Quick, Run!

In the Bamboo Grove, two more figures appeared.

No, there were actually three.

Only, two were standing, while the third was being carried on someone's back.

His face was the color of gold paper, blood staining his mouth and nose. He looked as though he had more breath going out than coming in, weak to the extreme.

"C-Cui Yunqi!" Xu Wenyuan suddenly raised a hand and pointed at him in shock.

The scene fell silent. The students of Jichuan County were all dumbstruck, as were the people from the neighboring counties.

Only after a moment did someone cry out in alarm, "H-how did he get hurt so badly?"

"How terrifying! So breaking through the formation to seek an audience with Mr. Zhou carried such dangers!"

"We failed to enter the formation—was that actually saving ourselves?"

"..."

Discussion erupted like thunder, noisy and chaotic, like fine waves piling atop one another as they rolled into Cui Yunqi's ears.

Cui Yunqi frowned, feeling as though he had fallen into a deep nightmare. He clearly knew it was a nightmare, warning himself that he had to wake up. Yet it was as though countless mountains were pressing down upon him, and no matter what, he could not awaken.

Until, amid the countless confused voices, one anxious voice said, "Chen Xu—Brother Chen entered the formation too. Could he have been injured as well? Why hasn't he come out yet...?"

At the mention of Chen Xu's name, Cui Yunqi's eyes flew open.

He did not know where he found the strength, but he shouted, "Go! Run, Wen Zicheng, Peng Xuan, take me away!"

Wen Zicheng and Peng Xuan exchanged a glance. Wen Zicheng hesitated. "Yunqi is badly injured. I'm afraid it would be unwise to travel..."

"Get moving!" Cui Yunqi's eyes went wide with fury, and blood seeped from his mouth and nose again.

Wen Zicheng and Peng Xuan no longer dared hesitate. Peng Xuan carried Cui Yunqi onto his own horse and hurried away.

The two people who had earlier rolled onto Lin Yuan were also pulled to their feet by the crowd. Their faces held both shock and dazed confusion.

Seeing that their companions were leaving, the two could not spare a thought for their earlier absurdity. They merely cupped their hands toward Lin Yuan in haste. "Forgive us for crashing into you earlier, sir. We will surely repay you another day."

Before their words had even faded, they covered their faces with their sleeves and rushed to their mounts in a few strides.

"Hyah!"

They whipped their horses and left. Behind them, someone among the Jichuan students shouted, "Hey, gentlemen, there's still a horse here!"

Cui Yunqi's snow-stepping steed had been left riderless and alone. It was a peerless fine horse, worth more than many people's lives. How could they simply abandon it?

Wen Zicheng tugged on his reins atop his horse, preparing to turn back and lead the steed away.

Just then, Xu Wenyuan's delighted voice rang out from the edge of the Bamboo Grove. "Brother Chen, it's Brother Chen! He came out! Wonderful..."

Over here, Cui Yunqi immediately bellowed, "Go! Leave the horse, hurry!"

Clatter, clatter, clatter—the hoofbeats swept away in haste.

Chen Xu was still somewhat dazed. In a blur, he felt the mountains and rivers receding into the distance. When he turned around, the white-haired scholar and the gaunt, ugly monkey had both vanished.

Only the rustling of bamboo leaves sounded by his ears. Somehow, he had returned to the Little Bamboo Grove at the foot of the mountain.

The wind blew, and dense human voices rolled and leaped like scattering beads.

Everything on the mountain—whether the moon held in a cup or that withered scholar—seemed to have been nothing but a dream.

Just like Zhuang Zhou dreaming of a butterfly.

Only the continuous warmth and comfort coming from the injury on his right leg reminded Chen Xu that none of it had been a dream.

He shook his head and came to his senses, just in time to hear Xu Wenyuan's disappointed voice. "Brother Chen, you didn't pass through the formation either?"

Chen Xu looked up, only then realizing that Xu Wenyuan had been asking whether he had passed the grand formation's trial.

