Bloodstained Robes

In the little courtyard, a group of Taoists gripped their swords, their faces tense, yet none dared make a rash move.

Several Taoists watched the front, rear, left, and right. The night was deep, and they could see nothing, only faintly hear the clash of weapons and screams...

Wuzheng's wounded arm had already been bandaged. He sat on a chair in the center of the courtyard, quietly meditating.

Wuming paced restlessly beside him, glancing at him from time to time, hoping her senior brother would say something.

Having everyone cooped up in the courtyard like this was just too foolish!

But she dared not speak carelessly either. This was a battle of life and death, fraught with danger and cruelty.

One wrong word could get many people killed...

Wuming had just seen corpses strewn across the ground, gaining a very direct understanding of death's horror and cruelty.

The more she understood, the more she worried about Zhou Wuji.

Senior Brother Wuji told them to leave first, but stayed behind himself. It's been quite a while now. How is he doing?

After pacing several rounds, Wuming could no longer hold back. She said quietly to Wuzheng, "Senior Brother, shall I go check on Senior Brother Wuji?"

Wuzheng opened his eyes somewhat helplessly. "You would only make things worse.

"Junior Brother Wuji is decisive, brave, and meticulous, ten times better than even me. If he can't manage, we won't escape death either. Don't overthink it."

Before Wuzheng finished speaking, someone knocked at the gate outside. "Senior Brother, it's me."

Overjoyed, Wuzheng hurriedly ordered, "Open the gate!"

The Taoists on lookout duty had not seen anyone at all. Only now did they react and hastily open the gate.

Zhou Wuji walked in carrying his sword. Everyone noticed that his Taoist robes were wet and clinging to his body, making him look somewhat bedraggled.

To avoid attracting outside marauders, there were no lights in the courtyard.

Still, everyone soon realized that Zhou Wuji's robes were soaked through with blood, and his entire body reeked of it.

The sight filled them all with horror. Just how many people had he killed?!

Zhou Wuji had deliberately left his clothes unchanged for precisely this effect. Otherwise, how would anyone know how hard he had worked, or how formidable he was!

He had risked his life in bloody combat to save everyone. If he did not show off a little, wouldn't all that effort have been wasted...

Wuzheng hurried forward and asked, "How did it go?"

"We're safe for now. The bandits have all been dealt with," Zhou Wuji answered.

At this answer, Wuzheng breathed a sigh of relief, yet was also utterly astounded. Zhou Wuji had killed all those marauding soldiers alone. This junior brother, who had only just advanced to Eighth-Rank Qi Ingestion, actually possessed such divine might!

The other Taoists were equally shocked, their gazes now filled with awe as they looked at Zhou Wuji. Only Wuming's eyes shone, her lovely face full of admiration...

Suppressing his complicated feelings, Wuzheng praised him loudly. "Fortunately, Junior Brother's divine sword was peerless today. Otherwise, we would all have become departed souls beneath the bandits' blades!"

As he spoke, the Seventh-Rank Register Reception Taoist clasped his hands and bowed deeply. Zhou Wuji reached out to help Wuzheng straighten, saying solemnly, "Senior Brother, you're treating me far too much like an outsider."

He paused, then added, "It was only because you fought with all your strength that I was lucky enough to kill their leader."

Zhou Wuji was not merely being modest. Wuzheng had played a very important role in killing that seventh-rank martial artist.

Having killed thirty-three marauding soldiers, Zhou Wuji had no need to emphasize his own importance.

On the contrary, before all these Taoists, he needed to help preserve Wuzheng's dignity as their leader.

These Taoists were all Wuzheng's people, bound to him by close ties of interest. Undermining Wuzheng would not make Zhou Wuji their leader; it would only offend everyone.

As a Seventh-Rank Register Reception Taoist, Wuzheng was a leader selected by the sect's vast organizational hierarchy.

Undermining Wuzheng would also mean opposing the sect. There was absolutely no need for that.

What he needed was not the title of abbot of Hidden Dragon Temple, but the vast resources surrounding it.

Keeping Wuzheng out in front would also help draw some of the fire away from him.

Finally, although Wuzheng was somewhat stubborn, he was a good man.

Wuzheng was rather surprised by Zhou Wuji's attitude. After this battle, Zhou Wuji did not strive to take the lead or stand above the rest, but willingly remained beneath him. Such depth was truly extraordinary!

To Wuzheng, having Zhou Wuji be skilled in battle, capable of killing, and aware of when to advance or retreat was naturally a good thing. It spared him countless troubles, and he also had to acknowledge the considerable favor Zhou Wuji had done him.

"Thank you for your efforts, Junior Brother. Go back to your room and rest first."

