The night was cold and bleak, the darkness outside absolute.
The mountain wind howled, making the lamp in the small room flicker.
It gusted through the window, assaulting my wounds.
My eyes, already half-closed, felt the familiar ache.
Slowly, I opened them to find the window wide open.
The howling mountain wind poured in like rain.
I pulled my sleeves tighter, carefully covered my wounds, and slowly got up to close the window.
Just as I shut it, I thought I heard a familiar, expectant cry.
"Muye."
It was Ali's voice. I turned back in a hurry.
I saw Ali seemed to be waking up, shaking his head and calling out softly.
"Muye, Muye."
Seeing this, my heart immediately filled with excitement.
I rushed to his bedside, grabbed his hand, and responded again and again.
"Ali, I'm here, I'm here."
As if hearing my voice, Ali slowly quieted down.
The purplish-black hue of his face also receded slightly.
I stroked his face, comforting him softly.
"Ali, don't be afraid, I will save you.
I can save you tomorrow, you must wait for me.
Wait for me to explore the martial world with you, to taste all the joys and sorrows of life together."
The wind outside blew the window open again.
A blast of cold air swept in, extinguishing the candle on the table.
Instantly, the entire room plunged into darkness.
But this time, I didn't get up to tend to it.
I simply stayed by Ali's side, watching over him.
The next morning, the sky was a little overcast and cold.
A light rain pattered outside.
Even so, the sound of chopping wood from under the eaves could be heard.
The noisy chopping woke Xiao Cai from his sleep.
He rubbed his eyes and climbed out of bed.
He walked to the window, stood on tiptoe, and peered outside. The yard was empty.
Only the rustling sound of chopping wood and the pattering of light rain could be heard.
Thinking that the older sister probably hadn't woken up yet, he trotted back to his own room.
As soon as he entered, he saw Muye sitting at the table. It seemed she had woken up long ago.
I heard someone enter and turned to see Xiao Cai.
A faint smile appeared on my pale face.
I greeted him, "Xiao Cai, why are you up so early?"
Xiao Cai slowly walked over to me, stood on tiptoe, and managed to climb onto the high stool.
He looked at my wound, wrapped in cloth strips.
Then he looked at the torn corner of my clothes and sighed with worry.
He lowered his head and tore off a corner of his own clothes, handing it to me.
"Use mine today, I have plenty of clothes, and this one is clean."
I looked at him with great surprise.
I didn't want to smile, but I was moved by him again.
I reached out and took the cloth strip, thanking him with a smile.
"Xiao Cai, you're so kind. I don't know what I would do without you."
"This is all I can do.
Today is the last day, but I'm so scared you might not make it."
I slowly raised my uninjured hand and stroked his little head, comforting him.
"Don't be afraid, and don't worry.
I will get through this, after all, I still have to save him."
As I spoke, my gaze drifted to Ali.
Xiao Cai nodded slightly, also hoping to save this older brother.
He looked forward to what it would be like when he woke up.
At this moment, the rain outside gradually subsided.
Doctor Luo stood under the eaves, having already chopped most of the wood.
He wiped the sweat from his brow, looked at the sky, and felt it was about time.
He then called out loudly.
"Today is the last day. If you can't do it, give up early. Don't lose your life in vain."
He knew I wouldn't give up, yet he said it deliberately.
Hearing his words from inside, I felt it was time.
Xiao Cai, hearing the heartless urging, retorted indignantly to his master.
"Shouting, shouting, all you do is shout. Master, you're too heartless."
Hearing Xiao Cai's accusation, he defended himself with a wronged tone.
"Oh, Xiao Cai.
Why did you go in again? Why do you always wrong your master?
Master was just reminding her."
"Hmph, you are. I don't want to talk to you anymore."
"Good disciple, don't be like that. Alright, alright, I won't shout anymore, I won't shout anymore."
Hearing Doctor Luo's conciliatory voice.
My long-lost lonely heart couldn't help but smile.
Indeed, the world is the same everywhere; one thing conquers another, and one mountain is higher than another.
Seeing me smile brightly, Xiao Cai's previously resentful face broke into a sweet smile again.
I looked at the bowl on the table and dismissed Xiao Cai.
"Xiao Cai, you should go back. I have some things to do."
Xiao Cai understood what I was going to do, and he also knew I had to do it.
So, he was no longer willful as before, but nodded slightly and quietly got up to leave.
After Xiao Cai left, my gaze fell again on the two bloodstained cloth strips.
My left hand was now powerless to lift, hanging limply.
If I cut myself again, I was afraid there would be no more blood to flow.
