After stating his name, the man's gaze sharpened.
Song Wuji's sword was struck from his hand by a powerful force.
His arm throbbed, and he looked up at the man, who was already leaving with Gu Qianying in his arms.
All that remained was the silhouette of a red-clad figure.
Simultaneously, the unusually behaving Lu Zhu and Baili Jingxuan, who had seemingly returned from the dead, followed closely behind the man in red.
More precisely, these two were following the person being carried away by the man in red, Gu Qianying, not the man himself.
Seeing Baili Jingxuan leave with Gu Qianying, Song Wuji pursued them.
Han Xuan, who had killed Han Chenglin, did not follow. He turned and walked in another direction.
The second young master, Han Jie, and Han Ting were still waiting at the manor.
Before entering the manor, Han Xuan deliberately wounded himself with his sword.
He returned to the Han manor injured.
Upon learning that Han Xuan had returned wounded, Han Ting and the others rushed forward to inquire and show concern.
Han Xuan lay on the bed, feigning weakness. When the time was ripe, he spoke with immense grief: "Our father was killed by people from the Song family!"
Hearing this, Han Ting, Han Jie, and the others were both saddened and enraged.
After a period of weeping, Han Jie, Han Ting, and the others decided to avenge their deceased father.
Han Xuan, lying there, cast a look of feigned sorrow at them, indicating his support. However, when Han Ting and the others weren't looking, he revealed a triumphant smile.
At the same time.
In a private room of a superior class at an inn.
Gu Qianying, still unconscious, lay on the bed.
Ouyang Qinglin stayed by her side, never leaving.
Song Wuji waited nearby, anticipating Gu Qianying's awakening and observing the actions of the man in red.
Should the man in red make any improper move towards Gu Qianying, he would immediately kill him.
However, based on his observations, he found no lewd intentions from the man in red towards Gu Qianying.
Could it be that this person was truly a friend of Gu Qianying?
His heart harbored doubts, but his expression remained unrevealing.
Lu Zhu and Baili Jingxuan stood on either side, like emotionless wooden figures.
Throughout this time, Baili Jingxuan had not spoken a single word to Song Wuji.
Even after entering this room, Song Wuji had tried to speak to Baili Jingxuan multiple times, but it was as if he were talking to himself.
It seemed that in Baili Jingxuan's eyes, Song Wuji was as insubstantial as air.
His heart felt as if it were being pricked by needles.
Song Wuji felt a great deal of discomfort.
But... no matter what, Baili Jingxuan was alive, and that was his greatest comfort.
Even if he no longer recognized him, it was enough that he was alive, wasn't it?
With this thought.
His heart finally felt much better.
Even if they had become strangers, he would always stay by his side.
As his thoughts raced.
Ouyang Qinglin glanced back at Song Wuji.
"They are soul practitioners, not truly living people. Their bodies have died, resurrected through blood transference and soul pacts. Qianying is their master. As long as Qianying stands, they will not perish."
This sudden statement made Song Wuji look sharply at Ouyang Qinglin.
This was the second time Ouyang Qinglin had spoken to him.
And it was a statement that greatly shocked Song Wuji.
"What? Soul practitioners? Not truly living people?"
Ouyang Qinglin always had a character of never repeating himself.
He also observed from Song Wuji that his feelings for the handsome man behind him were unusual.
Unfortunately, that man behind him was, in the truest sense, already dead.
Currently, he was merely a walking corpse, a living dead person.
He could not be considered a living person; he was a soul practitioner.
From now on, Lu Zhu and the handsome man beside her would be Gu Qianying's most loyal subordinates.
Death warriors!
His slender fingers brushed a strand of hair by Gu Qianying's ear.
Ouyang Qinglin gazed intently at Gu Qianying's exquisitely beautiful face.
He had been away for a long time.
Upon his return, he found that his Qianying had lost weight.
Her entire being appeared much more haggard.
He felt great heartache.
Beside them, Song Wuji frowned and stood up as Ouyang Qinglin reached out to touch Gu Qianying's smooth cheek.
He stepped forward, intending to stop him.
During their time together, although Gu Qianying had spoken words of hatred, in his heart, he had already come to regard Gu Qianying as his younger sister.
Seeing another man about to touch his god-sister, how could he tolerate it?
Just as he approached Ouyang Qinglin.
Gu Qianying opened her eyes.
Ouyang Qinglin's heart filled with joy, and Song Wuji instantly forgot that the person he intended to confront was this man in red named Ouyang Qinglin.
"Qianying, you're awake. How do you feel? Is there any discomfort in your body?"
A familiar voice sounded in her ear.
Upon seeing the face of the person sitting beside her, Gu Qianying's eyes widened in surprise.
"Ouyang... Qinglin, you... why are you back?"
To escape the snake demons, she had to cultivate in seclusion once every day.
And Ouyang Qinglin's departure last time was to return to Yi Jing Pavilion for cultivation.
He needed to cultivate for a year.
Seeing Ouyang Qinglin here at this moment, Gu Qianying felt very surprised.
At the same time, she worried if something was wrong with Ouyang Qinglin's health.