Taking Zhou Wuji's hand, Wuzheng escorted him into the room, then instructed a disciple to fetch his clothes from the courtyard where they were staying.

Wuming had been watching eagerly from the side all along, but had found no opportunity to speak. Seeing Zhou Wuji enter the room, she hurried after him.

Sitting down on a crude wooden bench in the outer room, Zhou Wuji let out a soft breath.

Killing so many marauding soldiers in succession had put him under immense pressure despite his great mastery of swordsmanship. Now he could finally sit down, take a long breath, and truly relax.

"Senior Brother, you're not hurt, are you?" Wuming's bright eyes kept looking him over. Large patches of sticky, wet blood covered his Taoist robes, making it impossible to tell whether he was injured.

Zhou Wuji shook his head slightly. "I'm fine, just a little exhausted. I'll be all right after sitting for a while."

After a moment's thought, Wuming suddenly clapped her hands softly. She took a small medicine box from inside her robes and removed a wax-sealed pill.

"A Purple Gold Eight Treasures Pill. It steadies the mind, condenses Qi, fortifies the constitution, and replenishes blood. Just what you need, Senior Brother..."

As she spoke, she crushed the wax seal and gently placed the pill in Zhou Wuji's mouth.

Zhou Wuji was always cautious about anything he put in his mouth. There were far too many strange things in this world. External injuries could be treated one way or another, but if something invaded his internal organs, that would be troublesome.

But Wuming meant well, and it would be awkward to refuse. Besides, this silly girl probably would not harm him.

Even if Wuming was deliberately playing dumb, there was no reason for her to ambush him under these circumstances.

Zhou Wuji swallowed the Purple Gold Eight Treasures Pill after all. No water was needed; the moment it entered his mouth, it turned into a warm current that abruptly invigorated him.

The large amount of True Qi consumed during the fierce battle also rapidly recovered, even increasing noticeably.

His mental fatigue vanished as well. He felt brimming with vigor inside and out, restored entirely to his peak condition.

Zhou Wuji secretly glanced at the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment. There was nothing abnormal about his lifespan; instead, it had increased by more than ten days.

It really is spirit medicine!

Soon, someone brought Zhou Wuji's luggage over. Wuzheng also had two buckets of hot water prepared so Zhou Wuji could give himself a quick wash.

After wiping away the sticky blood and changing into clean inner garments, Taoist robes, shoes, and socks, Zhou Wuji felt refreshed all over and completely relaxed.

Washing his hair was the greatest nuisance. He undid his topknot and lowered his long hair into a wooden basin. Without smoothing shampoo, he could only use soap pods to clean the blood from his hair.

Wuming slipped inside and said quietly, "Senior Brother, let me help you..."

Without waiting for Zhou Wuji to speak, she reached out with her fair hands and gently rubbed his long hair.

Zhou Wuji said nothing. Her technique could not compare with the girls who washed hair in his previous life, but her movements were gentle and meticulous.

At this distance, he could also smell Wuming's faint natural fragrance. It was quite pleasant.

In fact, Wuming had always been waited on since childhood, but by imitating what she had seen, she managed a respectable job.

Besides, she did all this willingly, feeling delighted simply to be of help to her senior brother.

She took her own cotton towel and carefully dried Zhou Wuji's hair, then helped put it into a topknot and tied on his Taoist headscarf.

Looking at Zhou Wuji again, she saw that his frightening, blood-drenched appearance had given way once more to handsome, refined elegance, which delighted her even more.

Zhou Wuji touched his half-dry topknot, thinking that it was fortunate he had a strong constitution. Otherwise, leaving his head wet like this could easily bring on a cold and fever.

In this era, bathing and washing one's hair consumed a great deal of firewood and were rather extravagant.

Moreover, ordinary people lacked basic knowledge of keeping healthy and could easily fall ill after bathing or washing their hair. Thus, most people rarely bathed.

Though grumbling inwardly, Zhou Wuji smiled as he thanked Wuming.

Her face flushed, Wuming waved her hands repeatedly. "Such a little thing doesn't deserve your thanks, Senior Brother."

Finding her bashful appearance truly adorable, Zhou Wuji could not resist teasing her quietly. "From now on, I'll ask you to wash my hair every time, Junior Sister. Would that be all right?"

Wuming's lovely cheeks grew even redder. She lowered her eyes slightly and gave a soft "Mm" in her throat.

"Ahem..."

Wuzheng coughed lightly in the outer room, then raised his voice. "Junior Brother, I'm coming in."

Wuzheng had already waited quite a while and was growing a little impatient.

So many people had died; this matter could not simply end here! He had to get a clear account from Zhou Wuji, then discuss how to resolve the problem...