Outside the yurt, dark clouds gathered, lightning flashed, and the wind howled. Pines and bamboos danced wildly. Inside the yurt, the atmosphere was no less intense, with faces as grim as water, swords drawn, and an aura of blood filling the air.
The weather in the mountains changed in an instant. When Ren Yuanhao arrived, the sun was scorching, but in just a few hours, the sky was covered with dark clouds and incessant thunder. For some reason, his thoughts were not on the yurt, but far away, on the wild boar that had chased him for several miles on the mountainside.
"I wonder if this crackling thunder will happen to blast that beast until it's crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. If so, I could get a bargain on my way back and have a wild mountain delicacy."
This wish was actually very unrealistic, as there were more than just wild boars among the fierce beasts in these mountains.
The martial sisters were confronting each other, neither of them realizing that Ren Yuanhao had already wandered off, his saliva slowly dripping down the torn hem of his clothes.
Just then, another muffled thunderclap struck the top of the yurt. The power of heaven and earth seemed to want to tear this small hut to shreds. The man lying on the bed seemed to be drawn by the thunderstorm; he immediately turned over and vomited violently, spewing out black, foul-smelling blood that assailed the nostrils!
"Dad~!"
Ying Caiwei threw down her short sword and rushed to her father's side in a few steps, tears streaming down her face. She looked so frail and pitiful that it was heartbreaking.
"Beep beep, detected significant employer mood fluctuations. Recommend emotional appeasement to increase positive review probability."
How Ren Yuanhao wished he could appease her emotions. He was thinking that any decent person would not be able to bear bullying such a pure and clean young girl, yet her eldest martial sister could do it, tormenting her relentlessly.
He glanced at the short sword lying on the ground. He thought, since I've already taken one sword strike, another would only be another transparent hole. With a hardening of his heart and a gritting of his teeth, he flashed forward and grabbed the short sword from the ground! Seeing Ren Yuanhao pick up the sword, the eldest martial sister thought he was going to retaliate against her and was about to make a move. Unexpectedly, he lunged towards Ying Caiwei, who was still lost in her grief!
Before Ying Caiwei could even react, she felt something appear in her hand. Hot liquid slowly flowed towards her palm. Her heart tightened. In the dim light, she looked down and saw that the eldest martial sister's short sword was now in her palm, its blade, without a doubt, piercing through Ren Yuanhao's abdomen!
"No, don't~!"
Ying Caiwei instinctively let go of the sword hilt. Her slender, fair hands were stained with Ren Yuanhao's blood, and she looked completely lost, as if she had suffered a great shock.
"Very good, junior sister. If you don't teach this lecherous scoundrel a lesson to remember, who knows how many more girls he'll harm in the future. You did the right thing!"
Lightning struck down repeatedly, illuminating the grim yurt as bright as day. The candlelight flickered, stretching the shadows of the four people long and indistinct. After speaking, the eldest martial sister handed the bottle containing the pills to Zhi Ran. Zhi Ran quickly glided to the bedside, poured out a dark brown pill, and put it into the mouth of the feverish and unconscious man. As she turned back, she kicked Ren Yuanhao's shoulder.
"Mmm~"
Ren Yuanhao's wounds bled profusely. He collapsed onto the cold ground, his body curled up like a shrimp, trembling. His body was getting colder and colder.
In a daze, he only heard the eldest martial sister's cold laughter and Ying Caiwei's near-breakdown sobs. Then, he heard the roaring thunder and the sound of wind and rain raging all around...
After an unknown period of time, Ren Yuanhao was awakened by rustling and dripping sounds. When he opened his eyes, he felt drops of water falling on his trouser legs. His body was half soaked, and the torrential rain poured down on his head. Lightning illuminated the night sky as bright as day. The entire room was piled with weeds and farm tools, creating a ghostly and flickering scene.
He twisted his body and grabbed a handful of straw beside him to cover himself. He felt aches and chills all over. Cold winds poured in through the broken window, even bringing a few drops of rain that chilled him to the bone.
"After this mountain rain, the rice fields at the foot of the mountain will probably be in trouble."
Ren Yuanhao remembered very clearly that about half a mile down the mountain, a long river meandered around the village and flowed south. As for what was to the south, Ren Yuanhao could guess just from the wind blowing from the south – it was definitely a large expanse of golden rice paddies. He was all too familiar with that scent.
And such an exceptionally heavy downpour would not bring nourishment to all things for the villages at the foot of the mountain, but a predictable disaster.
"Beep beep, you're already so badly injured, and you still have the heart to think about those people?"
The system lady's voice seemed to carry not even a shred of worry, truly not even a sliver.
"Hearing your tone, I already know I'm fine."
"Where does that confidence come from? I said, after you kick the bucket, I'll abscond with the money and find a new master."
"Heh heh, if I kick the bucket, your tone wouldn't be so relaxed right now."
"Perhaps. After all, finding a virgin for ten lifetimes is not an easy task."
"Are you praising me or insulting me with that?"
"I think with your intelligence, you can absolutely tell."
And just as Ren Yuanhao was conversing with the system lady, amidst the continuous sound of the downpour, there came faint sounds of footsteps wading through water!
"Someone's coming!"
Ren Yuanhao sat up, forcing himself to circulate his energy. The two transparent holes were not vital points. After a wave of sharp pain, given his physical condition, they were already beginning to scab over. Coupled with the frantic flow of his internal energy, these minor injuries had already healed by five to six tenths.
At this moment, the rustic wooden door creaked open a crack. Ren Yuanhao tensed and listened, immediately recognizing that these footsteps were different from the previous ones. While he was still wondering, he saw Ying Caiwei cautiously stepping in.
"Little sister~"
"Shhh~"
Ying Caiwei carried a quilt and a small bottle in her hand. She said hurriedly, "Little brother, it's pouring outside, and my martial sisters haven't left yet. You'll have to endure the night here. When the rain stops, I'll take you away via a small path."
She didn't give Ren Yuanhao a chance to speak. In the flashes of lightning, he could see a look of heartache on the little girl's face. Suddenly, her eyebrows furrowed, and she smiled, shaking the medicine bottle. "Look, I stole the Clear Heart Divine Immortal Pill while my eldest martial sister was asleep. Take it quickly, it will be very beneficial for your wounds."
"But if your martial sister finds out..."
Ying Caiwei waved her hand and interrupted,
"This rain is coming at the perfect time. Tomorrow, those people who injured my father will come to demand something. My martial sisters will definitely not stand by. When things get chaotic, who will notice these things? Eat it quickly."
Ren Yuanhao knew that the spiritual medicines in these cultivation sects were comparable to the medicines in the system store, even more potent. He didn't refuse and took a pill. However, as soon as the medicine entered his abdomen, instead of a warm energy circulating in his stomach like a healing divine medicine, a cold energy surged, as if sharp swords were frantically cutting at his abdomen and intestines!