Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Gambling

Ran Qingmo arrived.

Half of the veil covering her face was shattered, and her flawless and beautiful face could be vaguely seen under the gentle breeze of the mountaintop.

At first glance, it seemed like a thousand years had passed.

Coming to his senses, Xu Yuan slowly stood up, his brow furrowing slightly.

Besides the faint clarity in her eyes, her body was visibly disheveled.

Her right arm, holding the sword, hung weakly, the black robe torn in a large area. The clothes on her left shoulder were almost completely shredded, revealing fragile skin that seemed breakable with a touch. Several strands of blood flowed from the wound on her arm, like a few crimson snakes extending to her fingertips, continuously dripping down.

He glanced at the enormous snake head beneath Ran Qingmo’s feet, which was three or four stories high.

At the top of the massive snake head were seven blooming lotus flowers, with six already in full bloom, vivid and lifelike.

After a moment of contemplation, Xu Yuan’s pupils suddenly contracted.

He recognized the giant python before him.

The Seven Lives Python.

The Seven Lives Python could shed its skin and undergo seven transformations, with the seventh transformation turning it into a human, progressing in cultivation speed no different from a human.

Among the snake demons, it was a natural king. If it was her, it wouldn’t be difficult to explain why the Flame Spirit Python chose to kill him at all costs.

But,

Why did she die?

How could she die here?

Xu Yuan stared at the enormous snake pupils of the Seven Lives Python, which were already filled with lifelessness. A sense of absurdity and recklessness spread gradually in his heart.

This giant python was one of the female leads in the future!

After its seventh transformation into a human, it would go to the Great Yan dynasty and become a lawful “big bear loli” named “Ji Qingyue,” meeting the protagonist of the story in Jingjiang City.

Yet, at this point in time, she was effortlessly killed by Ran Qingmo?

The gears of the once-familiar plot had quietly begun to change with his arrival.

As Xu Yuan was lost in thought,

The hand of the black-clothed woman on the snake’s head moved quietly, swinging down casually.

A streak of blood light quietly flashed by, and Xu Yuan regained his senses and looked over.

At the top of the snake’s head, where the seven lotus flowers bloomed, there was a deep bloody mark that appeared in an instant. Then, a small blood-red lotus was held in mid-air from the wound.

As soon as this thing appeared, a strong bloody smell swept over the entire mountaintop.

The Snake Heart Lotus.

More accurately, it is the Six Transformation Snake Heart Lotus, priceless and one of the top medicinal materials in “Blue Spring.” It can be used to refine the Golden Scale Pill or the Blood Spirit Transformation Pill.

The Golden Scale Pill can be used to break through realms.

The Blood Spirit Transformation Pill is used for soul fusion and is exactly what Xu Yuan needs most now, to completely integrate his body and soul without any flaws.

However, at this moment, Xu Yuan no longer has the mind to think about these things.

While playing “Blue Spring,” Xu Yuan quite liked Ji Qingyue, the mischievous little loli, but it was just a fondness for the waifu figure.

Compared to the death of a waifu figure, what he is more concerned about now is whether the chain reaction caused by the other party’s death will affect the course of the entire worldline’s plot.

The Waning Mountains, stretching for tens of thousands of miles, are the southwestern border of the Great Yan dynasty. Further west is a forbidden place called Gu Yuan, where dozens of large and small demon tribes have formed a loose demon country.

Ji Qingyue comes from there.

Now that the esteemed princess of the snake tribe has had her head cut off by Ran Qingmo, Xu Yuan has no idea if the demon emperor of the demon country will make any actions contradicting the original plot under the pressure from the snake demon tribe. He is completely uncertain.

However, Xu Yuan quickly realized that he had no need to think so much.

Because he might not live until that time.

After extracting the Snake Heart Lotus from Ji Qingyue, the black-clothed woman on the snake’s head immediately went limp and rolled down along the curve of the massive python head toward the ground.

In an instant of regaining his senses, Xu Yuan quickly stepped forward and caught the woman’s delicate body as she rolled down, calling out softly with a furrowed brow:

“Miss Ran, Miss Ran?”

