Chapter 28

Su Lingyu hurriedly rushed back to Tailing Peak without wasting any time and didn’t bother asking where Qu Panyan’s room was. She directly carried her to her own room, gently laying her on the bed. She then instructed her maid, Lingnu, to bring more blankets and personally closed all the doors and windows tightly.

Once everything was done, Su Lingyu reached out and touched Qu Panyan’s forehead. The temperature in her palm felt like touching a blazing fireball. Su Lingyu looked worried and pulled the thick blankets to cover her up, unable to understand why she had actually caught a cold and developed a fever?

Although Tailing Peak emitted an extremely heavy cold qi at night, which most cultivators who weren’t proficient in ice-related techniques couldn’t withstand it, ordinary cultivators couldn’t bear it and often fell sick and developed a fever. However, was Qu Panyan an ordinary cultivator?

Born into a fire-attributed prestigious family and a talented disciple of the Cangnan Sect, her cultivation was undoubtedly top-notch. At her level, the spiritual energy within her body would have already transformed into warm currents to protect her from the cold. Even the 40% of frosty chill she usually released wouldn’t make Qu Panyan bat an eye.

Why then was she catching a cold and developing a fever so easily from the Tailing Peak’s cold qi, which seemed weaker than her 40% frosty chill?

It felt as if Qu Panyan was just as vulnerable as an ordinary person…

Su Lingyu looked at the person wrapped up in blankets like a dumpling, her mind racing with countless thoughts. Could it be that she…

Qu Panyan, who was burning with fever and delirious, suddenly frowned and murmured in a voice so weak it was barely audible, making it hard for Su Lingyu to hear.

Putting aside her doubts for now, Su Lingyu turned her attention to Qu Panyan.

When facing Qu Panyan, she always felt infinite tolerance and patience, even her tone completely different from her usual coldness. As she gently pushed aside Qu Panyan’s shiny black hair to prevent it from pressing against her face, she asked in a soft and tender voice, “Is there anywhere uncomfortable?”

Hearing her voice, Qu Panyan’s brows slightly relaxed, and she murmured again.

Su Lingyu leaned closer, facing her delicate face directly.

Qu Panyan was truly beautiful, incomparably so. Even in this weak and sickly state, her slightly furrowed brows carried a myriad of charm, alluring and captivating. Her appearance was still so stunning that it shook people’s hearts. As she shrunk within the blankets, exposing only her head, she looked weak, pitiful, and helpless, making Su Lingyu have the irresistible urge to cradle her in her hands and shower her with great care.

Facing this frail and pitiful junior, Su Lingyu’s voice became even more gentle, “It’s okay, Panyan. Where does it feel uncomfortable?”

She saw those beautifully contoured lips moving, and her ears clearly caught a sound, “Ouch.”

Su Lingyu: “…”

Qu Panyan squirmed uncomfortably, burying her head back into the thick blankets and emitting a whimper once again, “Ouch.”

Su Lingyu couldn’t help but find it amusing. Was she feeling upset and wanting to cry because she was sick?

Feeling a bit stuffy inside the covers, Qu Panyan poked her head out again, awkwardly wriggling her way to Su Lingyu’s side, and with a very aggrieved expression, she started to whimper.

This young girl before her was extremely fragile when she was sick, becoming exceptionally delicate and even coquettish, displaying a tendency to act spoiled.

Su Lingyu smiled gently, lightly patting her head and comforting her, “Be good, Panyan. When you wake up, you’ll feel better.”

Suddenly, Qu Panyan pulled a hand out from the tightly wrapped blankets and firmly grasped Su Lingyu’s clothes, clutching onto them tightly, showing no intention of letting go.

Su Lingyu: “Panyan?”

Qu Panyan’s grip tightened even more, as if she feared Su Lingyu would leave if she let go.

Su Lingyu whispered, “Lingyu won’t leave. I’ll stay here with you, alright?”

Qu Panyan’s tightly knitted brows finally relaxed, and a faint smile appeared on her weakened face. With her eyes closed, holding onto that piece of clothing, her weak voice carried an unmistakable joy, “Okay.”

Su Lingyu kept her promise and indeed stayed by her bedside, quietly watching her fall into a peaceful sleep.

With Su Lingyu’s presence, Qu Panyan particularly slept soundly.

The room was silent, and in the spacious surroundings, one could hear a pin drop. Sulingyu silently watched her. Her black hair spread on the pillow like gentle clouds, and her sleeping face was calm and beautiful, like a budding flower, waiting to astonish the world when she opened her eyes, a beauty beyond compare.

