strokinit Chapter 17: Su Qingyao in Danger
Chapter 17: Su Qingyao in Danger
Falling! An endless fall! Time seemed to stretch out, or perhaps freeze. Lin Yan felt only the slender, icy wrist he was holding, the only real connection in this absolute darkness and weightlessness. His fingers clenched like iron clamps, his knuckles cracking from the excessive force. His other hand frantically reached out in all directions as he plummeted, but all he touched were slippery, cold, moss-covered rock walls, utterly treacherous, offering no foothold whatsoever!
"Hold on! Don't panic!" he roared with all his might, but his voice was shattered by the raging wind, and he could barely hear it himself. Only the warmth and pulse of another life in his palm fueled his resolute will—he must not let go!
I don't know how much time passed; perhaps it was just a fleeting moment, or perhaps it was as long as eternity—
"Bang!!!"
A dull, resounding thud, like a heavy hammer striking wet leather, suddenly came from beneath his feet, followed by a soft cracking sound as his bones gave way. A wave of excruciating pain instantly swept through his body, almost completely overwhelming his senses. At the last moment, relying on the control a peak-stage Body Tempering martial artist had over his physical limits, Lin Yan twisted his waist and abdomen in a flash, forcefully contorting his body in mid-air to shield Su Qingyao completely in his arms, his back facing the unknown, indestructible final destination of his fall!
"Ugh—!" The heavy impact slammed solidly into his back. Even with his superhuman strength and resilience, he felt as if struck by lightning. His vision went black, and he saw stars. It was as if his internal organs were being kneaded and displaced by an invisible giant hand. A sweet taste rose in his throat, and a gushing, hot liquid gushed out uncontrollably, splashing onto Su Qingyao's shoulders, neck, and hair. It was warm, sticky, and carried a strong, metallic, metallic smell.
He held Su Qingyao tightly beneath him, and although she was shaken and dizzy, she was far from being directly injured by the impact. She struggled to sit up from Lin Yan's embrace, her hands touching something warm and damp. By the faint, eerie green glow of the unknown moss on the cave walls, she saw that Lin Yan's face was ashen, his eyes tightly closed, and dark red blood froth constantly seeping from the corners of his lips, dripping down his chin. The clothes on his back had already been torn to shreds by the impact and friction, revealing a mangled expanse of flesh, with blood gushing out, soaking the tattered fabric and giving it a chilling dark red hue in the dim light.
"Lin Yan! Lin Yan!" Su Qingyao's voice trembled as she frantically tried to help him up. Her fingertips touched the wound on his back, and the wet, warm touch and the gruesome shape of the wound tore at her heart, causing tears to well up in her eyes instantly.
"...It's alright." Lin Yan opened his eyes with difficulty, his vision blurry, but he forced a smile, trying to make a reassuring expression. However, this action aggravated his internal injuries, causing him to cough several times, splattering blood even more rapidly. He tried to circulate the gray-black Devouring Spirit True Essence within his body. A warm current rose from his dantian, slowly flowing to his limbs and bones, attempting to repair the damaged meridians and internal organs. However, the force of the impact was too great. The blood and qi in his chest and abdomen churned like boiling water. When the True Essence reached the broken bones in his back and the damaged internal organs, it was like hitting an impenetrable wall, sending waves of tearing pain through him, and the circulation immediately became sluggish and difficult to proceed.
Suppressing her panic, Su Qingyao quickly took out a tinderbox from her bosom and blew on it. The flickering light barely dispelled some of the thick darkness, illuminating the outline of the underground cave. The cave was about ten zhang square and three zhang high, its walls made of slippery, damp rock, covered with moss that emitted a ghostly green glow, making the jagged cliffs appear eerie. The ground was covered with an unknown thickness of grayish-white dust, and within the dust, half-hidden, half-revealed, were stark white bones—the slender skeletons of small beasts, the large and ferocious remains of unknown monsters, and several skeletons that were clearly human, their empty eye sockets staring blankly at the ceiling, their fingers curled limply, sending chills down one's spine.
"It's...it's a trap set by demons to lure their prey." Su Qingyao's voice was dry, trembling with lingering fear. "Those Corrosive Vines drive living creatures here, causing them to fall into this deep pit. Even if they are lucky enough not to die on the spot, they will be severely injured and unable to move, and can only become..." She didn't finish her sentence, but her eyes, reflecting the firelight and filled with fear and indignation, said it all.
Just then, an extremely faint yet chilling rustling sound began to echo from every corner of the cave, from the depths of the cracks in the rock walls, and from beneath the piles of white bones. It sounded like countless tiny feet scraping against the rock, or like the sound of some viscous liquid dripping, rapidly gathering from afar.
