Chapter 32.6 - In this lifetime, I promise to protect you.

Not long after, Ding Xiaobo drew out his last breath, and Li Xinwen flicked the blood off his sword with one swift movement before sheathing. Only then did he send the sword back into his dimension. He walked over to where Xue Rui and Sun Xiao is, and he finally saw how bad Xue Rui's appearance is. Worse, Sun Xiao's eyes were also full of tears, making Li Xinwen's heartache. If it were not for Xue Rui's shallow breathing, as well as the small trace of spiritual energy coming from his body, Li Xinwen would've thought that he had died.

"Ah'Xiao, how is he?" Li Xinwen asked in a worried tone. Sun Xiao just stared at Li Xinwen, before he shakes his head. Both of Xue Rui's legs were broken, each bending at the wrong angle. Just one look and others could already imagine the kind of pain that Xue Rui had to go through.

"Have you given him the medicine?" Li Xinwen asked again, and this time, Sun Xiao nods his head.

"But, Xin-gege, what if it doesn't work? Let's just take big brother Rui to the hospital," Sun Xiao suggested to Li Xinwen.

"En. He does need medical attention but... first," Li Xinwen kneeled to the ground beside Xue Rui's legs. "Rui-ge, can you hear me?" Li Xinwen called out.

Hearing Li Xinwen's voice calling him, Xue Rui weakly opened his eyes. His vision appeared blurry, but he could make a familiar silhouette in front of him. "Xin...wen..." he called out, his voice sounded raspy, probably from screaming out in pain. "R...un... These people... dang..er... Xiao Xiao... take your brother and... run..."

Li Xinwen who heard this, narrowed his eyes as he stared at the injured man who appeared to be half-conscious. "Rui-ge...?" Li Xinwen called out again. But Xue Rui only repeated the same thing before falling unconscious once more.

"When I came over earlier... big brother Rui also said the same thing," Sun Xiao informed Li Xinwen. "Even... when I told him that we came to save him, he told me to leave him and bring Xin-gege to safety..."

By now, if Li Xinwen said that he wasn't touched, he must have the heart of stone. The tense expression on his face softened and he reached out his hand to touch Xue Rui's face. "Rui-ge, Xinwen has received your sincerity. In this lifetime, I promise to protect you however I can and ensure that you live well," Li Xinwen murmured softly. 'And I'm sorry... I am not the Xinwen you were hoping for...' he added the last sentence in his heart.

"Ah'Xiao, I'm going to help correct Xue Rui's bone. If you can't handle it, look away or simply close your eyes," Li Xinwen warned the younger boy. But Li Xinwen didn't realize that earlier, Sun Xiao had already seen something worse. While Li Xinwen was dealing with the cultivators earlier, Sun Xiao never once took his eyes off after giving Xue Rui the medicine, that is until he heard Xue Rui's weak whisper.

"But Ah'Xiao wants to help..." Sun Xiao replied.

Seeing this, Li Xinwen just smiled at the younger boy. "Then, help hold his body in place."

After saying that, Li Xinwen used his finger to press on several acupuncture points close to Xue Rui's legs so that it could help Xue Rui block the pain. Then, he grabbed one of the broken legs and with one swift movement, he helped to realign the broken bone. A painful cracking sound could be heard as the bone snapped back into place and Li Xinwen quickly did the same to the other leg. Throughout the process, Xue Rui never woke up.

It wasn't after it was done did Li Xinwen felt two familiar spiritual signature coming towards them. Not long after, Xue Jun and Min Shaotian appeared. Xue Jun's expression was pale, and he looked restless. Meanwhile, Min Shaotian's face was full of guilt, especially when he saw the state of Xue Rui and that the cause was a disciple of his school.

"Xiao Rui!" Xue Jun quickly called out, but Li Xinwen quickly glared at him.

"Quiet, let him rest," Li Xinwen's voice was low, but Xue Jun could hear him clearly. "His two legs are broken, but I've already helped to realign his bone. You should hurry and bring him to the hospital," Li Xinwen told Xue Jun. "Other than his two legs, there are several fractured bones too. But for now, his life is not in danger," Li Xinwen added.

Luckily, he had the insight of asking Lanyu for medicine early. Although it was dangerous to give a mortal a medicine made for a cultivator, there wasn't much choice back then. If he didn't gamble, Xue Rui wouldn't survive the day. As much as he disliked the man's persistent chase, he as to admit that he had grown attached to him.

Xue Jun didn't say anything else. He came closer and carefully picked up his unconscious younger brother. Before leaving, Xue Jun glanced at Li Xinwen before his lips moved, muttering a single sentence: "Thank you."

Xue Jun left, but Min Xiaotian continued to stay behind. Li Xinwen saw this so he slowly stood up from his position. "I've killed several of your disciples today," Li Xinwen said in a calm voice.

"I know. But I do not blame you," Min Shaotian replied. "They only have themselves to blame. Harming a mortal person... I've already told them that this is a taboo that must not be broken. Even if you didn't kill them, I would have killed them myself."

"I seriously suggest you deal with Chen Jingguo quickly. Having him in your school is akin to poisoning your own water jar. Sooner or later, he might end up corrupting every single disciple in your school," Li Xinwen once again told Min Shaotian. "Don't wait until it's too late for regret."

"I understand. I apologize for what happened today..."

"You're apologizing to the wrong person," Li Xinwen replied. "The one who you should apologize to is Xue Rui," Li Xinwen added. "Let's return to your place. After getting our stuff, we will leave," Li Xinwen told Min Shaotian.

