On the boundless wilderness, dozens of beast-drawn carriages sped forward.
Behind them rode thousands of cultivators on the backs of gale beasts. The creatures’ galloping hooves kicked up clouds of dust, yet the cultivators on their backs sat steady as rocks, unaffected by the rushing wind around them.
“Cough, cough…”
From one of the beast carriages in the convoy came a faint sound of coughing, carried away quickly by the howling wind.
Despite the noise of the wind, the sharp senses of cultivators easily caught the intermittent coughs drifting in the air. The sound, faint and blood-choked, hinted at someone suffering from a long illness and drew involuntary attention.
“Are you alright?”
Inside the carriage, Ning Yuzhou gently patted the back of the person nestled in his arms. He felt her frail body tense with each cough, and a faint furrow appeared on his brow.
This time, the coughing seemed particularly severe. Wen Qiao covered her mouth with a handkerchief, but despite her efforts, she coughed up blood. The white cloth, stained with streaks of bright red tinged with purple, stood out sharply.
Leaning weakly against Ning Yuzhou, Wen Qiao’s face was pale and wan. The fiery ache in her organs and the sharp pain in her meridians sapped all her strength, leaving her too drained to care about their close posture.
“Open your mouth,” Ning Yuzhou said.
Obediently, Wen Qiao opened her mouth, and he fed her a pill. The medicinal pill dissolved instantly, turning into a soothing liquid that slid down her throat. A gentle spiritual energy spread through her body, slightly easing the searing pain in her organs. The tension in her body gradually eased.
As her body relaxed, her exhaustion deepened, and she grew drowsy.
Ning Yuzhou continued to pat her back softly. “Sleep. I’m here.”
His warm and gentle voice was like a spring breeze, brushing lightly over a pond and soothing her nerves without her even realizing it.
Wen Qiao nestled against him and fell into a deep sleep.
Even in sleep, her brows remained tightly furrowed, a sign of her discomfort.
Ning Yuzhou looked down at her, his gaze lingering on her delicate features. Her already pale complexion now had a faint bluish tint. Her frail figure felt almost weightless in his arms, her breathing so faint it was barely detectable.
After a while, he gently removed the bloodstained handkerchief from her hand and examined it. Then, he took her wrist and pressed his fingers lightly against her pulse to check her condition.
He lowered his gaze, deep in thought, before carefully placing her hand back down.
—
In a nearby carriage, Fifth Prince Ning Pingzhou sat in quiet meditation.
Even on the road, many cultivators wouldn’t relax their vigilance, using the journey as an opportunity to cultivate and meditate.
In the same carriage, Ninth Princess Ning Yaozhu sat beside Ning Pingzhou. She had been irritated all day by the intermittent sound of coughing from the distant carriage.
“If she’s so ill, why didn’t she stay in the city to live a pampered life? Why come along to be a burden?” Ning Yaozhu muttered disdainfully. “I thought it was bad enough that a mortal like Ning Yuzhou was coming. I didn’t expect he’d bring a sickly wife too. Won’t we just end up having to protect them?”
Ning Pingzhou opened his eyes and replied indifferently, “The Shadow Scaled Guard will protect them.”
“Even the Shadow Scaled Guard has its limits! Don’t forget what Lin Tai Hunting Valley is like!”
Lin Tai Hunting Valley was a secret realm located in the northwest of Dongling Kingdom, within Lin Tai Mountain. Its origins were long forgotten, but every three years in mid-May, a glowing entrance would appear when thick fog enveloped the mountain. The valley would remain open for a month before vanishing again when the fog dissipated.
Now controlled by the Ning royal family and a few prominent clans, the valley had become a training ground for young cultivators in Dongling. All cultivators under the age of 25, regardless of their level, were allowed to enter.
Over the years, Lin Tai Hunting Valley had been explored countless times, but the environment within it shifted unpredictably every three years. With this time to regenerate, the valley still offered sufficient resources to make it a prime training ground for young disciples.
However, the valley’s unpredictable nature also made it highly dangerous. Occasionally, cultivators encountered fifth- or sixth-tier beasts capable of ending lives.
Ning Pingzhou remained stoic. Whether Ning Yuzhou survived or not wasn’t their concern.
Ning Yaozhu, lacking her brother’s restraint, continued to seethe. To her, Ning Yuzhou’s presence was an unnecessary burden. A mortal should have the self-awareness to stay in the safety of the capital instead of requiring elite guards to protect him and his ailing wife.
The coughing subsided, and the air grew quiet.
“Do you think she’s coughed herself to death?” Ning Yaozhu quipped, her tone tinged with schadenfreude.
“Don’t say such nonsense,” Ning Pingzhou chastised lightly, changing the subject. “I heard our third brother will also be heading to Lin Tai Hunting Valley.”
“Third Brother?” Ning Yaozhu’s eyes widened in surprise. “He’s out of seclusion? Why didn’t we see him earlier?”
“He didn’t leave with us. He’ll meet us there directly.”
At the mention of Third Prince Ning Zhezou, Ning Pingzhou’s indifferent expression shifted slightly, and Ning Yaozhu grew serious.
Ning Zhezou was the most talented cultivator of their generation in the Ning family, progressing rapidly in his cultivation. This year, the responsibility of leading the Ning family’s disciples into the valley had been entrusted to him.
Although Ning Pingzhou was also exceptionally gifted, Ning Zhezou consistently outshone him. Family competition was fierce, and Ning Pingzhou regarded Ning Zhezou as the rival he must surpass.
Originally, Ning Pingzhou was supposed to lead the group. However, with Ning Zhezou’s emergence from seclusion, Emperor Chenghao assigned him the role instead, much to Ning Yaozhu’s displeasure.
—
That night, as the group set up camp, Ning Yaozhu encountered Wen Mei, one of the Wen sisters. Her expression turned unreadable.
Wen Mei, betrothed to Ning Zhezou, was widely regarded as his ideal cultivation partner. Together, they were expected to achieve extraordinary synergy in their cultivation paths.
Wen Xian approached and greeted Ning Yaozhu with a smile. “Ah Jiu, is your group being led by the Fifth Prince this time?”
Ning Yaozhu’s mood soured, her tone hardening. “I’m not sure. It might be Third Brother.”
“Oh? So the Third Prince has come out of seclusion? How is his cultivation now?”
“Why are you here to ask about my brother?” Ning Yaozhu snapped, her irritation evident.
Sensing the princess’s displeasure, Wen Xian quickly changed the subject, dismissing the idea of visiting Wen Qiao. After much coaxing, she managed to appease Ning Yaozhu’s temper.
—
Wen Qiao awoke late at night to find herself in a tent, lying on soft blankets. The warmth of the bedding shielded her from the cold night air of the wilderness.
Ning Yuzhou sat nearby, reading a book. The moment she stirred, he noticed.
“Are you hungry?” he asked, handing her a cup of medicinal tea.
Still groggy, Wen Qiao instinctively drank the tea, not fully realizing what she was doing. By the time she became more aware, her cheeks reddened in embarrassment.
Ning Yuzhou smiled and brought out a bowl of warm spiritual rice porridge from a food container. “You’ve slept for most of the day. Eat something, then rest some more.”
Though she had little appetite, Wen Qiao forced herself to eat under his watchful gaze.
The next morning, just before dawn, the group resumed their journey. Wen Qiao, still half-asleep, was carried into the beast-drawn carriage. By the time she was fully awake, they had arrived at Lin Tai Mountain.
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