NaLan QingYu glanced at village again before hearing ChaoTian's voice:
"System has determined host is in danger, system has discreetly reverted host's wounds. Host has been forewarned." ChaoTian's voice resounded.
NaLan QingYu was stunned as he didn't feel anything for a few moments. But then he suddenly he felt his body being pierced with unimaginable pain. The worst part was that he could not make a sound let alone scream.
NaLan QingYu trembled whilst moving towards the entrance. He felt incredibly fatigued, as if he would fall onto the at any moment.
Little blood flowed out since the system manipulated NaLan QingYu's body to some extent.
The village was small, surrounded by boulders and spikes of rock and the earth. The houses were all built with crown-shaped roofs, red eaves, and white walls, which made the houses look like little castles. The village had a few people outside but he didn't know where the others were.
While NaLan QingYu was walking with staggered steps, similar to a heavy bear, he noticed there was a forest behind the village, as if the current terrain had been altered somehow. His sight was blurry so he had to squint to see.
NaLan QingYu eyed the entrance of the village. He lowered his upper body as his feet dragged against the ground.
A minute passed by and NaLan QingYu was almost near the entrance, it was a wooden gate. He wondered if a minute had really passed and not ten instead.
As he stepped closer, he got a better look at the village.
The quality of living standards, from how he saw it, far surpassed the remote villages he visited to rest with his army during a recent war. The roads were well kept and weren't cracked, not riddled with holes like his country's.
NaLan QingYu's sight was then fixed on a young boy whose looks completely stunned him. The boy's appearance was unlike of the appearance he knew was common among the empires he knew. For NaLan QingYu's whole life, he had only seen people with black hair and eyes, one eyelid for an eye.
However, the boy he was looking at was different. Clothed in light yet dirty coloured clothes, the boy's rich chocolate hair that was tied in a simple pony tail stood out. Likewise, his strong arched brows and eyelashes so thick, it could be illegal. And then his eyes- they were deep and catastrophic, a vivid baby blue as similar to a great body of water that softly melted into a milky green.
With NaLan QingYu's blurry sight, he could confirm that he was not in any of the empires he knew.
He wondered how the boy really looked like since he could see properly hence the boy must be more handsome than now.
He had no knowledge of such an appearance. The boy looked like a completely different race!
As NaLan QingYu came closer, he could see the flecks of silver in his eyes. He had distinct cheekbones and an angular jaw, his pale skin made him look incredibly beautiful. In contrast to a normal villager, the other rather seemed to be one of an ethereal race.
NaLan QingYu thought of his own face before inwardly shrugging. His hated his looks since most of his features were from that scum father of his.
The boy noticed NaLan QingYu approaching and paused before scrutinising him.
NaLan QingYu was a few metres way from the entrance, his stature became more similar to that of a bear as his energy was drained from the accelerated healing of his wounds to make them seem to have been inflicted a few days ago. He almost fell to the ground but his will kept him from doing so.
The boy's eyes flickered before walking to NaLan QingYu and stood in front of him.
"We will speak after healing your injuries," said the boy.
NaLan QingYu was confused before nodding. He needed to take care of his new wounds shortly. His injuries were not something the system could heal again and if he did not answer, no one knew what that boy would do to him. He also needed to rest as soon as possible.
NaLan QingYu was led past the small castle-like housing and entered a thatched hut of a similar size of the houses. He had to lean on them to stay up. The boy didn't help as if knowing NaLan QingYu could stay awake.
The hut had a few rattan chair here and there with a small wooden table with various bowls and apparatus placed in the middle. The table seemed to be used to make medicine, those that NaLan QingYu did not know of.
In the corner of the hut was a big bed that permeated a unique scent and next to it was a basin that seemed to be connected to a lever.
"ChaoTian has detected host is now no longer in danger." NaLan QingYu silently thanked ChaoTian in heart for presenting him another opportunity before pausing once he registered what he was smelling.
"Firefly peach?"
The boy stopped whilst turning his head towards NaLan QingYu before giving a small nod. "En, it the juice of a firefly peach. I'm surprised you can distinguish it from the smell of a blue-spotted fros fruit." The boy's sliver eyes flickered with interest.
"Blue-spotted fros fruit?" NaLan QingYu repeated with confusion. He shook his head for he was about to nod off.
"I will explain while I apply the medicine. Undress your upper body and sit on the bed." The boy then went to the table while NaLan QingYu did what he was told.
The boy pushed down the lever and the basin was soon full of water.
Using it to wash his hands and drying them with a nearby cloth, he took a two bowls and a spoon about the size of a tablespoon from the table; one bowl held colourless liquid that seemed sticky while the other had a cobalt-coloured powder.
The boy then took a small clear cup and put a spoonful of the cobalt-coloured powder and then put five spoonfuls of the other before mixing them together to form a solution.
From what NaLan QingYu could see without bending his body, the colour of the substance in the cup changed to a mix of pale green and white rings.
The boy stood up and carried the medicine to NaLan QingYu while his gaze swept passed the injuries.
The boy went back the basin and took the cloth before gently cleaning the blood of NaLan QingYu's torso.
The water seemed to have a magical property as the dried blood was easily cleaned.
The boy then disposed of the cloth before pouring the recently created paste into a clean bowl.
