"Quick, go," Xue Zining pulled Qixiu towards the depths.
"Sister A Ning, can we not escape?" Qixiu looked up and asked her.
"We won't, we will definitely escape, we will." Xue Zining comforted Qixiu.
The firelight grew closer, and Xue Zining had to use her internal energy to move Qixiu.
Suddenly, a voice came from outside, "Qixiu, Qixiu..."
"Grandfather, it's Grandfather..." Qixiu said in surprise.
Xue Zining stopped Qixiu, "Don't go..."
Qixiu looked at her in confusion, "Why, Sister A Ning?"
"Don't go, it's a trap," Xue Zining could only say.
"No, Grandfather wouldn't harm me." Qixiu broke free from her hand and ran towards her grandfather.
"Qixiu." Xue Zining had to turn back and chase after Qixiu.
"Grandfather..." Qixiu threw herself into her grandfather's arms.
Qixiu's grandfather stroked Qixiu's head, "Let's go, Qixiu!"
Xue Zining, who followed them out, was also stunned. Looking at Qixiu's grandfather, Qixiu tugged on her grandfather's hand, "Grandfather, let's go together, okay?"
"Grandfather cannot go. You and Miss Ning should leave quickly. Grandfather will hold off those people for you."
"Grandfather..."
"Go..." Qixiu's grandfather commanded in a low voice.
Qixiu refused to leave. Xue Zining stepped forward, took Qixiu's hand, and said, "Don't worry, I will definitely take Qixiu away."
Qixiu's grandfather nodded, "Once you leave, don't look back, hurry!"
Xue Zining dragged Qixiu away. Walking deeper into the bamboo forest, she looked back and saw Qixiu's grandfather's body slowly becoming transparent. She quickly covered Qixiu's eyes to prevent her from looking back, "Don't look back..."
Finally, they found a raft in the depths. She and Qixiu dragged the raft out. "Don't move..."
Qixiu looked up at her and asked in a low voice, "Sister A Ning, what's wrong?"
"Han Xi Chen..." Xue Zining whispered.
The beach was full of Han Xi Chen's men.
"Hide the raft first," Xue Zining said.
Qixiu nodded, hid the raft, and the two concealed themselves in the bamboo forest.
"Xue Zining, you can't escape. Come out. If I find you, your child will truly be gone," Han Xi Chen shouted from the beach.
Xue Zining stroked her belly, thinking to herself, I will never let anyone harm my child.
She and Qixiu spent a night in the bamboo forest. When they woke up in the morning, they saw Han Xi Chen still guarding the beach.
If Han Xi Chen didn't leave, they couldn't leave the island.
Han Xi Chen seemed to have lost patience and ordered his men to search the bamboo forest.
Xue Zining had to lead Qixiu to hide from the searchers while observing Han Xi Chen's situation.
"Grandfather..." Qixiu suddenly cried out.
Xue Zining looked in the direction of Qixiu's cry and saw Qixiu's grandfather being dragged out, bound. "Qixiu, if you don't come out, your grandfather won't survive."
"Grandfather, Grandfather..." Qixiu, unable to care about anything else, rushed out.
Xue Zining had no choice but to follow her out.
"Grandfather..." Qixiu cried and threw herself into her grandfather's arms.
Xue Zining saw Han Xi Chen walking towards her, his expression grim. "Xue Zining, we meet again."
She instinctively took a step back, protecting her stomach.
Han Xi Chen's lips curved upwards, his gaze flashing with malevolence. "It seems you are unwilling to talk reasonably. In that case, don't blame me. Take them away."
She and Qixiu were locked in the woodshed.
"Sister A Ning, I'm sorry. If it weren't for me, we wouldn't have been captured," Qixiu said regretfully.
"We couldn't have left anyway." Even without Qixiu's grandfather, she and Qixiu wouldn't have been able to escape. As long as Han Xi Chen kept guarding the sea, how many days could they stay in the bamboo forest?
