"Second brother, it's useless. This is my mother's unique acupoint disabling technique. Unless my mother comes herself, we can only wait for the time to pass and it will be automatically undone," Yue Ran explained. "Counting the time, it's almost up. It's no big deal."
"Unique acupoint disabling technique?" A hint of confusion flickered in Xiao Man's eyes. The Xiao family's unique acupoint disabling techniques could only be undone by their own people. Would this be the same? After a moment of hesitation, Xiao Man used the Xiao family's acupoint unlocking method and surprisingly freed Yue Ran's acupoints!
Yue Ran moved his stiff limbs, disbelieving that Xiao Man had actually undone his acupoints. This was the first time.
"Second brother, how do you know my mother's unique acupoint unlocking technique?"
"My father taught me," Xiao Man said softly, lowering his gaze.
"Are your father and my mother from the same sect?" Yue Ran, completely oblivious to anything amiss, continued, "Even my father doesn't know my mother's unique acupoint disabling technique."
"Try circulating your Qi and see if there are any problems. I'll guard you."
"Okay." Yue Ran sat down cross-legged, circulated the true Qi within his body, and expelled the cold energy. Xiao Man stood by, gazing at Yue Ran with a melancholic expression. He had always felt a sense of closeness when looking at Yue Ran, and now that he knew the reason, his heart felt heavy.
"Second brother, my acupoints are indeed unbound, and my true Qi circulates normally. Why are you here at Siguo Cliff?" Yue Ran finally remembered to ask Xiao Man. Siguo Cliff was not a place anyone could enter.
"Yue Xia reminded me."
"Yue Xia?" Yue Ran was somewhat surprised. In his memory, Yue Xia detested him. If he were to suffer any misfortune, Yue Xia should have been clapping his hands in delight. Why would he remind Xiao Man to save him?
"Yes, he gave me a token. Without this token, I wouldn't have been able to get in."
Yue Ran's gaze fell on the token in Xiao Man's hand. "No matter the reason he notified you to save me, I owe him a favor. If not for your timely arrival, my life would have been forfeit."
Yue Ran activated his Phoenix Fire Art, burning a dry area and motioning for Xiao Man to sit down. "Second brother, when that person tried to kill me just now, what do you think I was thinking?"
"When you can move again, I'll chop him up and make soup."
Yue Ran shook his head at that, denying it. "I was thinking, I cannot die."
"That is human nature, the instinct to survive."
"I'm afraid if I die, you will be bullied at the Heavenly Sword Sect. I'm afraid if I die, you will be sad." Yue Ran looked into Xiao Man's eyes and asked softly, "Second brother, if I were to die, would you be sad?"
Xiao Man nodded affirmatively. "Yes."
Yue Ran smiled, his smile bright and innocent, like a child who had received candy.
"To prevent you from being sad, second brother, I will definitely live well," Yue Ran said as if making a vow. "I want to live longer than you, so you won't be sad for me."
Yue Ran's words had a profound impact on Xiao Man. He reached out and ruffled Yue Ran's hair. "A'ran, if I make you sad, what will you do?"
Yue Ran seemed not to have considered this question. He lowered his head, letting Xiao Man stroke his hair. After a moment, he thought of an answer. "It's okay, second brother will surely not make me sad intentionally. I won't be angry with you."
"What if, second brother, you intentionally hurt me?"
Yue Ran looked up, meeting Xiao Man's eyes. Xiao Man's eyes were very beautiful, twinkling like the stars in the sky. Yue Ran suddenly felt that even if Xiao Man intentionally hurt him, he probably wouldn't be able to hate him.
"I will forgive you."
Xiao Man slowly withdrew his hand. If Yue Ran had said he would hate him or detest him, she might have felt a little better. But Yue Ran had said he would forgive her.
Seeing Xiao Man withdraw his hand, Yue Ran quickly clasped it. "Second brother, don't be too heartless to me. Since I met you, I've become afraid of pain. I don't care what others say or how they hurt me, because at most they can only hurt my body. Those wounds will heal, and with good medicine, not even a scar will remain. But second brother is different. I keep you in my heart. If second brother hurts me, it will hurt my heart. The wounds in my heart are invisible, but they are very difficult to heal and will always ache."
Xiao Man gave a bitter smile. "I understand."
"Second brother has always doted on me, so I knew you wouldn't bear to see me sad. Otherwise, you wouldn't have rushed to save me today. This Siguo Cliff is quite cold. Second brother, you should go back first. I can move freely now, and no one can hurt me."
Madame Yue had also taken Yue Ran's fire fox brocade. Xiao Man, worried Yue Ran might catch a cold, gave him another set of clothes.
Yue Ran happily put them on. Seeing that they fit perfectly, Xiao Man couldn't pretend not to see the light in his eyes.
"Second brother, did you make this specifically for me?"
"I made it for someone else."
"I know second brother is just being stubborn. You definitely made this for me." Yue Ran said with a grin. "What material is this made of? It's very warm to wear."
"There's a poisonous beast in the Land of No Law. Clothes made from its hide are impervious to blades and fire. I spent a lot of effort and thought hunting it," Xiao Man said softly. "This shirt has purification talismans on it, so you don't even need to wash it."
"Second brother, you're so thoughtful. I really like the clothes. I'll wear this set from now on." Soudan Novel Network
Xiao Man couldn't help but laugh. "Aren't you going to change?"
"No!" Yue Ran said with certainty. "Unless second brother makes me more clothes, I won't change."
"Such gall!" Xiao Man glared at Yue Ran. "You're pushing your luck!"
"From now on, I'll only wear clothes made by second brother!"
"Then you wear this one every day. Let everyone in the world see how shabby the young sect leader of the Heavenly Sword Sect is, with only one set of clothes."
"I'll make everyone in the world envious and jealous. This set of clothes was made by my second brother with countless effort, it's unique in the world, and they can't even get it!"
Xiao Man turned and walked away. If she continued talking to Yue Ran, she was afraid she would be unable to resist taking the clothes back!
Yue Ran followed Xiao Man, watching her descend Siguo Cliff before sitting down on the ground. "Yue Xia, you're here, come out. Stop hiding."
Yue Xia emerged from the shadows. When he saw Xiao Man arriving at Siguo Cliff, he knew Yue Ran would be fine.
"She's indeed worthy of you treating her so well, knowing to come and save you."
Yue Ran looked at Yue Xia, his expression somewhat inscrutable. "Or rather, tell me, what did you do to provoke Yue Zhong again, to make him want to kill me so badly?"
"You should ask your good second brother about this!" Yue Xia said calmly. "If she hadn't tampered with it, Yue Zhong wouldn't have gone berserk and caused harm."
"My second brother?"
"Yue Zhong didn't know about your relationship with her and forced her to poison you," Yue Xia explained. "But you weren't poisoned, and Yue Zhong went berserk in the main kitchen. You tell me, if it wasn't her, who did it?"