Chapter 10, Adversity

After a few days of interaction, unconsciously, Gongsun Yan has developed deep feelings for Fang Tian. However, due to the presence of Hai Mingyue, Fang Tian has always maintained a polite distance from her, forcing her to put on a brave face in front of Hai Mingyue and bury her feelings deep within her heart. Yet, every time she sees the tender and affectionate moments between Fang Tian and Hai Mingyue, her heart twists in anguish, leaving her unable to sleep at night

To speak frankly, Gongsun Yan's grilling skills were somewhat lacking; Fang Tian found it barely palatable, yet he wore a cheerful expression and repeatedly praised the dish as delicious. Gongsun Yan was even more delighted, and the atmosphere gradually became more harmonious. Fang Tian had already taken to calling Gongsun Yan "Yan Mei" or simply "Yan Er." Gongsun Yan felt even happier in her heart, sensing that this was the most enjoyable meal she had ever had, and that the fish she grilled was truly unparalleled in taste.

Until the sun set in the west, Gongsun Yan had just awakened from his meditation, and his internal energy had already recovered by more than 40%. Gongsun Yan felt greatly satisfied

As night was approaching, Gongsun Yan hurriedly ate a few wild fruits. She then began to worry about where she would stay for the night

After several days of continuous practice, his skills still showed no improvement, and his dantian felt completely empty. "Could it be that I will never be able to practice martial arts again?" Fang Tian thought to himself, yet he was unwilling to give up even a glimmer of hope

In the current situation, even with all her wisdom, Gongsun Yan could not think of any solution. In her anxiety, she stood up to look around.

At this time, the sky was already bright, and the valley was eerily quiet; there were no signs of human presence, nor even the slightest trace of animals. Only the sounds of birds could be heard, calling to each other from afar. Looking up, one could see the clouds and mist swirling, obscuring the top of the cliff. Gazing downstream, there was a deep pool, the water's surface appearing calm, while the river meandered downwards, making a sharp turn and disappearing into a thicket on the other side.

Gongsun Yan opened her eyes, momentarily bewildered, unsure of her surroundings. Suddenly, she regained her senses and recalled the bloody and terrifying scene from last night

Although there was no one in the valley, Gongsun Yan was only wearing her undergarments, her entire body exposed before Fang Tian. Even though Fang Tian was unaware, she still felt her heart racing like a frightened deer, completely at a loss as to where to place her hands and feet. However, at this point, Fang Tian was already suffering from injuries, relying solely on herself for care. If she were to fall ill as well, what would she do? Despite feeling deeply ashamed, she had no choice but to remove her wet clothes. It seemed that if it were not for her inability to channel her internal energy, it would not be difficult to dry the wet clothes with a simple application of her internal power. But now... even though she felt deeply ashamed, she could only take off her wet clothes. It seemed that if it were not for her inability to channel her internal energy, it would not be difficult to dry the wet clothes with a simple application of her internal power. But now...

Gongsun Yan, in a state of anxiety, finally dried the wet clothes and hurriedly put them on, also dressing Fang Tian. Fang Tian remained unconscious throughout, and although Gongsun Yan felt she had narrowly escaped an embarrassing situation, her heart was devoid of joy, instead revealing a sense of loss.

Affected by the true energy transmitted by Gongsun Yan, Fang Tian's complexion improved significantly, and he fell into a deep sleep. Gongsun Yan walked to the cave entrance, started a fire, and then sat cross-legged, keeping watch over Fang Tian.

Fang Tian lay motionless not far from her. Gongsun Yan let out a startled cry and struggled to approach Fang Tian. However, she found that Fang Tian remained as he was yesterday, in a deep coma, his complexion even paler. She laboriously lifted him from the water's surface, only to see that the sword wound on Fang Tian's back had turned white from being soaked in the pond water, and was now turned upwards, looking truly alarming

In the glow of the fire, Gongsun Yan felt exceptionally uncomfortable in her wet clothes. After hesitating for a long time, she resolutely took off her wet garments and, along with Fang Tian's clothes, washed them by the water's edge and brought them to the fire to dry.

