Douluo Continent: The Ruler of Time, Reigning Supreme

Chapter 124 Applying Medicine
"do not move!"

Zhang Lexuan immediately spoke up to stop her, her tone unusually stern, even with a hint of... urgency.

Yin Chen froze in mid-air as he was putting on his clothes.

"If cold enters the body and is left for a long time, it will damage the foundation of the meridians and leave hidden injuries, which is very troublesome."

Zhang Lexuan took a deep breath and tried to restore her voice to its usual calmness.

"Don't move, let me apply the medicine for you first."

She said no more and took out a small white jade bottle and a roll of clean gauze from an exquisite storage soul tool on her wrist.

As the senior disciple of the inner academy, she often carries out dangerous missions outside the academy. She has long developed the habit of carrying various emergency medicines with her. Especially since she is going to the far north this time, she has prepared special ointments to deal with extreme environments and frostbite.

In this respect, the girl's meticulousness and thoughtfulness were fully demonstrated.

As the bottle was uncorked, a cool yet warm medicinal fragrance wafted out.

Zhang Lexuan poured a small amount of the luminous white ointment into her palm, and used her soul power to slightly dissolve it, making it warm and moist.

When her cool, soft palm, covered with warm ointment, gently touched the bluish-purple frostbite area on Yin Chen's back, both of them trembled slightly.

What Yin Chen felt was a warm touch on his back, completely different from the cold environment around him, and a kneading force from the fingertips that was a little awkward but unusually serious.

The ointment seemed to contain a peculiar energy; it was initially cool, then transformed into a warm current, seeping into the frozen skin and flesh, dispelling the stubborn cold that lingered there, and bringing an indescribable sense of comfort.

His lips, which were originally slightly pursed, unconsciously curved into a gentle smile.

This seemingly aloof senior sister, revered and even feared by countless inner court disciples, is actually far softer and warmer inside than she appears.

Yin Chen thought to himself.

Yes, how could a woman who, because of a promise she made to Dragon God Douluo Mu En when she was young, stubbornly believed in Bei Bei for ten years, silently giving and waiting, be truly cold and heartless? In fact, she values ​​loyalty and affection more than anyone else.

At this moment, Zhang Lexuan's feelings were even more complicated and indescribable.

What came through my fingertips was the touch of the boy's vibrant skin, and the stiffness and coldness of the frostbitten area.

She carefully controlled the pressure, spreading the ointment evenly, trying to use the warmth of her palms to help the medicine dissolve.

This was the first time she had such close, even intimate, contact with a man.

A strange feeling, tinged with a touch of panic, began to grow in her heart.

She could clearly see the smooth muscle lines of Yin Chen's back, feel the warmth emanating from his body, and even hear his steady breathing.

All of this left her feeling somewhat lost and overwhelmed.

But soon, she shook her head vigorously, as if trying to shake off those inappropriate thoughts from her mind.

'This is just a senior student showing concern for a junior student, nothing more.'

She emphasized this to herself.

'He got hurt because he was considerate of my feelings. I can't ignore it, both morally and logically; it's my responsibility.'

With that thought in mind, her movements became more focused and gentle, as if she wanted to dispel all distracting thoughts through this meticulous application of medicine.

Beneath the ice wall, the cold wind still blew, but this small sheltered spot was filled with a faint medicinal fragrance and a silent, quietly flowing warmth.

Yin Chen quickly put on his shirt, the warmth of the medicinal scent gradually dispelling the stiffness and chill in his back. He noticed that Zhang Lexuan had turned slightly to the side, her gaze shifting, seemingly still feeling a little uncomfortable about the intimate contact during the healing process; the faint blush that hadn't completely faded from her ears was proof of that.

With a slight thought, he broke the awkward silence, his tone calm and natural, as if everything that had just happened was merely an illusion:

"Senior Sister, what do we do next?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Lexuan quickly composed herself and refocused her attention on the predicament before her.

She looked around and saw nothing but white. The snow seemed to be getting heavier than before, and visibility was extremely low.

The chilling battle tremors in the distance still echoed faintly like background noise, reminding them of the perilous nature of their current situation.

She frowned and calmly analyzed the situation:

"Because of the soul beast tide and that 100,000-year-old soul beast, we have deviated from our original evacuation route. Judging from this direction and terrain, we are probably... going even deeper into the far north ice plains."

This is extremely bad news.

Getting lost in such a harsh environment and chaotic situation is tantamount to being in dire straits.

"We can't keep wandering around like this."

Zhang Lexuan said in a deep voice.

"The far north is vast and boundless. If we completely lose our way in the wind and snow, we may be trapped here and die. For now, we can only wait."

"Wait?" Yin Chen asked, revealing a questioning expression at the opportune moment.

"Yes, wait until this storm subsides."

Zhang Lexuan nodded firmly, her expression solemn.

"The far north is now in complete chaos. The powerful soul beasts that used to slumber deep in the glaciers and beneath the snowfields have all been awakened by the fluctuations of the core battlefield. The 100,000-year-old ice-armored giant crocodile we encountered earlier is proof of that; it was by no means the only one that was disturbed."

Her gaze swept across the ravaged ice plains, her tone filled with deep apprehension:
"The far north at this time is a hundred times more dangerous than usual. Countless powerful soul beasts are awakening and restless, and some are even converging on the center of the battlefield like that giant crocodile. If we act rashly now, even if we encounter another soul beast that is eighty or ninety thousand years old, it will be a catastrophic disaster in this environment where the timing and location are not on our side."

She paused, then looked at Yin Chen and said:

"Therefore, we must find a relatively safe place to hide and wait until this riot of soul beasts caused by the battle of top experts subsides before we think of a way out."

Zhang Lexuan's decision is the most rational and prudent choice based on the current situation.

Even without Yin Chen as a "burden," with her Soul Douluo strength, she would never dare to easily touch the core of the storm at this time.

The aftershocks of that level of combat were enough to pulverize a powerful woman like her.

This decision was exactly what Yin Chen wanted to hear.

He never intended to leave immediately.

What is happening in the far north core is closely related to the "Hall of Rebirth", the "Nirvana Corpse", and even himself.

He needs to wait, wait for the best opportunity to strike. With the Soul Skill "Now and Then," he will write the story and ending of the far north.

"I understand, Senior Sister."

Yin Chen readily agreed, his face revealing a suitable mix of seriousness and trust.

(End of this chapter)