Chapter 354: The God and Man by the Spring
Whether due to the severity of his injuries or the soaking in the hot spring, Su Li's face was slightly swollen, his eyes tightly shut, all traces of his heroic spirit gone. The sharp sword gleam that had once made Chen Changsheng unable to look directly at him had vanished to who knows where, making him appear like an ordinary person.
Just then, the Black Dragon's separated soul drifted out from the short sword, returning to the jade ruyi tied at his waist, transforming back into what seemed like a real dragon. It flew to Chen Changsheng's shoulder, looked around at the snowy peaks, and asked in confusion, "Where is this? Have we left the Garden of Zhou?"
Chen Changsheng shook his head and said, "I don't know what's going on either. As soon as we came out, we ran into such a grand formation."
While in the short sword, the Black Dragon could only perceive the outside world through Chen Changsheng's divine sense and didn't know what had happened earlier. It asked in bewilderment, "What formation?"
"That yellow paper umbrella was taken by this senior, and it turned out to be a sword... Of course, that's not the important part. Earlier on the snowy plain, that demonic man wrapped entirely in a black robe might be the rumored demon race military advisor. There were also over a dozen demon generals, each as strong as Teng Xiaoming and Liu Wan'er. And that shadow—I seriously suspect it was the Demon Lord."
Chen Changsheng briefly described the situation on the snowy plain. The Black Dragon was so shocked it couldn't speak. Even if it were just a weak separated soul now, even if it regained its true form as the Xuan Shuang Giant Dragon from beneath Beixin Bridge, encountering high-level figures like the Black Robe or the Demon Lord would only mean certain death.
It looked at the sleeping middle-aged man by the hot spring and asked, "Then who is this human? He managed to survive and even brought you to escape?"
Chen Changsheng said, "He is the Li Mountain Little Master, Su Li."
Hearing this name, the Black Dragon's body trembled, emitting a crisp ringing sound, as if the jade ruyi were about to shatter.
Chen Changsheng asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"
The Black Dragon stared at Su Li, its eerie vertical pupils contracting in obvious terror. "He is very powerful," it said.
Chen Changsheng recalled how on the snowy plain, Su Li had killed a demon general just by placing his hand on the sword hilt, and gravely wounded the Black Robe when the sword was half-drawn. He thought that although this senior's behavior was somewhat absurd and vulgar, in terms of sword path realm and cultivation, he was indeed immensely powerful. But the Black Dragon senior was also an extremely proud and domineering sacred being—why would it be so terrified just hearing his name?
"I've never met him, but I know he... has killed many dragons."
The Black Dragon glanced at the yellow paper umbrella in Su Li's hand, then without hesitation returned to being a separated soul, hiding back into the short sword. No matter how Chen Changsheng called, it refused to come out again.
Chen Changsheng was very puzzled and somewhat helpless. He looked at Su Li and noticed that even in sleep, this senior still tightly gripped the yellow paper umbrella, refusing to let go.
Then he remembered the question Su Li had asked before falling unconscious. He didn't know what was happening in the Garden of Zhou now, whether those people had successfully escaped, whether Zhe Xiu and Qi Jian were still alive, whether that Li Mountain Sword Sect disciple Liang Xiaoxiao who had betrayed humanity and colluded with the demons was still alive, and... how was she? Was she safe?
He was very worried about these things and anxious to return to Hanqiu City or the capital as soon as possible, to confirm how those he cared about were doing, and to tell those who cared about him that he was safe and sound, nothing wrong. Otherwise... Luo Luo would be so worried when she learned about what happened in the Garden of Zhou.
But how could he leave now?
Hearing the thunderous snoring, he shook his head helplessly, crouched beside Su Li, and began to examine his injuries. No matter how urgently he needed to leave, he couldn't just abandon this senior. Even though he himself was exhausted and his true essence was nearly depleted, he had to keep going, because this senior was clearly on the verge of death.
Su Li's clothes were already tattered. The injuries and sword intent had burst forth all at once, piercing through his body from the inside out. Wounds were everywhere, along with traces left by extremely pure energy burns. Even with Chen Changsheng's superb medical skills and rich experience, he didn't know where to start.
Moreover, he had no medicine on hand, not even cloth strips to bandage wounds. The only thing he could use was the golden needle wrapped around his fingers.
The golden needle pierced through the thick hot mist, landing precisely on Su Li's neck, slowly and steadily probing inward.
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To Chen Changsheng's relief, not long after he applied the needle, Su Li woke up. It seemed this senior's realm and cultivation were indeed different from ordinary cultivators. Such severe injuries meant little to him. If so, perhaps they could leave soon?
Su Li glanced at him, his expression cold, filled with indifference and detachment, as if looking at a stranger. Chen Changsheng could accept this—he and this senior were strangers after all. But the condescension deep in this Li Mountain senior's eyes, that look of a god gazing down at an ant, still made him somewhat uncomfortable.
The next moment, Su Li's cold detachment gradually faded. Perhaps it was because Chen Changsheng hadn't left while he was asleep and was still trying to treat his wounds, which earned some approval.
"Who are you?" he asked, looking at Chen Changsheng.
Before falling unconscious, Su Li had asked several times: Who am I? He certainly knew the answer, but used the question to lead to his proud assertion—someone as supremely powerful as him couldn't possibly be in trouble. This was the first time he thought to ask this young man's name.
Chen Changsheng thought for a moment and decided to tell the truth. But before he could speak, Su Li continued, "Who you are doesn't matter. What I want to say is, although this sword was originally mine, you did deliver it to my hands. As thanks, I've decided to teach you a sword technique."
Su Li stood up, glanced at the yellow paper umbrella in his hand, lost in thought.
Chen Changsheng stood behind him, looking somewhat hesitant.
Without turning around, Su Li said coldly, "You don't need to be overwhelmed with gratitude, nor do you need to announce your sect or school, trying to build some connection with me to scheme for more benefits."
The moment he finished speaking, Chen Changsheng said without hesitation, "National Academy, Chen Changsheng."
He was well aware that the relationship between the National Academy and the Li Mountain Sword Sect—more precisely, between himself and the Li Mountain Sword Sect—wasn't very good. In fact, it could be described as very bad. But he didn't want to lie, and this Li Mountain senior's attitude displeased him, so he said it, and said it very loudly.
The snowy peaks were slightly cold, and the hot spring was silent.
Su Li stood on the stone by the spring, expressionless. "I'll give you one more chance," he said.
Chen Changsheng looked at his back, feeling a chill, but some inexplicable force rose within him, making him say again, "National Academy, Chen Changsheng."
This time his voice was louder, but his tone calmer.
Su Li slowly turned around, looking down at his eyes, and said, "It seems you're someone who doesn't know how to cherish opportunities."
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(The next chapter will be out before one o'clock.)