Who Worries About You Most?

After taking a steadying breath, he lifted her into his arms.

Her hands were icy to the touch, and he moved with great haste. On the way, he encountered Yin Susu.

The moment Yin Susu saw him carrying her, she was startled. “What happened to Xue’er?”

He did not stop walking, only said, “I don’t know.”

Yin Susu told him to put her down, but she had no knowledge of medicine at all and had no idea what to do.

Yet he said anxiously, “Hurry and look at her! See what’s wrong with her!”

Startled, her fingers trembled as she placed her hand on the girl’s wrist.

The night was as cold as frost, and she knew nothing of pulse reading. She did not know what to say.

“How is she?” he asked, unable to hold back any longer.

Yin Susu hesitated, wanting to tell the truth, when she saw that the girl’s brow was tightly furrowed, as if trapped in a nightmare.

She paused.

He touched the girl’s hand and found it freezing cold; even her breathing had become much weaker.

What was going on? Her lips were not darkened, so this did not look like poison.

Yin Susu hurried to feel her forehead, then looked up and said, “It seems Xue’er has fallen into a maze of her own mind. She cannot get out.”

He frowned. “A maze of the mind?”

“Yes. In other words, she’s trapped in a nightmare right now.”

It was a secret art of the Yin family. Unfortunately, the old master Yin was already dead. Now that the one who cast the spell had died, it would not be easy to wake her.

Moreover, Yin Susu had only just recovered the Gu Manual and had not yet fully mastered all of the Yin family’s abilities. At this point, she was somewhat helpless as well.

He remained calm and asked, “Then how can we wake her?”

Her breathing grew fainter and fainter, and no one knew what she was enduring within that maze of the mind.

Yin Susu said, “I don’t know.”

He shot her a glare, irritated. “Think of something!”

Yin Susu was anxious too. Seeing the girl’s condition growing worse and worse, she hurriedly took out her Five Elements Compendium and flipped through it, her hands shaking.

After a moment, she said, “I’ve thought of a way, but I don’t know whether it will work.”

Holding the girl’s hand, he felt it growing colder by the second. Now fear tightened in his chest as he said, “Speak!”

“Send someone into her maze to save her,” Yin Susu said. “Perhaps she herself does not even know it is a nightmare maze, so she remains trapped inside and cannot come out.”

This was precisely the essence of the Yin family’s craft. Though their martial skills were not exceptional, their unorthodox methods were formidable indeed.

He looked at her and asked, “I’ll go. How do I get in?”

Yin Susu flipped through the book again. “I’ll set up a formation first.”

The situation was critical. Yin Susu casually picked up a few stones and arranged them according to the instructions in the book.

She was still uneasy, because her skills were insufficient and she did not know whether it would succeed.

But there was no other way now. They had to try.

Yin Susu had him carry the girl to the center of the formation. He held her hand while she completed the array, and then a thick mist rose up. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he found himself in Scarlet Manor.

So her thoughts had remained within Scarlet Palm all this time. In that case, she did not even know she was deeply trapped in a maze of the mind.

The Yin family’s tricks were indeed troublesome. Yet it was precisely for this reason that they had become one of the four great families of the former dynasty.

He hurried to search for her. Since he was holding her hand, she should be nearby.

He searched for quite a while without finding her, and his anxiety grew.

Where on earth was she?

Then he suddenly stopped, hearing the faint sound of water.

He rushed toward it, and sure enough, there was someone drowning in the pool.

Judging by the figure, it had to be her.

She was sinking in the water, water weeds wrapped around her limbs, making it impossible for her to escape the pond.

She had struggled for a long time and was already utterly exhausted, but through the haze she seemed to see him standing on the shore.

“Zhan...” she called, “Save me...”

Like a hallucination, she did not know how she had fallen into the lake. The weeds in the water showed no mercy, and by now she had sunk so far that she could no longer even see his silhouette.

On the other side, Yin Susu found that her breathing had abruptly stopped. Alarmed, she had no idea what was happening within the maze of the girl’s mind.

Where was he? Had he failed to find her?

By then, he had already leaped into the lake. Water weeds immediately coiled around him, but he slashed out with his sword at once, severing most of them.

From this alone, it was clear how ruthless old Master Yin had been.

On the surface, it seemed as though the Phantom Shadow Guard had simply taken the girl away, but the maze itself was a killing trap.

Had they not intercepted it in time, she would surely have died inside.

He carried her up to the surface.

Bringing her to shore, he found that she still was not breathing.