In just a few days, time has passed swiftly, and the lives of the two have not been lonely. Gongsun Yan's martial arts skills have fully recovered, yet she still cannot find a way out of this deep valley. Fang Tian is now able to move around, but he has been unable to utilize his internal energy. However, with Gongsun Yan by his side, all his worries have dissipated.

Did she really want him to see her in such disarray? Gongsun Yan dared not think further. She hurriedly shifted her focus, only to realize that she was already extremely hungry. In the midst of the earlier chaos, she had not felt the pangs of hunger, but now that her mind was somewhat settled, she felt a sudden urgency of hunger.

Gongsun Yan cheerfully said, "Elder brother, I have also grilled some fish, let me bring it to you!" Unconsciously, Gongsun Yan had already changed her way of addressing him, and Fang Tian did not find it particularly abrupt. It seems that through this ordeal, their relationship had significantly progressed.

In front of her was a small pool of water, with a swift current flowing vigorously. As she looked around, she saw towering cliffs on all sides. In the middle, there was a winding and narrow gorge, but the pool of water was peculiar; surprisingly, Gongsun Yan could not discern where the source was or where it flowed to. However, judging by the rapidity of the water, it was evidently a stream of living water

Fang Tian let out a soft sigh and weakly asked, "Gongsun... Miss, what kind of place is this compared to a library?" Upon hearing Fang Tian's address, Gongsun Yan realized that she had appeared overly familiar. She couldn't help but blush, shyly opening her hand.

"Senior Brother, you are awake!" Gongsun Yan exclaimed in delight as she rushed over and excitedly grasped Fang Tian's hand

At present, sitting cross-legged and practicing the Yin-Yang divine skill for a long time, there is still no sign of progress

In this meal, both individuals were thoroughly satisfied. After the meal, Gongsun Yan assisted Fang Tianyun with his exercises for a while. Fang Tian's complexion improved significantly.

When Gongsun Yan unfastened Fang Tian's clothing, revealing the robust physique of a man, she could not help but feel her face flush deeply, her hands trembling slightly. Fortunately, the valley was deserted, and Fang Tian was still unconscious, which allowed Gongsun Yan to feel somewhat reassured.

Uncertain how much time had passed, Gongsun Yan finally awakened from her fanciful thoughts. At that moment, she suddenly realized that Fang Tian was still ill, and instead of thinking of a solution, she had let her mind wander aimlessly. Her face flushed with shame, and her heart was filled with deep remorse, as she silently reproached herself, wondering where her usual calmness and wisdom had gone.

When she finished baking the fresh fish and walked into the cave, she was pleasantly surprised to find that Fang Tian had already woken up

In her urgency, Gongsun Yan could not find a place to rest. Moreover, her limbs ached, and her dantian felt completely empty, likely due to excessive exertion the previous day. In her haste, it was difficult for her to recover her strength.

Fang Tian was taken aback. There were actually outsiders in this valley!

***

The birdsong in the mountains awakened Gongsun Yan

Between haste and slowness, Gongsun Yan had already circled around the valley but found no way out. She also did not encounter any wild animals like hares, leading her to believe that this was a desolate place where even beasts could not survive. Fortunately, she found some wild fruits, tasted one herself; although it was not palatable, it was still edible. She ate a lot, and with something in her stomach, her anxiety subsided. She picked some more, brought them back, squeezed out the juice, and fed it to Fang Tian. Fortunately, she found some wild fruits, tasted one herself; although it was not palatable, it was still edible. She ate a lot, and with something in her stomach, her anxiety subsided. She picked some more, brought them back, squeezed out the juice, and fed it to Fang Tian.

Fang Tian then understood the situation and couldn't help but look at Gongsun Yan with gratitude, hesitating and unsure of how to begin speaking.