Shaking the hand holding the woman’s shoulder slightly, Xu Yuan tried to wake her up, but her beautiful eyes remained tightly closed.

After a fierce battle with Ji Qingyue, this black-clothed and unassuming woman was already on the verge of exhaustion.

Gradually,

Xu Yuan noticed that the woman in his arms was breathing rapidly, her fair skin revealed under the shattered veil turned a deep red, her chest beneath the black robe rising and falling rapidly, and her body temperature increasing visibly.

As he watched the changes in Ran Qingmo’s body, many thoughts flashed through Xu Yuan’s mind, but in the end, he let out a long breath.

He remembered that the Seven Lives Python didn’t seem to possess the infamous toxicity.

So, Ran Qingmo’s current state should be caused by something else.

It could be from her qi-healing, or perhaps the symptoms of some kind of toxin acting up.

But regardless of which one, Xu Yuan can only watch helplessly in his current state.

He had learned basic first aid knowledge in his previous life, but obviously, it was impossible for him to treat this superhuman-like situation in this life.

The feeling of silently waiting for others to decide one’s own fate is not pleasant.

If Ran Qingmo dies, or if Ji Qingyue’s subordinates or her original father’s subordinates come during the time when Ran Qingmo is healing, he won’t be able to escape death.

But all he can do now is wait.

Xu Yuan carried her body under a large tree on the mountaintop and sat down, while he quietly sat by her side protecting her.

Time passed second by second.

The rising sun had already reached high in the sky, but Ran Qingmo’s flushed complexion hadn’t faded.

After who knows how long,

A chilly wind blew, and Ran Qingmo’s faint voice came calmly from her side:

“Where is the cave you mentioned?”

She woke up, but her voice couldn’t hide her weakness.

Upon hearing the sound, Xu Yuan immediately glanced at her condition and replied:

“It’s below the Suspended Sky Cliff.”

Pausing for a moment, he asked again, “How are you feeling?”

“….”

Upon hearing this answer, Ran Qingmo didn’t respond and slowly closed her eyes.

After a while,

With her eyes closed, she softly said:

“Xu Changtian’s men are almost here.”

“….”

Upon hearing these words, Xu Yuan’s pupils suddenly contracted.

Her voice was very soft, but it instantly echoed like a bomb in Xu Yuan’s mind.

“What did you say?”

Ran Qingmo repeated with her eyes closed, her voice devoid of any emotion:

“Xu Changtian’s men are almost here.”

His heartbeat gradually accelerated, and Xu Yuan stood up slowly:

“How much time is left?”

Ran Qingmo replied softly:

“Less than half an hour.”

Half an hour?

Xu Yuan’s mind shook, he took a deep breath, and asked again:

“How is your body now?”

Leaning against the tree root, Ran Qingmo opened her eyes and glanced at Xu Yuan without answering. Instead, she asked:

“You seem very unsettled. Why? I won’t reveal your secret.”

Xu Yuan surveyed the clouds and mist surrounding the mountaintop, forcibly stabilizing his wavering mind, and said in a low voice:

“Don’t you know that body possession can be detected?”

“…”

Ran Qingmo stared at Xu Yuan with a puzzled expression.

It seemed that she only knew that there would be symptoms of rejection in body possession, but she didn’t know that there were methods to detect it after the symptoms of rejection ended.

Xu Yuan didn’t explain the setting of this world to Ran Qingmo, he spoke faster and asked again:

“Can your current body fly?”

Ran Qingmo fell silent, then shook her head:

“I am seriously injured.”

Xu Yuan raised his hand and rubbed his temples with force, and asked in confusion:

“Then why were you able to sense someone’s arrival?”

Ran Qingmo said matter-of-factly:

“The injuries to the physical body don’t have a big impact on the consciousness.”

Xu Yuan didn’t say anything further, his mind racing to think of the next plan.

What should he do?

Should he continue to stay here and wait for his original father’s subordinates to arrive and then start acting?

At this time, the original father’s subordinates don’t know that it is Ran Qingmo who captured his original body. He can put the blame on Ji Qingyue.

Saying that Ji Qingyue kidnapped him and Ran Qingmo saved him, anyway, Ji Qingyue is already dead without evidence.

