I courted death and then tried to escape, so the whole sect wants to get rid of me.

Such strong liquor, and she just collapsed without even realizing it.

A burning pain shot through my limbs and bones along the broken skin.

His fists clenched so tightly that his fingertips turned white.

Looking up, he saw the girl's serious profile with her eyes downcast, and he remained silent.

After going through the whole process, Jiang Jin was covered in cold sweat, and his Taoist robe was soaked through.

Song Yao, however, patted the crookedly tied bow on his arm with obvious satisfaction and asked, "How are you feeling? Much better, right?"

Jiang Jin: "..."

He didn't know if he felt better or worse, but he felt like he was about to die.

Can we return this 100,000 to him...?

Jiang Jin took a deep breath, trying to ease the excruciating pain, and gritted his teeth to endure it: "It's alright, but I still need to continue training, otherwise, following me in the future..."

"Bang!"

The courtyard gate was kicked open again, and Mingran, carrying two long swords on her back, rushed in: "Lin Mu!"

Song Yao's heart skipped a beat, and she felt a pang of heartache.

Why do so many people like to visit her yard without ever knocking?

If she kicks down the door, where will she get the money to repair it?

Moreover, judging from this situation...

Could it be that he's looking for a fight with her?

Seeing Mingran approaching aggressively, she took two steps back, her small face scrunched up: "Okay, okay, don't smash things, they're expensive..."

Before she could finish speaking, Mingran suddenly knelt down in front of her with a thud. Her eyes shone brightly as she looked up, her tone resolute: "Teach me, please. I'll acknowledge you as my third master, okay?"

Song Yao: "..."

Another one with a screw loose.

Of all the sword cultivators in the hall, she specifically sought to become an apprentice to a fellow alchemist of the same generation.

Besides, doesn't Mingran dislike her quite a bit?

They constantly target her and challenge her to competitions.

I can't figure out what the little girl is thinking.

She silently withdrew and sat down in the corridor.

When Mingran saw that she was unwilling, she hurriedly explained, "I already have a master at home, and after joining the sect, I became the second master of the Second Elder! If you think that the rank of the third master is too low, I will immediately become your master instead, without the slightest disrespect."

Song Yao rubbed his forehead, feeling utterly overwhelmed.

Jiang Jin, standing to the side, was even more incredulous. Ignoring the pain, he grabbed Ming Ran and pulled her up from the ground.

Her tone was laced with suppressed shock and anger: "Junior Sister Ming, have you gone mad? Junior Sister Lin is of the same generation as us. What kind of rule is it for you to become her disciple?"

Mingran brushed his hand away: "What do you know? Master Lin is different from others. I've practiced swordsmanship for so long, and I can't even withstand one of her moves. When it comes to becoming a disciple, strength is the only factor, not seniority."

Jiang Jin choked: "You've lost to me before, so does that mean you also want to become my disciple?"

Mingran was stunned for a moment, then glanced at him with disdain: "Although I lost to you, I still managed to break through more than a dozen of your moves before I lost. Master Lin is different; I can't even see her moves clearly."

After thinking for a moment, she enthusiastically said, "Why don't you also become Master Lin's apprentice with me? You should be able to improve faster by learning from her."

As she spoke, she ran up to Song Yao, bent her knees, and was about to kneel again: "Master, if you are willing to accept me as your disciple, you will be an honored guest of the Ming family from now on!"

Afterwards, Jiang Jin's face turned pale and then red, his brows furrowed into a tight knot.

When did he need to become a disciple of a fellow student?

Not to mention that he had taken a junior sister as his disciple, whom he originally intended to mentor and protect.

Pian Mingran was telling the truth.

He had tested Ming Ran's strength; the Ming family's Seven Continents Twelve Swords were no joke. Even as a Golden Core cultivator, he was worn down by her for more than a dozen moves before he could barely win.

Lin Mu was able to win with a single move that day.

What kind of moves did she learn?

No, we can't let her continue like this...

He stood up and strode over, about to say something, when the wooden gate to the courtyard was pushed open once again.

A chilly breeze swept across the medicinal garden from the mountaintop as Xie Zhou stepped inside.

He wore a black robe, his black hair was neatly tied up with a jade hairpin, and his eyes were cold and indifferent, so much so that even the wind chimes swaying under the eaves seemed to fall silent instantly.

Ming Ran and Jiang Jin immediately stopped arguing and bowed in unison, saying, "Fourth Senior Brother."

Song Yao rubbed her temples and leaned back listlessly.

Is her little courtyard a vegetable market?

How many guests do we need to have in a day?

Xie Zhou glanced at the three of them indifferently: "You all go out first, I have something to say to Junior Sister Lin."

Mingran was unwilling to give up. She glanced back at Song Yao and said angrily, "Master Lin, I'll come find you later."

Song Yao: "..."

Jiang Jin paused, then lowered his voice and instructed, "Remember what I said: study medicine diligently and never wield swords or spears again."

After saying that, he followed Mingran out and closed the courtyard gate for them.

Only two people remained in the courtyard.

They looked at each other in silence.

Song Yao resignedly stood up, walked up to him, and respectfully cupped her hands in greeting: "What did Fourth Senior Brother want to talk to me about?"

Before he could finish speaking, Xie Zhou coughed up a mouthful of blood, swayed uncontrollably, and fell straight toward her.

Song Yao: "!"

Caught off guard, she reached out to catch him, only to be knocked backward by the weight. She barely managed to regain her balance and smelled the strong stench of blood on him.

Is he injured?

Xie Zhou steadied himself by supporting her weight. His once handsome and noble face was now completely bloodless, only his dark eyes remained cold and clear. His voice was hoarse from blood loss: "Sit down first."

Song Yao helped him sit down on the bench in the corridor, her gaze sweeping over his shoulders and collar, her expression stiffening.

The dark clothes obscured a deep, gruesome wound that revealed the bone, extending from the collar.

The flesh was turned inside out, with jagged teeth marks, as if it had been gnawed by a ferocious beast. Dark red blood was still seeping out, soaking through the black robe embroidered with gold.

She pursed her lips, her Azure Water Sword already drawn, lying obediently at their feet: "I'll take you to the Healing Pavilion."

"no."

Xie Zhou's forehead was covered in a fine layer of cold sweat. "The Sixteenth Elder is not in the pavilion, so it is not appropriate for others to know about my injury."

Song Yao thought for a moment and said, "Then I'll go find my second senior sister; she'll surely have a solution."

Xie Zhou: "She should be in the forbidden area; you won't find her there."

Song Yao: "Then what should we do?"

Xie Zhou looked up at her, his long eyelashes trembling slightly: "Aren't you a medical cultivator? Help me heal my injuries."

Song Yao: "..."

Why is it her again?

Aren't these people trusting her a little too much?

Jiang Jin's minor injury was manageable, but his injury was clearly beyond her ability to handle.

She reminded him, "I've only read eight pages of the medical book."

Xie Zhou: "Mm."

Song Yao: "I don't even recognize all the medicines."

Xie Zhou: "Mm."

Song Yao: "..."

Left with no other choice, she took the box she had just used to treat Jiang Jin's injuries, intending to try anything as a last resort.

Before making a move, he suddenly felt something was wrong, and his throat went dry: "This can't be known by others. Why did Fourth Senior Brother come to find me?"

Xie Zhou paused, then slightly raised his eyes: "You are my personal disciple, so I can trust you."

Song Yao's heart skipped a beat, and she abruptly looked up.

Seeing the smile on his lips, he added, "You are one of the personal disciples chosen by Master."

"..."