Jiang Wang still turned back.

He certainly knew the danger and understood that turning back was a near-certain death.

But regardless, Bai Lian had saved his life, and he couldn’t simply turn away.

He couldn’t pretend not to know her predicament, couldn’t turn a deaf ear.

He cautiously lurked, not daring to reveal a trace of fighting spirit lest he be discovered.

But the battle between Bai Lian and Ji Xuan was terrifying in its power.

He couldn’t even withstand the aftershocks, and retreated again and again, circling around and around.

He was constantly searching for an opportunity, but a battle of this magnitude was indeed beyond his ability to participate.

He shifted through countless positions, searched through numerous angles, but simply couldn’t find an opening.

He held his sword for a long time, yet the sword could not be drawn!

He was waiting, waiting for a world-shattering sword strike, waiting for the possibility of a moment of supreme glory.

But Ji Xuan was not Xiong Wen, nor was Bai Lian overwhelming him, and the peak of the Inner Mansion Realm was incomparable to the Ascending Dragon Realm.

After opening the Heavenly Gate, one realm, one world. These words were not spoken lightly.

To hold one’s sword during such a battle was undoubtedly beneficial.

Crisis tempered the heart, the Dao heart honed the sword.

If he could unleash a single sword strike tonight, the world would be forever changed.

…

After a dazzling array of attacks, suddenly, Bai Lian was blasted away.

And she flew directly over the patch of grass where he was lying prone.

Without time to think, his body moved faster than his thoughts.

He rushed out immediately, catching Bai Lian in his arms.

The sword was not drawn, but he had already executed this “sword strike”!

Amidst the battle of Inner Mansion experts, a young man stepped forward.

*Pfft!*

The moment he made contact with Bai Lian’s body, the remaining force of Ji Xuan’s fist surged forth, tearing through his Dao essence defenses with overwhelming power.

A mouthful of blood sprayed out.

He was thrown back, fell to the ground, and tumbled.

He scrambled to his feet, cradling Bai Lian, and ran frantically.

The Four Spirits Body Refining Technique was operating at full power, replenishing his energy. He had never run so fast.

He heard only the wind, the sound of wind, the howling wind.

He knew he might not escape, but he had to try.

He only knew something had changed behind him when he heard the roar of a giant wave, but he didn’t even dare to stop and look back.

So, he had no idea what had happened behind him.

He didn’t run directly towards Maplewood City, but first ran towards Viewing River City, then veered east, then turned again and again, finally heading north.

Now that he had established two Star River Dao vortexes, his Dao essence was ample, and he could run back to Maplewood City in one go.

But he didn’t, and instead, after clearing his tracks, he randomly darted into a mountain forest.

He didn’t know what had happened that prevented Ji Xuan from immediately pursuing him, giving him precious time. But he was very clear that his speed was far inferior to Ji Xuan’s, and once his whereabouts were exposed, he would be easily caught.

And tonight, anyone running on the road would be an obvious target.

So, he chose to find a place to hide.

He found a mountain cave, brutally beat up its owner – an ordinary black bear – and then Jiang Wang carried Bai Lian into the cave.

But he didn’t kill the black bear, but continued to hold it in the cave, as a disguise.

Only then did he have time to examine Bai Lian’s injuries.

…

The cave was dry. This black bear was quite particular about its living environment.

Carefully placing Bai Lian flat on the ground, Jiang Wang casually conjured a fireball, suspending it in the air for illumination.

The black bear was clearly frightened, but after Jiang Wang glared at it, it obediently sat in place.

Bai Lian had completely lost consciousness. Those soul-stirring eyes were now closed.

Her black robes were torn in many places, revealing glimpses of fair and alluring skin. The black veil covering her face, however, was intact, suggesting it was no ordinary object.

Jiang Wang calmed his heart and focused his mind.

The most serious wound appeared to be on her abdomen, where a circle of flesh was blurred and torn, fragments of clothing intertwined with blood, leaving no intact area to be seen.

The low-grade, middle-class Nurturing Essence Technique was the only healing Dao technique that Jiang Wang knew.

Its principle was simply to gather Wood-elemental Qi to help the injured rejuvenate and promote self-healing.

For Bai Lian’s injuries, it was better than nothing.

But Jiang Wang could only try.

After forming the hand seal, a ball of cyan Qi slowly approached Bai Lian’s abdomen, reacting with her wound.

But a flash of white light appeared, and the ball of cyan Qi silently dissipated.