Su Qingyao raised the tinderbox high, the flame flickering as she peered forward. In just one glance, the last trace of color drained from her face, and her lips trembled uncontrollably.
Wherever the firelight reached, from the cave walls and the piles of bones on the ground, a dozen or so grayish-brown spiders, each the size of a washbasin, crawled out! Their eight long legs, covered in glossy black barbs, supported their round, swollen abdomens, covered in eerie dark patterns. They moved silently, swiftly like ghosts. Most terrifying were the clusters of compound eyes on their heads, which, illuminated by the interplay of eerie green moss and orange-red firelight, gleamed with a cold, greedy, and emotionless light, fixed intently on the two figures in the center of the cave. Their mandibles opened and closed, revealing sharp fangs that gleamed coldly and dripped with clear saliva.
"It's a cave spider! A monster at the early stage of Body Tempering!" Su Qingyao forced herself to calm down, speaking rapidly, but her voice still carried barely suppressed fear. "Individually, their strength is average, but they always live in groups, cooperating seamlessly when hunting. Their venom can paralyze flesh, and their webs are tough and sticky, extremely difficult to escape!"
Before she could finish speaking, the largest and fastest of the demon spiders launched its attack. With a powerful push off the rock wall, it pounced through the air like a streak of gray-brown lightning. Its barbed forelimbs lashed out like scythes, aiming straight for Su Qingyao's wrist, which was holding the tinderbox. Clearly, it knew the threat that fire posed to them!
"Back off!" Lin Yan roared, enduring the excruciating pain throughout his body. He braced his left hand on the ground, and his right hand swung out his long sword. The blade flashed like a bolt of lightning, striking the attacking spider that was pouncing through the air! The spider was unusually agile in mid-air, twisting its waist to narrowly avoid the blade. However, Lin Yan's attack was a feint. Before the momentum was fully released, his wrist suddenly twisted, and the blade drew a strange arc. With a soft "plop," it had already cut another spider that had just emerged from the pile of bones and had not yet fully revealed its form in half! Dark green, foul-smelling liquid and fragments of internal organs flew everywhere, landing on the dust and bones, making a "sizzling" corrosive sound and emitting wisps of blue smoke.
"I'll hold them off, you... find a chance to break through and find an exit!" Lin Yan gasped for breath, each word accompanied by a burning pain in his chest, cold sweat pouring down his forehead, and a tearing pain shooting through his back wound, fresh blood seeping out and washing away the scabs that had just begun to congeal. But his eyes remained sharp as knives, fixed on the swarm of demonic spiders slowly approaching.
"No! You're injured like this, how can you..." Su Qingyao's eyes welled up with tears, she gripped the short sword tightly, her knuckles turned white, and her voice choked with sobs.
"Listen to me!" Lin Yan abruptly interrupted her, his tone more stern and resolute than ever before. "I'm at the peak of Body Tempering, my foundation is still intact. Even severely injured, I can hold out longer than you! Find a way to survive quickly, don't worry about me!" He knew he was at his last gasp; every extra breath he held on gave Su Qingyao a better chance of escaping. Without waiting for Su Qingyao's response, he used his sword as a crutch, forcibly straightening his swaying body, and took a step forward towards the two nearest demonic spiders! Though his steps were unsteady due to his injuries, his fierce, desperate aura caused the two demonic spiders to halt their advance.
The blade flashed again, though not as swift and ruthless as at its peak, it now possessed a fierce, life-or-death courage. Two more spiders were struck by the blade, their severed legs and limbs flying through the air with sharp hissing cries. However, more spiders, stimulated by the blood and death of their companions, were fully unleashed, swarming in from all directions! One spider, seizing the opportunity when Lin Yan's left turn was slightly delayed due to his back injury, silently attacked from his left rear blind spot, its fangs gleaming coldly, aiming straight for his side!
Lin Yan sensed the wind, but it was too late to twist and strike back. He could only try to move to the side, the fangs barely grazing his waist, leaving a bloody gash. However, another demonic spider seized the opportunity to close in, its abdomen suddenly contracting, and a stream of grayish-white, viscous liquid shot out from its tail, heading straight for Lin Yan's face—it was a spider web!
Lin Yan swung his sword to strike, but his left arm, weakened by the previous impact and the poison, was numb and powerless, slowing his movement. Just as the sticky spiderweb was about to descend, a sharp sword light flashed from the side, slicing the web in half with a "swoosh"! It was Su Qingyao! She hadn't retreated alone after all; with her short sword in hand, she disregarded her own safety and shielded him from the attack. However, her movement also exposed her; another demonic spider immediately changed its target, spitting out a foul-smelling, dark green venom that shot straight at her calf!
