Chapter 37: The Sudden Appearance of a Savior

Jin'er was gasping for breath, her body trembling uncontrollably, her lips so pale they had lost all color. She glared at Qin'er with teeth clenched in hatred, wishing nothing more than to strangle her on the spot.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, why so fierce? If you had begged me, I might have considered helping you. But seeing that expression now, I really have no intention of playing the good Samaritan today," Qin'er said, her lips curling into a slanted smile. She stood up and walked to the side, methodically destroying the remaining antidote pills within sight.

"You—!" Jin'er glared at her, hatred burning in her chest like wildfire, scorching her heart with pain.

This woman—she had truly underestimated her. Now, this was an attempt on her life.

"I warned you long ago to stay away from my senior brother. You've brought all this upon yourself!"

Seeing Jin'er on the ground, face ashen and body trembling so violently she could not even move forward an inch, Qin'er let out a light laugh and turned to walk out the door.

At the threshold, she did not forget to blow out the lamp, close the door and windows tight, and then left with a spring in her step, humming a little tune.

She was going to her master’s house, to be with her senior brother. This way, even if Jin'er died, no one would think to track it back to her—after all, she hadn’t been the one to poison Jin'er.

The thought that Jin'er might disappear from the world for good, that no one would ever compete with her for her senior brother again, filled Qin'er with a secret joy.

The short distance to the door might as well have been two mountains for Jin'er.

She could no longer describe exactly how she felt; all that remained was an overwhelming sense that her body was about to freeze into ice.

"Help..." The weak, trembling sound barely escaped her throat, fading to near nothingness outside the door.

She finally managed to crawl close to the door, but her strength was utterly spent—she still needed to save a little energy to cry for help.

She called weakly for a long time, her voice growing fainter, her body colder, as if even her heart was turning to ice. The darkness and chill around her was like the depths of hell itself. At last, Jin'er could hold on no longer. Her feeble cries ceased, and her eyes gradually drifted shut.

At that moment, the door was pushed open.

A figure in a flamboyant red robe appeared in the doorway, paused, then stepped inside.

With a flick of his finger, a spark arced through the darkness and landed on the wick of the oil lamp. Instantly, light filled the pitch-black study.

The man knelt beside Jin'er and turned her over, revealing her pale, pitiable face. His brows knit in a frown as he felt the icy coldness at his fingertips.

The red-robed man took Jin'er’s right hand, intending to check her pulse, but was startled to discover a short blue line on her skin.

His body tensed; surprise and confusion flickered in his eyes. He took her pulse, and his confusion only deepened.

Jin'er was now barely clinging to life. The man dared not delay and swiftly retrieved a kit from his robe. Unfolding it, he revealed rows of gleaming silver needles and exquisitely sharp little knives.

He sat Jin'er upright in a meditative posture. Then, with practiced hands, he inserted silver needles into her scalp, neck, and arms.

Still, Jin'er showed no response, though her breathing, faint as it was, persisted.

He packed away his kit, settled down behind her, and pressed both palms to her back, channeling his inner energy into her. A fiery glow shimmered at the edges of his palms, while wisps of white smoke curled into the air.

In her stupor, Jin'er's brow twitched slightly; a soothing warmth flooded into her body, circulating everywhere, steadily easing her pain.