WJ Chapter 20

The Flowing Waters of Yang (4)

Yun Changliu did not remain unconscious for long.

When his consciousness gradually returned, the first sensation to recover was still the endless, continuous pain, along with the weakness that spread throughout his entire body. However, having been tormented by the Fengchun Sheng poison since childhood, this level of suffering was already completely within his capacity to endure.

The second awareness that awakened in his mind was that a profound internal energy filled his meridians, helping him once again suppress the toxins of the Fengchun Sheng poison—but it wasn’t his own.

To whom this internal energy belonged was self-evident.

Yun Changliu’s heart felt as if it had been stabbed. This feeling of distress was incomparably clear even amidst the rampage of the Fengchun Sheng poison.

His mind was still somewhat hazy, and with his eyes closed, he thought in a muddled daze: Wujue still has internal injuries on him, and who knows if the damage from the Bone-Crushing Whip has healed yet… How can he withstand depleting his internal energy like this?

Then he thought secretly: Right, just before the poison flared up… did I call him “Wujue”?

How did I let that slip out… Now what should I call him next time?

…Wait, did I actually call him that or not?

After another short while, Yun Changliu recovered somewhat. He struggled to open his eyes, and the familiar Yangxin Hall came into view. Only then did he realize he was lying on the bed.

When his gaze shifted downward, the Sect Leader saw the person he’d been thinking of. Guan Wujue was half-kneeling there, a few strands of hair swaying slightly by his earlobes with his movements, the hem of his red robe trailing on the ground.

He clearly noticed Yun Changliu’s gaze in the first instant, but didn’t respond immediately. Instead, quickly yet unhurriedly, he pulled open the second drawer of the pear wood cabinet at the bedside, rummaged through it in just a few moves to produce an iron box, and only then lifted his head to look at the bed. “The Sect Leader has awakened?”

Yun Changliu stared at him with a pale face.

After quite a while, he finally furrowed his brow in confusion and spoke with weakened breath. “You… how do you know…”

Inside that iron box was actually a set of silver needles.

Last autumn, the Fengchun Sheng poison that had lain dormant in his body for many years suddenly erupted. After that, Guan Muyan had given him a set of silver needles and told him to keep them in Yangxin Hall. The purpose was that if one day the Sect Leader’s poison suddenly flared up, Divine Physician Guan could arrive most quickly to save him—after all, given the Hundred Medicines Elder’s style, heaven knows if he might one day throw his needles somewhere and not be able to find them.

At that time, Yun Changliu had casually stored them in this pear wood cabinet by the bedside. Apart from the few people around him who saw it then, even Guan Muyan probably didn’t know exactly where this box of needles was kept.

Truth be told, if it weren’t for this poison outbreak, even he himself might not remember clearly.

But the problem was…

At that time, Guan Wujue was no longer by his side!

So for a moment, Sect Leader Yun didn’t know whether to be angry, sad, or sigh—this person had only been back from the branch for a few days, how had he already figured out every detail of his affairs!

Even Wen Feng at his side had been ordered to keep silent by him, so where did Wujue learn this from?

At this very moment, Protector Guan was immensely grateful that he had extracted information in advance from the pair of maidservant sisters Jin Lin and Yin Lang. Otherwise, facing today’s sudden occurrence without any warning, even he would have panicked.

He opened the box with practiced ease, not daring to waste time lighting a fire. He directly channeled energy between two fingers, actually intending to heat the needles directly with internal energy.

…This was already nearly the behavior of a madman. Even for a master with the deepest internal energy, raising the temperature of the tiny gap between fingers to equal that of flames would result in extremely alarming depletion.

Yet Guan Wujue didn’t hesitate in the slightest, raising his hand to do just that. By the time Yun Changliu reacted, he was practically scared out of his wits—no matter how cold he appeared on the surface, that was just the surface. When it came to truly feeling distressed, he forgot everything, just like that time on Wolong Platform.

“What are you doing! Stop—cough cough cough!”

