Setting out

"This young lady is in good health. She isn't ill." Several apothecaries examined her, and all reached the same conclusion.

As for why she remained unconscious, the apothecaries examined her for a long time before offering this explanation: "She's asleep. Exhaustion in everyday life can easily lead to excessive sleepiness."

Excessive sleepiness?

Could excessive sleepiness make someone sleep for ten days without reacting to anything?

After seeing the apothecaries out, Dongfang Wanyu nearly smashed her teacup.

"Wanyu, I guarantee that she's unconscious because she exhausted her Spiritual Power." Qing Mo was practically ready to swear an oath to heaven.

Dongfang Wanyu picked up the damp cloth beside her and resigned herself to gently wiping the sleeping beauty's face, then her hands. She wiped each of those ten slender fingers with painstaking care. "You've said that at least ten times. The point is, even if Ninth Sister's Spiritual Power has run dry, she should have woken up by now."

Qing Mo had never seen anyone sleep for so long either. He considered it for a moment. "Could it have something to do with the attribute of her Spiritual Power?"

Dongfang Wanyu set down the cloth and racked her brains, recalling what little she knew about Dongfang Minghui. "Back in the Dongfang Family, Ninth Sister was among the first to experience an Awakening of her Spiritual Power. But because her attribute wasn't one of the ten elements, the family never focused on cultivating her. That was probably why she threw a tantrum and refused to cultivate." It seemed some of their experiences were rather similar.

"Could it have something to do with the Demon Plant she contracted with?"

The two of them, neither particularly knowledgeable about the wood attribute, continued making wild guesses.

While in the Magical Beast Forest, Dongfang Minghui had never enjoyed a good night's sleep because she was constantly afraid. After sleeping for several days, she felt quite comfortable, but she couldn't move her body. She could sense people coming and going around her and occasionally hear The Female Lead speaking to her, yet she couldn't respond at all.

Unable to open her eyes, she could only call out to her companion in her mind. "Little Color, Little Color, wake up!"

During the battle with Mu Qing, she had thought Little Color was dead. But afterward, she remembered that they had a blood contract. As long as she was alive, Little Color would be all right.

Yet Little Color still gave no response.

Dongfang Minghui waited and waited, until one day she finally lost her patience. "Little Color, you useless Demon Plant! Didn't you claim to be the king of the Magical Beast Forest? One measly Great Spirit Master knocked you flat. Do you know how hot air balloons fly? On all the hot air you're blowing!"

She repeated insults like these countless times, until her mouth felt dry.

"Enough. Can you let me cultivate in peace?" Little Color's extremely feeble voice suddenly interrupted her muttering.

Hearing that voice, Dongfang Minghui nearly wept with joy. "Boohoo, Little Color, what are we going to do? I can't wake up!"

"When do you plan to leave for the Royal Academy?"

One morning, as Dongfang Wanyu was giving Dongfang Minghui a simple wash and grooming, Qing Mo suddenly spoke.

The Royal Academy's annual admissions were about to begin, yet they were still staying in a remote little county town in the Venus Empire without even asking about what was happening outside. He had no idea what Wanyu was thinking.

"Don't forget what you need to do." With that, Qing Mo returned to cultivating.

Dongfang Wanyu sat on the edge of the bed, picking up Dongfang Minghui's hand and playing with it. Dongfang Minghui had a pair of delicate hands, pale and clean, with smooth, soft skin. Two calluses had appeared on her palm, slightly rough to the touch; they must have formed over the past few months. "If you don't wake up soon, your Seventh Sister really will leave you behind."

They had spent two or three months together since leaving home for the Purple Demon Mountains. Throughout that time, Dongfang Minghui had cautiously tried to please her in every way, and she could feel it.

Had they not been through those ordeals, she would certainly have left Dongfang Minghui behind and traveled on alone, without caring whether she lived or died.

But her ninth sister, who had clung so tightly to her hand and mumbled that she mustn't leave her behind before passing out, had made her reluctant to do so.

"We've stayed in Ningyuan County for a full half month, and you've slept for most of that time. I've never met a girl who loves sleeping as much as you do. If you keep being this willful, I'll have no choice but to have someone take you back to the Dongfang Family."

"Seventh Sister, don't leave me behind."

Dongfang Minghui suddenly opened her eyes. She caught The Female Lead's hand in return and gripped it tightly, using almost every ounce of strength she had.

Dongfang Wanyu froze when she saw her wake, then a hint of amusement flashed in her eyes. She gently patted the back of Dongfang Minghui's hand. "Seventh Sister was only joking. I've already prepared a carriage. If you didn't wake up, I was going to put you in it and take you to the Royal Academy. I wouldn't leave you behind."

At The Female Lead's explanation, Dongfang Minghui relaxed completely.

Dongfang Minghui lay limply on the bed. Only with considerable effort and The Female Lead's help did she manage to sit up.

"Seventh Sister, I need the stamens from ten Red Peonies, the roots of three stalks of Purple-Green Grass, and five Taste Umbrellas. Could you help me find them?"

Seeing how listless she looked, Dongfang Wanyu couldn't help asking, "Are they to restore your Spiritual Power?"

Dongfang Minghui nodded. If Little Color hadn't transferred some of the Purple Cloud Fruit's spiritual energy back to her, she would probably have remained asleep until Little Color finished cultivating and woke up.

That wretched feeling of helplessness was unbearable.

Dongfang Minghui handed her bundle to The Female Lead and also asked her to pawn her jewelry. "Seventh Sister, sorry for the trouble."

After Dongfang Wanyu left, she sat on the bed in a daze.

