Chapter 66

Silently, Qin Feng found himself with an additional person by his side. It was Wei Zhuang, who had blocked the old man surnamed Cao at the Luoying Inn. He looked to be in a good mood, leaning over to gaze at the unconscious Qin Feng, and said with a smile, "Remarkable fellow, without you, they would have won this game. It seems your injuries are quite severe. Well, for this reason alone, I should lend you a hand. A hero should not die so silently."

Wei Zhuang squatted down and reached out to grasp Qin Feng's hand, a steady flow of internal energy slowly entering Qin Feng's body. Sensing the chaotic flow of internal energy within Qin Feng, Wei Zhuang frowned slightly.

The warm internal energy, like water and wind, silently enveloped the chaotic, flame-like internal energy, intending to guide it back to its proper path. However, Wei Zhuang's wrist trembled slightly, and Qin Feng's internal energy, which had been unresponsive, suddenly seemed to sense danger and transformed into thousands of fine steel needles, all piercing towards Wei Zhuang's internal energy.

Like thousands of steel needles piercing through fabric, a series of tearing sounds continuously rang out. Wei Zhuang's expression hardened, and he slightly increased his force, shattering each of the incoming needles.

"Most peculiar!" Wei Zhuang released his hand and looked at the unconscious Qin Feng, repeating, "Most peculiar." He placed two fingers on Qin Feng's pulse, held his breath to diagnose for a moment, and then shook his head repeatedly.

"This is truly... The old man's first act of kindness, and it turns out to be a misstep, a misplaced gesture. Alas, no one can save you now!" Wei Zhuang said regretfully. "To think there is such an unconventional method of internal energy cultivation, and you have even reached this level? But no, how can your meridians be so wide, storing so much internal energy? Ah, yes, it seems you encountered an extraordinary doctor. Unfortunately, if you had met me first instead of this doctor, there might still be hope. Now, even the gods descending from heaven would be powerless."

Wei Zhuang continued to mutter to himself, "The old man's first attempt at saving someone, and it ends in failure. Truly shameful, it seems I am not cut out for this!"

The old man paced around the spot, "But since I have extended my hand, I cannot let you die in front of me; I cannot afford to lose face. I will at least extend your life for a few more years, as a reward for your efforts in escorting Princess Zhao Hua along the way."

He lifted Qin Feng from the ground, placed his palm on the top of his head, took a deep breath, and a steady flow of internal energy, like a gushing spring, continuously entered Qin Feng's body, enveloping and wrapping the fiery internal energy, then guiding it back into the meridians. After a while, Wei Zhuang released his hand, and Qin Feng, boneless, collapsed to the ground. However, the fiery red on his face gradually faded, and though his breathing was faint, it was no longer as erratic as before.

"Pity, pity. Such a valiant warrior, a loyal soldier, who should have shone on the battlefield, becoming the brightest star in the anti-Qi camp, is now to die young." Wei Zhuang stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the fallen Qin Feng, shaking his head in sorrow.

At the foot of the mountain, by the city gate, dozens of horses galloped towards the mountain, their hooves pounding the ground with a rumbling sound. Wei Zhuang smiled slightly, turned, and took a step, vanishing from the mountaintop.

Leading the charge was Princess Zhao Hua, Min Ruoxi. Though she was nearly exhausted, she still summoned her last bit of strength, gripping the horse's head tightly with both hands, "Faster, faster!" Her toes continuously tapped the horse's belly, and the horse darted through the forest, causing those following behind to worry greatly.

She knew she was safe. Once she appeared in Luoying County and revealed her identity to the public, she would immediately transform from a fugitive pursued by the Qi people to a noble whom the Qi people must protect. But Qin Feng, is he still alive? A thick shadow loomed in her heart, yet she clung to a glimmer of hope. What if?

The mountain path was steep, and the horses could no longer move forward. Leaping from the saddle, Min Ruoxi bounded up the mountain, stepping on the treetops.

"Princess, be careful!" Behind her, the fat innkeeper from Luoying County, who had once exhibited a terrifying agility, caught up with Min Ruoxi in just a few leaps, carefully following a step behind her.

The fat innkeeper's agility left the Luoying County constables, who were further back, pale-faced. They recalled how, in the past, they had repeatedly extorted this seemingly weak and helpless fat man, taken advantage of him, and even harassed his family. Seeing this scene now, they realized that each time they did these things, they were actually hovering at the gates of hell, and a single move from this fat man could have killed them many times over.

"Qin Feng!" Upon reaching the mountaintop, Min Ruoxi let out a scream upon seeing Qin Feng lying quietly on the ground. She flew to his side, fell to her knees, and carefully lifted his head. Qin Feng was covered in wounds and blood, a terrifying sight.

Min Ruoxi began to sob, not bothering to check if Qin Feng was still alive, as she subconsciously believed he had no chance of survival.

Holding Qin Feng's head tightly in her arms, Min Ruoxi sat on the ground, weeping loudly. The fat innkeeper watched this scene awkwardly, turning away to look down the mountain, avoiding the heart-wrenching yet thought-provoking sight behind him.

Qin Feng felt as if he were in a dream. Rain was falling from the sky, continuously landing on his head and face, but the rain was warm. His body was completely unresponsive, yet he felt as if he were lying on a pile of cotton, soft and extremely comfortable. The air was filled with a faint fragrance, continuously wafting into his mind through his nostrils.

Just that his breathing was somewhat difficult.

He slowly opened his heavy eyelids, and all he saw was a pale moonlight, nothing else. Rolling his eyes upward, he still saw only the pale moonlight, something blocking his view. Then, he heard a steady heartbeat, coming from within the pale moonlight.

Sensation slowly returned to his body, and after a long period of stagnation, his thoughts finally returned to his mind. He seemed to be held by someone. The crying, so familiar!

His eyes widened suddenly, and he immediately understood his current situation. Min Ruoxi was holding his head, and his head was now in a very private area of hers, no wonder it felt so soft and fragrant.

Move, or not move? That was the question. Min Ruoxi thought he was dead, and holding a dead person was not a problem, but if he was alive, it was a big problem.

If she knew he was still alive, would she think he was deliberately taking advantage of her? Would she simply finish him off, making him truly dead?

A rough soldier, a stinky man who was a stranger not long ago! Qin Feng thought to himself. On this journey, whenever he cursed, the princess's retorts were always these two words. The noble princess, truly not very good at cursing! Unlike himself, who could curse her until she blinked in confusion, not understanding a thing.

The crying grew louder, and the hands holding his head tightened, burying his head deeper into the high, soft peaks, making it hard to breathe.

Qin Feng struggled to raise his left hand, which he could still move, inch by inch, until it reached in front of the sobbing Min Ruoxi.

Min Ruoxi felt as if she were having a hallucination. A dirty, black, blood-stained hand was waving in front of her. She extended her hand, slowly grasping it, and then let out a deafening scream.

The scream was so loud that it made the fat innkeeper turn his head sharply.