With Jiang Wang’s level of the Nurturing Essence Technique, he simply couldn’t heal the wounds inflicted by Ji Xuan.

But just as the cyan Qi made contact with Bai Lian, a subtle change occurred.

Jiang Wang’s Azure Dragon Chapter of the Four Spirits Body Refining Technique was complete, making him extremely sensitive to Wood-elemental Qi. He clearly sensed the dissipation of the Nurturing Essence Technique, and he didn’t overlook the change in the black candle within the Palace of Enlightenment at that moment.

That black candle had been lit.

In the Palace of Enlightenment, it ignited spontaneously.

Strangely, Jiang Wang instinctively understood that this black candle could burn for a quarter of an hour, and then it would disappear.

But he didn’t know how it had been lit, or how it should be lit. He didn’t even know how to extinguish it before it burned out.

Everything was confusing.

The only thing he was clear about was that it probably had some connection with Bai Lian.

The black candle extinguished, shortening by a segment.

It had resided in Jiang Wang’s Palace of Enlightenment for a long time, and apart from being缠 (chan –缠绕 to wrap around, entwine. But contextually also means ‘harassed’) by the Dao Meridian True Spirit, it showed no special features. Yet at this moment, it spontaneously ignited and extinguished.

And with that instant of light and fire, a Dao technique appeared in Jiang Wang’s mind.

That instant shouldn’t have shortened so much weight, it must have been because of this Dao technique.

“Flesh regenerates bones, the soul returns to rotten flesh…”

Jiang Wang subconsciously murmured, his right hand unconsciously forming hand seals, until it was enveloped in a layer of white light.

That light should have been a ghastly white rather than a blazing white, and it should have been eerie, but it inexplicably had a sacred feeling.

Covering Bai Lian’s abdomen with this ball of white light, the flesh on her abdomen actually began to wriggle and recover at a visible speed.

Eventually, Bai Lian’s breathing even became calm.

And Jiang Wang didn’t even know where this ball of white light came from, what its principle was, or what power it used.

He only knew the name of this Dao technique in his mind – Flesh Regeneration and Soul Return Technique.

The black candle that suddenly appeared in the Palace of Enlightenment… seemed to be something extraordinary.

Jiang Wang focused on the healing, so he didn’t notice.

Behind him, the black bear had completely shrunk into a ball, trembling violently.

…

When Bai Lian slowly woke up, it was already dawn.

The sunlight even reached into the cave, allowing Bai Lian to clearly see the black bear.

It leaned against the cave wall, sitting very obediently, with its bear paws resting peacefully in front of it, unmoving.

Then she smelled a strange smell, Bai Lian’s gaze shifted, and then she saw Jiang Wang.

He was holding something that might be called a “bowl” and slowly walked towards Bai Lian.

The sunlight shone on his face, and Bai Lian inexplicably felt that he was a bit handsome.

“You’re awake?” Jiang Wang said gently.

“Mm.” Perhaps because she was recovering from serious injuries, Bai Lian’s voice was unexpectedly soft.

“When you were unconscious, you kept calling something ‘rice’.” Jiang Wang explained, holding the thing in his hand: “I thought you were probably hungry. But it’s not convenient to get food now. So, I found some wild vegetables and made you a bowl of soup.”

“Rice…” Bai Lian was stunned: “Made for me…?”

“Ah.” Jiang Wang was a little embarrassed: “My family used to sell medicinal herbs when I was a child, so I can distinguish between medicinal herbs and wild vegetables. Don’t worry, there’s no poison. The bowl is a stone I hollowed out temporarily, and I used Dao techniques to control the fire…”

“Bring it over.” Bai Lian interrupted him.

“Oh.” Jiang Wang approached and handed the bowl of wild vegetable soup to Bai Lian.

Bai Lian勉强 (mian qiang – barely, grudgingly, reluctantly) raised her upper body, took one look, and immediately wanted to lie back down.

The “bowl” was already roughly hewn, at most a stone with a pit. And that soup… if that colorful, viscous liquid could be called soup.

After getting closer, the strange smell was even more terrible…

“Drink it.” Jiang Wang stretched it out again, full of expectation, very sincere.

“No one has ever made soup for me before.” Bai Lian said.

She gritted her teeth and took the “bowl.”

“You’re a patient now, so you should be taken care of.” Jiang Wang said.

Bai Lian couldn’t deny that, ignoring the ugly appearance and the foul smell, this bowl of soup brought her a warmth she had almost never felt before.

Being taken care of…

She had never been taken care of.