She tightly held the dragon blood pearl, letting out a silent sigh from her chest.
As if conceding, she sat down at the medicine counter, picked up the brush, and began writing a prescription. On the side, Huo Zhanbai accompanied with a smile, "Once you cure Mo'er's illness, I will slowly repay the consultation fee... I always keep my word. You haven't been to the Central Plains, so you may not know about Huo Qigong from Dingjian Pavilion. Besides being handsome and skilled in swordsmanship, his credibility is also well-known."
She wrote the prescription, but her brows slightly furrowed, seemingly inattentive.
"However, despite being fierce and money-loving, your medical skills are really good..." he continued complimenting her.
She put down the brush, thought for a moment, and tore the prescription apart, starting to write a second one.
"I know you charge high fees to support the people in the valley—aren't they all children abandoned by their parents or orphans?" he continued, his eyes lacking the playful tone, "I also know that despite charging ten thousand taels of gold for consultations with martial arts elites, you have always been providing medicine and treatment to the villagers in the surrounding villages. Don't be deceived by your fierce appearance; you..."
The tip of her pen finally stopped, and she looked at the chattering person in surprise.
—How does he know all these things?
"Take good care of your injuries," in the end, she just lightly patted his shoulder, "I will find a way."
Huo Zhanbai sighed heavily, falling back onto the bedding.
After all, with such severe injuries, the moment he relaxed, he felt unable to support himself. Lying on the sick bed, he felt his limbs shivering with pain, but he forced a lazy smile, "Ah, I also know that you, who is so picky about the appearance of your patients, must be because your lover also looks... Ah!"
A silver needle pierced into the sleeping acupoint, trembling slightly.
"Even if it's a compliment," Xue Ziye's face was calm as water, coldly saying, "there can be too many words."
Huo Zhanbai looked at her dumbfounded, his mouth moved, as if wanting to say something, and his eyelids finally uncontrollably dropped.
"Alas..." looking at the wounded patient who fell into a deep sleep, she finally let out a clear sigh, bending down to cover him with a blanket, murmuring, "Eight years, such desperate efforts... but was it worth it?"
From the time they arrived at Medicine Valley eight years ago, carrying the child, she could see it:
That woman actually hated him.
Was it worth it? —She has always wanted to ask him this question, but was always teased and diverted by his lazy jokes, unable to express it. A person as smart as him may have known from the beginning.
–
Leaving Dongzhi Pavilion, it was already the fourth night.
Green-Er and the others were sent to Qiuzhi Garden, and the other maids in the mansion had already gone to sleep. She didn't want to disturb them and walked alone with a lantern along the cold spring.
The Yalu River in the far north was cold all year round. However, Medicine Valley had hot springs, so according to the local temperature, there were spring, summer, autumn, and winter gardens. However, Dongzhi Pavilion near the valley entrance was still quite cold. She usually didn't want to come.
Facing the wind from the Yalu River, she shivered slightly.
The cold moon hung overhead, reflecting on the white snow covering the entire valley, faintly carrying the fragrance of white plum blossoms.
Unconsciously, she followed the cold spring to Jing Shui Lake. This lake was formed by the convergence of cold and hot springs, so half of the water surface was steaming, and the other half was covered with thick ice.
The unstoppable longing surged again, and she couldn't help herself. Holding the lantern, she slowly walked towards the lake. Stepping on the ice, she came to the center of the lake, placed the lantern aside, and tremblingly bent down, staring at the ice below. The person under the ice was still quietly sleeping, serene and pale, unchanged for more than a decade.
Snow Huai... Snow Huai... Do you know? Today, someone mentioned you.
He said you must be very handsome.
If you had lived until now, you must be more handsome than all the men in the world, right?
Unfortunately, you've always been sleeping under the ice, and no matter how I call you, you won't respond. I've learned so much medicine, saved so many people, but I can't wake you up.
She murmured to the frozen lake surface, tears finally uncontrollably falling from her eyes.
Although her master had conducted soothing and comforting treatments, some excessively cruel memories were still retained. She remembered the night when the Mo family was slaughtered by the Moja tribe, and the desperate escape.