"Watch out for the venom!" Lin Yan's eyes widened in horror, but it was too late to help. Su Qingyao cried out and leaped backward with all her might. The venom grazed her skirt, splashing onto the rocky ground, instantly corroding several shallow pits and emitting pungent white smoke. Although she avoided a direct hit, some of the venom stained the hem of her skirt, and the fabric immediately became charred and brittle.
Seeing a gap in their coordination, the spider swarm intensified its attack. Spiderwebs and venom intertwined, their long legs thrusting like spears, forcing the two to retreat repeatedly, their space increasingly confined. Lin Yan's back wound reopened, blood soaking most of his lower garments. The numbness in his left arm began to spread to his shoulder and neck, making his sword-wielding arm grow heavier and heavier. Su Qingyao was also drenched in sweat, her hair disheveled. Though her short sword was sharp, it was difficult to inflict fatal damage on these hard-shelled, swift spiders; she could only manage a feeble maneuver.
Just as the two were starting to feel the strain, Lin Yan caught a glimpse of a very narrow crevice hidden deep in the cave, near the bottom of the rock wall, concealed by layers of spider webs and hanging vines! "There! There might be a passage!" he shouted hoarsely, and at the same time, he mustered all his strength to sweep his sword horizontally, temporarily forcing back the three demonic spiders in front of him, creating an opportunity for Su Qingyao.
Su Qingyao understood and, without lingering in battle, crouched and rushed towards the crevice. Two demonic spiders immediately blocked her path horizontally. Lin Yan roared, ignoring the wide-open space behind him, and threw his long sword, striking one of the spiders like a shooting star, pinning it to the rock wall! At the same time, he lunged forward, ramming his flesh and blood into the other spider! The spider, struck by his desperate impact, flailed wildly and rolled away. Lin Yan himself staggered several steps, coughing up another mouthful of blood, his body swaying precariously.
"Lin Yan!" Su Qingyao turned around and saw him, her heart pounding with fear.
"Hurry! Light the fire!" Lin Yan urged hoarsely, his back against the rock wall, his right hand already pulling out the tinder Su Qingyao had given him earlier.
With tears in her eyes and clenched teeth, Su Qingyao no longer hesitated, and hurled the tinder in her hand at the pile of dry spider webs and withered vines at the entrance to the crevice! "Boom!" Flames instantly erupted, the scorching flames and thick smoke temporarily blocking the demon spider's pursuit. She turned back and rushed back, struggling to support the almost exhausted Lin Yan, and the two stumbled into the narrow crevice!
The crevice was initially extremely narrow, barely allowing one person to pass sideways. The damp, rough rock walls scraped against their bodies, causing a burning pain. Behind them, the hissing of the demonic spiders mingled with the crackling of flames, gradually disappearing as the winding passage blocked their view. The passage sloped upwards, pitch black, with only a faint light provided by the other tinderbox in Su Qingyao's hand. Supporting each other, the two stumbled along, groping their way forward in the darkness for an unknown amount of time, their minds focused on only one thought: forward!
Finally, a cool, clear light, different from the firelight, peeked through from ahead, and the air began to move, bringing with it the fresh scent of grass, trees, and earth.
With their last ounce of strength, the two rushed out of the passage. Outside, a breathtaking view unfolded – a secluded valley hidden behind a mountain wall. It was nearly noon, and the bright sunlight streamed down without obstruction, dispelling the chill and bloodstains of the cave and bringing a long-lost, almost tear-inducing warmth. The valley was lush with green grass, dotted with wildflowers, and a clear stream flowed gently through it – a world completely different from the hellish cave they had just been in.
Lin Yan could no longer hold on. He slid down to the ground, supporting himself on a cold, large rock at the valley entrance, and began to cough violently. Each cough aggravated his internal injuries, bringing excruciating pain, and blood once again spilled from the corner of his lips. The wound on his back, after this violent movement and friction, was even more gruesome to look at, a bloody mess, with blood soaking through his entire back and even his trouser legs, presenting a shocking dark red in the sunlight.
Looking at his pale face, the glaring blood at the corner of his mouth, and the shocking wound on his back, Su Qingyao's eyes instantly reddened, and tears streamed down her face like broken beads. She walked to him, knelt down, and her voice was choked with sobs, almost incoherent: "Why...why did you do that? When you fell, you could have adjusted yourself and protected your vitals. Even if you were injured, it wouldn't have been this severe! Do you know that you used your body as a cushion to protect me? A slight misstep could have resulted in a broken spine and shattered internal organs! You...you might have died!"