Suddenly, this pretty junior, like a cat, nuzzled her head against Su Lingyu’s, and a smile blossomed on her face.

This pure and lovely smile with a hint of sweetness reflected in Su Lingyu’s beautiful eyes, filling them with deep affection.

She slightly bent down, extending her hand to gently stroke her dark hair, which was soft and silky to the touch.

Suddenly, she found her so adorable.

“Knock, knock—”

A spiritual servant arrived at the door and gently knocked on the closed door, respectfully saying, “Reporting to the Sect Master, the medicine is ready.”

Su Lingyu lowered her voice, “Come in.”

The spiritual servant then brought in the medicine, noticing that the Sect Master was very concerned about the young girl, her every move was light and cautious, afraid of making any noise that might startle her.

Su Lingyu personally held the medicine bowl, and the pungent and unpleasant scent of the medicine immediately filled the air around them. She gently patted Qu Panyan, saying, “Be good, Panyan. Drink the medicine first, then you can continue sleeping.”

With her eyes closed, Qu Panyan sniffed, her nose twitching, and she hesitated for a moment. Suddenly, she let go of Su Lingyu’s clothes, and with a powerful roll, she tumbled to the side of the bed, covering herself with the blanket, and she pretended to be motionless inside the bed, playing dead.

Su Lingyu’s hand holding the medicine bowl paused: “…”

Su Lingyu called out to her, “Panyan?”

For the first time, Qu Panyan ignored her, and Su Lingyu vaguely sensed a hint of resistance from her posture—was she afraid of taking the medicine?

Su Lingyu chuckled, shook her head, and put the medicine bowl back on the tray. Then she stood up and said, “Rest well. Lingyu will come to accompany you later.” She turned to the spiritual servant and whispered, “Prepare another dose of medicine when she wakes up.”

The spiritual servant acknowledged with a “yes” and then left. Su Lingyu had something to discuss with the elders, so she left as well.

The whole room fell silent again, leaving Qu Panyan lying alone on the bed. Her consciousness was still unclear, and she slept in a daze. Her previously relaxed brows furrowed once more.

It smells awful, she thought drowsily, just like traditional Chinese medicine.

…

She didn’t know how long she had slept, but Qu Panyan gradually woke up. After a nap, the feeling of dizziness and heaviness in her head had subsided a bit, and she finally felt a bit more energetic.

It’s hot, really hot.

Covered in sweat, she sat up, her limbs still somewhat weak as she pushed aside the layers of blankets. Though there were only three layers, it felt like she had pushed away a heavy mountain.

She thought that being sick is truly annoying!

As the stuffy feeling faded away, she felt the refreshing air and let out a sigh of relief. Rubbing her eyes, she waited for her vision to clear before surveying her surroundings.

She didn’t know what time it was outside, but a bright lotus lamp had been lit in the room, providing an orange-yellow light. She could see that the room was spacious and elegantly furnished with dressing tables and wooden stools on both sides, coupled with a black golden phoenix folding screen outside, exuding an antique and elegant atmosphere.

Suddenly, she remembered that this morning Su Lingyu had asked the spiritual servant to tidy up a room for her. Could it be this one?

But…

She picked up the square pillow and gently sniffed it—this scent on the pillow was clearly Su Lingyu’s fragrance!

“Awake?” Su Lingyu emerged from behind the folding screen.

Qu Panyan’s face lit up with joy, “Sister Lingyu!” then she asked, “Whose room is this?”

Seeing her clear eyes, indicating some recovery, Su Lingyu also relaxed slightly and nodded lightly in response, “It’s mine.”

Su Lingyu then summoned the spiritual servant again and instructed, “Bring the medicine after it’s done brewing.”

She then walked to the edge of the bed and checked Qu Panyan’s forehead, which was still a bit warm.

Upon learning that she had slept in Su Lingyu’s room, Qu Panyan was delighted, but she couldn’t help sneezing a few times. With bright eyes, she obediently looked at Su Lingyu and asked, “What kind of medicine is it? Is it related to me?”

Su Lingyu pulled back her hand and replied, “Naturally, it’s medicine to treat your illness,”

Qu Panyan blinked.  Except for ​Chinese medicine, what else would use the word “brewing”? But Chinese medicine’s smell and taste were something she resisted in any world she was in—regardless of time and space, Chinese medicine was always famously bitter and unpleasant.

But now that Su Lingyu mentioned it, she vaguely remembered smelling an unbearable bitterness while dozing off earlier. She had thought it was just a dream and complained about the smell being as bad as Chinese medicine—only to realize now that it really was Chinese medicine!