Yun Changliu suddenly sat up, so anxious that he couldn’t catch his breath, breaking into a fit of choking coughs. At this moment he had no strength in his body at all, yet he forcibly pulled Guan Wujue toward him, gasping as he said, “Cough cough… That’s enough! Wait for the Medicine Gate to arrive… have them administer the needles… You stay put obediently!”

Having finished saying this sentence intermittently, the strength Yun Changliu had forced himself to muster also gave out, and he went limp, about to collapse toward the Protector.

“Sect Leader!” Guan Wujue was greatly alarmed and hastily supported him. Seeing that Yun Changliu had only lost strength and hadn’t fallen unconscious again, his heart that had leapt to his throat finally settled. Belatedly, he said urgently, “You… why are You moving around!”

Yun Changliu’s neck tilted back powerlessly, and he closed his eyes, resting his head on Guan Wujue’s shoulder. “Don’t panic… it’s already nothing serious…”

“How can it be nothing serious!” Guan Wujue had been so stimulated by the Sect Leader’s poison outbreak that his entire nervous system was on edge. If someone came to provoke him now, he could draw his sword and strike at their head at any moment. “Just now I only used internal energy to temporarily suppress the toxins. If the needles aren’t used quickly, in case it flares up again…”

At this moment, the only one who could still speak against his temper without getting cut down was naturally the Sect Leader himself.

Only to hear Yun Changliu say decisively, “No.”

The kind of “using needles” Guan Wujue referred to was completely different from what ordinary households might think of when a physician uses needles.

First inserting the needle into acupoints, then infusing internal energy into the silver needle to stimulate the acupoints and clear the meridians—this was the technique commonly known as “Silver Needle Acupoint Transfer,” a supreme skill that only those who had cultivated both internal energy and medical arts to mastery could perform. Moreover, it greatly depleted the one administering the needles. Every time Guan Muyan finished using the needles, he would be drenched in sweat, exhausted as if he’d lost half his life.

Guan Wujue had just helped him suppress the poison and must have held nothing back. Another round like this would definitely be too much for him to bear. How could Sect Leader Yun be willing? To show his seriousness, he even deliberately repeated, “This lord says no… means no.”

…In all honesty, these few commands from Yun Changliu carried no aura of authority whatsoever.

There was no helping it. Setting aside the issue of being weakened from the poison outbreak and lacking vigor, the Sect Leader was still leaning in the Protector’s embrace with perfect righteousness. When he spoke, his shallow breaths swept across the hollow of the other’s neck. It was already fortunate if it didn’t carry several degrees of enchanting tenderness—how could there be any deterrent or threatening intent left?

But Guan Wujue still had absolutely no way to deal with it. He helped Yun Changliu back onto the bed with extreme helplessness, stuffing a soft pillow behind his neck. “Sect Leader, it’s just simply operating the needles once. This small matter Wujue can still handle without problem… You just rest for a moment, it will be finished immediately.”

As Yun Changliu lay back down, he simultaneously grasped Guan Wujue’s wrist, his eyes half-closed as he said lightly, “What, you think this lord feels sorry for you?”

Guan Wujue: “…”

Isn’t that exactly what it is!

“Flattering yourself,” Yun Changliu turned his head away and coughed once. “This lord is clearly punishing you.”

He squeezed Guan Wujue’s hand and, feeling that the knuckles were somewhat cool, frowned again. “Punishing you for your nonsense earlier… What, do the Four Directions Protector’s household raise dogs that can administer needles to their masters?”

Guan Wujue: “…”

He himself had been so frightened by the Sect Leader’s poison outbreak that he’d forgotten everything, yet the Sect Leader still remembered his offhand remark!?

The Protector didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. However, seeing that Yun Changliu still had the mind to tease him like this, and his complexion was gradually improving, he felt somewhat more at ease. It seemed that although this outbreak came on quite urgently, it wasn’t too severe—at least much better than last year when he fell unconscious for three days and nights without regaining awareness.

