Trouble in the Medicine Fields: Collapse!

"Huh! What's going on over there? He still hasn't come out, and even the beasts on our side have begun charging that way."

The members of the Ouyang Household were stunned.

What kind of bizarre scene was this? It defied all reason!

Ouyang Nianci stared fixedly ahead, her grip on her weapon tightening by the second.

"Could that brat have slaughtered those beasts in one go? Otherwise, why would they be rushing over there?"

"It's like they've run into a mighty foe and are hurrying over to reinforce their side," one person who had been outside for most of the day said, puzzled.

The speaker had no such intention, but the listeners took the words to heart.

The faces of the others changed.

Ouyang Nianci's face flushed an unnatural red, and even her eyes took on a faint crimson hue.

Just then, the beasts charging inward seemed to undergo a change. Wave after wave, like ripples spreading across water, surged from the depths toward their side.

Upon seeing this, the group was not frightened by the spectacle. Instead, they let out heavy sighs of relief.

The blood-red flush on Ouyang Nianci's face faded considerably, and the crimson in her eyes receded. Her voice turned grave.

"Alright. That brat should be fleeing for his life this way. The blood-red light that shot into the sky earlier is gone."

"The medicine's effects should be ending."

"We cannot let down our guard either. Take an enhanced Blood Qi Pill each, leave nothing to chance, rescue that brat, restrain him, and then force him."

"Yes!"

The four answered in unison.

The ripples swept forward like waves through a wheat field. Before long, Lin Xiaotian came rushing out from the depths in a sorry state.

The beasts pecked and bit at him from time to time. Though most were blasted back, no matter how one looked at it, he was at the end of his tether.

"That brat is quite lucky. He took so many hits and still didn't die," someone remarked.

Another immediately chimed in.

"He got off cheap. That life-saving pill Master Huang gave him must be extraordinary. I never expected the martial academy to value this boy so highly."

"But the side effects must be severe. Even if he doesn't die now, he must be badly injured. The medicine is merely holding him up for the moment, so he can barely endure."

"Once the medicine backfires later, he'll be as meek as a sheep. That'll save us quite a bit of effort."

Ouyang Nianci's eyes flickered as she stared at the exhausted youth running toward them. Yet his feet seemed tangled by invisible vines, too weak to carry him any farther. Her voice sank.

"Move. Rescue him first, then prepare some healing pills to keep him alive. Don't let him collapse from exhaustion and die once the medicine wears off."

With serious business at hand, the Ouyang disciples became solemn as well. After answering, "Yes," they each swallowed an enhancement pill and charged toward the boy, fighting as they went.

Sure enough, their efficiency greatly increased. Though the beasts were not killed at once, every strike sent them flying a considerable distance away.

With the five working together, they quickly cleared out a small, relatively safe area.

Lin Xiaotian, still some distance from the edge of the medicine fields, seemed to have spotted his saviors. Seeing them, he cried out in joy and ran even harder in their direction, shouting repeatedly.

"Thank you, you living bodhisattvas!"

Was this truly the youth favored by Master Huang and the Ouyang Household Head? The contrast before and after was far too great.

Ouyang Nianci almost wanted to cover her eyes. A faint flush rose on her face, born of anger at her own blindness.

How had she been blind enough to take a liking to this man in the first place, even considering becoming husband and wife with him?

He had nothing but a pretty face. What a waste!

Ouyang Nianci regretted it inwardly, while also feeling fortunate that this crisis had come along. Otherwise, how could she have seen this youth's true thoughts?

Look—when life and death hung in the balance, every scrap of one's nature was laid bare.

She shot him a disdainful, disgusted glance. If not for the Lineage's affairs, she truly wanted to cut him down with a single stroke and walk away without a backward glance.

"This is wonderful, I finally found you! I never should have ignored your advice and gone into the depths," Lin Xiaotian said as he burst into the safe area, still shaken by the ordeal yet filled with the relief of escaping danger.

However, Ouyang Nianci immediately took a step back, keeping some distance from him.

Lin Xiaotian was slightly surprised. One look at Nian Ci's expression, followed by a moment's thought, and he understood what was going on.