The sky has turned completely dark, and there is no moon tonight. In the valley, mist swirls, with only the occasional glimmer of starlight piercing through the fog, revealing a partially concealed veil. The valley is lifeless, and as the night wind blows, it chills the heart. Amidst the flickering firelight, shadows move ominously in the darkness of the valley, creating an eerie atmosphere. Although Gongsun Yan is a top female hero in the martial world, she is still merely a girl of about ten or eleven years old, and upon witnessing this dark night, she cannot help but feel afraid.

A wave of intense pain surged through Fang Tian, causing him to cough violently. Gongsun Yan, having set aside her embarrassment, grasped Fang Tian's hand and transmitted a surge of internal energy into him. After one complete cycle, Fang Tian finally began to calm down

At this moment, Gongsun Yan had slightly regained some strength, so she got up to look for something to eat

Efforts do not betray those who are determined. Gongsun Yan finally found a cave, which was quite spacious and relatively clean. Overjoyed, he quickly carried Fang Tian into the cave and sat down cross-legged, placing his hand against Fang Tian's back heart point. He began to circulate his energy, and after completing thirty-six cycles of energy flow within Fang Tian's body, it was already completely dark outside.

Gongsun Yan's thoughts became increasingly chaotic, and for a moment, she found herself in a daze, with the image of Fang Tian constantly flashing in her mind, while the shadow of Hai Mingyue occasionally intruded to create further disturbance

According to Gongsun Yan's account, those two individuals seemed to be the same as the two who had tested each other on the street. It was evident that these two were sent by his master, Hai Shibo, to secretly protect Hai Mingyue. He had not expected that these two would be members of his sect. However, upon further reflection, he found it understandable. Apart from the direct disciples, his sect also had many individuals from the martial world who had joined. In this regard, the Xuanxin Sect somewhat resembled a martial arts guild. It is not easy to discern whether someone belongs to the Xuanxin Sect solely based on their martial skills.

Gongsun Yan looked at the valley, realizing there was no way out, and felt a surge of despair. He thought to himself, "Am I really going to die here?" In that moment, memories of his parents, grandfather, uncles, brothers, master, and senior sister flooded his mind. "Will they miss me?" His heart sank; they would never expect that I would die here. In the blink of an eye, he gazed at the sky, lost in a daze.

Gongsun Yan carefully examined herself and realized that half of her body was still submerged in water. She moved her limbs slightly; although her entire body was in great pain, fortunately, no additional injuries had been sustained. A sense of urgency gripped her heart as she softly called out, "Where is Brother Fang?" An inexplicable force surged within her, enabling her to sit up, and only then did she become aware of her situation.

Seeing that Fang Tian had not woken up, Gongsun Yan patted her chest, stuck out her tongue, and for a moment appeared infinitely bashful. She tiptoed out of the cave and went to the water's edge to wash up.

However, Gongsun Yan had never done such a thing. By the time she finally succeeded in catching two plump fresh fish and books, she had already exhausted a great deal of her energy

However, Fang Tian trembled slightly but did not awaken; instead, an unusual redness appeared on his face, and he felt extremely hot to the touch. Gongsun Yan was greatly troubled, thinking that Fang Tian had sustained serious injuries and had been submerged in water for an entire night, which had caused him to fall ill. This situation left Gongsun Yan scratching his head, as there were no doctors or medicine available; what could be done about this?

For a moment, Gongsun Yan fell into a daze. "If I can die together with the one I love, I should be content, right? Fang Tian, do you like the idea of being buried together with me?" As soon as she thought of Fang Tian's feelings, the image of Hai Mingyue emerged, and Gongsun Yan couldn't help but feel a deep sense of guilt. Hai Mingyue was innocent and lively, and she genuinely cherished this lovely little sister in her heart, but...

For a moment, Fang Tian felt troubled and confused. He shook his head vigorously, trying to cast aside those annoying problems, and focused on his own skills.

