Xue Zining tore off a corner of her skirt to bandage Wen Nuan's wound.
Wen Nuan was stunned.
"Not stopping the bleeding will lead to excessive blood loss," Xue Zining said.
Wen Nuan looked at the cloth on her finger and chuckled lightly.
"It's a bit ugly," Xue Zining thought Wen Nuan was mocking her.
Wen Nuan shook her head, "It's very warm."
It was the first time someone had paid attention to her injury. The Thousand Gold Pavilion was not short of bleeding.
"Don't touch this body anymore," Xue Zining said.
She figured Fan Min must have poisoned this body, and anyone who touched it would likely be poisoned.
"Then what do we do? You can't return to your body," Wen Nuan asked, looking at Xue Zining.
Xue Zining didn't know either, but her current body was physical, though she didn't know how this physical form would disappear.
"We can't worry about that now," Xue Zining said.
Looking up, she saw Wen Yuxi and Fan Min fighting fiercely. Although it was unclear who was winning, her intuition told her that Wen Yuxi would not be Fan Min's match. On the other side, Han Xiwen was being held back by Wen Ling, unable to help Fan Min. She decided to seize this opportunity.
She leaped forward, arriving beside another wooden barrel containing a shriveled corpse soaking in green water. Her gaze turned sharp, and she extended her hand, sending a palm strike towards the corpse.
Suddenly, Fan Min's voice echoed, "Don't touch her..."
As expected.
Xue Zining looked up at Fan Min and said coldly, "You injured my person, and I will destroy her..."
"No..." Fan Min shouted.
As her palm strike neared the corpse, Fan Min prepared to intervene. Wen Yuxi would not allow it, clinging to him and leaving him unable to divide his attention.
Fan Min grew anxious, "Don't hurt her, I'll agree to anything you want, anything you want me to do."
Xue Zining turned to Fan Min and said, "Now, stop."
Fan Min, ignoring Wen Yuxi's attacking palm, retracted his, taking Wen Yuxi's blow directly.
Wen Yuxi was also surprised, not expecting Fan Min to stop so readily.
Fan Min, having taken Wen Yuxi's palm, coughed out a mouthful of blood. He looked at Xue Zining and asked, "Are you satisfied now?"
"What did Xue Changan promise you that made you so devoted to her?" Xue Zining asked coldly.
Hearing this, Fan Min looked at her and slowly said, "She would give me a suitable body for Xin'er."
"My body?" Xue Zining asked.
Fan Min replied, "It was supposed to be yours, but Xue Changan changed her mind. She wants to transfer her soul into your body herself, and then give me her body."
"You agreed?"
Fan Min glanced at her, "I fancied your body."
"Why?"
"It's incorruptible and eternal," Fan Min said.
Xue Zining's gaze deepened, and she remained silent.
Fan Min, however, became anxious, "I've told you everything I know. Give me Xin'er back."
Xue Zining looked up at Fan Min, "The dead cannot be brought back to life. By holding onto her soul like this, she is actually restless."
As she spoke, her palm began to emit true qi, directed towards the shriveled corpse.
"Don't touch my Xin'er, let her go..." Fan Min, frantic, lunged forward. Seeing this, Wen Yuxi struck him away.
Xue Zining looked at the shriveled corpse and said slowly, "I'm sorry, you must be destroyed. Otherwise, he will revive you. You shouldn't be here anymore."
She ruthlessly brought her palm down. The wooden barrel shattered, and the shriveled corpse was torn into pieces.
"Ah..." Fan Min roared, his eyes burning red with rage.
"Xue Zining, I will kill you..." Fan Min madly charged towards Xue Zining.
Wen Yuxi stepped forward to stop him, but the frenzied Fan Min's power had greatly increased, and Wen Yuxi was no match for him.
Wen Yuxi was sent flying with a palm strike, and Fan Min surged towards Xue Zining.
Xue Zining leaped into the air, with Fan Min close behind. "Wen Yuxi, take the others and leave here..."
Wen Yuxi was startled, "Xue Zining, you..."
"Hurry, don't worry about me..."
Xue Zining's voice echoed.
Wen Yuxi gritted his teeth. Although he wanted to follow, leaving with the others was indeed the best course of action at this moment.
Wen Yuxi stepped forward, picked up Xue Jingyun, and had Wen Nuan wrap An Ning's body in an outer garment. They then left.
"Pavilion Master, what about Wen Ling?" Wen Yu asked.
Wen Yuxi replied, "Don't worry about him. He'll come out when he's had his fill."
Seeing Wen Yuxi depart from a distance, Xue Zining breathed a sigh of relief. Xue Jingyun's injuries could not wait; they had to get out.
Fan Min's eyes were bloodshot, and he laughed cruelly, "Do you think they can get out of Miao Jiang smoothly?"
Upon hearing this, Xue Zining's gaze turned cold, "What have you done?"
Fan Min laughed heartily, "They won't be able to get out."
"What exactly have you done?" Xue Zining asked coldly, her brows furrowed.
"I'll tell you when you're dead," Fan Min suddenly struck.
The frenzied Fan Min was even more formidable than before.
Xue Zining dodged, knowing she was no match for Fan Min at the moment. But she had to stall for time, to allow Wen Yuxi and the others to escape.
Fan Min's attacks were all fatal, and soon Xue Zining sustained multiple wounds, injuries that were etched into her soul.
Finally, unable to hold on any longer, she fell from mid-air, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
Fan Min's eyes flashed with malevolence, and he roared, "Go and atone for Xin'er!"
The palm wind surged towards Xue Zining.
They should be far away by now. Even if her soul were to scatter, what did it matter?
Xue Zining watched as the palm strike landed on her forehead. She slowly closed her eyes.
An Ning, I'm sorry, I may not be able to keep my promise to you.
Yan Zhao, I may not be able to accompany you anymore.
"Xue Zining, if you surrender now, I will hate you..."
A voice suddenly echoed from within her body.
Xue Zining's eyes snapped open. The palm strike had already cut through her skin. Suddenly, a faint green glow emanated from her brow. This light stunned Fan Min. At that moment, she rolled on the ground, evading the attack.
A green light enveloped her entire body, feeling warm.
It was healing her wounds.
Xue Zining was taken aback.
Fan Min frowned, also somewhat shocked by the situation before him.
Just then, several figures landed in front of Xue Zining.
Xue Zining was startled; it was Elder Feng, Elder Xue, and Elder Yu.
Elder Yu said, "You go. We three siblings will handle the rest."
"Thank you!" Xue Zining did not refuse. She was truly no match for Fan Min.
"Wait, take this," Elder Yu tossed a box towards her.
Xue Zining was stunned, "This is..."
"Miao Jiang Secret Arts," Elder Yu replied.
Xue Zining's gaze froze, "This... how can such a precious item be given to me?"
"Nothing is impossible. From this day forward, Miao Jiang will cease to exist. Xue Zining, I hope you will guard them. They are a sharp sword, something everyone desires, for they contain forbidden arts of resurrection, soul transference..."
Elder Yu did not continue, but Xue Zining understood.