Xu Lin watched Yang Yao coughing nonstop with an indifferent expression. It was exactly the scene he had expected.
“Did you really think it was just a clash of chaotic energy inside your body?”
“What do you mean?”
Yang Yao’s lips were stained with blood. At his reminder, she also felt that something was wrong inside her body.
“The dignified Holy Maiden of the Demon Sect, and she doesn’t even know she’s been poisoned.”
Xu Lin shook his head as he spoke, finding it amusing.
“Acupoint Exposure Needling, to let the poison follow the needles out—never heard of it?”
Yang Yao’s eyes widened in disbelief. Poisoned?
When had that happened? How could she not know?
But as she lowered her head to look closely, she saw that the blood she had coughed up contained faint strands of black hidden within—just as Xu Lin had said.
“It seems the other party wanted to take it step by step, slowly eliminating you. This time, the chaotic energy clashing inside you directly forced out some of the poison hidden in your body, causing it to act early.”
He hadn’t expected so many people wanted the Holy Maiden of the Demon Sect dead. He just didn’t know if it was someone from the righteous path or from within the Demon Sect itself.
Behind them, Xi Ranchen narrowed her eyes, also noticing the scene. She couldn’t help but pay more attention to Xu Lin. She had never discovered the condition on Yang Yao’s body. Now that he had pointed it out in a single sentence, Xi Ranchen’s face took on a frosty expression.
Calming her breath, Xi Ranchen knew that if she pressed for answers now, not even Xu Lin, and probably not even Yang Yao herself, would know what was going on.
“Yao’er, listen to this brat for now. As long as I’m here, he won’t dare to act rashly.”
Xi Ranchen’s words were spoken like that, but Yang Yao still felt an indescribable discomfort looking at Xu Lin. Facing what could be called a past-life enemy, not only did she need his help, but she also had to undress in front of him. She might as well die.
Die? As soon as that thought came, Yang Yao immediately suppressed it, her hands subconsciously gripping the blanket. How could she die? In her past life, she had been defeated by that person. Having been reborn, how could she possibly die?
“So?”
Xu Lin said, completely unconcerned.
“If not, just let me leave.”
Yang Yao remained silent. She shifted her body on the bed to face away from Xu Lin, then slowly undressed. Her shoulders were revealed, reflecting the luster of mutton-fat jade. When her entire back was exposed, Xu Lin clearly saw a green lotus pattern emerging on her skin.
‘Dark Lotus Mysterious Body.’
Xu Lin thought to himself, then quickly calmed down. No mistake, Yang Yao had this constitution. It was also the foundation that allowed her to stand against the protagonist as a villain.
If he had seen this before, he would have definitely recognized her. But unfortunately, it was too late to say anything now.
“Keep staring and I’ll gouge out your eyes.”
Yang Yao closed her eyes as if resigning herself to fate, but her words were still just as fiery.
“Then please pay attention, Holy Maiden.”
The phrase “Holy Maiden” coming out of Xu Lin’s mouth sounded like mockery.
Xu Lin casually picked up a needle and quickly placed it on Yang Yao’s back. From beginning to end, Xi Ranchen kept her eyes fixed on Xu Lin’s gaze. The Demon Sect had never been bound by convention, so she didn’t think Yang Yao was losing much.
Instead, this brat was becoming more and more peculiar. She noticed that the moment Xu Lin drove the needle in, a glint of light flickered in his eyes, as if he could see deeper things ordinary people couldn’t. At this, a faint sneer curled at the corner of her lips.
The silver needle pierced into a key acupoint. Strands of black followed the needle upward, turning into black blood that dripped onto the bed, hissing. The meridians were guided by the needle, and at the same time, the chaotic energy was smoothed out and began to be discharged in an orderly manner.
Moments later, Yang Yao uncontrollably arched her back. Energy that did not belong to her body spread outward, its shockwave sweeping through the room. Xu Lin was nearly knocked back, but he stepped forward and steadied himself.
Seeing this, Xu Lin slapped his palm forward onto the green lotus. All the silver needles flew backward off Yang Yao’s body, clattering to the ground without end. Yang Yao’s arched body relaxed. Though she was still displeased, she found that the uncomfortable sensation in her chest had greatly subsided.
Behind her, Xu Lin let out a small breath and clapped his hands.
“Done.”
“That’s all it took?”
Xi Ranchen crossed her arms, asking knowingly.
“Pretty much. The chaotic energy in her body has been mostly sorted out. She won’t die.” Xu Lin continued. “But there’s still residual poison. Since you, Sect Master, are now aware of this, with your sect’s resources, just feed your Holy Maiden some spiritual pills and elixirs, and it’ll be fine.”
Yang Yao’s poison had been latent, waiting for a certain trigger. The poisoner had put quite some thought into it. What he had just done was only expel the poison that had been forced out by the chaotic energy. The remaining residue would require other methods. But what did that have to do with him?
He was someone trying to break away from the storyline. Leaving the sect was precisely to avoid contact with key characters. If he had known it was Yang Yao, forget about saving her—he would have packed his bags, shouldered the small courtyard he built, and run away on the spot. Who cared about all this?
“Is that so?”
Xi Ranchen smiled, her gaze shifting from Yang Yao, who was putting her clothes back on, back to Xu Lin.
“I wonder, what sect or school does young master hail from, to possess such skills? And I can see that you and Yao’er seem to have some acquaintance. It truly makes me curious.”
She could easily question Yang Yao in detail later, and from Yang Yao’s attitude, she had already roughly guessed some things. But she was more curious to hear Xu Lin’s answer.
Xu Lin clicked his tongue a few times. Compared to Yang Yao, Xi Ranchen gave him an even more uncomfortable and dangerous feeling.
“I am Xu Lin, an idle fellow from the mountains, with no sect or school.”
Hearing Xu Lin’s answer, Yang Yao turned her head in shock. She knew very well the background of this guy. And now he claimed to have no sect?
“I’ve done what I promised. So I’ll take my leave. No need to see me off.”
Xu Lin turned to leave.
Once again, just as Xu Lin was about to step over the threshold, his entire figure was frozen. Behind him came Xi Ranchen’s voice, laced with amusement yet chilling.
“Young master has done us such a great favor. I should properly repay you.”
“That’s… not necessary.”
Xu Lin swallowed hard.
Asking for repayment from someone of the Demon Sect was simply asking for death.
“Also, what I said earlier was: once you’ve healed her, I’ll let you leave.”
Xi Ranchen said mockingly.
“Yao’er still has residual poison in her body. Since young master has such skills, I ask you to see things through. Stay until all the residual poison is eliminated before leaving.”
“You…”
“Young master must be tired from your journey. Rest first.”
Without giving Xu Lin a chance to speak further, Xi Ranchen gave a gentle push, sending a force through the void toward Xu Lin’s back, directly propelling him out of the room.
As Xu Lin reached midair, several figures leaped out from different directions, seized him, and carried him off toward a certain place.
Xu Lin’s person made her intensely curious. No matter what, she couldn’t let him leave easily. Even if there were no residual poison in Yang Yao’s body, Xi Ranchen had never intended to let Xu Lin leave the Sunset Sect alive from the very moment she brought him back.