"Good. Everyone, go set up the formation!"
Yixuan began laying out the formation in the square.
"Good, the first formation is in place."
"The second one too."
Soon, as everyone took their positions, Yixuan's formation was complete.
Just then, Xu An walked over. "Master, I want to..."
Yixuan's expression was stern. "Go set up the formation. Did you hear me?"
"Master, I've got a strong constitution. I..." As Xu An spoke, he wanted to show off his muscles.
He had only just rolled up his sleeves when he felt Yixuan's hand settle on his head.
"Don't worry. Your master will be fine. I am the current leader of Mount Yunkui, after all," Yixuan said with a smile. "Now hurry along. Don't stay near me."
It was finally ready, but this formation was extremely dangerous. If anything went wrong, the consequences would be unthinkable.
Yixuan carefully adjusted the rhythm of her breathing... Even the passage of time around her seemed to slow.
It was time. There was no other way now, and she could not delay any longer. With that thought, Yixuan wasted no more time and began reciting the incantation.
"Where the mind reaches, all things become clear. Let every tainted speck be cleansed, leaving neither trace nor shadow."
"Everyone!" Pan Yinhu shouted.
"Get ready!" Belle shouted as well.
Working in perfect sync, they pressed the talismans in their hands into the formation's focal points at the same time. In an instant, five beams of golden light shot into the sky, corresponding to the formation's five corners.
"Let energy condense without form... Let corruption end and impurity clear..."
As the final line of the incantation was spoken.
Every corruption sickness patient within the formation gradually rose off the ground.
"Rise!" Yixuan shouted. Countless streams of corruption flowed out through everyone's eyes, ears, noses, and mouths, gradually gathering together into a massive ball of energy.
Yixuan moved onto a rooftop.
All alone, she held back that mass of energy condensed from corruption, which looked impossible to withstand.
Gradually, those who had recovered dropped back down, perhaps because their treatment was complete.
But the process was slowly growing slower.
Just then, Xu An appeared beside Yixuan. Looking at his master's cheeks, already stained with corruption, he felt a little worried. So he pressed his hand against the corruption too.
The instant he touched it, the corruption coiled around him. Xu An closed his eyes, but several seconds passed without him being plunged into his memories. Instead, he received a whipping kick from Yixuan.
Holy shit, Master.
Then golden light blazed around Yixuan. With a flash, she scattered the mass of corruption outright, then came over to Xu An. She seemed to want to give him a beating, yet also seemed unable to bring herself to do it.
Then she gave a soft huff, turned, and left.
"Senior Brother, you... seem to be in serious trouble." Belle gave an awkward smile, watching Yixuan leave, a little at a loss.
"But Master really is amazing. She saved everyone on the whole street." Ju Fufu's face was full of admiration.
"I never imagined Mount Yunkui had a technique like that," Ye Shiyuan said.
"Hehe, I'll have to ask Master about it later and get her to teach me."
While the others continued dealing with the remaining matters, Xu An hurried after Yixuan.
"Master, I'm sorry. I was wrong." Whatever the case, he would apologize first.
Seeing that Xu An had followed her, Yixuan suddenly grew unsteady, though she had been standing perfectly firmly before. She held her head with one hand and nearly fell. Xu An hurried forward to support her.
His taller frame was just right for her to lean against, and Yixuan took the chance to recover a little.
Ignoring the technique's side effects, she simply said, "Do you know how dangerous that was?!" Her voice was full of anger, reproach for Xu An's actions just now, and concern for her disciple.
"I know I was wrong, Master. I've got a strong constitution. I just wanted to share some of the burden." Xu An lowered his head, looking into his master's angry eyes. His voice was soft, carrying an acknowledgment of his mistake.
Seeing that Xu An was properly admitting his mistake, Yixuan softened her tone too.
"You act recklessly, without considering other things. If I'm unwell over the next while, follow Belle's arrangements and continue tracking down the Order." Leaning against Xu An's chest, Yixuan spoke softly. "Though she joined us late, she's attentive and more familiar with Hollow affairs."
At that, Yixuan coughed twice before straightening up.
But Xu An would not let her have her way. He supported her back to her room.
The others had also finished handling the follow-up matters by then and returned, waiting outside.
"Master's all right. She's just a little weak. Thanks for all your hard work tonight, everyone. Get some rest. Oh, and for now, Belle will be leading everyone in running Yunkui Summit. Go to her if anything comes up~ Master needs peace and rest." After saying that, Xu An went back into Yixuan's room.
The people outside were puzzled. Didn't she need peace and rest? What were you going back in for? O_o?!
Inside the room.
"The technique I used just now drew Ether onto my own body. That's why there are some side effects."
"Master... you'll get corruption sickness this way..." Xu An's voice was low.
"I couldn't have you getting it along with me, could I?" Yixuan joked.
"But if two people shared it, you'd suffer much less," Xu An continued.
"All right, did that kick hurt?" Yixuan changed the subject.
"Ahem, Master, you really didn't hold back. It hurt like hell." Xu An pretended to clutch his chest.
"Haha, most of Mount Yunkui's techniques are like that... The more powerful the technique, the greater the price.