Little Color had said she needed to break through to the Spirit Warrior level as soon as possible. Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to see Little Color for the time being.

She was deeply saddened. Her companion had been injured because of her and could no longer come out. Although Little Color usually had a sharp tongue and was a little haughty, she had never wanted her companion to pay such a heavy price.

When Dongfang Wanyu returned, she found her looking so guilty she was on the verge of tears. She set everything on the table and said, "Ninth Sister, I bought everything you wanted."

Dongfang Minghui got out of bed, her legs still weak and lacking strength. She opened the bundle and checked its contents. Everything was there, and the medicinal ingredients were of excellent quality. "Seventh Sister, could I trouble you to get me a bathtub? I need a bath."

When the bathtub arrived, the hot water and everything else she needed were ready as well.

Dongfang Minghui tossed the five Taste Umbrellas straight into the tub. After watching them sink to the bottom, she took out the stamens from five Red Peonies and one stalk of Purple-Green Grass.

Seeing that she could barely walk, Dongfang Wanyu couldn't resist offering to help. "Would you like me to carry you in?"

Dongfang Minghui hurriedly shook her head. "Seventh Sister, keep watch outside. I might be soaking for a long time."

Dongfang Wanyu didn't leave. Instead, she put up a screen inside the room and sat outside it, so she would immediately know if anything happened behind it.

Dongfang Minghui paid no attention to where The Female Lead went. She was using these medicinal ingredients simply to cleanse the impurities from her body and open her meridians.

From the moment she woke up, she had been ready to use the cultivation method Little Color had given her to break through to Spirit Warrior as quickly as possible.

Reaching the Spirit Warrior level seemed quite difficult, but remembering what her companion had suffered, Dongfang Minghui gritted her teeth and endured. She tested the water temperature, stripped off her clothes, and sat in the tub, using her faint Spiritual Power to circulate the medicinal liquid through all her meridians.

Then she absorbed all the energy from the five Red Peonies' stamens and the stalk of Purple-Green Grass.

Dongfang Wanyu waited outside all night. Only the next day did she hear movement behind the screen.

"Do you need help?"

Dongfang Minghui had just fastened her inner robe. She smiled at The Female Lead. "Seventh Sister, I'm all right now." At least she was no longer as weak as before.

She had opened three meridians in her body and automatically absorbed all the energy from the remaining five Red Peonies' stamens, restoring a little of her Spiritual Power.

Seeing that she seemed to have recovered half her Spiritual Power, Dongfang Wanyu finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"When I went to buy the medicinal ingredients earlier, I heard that people from the Azure Mist Sect were searching for a sister and brother who had come out of the Magical Beast Forest. I suspect it's because of Mu Qing, and we're the ones they're looking for."

What aggravating news.

Dongfang Minghui blinked, unsure why her Seventh Sister had suddenly brought this up.

"What I mean is, don't dress as a man. It makes us stand out too much, and we'll be easily recognized." Dongfang Wanyu took a set of clothes out of her storage space.

"I've worn these before. I hope you don't mind."

With that, Dongfang Wanyu went downstairs, presumably to prepare breakfast or something of the sort.

Dongfang Minghui looked at the clothes in her hands and frowned slightly. Why did she feel that The Female Lead's attitude toward her had become a little strange since she woke up?

Having changed back into women's clothes, Dongfang Minghui deftly applied a little makeup to make herself look livelier. The sight left Dongfang Wanyu stunned when she came upstairs carrying bowls and chopsticks.

Dongfang Minghui took after the Second Madam. She was a classic young lady of a distinguished family, petite and graceful, with exquisitely delicate features, bright, expressive eyes, a small cherry-red mouth, and two dimples when she smiled.

Dongfang Wanyu was used to seeing her grubby and disheveled. Looking at her now, she found her rather stunning.

"Seventh Sister, pretty, aren't they?" Dongfang Minghui twirled, showing off The Female Lead's clothes.

Dongfang Wanyu nodded slightly. "Don't wear men's clothes anymore. This suits you better."

Soon, the waiter downstairs had someone carry the bathtub away. The two sat at the table and ate a quiet meal.

"The Royal Academy's admissions will begin soon. My plan is to reach the capital of the Gold Star Continent as quickly as possible and take part in this year's admissions. What do you think?"

What did she think?

Dongfang Minghui was dumbfounded. All The Female Lead needed to do was take her along. She had already made up her mind to cling tightly to her, after all. Wherever The Female Lead went, she would follow.

"Seventh Sister, you can decide."

"All right."

With their decision settled, Dongfang Wanyu and Dongfang Minghui checked out that very night and traveled through the darkness to avoid encountering anyone from the Azure Mist Sect.

Dongfang Minghui sat inside the carriage, fidgeting as though she were sitting on a bed of needles.

The Female Lead was driving outside while she rested inside. It gave her the strange feeling that she had somehow picked up the wrong script.

Halfway through the journey, Dongfang Minghui finally couldn't stand it anymore. She lifted the carriage curtain and said apprehensively, "Seventh Sister, take a break. Let me do it."

Dongfang Wanyu's lips curved. Her ninth sister really did seem different.

"No need. Rest properly. If I get tired, I'll let you take over."

Despite those words, Dongfang Wanyu waited all night without The Female Lead asking her to take over. She waited and waited, going from fear to unease, until the carriage's rocking eventually lulled her to sleep.

Once the carriage left Ningyuan County, Dongfang Wanyu reined in the horse and stopped to rest. Lifting the curtain, she saw Dongfang Minghui asleep against one side of the carriage, her head bobbing incessantly, with no sign of waking.

She couldn't help chuckling. Finding an outer robe in their bundle, she draped it over her.