er, slowed considerably in his descent.
Slowing once was not enough. The two of them were still plunging downward at an incomparably frenzied speed.
That first success transformed Tian Ling'er's terror into a sliver of hope—a sliver of absolute trust in Zhong Shan. With Zhong Shan here, everything would be fine. It would definitely be fine!
The two continued falling rapidly toward the bottom.
With a turn of his hand, Zhong Shan drew his broadsword.
"Hold on tight."
Zhong Shan shouted at Tian Ling'er.
Tian Ling'er quickly wrapped her arms around Zhong Shan and clung to him with all her might.
Zhong Shan once again exerted all his strength and hurled the broadsword viciously downward.
"Roar~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"
The broadsword shot downward at high speed, and the speed of their descent slowed once more.
"Boom~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"
"Boom~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"
The sounds of the huge rock and broadsword striking the ground came from below.
At this moment, judging the remaining distance, Zhong Shan determined that once they landed, they would at worst suffer severe injuries. They would not die.
Not dying was enough. Everything else was secondary.
However, when he threw the broadsword, Zhong Shan's body had unconsciously pitched forward. This left Tian Ling'er below and himself above.
Glancing at Tian Ling'er, Zhong Shan resolutely tightened his hold on her. He struggled to turn over, reversing their positions so that Zhong Shan was below and Tian Ling'er above.
When her body turned over and pressed against Zhong Shan's chest, Tian Ling'er felt it too. She understood the meaning behind Zhong Shan's final movement. Suddenly, her eyes filled with tears. She hugged Zhong Shan even tighter.
"Boom~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"
With a thunderous crash, Zhong Shan landed on his back, kicking up a great cloud of dust from the ground.
The tremendous impact sent Zhong Shan's insides churning. Even though he cultivated the Heavenly Devil Body Tempering Great Technique, he still passed out directly together with Tian Ling'er in his arms.
An hour later.
In the silent valley, Zhong Shan woke first. He had not awakened because he had recovered, but because the Heavenly Devil Body Tempering Great Technique's duration had ended. The pain throughout his body had been so intense that it had jolted him awake.
The instant he woke, Zhong Shan suddenly burst into laughter.
"Hahahahaha."
He had not died. He had not died! Hahaha.
Although his entire body hurt, Zhong Shan's heart was incomparably relieved. He had not died. He was still alive.
After laughing in relief, Zhong Shan felt the pain throughout his body. It was excruciating, as if every bone in him had been shattered.
After resting for a while, Zhong Shan finally felt the pain ease considerably. He looked at Tian Ling'er in his arms and saw that there were actually two tear tracks on her face.
Had she cried herself to sleep? A warm smile appeared on Zhong Shan's face. Little did he know that Tian Ling'er's tears had been brought forth by the emotion she felt at Zhong Shan's final action before they landed.
"Ling Er, Ling Er!" Zhong Shan called.
Gently, Tian Ling'er seemed to be shaken awake. Her eyelashes moved a few times before she slowly opened her eyes.
The moment she opened her eyes, she happened to see herself lying in Zhong Shan's arms. Her face suddenly flushed, and she quickly climbed to her feet.
"Ow."
She had barely stood upright when Tian Ling'er's body suddenly went limp, and she once again fell into Zhong Shan's arms just as he rose.
Catching Tian Ling'er in his arms, Zhong Shan happened to see the wound on her calf—the place where Liu Ming's sword had slashed her. It was smeared with blood.
Enduring the pain, he gently helped Tian Ling'er lean against a large rock. Then he carefully tore open her trouser leg, revealing a snow-white, crystalline jade-like leg.
Seeing her trouser leg torn open, Tian Ling'er's face flushed again. However, knowing that Zhong Shan was examining her injuries, she merely bit her lip and said nothing.
Gently sitting in front of Tian Ling'er, Zhong Shan placed her injured leg across his thigh and carefully examined the wound.
"Waterskin," Zhong Shan said.
"Waterskin?" Tian Ling'er's face was flushed, and her mind was muddled. She did not know what Zhong Shan meant.
"The one I put in your Storage Bracelet last time." Zhong Shan frowned.
"Oh, oh." Tian Ling'er immediately took out a waterskin.
Gently using the torn trouser leg, he took water and carefully wiped Tian Ling'er's calf. His movements were extremely cautious, but Tian Ling'er's heart was pounding wildly. For some reason, her entire body was drawn taut, her face burning red—even her neck was flushed pink. Tian Ling'er felt that Zhong Shan's hands were scorching-hot branding irons pressed against her leg, their heat seeming to travel from her calf all the way to her heart. Although she knew Zhong Shan was cleaning her wound, she did not know why she felt so nervous.
"Wine." Zhong Shan spoke to Tian Ling'er.
"Oh." Like a wooden puppet, Tian Ling'er immediately took out a jar of wine.
Zhong Shan poured the wine over Tian Ling'er's flawless jade-like calf, sterilizing the wound.
"Ah~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"
A spike of pain snapped Tian Ling'er out of the trace of enchantment she had been lost in.
"White cloth." Zhong Shan spoke again.
Tian Ling'er immediately took it out, and Zhong Shan gently wrapped her calf.
Tian Ling'er watched this entire series of movements. It felt as if a little deer were ceaselessly crashing around in her heart, yet even she did not know what she was thinking.
Gently releasing Tian Ling'er's leg, Zhong Shan said, "Meditate and regulate your breathing. Recover some strength as quickly as possible."
"Mm." Tian Ling'er nodded.
Then Tian Ling'er quickly sat cross-legged. She remained seated for an entire hour, only slowly waking after that hour had passed.
"Better?" Zhong Shan looked at Tian Ling'er and asked.
"Mm. Much better." Tian Ling'er nodded.
"This time, you'll protect me. I'll regulate my breathing for a while." Zhong Shan said.
Hearing Zhong Shan's words, Tian Ling'er's nose suddenly stung. Still, she held back her tears and nodded.
After receiving Tian Ling'er's promise, Zhong Shan quickly closed his eyes and regulated his breathing. His injuries were too severe.
Looking at Zhong Shan meditating with his eyes closed, Tian Ling'er could no longer hold back her tears.
It was all her fault. If she had listened to Zhong Shan, this would never have happened. Zhong Shan had used himself as a cushion, so his injuries were certainly worse than hers. After waking, he had not meditated to recover, but had instead taken care of her—and only after protecting her during her meditation had he finally begun treating his own injuries.
For the first time, Tian Ling'er felt how willful she had been. It was all because of her willfulness that things had turned out this way.
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