“Yue Qianxue!” he shouted, pressing on her chest in haste.

His brows drew together. If this continued, she would surely die.

He took a deep breath, and with a sudden thought, lifted her hand and cut a wound across the back of it with his sword.

Everything within the maze was false. She had not truly drowned. He only needed to make her realize that she was inside a maze.

Blood splattered and stained her clothes red.

She felt a sharp pain on the back of her hand, and thought in confusion: if I’m drowning, how can I still feel anything?

She suddenly opened her eyes and met his gaze.

She froze, unable to react at all.

Seeing that she had awakened, he asked, “Are you all right now?”

The night was deep. By moonlight, she saw that he was still holding her hand.

Only then did she realize that what she had experienced was merely a dream, and that she had nearly lost her life there.

After a brief pause, she suddenly threw herself into his arms, letting out a sob as she clung tightly to him. “Prince Zhan... I was scared to death...”

He patted her back and said, “It’s all right. I won’t leave you behind again.”

Yin Susu on the side almost rolled her eyes. Had these two even thought about how she felt?

But then her chest tightened, and she coughed up a mouthful of blood.

He turned to look at her, frowning. “What’s wrong?”

Yin Susu wiped away the blood and waved a hand. “Nothing. My power wasn’t enough, and I forcibly dragged you into the maze. Did you think that was easy?”

He even continued to stab at her pride. “With so many generations of the Yin family, you’re the weakest of them all.”

Yin Susu snorted and turned her head away. “How can that be compared? I learned on my own. In the past, those people at least had someone to teach them!”

He nodded.

Yue Qianxue finally caught her breath. Her body had returned to normal. Thinking back on how she had fallen into the maze without the slightest warning, not even noticing it herself, she had to admit that the old man Yin was truly formidable.

“Did you get the Gu Manual back? What happened to old Master Yin? I need to find him and settle the score!” Yue Qianxue stood up and brushed the dust from her clothes.

Yin Susu said calmly, “I have recovered the manual, but there is no need for you to settle anything. Old Master Yin is dead.”

Yue Qianxue was stunned. “You killed him? That was too kind of him.”

Yin Susu steadied her breathing and also rose to her feet.

“Indeed. Besides, he intended to kill you. That maze nearly cost you your life,” Yin Susu said. “Now that I have the manual back, I have somewhere else to go. You two should return to the capital.”

Yue Qianxue was surprised. “Susu, where are you going?”

“I’m going to find my wet nurse,” Yin Susu said. “She spent several years by my parents’ side, so she ought to know a thing or two about the Gu Manual. Since I’ve recovered it, I can’t just leave it lying around.”

Now that her great vengeance had been avenged, she found herself drawn into yet another war.

She was no fool; how could she not know what Zhan Lianjing wanted?

He did not keep useless people around him. Even if she wished to work for him, she would still need to have real ability.

He did not stop her. “Very well. I’ll send people to escort and protect you.”

But Yin Susu only smiled, alluring and graceful. “No need. If someone follows me, it will only be easier to expose things. I have my own organization. Prince Zhan... Wang Jing, you must take good care of Xue’er.”

Yue Qianxue frowned, still somewhat reluctant to part with her.

The separation had come too suddenly, and she found it hard to adjust. She stepped forward, yet said nothing.

Yin Susu took her gently aside and said in a soft voice, “Xue’er, I know you don’t want us to part. Neither do I. But if I remain in the capital, Zhan Lianjing will eventually discover that I do not know medicine. Once you have told him the truth, I will come back.”

Yue Qianxue lowered her eyes and thought for a moment. “Then perhaps I should tell him now.”

Yin Susu tightened her grip on her hand. “No. Wait until the time is right. I’ve come to understand why he isn’t angry with me: because I’m not important to him. But you’re different. If he learns that you lied to him, he won’t let you off so easily.”

Yue Qianxue looked up and said, “Yes, but this can’t be hidden forever.”

Yin Susu sighed. “That’s exactly why I want you to think it through carefully. If you truly like him, then tell him the truth.”

Yue Qianxue nodded, understanding that much at least.

Now that Jade Ziyang also knew she was the Ghost Healer, this matter could not remain hidden for long.

After that, the three parted ways. Yue Qianxue and Zhan Lianjing had originally intended to return to the capital, but on the road, he changed direction.

“Where are we going?” Yue Qianxue asked.

He replied, “Somewhere.”

She could not help but feel puzzled. That was no answer at all.