If there was no blood, how could I save Ali? I had to think about where to start.
As I lowered my head, I saw my leg and suddenly thought of a way.
I slowly reached down, placed the bowl by my feet, and picked up the dagger again.
I lifted my thigh and slashed, and blood flowed again, into the bowl.
This time, I was truly covered in wounds.
Doctor Luo entered silently from outside.
He saw me slumped over the table, weak and pale.
One hand still tightly gripped the dagger used for bleeding, and blood gushed from my left leg.
The bowl was almost full.
He looked at my disheveled state and couldn't help but ask.
"Is it worth it to do this for a friend?"
I was already weak, and I barely managed to lift my eyelids to look at him, saying faintly.
"You, you quickly, quickly save him."
After saying that, I felt the world spin and fainted.
At this moment, Xiao Cai, who had been hiding outside the door, jumped out crying.
He walked into the room and yelled at him.
"How many more people do you want to harm? Why do you always harm people? Can't you just stop harming people?"
Doctor Luo looked at the tearful Xiao Cai and tenderly picked him up.
He comforted him, "She's not dead yet. Help me pour this bowl of blood into the blood-drinking grass outside.
I'll go check on his friend."
Xiao Cai tearfully agreed.
He put Xiao Cai down and walked towards Ali.
Xiao Cai picked up the bowl full of blood from the ground. The pungent smell of blood assailed his nostrils.
And the bright red color of the blood.
It was more intense than any he had seen before.
He held the bowl, letting the dripping blood fall onto his hands.
His movements at this moment were not like holding a bowl.
It was more like holding a precious item, carefully.
Only when he reached the yard and poured the blood into the soil of the blood-drinking grass did he breathe a sigh of relief.
When he returned to the room again.
He saw that his master was already checking the pulse of that older brother.
Suddenly, Doctor Luo's eyes widened, as if facing a great challenge.
He frowned and checked the pulse again in disbelief.
After checking the pulse, he muttered to himself in confusion.
"How strange, I've never seen such a pulse."
Then, unhurriedly, he took out a small medicine bottle from his怀 and gave Ali a pill to swallow.
Only then did he slowly look at me, rise, and come to my side.
He gently removed the cloth strips from my wound.
Then he slowly took out a small red medicine bottle from his怀.
He sprinkled powder on the wound, and also on my leg wound.
This bottle was likely powder for stopping bleeding and promoting tissue regeneration.
Xiao Cai hurried forward to check my breathing and exclaimed in surprise.
"Master, this older sister, she, she's really not dead, she's alive."
Doctor Luo reached out and stroked Xiao Cai's head, a smile appearing on his face.
"Master was right, wasn't he? She's still alive.
Alright, Xiao Cai, go cook for Master, Master is a little hungry."
Xiao Cai nodded, his eyes filled with tears, his heart filled with joy.
This time, he ran faster than ever before.
All for the sake of his master being able to truly save someone.
After Xiao Cai left, Doctor Luo carried me to the bed and placed me beside Ali.
Then he picked up Ali and went out of the room.
After Xiao Cai finished cooking, he brought the dishes to the table in the room.
Then he went into the room to call for someone.
As soon as he entered, he saw that the room was much emptier.
The person who had been lying on the bed was replaced by that older sister.
And his master and that older brother Ali were nowhere to be seen.
"Is Master already saving someone?" he murmured to himself.
Then he went to check Muye's wounds and found that medicine powder had been applied.
He thought for a moment, then secretly went to his master's room.
He rummaged through the cabinets and drawers and found some white cloth.
Then he ran back to his own room and forcefully tore the white cloth into several pieces.
It was evident that this was the material Doctor Luo would use to make clothes.
There was no hope for that now.
Xiao Cai didn't think that much.
After all, with so much cloth, it wouldn't matter if he used a piece or two.
He bandaged my wounds, and after a long effort, he finally finished.
Wiping the sweat from his brow, he left the room with satisfaction to eat.
Doctor Luo returned to the room a while later.
As soon as he entered, he saw on the wooden table in the living room.
Several messy dishes were placed.
If he had come any later, he probably wouldn't have eaten.
And Xiao Cai was still happily eating at the dining table.
Doctor Luo frowned slightly, but dared not blame him too much, only saying.
"Xiao Cai has a great appetite recently, eating so much.
But you didn't wait for Master, Master is a little sad."
Xiao Cai then realized his master had returned, wiped his mouth, and a sweet smile appeared on his face.
He said happily, "I was very happy today and accidentally ate too much.
I will definitely remember to wait for Master next time. Come and eat quickly."