Qu Panyan silently grabbed the blanket, intending to lie back down and pretend she was still asleep.

However, Su Lingyu stopped her, saying, “How can you get better if you don’t take the medicine when you’re sick?”

Qu Panyan contemplated for a moment and said, “Can I just drink more hot water?”

Su Lingyu responded, “Nonsense, how can you, a grown-up, be afraid of taking medicine?” 

Sister Lingyu, you misunderstood. I’m not afraid of taking medicine; I’m afraid of taking Chinese medicine. I’m fine with Western medicine. Qu Panyan thought silently in her heart.

“Sister Lingyu,” Qu Panyan raised her head and looked at Su Lingyu seriously, “I’m still a ‘young girl,’ and I have the right to be afraid of taking medicine. If you don’t believe me, you can ask my sister.”

Su Lingyu exclaimed, “Hmm?” 

Qu Panyan tactfully retreated, “Can I ask the doctors if they can roll it into a pill and let me swallow it in one go?”

Su Lingyu tapped her forehead and said, “Don’t be silly, just drink the medicine properly. It’s just one bowl of medicine, you’ll finish it in the blink of an eye.”

Tears welled up in Qu Panyan’s eyes. I can’t do it, sister, I really can’t…

Su Lingyu looked at her pursed lips and felt a bit helpless. She had only known that Qu Panyan was afraid of thunder, but she never expected her to be afraid of taking medicine.

It’s both funny and adorable.

Suddenly, Su Lingyu thought of something and asked, “Isn’t the spiritual energy in your body keeping you warm?”

Qu Panyan raised her head to look at her and replied, “No.”

It was strange indeed. Ever since she started practicing fire spells, she hadn’t been affected by the cold for a long time. In fact, as her spell proficiency increased, she never felt cold at all—until yesterday on the Tailing Peak.

She couldn’t figure it out. How could her built-in heating system break down? How did she catch a cold and even get a fever?

As a cultivator, how could she catch a cold and fever? It was simply a disgrace in the world of cultivation!

Qu Panyan felt embarrassed, as if she had become a fake cultivator.

After hearing the response, Su Lingyu gradually found a clearer answer in her mind, but she didn’t say much. She just advised Qu Panyan, “Rest well. We’ll talk about everything once you’re better.”

Su Lingyu didn’t look down on her for suddenly becoming weak. This made Qu Panyan feel somewhat pleased, so she didn’t ask further questions and simply obediently agreed. 

Then she looked at Su Lingyu and glanced around, finally mustering up the courage to ask, “Has Sister Lingyu been with me all this time?”

Su Lingyu recalled the moment Qu Panyan had grabbed her clothes and honestly replied, “Most of the time.”

Indeed, it was most of the time. After Qu Panyan let go of her, Su Lingyu went to see the elders and visited the library to find the books she needed before rushing back. She was deeply worried that when Qu Panyan woke up and couldn’t find her, she would be upset and want to cry.

Fortunately, when she returned, Qu Panyan was still peacefully sleeping on the bed. Since then, Su Lingyu sat behind the folding screen, reading books while keeping her company until she woke up.

Qu Panyan really didn’t expect that Su Lingyu would stay by her side.

She only vaguely remembered that when she was delirious with fever, she seemed to have really grabbed onto something, and then she heard a pleasant voice calling her “Panyan” and promising to stay by her side.

That voice sounded so much like Su Lingyu, and there was a gentle fragrance, exactly like the scent she loved on Su Lingyu’s body. So she held onto it tightly and refused to let go, instinctively moving towards the source of the voice, happily rubbing against it.

Then a pungent medicinal smell came rushing in like an unfeeling club, breaking the pleasant fragrance she liked, pressing her step by step, making her want to turn around and run for her life.

Never did she expect that it was all real—the Chinese medicine was real, and Su Lingyu’s promise to stay with her was also real!

Qu Panyan was overjoyed, but her happiness only lasted for less than three seconds. The arc of her smile suddenly froze on her face as the familiar bitter medicine smell once again filled the room—the spirit servant came in with the medicine.

Qu Panyan looked at the medicine and then at Su Lingyu. Immediately, taking advantage of Su Lingyu’s lack of response, she flipped over the blanket and quickly lied back down while saying, “I’m tired, see you tomorrow, Sister Lingyu!”

Su Lingyu went forward and pulled her out of the blanket, with a serious expression, she said, “Behave and drink the medicine. Don’t make me angry.”

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Translator: Glariosa
Editor: iToon

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