But the problem is that “Blue Spring” mentioned that Xu Changtian is well-versed in all kinds of indulgences such as eating, drinking, gambling, and womanizing, but it didn’t describe his specific behavioral habits.

If they suspect something is wrong, then he will only be waiting for death.

What should he do? What should he do!

Countless complicated thoughts flashed through his mind.

After a while,

Xu Yuan suddenly let out a long breath, as if accepting the situation.

He made a decision.

Xu Yuan glanced at the black-clothed woman sitting next to the tree:

“Can you walk?”

“…”

Ran Qingmo didn’t understand why Xu Yuan suddenly asked this question.

“Can you walk?” Xu Yuan repeated, his voice calm.

Ran Qingmo remained silent for a moment, then shook her head.

Xu Yuan leaned down in silence, picked up the Snake Heart Lotus from the ground and put it in his pocket. Then, he passed his hands through the bend of Ran Qingmo’s legs and back, and directly carried her in a princess carry, much to her surprise.

Ran Qingmo’s body was as light as boneless, very light, even this already weakened young master could easily hold her.

“…..”

The air fell silent for a moment.

Ran Qingmo didn’t struggle, allowing herself to be forcefully carried by him, and she simply stared at him calmly.

Ran Qingmo stared at Xu Yuan while he did not look at her.

With Ran Qingmo in his arms, Xu Yuan walked towards the edge of the Suspended Sky Cliff, softly asking:

“Miss Ran, do you want to die?”

“….”

Ran Qingmo didn’t understand Xu Yuan’s question, but she didn’t want to die, so she shook her head.

With a slight glimpse, Xu Yuan smiled gently:

“Good, if you don’t want to die, then staying here and getting caught by the people from the Prime Minister’s Mansion will only result in an early death or a late death.”

Speaking as they walked, Xu Yuan was already standing at the edge of the Suspended Sky Cliff while holding Ran Qingmo.

The cold wind rustled his robes, and the bottomless abyss was just a step away.

Ran Qingmo pondered for a moment, seemingly realizing what Xu Yuan intended to do, her voice sounding slightly confused:

“Do you want to jump down with me?”

“Not brave?” Xu Yuan laughed.

Ran Qingmo glanced sideways at the churning mist below, her eyes seeming to look at a fool:

“But, this is the Suspended Sky Cliff.”

Xu Yuan met her gaze for a moment, smiled, and said:

“Jumping down and dying is still better than being tortured to death by the people from the Prime Minister’s faction, isn’t it?”

Ran Qingmo thought for a moment, then seriously said:

“Oh, you jump then.”

Xu Yuan didn’t rush, but watched Ran Qingmo, smiling as he said:

“Miss Ran, shall we make a bet?”

Ran Qingmo didn’t understand why the man in front of her was acting so dramatic, his eyes calm, and nodded:

“You tell me.”

Xu Yuan said:

“If we survive, you owe me a favor and have to help me with something.”

Ran Qingmo glanced once again at the abyss below:

“But we won’t survive.”

“I mean, if by chance we survive,” Xu Yuan chuckled.

Ran Qingmo fell silent for a moment, then slowly voiced:

“Why should I owe you a favor if we happen to survive?”

“….”

Xu Yuan was speechless.

Xu Yuan dumbfounded, in this life or death moment, he had already lost many of his scruples:

“If we can survive, it must be because my cave saved us. I think your life should be worth a favor.”

Ran Qingmo pondered for a moment, thinking that what he said made sense, and nodded:

“Alright, if we survive, I owe you a favor.”

“Remember your words.”

As soon as the words fell,

Without hesitation, Xu Yuan took a step forward.

The cold wind on the mountaintop made the transparent veil covering the black-clothed woman’s face flutter down.

Everything in the world seemed to quiet down at this moment.

Flying through the clouds and mist, his senses gradually fading away, Xu Yuan’s surroundings were only filled with the sound of the wind cutting through the air and the warm, soft body in his arms.

In the midst of the clouds and mist, it felt like an eternity.

He glanced at her closed eyes, waiting for death, and suddenly remembered.

Ran Qingmo’s luck states seemed to be ninety-three.

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