Lin Yan, catching his breath, raised his eyes to look at the tear-streaked girl. Sunlight filtered through her disheveled hair, casting dappled shadows on her dusty, tear-stained face. He was silent for a moment, then managed a weak but resolute smile: "In the heat of the moment, I didn't have time to think things through. I couldn't... just watch you fall and die in front of me."
"But you'll die!" Su Qingyao's tears flowed even faster, her voice filled with lingering fear and confusion. "We've only known each other for a few days, and our journey together is for our own benefit. You carry a secret, and your future is uncertain. Why... why would you risk your life for someone like me who is unrelated to you?!" Her question was sharp, but it also reflected the most genuine bewilderment and shock in her heart at that moment.
Lin Yan coughed a few more times, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, looked at the stream flowing in the valley, and said in a low, hoarse voice, "I'm not... still alive, am I?" He tried to move his shoulder and immediately gasped in pain, but still forced himself to say, "With my constitution, my recovery ability is still acceptable. These minor injuries will heal in a few days."
Su Qingyao stopped speaking, only silently weeping. After a long while, she finally stopped sobbing, wiped her face vigorously with her sleeve, stood up, and rummaged through her cloth bag to find clean strips of cotton cloth, a water bag, and several labeled porcelain bottles. She walked back to Lin Yan's side, her voice calm but carrying an unyielding firmness: "Turn around, I'll clean and bandage you."
Lin Yan glanced at her, seeing that although her eyes were red and swollen, her expression had returned to its usual calm and focus, so he said nothing more. He slowly turned around as instructed, exposing the horrific wound on her back to her. Torn clothing, torn flesh, congealed scabs, and even the dirt and sand clung tightly together, a gruesome sight. Su Qingyao took a deep breath, took out a dagger, heated it briefly on a fire poker, then held her breath and, with extreme gentleness and slowness, began to cut away the tattered cloth adhering to the wound. Her fingers were steady without a tremor, as if handling the most delicate magical artifact in the world, fearing that the slightest mistake would worsen his pain.
The cold tip of the dagger occasionally brushed against the edge of the wound, causing Lin Yan's body to tremble slightly, cold sweat beading on his forehead, yet he gritted his teeth, remaining silent. The valley was utterly still, save for the babbling brook and the soft chirping of birds, the warm sunlight enveloping the two of them. Su Qingyao carefully rinsed away the dirt and scabs around the wound with clean water, revealing the bright red, slightly curled flesh beneath, a sight that made her heart clench again. She took out a white porcelain bottle, uncorked it, and a refreshing medicinal fragrance filled the air. "This is my 'Golden Wound Regenerating Powder,' a self-prepared formula based on an ancient recipe. It's remarkably effective at stopping bleeding and promoting tissue regeneration," she explained softly, evenly sprinkling the pale yellow powder onto the gruesome wound.
The medicinal powder touched the wound, sending a cool sensation that quickly turned into a tingling, numbing pain. Lin Yan tensed his back muscles, letting out a very low groan. Su Qingyao's fingertips paused slightly, and she asked softly, "Does it hurt a lot?"
"It's bearable," Lin Yan said through gritted teeth.
Su Qingyao asked no more questions, her movements becoming even gentler and more meticulous. She carefully wrapped his wound with clean strips of cotton cloth, layer upon layer, ensuring a secure and proper bandage that was neither too tight nor too loose to impede blood flow. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, dancing on her lowered, focused eyes, tinting her long eyelashes a soft gold.
After bandaging him, Su Qingyao moved to Lin Yan's side and examined the area on his left arm where the venom had splattered. The skin there was charred black and slightly swollen, but fortunately, the poison didn't seem to have penetrated deeply. She cleaned and applied medicine, then carefully bandaged it again.
Having done all this, she seemed to have exhausted all her strength. Leaning against a large rock, she sat down beside Lin Yan, hugging her knees, burying her face in her arms, and remained silent for a long time. Only the slight trembling of her shoulders revealed the turmoil still churning within her heart.
As Lin Yan watched her slender figure recede into the distance, a hardened part of his heart seemed to melt away slightly, softened by the afternoon sun and the coolness of the stream. He remained silent, circulating his Devouring Spirit True Essence, slowly and laboriously nourishing his damaged meridians and internal organs, and repairing his broken bones.
After an unknown amount of time, Su Qingyao raised her head. The tear tracks on her face had dried, leaving only slight redness and swelling. Gazing at the vast mountain outlines beyond the valley entrance, she softly asked a question that seemed completely unrelated to her current predicament: "Lin Yan, once the matter of Black Stone Town is resolved, what... are your plans?"
