Inside the Saintess's Hall, the Saintess swept the ointment from the dressing table onto the floor, shouting furiously, "Good for Lan Yan, to be so disobedient to me." Her eyes burned with intense rage.
She had intended to use Lan Yan to bring down Jun Yelan, but this Lan Yan was simply foolish.
The maidservant shivered, kneeling on the ground, daring not to make a sound.
The Saintess tore the silk ribbon from her arm and crumpled it tightly in her palm. "I refuse to believe she will always trust Jun Yelan, even if she learns about his past."
"Wasn't the person brought back from the secret room still alive! Release him and let him see Lan Yan."
The maidservant, thinking of the man's near-death state, trembled again. "Yes, Saintess."
Thinking of the events to come, the Saintess burst into laughter. "Jun Yelan, I will not let you off easy!" She waited, for the rift to appear between Lan Yan and Jun Yelan, to deliver a fatal blow to Jun Yelan.
She couldn't believe that anyone in this world would be good to Jun Yelan without reason. Perhaps it was for a greater purpose.
Seeing the Saintess like this again, the maidservant fearfully retreated. She opened the medicine room and looked at the emaciated man soaking in the medicine vat. Trembling, she stepped forward and patted his shoulder.
The man's eyes suddenly opened. He looked around in confusion, muttering a single name, "Jun Yelan."
The next morning, Lan Yan and Lü Qi were learning to mix medicines for disguise. She looked at the various bottles and jars before her and took a long time to figure things out. "Lü Qi, I'll just learn the simplest ones."
Lü Qi looked at Lan Yan's distressed expression and smiled, "These are the simplest. There's no shortcut to disguise; it requires a lot of time. Don't rush, take your time."
Seeing Lan Yan's serious demeanor reminded her of her deceased sister.
Lan Yan nodded and tried to pour the medicines together to create a suitable ointment. When she felt tired, she would pet the white tiger at her feet to relax.
The white tiger: "..." At this moment, it smelled a strange odor, stood up straight, and protected Lan Yan, baring its fangs.
Lan Yan followed the white tiger's gaze and saw an incredibly emaciated man walking towards them with his head drooping. She took the slingshot from her waist and aimed it at the man.
The man muttered, "Jun Yelan."
"Looking for the City Lord." Lan Yan certainly wouldn't let him pass and aimed at the man's feet.
The man seemed to feel no pain and continued to advance.
The white tiger immediately let out a roar that shook the surrounding trees.
It also attracted Jun Yelan, who was walking down the corridor. He used his Qinggong to approach and knocked the man away with a palm, his expression icy. However, upon seeing the man's face, he froze, "Nie Qing."
This was the child who had trained with him in the secret room. His last sparring match had been against Nie Qing, but Nie Qing had been dead for ten years.
Nie Qing looked up and saw Jun Yelan, then attacked him like a madman.
Jun Yelan made a move and broke one of Nie Qing's arms, realizing something was wrong with his condition. As he pondered, Nie Qing attacked, reaching for his arm.
He turned to the side, and only his sleeve was torn.
Lan Yan could tell that Jun Yelan and this Nie Qing had a connection, and Nie Qing harbored murderous intent towards him. She raised her slingshot and shot towards Nie Qing's chest, but Nie Qing still showed no reaction.
"This is a monster."
Jun Yelan's eyes darkened. As Nie Qing lunged at him, he firmly grasped his hands and tied him up.
Nie Qing glared at Jun Yelan, his mouth agape as if to bite him, but he couldn't get close.
"City Lord, what's wrong with him?" Lan Yan asked, confused.
Jun Yelan shook his head, also puzzled by Nie Qing's appearance.
Just as they were all lost in thought, the Saintess, in a purple robe, walked over from the garden. She looked at Lan Yan with a smile and said, "I thought something had happened, but it turns out you've met an acquaintance."
"Jun Yelan, you probably haven't forgotten him. The trainee who grew up with you, who foolishly wanted to be your friend, only to be pierced through the heart by your arrow."
Jun Yelan clenched his fist and stared at the triumphant Saintess before him. "He's here, and it's your doing! You took him away back then." He had buried those who died in the secret room but had never found Nie Qing's remains.
"I was trying to save him," the Saintess laughed. "You're always like this, never grateful. Those who are good to you will eventually die by your arrow."
As she said this, she looked at Lan Yan intentionally or unintentionally.
Lan Yan directly shifted her gaze. If she wasn't talking to herself, why look at her!
Veins bulged on Jun Yelan's forehead. He shot an arrow from his sleeve towards Nie Qing on the ground. Nie Qing was now the Saintess's puppet; it was better to end his suffering than to let him live in pain.
Seeing Jun Yelan's decisiveness, the Saintess was first stunned, then smiled. "Ten years of friendship, reunited, and ended like this." She looked at Lan Yan, "I advise those close to him to be careful."
"If anything feels wrong, remember to come to the Saintess's Hall. I, this Saintess, will help you."
She watched Jun Yelan's anger, and the smile on her lips deepened.
"We don't need to," Lan Yan stepped forward and said, "I don't want to end up like Nie Qing. Saintess, if you have this much free time, you should stay in the Saintess's Hall. I heard the repair of your entrance isn't finished yet. Will the roof be damaged this time?"
She hoped the roof would be damaged and leak, to teach this detestable Saintess a lesson.
The Saintess hadn't expected Lan Yan to be this way, completely unaffected by what had just happened. "You!"
Lan Yan continued, "The City Lord isn't as cruel as you. To torture someone for ten years just for revenge today. You want to make the City Lord feel bad, and you want us to become estranged from the City Lord. Such a vicious scheme."
"But I've said it all, which proves you've failed." She stood firmly by Jun Yelan's side and snorted at the Saintess.
The Saintess's eyes burned with rage, and a dull headache began to set in.
Jun Yelan's heart warmed because of Lan Yan, and he no longer cared about what had happened. He said coldly, "From today onwards, the Saintess is to remain in her hall and not come out again."
"And everyone else in the Saintess's Hall is likewise." Even if there was no more medicine in the future, he would not let the Saintess do as she pleased!
The Saintess immediately flicked her sleeve and left, pressing her temples as she went. She would definitely find a way to deal with these two again!
Jun Yelan couldn't help but look at Lan Yan, preparing to say something, but was preempted by the person before him.
"City Lord, she's finally gone. What do we do with this Nie Qing?" Lan Yan could tell that Jun Yelan had hesitated when he made his move, likely having feelings for Nie Qing.
Jun Yelan looked at Nie Qing on the ground. "I'll handle it." He dragged Nie Qing forward, then looked back at Lan Yan and deliberately called out, "Follow me." There were things he wanted to say to Lan Yan, things he had kept in his heart for too long.
Lan Yan obediently followed.