"Underworld King?"
Si Jianye's appearance caused Di Yang's expression to shift. He instinctively retreated, creating distance.
Di Yang watched the man before him warily, his voice tinged with a hint of reverence. "Underworld King, this woman and I share a deadly enmity. I implore you not to interfere."
Si Jianye crossed his arms and looked up indifferently, his gaze falling on Di Yang.
"She is mine, and her life belongs to me. I shall see who dares to touch her."
The chilling male voice was devoid of emotion.
A palpable force accompanied his words, striking towards Di Yang.
Feng Ninghe looked up in surprise, gazing at the tall, imposing figure standing before her.
Her heart inexplicably fluttered.
She was accustomed to being alone, and Si Jianye's arrival stirred an unusual emotion within her.
Though his words were harsh, they were ultimately in her defense.
Di Yang's eyes were clouded with anger, yet he dared not lash out. He growled in a low voice, "Underworld King, this woman killed my son. I will not rest until she is dead!"
Feng Ninghe, leaning against the ground, swayed and managed to push herself up.
She wanted to speak, but her throat was dry and her chest ached, making it impossible to utter a word.
The ginseng sprout seemed to sense her distress, its vines climbing her arm and offering a few leaves directly into her mouth.
Facing the hysterical Di Yang, Si Jianye's expression remained unchanged. He uttered coldly, "I have spoken. I do not wish to repeat myself."
Di Yang's face was flushed with rage. He clutched a spirit tablet in his arms. "My son died innocently. Even if you are the Underworld King who rules Xiyou Continent, you cannot disregard human life!"
Si Jianye's icy gaze shifted to the spirit tablet, ignoring Di Yang. He grabbed Feng Ninghe's hand, and with a flash, they vanished from the spot.
To Si Jianye, human lives were precisely the most worthless things.
What concern was the life and death of unrelated individuals to him?
Watching the figures disappear, Di Yang choked with suppressed rage.
He had been so close to avenging his son by his own hand...
Si Jianye stopped a short distance away.
Feeling her body improve, Feng Ninghe looked at the ginseng sprout, which had visibly shrunk, wrapped around her arm.
Her gaze softened, and her voice held a gentle tone. "Alright, let's go back. Rest well."
The ginseng sprout, utterly exhausted, then departed.
Si Jianye raised an eyebrow, his gaze falling on her. "I didn't expect you to have a ginseng sprout."
Ginseng sprouts were rare; even in Jinling, one might struggle to find such a specimen.
Within the small territory of Li Country, there was a ginseng sprout.
Feng Ninghe looked up at Si Jianye and said softly, "Thank you for today's matter."
The man, clad in a black robe with intricate and noble patterns embroidered on its hem, looked at her silently. His deep eyes were inscrutable, making it impossible to guess his thoughts. "If you encounter danger, you can inject spiritual energy into the bracelet."
Feng Ninghe suddenly remembered the jade bracelet Si Jianye had given her and looked down at the one on her wrist.
It was a crystal-clear jade bracelet on her soft, fair wrist.
Feng Ninghe smiled dismissively. "I forgot about this jade bracelet."
Si Jianye's lips twitched slightly, a subtle light flickering beneath his mask. "This is the Magnolia Bracelet. It contains a trace of my will. If you inject spiritual energy into it, I will come."
He did not reveal everything.
As long as Feng Ninghe wore the Magnolia Bracelet, he could always sense her through the trace of his will hidden within it.
It was through the Magnolia Bracelet that he had sensed her location and found her this time.
Feng Ninghe blinked slightly, her gaze towards the jade bracelet deepening with meaning.
Magnolias were difficult to find, growing in extremely cold regions, their jade pure and translucent.
This small piece contained immense spiritual energy, not ordinary spiritual energy, but energy that could heal the body. If she were severely injured, she could even smash the jade to absorb its spiritual energy and protect her heart.
The value of this piece of jade was immeasurable.
Si Jianye had given her such a precious item.
"Master!"
"Sister Feng!"
Two familiar voices called out from not far away.
Feng Xing and Bai Niannian hurried over.
Feng Ninghe's thoughts were interrupted.
Seeing the two approaching, Feng Ninghe's expression became urgent. "Di Yang said Tang Zun went to find you. What is the situation?"
Feng Xing's eyes were red, tears welling up. "Old Man Xu is in trouble. Xiao Zhao went to find him first. Let's go help!"
Bai Niannian's eyes were swollen from crying. Mentioning Old Man Xu, her face filled with grief, and she sobbed softly.
Having grown up in the Bai family, cherished by all, she had never experienced the pain of separation or death.
Death had always seemed distant to her.
Who would have thought she would witness it today?
Feng Xing rarely showed such an expression, which made Feng Ninghe's heart sink. A sense of urgency crept into her. "Let's go."
They hurried along, Feng Xing leading the way.
Soon, they saw Xiao Zhao sitting on the ground, weeping uncontrollably.
Xiao Zhao's small figure was slumped on the ground, desperately rubbing his eyes with his hands.
Before him lay a person whose features were indistinguishable.
Feng Ninghe's body stiffened, her feet feeling rooted to the ground. A sense of foreboding washed over her.
She opened her lips and softly called out, "Xiao Zhao."
The two words made Xiao Zhao turn his head.
Xiao Zhao's eyes were red and tear-streaked. He rushed towards Feng Ninghe, as if seeing his lifeline. "Master! Old Man Xu... there is no more Old Man Xu in this world! No one will refine pills and play with me anymore!"
Xiao Zhao, like a child, threw himself into Feng Ninghe's embrace.
Feng Ninghe caught him, gently stroking him. Her pupils contracted sharply as her gaze fell upon the corpse lying on the ground.
The corpse was covered in wounds, its clothes torn in many places, and its body drenched in blood.
The head had been brutally severed, leaving only the body.
Seeing the simple gray robe, her eyes instantly welled up, her nose stung, and her gaze fixed on the remains.
"This... this is Old Man Xu?"
She stumbled forward, walking towards Old Man Xu.
She too had sustained many injuries, her clothes tattered and stained with blood.
But she had the ginseng sprout.
Both her internal and external wounds had been eighty percent healed.
Bai Niannian gagged, her face pale, her eyes wide with horror as she stared at the scene.
Xiao Zhao, with a mournful face, rubbed his eyes. "Master, he is Old Man Xu. He has a burn scar on his arm; it was accidentally left when he and I were playing."
Feng Xing rushed to Old Man Xu's side, tears streaming down his face. He trembled as he tightly gripped Old Man Xu's hand.
His lips quivered fiercely. "Old Man Xu... he self-destructed to save us! Tang Zun and Feng Qingcheng are truly cruel, to have even severed Old Man Xu's head!"
Old Man Xu's neck was a bloody mess, the crimson blood deeply staining the earth.