"After all... helping the world and saving lives... is by no means an easy task."
Xu An fell silent.
Yixuan continued, "Just now, I remembered what happened before again. The Hollows expanded, the city fell... By the time I rushed into the Hollow, my senior brothers and sisters... had all died in the rescue efforts.
"They fell one after another in corners no one knew about. Blood and grime covered their faces. I could barely recognize those once-familiar features...
"Deep within the Hollow... I found our leader, Yijiang. She was also my older sister."
Xu An continued listening to Yixuan, simply lifting her onto the bed. Yixuan thought nothing of it and continued her account.
"To carry out her mission, she exhausted herself like that and died before my eyes.
"These things have been coming back to me all the time lately."
"That's because you've been exposed to too much corruption lately, Master," Xu An complained.
"In that operation, Mount Yunkui's legacy was nearly severed." Ignoring him, Yixuan continued.
"All right, Master!" Xu An cupped her cheeks in both hands, turning her face so she looked into his eyes.
"Don't dwell on the past anymore. Who you were then isn't who you are now. Master, what you need now is rest." Xu An really did not know how to comfort people.
He simply gave Yixuan a tight hug before leaving.
Along the way, he also helped regulate the flow of energy inside Yixuan. Though his master could have done it herself, Xu An still did his best to help her.
Xu An kept Yixuan company like that for a while, repeatedly making sure she would stop dwelling on things.
Then he chatted with Yixuan about a few other things, attempting to distract her.
"All right, hurry out and explain things to Fufu and the others, or they'll worry themselves sick over me." A smile touched Yixuan's lips as she lay down at ease.
"All right, I won't disturb you anymore, Master. Get some proper rest." As Xu An spoke, he turned to leave, stepping out quietly and closing the door without a sound.
Yixuan watched Xu An leave with a smile on her lips, then closed her eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep.
"Master said it's a side effect of the technique. Let's let her rest properly. When I came out just now, she'd already gone to sleep.
"Also, when the corruption was affecting her, it brought back quite a few bad memories. She needs some time for her emotions to settle too."
"I see... Sigh, this is the first time I've seen Master so vulnerable," Ju Fufu sighed.
"It sounds like a wound of the heart. Perhaps Master remembered the fall of the Old Capital back then?" Ye Shiyuan guessed. "The fall of the Old Capital really did leave a wound in everyone's heart. I often remembered those scenes too. It was only after becoming a disciple of Mount Yunkui that I felt much more at ease.
"But since coming to Waifei Peninsula recently, I've frequently been remembering those old nightmares again. I've even... seen visions of my family being corrupted.
"I wonder if it's because of the Lemnian Hollow... Perhaps Master's experiencing the same thing." Ye Shiyuan could not help sighing.
"That makes sense. Junior Brother Xu said just now that Master wanted Junior Sister Belle to take over the investigation... Then let's do as Junior Sister Belle says!" As she spoke, Ju Fufu cupped her hands in salute. "Junior Sister, I salute you! I, Ju Fufu, am ready for your orders at any time."
Ju Fufu's antics lifted the somewhat gloomy atmosphere.
That's our eldest senior sister for you. She really knows what she's doing.
As Xu An thought this, he relaxed as well. I'll find some time to visit Senior Sister Xiaoguang. I need to tell her about Master, though not to make her worry.
Once we go out to investigate, having Senior Sister Xiaoguang stay at the temple and keep Master company would be good too. With Master there, Senior Sister Xiaoguang won't have to worry about anyone targeting her.
After chatting a little longer, they each returned to their rooms to rest.
As Belle and Xu An passed Yixuan's door, they heard coughing from inside.
Belle went up to the door.
"Who's outside? Cough, cough..." Yixuan's voice came from within.
"Cough, cough... You don't need to worry. Go back and get some sleep..." Yixuan urged.
"I was just a little worried about you, Master, so I came to check on you.
"Though I've only just become a disciple of Mount Yunkui... I'll do my best to ease your burdens, Master! Once we deal with the Order, everything will get better!
"For example... I've already had my electronic assistant start learning big-data fortune-telling! When you do divinations for people, you won't have to think. You can just copy its results!
"And I can also have it post fake positive visitor reviews for Yunkui Summit. Ten thousand a minute!
"Just say the word, Master, and I can make Yunkui Summit a five-A-rated attraction in New Eridu in a few minutes!
"Maybe Senior Brother Pan Yinhu will only go out to buy groceries, then come back to find he has to pay for a scalped ticket just to get back to his room." Belle tried her hardest to cheer Yixuan up with her humor, leaving Xu An chuckling despite himself.
A soft cough with a hint of laughter came from the room, followed by another fit of violent coughing... Finally, the sound faded into a quiet sigh.
"You really are a clever one. It's just a pity... I didn't meet you all sooner.
"Thank you, Belle. I've made you worry about me. I really am an inadequate master. I'll get some proper rest tonight. You should head back too, Belle."
Yixuan had dismissed her visitors.
Belle could hardly keep talking, so she could only return to her room as well.
"Get some rest soon too, Senior Brother Xu."