Mo Xue carried her, aimlessly fleeing on the frozen Yalu River. Suddenly, the ice cracked with a creak, and a black giant mouth instantly swallowed them! In the moment of falling, he held her tightly in his arms, drifting away with the dark currents under the ice.
His chest was the only warmth in the icy water.
Twelve years later, she still felt the bone-piercing cold that penetrated into her marrow.
"Do you have any conscience?" Knowing that the distance between them was too great, she stopped in her tracks, angrily scolding, "Heartless beast!"
"I want you to go and call that woman over." The other party remained unmoved, the silver blade turning and drawing a bloodstain on Xiaocheng's neck.
Xiaocheng, unaware that it was just a shallow cut, screamed and fainted immediately.
"Where is the Valley Mistress?" Helpless, she had to turn and ask the maid next to her, while gesturing discreetly, "Is she still in Dongzhi Pavilion? Quickly go and inform her to bring a few more people over!"
It would be best if she brought that debt collector, Huo Zhanbai, over — in this valley, only he could deal with this poisonous snake.
But the maid was clueless. As soon as she pushed the door open, she suddenly exclaimed, "The Valley Mistress is over there!"
Everyone was surprised, turning to look outside — the snow had stopped, and the moonlight was bright. White mist rose from the lake, resembling a bright mirror. The woman in purple was lying on the ice, quietly gazing at the lake below. Standing next to her was a maid in red, surprisingly Frost Red, who had rushed over from Qiuzhi Garden after being alarmed.
She raised her head, slowly giving a glance in their direction.
Although it was so far away, in that instant when she looked over, the hand holding the silver knife trembled slightly.
Hidden in the shadows, her pale face showed no expression, but her heart was violently shaken. What's going on... what's going on? How, from such a distance, where one can't even see the person's face, could there be such a feeling? Could it be... this female doctor also practiced eye techniques?
Suddenly, a severe headache struck again.
—Possibly caused by overusing eye techniques, leading to mental exhaustion and triggering this chronic headache.
"Tell her... tell her to come over!" he said hoarsely, maintaining his composure.
"Miss!" Green-Er, seeing her attention shift here, couldn't help but shout loudly, "The patient has taken Xiaocheng hostage and wants to see you!"
The woman in purple on the ice stood up slowly, her voice calm, "Come, I'm here."
He was suddenly shaken again — this voice! When he vaguely heard it in his unconsciousness, it was already alarming. Now, in the clear night, as it reached his ears more distinctly, it sent an inexplicable chill into the depths of his heart. What is... what is happening? Could it be that this female doctor... can also use illusionary sound?
He clenched his teeth, suppressing the sound in his throat.
As a killer like him, who started living in life-and-death situations from his teens, always ready to draw a sword and risk his life, he never relaxed for a moment. However, for some reason, this time he had an intense desire, contrary to his usual principles, an uncontrollable urge to walk over and see the face of that female doctor clearly.
He pulled Xiaocheng out of the door, stepping onto the frozen lake, walking towards the center of the ice.
Xue Ziyue watched as this person approached, suddenly feeling a trance. It was the first time she had a clear view of his entire appearance. Indeed... those eyes... with a hint of blue and pure black, unmistakably—
"Take out the Dragon Blood Pearl." He dragged the unconscious Xiaocheng towards her, gritting his teeth as he spoke, "Otherwise, she—"
The words froze in the moment their eyes met.
In that instant, his hand trembled violently again, staring blankly at the person in front of him, unable to look away. It wasn't because the female doctor practiced eye techniques, but because... his eyes... his eyes! It seemed like there was something...
The severe pain in his head spread again, and darkness momentarily enveloped his thoughts.
He heard the woman under the cold moon speak calmly, without joy or anger, "Patients shouldn't wander."
Why... why was it that familiar voice again? Where... where had he heard it before?
His body shook, and his vision began to blur.
His line of sight swayed in confusion, finally moving away from the other's eyes, then aimlessly wandering, ultimately focusing on the ice, suddenly freezing—what was there?
