Xiao Yi Xian's Gratitude

Having recovered a little strength, Xiao Yi Xian slowly rose from the ground. The blisters on her arm pulled painfully, and tears welled in her eyes.

She stared in the direction Xiao Yan and the others had vanished, feeling both angry and wronged.

Those people who usually surrounded her with concern, claiming they would protect her, had run faster than anyone when real danger appeared. They had not even spared her a backward glance.

The lightning over the valley had long since faded, but the lingering aura of destruction in the air still made her tremble all over.

The image of Mu Li being reduced to ashes refused to leave her mind. She shuddered and instinctively took a step back.

Just then, rustling came from the grass behind her, accompanied by a low growl.

Xiao Yi Xian's heart lurched, and every hair on her body stood on end.

She stiffly turned around and saw a Poison Wolf covered in dark green scales.

The Poison Wolf bared its sharp fangs, saliva dripping from the corners of its mouth. Its crimson eyes fixed fiercely on her, clearly treating her as a lone piece of prey.

This Poison Wolf was a Third-tier Magical Beast, renowned for its deadly venom and swift speed. It must have been driven back by the pressure of the Lightning Tribulation earlier, but now that the danger had passed, it had followed the scent of a living person here.

Xiao Yi Xian's legs gave way, and she nearly collapsed again. She was merely a young woman skilled in medicine. Forget fighting Magical Beasts—even ordinary conflicts were something she rarely took part in. Facing this Poison Wolf radiating ferocious intent, it felt as though even the strength to run had been drained from her.

The Poison Wolf lowered its body, the muscles in its limbs taut as it gave a threatening growl and advanced step by step. Its claws crushed dry branches with sharp cracks, every step seeming to land on Xiao Yi Xian's heartbeat.

"Don't... don't come any closer..." Xiao Yi Xian's voice trembled.

Her hands rose instinctively before her, yet she did not even have a proper weapon.

She knew she was no match for this Poison Wolf. Her arm, injured by the aftershock of the lightning threads, was still throbbing faintly.

The Poison Wolf seemed to see through her weakness. The ferocity in its eyes intensified as it kicked off with its hind legs and pounced at her like a streak of dark green lightning.

A rank stench rushed at her, carrying the odor of lethal venom.

Xiao Yi Xian closed her eyes in despair, thinking that she would probably die in this wilderness just like Mu Li.

Those people had run so fast. Who would possibly turn back to save her?

Perhaps she never should have followed them into this dangerous place in the first place.

The expected tearing fangs and agonizing pain never came. Instead, a dull impact sounded beside her ears, followed by the Poison Wolf's pained whimper.

Xiao Yi Xian opened her eyes in confusion and saw a figure standing before her, though she had no idea when he had appeared.

He held a long sword glowing with azure light. Dark green venom still clung to the blade, hissing and sizzling.

The Poison Wolf, meanwhile, had been cut cleanly in half.

The figure turned around, revealing a handsome face with sword-like brows and bright eyes. It was Xiao Peng, who had just passed the Lightning Tribulation.

Xiao Peng looked at the still-shaken Xiao Yi Xian, his brows drawing together slightly. "This place is dangerous. Why are you here alone?"

He had been wondering which unlucky fool it was, never expecting it to be Xiao Yi Xian.

Xiao Yi Xian gazed at the calm eyes beneath Xiao Peng's sharp brows, then glanced at the Poison Wolf's corpse on the ground. It felt as though something had lodged in her throat. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

Her terror had yet to fade, and the daze of surviving disaster left her body trembling faintly. Her tears only flowed more fiercely than before, rolling down her cheeks and falling onto the back of her grass-strewn hand.

Seeing this, Xiao Peng crouched down somewhat helplessly and wiped away Xiao Yi Xian's tears.

"Why are you crying?" Xiao Peng's voice was gentler than before. "Aren't you all right now?"

Xiao Yi Xian sniffled and looked at Xiao Peng through tear-blurred eyes. "Thank you..."

Xiao Peng took out a handkerchief and handed it to Xiao Yi Xian. "It was nothing. Why are you here alone?"

Xiao Yi Xian clutched the handkerchief Xiao Peng had given her, her fingertips still trembling. Yet her tears were like beads from a broken string, returning no matter how many times she wiped them away.

Xiao Yi Xian sniffled, her voice choked with sobs. "They... they ran too fast. I couldn't keep up...

Before she could finish, another burst of sobbing cut her off.

The despair of being targeted by the Poison Wolf and the grievance of surviving the ordeal mingled together, leaving her unable to hold back any longer.

Those who usually kept promises of protection on their lips had not even spared a backward glance when life and death were on the line. Yet Xiao Peng, a stranger, had stood before her at her most dangerous moment.

Xiao Peng nodded to show that he understood, having more or less grasped what had happened.

He only felt that Xiao Yi Xian and the others truly had a death wish, daring to come inspect the place where he had undergone his tribulation.

Xiao Peng noticed Xiao Yi Xian's injured arm. He took a jade bottle from his storage bag, poured out some pale green ointment, and slowly spread it with his fingertips.

"Bear with it. It'll hurt a little when this ointment touches the wounds," Xiao Peng said softly. His gaze fell on the blisters on Xiao Yi Xian's arm, beaded with blood, and his brows furrowed slightly. "These wounds need to be treated properly, or they'll leave scars."

Xiao Yi Xian bit her lip and said nothing, simply letting him apply the medicine for her.

The moment the ointment touched her skin, a sharp pain indeed shot through her arm. But it was quickly replaced by a cool sensation, and even the grievance in her heart faded somewhat.

She watched Xiao Peng's focused profile and felt her heart racing.

"Why... did you save me?" Xiao Yi Xian could not help asking, her voice still slightly hoarse.

Xiao Peng's movements paused. He looked up at Xiao Yi Xian, his expression calm and undisturbed. "I was passing by."

Looking into Xiao Peng's calm eyes, Xiao Yi Xian suddenly felt that those two words were more reassuring than any flowery promise.

Xiao Yi Xian sniffled, forcing back the tears gathering in her eyes, and pulled a faint smile onto her lips. "Then... what a coincidence. Thank you for passing by."

Xiao Peng did not respond. He merely quickened his movements, evenly applying the ointment to every wound before carefully bandaging them with clean gauze.

"Done." Xiao Peng rose to his feet and dusted off his hands. "It's not safe around here. I'll take you out."

Xiao Yi Xian hesitated for a moment before saying to Xiao Peng, "Benefactor, my name is Xiao Yi Xian. I have a secret to tell you. There's a ruin nearby, and there should be quite a few good things inside."

Then Xiao Yi Xian told Xiao Peng its location.

She had nothing she could use to repay Xiao Peng, so she could only tell him about that cave.

After hearing Xiao Yi Xian's words, Xiao Peng was somewhat surprised. He had not expected her to tell him about that place.

Thinking of the many things over there, Xiao Peng decided to make a trip there.

"Follow me."

"Okay."

Xiao Peng took Xiao Yi Xian's hand and lightly flicked the Qingping Sword with his fingertip.

The longsword rose into the air with a hum, azure light flowing across its blade.

Xiao Yi Xian only felt her waist tighten before she was swept into the air. The wind suddenly howled by her ears, blowing her hair back behind her.