"Xiao Cai, you're so good. Xiao Cai loves Master the most."
Although there was nothing left to eat.
Doctor Luo was still very happy that Xiao Cai thought of him this way.
Saying that, he picked him up again and sat him on a stool.
He picked up the now lukewarm bowl of rice and slowly began to eat.
"Master, where did that older brother Ali go?"
Xiao Cai finally remembered to ask about the older brother who had been lying on the bed earlier.
"I took him to the ice cellar."
"The ice cellar? I remember there were some cold ice stones stored there."
"Yes, those cold ice stones haven't been used for a long time, and they are just right for detoxifying him."
It seemed his guess was correct, Master was already saving Ali.
However, he was still a little worried and asked again.
"Master, are you already saving him?"
"Master is a man of his word. Since she has done what I said.
Then, I must also fulfill my promise and detoxify her good friend."
Xiao Cai let out a long sigh of relief, feeling gratified for Muye.
Because before this, no one had ever bled to feed grass.
They actually didn't know how much blood the blood-drinking grass could consume.
But fortunately, she managed to endure until the third day.
"Master, you probably didn't have much confidence in your heart this time, did you?"
"How could I not? I have confidence in my own ideas."
It seemed this was a test of the sincerity of the person seeking medical treatment.
At night, a gentle breeze blew, landing on my face.
A warmth, as if emanating from my toes, surged into my heart.
I slowly woke up and found myself lying in bed.
Turning my head, I didn't see Ali.
In a panic, I scrambled up to find Doctor Luo.
Doctor Luo was outside, digging up the blood-drinking grass and placing it in another wooden basin.
I walked up, flustered, and asked.
"Doctor Luo, where is Ali?"
He replied slowly.
"I took him to the ice cellar. Since you've done what you said, I can't go back on my word."
Hearing him say this, I knew he was already detoxifying Ali.
Upon hearing this news, I became so excited that I danced with joy.
Suddenly, I realized my left hand could move. Upon closer inspection, my hand was neatly bandaged with white cloth.
I stroked my left hand and felt much less pain, a feeling of great surprise filling my heart.
"Doctor Luo, did you bandage me?"
I raised my left hand and asked him.
He snorted and regained his usual arrogance and coldness, saying indifferently.
"It was Xiao Cai."
What? Xiao Cai?
My heart suddenly ached. I never expected this child to have done so much for me.
"Doctor Luo, where is Xiao Cai?"
I suddenly wanted to see him and express my gratitude.
He pointed to the vegetable patch ahead.
"Over there."
I looked and saw a small figure toiling in the field, head bowed.
I hurried over, shouting, "Xiao Cai, Xiao Cai."
He heard the sound and looked up from the vegetable patch, seeing me.
My excited heart, the moment I saw him, could no longer be contained.
I rushed forward, opened my arms, and hugged him tightly.
Without hesitation, I kissed him again and again on the face.
This was the first time Xiao Cai had been kissed by someone other than his master.
His face involuntarily turned red, his shy expression like a newly formed peach.
"Thank you, Xiao Cai, thank you."
I held him tightly, filled with gratitude.
Xiao Cai was also happy for me and held me just as tightly.
After the excitement subsided, I finally asked him about Ali.
"Xiao Cai, do you know where the ice cellar is? I want to go see Ali."
"I know, I'll take you."
I put him down, and he walked ahead while I followed.
We arrived at a patch of herbs in front of the house.
There was a slightly opened wooden lid.
Xiao Cai pulled it open forcefully, and a gust of cold air gushed out, hitting both of our faces.
I sneezed involuntarily.
Xiao Cai pointed downwards and said.
"That older brother is down there."
I looked down and saw a wooden ladder going straight down.
Xiao Cai went down first, and I followed closely.
Upon descending, I discovered the ground was frozen, and the surroundings were extremely cold.
I exhaled, following Xiao Cai further in.
We arrived at an ice house built of ice.
At this moment, I suddenly saw Ali lying flat on a large block of ice as big as a bed.
I walked forward and covered his hand, finding that he had already improved considerably, no longer purplish.
"Will he freeze here?" I asked, a little worried.
"Don't worry, Master said he was poisoned by the Ten Thousand Snow Spider.
Only in this cold ice house can the toxicity be suppressed."
"So that's how it is. That's great, Ali can finally be saved."
Xiao Cai came over and took my hand, pulling me out.
"Let's go out quickly. We can't stay here for long.
Your wound hasn't healed yet, it will affect the wound."
I looked at Ali reluctantly, sighing.
Only then did I confidently follow Xiao Cai out of the ice cellar.