A Father Like a Mountain

Fresh blood splattered on my face, warm.

Lu Yuan's mind went blank for a moment, followed by a chilling clarity. The Soul Power threads in his hands remained surprisingly steady, and the last few blockages were precisely broken. As the dark purple Soul Power faded, Lin Xiao's body went limp, and he knelt on one knee, his eyes devoid of any bloodlust. He looked around blankly and saw Lu Qinghe standing in front of him, his chest covered in a glaring crimson stain.

The Soul Ancestor's expression changed.

His left arm was still aching. Seeing that Mo Chen and Su Yan had dealt with the thugs and were closing in, he knew things were going badly and turned to flee.

"Don't chase after him," Lu Yuan said hoarsely. He supported his swaying father, his fingers touching the wound, where wet blood was still gushing out. A sweep of his Soul Power sensed the wound, and his heart sank to the bottom—the wound was deep enough to see bone, and the remaining Soul Power of the Wind Blade was drilling into the flesh.

We must leave immediately.

"Mo Chen, use the smoke bomb, maximum dose." Lu Yuan spoke rapidly, his hands moving without pause, tearing off a clean section of his undergarment to bandage Lu Qinghe. His movements were swift, but his fingertips trembled.

Mo Chen gritted his teeth, pulled out the last black ball, and smashed it into the center of the camp. Dense black mist exploded, engulfing most of the camp.

"Su Yan, Fu Lin Xiao." Lu Yuan said, carrying his unconscious father on his back. Blood seeped out, staining his back red.

The retreat is much more difficult now.

Lu Yuan took each step carefully, afraid of aggravating his wound. The fractured side of his waist was throbbing with needle-like pain, and he only had 20% of his Soul Power left, which he still had to spare to protect his father's heart. Sweat mixed with blood on his face and flowed into his eyes.

His mind was unusually clear. He had gone through the topographic map once, and there was only one choice.

"Head northeast, into the rocky slope," he said, panting.

Mo Chen frowned. "There's no cover there..."

"Precisely because there's no cover, they won't focus on searching it," Lu Yuan interrupted. "The terrain is complex, making it easier to leave traces."

The group climbed in silence. The mountain wind was strong, making it difficult to stand. Lu Yuan dug his fingers into the cracks in the rock, inching forward. His father, on his back, was breathing weakly.

Lin Xiao was being half-supported by Su Yan, his face deathly pale. He tried to speak several times, but his throat felt blocked.

After an unknown amount of time, they crossed the mountain ridge and crawled into a jagged pile of rocks. Lu Yuan found a large, sheltered rock and carefully placed Lu Qinghe down. His father was unconscious, his face deathly pale.

Lu Yuan sat down cross-legged, extending his Soul Power once more.

This time, even more care was taken than when guiding Lin Xiao. His father's Soul Power was simple and solid, but at this moment it was as chaotic as muddy water. The fine, thread-like strands of Soul Power were combed through little by little, forcing out the remaining wind attribute and stabilizing the cycle.

Water-milling technique.

Lu Yuan's forehead was covered in cold sweat, and his Soul Power was visibly depleted. The pain in his side was so bad that he could barely sit up.

Time passed little by little.

Finally, he swayed and withdrew his Soul Power. His complexion was no better than Lu Qinghe's; his lips were cracked and his eyes were bloodshot.

"He's temporarily stabilized," he said hoarsely, "But the injuries are too severe; he needs to rest and recuperate as soon as possible, and he'll require herbal medicine."

Mo Chen remained silent for a moment, then took out a small leather pouch, poured out two pieces of Soul Marrow Essence, and handed one over. "Use this to keep it going for now."

Lu Yuan did not refuse, took it, broke off a small piece, melted it, and fed it to his father.

With the essence entering his body, Lu Qinghe's expression softened slightly, and his breathing became more even.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Lu Yuan leaned against the rock and closed his eyes. The cold anger subsided, turning into something even harder.

He suddenly spoke, his voice very soft. "That Soul Ancestor, I remember his face."

Mo Chen's eyes sharpened. "I remember too."

"No rush." Lu Yuan opened his eyes and looked into the distance. "This score will be settled sooner or later, but not now."

His gaze swept over his unconscious father, the weakened Lin Xiao, and his wounded companion.

"The most important thing now is to survive," he said. "To survive, with everyone."

Lin Xiao's throat moved, and he said hoarsely, "... I'm sorry."

Lu Yuan didn't look at him. "It's not your fault. It's because my plan wasn't thorough enough."

Having said that, Lin Xiao lowered his head even further.

Su Yan asked softly, "Sir, where are we going now?"

Lu Yuan remained silent for a while.

The original plan has completely fallen through. Returning to Maple Leaf Town is impossible, and going to Gray Stone Market is too risky.

He slowly uttered a place name. "Go to ' Old Crow Ridge '."

Mo Chen was taken aback. "That abandoned mine..."

"Soul Power is scarce there, almost no one goes there," Lu Yuan continued. "It's perfect for hiding. I remember there are some hemostatic herbs growing there, they can be used." He looked at Mo Chen: "You mentioned there are tunnels left by old miners over there?"

Mo Chen nodded. "Yes, but the structure is unstable; some parts have collapsed."

"It's better than being out in the open." Lu Yuan leaned on a rock to stand up, his legs weak, but his back straight. "We'll rest for fifteen minutes, then we'll set off. Mo Chen will scout ahead. Su Yan will take care of Lin Xiao. I'll carry Dad on my back."

He then looked at Lin Xiao.

"Your Soul Power circuits are only temporarily cleared; the underlying problems remain." Lu Yuan's tone was calm, yet authoritative. "Once you're settled, I'll need to re-examine them. Until then, don't use any Soul Power, not even a little bit."

Lin Xiao opened his mouth, but finally managed to squeeze out a single word. "... Okay."

Fifteen minutes later, the team set off again.

Lu Yuan carried his father on his back, walking in the middle. Every step was steady, despite the pain in his side making his vision blur. His mind was still racing: the terrain of Old Crow Ridge, the distribution of medicinal herbs, the risks of the tunnels, food and water sources...

And that Soul Ancestor's face.

There is also the Cloud Mist Sect.

And those eyes lurking in the shadows.

These thoughts, like cold pebbles, sank to the bottom of my heart. There was no anger, no panic, only a cruelly clear-headedness.

On the retreat, he looked back one last time in the direction of the Cloud Mist Sect camp.

Something deep within his eyes had completely changed.

The mountain wind howled, stirring the blood-stained hem of his clothes.

The road ahead is long.