Chapter 6, Mutual Support in the Wilderness

An unprecedented fear gripped him, and he dared not think; if that radiant smile and starry eyes of Ruowei were no longer present, then what in this world would still be worth his attachment

He still held her tightly in his arms, but both she and he knew that everything seemed to have come to an end. The most beautiful entanglement and intoxicating passion between lovers would, on this night, or perhaps for the rest of their lives, never occur between them.

Abandoning the horse and relying on excellent lightness of skill, it took considerable effort to finally reach the mountain summit

Galloping on horseback, swift as an arrow and a shuttle, Xu Bin's heart was filled with mixed emotions, where amidst the bitterness, there was a rare hint of sweetness

"Silly girl! Why do you have to go through this?" Xu Bin's voice trembled slightly.

In a grove not far from the mountain peak, he discovered traces. It was a wounded wild boar gasping for breath on the ground, appearing to be on the verge of death. Its head had been struck heavily by a blade; although it did not die on the spot, the blood that flowed had already spread for several meters, seemingly having passed one or two hours. The bloodstains in the grass had been washed away by the rain, making them less distinct, yet the scent of blood lingering in the air remained strikingly clear

She is indeed the woman worthy of dedicating one's life to

As a result, Xu Bin could no longer hold back and finally shouted with a strained face: "No. Do you still want to feed the pigs with your body?"

In the midst of the contradiction, she simply closed her eyes tightly, slightly furrowing her beautiful willow-like brows, with worry and sorrow woven across her face, a slight tremor revealing her emotions

I will look for it with you. Although Ruo Wei scrutinized his expression and noticed that he appeared quite displeased, it was not to the extent that it would instill fear, so she spoke up.

The disheveled beauty nestled in his arms, recounting everything that had just transpired in a storytelling manner. In her frantic escape from the crazed pursuit of an injured wild boar, she had stumbled blindly and fallen into this animal trap, unexpectedly turning misfortune into fortune, thus evading a calamity

But he quickly shook his head, saying it would not happen

So, what other possibilities are there

It was desire, or was it fear, she did not know

The situation of such danger, such separation, and everything being beyond control left Xu Bin feeling extremely terrified

If Wei! '' Xu Bin's voice was filled with a cry, it seemed that from the moment he was born until now, this was his first conscious cry. Out of fear, an endless terror tightly enveloped him, causing this man, who had always been calm and unflappable, to feel his heart racing and to be in a state of panic and confusion.

As long as she could honestly exist within his line of sight. That was all he asked for; his demands had never been high. Yet now, he almost lost her. Xu Bin's emotions spiraled out of control; he loathed Ruo Wei even more, and he hated himself even more. He could not allow such negligence, such an accident.

How? Xu Bin's hand had just reached out when Ruo Wei dodged away, "It's nothing, I just got scratched by a pig's trotter. Just wait until I go back and make it into soup!"

Xu Bin's expression was as dark as the sky outside, and with a slight exertion of his hand, the sound of fabric tearing suddenly echoed. Before Wei could comprehend the situation, her shoulders and back were already exposed before him

Xu Bin, were you born specifically for me? I often wonder if perhaps in a past life you owed me something. Is that why you are protecting me so closely in this life? This must be a form of repayment, right? It must be so, right? She murmured softly, her expression somewhat bewildered, like a lost child, and the look of panic on her face made one feel a sense of compassion.

If Wei only felt a slight soreness in her nose, she suddenly instinctively threw herself into Xu Bin's arms. This unexpected action left Xu Bin greatly astonished, and he gently caressed the beauty in his embrace, asking, "Is it very painful? Unfortunately, I didn't bring any pain relief pills."

Yet the trap was dark and cold, with walls as smooth as if carved by a knife, making it impossible for her to climb out. Just as she was beginning to think that there was no hope for her in this life, the sky opened up and a torrential rain began to fall. The sound of raindrops hitting the leaves and the grass mingled with the howls of ghosts and the roars of beasts, nearly driving her to the brink of madness

She has never resisted

Yes. He slightly lowered his head, motionless, gazing at her. After a moment, he became frantic.

Xu Bin immediately jumped up, recalling the venomous python he encountered the first time he came here and the faint sounds of wild beasts.

That... if Ruowei is aware of her own fault, then is it dangerous to look for Xianluye? It is raining outside now, and it is dark. Can it be found?

Xu Bin leaned against the trunk of the tea king tree, which was two zhang wide, reminding himself to remain calm. He needed to sort out his thoughts. What was the most likely danger she would encounter when climbing the mountain late at night? Could she possibly slip and fall into the ravine? ... She had always been reckless, and this mountain was so steep and perilous that a moment's carelessness could lead to a fall...

