The sky was about to break, and Qing Dai also had to go into seclusion to recuperate.
It was time for me to leave too.
I felt a pang of reluctance, but it was time for me to go.
I looked deeply at Qing Dai, then said,
"Alright! I'll head back first. Take care of your injuries."
"Mm, you too!"
Qing Dai responded with a smile, her smile as beautiful as ever, warming my heart.
After that, I didn't hesitate any longer.
I stepped forward directly, walking down the steps:
"Qing Dai, Long Po, see you later!"
As I spoke, I waved my hand.
Long Po chuckled but said nothing.
Qing Dai stood at the entrance of the Nine Sages Mansion and waved back at me.
When I had walked more than ten meters and looked back again.
The Nine Sages Mansion had disappeared, leaving only an empty valley behind me.
I walked along the stone path.
The darkness gradually receded, and by the time I saw the nameless big tree, the sky outside the valley had brightened.
Unknowingly, I had stayed in the Nine Sages Mansion for a day and two nights.
Walking through the valley, I breathed in the fresh air.
But after a while, I still felt very tired and had to stop to rest.
The significant blood loss had indeed taken a toll on me.
However, thinking that I had saved Qing Dai made it all worthwhile.
When I descended Mount Lao Huang and returned to the shop, the day had already broken.
The streets were already filled with pedestrians.
When I reached the shop entrance, the door was locked.
My uncle-master had probably helped lock it, but I didn't have the key on me.
Wanfu Hall was also not open, so I went to a breakfast shop for a meal.
After I finished eating, I saw Old Mo arriving to work in his Wrangler.
I also started walking towards Wanfu Hall.
I hadn't been back for over a day, so I had to go and greet my uncle-master.
As soon as I reached the entrance, Old Mo had parked his car and was coming to open the door.
Seeing me walk over, he exclaimed with surprise:
"Holy crap, Old Qin, you're out?"
Several passersby heard this and cast strange glances at me.
It felt as if I had just been released from prison.
I gave him a speechless look:
"Out of what? I just came down the mountain."
"Isn't that the same thing? What were you doing in that haunted house?
Your face looks so pale. Your yang energy is so weak.
Did they suck you dry, you bastard?"
Our friendship was too close; he spoke without reservation.
I playfully punched his arm:
"Suck me dry my ass, I just lost too much blood."
"Lost too much blood?"
Old Mo looked confused.
But I gestured for him to hurry and open the door so we could talk inside.
Old Mo nodded and entered the shop.
Just then, my uncle-master, wearing his pajamas, was getting up.
Seeing me and Old Mo enter, he was taken aback:
"Huh! Xiao Qin's back?"
"Yes, Uncle-master. I came to let you know and to get the key!"
My uncle-master didn't ask further questions. He yawned and said:
"The key is on the counter, get it yourself! I drank too much yesterday and still need to sleep."
With that, my uncle-master went to use the public restroom and then went back into his room.
Old Mo, however, grabbed me and eagerly questioned me about how I spent the day and two nights on the mountain.
Old Mo knew about Qing Dai.
I didn't hide anything and told him that Qing Dai had been poisoned.
I saved her with my blood and had been unconscious since.
Upon hearing my story, Old Mo gave me a thumbs-up:
"You're a man! That female ghost guarded you for two thousand years for you. Now that she's injured, you should do this for her."
I didn't reply, unsure of what to say.
I just took the key and said I was going back to rest.
Old Mo didn't stop me, telling me to get plenty of rest as we had to depart for the alliance meeting tomorrow.
I naturally remembered this and said, "Understood," before returning to the shop.
Back in the shop, I first sat in meditation to regulate my qi and blood.
My qi and blood were indeed insufficient; I felt very weak.
There was nothing I could do but recover slowly; it wasn't a big problem.
After regulating myself, I collapsed into bed.
Perhaps due to my weakened state, I couldn't get enough sleep.
Except for getting up to eat dinner, my uncle-master learned from Old Mo about my significant blood loss.
He came to check on me and gave me a pot of medicinal wine.
For the rest of the time, I slept.
I slept until one o'clock the next afternoon.
It wasn't until Old Mo called me that I woke up.
"Hello, Old Qin, still sleeping? It's time to go."
"Oh? It's... it's already afternoon?"
I was a bit surprised and then glanced at the time.
Damn, I had slept for another day and night after returning.
"Of course, hurry up! We're departing in an hour."
Old Mo urged me.
I grunted, hung up the phone, and got out of bed.
I took a shower, and felt much more refreshed.
Although I still wanted to sleep, I wasn't as dizzy and breathless as before.
I could participate in normal social activities without major issues.
I packed two changes of clothes, along with my peach wood sword, talismans, and other magical artifacts, and then left.
Old Mo and my uncle-master were already waiting in the car.
As soon as I came out, Old Mo stuck his head out, telling me to hurry.
I quickly walked over and got into the car.
However, I didn't see Chen Yao in the car.
So I asked:
"Uncle-master, isn't Chen Yao going with us?"
"She's already gone to the airport to wait for us,"
my uncle-master replied.
Old Mo then started the car and drove towards the airport.
This was my first time going to the airport, and my first time flying.
It was even my first time leaving Qingcheng City to go somewhere else.
I felt quite excited about this trip.