A pale face quietly emerged, floating under the deep blue ice, looking at him.
This, this is—how could he be there? Who... who locked him in here?
His eyes stared in horror at the face under the ice, his body gradually trembling. Suddenly, he couldn't support himself any longer, hugging his head low and groaning, the silver knife in his hand falling onto the ice, emitting a painful and poignant cry.
"Valley Mistress... Valley Mistress!" The maids from a distance exclaimed as they rushed over.
Before, they only saw that person leading Xiaocheng to the opposite side of the Valley Mistress, but not long after, he began to tremble uncontrollably. Finally, he screamed, fell on the ice, rolling and writhing as if there were knives twisting in his head. All the maids admired her: Did the Valley Mistress use some secret technique to instantly subdue this poisonous snake?
However, Xue Ziyue's face also turned pale, and her whole body trembled.
Yes... she saw it clearly this time.
The eyes of this person were so mysterious, with a hint of blue and pure black, containing powerful spiritual energy—clearly the characteristics of the extinct Mo family!
She restrained the man who was screaming in agony, "Quick! Lift him back!"
Why bother saving this person? All the maids felt unwilling as they worked on treating him, but no one dared to disobey the Valley Mistress's orders.
After the Valley Mistress placed him on the bed, she checked his pulse, frowned in contemplation for a long time without speaking.
"All of you, leave first." Xue Ziyue looked at the man on the bed, who kept holding his head and screaming, instructing the maids by her side, "And remember, don't tell Huo Zhanbai in Dongzhi Pavilion about this."
"But..." Lüer was genuinely worried, not willing to leave the Valley Mistress alone with this poisonous snake.
"It's okay." Xue Ziyue said indifferently, "You all go down first. I'll treat him."
"Yes." Frost Red knew the Valley Mistress's temper and quickly pulled Lüer away, giving her a meaningful look. Both maids retreated. After they left, Xue Ziyue stood up, swiftly pulling down the curtains around the room with a swish.
The room suddenly became pitch black, isolating all the moonlight and snowlight.
In the renewed darkness, the man's screams ceased.
She stared blankly, a bitter smile appearing at the corner of her mouth: Was he afraid of light? This person's injuries seemed more severe than Huo Zhanbai's, but he had been resisting treatment without cooperation.
She could have abandoned this patient who was beyond redemption and uncooperative. However, his eyes shocked her—after the massacre of the Mo family twelve years ago, she personally collected the bodies, and now, someone from the Mo family was still alive? Who was this person? How did he survive?
Moreover, although his eyes obviously inherited the characteristics of the Mo family, they seemed subtly different.
That gaze had a curse-like power, making everyone unable to look away with just one glance.
Everything from the past had seemingly faded away, leaving no trace except for the person under the frozen lake. Now, seeing such eyes again felt like everything from the past had returned—there are survivors! In that case, there might be a chance to know the truth about that night twelve years ago, to know what kind of force brutally pushed the Mo family towards death!
She must save him.
Xue Ziyue reached for the back of the man's head, but was instantly pushed away.
In the darkness, he suddenly sat up from the bed, not even opening his eyes. His movements were as swift as a ghost, and he pressed her into a corner, backhand cutting into her throat, breathing rapidly.
However, unable to resist the pain in his head, he only maintained this for a moment before trembling all over, falling to his knees.
She looked at him in shock: Even in such a situation, there was such a strong subconscious counterattack? Did this person undergo some extremely severe training to develop a habit of killing anyone who approached, even if he lost consciousness?
"Ah... Go away... let me go..." The man on the bed muttered, cursing lowly, suddenly using his head to snatch the space, "I want to get out... I want to get out! Let me out!"
Xue Ziyue suddenly froze, some painful sensation pressing against her head. The image of something flashed in her mind.
In the darkness, the same fierce cry echoed in her mind, so familiar yet so distant, repeatedly hitting her—let me out! Let me out!
She suddenly felt a bit painful, pressing against her temples on both sides—
Could it be... him? It's actually him?