This young lady really is practical. She turns on people faster than flipping a page. This is good too. Otherwise, if I had to strike without regard for old feelings and crush a flower with ruthless hands, my conscience would trouble me.

Now it's perfect. She's even handed me an excuse herself.

A faint smile touched his lips as he said weakly, "Senior Sister, it's far too dangerous in there. Let's leave quickly."

Ouyang Nianci frowned but did not refute him. Instead, the weapon in her hand flashed even faster.

The surrounding beasts were driven farther back, opening up an even wider safe zone.

"Quick! Now's the time! Rush back!"

As Ouyang Nianci spoke, she suddenly leaped to Lin Xiaotian's side, grabbed him, and charged out of the medicine fields.

The remaining four, as though they had practiced it a hundred times, rushed outward with flawless coordination.

Lin Xiaotian still looked weak and exhausted. He did not resist, allowing her to drag him out of the medicine fields.

Crash!

In merely two breaths' time, the beasts once more sealed off the safe area they had carved out until not even wind could pass through.

The six of them successfully rushed out, after which several began gasping for breath.

Though they had taken enhancement pills, the expenditure had been immense. The five panted heavily, sweat beading on their faces as they each took out another pill and swallowed it.

Lin Xiaotian watched them. Though he did not know what kind of pills they were, they were surely meant to regulate and replenish Blood Qi.

As he watched, their eyes half-closed and a faint, exceedingly weak layer of Blood Qi appeared around their bodies. They were likely digesting the pills.

Ouyang Nianci sat cross-legged, her upper body rising and falling continuously in a rather tempting display, making his heart race like a wild horse and his thoughts leap like a monkey.

Moreover, with her eyes closed as she regulated her Blood Qi, her focused and tranquil expression possessed a beauty that could intoxicate anyone. She truly was captivating.

Lin Xiaotian grumbled inwardly. He knew exactly what this stirring in his heart was—it came from the instinct buried deep within his body, not genuine love.

He sighed and thought, The stronger and fuller my Blood Qi foundation becomes, the stronger these thoughts grow. Is this Blood Qi really encouraging me to reproduce? How improper.

Complaining aside, he was not truly disgusted by such thoughts. Under the watch of his clear mind, they remained controllable.

So he turned his head away and stopped looking, lest the fire burn hotter and hotter until he truly lost control and did something.

Yet the moment he turned away, Ouyang Nianci, who had just opened her eyes, saw him. The disgust in her gaze was no longer concealed.

"What were you peeking at?"

Lin Xiaotian pretended to jolt in alarm and lifted his head like a thief caught red-handed. "Senior Sister, I wasn't doing anything."

Ouyang Nianci raised her hand. With a clang, she drew her weapon, its blade radiating icy killing intent.

"Is 'Senior Sister' something you can call me as you please? I am the eldest young lady of the Ouyang Household. Don't try to claim familiarity with me. Let me ask you..."

Before she could continue, Lin Xiaotian simply gave up and flopped onto the ground. "My chest hurts so much! I must have been injured just now. Now... mm, it's so cold..."

Let's see what tricks you people try. Don't you want the map? Let's see whether you can bear to let me die.

If he still did not understand what these people wanted after the drastic change in their attitude toward him, then he would have lived another life for nothing.

Sure enough, they panicked.

"Quick, give him a Life-Sustaining Pill. We can't let him die."

Ouyang Nianci's voice remained calm.

Whoosh! One person darted over, pried open his mouth, and stuffed a pill inside.

"Huh! Wasn't this brat under attack? Why is he still holding several medicinal herbs in his hand... When did he pick those?"

Someone else noticed the strange detail and spoke up.

"Prepare the map. Have him point it out later."

Ouyang Nianci calmly gave orders, every step methodical and unhurried.

So they really intended to force him.

Lin Xiaotian secretly prepared to circulate his Blood Qi. With his current Blood Tempering strength, he could certainly kill these people after their prolonged battle.

It would be best to catch them off guard and kill two first. Then dealing with the remaining three would be much easier.

At that moment, amid the faint, unceasing murmur of flowing water, a tremendous boom suddenly rang out.

Then, a stone wall near the edge of the medicine fields suddenly collapsed with a thunderous crash.