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Chapter 1181: Misunderstanding
“What?!” Yu Yanluo exclaimed. Her complexion was completely pale. This mine was the Yu clan’s foundation. If it really did collapse, that would be a fatal blow to the Yu clan.
Who knew how much manpower and resources would be needed to clean up such a mine? The worst part was that it would take a lot of time. They might not be able to resume operations within ten years. The Yu clan was already breaking apart. How much longer would they even be able to hold on?
Zu An quickly said, “Let’s hurry and find a safe place so we don’t end up getting buried alive here.”
There was rubble falling all around them. The place wouldn’t last for much longer.
“This way!” Yu Yanluo called out. She quickly calmed down, as she was the one who was the most familiar with the place.
Zu An began to follow her, but suddenly felt that something wasn’t right. When he turned around, he saw that Yan Xuehen hadn’t moved. Instead, she staggered a bit and fell to the ground. Zu An jumped in fright and used Grandgale to rush over and catch her, asking, “What’s wrong?”
Yan Xuehen opened her eyes slightly. When she saw that it was him, she pushed him away in embarrassment, snapping, “I am fine! Let go of me already!”
“You can’t even stand still! What do you mean you’re fine?” Zu An shot back. He naturally didn’t let go of her. He carried her and quickly returned to Yu Yanluo, avoiding several chunks of earth and rocks crashing down from above along the way. Several times, falling debris brushed against their clothes. They might already have been buried underground if they had moved any more slowly.
Yan Xuehen raised her head to look at the man who was carrying her. She was suddenly a bit absentminded as she watched him go through the ordeal in such a sorry state.
Her cultivation was extraordinary, so she had always been the one to protect others. When had anyone else ever come to protect her? This was the first time she had experienced being protected by someone else, and furthermore a man. It really was a strange feeling.
Her cheeks turned a bit red when she thought of that. She looked away awkwardly to avoid seeing him anymore.
…
The group continued for several dozen li. Only then did the shaking gradually weaken.
The cave behind them had already been buried by rocks, but they still felt lingering fear. If they had been a bit slower, they might have been completely buried underneath. If they were at their strongest, Yun Jianyue and Yan Xuehen might have been able to survive. But in their present condition, being buried like that would be nothing short of a death sentence.
“Stone cold woman, how did you end up becoming so weak and delicate?” Yun Jianyue remarked. She noticed that the way out had already been completely sealed. It was hard to say whether they would even be able to return to the surface, so her mood was obviously terrible.
Yan Xuehen was about to reply, but when she opened her small mouth, she suddenly coughed out blood.
Yun Jianyue had been feeling a hint of happiness from seeing her suffer, but when she saw that the blood was black, her expression changed. She asked, “You’ve been poisoned?”
“Just a bit of poison; it is not a big deal…” Yan Xuehen began. Before she could finish her sentence, however, Yun Jianyue had already grabbed her wrist. At any other time, Yan Xuehen definitely wouldn’t let her nemesis check her own pulse. But at that point, she was so weak that she was completely powerless to resist.
Yun Jianyue checked her pulse, and her expression instantly became grave. She cried, “Not a big deal? You’re already half a step away from the gates of hell!”
Zu An and Yu Yanluo jumped in fright, asking, “What’s going on here?!”
Zu An felt that his hands were a bit clammy. He quickly lifted Yan Xuehen up, then lifted his hands to check them. His hands were covered in strangely black-tinged blood. Meanwhile, Yan Xuehen’s once spotlessly white clothes were also covered in bloodstains.
Zu An suddenly recalled how she had saved him from that deathworm. He asked, “Were you hit by the dark light fired from the worm’s mouth?”
Yan Xuehen’s lips were already turning pale. She said indifferently, “Things ended up like this because I was injured. At any other time, that attack would not have hit me no matter how hard it tried.”
Yun Jianyue sneered. “You’re already on the verge of death, and yet you’re still putting on this act. Does everyone from your White Jade Sect care about appearances this much?”
Yan Xuehen wanted to retort, but she didn’t even have enough strength to do that anymore.
“Sigh, it’s all my fault in the end. You were acting weird, but I didn’t notice in time,” Yun Jianyue said, her voice suddenly softening. She didn’t continue arguing either.