"Don't worry about me, I'm fine. It's you... we haven't seen each other for many days, and you've become so thin. Your spirit isn't very good either. It's clear that... you haven't eaten properly since I left, have you?"
He gently flicked her nose with his finger.
Ouyang Qinglin smiled with a hint of helplessness.
Beside them, Song Wuji, who had been about to prevent Gu Qianying and Ouyang Qinglin from getting too close.
Seeing this scene, he surmised that this man in red and his god-sister, Gu Qianying,
knew each other and were good friends.
After confirming that Ouyang Qinglin was not a bad person, Song Wuji lowered his guard.
He did not respond to Ouyang Qinglin's words.
With some renewed energy, Gu Qianying supported herself on the edge of the bed, intending to sit up.
Ouyang Qinglin reached out and supported her, even thoughtfully removing a pillow and placing a cushion behind her to make her more comfortable.
He then asked the inn waiter to bring a bowl of congee.
Ouyang Qinglin held the congee, sat in front of Gu Qianying, and gently fed her himself with attentive gestures.
Gu Qianying initially refused to drink, wanting to hold the bowl herself, but Ouyang Qinglin would not allow it.
"You know your body's condition better than I do, Qianying. Don't force yourself. Be good and eat the congee."
After bringing Gu Qianying back to the inn, he had taken her pulse once.
The method of blood transference and soul pacts, although it could bring the dead back to life and turn them into soul practitioners.
It was extremely draining and would also extract cultivation from within the body.
The condition of a body from which two-thirds of demonic power had been extracted was known to all cultivators.
Although demonic power and spiritual power were two extreme forms of cultivation.
Both were the essence of a cultivator's vitality and the source of their strength to become stronger.
Without two-thirds of her power, her body would naturally be the weakest.
She would likely have difficulty even getting out of bed and walking.
In this world, besides her husband Nangong Mo, the person who understood her best was Ouyang Qinglin.
Her eternal, close friend.
Ouyang Qinglin fed her the congee, and Gu Qianying, unable to refuse him, opened her mouth and drank.
"My body is fine, not that weak. Don't worry, I'll be better after a couple of days of rest."
After eating a few mouthfuls of congee, Gu Qianying stopped eating.
She had little appetite.
"If you don't want me to worry, then rest well."
Song Wuji left later, after meeting with Gu Qianying privately before his departure.
Ouyang Qinglin waited outside the door.
Inside.
Before Song Wuji could speak, Gu Qianying asked him to extend his hand.
His heart filled with confusion, but he still extended his hand.
He opened his palm.
Gu Qianying made another cut on his palm with her finger.
Blood welled up.
"Qianying, what are you doing?"
"Shh, don't speak."
As her blood dripped into Song Wuji's palm, Gu Qianying closed her eyes and recited an incantation.
When she opened her eyes again, the wound on her palm healed at an astonishing speed.
And the drop of blood that had fallen into Song Wuji's palm actually merged into his palm.
This scene shocked him.
He wanted to ask something, but seeing Gu Qianying's even paler face, he opened his mouth but did not voice his question.
A moment later, as Song Wuji left, he took one person with him.
Baili Jingxuan, who had become a soul practitioner.
Watching the receding figures of Song Wuji and Baili Jingxuan.
Ouyang Qinglin pushed open the door and entered.
Seeing Gu Qianying about to get out of bed, he immediately stepped forward to support her.
"The soul practitioners' allegiance is to you, their master. Why would you give him to someone else, Qianying... Do you know the consequences? If this man were to harm you in the future, he could kill the soul practitioner and severely injure you. The soul practitioners are your death warriors, and also your weakness. Qianying, you are too careless."
Only when soul practitioners follow their master can they be immortal and their blades unable to pierce them.
If they follow someone else, it will cause harm to Qianying.
"Don't worry, he won't harm him in the slightest. On the contrary, he will protect him well."
Ouyang Qinglin helped Gu Qianying to sit at the table.
He also thoughtfully poured her a cup of hot tea.
Then, he sat down in front of her.
Ouyang Qinglin and Gu Qianying, having not seen each other for many days, chatted for a long time.
When the night was deep and quiet, Ouyang Qinglin helped Gu Qianying back to her bed.
He went to the adjacent room to sleep.
However... a moment later, Gu Qianying laboriously got up from the bed. She took out her Crimson Blood Saber.
As she opened the door and was about to leave, Ouyang Qinglin appeared.
"Where are you going?"
Gu Qianying looked at Ouyang Qinglin, remaining silent.
"To find Baili Su?"
Ouyang Qinglin walked in and snatched the Crimson Blood Saber from Gu Qianying's hand.
Hearing the name "Baili Su" uttered by Ouyang Qinglin.
Gu Qianying showed a hint of shock: "How did you know... I..."
"Guessing."
Ouyang Qinglin helped Gu Qianying to sit down, confiscating her Crimson Blood Saber.
He then went to the next room, took out a cloak, and draped it over her.
He did not know about the recent events between Gu Qianying and Baili Su.
He had only learned about it from Duan Xifeng, whom he had encountered before returning, and who had returned to Yi Jing Pavilion with young Yi Hao.