Zhao Lingheng suddenly found himself unable to move, his mouth also blocked by vines. Large drops of cold sweat began to bead on his skin, and his body trembled uncontrollably.
Jun Jiuli split the skin on his back in two with a single slash, then looked at the sticky, greasy fat between the skin and muscle. She suddenly felt disgusted and couldn't bring herself to do it, so she let the puppets in her space handle it.
Each cut was precisely calculated, never deviating to cause death. Zhao Lingheng bit his lips until they bled, his face as pale as paper.
The blood vessels were still clearly visible pulsing, with only a small amount of blood flowing from various parts of his body.
Jia Yin, witnessing the scene, immediately fainted from shock. She couldn't imagine what it would be like if this were done to her.
After an hour, this major undertaking was finally completed. Jun Jiuli forced a Gudian Pill into Zhao Lingheng's mouth to ensure he wouldn't die from infection.
She packed the two of them up and unceremoniously dumped them in the woods of Qingling Mountain before preparing to descend. She had gifted them a thrilling great escape game.
After setting up an isolation formation at the foot of the mountain, Jun Jiuli finally felt at ease entering the capital city of the Zhao Kingdom.
The smell of blood was too strong, and soon a wolf was attracted to Zhao Lingheng and his companion. Both were unconscious, completely unaware of the approaching danger.
The wolf was incredibly fast and bit down on Zhao Lingheng's lower leg. The immense pain immediately woke him from his stupor. Seeing his own ghastly appearance, he almost fainted again.
His exposed flesh was a gruesome sight. He couldn't worry about that now. He struck the wolf's eyes and head with all his might, blow after blow.
The wolf shook its head but refused to let go, its sharp claws continuously raking at him. His shrill screams woke Jia Yin, who had been lying unconscious nearby.
Seeing the situation, she reacted quickly and bit down on the wolf's tail. The wolf, in pain, forcibly tore off Zhao Lingheng's lower leg.
Blood spurted out like a fountain. Faintly, other wolf howls could be heard. Jia Yin shivered and, using her last bit of meager spiritual power, stunned the wolf.
After casting the spell, she herself was on the verge of death. She struggled to comfort Zhao Lingheng. To ensure they would continue to "love each other," Jun Jiuli had made sure not to mar his face.
Unfortunately, despite her babbling for a long time, Zhao Lingheng couldn't understand a word. However, hearing the increasingly close footsteps, he knew it was too late if they didn't run.
Jia Yin was his only hope for survival in the forest; he couldn't abandon her now. He quickly tore off the remaining rags from his body and bandaged his leg.
Leaning against a large tree, he slowly stood up, signaling for Jia Yin to jump into his arms. Even with his gentle movements, a sharp pain shot through him.
To survive, he unleashed a great potential, carrying Jia Yin and hopping on one foot to escape the place.
Shui Wa: "Only the male lead can be this brave. Escaping alive from this situation, anyone else would have given up and waited for death."
Jun Jiuli: "If I killed them right away, wouldn't that be too easy for them."
"That's true. Where's our first stop?"
"The General's Manor."
Zhao Lingheng, just beginning to feel relieved from escaping danger, accidentally slipped and rolled down a slope. It took him a while to recover, and he rushed to check on Jia Yin.
Jia Yin's head had struck a stone about the size of a human skull. Fresh blood was imprinted on the stone. Zhao Lingheng tremblingly felt for her breathing. Fortunately, she was still alive.
He searched nearby for a hemostatic herb, chewed it, and applied it to Jia Yin's head. Dusk had fallen, and the mountains were most dangerous at night.
He had lost his way and couldn't find their previous shelter. His body was covered in dirt and dry grass, itched and ached all over, and mosquitoes buzzed around him.
As a prince, he had never suffered such hardship. At this moment, he wished he could just die. But something in his heart kept him going.
His appearance was not ruined. As long as he could return to the Zhao Kingdom, his father would surely avenge him. Yes, he had to live and relay the message.
The pain in his body only made him more clear-headed. Dragging Jia Yin, he collected any pain-relieving and hemostatic herbs and dry branches he saw along the way. Finally, before it got completely dark, he found a cave.
To his surprise, there was a small pool of stagnant water inside. He couldn't worry about whether it flowed or not now. Using a leaf, he gently scooped out the clear water, and Zhao Lingheng drank it eagerly.
After drinking several times, he used his finger to moisten and apply water to Jia Yin's lips. Only then did Zhao Lingheng have time to examine his own condition carefully. Some flesh had peeled off, and blood continued to seep out.
He used a stone to pound the herbs, re-bandaging his severed leg. He bit down hard on a piece of wood, his pained gasps echoing frighteningly in the cave.
After bandaging, he felt utterly exhausted. He couldn't understand why he was still alive with such severe injuries. But as long as there was a glimmer of hope for survival, he wouldn't give up.
Due to the fall, he could feel that his back injury had worsened. The sensation of small stones embedded in his flesh was particularly clear, and this was happening all over his body.
He dared not tend to it now, fearing that a careless move might lead to excessive bleeding and death. Jia Yin knew magic and surely had a better way. She would definitely save him. After all, his current state was entirely her fault.
With this thought, he became even more attentive in caring for Jia Yin, holding her close. The cave was cold and damp, and he hoped this would provide Jia Yin with some warmth and a chance to wake up soon.
The next morning, Jia Yin woke up in Zhao Lingheng's embrace. Looking at the man in front of her, his brow furrowed even in sleep, she felt immense heartache.
Seeing how severely injured he was, yet how he had protected her so fiercely, Jia Yin was even more touched. She forcefully urged the inner elixir within her, intending to revert to her original form.
She directly spat out a mouthful of blood. She was too weak now. Her cultivation was insufficient for transformation. Seeing her beloved in his current state, she could only worry anxiously.
Shui Wa: "This heroine is going to die from blood loss, spitting out blood mouthful by mouthful."
Jun Jiuli: "Mind your own business."
Zhao Lingheng felt a cold sensation on his face and was jolted awake. He forcefully pushed Jia Yin away. Realizing what he had done, he quickly apologized.
"I'm sorry, Jia Yin. I was just too scared. I thought that devil had come back with a knife. I didn't mean to. Are you alright?"
Jia Yin shook her head, indicating she was fine.
"It's so good that you're alright, Jia Yin. Please, change back. Can you change back to how you were?"
Jia Yin continued to shake her head, using her paw to draw her current condition on the ground. She thoughtfully reassured Zhao Lingheng not to worry too much. Zhao Lingheng's face immediately darkened.
"Then what do we do now? Jia Yin, if this continues, I'm going to die. I can feel my blood draining away. Am I going to leave you like this? I'm so scared, and I can't bear to leave you, I really can't bear to leave you."
As he spoke, the grown man began to sob. The little fox jumped onto him, extended its tongue to lick away his tears, and nuzzled his forehead with its furry head to offer comfort.
After doing so, it hopped back to the ground and continued to write: "I'll take you home. I won't let anything happen to you. I will find a way to save you. Let's go home first."
"Okay, it's good to have you. Jia Yin, thank you. When we get through this ordeal, I'll take you back to Zhao Kingdom and make you my Crown Princess, to enjoy a lifetime of glory and wealth."
The obvious joy radiating from Jia Yin was evident, her eyes filled with longing and aspiration. She walked ahead to lead the way, her movements becoming lighter.