Even if she could, the baby in her belly wouldn't be able to hold on.
Looking at the thin congee in the bowl, she knew it lacked any nutrition. Her child couldn't eat this.
"I want to see Han Xi Chen," she said to the guard outside the door.
In the evening, Han Xi Chen arrived late. "Han Xi Chen, this thin congee is not enough. I need some steamed buns and vegetables."
"What right do you have to negotiate with me?" Han Xi Chen asked.
Xue Zining bit her lower lip and said, "What about the art of resurrection?"
Han Xi Chen sneered, "Didn't you say you didn't have it?"
"I do. I didn't want to give it to you before," she said.
"How do I know you're not lying to me?" Han Xi Chen was much more cautious this time.
"I can prove it," Xue Zining said.
Han Xi Chen narrowed his eyes and looked at her. "Xue Zining, you only have one chance. If you lie to me again, I will never believe you."
"Qixiu's grandfather is already a living dead person. I can make him a living person."
Han Xi Chen was stunned. "Alright, you wait."
Xue Zining turned. Qixiu looked at her with tears streaming down her face. "Sister A Ning, what does 'living dead' mean?"
She squatted down. "Qixiu, you don't need to know. You just need to know that Sister A Ning will give you back a living grandfather in a moment."
Han Xi Chen's movements were swift. Just as she finished comforting Qixiu, Han Xi Chen brought Qixiu's grandfather.
Xue Zining said, "I don't have the strength right now. I need to eat."
Han Xi Chen had people bring food.
Xue Zining finally had a full meal. She offered it to Qixiu, but Qixiu was entirely focused on her grandfather.
"I've eaten, is it okay now?" Han Xi Chen asked.
Xue Zining nodded, "Yes."
Han Xi Chen looked at her. "Don't lie to me, or I won't spare you."
She had Qixiu's grandfather lie on the ground, spoke a sentence in Miao language, and soon a blue light appeared in her hand. The light entered Qixiu's grandfather's mouth.
Even from the entrance, one could clearly see the blue light throughout Qixiu's grandfather's body.
Qixiu's grandfather's body began to become transparent, as if about to disappear. The blue light remained constant.
Xue Zining stood up and said, "Tomorrow morning, he will be a living person."
Han Xi Chen watched mesmerized, then looked up at her and asked, "What is the function of that blue light?"
Xue Zining nodded, "Yes."
"Good, I'll wait to see the effect tomorrow morning." Han Xi Chen left.
The moment the door closed, Xue Zining collapsed on the ground. Qixiu quickly stepped forward and helped her up. "Sister A Ning, what's wrong?"
Xue Zining shook her head, "I... I'm fine..."
"Sister A Ning, why is your face so pale?" Qixiu asked worriedly.
"Used too much strength," Xue Zining said.
Qixiu looked at her grandfather lying down with his eyes closed and asked, "Sister A Ning, will Grandfather really come back to life tomorrow?"
"Do you believe Sister A Ning?" Xue Zining asked.
Qixiu nodded, "Of course I do."
Xue Zining reached out and stroked Qixiu. "If you believe your sister, then look forward to seeing your grandfather alive tomorrow!"
Qixiu nodded.
Xue Zining sat down in a corner and breathed a sigh of relief. She stroked the baby in her belly. My baby, you must be strong, you must hold on.
The next day.
Han Xi Chen arrived early. He saw Qixiu talking to Qixiu's grandfather and found it quite remarkable. He stepped forward and grabbed Qixiu's grandfather's arm. The living dead had no pulse, but now Qixiu's grandfather's pulse was strong and vigorous.
This was a sign of a living person.
"Xue Zining, you didn't lie to me..." Han Xi Chen seemed a little excited.
"I told you, I know the art of resurrection," Xue Zining said calmly.
"Teach me," Han Xi Chen said excitedly.
"You can't learn it," Xue Zining said.
Han Xi Chen's expression immediately turned grim. "Xue Zining, don't push your luck."