Gongsun Yan opened her eyes and realized that she was tightly embracing Fang Tian, nestled beside him. She couldn't help but feel a deep embarrassment, her sleepiness completely dissipated. She immediately sprang up and stole a glance; Fang Tian was still soundly asleep, though his breathing had become steady, suggesting that her true energy treatment from yesterday had yielded some effect

After a long while, she finally calmed her mind. She thought about first restoring her own powers before going to save Fang Tian. At that moment, she sat cross-legged beside Fang Tian, silently practicing the sect's mental techniques, and for a time, she was completely absorbed in her practice, forgetting both herself and the world around her

Gongsun Yan went to the woods again to gather wild fruits. Only Fang Tian sat in front of the cave, lost in thoughts of Gongsun Yan's tenderness, feeling greatly troubled. On one hand, he could not let go of Hai Mingyue; on the other hand, faced with Gongsun Yan's affections, he truly did not know what to do. After going through this ordeal together, it would be a lie to say that Fang Tian had no feelings for Gongsun Yan. Not to mention Gongsun Yan's unparalleled beauty, just her gentleness alone made it impossible for Fang Tian to part with her, nor did he wish to give her up.

In this way, the two of them relaxed and no longer faced the awkward situation

Gongsun Yan quietly informed Fang Tian of everything that had transpired

In recent days, only the two of them remained in the valley, and their feelings for each other had significantly deepened. Although neither had explicitly stated it, they both understood each other's affections. However, the shadow of Hai Mingyue always loomed between them. Fang Tian learned from Gongsun Yan that Hai Mingyue had already been rescued, and only then did a heavy burden lift from his heart, leaving him feeling exceptionally at ease

Gongsun Yan saw Fang Tian gazing at her, and felt a deep sense of shame in her heart. She could not help but lower her head, overwhelmed by a moment of boundless shyness

"... ... Miss, thank you... ..." Fang Tian finally spoke up. Gongsun Yan, seeing Fang Tian being so polite, couldn't help but roll her eyes at him, momentarily exuding a myriad of charms, leaving Fang Tian in a daze. Gongsun Yan also stood there, stunned.

Sighing, Gongsun Yan took a deep breath, trying to conceal her embarrassment, yet her gaze remained fixed on Fang Tian's face, fearing that he might suddenly awaken and see her in such a state, which would truly make it difficult for her to face him.

Seeing that Fang Tian was still wearing wet clothes, it was impossible to dry them in a short time. Gongsun Yan, enduring the pain, went to the nearby woods to gather some dry twigs and started a fire by the water's edge. He removed Fang Tian's wet clothes to allow them to dry properly

She gradually moved closer, until she was pressed against Fang Tian. Although Fang Tian did not awaken, Gongsun Yan felt a sense of calm in her heart. In the deep night, Gongsun Yan gradually fell asleep.

She was originally the young lady of a prestigious family, pampered since childhood. When she entered the sect, she was the only junior sister, and not only her master but also the senior sisters were very fond of her, never allowing her to handle any chores. Now, suddenly, she finds herself in the wilderness, having to take care of everything on her own, which is truly a challenge for her, especially since she also has to care for Fang Tian, who is ill.

After finishing her washing, Gongsun Yan stood up, only to suddenly discover that there were fish in the water! She couldn't help but feel overjoyed. At this moment, Gongsun Yan's martial arts skills had already recovered about 70 to 80 percent, so catching a few fish was not a problem.

It was this sharp bend that caused Gongsun Yan and the other person to be thrown onto the riverbank, blocked by the jagged rocks, thus avoiding being submerged in the water and drowning. Now, the two are situated next to that sharp bend, with Gongsun Yan struggling to carry Fang Tian to the base of the nearby cliff

A warm ray of sunlight shone on Gongsun Yan's face, awakening her.

It turned out that yesterday, Gongsun Yan was forced to jump off a cliff, but fortunately landed in the water, which saved both of them from disaster. The pool of water originally originated from an underground river at the base of a cliff on one side, made a sharp turn in the valley, and flowed towards another cave entrance, winding through the mountains, eventually emerging downstream as a rapid stream that poured into the great river.

At that moment, a voice came through: "Are you practicing the Yin-Yang Divine Skill, young benefactor?"

Fang Tian still had not awakened, and the situation was evidently worsening. Gongsun Yan could not help but feel extremely anxious, yet being trapped in such a dire predicament, there seemed to be no way out.