Jin Shu drove a qi-infused stomp into the man’s knee. The joint twisted with a sickening crack, eliciting a pained scream.
"Aah! Don’t… please… w-what do you want from me?!" the man blubbered, tears and snot streaking his scarred, contorted face.
Jin Shu’s cold gaze froze him in place. "You’re going to answer some questions. If you don’t—"
Bang! A deafening shot rang out as Jin Shu fired a bullet into the throat of the other nearby man.
The second man staggered, clutching his neck as blood poured through his fingers. His gurgled cries lasted only seconds before he collapsed, lifeless.
"—something even worse will happen to you." Jin Shu’s voice was calm, detached, as he turned back to the last survivor. The man was trembling uncontrollably now, his eyes wide with terror.
"I-I’ll answer! I’ll answer! Just… don’t kill me!" he stammered, nodding frantically.
"That depends on whether or not you tell the truth."
"W-what… w-what do you want to know?"
"Why were you chasing her? And where is her master?" Jin Shu gestured toward Fan Biyu, lying unconscious a few feet away. His gaze flicked to her for a moment, silently calculating how much time he could afford to waste on this.
"If… if I answer… will you let me live?"
"Answer. Now. Or I’ll put a few more holes in you," Jin Shu replied, his voice low and menacing.
The man flinched, stumbling over his words. "W-we were chasing the girl to ra—"
Bang!
The man screamed as blood seeped from a fresh wound in his leg. "Aaah! Why?!"
"Answer the other question." Jin Shu’s jaw tightened, his qi roiling with suppressed fury. He didn’t need to hear the rest—he already knew the man’s vile intent.
The man sobbed, clutching his wounded leg. "H-her master is to the east! She’s fighting our b-bosses! W-we’re just l-lackeys, I swear!"
Jin Shu’s eyes narrowed as he glanced toward the east. For a moment, a flicker of movement in his peripheral vision set him on edge. He tensed, prepared for another threat, only to see a bird burst from a nearby bush, chirping as it flew away. He exhaled softly, his gaze returning to the man trembling at his feet.
The man looked up with wide, desperate eyes. "Y-you’ll let me go now… right?"
Jin Shu’s expression darkened, his voice cold and unyielding. "Sure. You can go."
Bang!
"To the afterlife."
He stood silently, watching as the light drained from the man’s eyes. His cold detachment wavered when a pained groan cut through the stillness, pulling him back to the present.
Shit, Biyu!
He spun around to find Fan Biyu struggling to sit up, her movements weak and shaky. In an instant, he was at her side.
“Biyu, are you okay?” he asked, his voice laced with concern as he gently helped her into a sitting position.
“Who…?” she murmured, her eyes fluttering half-closed.
“It’s Jin Shu,” he said quickly, steadying her.
“Jin Shu!” Her hands clutched at his robes as her body trembled with strain. “M-master… where’s my master?”
“I’m not sure,” he admitted, trying to keep his voice calm. “The men chasing you said she was fighting to the east. My mother’s strong—I’m sure she’s fine,” he added, as much to reassure himself as her. “But why were they chasing you? Who were these men?”
“We… we… on our way…” Biyu’s voice faltered, her words fragmented as her eyelids drooped. “...to your… your home… they… ambushed us… demonic… cultivators…” Her voice faded into silence as her body went limp, falling unconscious in his arms.
“Biyu! Fan Biyu!” Jin Shu shook her lightly, panic creeping into his tone. “Shit!”
“Nano! What’s her condition?”
“She is suffering from severe blood loss, in addition to other internal injuries that are not immediately visible," the nanobots replied in their neutral tone.
Only now did Jin Shu notice the dark stain of blood pooling beneath her. His heart sank.
“Damn it! We need to get her treated, but I have to find my mother!” He gritted his teeth, torn between his priorities. “Nano, can you treat her like you healed me?”
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“We cannot,” Nano responded. “We are bonded to your DNA on a molecular level and can only be used by you or someone with a similar DNA structure.”
Jin Shu cursed under his breath. His mind raced as he considered his options, his frustration mounting with every second.
“Damn it!” Jin Shu punched the ground before standing, clutching Fan Biyu tightly in his arms. “First, we have to get her to a doctor. Mother will be fine… she has to be,” he muttered, more to reassure himself than anything.
