The words of the female corpse, like a curse, struck Bai Xi's heart heavily.
She clearly hadn't heard this sentence before, so why did she feel such a strange sensation upon hearing it?
She felt her head throbbing with pain, and her chest ached terribly, as if someone deep within her heart was silently grieving.
At the same time, her body began to move uncontrollably, with an urge to step into the tree pit, to merge with the young girl and seek the Ghost Entwined Branches, which were covered in sharp thorns.
It was at this very second that she suddenly felt a searing heat, a heat that seemed to engulf her, pulling her into a fiery inferno.
It was over. Could she have fallen victim to the illusions of the Ghost Entwined Branches? Yet, she couldn't move an inch, left to be scorched by the flames.
Just then, Bai Xi felt her other wrist being grasped, a chilling sensation spreading across her skin.
The next moment, the person pulled her out with all their might. Simultaneously, clear water was poured onto her arm, bringing an instant sensation of coolness and pain. "Xi'er, are you alright?"
Bai Xi's eyes finally focused, clearing to see the anxious and worried face before her. "A'Mo..."
Seeing the person before her, she inexplicably felt her mood instantly calm.
Han Rui also stepped forward. "Little Xi'er, you scared us to death! You just stood there in front of the fiery tree and wouldn't move. What happened? Didn't we just need to bring out the girl's corpse? Why were you frozen there? If Han Mo hadn't pulled you out and brought the corpse with you, we might have all perished here today."
Bai Xi furrowed her brow, recalling how she had grabbed the girl's arm, and then the girl had spoken to her.
When Han Mo pulled her, she hadn't let go, dragging the girl out of the Ghost Entwined Branches. Now, the Ghost Entwined Branches were lifeless, rapidly burning away in the roaring flames.
She mused, "What the corpse said to me earlier was very strange, so I responded. Perhaps at that time, I inhaled the fragrance, was mesmerized by it, and experienced a hallucination."
What was even stranger was how she had felt a resonance with the girl's words, leading to her physical and mental discomfort.
Han Rui stared, dumbfounded. "What? The corpse talked to you? Are you kidding me? How could it talk when it was like that?"
As he spoke, he shone his flashlight towards where the corpse had been.
There was no longer the girl with skin as smooth as jade that Bai Xi had seen. All that remained was a pile of white bones. And because the bones were ancient, they seemed to have oxidized upon contact with the air, becoming very fragile. After being pulled out, they fell to the ground, leaving only shattered bone fragments.
Bai Xi frowned slightly.
Han Rui looked at Bai Xi with a hint of heartache, though his words weren't always pleasant. "Little Xi'er, you didn't get scorched silly, did you? You were only standing there for a few seconds before Han Mo pulled you out. Otherwise, with such a large fire, if you had truly been conversing with someone inside, you would probably be a charred black by now."
Indeed, he harbored unspoken feelings for Bai Xi.
Unfortunately, the moment he saw Han Mo, he gave up.
Because he could see that Bai Xi felt differently about Han Mo, and now, seeing Han Mo protect Bai Xi so selflessly, his resignation became even more apparent.
He... couldn't be her hero.
And Han Mo, though merely a doctor, would still strive to be her hero. No woman disliked heroes, even the female God of War of the Dark Department was still a woman.
Seeing Bai Xi's bewildered expression, Xue Yi quickly said, "Presumably, Miss Bai, upon finding the girl's corpse, she momentarily relaxed, took an unconscious breath, and was then ensnared by the fragrance of the Ghost Entwined Branches, thus experiencing some hallucinations. It's very normal, very normal. Young Lady need not worry too much."
Bai Xi frowned.
When she had seen the girl, she was certain she hadn't forgotten to hold her breath. She hadn't opened her mouth, spoken, or breathed. It was only after the girl spoke, and after the girl spoke, that she had communicated with her. Logically, when she wasn't under any influence, she should have seen a pile of bones.
More importantly... she didn't understand why the girl's words had made her feel so profoundly sad.
But now, these were things only she had witnessed. Even if she could explain what they were, others would likely be unable to imagine, let alone believe.
In the end, she simply said softly, "Perhaps."
Han Mo said gently, "It's good that you're alright. I'll bandage it for you now. However... I don't have anesthetic, so it might hurt a little."
Bai Xi lowered her head and looked at her arm.
Her sleeve was scorched with holes, and her arm was severely reddened, with several small, glistening blisters in places. If not for the special material of her hoodie, which was resistant to heat and cold, her arm would likely have been much more severely injured.
Of all injuries, burns were the most painful. But for her, they were already commonplace.
"Mmm, I'm not afraid of pain."
Han Mo frowned. "But I will feel heartache. However, don't worry, the medicine I brought is very good, and it won't leave any scars."
The reddened arm, the blisters of various sizes – he felt as if these injuries were branded onto his heart.
This ancient tomb belonged to the Han family, dating back over three hundred years. This person... she might be someone he knew. He was eager to know who was buried in this tomb!
"Mmm," Bai Xi said, looking at Han Mo's cold and sharp eyes, and smiled slightly. "Next time, I will be careful, not just for myself, but for you too."
Han Rui frowned, looking sour. "Ooh... we're still here, you know? Are you worried we're too hungry and want to feed us some dog food?"
Bai Xi raised an eyebrow slightly. "What, you haven't had enough? Want some more?"
Han Rui: "..."
Never mind, why should he add to his own troubles?
Han Mo finished treating Bai Xi's wounds, and the mother tree of the Ghost Entwined Branches was also almost completely burned. After the ashes had burned away, a narrow corridor was revealed, its end unseen.
Xuan Feng said nothing more and walked ahead, pulling Xue Yi along with him.
In this situation, Xue Yi wouldn't dare to act recklessly anymore, as he might not be able to find his way out of the tomb by himself.
After walking for about fifteen minutes, they finally reached the end. Xue Yi quickly stepped forward and touched the mechanism, opening the door with a Big Dipper array. The moment the door opened, unlike the darkness of the corridor, the tomb chamber shone with a brilliant light.
Even Xue Yi, who had seen all sorts of ancient artifacts, cultural relics, and peculiar treasures, widened his eyes in amazement. "This, this, this... this is truly a magnificent treasure trove!"