Chapter 48

Chapter 48: Healing in the Cave

"Well, what a coincidence!"

Xiao Ning clicked his tongue as he gazed at the woman in plain clothes floating down the river.

The turn of events struck him as rather miraculous.

Without hesitation, he activated his Ziyun Wings and soared like a great bird, swiftly covering a hundred meters to pluck her from the water.

"I managed to steal from the Amethyst Winged Lion King's cave, but it seems I owe you one, saving your life should settle that debt."

Xiao Ning murmured to himself as he carried the woman to the shore.

Her clothes were soaked, clinging to her curves, making her look especially alluring.

However, Xiao Ning kept his eyes from wandering, focusing instead on the task at hand.

He laid her down gently on the riverbank, supporting her calf with one hand and her neck with the other.

"Huh?"

Xiao Ning suddenly felt a familiar aura approaching. Turning around, he saw a figure in black robes heading his way.

"Cousin Xiao Yan!"

Xiao Ning waved from a distance to catch the other's attention. Xiao Yan, noticing him, quickly closed the distance with a few swift steps.

"Cousin Xiao Ning, are you alright?"

Xiao Yan knew the risks involved in Xiao Ning's bold venture into the Amethyst Winged Lion King's cave.

Seeing him safe and sound now, he couldn't help but feel relieved.

"Haha, I'm fine. But what brings you here, Cousin Xiao Yan?"

Xiao Ning smiled, scrutinizing Xiao Yan, whose expression changed slightly under the gaze.

Xiao Yan quickly replied:

"Oh, I sensed a fierce battle between powerful beings here. I was curious and came closer to observe from a distance."

Xiao Yan nodded as he spoke, but his gaze inadvertently shifted behind Xiao Ning, landing on the woman lying unconscious on the riverbank. His expression stiffened slightly.

"Cousin, is this person...?"

Xiao Yan recognized her as the mysterious Dou Huang who had fought a fierce battle with the Amethyst Winged Lion King in the skies above.

"Haha, yes, it's her, she was badly injured and floating down the river, so I couldn't just leave her."

Xiao Ning spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness before scratching his head and sheepishly asking:

"By the way, Cousin Xiao Yan, do you happen to have any healing elixirs? I've used up most of mine."

Xiao Yan felt a pang of something he couldn't quite place, but he still shook his head slightly and took out a small jade bottle from his ring.

He tossed it to Xiao Ning and said:

"Use the medicated powder externally after cleaning the wound,change it once a day it should last for three days."

Before Xiao Ning could say anything more, the distant jungle echoed with the roars of monsters, cutting the conversation short.

"Do you need me to take you with me?"

Xiao Ning, noticing Xiao Yan's change in expression, immediately offered. Inwardly, though, he was cursing himself for what felt like a misstep.

"Cousin Xiao Ning, it's fine. I have a stronghold nearby."

Xiao Ning smiled and didn't linger, leaping onto a tree and disappearing from Xiao Yan's sight within seconds.

Xiao Yan stood still, staring after him. For some reason, he felt a strange sense of loss, as if he'd lost something important.

"Hey, silly boy, why are you just standing there? The monsters are searching this area!"

Yao Lao's voice jolted Xiao Yan out of his reverie. He immediately sprinted towards the mountain where his hidden cave was located. Yao Lao had sprinkled medicinal powder around it, keeping monsters at bay.

Meanwhile, Xiao Ning, with his Kunpeng's magic concealing his presence, avoided detection by the monsters.

He traveled several miles away before finding a secluded cave halfway up the mountain. After covering the entrance with boulders and leaves, ensuring that Yun Yun wouldn't be discovered, he carefully placed her inside.

With a moment to catch his breath, Xiao Ning finally took a closer look at her.

He had only seen her from a distance during the battle, but now, up close, her beauty was striking picturesque eyebrows, flawless skin, and an air of grace and nobility. One glance, and she left a lasting impression.

"She's quite beautiful. No wonder she had such an effect in the original story."

Xiao Ning shook his head, his gaze moving to the claw marks beneath her neck. Five deep wounds marred her otherwise perfect skin, blood still seeping out and staining her clothes red. Even in her unconscious state, her face bore signs of pain, making her look vulnerable and delicate.

Xiao Ning didn't hesitate. He untied Yun Yun's clothes, revealing a piece of light blue metal armor underneath. It shimmered like water, clearly extraordinary, but it bore deep claw marks that had allowed the blood to seep through.

"If it weren't for this armor, she might've been crippled or worse."

Xiao Ning tutted to himself as he carefully removed the armor, exposing the skin beneath.

He cleaned the wounds with water, applied the medicated powder Xiao Yan had given him, and then redressed her, all without any inappropriate thoughts.

"I, Xiao Ning, am a gentleman,I wouldn't take advantage of anyone."

With the task done, Xiao Ning sat cross-legged on a nearby boulder and began to cultivate.

He needed to replenish his Dou Qi as quickly as possible, especially since he couldn't use any of the two major treasures he had acquired.

After half an hour, Xiao Ning, who had been meditating with his eyes closed, suddenly felt a cold gaze on him.

Opening his eyes, he saw Yun Yun awake, staring at him with a mix of coldness, shame, and complexity in her expression.

"Senior, you're awake?"

Xiao Ning smiled and greeted her first.

Yun Yun stared at the sturdy man sitting cross-legged on the bluestone, her emotions in turmoil.

When she woke, she found her wounds treated, her Sea Heart Armor removed.

It was clear that the man before her had seen everything. As the leader of the Yunlan Sect and a Dou Huang, she felt deeply embarrassed.

A flush of shame colored her cheeks..