He turned and rushed back the way he had come, his steps quick and purposeful. Ahead, he spotted Yin’er flying toward him, her tiny wings flapping sluggishly.
“Huff… D-daddy… y-you’re too fast…” she wheezed, landing shakily on his shoulder. “What… what’s wrong with her…?”
“Do you remember her? She’s my mother’s disciple. You met her a month ago… or maybe longer? I don’t know. That doesn’t matter now. She got hurt by bad guys, so we need to get her treated.”
Yin’er tilted her head, finally catching her breath. “Why doesn’t she heal like me or Daddy?”
“Uh… we’re a bit special,” Jin Shu explained hurriedly. “Only we—well, I think only we—can heal wounds really fast.”
“Oh, okay!” Yin’er chirped, accepting the explanation without further question.
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Jin Shu paced anxiously in the courtyard of Black Mountain City’s best physician. Half an hour had passed since he’d arrived with the injured Fan Biyu, but there was still no word on her condition.
Just as he considered barging into the treatment room, the doors creaked open. Dr. Bai and his assistant stepped out, their faces etched with exhaustion.
Jin Shu rushed toward them. “Dr. Bai, how is she?”
“Haa… she’ll live,” Dr. Bai sighed heavily, wiping sweat from his brow. “However, she’s in a coma from the severity of her injuries. It’s unclear when—or if—she’ll wake up.”
“A coma? And there’s nothing more you can do?”
“I’ve done my best, Young Master Jin,” Dr. Bai said, shaking his head. “I’m only a mundane physician. If you can find a Divine Physician, they may be able to do more for her.”
“A Divine Physician?” Jin Shu asked, unfamiliar with the term.
“They’re cultivators who specialize in healing other cultivators,” Dr. Bai explained, swaying slightly from exhaustion.
Jin Shu noticed the wobble in the older man’s legs and the sheen of sweat on his forehead. “Thank you, Doctor. You should rest now.”
Dr. Bai nodded weakly, shuffling toward a side room. Halfway there, he paused and turned back. “If you’re looking for a Divine Physician, I’d suggest speaking to your uncle. As the Emperor, he should have the connections to find one.”
“Thank you for the advice!” Jin Shu called after him, watching as the doctor disappeared into the room.
“Young Master Jin,” the assistant said hesitantly, “would you mind helping me move Miss Fan to a patient room? I-I’d do it myself, but… I’m quite exhausted from the treatment.”
“No, it’s fine,” Jin Shu replied. Then, as he thought about his words, he added, “Though ‘fine’ isn’t the right word, is it?”
The assistant chuckled softly at his fumbling. Jin Shu blinked, momentarily distracted by how cute she looked when she smiled. What the hell am I thinking? I’m not some pubescent teenag—oh, wait, I am a teenager in this world…
Shaking off the errant thought, he stepped forward to help carry Fan Biyu to another room.
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“Thank you for your help.” The assistant bowed politely once Fan Biyu was settled.
“No need to thank me. It’s me who should thank you for treating my friend. Truly, thank you.”
She giggled lightly, then excused herself to rest, leaving Jin Shu alone in the room with Fan Biyu.
He sat down beside her bed, his thoughts drifting back to the scene in the clearing where he’d found her. His worry for his mother resurfaced, as did memories of the anger that had consumed him when the men spoke about her.
What is wrong with me? he wondered, leaning back in his chair. I’ve never been so rash before. And why are my emotions so intense?
He rubbed his temples, his mind churning. In my memories, I wasn’t like this in either of my lives. Is this a side effect of reincarnation? Two sets of memories… double the emotions? He frowned. I also have this strange obsession with seeking my mother’s affection. Maybe it’s because I didn’t have a mother in my last life… But it wasn’t like this before my memories awoke. What’s happening to me?
Jin Shu sighed deeply, his gaze lingering on Fan Biyu’s unconscious form. Whatever it is, I need to focus. I’ll work on calming my emotions in the future.
Leaning forward, he gently brushed a strand of hair from her face. His fingers lingered for a moment before he pulled back. But first, I need to find Mother.
Straightening in the chair, he whispered, “I’ll be back soon,” even though he knew she couldn’t hear him.
With a determined breath, he stood and left the room.
Though he was leaving Fan Biyu behind, he vowed he would return for her with a Divine Physician to heal her.