Chapter 20

Chu Huan thought that Su Linlang didn't understand why he ate in such a manner, and explained, "Food is the best gift bestowed upon us by heaven. Without food, none of us could survive. Therefore, when we have food, we should cherish it, transforming it completely into our strength. Chewing slowly can better absorb the nutrients in the food!"

Su Linlang hummed in response, then asked softly, "You... how did you untie the ropes in that ancient temple? How could you have such skills?"

This was a question that had been on her mind all along. To her, Chu Huan's ability to untie the ropes was nothing short of a miracle.

Chu Huan thought for a moment and smiled, "Actually, it's not that difficult. There are only twelve ways to tie someone up: the fish-dragon knot, the myriad-flower knot, the triple-knot, the double-loop knot... If you know how they are tied, as long as your ten fingers are not severed, you can find a way to untie them. However, to become proficient at untying ropes, you need to put in a lot of hard work." He seemed reluctant to talk more and said, "You've been very tired these past two days, and you lost blood today. You need to rest well." He paused and added, "Even if your injuries heal quickly, it will take three to five days before you can get up..."

Su Linlang frowned and said, "Do we... have to stay here for three to five days?"

"Unfortunately, that's the case," Chu Huan sighed. "I also want to leave as soon as possible, but your leg must heal. Even if it doesn't fully recover, you need to be able to walk. Otherwise, if you force yourself to move, you might damage the muscles and bones inside, and it will be hard to recover in the future!"

Su Linlang's face showed annoyance, "But I have many things to take care of at home..."

She realized that saying this was futile and sighed, looking helpless.

"After dawn, I'll go look for some herbs. If I'm lucky, I might be able to help you stand up sooner!" Chu Huan put the last piece of meat in his mouth, chewed, and swallowed. He then got up, went out, and brought in the wolf skin he had skinned, handing it to Su Linlang, "It will be cold at night. Cover yourself with this, and you'll be much warmer!"

Seeing the wolf skin, Su Linlang thought of the ferocious wolf and hesitated to take it. Chu Huan chuckled, said nothing more, and placed the wolf skin beside her. He walked to the other side of the fire, lay down with his back to Su Linlang, and used the gray bundle as a pillow.

Su Linlang looked at Chu Huan's back, lost in thought. She was very tired and leaned against the stone wall, thinking about home. At first, she found it hard to fall asleep, but soon, drowsiness overcame her, and she drifted off to sleep.

...

...

When Su Linlang woke up the next day, the cave entrance was bright, and she didn't know what time it was. She felt something furry and was startled. Looking down, she saw the furry wolf skin covering her. No wonder she didn't feel cold all night.

The fire in the cave had long since gone out. Su Linlang turned her head but didn't see Chu Huan. She was startled and quickly lifted the wolf skin. Seeing her clothes neatly in place, she sighed in relief, feeling a bit guilty for doubting him.

She noticed two bamboo tubes filled with spring water and a stick with two pieces of roasted wolf meat on it, all prepared neatly. Su Linlang felt a warmth she hadn't felt in years, and a smile appeared on her lips.

She was very beautiful, with disheveled hair. She combed her hair and fixed it with a hairpin. She took a bamboo tube, used the water to rinse her mouth and wash her face. With nothing to dry herself, she had to use her sleeve to wipe the water off her face.

After finishing, she didn't see Chu Huan return and felt anxious. With her injured leg, she couldn't move and had to wait in the cave. She knew Chu Huan wouldn't leave her alone.

But after waiting for a long time, Chu Huan still hadn't returned, and she became even more anxious. She tried to get up but felt a sharp pain in her leg and cried out, "Ouch!" She couldn't stand up.

Before Chu Huan treated her, her leg had been numb, and although it hurt, she could endure it. But after the poison was drawn out and the wound treated, the numbness disappeared, and the pain became more intense. Moving even a little made the pain unbearable, and she frowned, her beautiful face showing pain.

At that moment, she heard footsteps outside, and a figure entered the cave. Seeing the familiar figure, Su Linlang felt relieved, but her joy quickly faded due to her reserved nature. Chu Huan noticed her leg had moved and frowned, putting down his things and scolding her, "Your leg isn't healed yet. I told you not to move. It will affect your recovery!" He shook his head with a bitter smile.

Su Linlang had never been scolded like this before, but hearing Chu Huan's concern, she felt a warmth in her heart and said softly, "I... I was careless..."

Chu Huan didn't scold her further. Seeing the roasted meat and water untouched, he said, "Haven't you eaten yet? It may not taste good, but you need to maintain your strength by any means!"

Su Linlang felt there was something odd about Chu Huan's words but couldn't pinpoint it.

Seeing Su Linlang silent, Chu Huan smiled and said, "Our luck is really good. I went out early to look for herbs and searched all morning without finding anything valuable, almost giving up. But on my way back, I saw two red flowers growing on the mountain wall, which are exactly what you need for your leg..."