Li Xinwen took Sun Xiao with him and left the area. Min Shaotian stayed for a while, then looked at Ding Xiaobo's body. With a sigh, Min Shaotian sent a ball of flames over to the remains, quickly burning it to ashes. "I hope all of you won't make the same mistake in your next life," Min Shaotian said out loud before he too left the place.

When they returned to Min Shaotian's place, they could sense that something was wrong. There were still students training in the training hall but they couldn't shake off the bad feeling that they have.

"Ah'Xiao, stay close," Li Xinwen said as he pulled Sun Xiao closer. Both Min Shaotian and Li Xinwen sent out their spiritual sense to scan the area.

As soon as they did, they found out what was wrong. There is an outsider in the school. Li Xinwen turned to Min Shaotian, but the other had already disappeared from his spot. Li Xinwen clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction. "One problem after another," he muttered under his breath.

Li Xinwen grabbed Sun Xiao and brought the boy along with him to where Min Shaotian had disappeared to. There, he saw that Min Xiaoyu was unconscious on the ground, and Min Shaotian was beside him, checking him up.

"How is he?" Li Xinwen asked.

"Nothing life-threatening but the seal I put inside him was undone..." Min Shaotian replied.

At the mention of the seal, Li Xinwen was reminded of the seal that he found within Min Xiaoyu when they first met. He was curious about what was contained inside, but because his cultivation level was lower than the caster, he didn't dare to risk it. "Chen Jingguo is also missing," Li Xinwen informed Min Shaotian. "And there was a trace of another person. He is at least of the same strength as you. He must be the one who undid the seal."

"I know. I saw them... they quickly left when I arrived," Min Shaotian replied with gritted teeth. "I shouldn't have left Yuyu alone..."

"At the very least, your grandson is still alive. It seems that the seal was their goal. What did you hide inside the seal?"

"... The method of the seal placed on the demon..." Min Shaotian replied. "The physical copy was burned, but because Yuyu has yet to learn the method, I sealed the knowledge inside him so when the time comes and for some reason, I was not around, then he can still learn it..."

When Li Xinwen heard this, his face turned extremely dark. "How long do you think it will take for them to unseal the seal?" Li Xinwen asked.

"Few years. Even if they know the method, the ingredients needed to undo the seal isn't easy to find... especially in this kind of modern world," Min Shaotian replied.

"But the demon came from another world... what if he has something similar to the ingredient needed?"

"..." Min Shaotian was unable to answer. "I will... gather my friends again. We have to find the demon before he can undo the seal."

"When you find him, inform me. I will lend a hand," Li Xinwen said to Min Shaotian. He knew that the demon is a big threat. He's afraid that if the demon wasn't dealt with, then even before the apocalypse, they might end up dead. He wondered if this event had happened in Li Jinghua's past, or it only happened now because of his existence.

"No..." Min Shaotian shook his head. "Mr Li, it may be presumptuous of me, but... if anything happened to me, may I ask that you take care of my Yuyu?" Min Shaotian asked.

Li Xinwen noticed the tone that Min Shaotian used and knew what the other is planning. "Mr Min, as his only living relative, shouldn't you try your best to survive?"

"Of course. But if worse comes to worst... we can only..."

"Enough. You will survive. Just inform me when you find him. I will lend you a hand," Li Xinwen cut Min Shaotian off. After that, Li Xinwen simply brought Sun Xiao to pick up their belongings. He also saw Xue Rui's bag, still in the same room, so he brought it along, hoping to return it when he went to visit the other.

When Li Xinwen and Sun Xiao left, Min Shaotian's expression turned solemn. He brought Min Xiaoyu to his room and then, went to the training hall. He watched as the student is diligently training, but he also noticed few had gone missing. 'I guess they followed Chen Jingguo...' Min Shaotian said in his heart before he called the rest of the student for their attention.

"Paying respect to the Grandmaster!"

"En. After today, the school will be closed for renovation. As some of you know, the gate was recently destroyed thus, in need to be repaired. Until then, you don't have to come here anymore. When the school reopen, I will naturally inform all of you," Min Shaotian informed them. "Now, you are all dismissed!"

Hearing that there would be no training for a while, most of the students felt disappointed. But there was nothing that they could do other than to listen to their master. They are not allowed to train in other places too as it was the rule that Min Shaotian set. If they ever broke it, they will lose their cultivation and all their hard work will come to nought.

"What is with that face? It's not like I'm telling you to stop cultivating! You continue to cultivate. It is only practising battle that is forbidden! Now go!" Min Shaotian scolded his students.

Min Shaotian watched as the student's face lit up and soon, they all dispersed. Once all of them are gone, Min Shaotian let out a heavy sigh. He went back to his residence and went to find the female servant from before. "Xiao Ling," Min Shaotian called her. Not long after, she appeared before him. "Tell me, how long have you been here with me?" Min Shaotian asked.

"Forty years," the servant replied.

"I thank you for your service these past forty years, but I have a favour to ask you... if in three years I don't return, please take care of my Yuyu."

"Is the master going out to deal with the demon of the past?"

Min Shaotian didn't answer and only smiled at her. "If I don't return, give this to Yuyu. This is my inheritance to him," Min Shaotian said as he gave the servant an old, wooden talisman. "He'll know what to do with it..."

After saying that, Min Shaotian disappeared from the Min family residence and since then, he was never to be seen again.