The Taoist priest crouched before the corpse, observing the blood-red flowers blooming on the body and the crimson patterns covering it, his frown deepening with each detail.
Someone with a bit of worldly knowledge recognized the priest's attire. "That's a disciple from Chongyang Mountain!"
Chongyang Mountain was the nearest cultivation sect to the town. To the townsfolk, Chongyang Mountain was an immortal mountain, and those who practiced cultivation there were naturally immortals.
The young priest stood up and looked towards Muran, curiosity in his gaze. He walked over, first clasping his hands in a respectful salute, then said, "I just saw the object you threw. It caused significant damage to the walking corpse upon impact. You don't appear to be a cultivator, nor do you possess spiritual power. May I ask how you were able to wield such a magical implement?"
Cang Shubai stepped forward, placing himself between Muran and the priest. "You flatter us, Priest. That was merely a small gadget women use for self-defense, sold even at the Song Family Workshop. It can hardly be called a magical implement. Had you not intervened just now, my wife might have been caught up in the danger."
The priest sensed Cang Shubai's aloofness.
This town had no spiritual energy and no cultivators. Among ordinary people, some envied cultivators for their ability to tread the heavens in pursuit of the Dao and their immortality, while others naturally held an inherent aversion to them, preferring not to have much to do with them.
However, this young man in blue robes seemed extraordinary in bearing, somewhat different from those common folk.
The priest had serious matters to attend to and couldn't delay for long. Not wishing to press further, he simply said, "My apologies for the disturbance."
Just as the gathered crowd had dispersed earlier, the priest came and then left.
The magistrate's officers arrived belatedly. Looking at the corpse on the ground, they could at most collect the body; they had no power to handle anything else.
This world was like that—the strong preyed on the weak. Who knew when two cultivators fighting over resources might destroy an entire city.
This remote town had always been relatively peaceful. For some reason, quite a few cultivators had suddenly arrived recently. A storm seemed to be brewing, and the common people could only pray that when the immortals fought, they wouldn't harm the innocent bystanders.
Cang Shubai took Muran's hand and led her into the medical clinic.
Her hand had abrasions from when she threw the small wooden ball; the explosion had injured the skin of her palm. It wasn't serious, but Cang Shubai refused to let it go lightly.
Muran sat on a chair, obediently resting her hand on the table, allowing the young man to carefully clean the wound with a cloth. His movements were gentle, causing her no pain. Then he took out medicinal powder and applied it lightly to the abrasions.
Cang Shubai remained silent the entire time.
Muran grew increasingly restless, afraid he was overthinking things or that he was angry.
She cast a pleading look towards the clinic's owner nearby.
Boss Hu suddenly stood up from his reclining chair, pacing as he said, "Ah, I'm hungry. I heard the restaurant has new dishes. I must go try them. That's right, Xiao Cang, you stay here and mind the shop properly."
Without waiting for a reply from his subordinate, Boss Hu hurried out of the clinic and was out of sight in no time.
The spacious clinic was now left with only him and her, making Muran even more nervous.
"Jinzhi, my dear Jinzhi, I know I was wrong. Please don't be angry, okay?"
Cang Shubai didn't speak. After applying the medicine to her wound, he took a white bandage and began wrapping it.
Muran remembered when they first got together, he hadn't spoken much. It was she who often pestered him to talk, and gradually, he began speaking more and more.
But at times like these, he would revert to being that tight-lipped person again.
Muran moved her stool closer to him, tilting her face up. Her sparkling eyes blinked, as if holding stars within them.
"Jinzhi, you promised me that no matter when, you would never refuse to talk to me. If you don't speak and I don't speak, we won't know what the other is thinking. Relying solely on guesswork is exhausting, you know."
Cang Shubai finally finished bandaging her wound. His gaze shifted slightly, landing on her lovely face. "No one's life is more important than your own."
"Not even Jinzhi's?"
He said, "No."
Muran pressed her lips together, clearly disagreeing with him.
Cang Shubai poured a cup of warm tea and brought it to her lips. "I didn't say you couldn't refuse to talk. If you have something to say, you may speak freely."
Muran took a sip from the cup he held, moistening her throat, then said, "It's unfair to me that you demand something of me that you yourself cannot do."
Cang Shubai drank the remaining tea from the cup, his tone lifting slightly. "What's unfair about it?"
"In Jinzhi's view, whose life is more important, yours or mine?"
Without hesitation, he replied, "Yours."
"See? You don't even put your own life first. So why should you ask me to put my own life first?" Muran shook her head. "Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire. Jinzhi, you've read books. How could you not understand this principle?"
Cang Shubai said, "You fear pain. When it hurts badly, you cry secretly."
Muran was left speechless.
Cang Shubai spoke word by word, "I will protect you. You must also learn to protect yourself."
This world was too dangerous. Too many people wished to live in peace in a quiet corner, but things often went against their wishes. He had experienced countless storms of bloodshed and knew deeply how fragile life was.
Those people... if they died, they died.
But she was different.
Yet, frustratingly, she wasn't selfish enough, out of step with this world.
Muran had to listen to Cang Shubai's "protect yourself properly" theory every so often, as if she were made of glass, liable to shatter at any moment.
Sometimes, she felt a bit indignant.
Muran muttered, "Who knows, maybe one day you'll need me to protect you."
Cang Shubai held her hands, carefully enveloping them, warming both her hands. He said, "Ranran, I only wish for your peace and safety."
"Alright, alright. We both need to be safe and sound." Muran looked up with a smile, her eyes and the corners of her lips curving sweetly. "I was reckless today. My dear Jinzhi, please don't scold me anymore. The moment you left home today, I started missing you."
She was always clever, knowing exactly what demeanor would soften his heart.
A touch of tenderness appeared between Cang Shubai's brows. "There weren't many patients today. In half an hour, I'll go home with you."
Muran thought to herself, this clinic never had many patients. How did Boss Hu keep this place running? Wasn't he losing money?
Cang Shubai fetched some snacks for Muran to nibble on and pass the time.
He still needed to take inventory of the medicinal herbs. As he stood up, he remembered something and asked, "Weren't you supposed to be sleeping in at home? Why did you come to town?"
Muran's hand, holding a sunflower seed, paused mid-crack.
Cang Shubai was still watching her.
The pressure on Muran grew. Finally, she put down the sunflower seeds, wiped her hands, and seeing no one was coming in, cleared her throat and stretched her arms out towards him.
"Jinzhi, I missed you."
Cang Shubai stood tall and poised, unmoving for a long moment.
She knew her excuse was clumsy. He must be suspicious!
Mu Ran's arms had grown sore from holding them up. Just when she could bear it no longer, the young man finally leaned down, offering himself for her embrace.
He kissed the top of her head and said, "I missed you terribly, too."
