Yang Ning, An Han, An Ning's Lives

Hearing Yang Ning's low reply of "Mm," Xu Yinyin's heart involuntarily quickened by another beat.

"I..." Just as she was about to say something, she suddenly felt a coolness on her forehead. Dark clouds had gathered in the sky, and raindrops the size of beans began to pour down.

As a cultivator herself, Xu Yinyin wasn't bothered by the rain. However, she knew clearly that Yang Ning was just a mortal. Such heavy rain could easily cause him to catch a cold.

She immediately collected her scattered thoughts and shouted towards Yang Ning, "Boss, it's raining heavily! Let's go back quickly!"

Yang Ning waved his hand. Just moments ago, he had finally found the mark left by the Poison Bee on a bamboo tree about two meters to his left. The antidote was buried beneath it.

Seeing Yang Ning's insistence on escorting her, Xu Yinyin's eyes turned slightly red. She raised her voice, "I'm a cultivator! I won't catch a cold! You hurry back!"

Yang Ning still waved his hand. At this moment, it wasn't that he didn't want to speak, but the intense pain in his abdomen made him unable to.

Seeing Yang Ning's persistence, Xu Yinyin unconsciously bit her lower lip. She looked at Yang Ning's face, covered in rain – mixed with cold sweat from the pain – and her heart inexplicably ached.

"Then don't escort me! I'll fly back on my sword now!" she said loudly, then took out a finger-sized pink sword from her sleeve. As true qi was injected, the sword rapidly lengthened and enlarged. Xu Yinyin leaped lightly, landing steadily on the sword.

Standing on the flying sword, she cupped her hand over her forehead, trying hard to prevent the rain from blurring her vision. "Hurry back!"

Yang Ning nodded, but his feet remained rooted to the spot.

"Are you going to watch me leave before you go?" Xu Yinyin's voice sounded somewhat choked amidst the rain.

Yang Ning nodded again, but this time, his nod was smaller and much slower.

Xu Yinyin's hair was already soaked, water flowing down the strands and tracing paths across her cheeks. Watching Yang Ning persist in the rain, she didn't even realize that tears had already mixed with the water drops falling down her face.

Xu Yinyin then steeled herself, instantly urged her sword forward, and flew towards the Law Enforcement Hall, looking back three times.

Only when Xu Yinyin's figure had shrunk to a dot in his vision did Yang Ning finally lose his strength. His legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the ground. He gasped for air, the intense pain in his abdomen leaving him without the strength to even groan.

Yang Ning used his hands to support himself on the muddy ground, crawling laboriously towards the mark left by the Poison Bee.

One step, then another. His fingers were cut by sharp stones, and blood trailed along the ground, mixing with the mud and water.

He gritted his teeth, and fragments of past events began to surface in his mind, replaying like a carousel. A pair of red eyes appeared clearly in his memory...

[Demon Realm, Black Wind Ridge, inside a cave. A violent sandstorm raged outside.

"What's your name?"

"Yang Ning..."

"And yours?"

"An Han..."

"You and I are quite fated..."

An Han frowned. "What do you mean?"

"My surname combined with your given name makes 'An Ning' (peace)... As for 'Han'..." Yang Ning smiled sinisterly, "Do you know that poplar trees are the most resistant to cold? They can take root and grow even in the harshest winters."

Suddenly, a black sword was pressed against Yang Ning's neck. "Don't provoke me! Or you will surely die!"

Yang Ning gently pinched An Han's sword with his fingers. "Let's talk nicely. No need for swords and weapons, it's not good."

An Han stared at Yang Ning, her gaze inadvertently drifting outside the cave. Faint wails could be heard from the sandstorm. "An Ning... An Ning..." she murmured. "In this Demon Realm, you'll never find peace in this lifetime!"

...]

Those red eyes continued to echo in Yang Ning's mind for a long time. He continued to crawl forward, finally reaching the marked bamboo tree.

With his bloodied fingers, he dug into the soil and found a white handkerchief. Unfolding it, he saw that half of it was stained red with blood, while the other half was covered in mud. In the center of the handkerchief lay a pale green pill.

Ignoring the dirt on his hands, Yang Ning shoved the pill into his mouth and swallowed with difficulty. He lay on the ground, lacking the strength to even get up, his mouth filled with the fishy taste of mud and blood.

After a while.

"Ahhhhhh--"

After a painful roar, Yang Ning struggled to get up, leaning against the bamboo and sitting down, gasping for breath. The pain in his abdomen was gradually subsiding, but he could still feel his stomach contracting violently.

"Hahahahahaha--"

Yang Ning laughed wildly, letting the rain wash over his face. Blood and mud flowed down his body. He rejoiced at being alive for another day.

After a long time, his laughter faded from exhaustion. He looked down at his mud-stained clothes, then extended his blood-stained hands, pushing himself up against the bamboo.

"I'll have to do laundry tomorrow," he said, limping towards his thatched hut.

Meanwhile, Xu Yinyin landed on the square in front of the Law Enforcement Hall on her sword.

"Oh, right. Sima Ye came to inspect the shop today, so it doesn't need to be checked anymore. But the boss insisted he check, and said he would explain it to me later. Explain what..." Xu Yinyin muttered to herself, then shook her head. "Never mind. Tomorrow, I'll prepare two Rejuvenation Pills and go find him. I'll ask then."