Feng Yinwan couldn't speak, and her chest felt as if it were filled with cotton, heavy with a sour ache.
She parted her lips, about to speak, when the door to the room was suddenly kicked open.
Ye Tingyun burst in, eyes wide, and upon seeing the two of them, his voice boomed with anger.
"What are you doing!"
He had barged in so abruptly that Feng Yinwan was still standing by the bed, her hand frozen in the motion of helping Song Qing'an remove his clothes.
She raised her gaze, landing on the prominent lump on his forehead, and was momentarily stunned. Frowning, she asked, "Why have you come here?"
Seeing his resolute departure last night, it had seemed as though he intended to sever all ties with her.
Upon hearing her question, Ye Tingyun's voice immediately rose an octave.
"Why have I come here?!"
"You have the nerve to ask! If I hadn't come, who knows what would have happened between you and this disreputable man!"
This damned woman was cold-hearted and cruel. Last night, she had made him take a nasty fall, and he was furious!
He had originally resolved not to seek her out again. However, on his way back to the palace earlier, he overheard news from the Imperial Guards that someone had forcibly entered the prison last night. Song Qing'an, for some unknown reason, had taken a blow meant for someone else, was injured, and had disappeared.
As sharp as he was, he immediately sensed that this matter was not simple.
He had rushed over, only to walk in on such an indecent scene!
This woman actually dared to secretly bring him back and... and let him sleep in Third Brother's bed!
It was infuriating!
His eyes fixed on the point of contact between the two of them, he clenched his jaw and strode forward angrily.
Seeing this, Feng Yinwan instinctively moved to shield Song Qing'an. However, this action only enraged Ye Tingyun. With some unknown strength, he shoved her aside and sat down on the bed.
Song Qing'an had been placed there for her convenience, but now, being squeezed by Ye Tingyun, Feng Yinwan couldn't help but frown.
"There's so much space in this room, why must you sit here?"
Song Qing'an's wound required extreme care, and with Ye Tingyun's clumsy movements, he could easily aggravate it.
Ye Tingyun paid no mind to this; he would be happy if the man fainted from pain.
Thus, he shifted his body, spreading his legs even wider.
"I'm sitting here! This Jiuzhou Xiangxie belongs to the royal family, and I'll sit wherever I please, no one can stop me!"
He shot Feng Yinwan a glare and added, "Not only am I sitting, but my backside is large, and I can occupy a whole bed by myself!"
"If you think it's crowded, then you move! What kind of injury requires treatment on the bed!"
He suspected these two had ulterior motives!
With his legs spread and hands on his hips, he looked no different from a shrew.
Seeing this, Feng Yinwan's brow furrowed tightly. As she was about to speak, Song Qing'an stopped her.
"Someone raided the prison tonight, and this humble general was unfortunately struck by a hidden weapon. Concubine Wan brought me here out of kindness to treat my wounds and has no other intentions. I implore Prince Yun not to overthink it."
Ye Tingyun was not appeased. "If you were struck by a hidden weapon, why didn't you go to the imperial physicians? Why come to Jiuzhou Xiangxie? The weapon won't grow legs and run out by itself!"
He believed Song Qing'an's intentions were impure!
Song Qing'an seemed unfazed by the sharpness in Ye Tingyun's words. He forced himself to sit up, completely yielding his spot.
"Prince Yun, please."
This action had exhausted him. His lips were pale as he spoke, and his breathing was already weak.
Ye Tingyun let out a cold snort upon seeing this and unceremoniously moved to sit down.
Feng Yinwan watched from the side, enraged. However, given that Song Qing'an was not only injured but also poisoned, in her urgency, she could no longer concern herself with Ye Tingyun. She quickly helped the injured man to a nearby chair.
She glanced again at the wound on Song Qing'an's back, still touched by the sight. Pressing her lips together, she had to temporarily suppress the unusual emotions.
"Let me help you remove your clothes first."
Song Qing'an nodded, cooperating as she maneuvered him.
Ye Tingyun's eyes widened at this, and he was about to speak again, but a stern look from Feng Yinwan silenced him. He muttered a few words under his breath and then remained quiet.
The moonlight flowed in like water, and the atmosphere in the room was quiet and serene, with only the soft sounds of breathing mingling.
Feng Yinwan's movements were extremely careful, but as the hidden weapon was removed, it still snagged some of the flesh, looking particularly gruesome.
Song Qing'an lay on the back of the chair with his eyes lightly closed, not uttering a sound throughout the process.
With the hidden weapon removed, the wound was exposed without any covering. Feng Yinwan's gaze sharpened as she spotted faint tendrils of black blood within it.
Unlike the black bloodstains that had oozed externally, these black blood had gathered tightly around his wound and seemed to be burrowing inward.
Seeing this, Feng Yinwan's heart sank, and her expression became even more serious.
The Profound Sect's Secret Records stated: Poisons, elixirs were of superior grade, medicinal pills were of inferior grade. When the two combined, they could counter ninety percent of the world's experts. However, the methods involving elixirs were quite restrictive, and compared to those who cultivated with resentment, they were ultimately inferior.
Gu masters fed their Gu with blood; those who cultivated resentment nourished themselves with poison.
The so-called "nourishing poison" involved the gradual consumption of meticulously refined elixirs, allowing them to dissolve into the blood, infuse the flesh and skin, and ultimately transform oneself into a complete poison being.
This method was quick to show results and was a shortcut to greatly increasing one's power in a short period. However, it also drastically shortened one's lifespan.
The Profound Sect pursued a human-centered approach, conforming to nature. This method violated the sect's principles and humanity, thus it was classified as a forbidden art.
She hadn't expected that among the villains, someone would be cultivating this art!
Song Qing'an had been poisoned after being struck by the hidden weapon. From this, it could be inferred that the poisoned blood originated from that mysterious individual.
Furthermore, judging by the potency of the poison, that person had likely cultivated to a terrifying degree.
Without daring to delay, she immediately gave Song Qing'an a pill and then took out silver needles from her sleeve, approaching him gently.
"Bear with it a little longer."
The black blood was highly stubborn. To remove it, it had to be uprooted completely.
The needle tip was quenched in fire, intensely hot. Feng Yinwan's hand was precise as she positioned it at the root of the black cluster and skillfully excised it.
The scene was somewhat bloody.
Initially, Ye Tingyun would occasionally sneak glances at the situation. By this point, he was so scared that he retreated directly, cowering in a corner.
Knowing his consistent character of being all brawn and no brains, Feng Yinwan cast him a glance and continued to focus on her task.
After thoroughly cleaning the wound, Song Qing'an pursed his lips, his pale face covered in a cold sweat.
Seeing this, Feng Yinwan's expression softened. She applied medicine to him and then gently covered the wound with gauze.
"Lift your arm."
His wound was on his back, so when bandaging, the gauze had to be wrapped around to the front.
Feng Yinwan stood behind him, and reaching out in this posture made it appear as though she were embracing him from behind.
Ye Tingyun couldn't bear to see this. His eyes blazed with anger, and he was no longer afraid of the bloodshed. He scrambled from the bed and rushed over.
"Wait!"
Feng Yinwan frowned. Before she could speak, she heard him continue,
"My arm can bend, let me do it!"
Feng Yinwan: "?"