Several days passed in the blink of an eye, under Li Ping'an's care.
The monk Changqing's body gradually recovered.
The monk and Blind Man got along quite well.
Changqing had visited many places-their local customs, folk tales, and his experiences on the road.
All of it greatly interested Li Ping'an.
There was much about Li Ping'an that drew Changqing, too, and the more they talked, the more they hit it off.
Their relationship grew increasingly harmonious. Though only a few short days had passed, they had already forged a deep friendship.
That day, Li Ping'an was hoeing the ground at home.
Suddenly, his qi and strength drained away.
The unruly true qi inside him went berserk again, spiraling into his dantian.
It battered the meridians around his heart, sending his qi and blood surging.
A muffled thunderclap sounded in his abdomen, and a crimson arrow of blood sprayed from his mouth.
"Benefactor Li!"
Changqing stepped forward, his expression shifting slightly.
He thrust a finger at several of Li Ping'an's acupoints, and a powerful surge of true qi emanated from his body.
A terrifying pressure bore straight down on Changqing's internal organs, forcing his protective true qi to scatter in part and retract in part, with some flowing back into his dantian.
Changqing barely kept himself upright, neutralizing most of the force and using his remaining true qi to keep Li Ping'an alive.
An hour later, the danger passed.
Changqing let out a long breath of stale air.
By the time Li Ping'an woke, it was already late.
Changqing sat watch beside the bed, regulating his breathing as he replenished the true qi he had just spent.
Li Ping'an discovered that the meridians around his heart were on the verge of snapping, and his qi and blood were extremely weak.
Had