Having just experienced that wondrous shift through time and space, Chen Xu had not noticed Xu Wenyuan's question at all.

His instinctive shake of the head had instead caused Xu Wenyuan to misunderstand.

Chen Xu was speechless for a moment.

Seeing him standing there in silence, Xu Wenyuan could not help sighing. Suppressing his own disappointment, he instead comforted Chen Xu. "Brother Chen, there is no need to blame yourself too much. This grand formation is truly so perilous. It is already a great blessing that you came out safely.

"It's just that Brother Muxian, Brother Muxian's illness... Sigh, perhaps it is fate."

"No!" Behind them, Lin Yuan was helped to his feet. Gritting his teeth, he said, "I don't believe in fate! I still have to beg Mr. Zhou..."

He struggled forward, about to kneel again.

Chen Xu suddenly stepped forward and chopped the side of Lin Yuan's neck with the edge of his hand.

The blow was heavy enough that Lin Yuan had no chance to react. He only had time to widen his eyes and utter a single word. "You..."

Thud!

His head tilted to one side, and he fainted.

Someone beside them immediately caught Lin Yuan and shouted in alarm, "Chen Xu, what are you doing?"

Chen Xu sighed, saying sorrowfully, "Brother Lin Yuan has become possessed in his desperation to save his younger brother. As his friends, how can we stand by and watch him torment himself like this again?

"It would be better to let him rest. Besides..."

He stopped, seeming reluctant to continue.

Xu Wenyuan could not help asking, "Besides what?"

Chen Xu said, "No one knows how much longer Brother Muxian can hold on. None of us are physicians, and we are helpless before his illness.

"Given the present situation, I fear Brother Muxian may not be able to endure, and Brother Lin Yuan may be unable to accept that reality and harm himself. Knocking him out is also meant to give him time to adjust and accept the truth."

At these words, everyone could not help sighing.

Wang Mochuan, who had always carried considerable prestige among the students, said, "Brother Chen has thought this through. This is indeed what should be done.

"Since we can no longer seek an audience with Mr. Zhou, we might as well send Brother Lin Yuan home. First, with us accompanying him, we can soothe his emotions and keep him from losing control.

"Second, if we go now, perhaps we can..."

His voice gradually grew strained, but he still forced out the final sentence. "Rather than waste our efforts here, we might as well go see Muxian off on his final journey. At least he will not be... lonely. Sigh."

When he finished, everyone sighed.

Half an hour later, the group arrived at the Lin Residence together, bringing the unconscious Lin Yuan with them.

Such a vast group, arriving with an unconscious Lin Yuan in tow, nearly frightened everyone at the Lin Residence out of their wits.

Wang Mochuan stepped forward of his own accord to explain. "Brother Lin Yuan was so burdened with worry over seeking an audience with Mr. Zhou that he fainted. It is nothing serious. There is no need for alarm. Quickly prepare bedding for Brother Lin Yuan and let him rest properly."

Thus, the servants reported it to those who needed reporting, while others prepared bedding—

Though there was really nothing to prepare. Lin Yuan had returned to his own home; could he possibly lack a comfortable place to stay?

Lin Yuan was sent back to his room, and several students familiar with him, including Wang Mochuan, went to watch over him.

Chen Xu and the rest went straight to visit Lin Qi.

Inside Lin Qi's room, they saw Lin Qi's mother, Madam You, once more.

After both sides exchanged greetings, Madam You wiped away her tears and gave up her place. "Since you are all Qi'er's friends, go see him. If he is awake, he will surely be happy that so many people have come to visit him."

Chen Xu approached Lin Qi's bedside with the others, but his mind was recalling the method Mr. Zhou had taught him—the method that could put Lin Qi to death!

The person on the bed had a face like white clay, utterly drained of human color.

Yet his lips were dark red, carrying an indescribably strange, bloody stench that made anyone feel inexplicably ill the moment they approached.