"Back then, you just smiled, not saying a word, and took me to the bamboo sea in the back mountain. To this day, I can't forget that scene: the bamboo sea like a tide, undulating with the wind, greenness flowing, surging ceaselessly. The wind was filled with the fresh scent of bamboo leaves, the chirping of summer insects, and boundless flowing clouds, enough to wash away the murderous rage. It was then I understood that the reason Master was revered was not just for his martial arts achievements, but for his clear mind, insightful nature, and profound understanding."
Shen Lan Ni recalled the past to herself, as if speaking to her father, whispering softly.
Meanwhile, Ren Yuan Hao's heart was in turmoil.
He had traveled a long distance along the hazy path of illusions. Although the scenery had not changed at all, he could somehow feel a trace of wind brushing past.
"Hey, System, stop fooling around, okay? I'm seriously injured right now, and I don't know if that strange scar has continued to spread. Could you, esteemed sir, oh no, beautiful lady, please show yourself?"
Ren Yuan Hao had tried many times along the way, and after this one, he completely gave up.
He stopped, lay down on the illusory path, and looked up at the constantly rising and ethereal mist.
"I wonder how long this situation will last. However, if this is happening to me, Jiang Cheng will be in a similar situation. So I don't have to worry about him making a comeback. Besides, after my commotion, that underground laboratory won't have time to deal with me anytime soon."
Thinking this, Ren Yuan Hao closed his eyes and fell asleep.
He didn't know how long he slept. When Ren Yuan Hao woke up, he could smell a faint floral fragrance. The damp, humid air outside the window misted his face like fog. Tree shadows swayed on the window lattice, forming huge shadows. As the wind blew, the earthy smell of the soil mixed with the rich aroma of tea spread in.
Looking up, everything was made of various artworks woven from bamboo: unfinished flower baskets, bamboo baskets, and some piled in the corner of the hut. Birds flapped their wings and perched on tree branches, their weight causing the shadows to sway.
Ren Yuan Hao pulled the covers tighter. In such a summer, he felt a hint of coolness, which was truly strange.
However, he was more curious about where he was.
Just as he was wondering, Ye Lan, dressed in a white fairy skirt, appeared before his half-closed eyes. His previously furrowed brows immediately relaxed!
"Yuan Hao, you're finally awake!"
"Judging by your tone, it seems like I've been asleep for a long time?"
"Indeed, you've been asleep for three days." Ye Lan said with a smile, her eyes turning red first. "We were all afraid you would never wake up again."
"It's not that exaggerated." Ren Yuan Hao wanted to laugh, but he found his abdomen sore and distended, forcing him to suppress his smile.
Just then, hearing movement in the small room, another person bounced into the room.
"Eh? Wait, are you Ren Yuan Hao, or that bastard surnamed Jiang?"
Yang Ling Xue frowned, circling Ren Yuan Hao three or four times.
"Of course, I'm Ren Yuan Hao, genuine and true. Speaking of which, I actually returned the night you were injured, but I was always confined somewhere and couldn't wake up." Ren Yuan Hao explained, then asked, "Where is this?"
"This is Master Yun's home. Sister Lan Ni said she wanted to bury Master Yun here, so she brought us along."
Yang Ling Xue sat by the bed, playing with a bamboo grasshopper in her hand.
"Her injuries aren't minor either. How is she now?"
"Hmph, favoritism! I'm injured too, and you didn't even ask. Sister Lan Ni has martial arts skills; what could happen to her?"
Yang Ling Xue pouted, pinched Ren Yuan Hao's leg fiercely, and stormed out of the room in a huff.
"Hey~ I..."
Ren Yuan Hao was about to reach out to stop her, but found his body numb, his reactions greatly reduced, as if it were a network delay.
"Yuan Hao, don't move. Your injuries are too strange; even Sister Lan Ni's senior disciple is helpless," Ye Lan replied.
"Monkey Brother is also here?"
"Yes, he came, but he left yesterday due to some matters."
Ren Yuan Hao had never had the chance to thank his senior disciple. Hearing that he had left, he couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed.
"Miss Ye, please help me sit up. I need to check my injuries." Da Feng Novel Network
With Ye Lan's help, Ren Yuan Hao managed to lie on his side by the head of the bed. As soon as he lifted the hem of his clothes, he saw that the black fist mark had indeed, as Jiang Cheng had said, slowly spread to within a fist's distance of his heart!
If Jiang Cheng hadn't lied to him, he was only a punch away from death.
Of course, Ye Lan didn't know his thoughts at the moment, only thinking he was melancholic due to his injuries.
"By the way, have there been any updates on that scoundrel Jiang Cheng these days?"
"The phone with the tracker was left at the original location and has been silent ever since. I guess they've discarded that thing and are long gone now."
Ye Lan had located the tracker at the first opportunity, intending to confirm his safety with it, but...
Hearing her say that, Ren Yuan Hao felt uneasy. He thought Jiang Cheng might have returned to the country with those crazy people. Even if he had managed to disrupt the data upload, with their technology, they could probably restore it easily. Then, if that so-called Mandala Gene were perfected, more and more 'Jiang Chengs' would be mass-produced, and this world would likely plunge into dire straits.
Ren Yuan Hao then thought of his curse of dying in seven years and mused, could it be that he would die in a world filled with ability users?
While lost in thought, the system voice, as if from heaven, finally spoke.
"Beep beep, long time no see."
"Hearing your voice, you don't seem much better than me. Could it be that we are one in heart?"
"Theoretically, no. However, when I emptied my coffers to help you use the soul separation and body possession secret technique to turn the tide of the battle, the system completely shattered."
"So you are in the process of rebuilding?"
"You could say that. Therefore, I have time to let you quietly enjoy the care of three beautiful women."
"I suspect you're driving, but I have no evidence."
"Stop the nonsense. During the rebuilding process, all props, orders, and the mall are closed. Don't try to contact me. To prevent you from getting too bored, I can give you a piece of information: deep within a certain pool in this place, there is something good that will greatly benefit your current injuries. And if you're lucky, you might even have some unexpected gains."
Ren Yuan Hao could finally feel a little relieved. "Hey, hey, hey, I don't have the strength to look for anything right now. Shouldn't you give me two Qi Circulation Blood Replenishing Pills?"
"Sorry, the system mall has been closed for a long time, and this option is unavailable. The system will enter a non-disturbance rebuilding mode. Goodbye."