Lin Yan paused slightly, thought for a moment, and shook his head, saying, "I haven't thought about it in detail yet. Perhaps I should go to a big city like Qingzhou Prefecture, or perhaps... I should continue to travel to more distant and unknown places." His path was destined to be closely linked to devouring, becoming stronger, and exploring the mysteries of this Soul-Devouring Body, with a vast unknown ahead.
Su Qingyao turned her head, her clear eyes looking directly into his, reflecting the light and shadows of the sky and clouds, as well as his pale yet resolute face. She pursed her lips, as if choosing her words carefully, and finally, as if making a decision, her voice, though soft, was clear and distinct: "If you don't have a definite destination for the time being... would you be willing to travel with me for a while?"
Lin Yan looked back in surprise.
"My father had some old acquaintances and like-minded people in various demon-suppressing bureaus before his death," Su Qingyao said slowly, her gaze lingering on the distance. "I want to visit them, firstly to explore more clues about the Su family's past misfortunes, and secondly... to gather the strengths of many and continue the Su family's mission of vanquishing demons and bringing peace to the people. This path is destined to be arduous and long, and I alone am not up to the task." She turned her gaze back to Lin Yan, her eyes filled with undisguised sincerity and expectation. "You are meticulous, possess exceptional combat skills, and have a special physique, which is a great help in exploring the mysteries of demons and dealing with various dangers. I also have some knowledge of array formations, talismans, medicine, and other miscellaneous arts, which may be of some benefit to you." She paused, her tone becoming increasingly firm. "If we travel together and rely on each other, we may be able to go further in this chaotic world of demons. Are you... willing?"
The valley was silent, the stream babbled, and sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled patterns on the ground. Lin Yan looked at the girl's beautiful yet resolute face, recalling the hidden pain and unyielding spirit in her eyes when she recounted the Su family's past, the way she held the "Demon-Slaying Manual" with complete concentration, the decisiveness with which she shielded him from the spider webs just now, and the genuine trust and invitation in her eyes at this moment.
He thought again of himself, utterly alone, struggling to survive in this world, seeking nothing more than strength and existence, yet always seemingly entangled with the demons and monsters of this world, and the evil in people's hearts. Su Qingyao's path, though arduous, was not entirely unrelated to his. Defeating demons, seeking survival, becoming stronger—in this era of demonic chaos, perhaps they were simply different landscapes on the same path.
Silence flowed between them, yet it was not heavy. Finally, Lin Yan slowly nodded, his voice slightly hoarse from his injuries, but clear as if the dust had settled: "Alright. After the matter in Blackstone Town is settled, I will go with you."
A bright light suddenly shone in Su Qingyao's eyes, dispelling all remaining fear and sorrow, like the clouds parting after rain and the dawn breaking. She nodded vigorously, a genuine and relaxed smile curving her lips: "Yes!"
They smiled at each other, and many unspoken words were quietly conveyed in their exchanged glances and simple promises. The sun shone brightly, the breeze was gentle, and after surviving a life-or-death ordeal, in this secluded valley, a trust and bond stronger than any alliance of interests quietly took root.
Lin Yan leaned against the rocks, enduring the pain as he slowly stood up. Although his injuries were severe, the future uncertain, the Wolf King and Demon Tiger still lurking deep within Canglang Mountain, and Chen Fuhai and his ilk still awaiting their "sacrifices" in Black Stone Town, at this moment, his heart was filled with a heavier sense of certainty than when he arrived. He looked towards the direction of the main peak of Canglang Mountain, where clouds and mist swirled, silent and dangerous.
"Let's go," he said, his voice regaining its usual composure, "Let's go back and prepare what we need to prepare."
Su Qingyao also got up, carefully put away the medicine bottle and cloth strips, and retied her slightly disheveled hair. She walked to Lin Yan's side and stood next to him, looking in the same direction.
The sunlight cast long, overlapping shadows of the two figures onto the verdant grass. They walked back the way they had come, heading out of the valley. Though their steps were slowed by their injuries, they were unwavering.
This time, they were no longer just strangers who happened to be traveling together. In this vast world fraught with danger and rampant with demons, they became companions who could rely on each other and walk side by side. The road ahead may still be full of thorns and unpredictable dangers, but having decided to travel together, they have found a glimmer of light to illuminate each other and the courage to face the storms together.
The wind of Canglang Mountain still carried the chill of the pine trees and the damp cold of the deep ravines, blowing through the valley and fluttering the clothes and hair of the two men. But their steps toward leaving the mountain were different.