As he spoke, he carefully opened the bundle and took out a strange-looking herb. It was long and thin, with a bright red color.

Su Linlang looked puzzled. She had seen many things but had never seen such an herb. She asked, "Is this the red flower?"

"Yes!" Chu Huan sat down, holding the red flower in his palm and smiled, "It's also called the Spring Return Herb. The most amazing thing about it is not just healing your wound but leaving no scars. If you apply this herb to your wound, it will heal quickly, and within a month, the scar will disappear, leaving smooth, white skin..."

He stopped suddenly, blushing.

Su Linlang also blushed. In the bright light, her face was illuminated, and a lock of hair fell over her ear. Her blush made her look even more alluring. Although she felt a bit embarrassed, she was happy to think that her leg would have no scars. Women are naturally beauty-conscious, and she was no exception. A scar on her smooth, white leg would be very distressing.

Chu Huan took a bamboo tube, which had only half a cup of water left, the rest used by Su Linlang to rinse her mouth and wash her face. He poured out the water, put the red flower into the tube, and took out two other herbs from the bundle. He used a stick to crush the herbs, preparing to apply them to the wound.

Su Linlang, being intelligent, knew it was time to apply the medicine. She lifted her skirt slightly, exposing her leg, and carefully removed the bandage, revealing the wound. The area was slightly swollen and red. Chu Huan had already crushed the herbs and poured the sticky medicine into his palm. He went over and said softly, "The red flower is very potent. It might hurt when applied. Try to bear it!"

Su Linlang nodded and said, "Mm-hmm." Chu Huan carefully applied the medicine to her wound. The medicine was indeed very potent. As soon as it touched her skin, it felt like a burning sensation and countless tiny needles pricking her. She cried out, "Ouch!" and her face showed intense pain. She instinctively put her hand on Chu Huan's shoulder.

The pain was so intense that Su Linlang's hand gripped Chu Huan's shoulder tightly. Chu Huan, caught off guard, felt a sharp pain on his shoulder as her long, sharp nails pierced through his thin clothes. He winced but, hearing Su Linlang's pained cry, felt a strange sensation in his heart.

Although Su Linlang tried to endure, the potency of the medicine was too much for her. She gradually lost her grip on Chu Huan's shoulder and her body slowly fell back, fainting.

Seeing her faint, Chu Huan sighed and shook his head, "Good medicine tastes bitter. This herb is very effective, but its potency is too strong. I couldn't tell you, or you might have been too afraid to use it." He carefully applied the medicine evenly to her wound. In the bright light, her leg looked even more white and smooth, round and firm. He thought, "Being from a wealthy family really makes a difference. An ordinary woman couldn't maintain such good skin."

After applying the medicine, he bandaged her leg and pulled her skirt down. Standing up, he saw her beautiful, curvaceous body and felt a stir in his heart. He quickly calmed himself, covered her with the wolf skin, and walked out of the cave.

Looking around, he saw the mountains stretching out, covered in wild grass. He was in a deep valley, with high mountains on both sides reaching into the clouds. Unfortunately, it was late autumn, and the grass was withered and the leaves had fallen. In spring or summer, this place would be lush and green, like a paradise.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of geese in the sky. He looked up and saw the geese flying south in a V-formation. Chu Huan's face showed a hint of sadness, and he murmured, "You also come from the north, returning to your homeland?"

Watching the geese fly south until they disappeared from sight, Chu Huan finally looked away. He sat on a nearby rock, silent for a long time. Suddenly, he stood up, picked up a dry branch, and held it in his hand. He let out a low shout and began practicing his martial arts outside the cave.

He swung the branch left and right, very skillfully, using it like a sword, clearly practicing a sword technique. His movements were fast and agile, and the branch was wielded with great force and precision.

After sweating profusely, Chu Huan stopped to rest, practiced for a while longer, and then stopped, murmuring, "To achieve a state where one can use a sword freely and effortlessly, returning to simplicity, is no easy task!" He sighed, threw the branch away, and returned to the cave. He leaned against the stone wall, glanced at Su Linlang, who was still unconscious, and crossed his arms, closing his eyes. Before he knew it, he fell asleep.

After an unknown amount of time, he woke up and looked at Su Linlang, who was already awake, sitting against the stone wall, her eyes fixed on him with a strange expression.

Chu Huan smiled and said, "It's good that you're awake!"

Su Linlang hesitated, moved her body slightly, looked around, and then at Chu Huan. For some reason, her face turned red again, and she bit her lip, feeling uneasy.

Chu Huan found this strange and asked, "Do you... need something?"

He didn't mean to, but this question made Su Linlang even more uncomfortable. She turned her head away, not daring to look at Chu Huan, and after a long hesitation, whispered, "I... I want... to... relieve myself..."

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