At the summit, the legendary Tea King tree stands proudly, while the surroundings are shrouded in darkness. There is no need to call out or light a torch; with his exceptional eyesight and hearing, he knows that she is not at the top of the mountain

Holding tightly onto the trembling figure, Xu Bin's tears mingled with the rain as they dripped into her beautiful hair. This woman, whether he loved or hated her, Xu Bin himself could not clarify. At this moment, he truly wanted to give her a good beating, or simply seal her acupoints, never to release them for a lifetime, rendering her incapable of walking or speaking, motionless like a puppet, or just like the painting that had accompanied him for over two thousand days and nights.

However, upon reaching the foot of the mountain, Xu Bin's heart instantly ignited with fervor. Riding through the rain, he hurried along the road, feeling anxious to reach his destination. While traveling on the official road, he did not sense much difficulty, but once he entered the mountains and arrived at the foot, he discovered that the already challenging mountain path had become a muddy expanse, with no trace of a road remaining.

This mountain is an unguarded wilderness, densely forested. Even if one intentionally rolls down, they will not go far before being caught by the branches and will not fall directly. Moreover, on one side is a steep cliff and deep ravine, while on the other flows the Yangtze River. The more perilous it is, the more cautious she should be.

Just consider it as repaying a debt! Xu Bin knew that this would put her at ease somewhat. He let out a faint sigh; how could he possibly clarify the entanglement between them? Just as he was about to pull her to sit on a large rock to rest, Xu Bin suddenly noticed her shoulder. Although the night was dark and her clothing was deep blue, he still caught sight of it.

Xu Bin tightened his face, applying a thick layer of the medicine he carried with him, then tore off a piece of cloth from his inner robe that had not yet been soaked and wrapped it around her left shoulder, immediately glaring at her as if she were an enemy

Amidst the quiet of the night, mingled with the incessant rain, there is an extraordinary desolation

With a leap, he firmly encircled her in his embrace

His mind was blank, teetering on the edge of despair. A faint sound pulled him back from the brink of hopelessness. Following that subtle noise, he discovered a cave not far from where he was. To be precise, it was not a cave, but rather a trap set by hunters to ensnare large beasts such as wild boars and leopards.

Thus, she cried, feeling wronged, shy, and with tears of unknown purpose flowing endlessly. She did not want her imperfections and incompleteness to be exposed before him, for in her eyes, he was beautiful, perfect, incomparable, and it was precisely for this reason that she felt it was unreal

She unexpectedly left the palace at night to come to his residence and then hurried to Black Maple Mountain. This indicates that in her heart, she does not see herself as an inconsequential guardian who only appears in times of crisis. She has finally realized that for her own sake, she is capable of taking such unconventional actions, thus, there is no need for further words.

You ... ... '' If she is both shy and embarrassed, it is not because of the difference between men and women, but because that once beautiful fragrant shoulder now looks as ugly as a piece of rotten meat on a cutting board, blood and flesh blurred, with claw marks grotesque.

Ruo Wei! He finally could no longer remain calm. He ran, employing his exceptional lightness skill to carefully patrol the small path at the mountain top, "Ruo Wei, where are you?"

The branches and grass used for concealment had been torn away in large chunks, and by the light of the moon, Xu Bin saw the figure curled up beneath.

"I won't go anywhere, let's just find a fairy dew leaf together. Is that alright?" She seemed to be pleading, but what exactly was she pleading for? What was it that she wanted to grasp? Perhaps even she herself could not clarify.

Then, where is she

Under a tree just a few zhang away from the wild boar, Xu Bin discovered a shoe

Each call resonates like a lament

Xu Bin's gaze fell upon Ruo Wei's shoulder, and his pair of eyes became clouded with mist, his handsome brows tightly knitted together, revealing an indescribable expression of sorrow.

The passionate kiss, devoid of any tenderness, domineeringly sealed her delicate lips. His arms tightly encircled her, allowing no room for resistance or escape.

The finest materials, meticulous craftsmanship, and most importantly, the men's palace boots, yet they are designed to be so delicate in appearance

Xu Bin looked at her with a very pitiful expression, revealing a hint of cautious anxiety, and his heart softened: "The Xianlu Ye and the Millennium Tea King Tree grow together; wherever there is a Tea King Tree, there must be Xianlu Ye within a hundred steps. However, the growth period of Xianlu Ye is relatively short, and only the new leaves after the rain can be used for medicine. Currently, there is a heavy rain, and before dawn, new leaves should sprout. Don't worry, but is the wound very painful? How could that beast have clawed you so fiercely?"

Thus, after a kiss that seemed to last an eternity, his passion receded like the tide

I will first escort you down the mountain, where there are people living. You need to dry your wet clothes and have a warm cup of tea to warm yourself. I still have to search for the fairy dew leaves on the mountain.

It is a palace boot

However, Xu Bin knows

Yet she chose this moment to challenge his already crumbling limits, her face covered in dust, yet unable to conceal her brilliance. A beauty in distress always evokes deep sympathy. With a pair of beautiful eyes, slightly playful in expression, she gently pushed him away, "I knew it all along, you could never bear to let me die."