With the Sect Leader’s attitude so resolute, Guan Wujue didn’t dare provoke his anger further, and could only say with a bitter smile. “Yes, yes, then Wujue accepts the punishment. You must stop talking now.”

Hearing this, Yun Changliu gave him another warning glance before finally closing his eyes. Soon his breathing gradually became steady, as if he had fallen asleep.

Guan Wujue kept watch by the bedside for a while, only feeling that time was flowing several times slower than usual.

He both resented Yun Chanjuan for being inconsiderate, was angry at Wen Feng for being who-knows-where at this critical moment, and anxious that Guan Muyan hadn’t arrived yet… Before long, his gaze couldn’t help but drift toward the needle box again.

After waiting a few more breaths, Guan Wujue couldn’t restrain himself and stood up with lightened movements.

…Then his wrist suddenly tightened.

Yun Changliu slowly opened his eyes and parted his lips. “…Protector Guan?”

“…”

Guan Wujue froze for an instant. However, he’d always had some quick wit. At this moment he very naturally reached out to gather Yun Changliu up and began removing the robes on his body. “The Sect Leader sleeping like this won’t be comfortable. Let Wujue help the Sect Leader change clothes.”

After all, they were people familiar to the bone. How could Yun Changliu not know Guan Wujue’s scheming thoughts? He just couldn’t be bothered to expose him, letting the Protector strip off his sweat-soaked garments in a few swift moves.

Just at this moment, the door to Yangxin Hall was pushed open. Having received the news, Wen Feng rushed in with an anxious face. “Sect Leader…”

—Then his expression became as spectacularly varied as it had been a few days ago.

Last time it was seeing the Protector sleeping in the Sect Leader’s bed, this time it was seeing the Protector undressing the Sect Leader… This progress seemed a bit fast—ptooey, no, no, what kind of situation is this!

It’s the same question again: Weren’t the Sect Leader and Protector supposed to have fallen out!

So what you two mean by falling out is to each put on an act of severed ties and heartbreak in front of outsiders, while remaining the same as always in front of each other!

Then what on earth has he been worrying himself sick over these past days…

Behind him, Guan Muyan pushed the white-robed attendant aside and barged in with two green-robed medicine disciples following. “Go, go, go, move aside quickly. What, already dumbstruck? As if you haven’t seen enough of the Protector and Sect Leader being lovey-dovey?”

“…”

At this moment one could see the rapport between Sect Leader Yun and Protector Guan. The two chose with perfect coordination to completely ignore the two people who had just entered. Guan Wujue swiftly finished changing the Sect Leader’s inner garment, carefully laid him down, and warmly wrapped him with a layer of blanket before straightening up unhurriedly to look at Wen Feng. “The Attendant Daren arrived quite early?”

His entire demeanor changed, becoming ominous as he stepped forward several paces. “The Sect Leader had such a major incident, where were you, hm?”

“When the Fengchun Sheng poison flares up, it’s extremely dangerous—the slightest mistake could mean life or death. You’re the Sect Leader’s personal attendant, yet you only arrive now!? If there had been any delay in between, even ten of your lives couldn’t compensate for it!”

Wen Feng was struck speechless by this preemptive strike. Guan Wujue still wasn’t satisfied and turned toward his nominal adoptive father, arms crossed in a cold sneer. “Hundred Medicines Elder, the Sect Leader is lying right there in bed, yet you still speak such nonsense, old sir? Who was it originally that said the Fengchun Sheng poison most fears agitation of the mind and spirit, and that others must absolutely not provoke the patient—which divine physician said that, I wonder?”

Guan Muyan was dumbstruck. “You brat, I, I, I… Hey, you’ve really turned rebellious!”

“…Wujue, that’s enough.”

In the end, it was still Sect Leader Yun whose heart was soft and face thin, unable to bear watching the Protector bully people like this. However, his tone didn’t sound like a reprimand, but rather carried more of a coaxing quality. “Go down and rest.”

So Wen Feng and Guan Muyan simultaneously thought:

Oh…

Well then, the Sect Leader has already started calling the Protector by name!