Yan Xuehen was a bit surprised. She replied, “Shouldn’t you be happy if I die?”
“Hmph, of course I’d be happy if I killed you in a proper match. What’s there to be happy about seeing you die like this?” Yun Jianyue retorted. She fished out a pill and brought it up to Yan Xuehen’s mouth, saying, “This is an antidote. But that deathworm’s poison has already seeped into your meridians and inner organs. This pill can only buy you a bit more time.”
Yan Xuehen shook her head and said, “Why is there a need to feel happy about birth or fear death? I have already resigned myself and do not fear death, so why should I owe you a favor before I pass on?”
“Stone cold woman, why are you always so pig-headed?” Yan Xuehen gritted her teeth. She really had the urge to grab the woman’s head and slam it against the ground.
Zu An said weakly, “Actually… I can heal you.”
Yan Xuehen didn’t know where she got the strength to do so, but when she heard that, she cried, “No way!”
Yun Jianyue was stunned at first. Then, she rubbed her palms together and exclaimed, “Right! That’s what we should do!”
Didn’t this stone cold woman love to act as if she didn’t feel a thing for the opposite sex? The worst part was that men all believed that! What if they found out that their ice queen goddess had already had her virginity taken by another man, and furthermore the same man who belonged to her disciple?! Her reputation would be done for if such news got out! White Jade Sect’s great prestige would be completely destroyed in an instant.
Yun Jianyue almost laughed out loud when she thought of that scene. This ice-cold woman has fought against me for so many years. I’ve finally won in the end!
Huh? But why do I suddenly not feel that happy at all?
Yan Xuehen immediately knew what Yun Jianyue was thinking when she saw her rival’s strange expression. She was so embarrassed she wanted to die. She really wouldn’t know how to keep living if she were saved by Zu An through that kind of method.
“I do not want you to save me. Hurry and let go of me,” Yan Xuehen said, panicking. She immediately began to struggle, but she was too weak. As a result, her struggles just looked like playful fighting between lovers.
Zu An quickly said, “Don’t get too stirred up, or else the poison might reach your heart.”
“I want the poison to reach my heart!” Yan Xuehen snapped. Her only intention was to die sooner. Otherwise, if Zu An saved her through that method, she would be way too ashamed to continue living!
Zu An was speechless.
Yu Yanluo’s expression was strange. She asked, “Ah Zu, you… can still keep going?”
The two of them had been together for so long. She really was a bit worried about his body. She couldn't help but feel that the situation was a bit strange too; it seemed she would have to share her man with other women. But she discovered that she didn’t have any reason to object. After all, he would be doing it to save someone. Furthermore, Yan Xuehen had been seriously injured for Zu An’s sake.
“I’m okay,” Zu An replied, feeling a bit confused as to why she would ask that.
Yan Xuehen was even more embarrassed when she heard what they were saying.
Yun Jianyue patted Zu An’s shoulder and said, “You really are lucky. Take good care of our great beauty Yan.” Normally, she would have been watching with amusement. But for some reason, she discovered that she wasn’t as happy as she would have expected.
Yan Xuehen’s face was entirely red, as if smoke might just come out of the top of her head. Unfortunately, as her insides stirred uncomfortably, her vision grew blurry. She couldn't even say anything in protest. Her insides felt ice-cold. Could it be that she really couldn’t escape such afate?
Yun Jianyue said unhappily, “Stone cold woman, do you really have to make that kind of an expression? Weren’t you willing just earlier?” Weren’t you the one who suggested that in the first place before? Why are you even complaining?
Yan Xuehen felt incredibly sullen. She had thought she was about to die anyway, so she would save Zu An before she did. That way, the one who had just saved the world wouldn’t die just like that. But now, it turned out that Zu An knew some strange technique. After recovering, he could even heal her!
She had been willing to do that before because she thought she would die, which would just end all her worries. But now, she would still have to face the opinions, of the rest of the world afterward. The thought alone made her shiver.
Zu An said in a strange tone, “Did you all misunderstand something? I said I could save her, but I didn’t say we needed to have a physical relationship.”