He used three fingers to spread the paste onto NaLan QingYu's wounds. The paste began to harden and formed a shell on his body.
"Pain will soon come. The sheet on the bed has been dipped in firefly peach juice and dried. We repeated this with blue-spotted fros fruit." The boy began to explain while ignoring NaLan QingYu's pained expression.
NaLan QingYu felt his wounds being trodden by countless ants. It was unbearably itchy.
Just when his hand moved to relieve the itchiness almost just as it came, it suddenly faded but it was still there.
"The smell of the juices of the fruits help ease the pain you are now experiencing. Because we have not changed the sheet and continuously washed it in the two juices, the smell will only let you experience a fragment of the pain." The boy explained.
"This village is surrounded by an abundance of theses two fruits due to the faeries' grace hence such valuable materials are like vegetables to our village. This is why our village is called the village of faeries."
NaLan QingYu's eyes dilated once he heard the other party's words. Other than that, he was curious about what faeries were and had a strong desire to sleep.
"What is your identity?"
The boy asked an abrupt question after washing his hands. His question made NaLan QingYu escape from his stupor, unfortunately, not his tiredness.
NaLan QingYu paused before replying thoughtfully, "Which identity do you need? Benwang's own identity or the identity given to Benwang by others?"
"Yours." The boy answered. He had a small smile on his face when he heard NaLan QingYu's question.
"I am a fool, a lucky one." NaLan QingYu answered with a strained smile. He really was a fool for not being able to see through NaLan YeBai nor the true colours of Liu Yin. He was lucky for having the system, a loving mother and having met the boy.
But all know fate takes away the one one loves the most. It had already taken away his dearest mother. He knew he had to fight starting from now or he really would die like he was supposed to.
The boy did nothing but smile wider in wonder. He could tell how serious NaLan QingYu's wounds were but NaLan QingYu never complained.
"Why are you here?"
"Coincidence."
Yes, it was a coincidence that his feet brought him here. It was a coincidence that he took all those turns and twists here.
Everything began from a coincidence.
"What do you wish to do?"
NaLan QingYu answered immediately.
"Help my brother kill the hidden snakes around him."
NaLan QingYu implied that NaLan YeBai had no clue which, unfortunately, was true. He needed WanXing, the throne, and his strong bond with his brother back.
Even if NaLan YeBai acted like a retard to save himself, and most likely him too, NaLan QingYu wished it was him protecting the other instead.
Only by taking the throne and let his brother live with no threat could being him peace. In addition to that, he must not die as cannon fodder— which was why he needed the throne. He wanted to die as an important character.
The boy laughed heartily before speaking. His eyes were bright, like the moon, as he smiled gently before bowing subtly.
"I formally welcome you to Drent Village, the village of faeries. My name is Zudrech Thaal, Thaal is my family and Zudrech is my given name. I will take care of you until you recover. Please may I know of your name?" Zudrech asked politely.
"NaLan QingYu. NaLan is my surname, QingYu is my given name. Zhengui is my courtesy name." NaLan QingYu replied before pausing once he felt that his wounds had already begun to heal before dismissing his surprise. He also felt his fatigue weaken.
As for revealing his name, NaLan QingYu was not afraid of the other knowing his status. From what he could see, the village was secluded from outsiders. His eyes were lit with curiosity once he heard the other party's name and a new word, faeries as well as the village's name.
"How shall I address you?" Zudrech questioned somewhat unsure.
"Zhengui is fine, Zudrech." NaLan QingYu felt weird trying to pronounce the name but luckily he managed. He wondered about the different customs of this area, only close people like his brother called him by his name.
"Thank you, Zhengui." Zudrech, surprisingly, did not mispronounce his name.
During the passing of time, NaLan QingYu had healed completely. He saw people similar appearances of the boy look at him with curiosity before going back to do what they were doing.
NaLan QingYu was led to a room with a table with bowls and chairs as well as a big rattan bed.
"What state am I in?" NaLan QingYu wondered if he what he asked was stupid to Zudrech.
"Loria Kingdom." Zudrech answered patiently.
"Loria?" NaLan QingYu repeated but nothing came to mind, "Have you heard of LanFeng Country?"
"No. Stay still, this will sting." Zudrech said before rubbing the hardened paste with a new wet cloth. The paste was wiped off, leaving pristine porcelain skin with no scars.
"Rest well. I will come back later. Swallow one when you feel hunger." Zudrech passed NaLan QingYu a few small green pills before leaving.
"What is this?" NaLan QingYu thought as he lifted his legs on the bed, sat cross-legged.
"Zef pills. They alleviate hunger equivalent to one meal as well as fatigue." ChaoTian replied.
NaLan QingYu placed a zef pill in his mouth. It was sweet which he didn't prefer but it disappeared. NaLan QingYu felt his stomach feel fuller and no longer tired. He felt his body brimming with energy as if he had just woken up. NaLan QingYu blinked in wonder before asking ChaoTian another question that bugged his mind.
"Why haven't I heard of the Loria kingdom?"
"It is the kingdom below Tsiema Empire, their people are of another race. Tsiema Empire is their vassal state. This is as far as ChaoTian knows. Host must investigate himself."
NaLan QingYu fell into deep contemplation before sighing. He needed to rest so he decided to deal with it later when he awoke. The past few days were pressuring and he was finally somewhere safe.