"Alright, very well," Su Ran suddenly laughed, though his smile was twisted, forced onto his lips in a way that made his handsome face appear almost grotesque. "Then I'll ask the two of you to prepare an abortion pill for me." The word "abortion" was emphasized, his tone stiff and strained.
Mu Miefeng lowered his eyes, masking the coldness in his gaze. "You can't do that," he replied calmly. "The fetus is intrinsically tied to your physical condition. As long as it exists, your internal energy and martial arts will remain unaffected. If you destroy it, you will die."
"So... you're telling me I have to keep this thing?" Su Ran's voice was icy, but before Mu Miefeng could respond, Su Ran's hand shot out, gripping the physician's throat. His fingers tightened relentlessly, turning Mu Miefeng's face from red to pale.
"Let my Shixiong go!" Xue Yao shouted, lunging at Su Ran in a desperate attempt to save Mu Miefeng. But before he could reach them, Su Ran struck him with a brutal palm strike to the chest. The force sent Xue Yao flying across the room, crashing into a wall and toppling tables and chairs in his wake. Blood trickled from his lips as he slumped to the floor, bruised and barely conscious. The girls at the nearby tables screamed and fled in terror.
Ji Chun acted swiftly. Grabbing Su Ran's arm, he applied nearly all of his internal strength, nearly crushing the man's wrist. Su Ran cried out in pain and released Mu Miefeng, who collapsed to the floor, gasping for air. Ji Chun stepped in front of Mu Miefeng, shielding him from Su Ran's wrath.
Su Ran, however, was far from finished. With a furious roar, he kicked the table aside and launched himself at Ji Chun, his palm strikes fierce and filled with hatred. Ji Chun blocked the attacks, but Su Ran's movements were relentless. He leaped into the air, aiming a powerful kick at Ji Chun's chest. Ji Chun barely dodged, countering with a defensive stance.
Su Ran's attacks grew more vicious, each strike aimed to kill. Ji Chun, however, could no longer bring himself to fight with the same intensity. Guilt weighed heavily on him—after all, it was he who had brought Su Ran to this state. He focused on defense, retreating rather than retaliating.
Realizing Ji Chun was holding back, Su Ran's anger flared even hotter. Seizing an opening, he flung a barrage of silver needles toward Ji Chun. Though Ji Chun managed to dodge a few, three needles pierced his shoulder. He grunted in pain but pressed forward, subduing Su Ran with a swift strike to his pressure points.
With Su Ran immobilized, Ji Chun turned to see Mu Miefeng carrying Xue Yao upstairs. His expression was conflicted as he avoided Su Ran's furious gaze. Bending down, Ji Chun hooked an arm under Su Ran's legs and lifted him effortlessly, carrying him upstairs to his room. He kicked the door open and placed Su Ran on a wooden chair.
Su Ran's eyes burned with rage, his teeth clenched as he glared at Ji Chun. Though his mute point had been struck, rendering him silent, his fury was evident. Ji Chun, avoiding his gaze, sat on the bed and removed the poisoned needles from his shoulder. The blood oozing from the wounds was black, and Ji Chun sighed. This man's heart is truly vicious, he thought.
After tending to his wounds, Ji Chun walked behind Su Ran and unblocked his mute point. "Where's the antidote?" he asked, his voice low and steady.
"There is no antidote," Su Ran spat, his tone icy and unyielding. He tilted his head back, his eyes narrowed into slits, radiating murderous intent.
Ji Chun frowned. This wasn't the Su Ran he knew. In the past, the man would have feigned submission when cornered. Why was he so defiant now? The poison in his shoulder wasn't life-threatening, so Ji Chun wasn't overly concerned. Instead, he studied Su Ran's back, his mind racing.
After a long moment of hesitation, Ji Chun stepped in front of Su Ran. "You... you..." he began, but the words caught in his throat. Facing Su Ran's cold, arrogant expression, he found himself unable to continue.
Su Ran opened his eyes and shot him a disdainful glance. Seeing Ji Chun's struggle, he sneered. "Let me make this clear, monk. This thing growing inside me is your doing. Do you understand? You, a so-called man of virtue, a disciple of Shaolin, have fathered a child with the leader of the Demonic Cult. How does that sit with your precious morals? Shaolin will disown you. The entire martial world will scorn you. Ji Chun, the pride of Shaolin, reduced to a disgrace! Do you think your Buddha is proud of you now? Ha ha ha...!"
"Enough!" Ji Chun's face darkened, his self-respect crumbling under Su Ran's venomous words. In a fit of anger and shame, he stepped forward and clamped a hand over Su Ran's mouth, silencing him.
Su Ran's muffled curses continued, his lips brushing against Ji Chun's calloused palm. The sensation was unexpectedly soft and warm, a stark contrast to the roughness of Ji Chun's hand. Startled, Ji Chun loosened his grip, but not before feeling the moist heat of Su Ran's lips against his fingertips.
The unfamiliar sensation sent a flush of heat to Ji Chun's face. He quickly withdrew his hand, his heart racing as he turned away, unable to meet Su Ran's gaze.
Fortunately, after he released him, Su Ran stopped hurling cruel words. He turned his face away, his lips pressed tightly together, and remained silent. The only sound in the room was his slightly rapid breathing, as though he was struggling to catch his breath after being muffled for so long. Ji Chun stood silently, his head bowed, unsure of what to do next.
After a moment, Ji Chun pushed aside the chaotic thoughts swirling in his mind and addressed Su Ran with a solemn expression. "Sect Leader Su, this is my fault. The facts cannot be changed, no matter what. Even if you kill Mu Gongzi, Xue Shenyi, or me, it won't alter the situation. The most rational course of action is to face this matter head-on and find a solution."
Su Ran eventually calmed down, though his expression remained grim. He knew the monk was right—no amount of violence would change his current predicament. "So, you expect me to... togive birth to this... thing?" He couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence, his face twisting in disgust.
Ji Chun hesitated. If he agreed, it would feel as though he were forcing Su Ran to carry a child for him. But if he disagreed, it would mean condemning Su Ran to death—an outcome he couldn't accept. "I... I will consult Mu Gongzi for clarity," Ji Chun finally replied, his voice steady but uncertain.
Su Ran let out a cold snort. "Fine. Let's leave it at that for now."
"Thank you, Sect Leader," Ji Chun said, though the words felt strange on his tongue. After all, it was Su Ran who had injured Mu Miefeng and Xue Yao, destroyed the inn, and caused so much chaos. Yet here Ji Chun was, thanking him. It was absurd, but Su Ran had a way of making even the most unreasonable actions seem justified.
"Why don't you unseal my acupoints?" Su Ran demanded, his tone icy.
Ji Chun hesitated. Su Ran was notoriously unpredictable. What if he attacked the moment he was freed? Sensing Ji Chun's reluctance, Su Ran glared at him, exasperated. "The antidote for the silver needles is on me. It's in my pocket. Come and take it!"
After a moment of consideration, Ji Chun decided to trust him—at least for now. He stepped forward, looking down at Su Ran. "Once I retrieve the antidote, I will unseal your acupoints," he said firmly. Then, murmuring a quiet "Forgive me," he bent down and reached into Su Ran's waist pocket.
To his surprise, the pocket was empty.
"Oh, I forgot," Su Ran said casually. "I put it back in my clothes last time."
Ji Chun, not thinking much of it, reached toward Su Ran's chest to retrieve the antidote. But as his hand brushed against the fabric, he suddenly became acutely aware of how close they were. His face flushed as he realized the intimacy of the moment.
Su Ran, noticing Ji Chun's hesitation, frowned and stared at him. Their eyes met, and Su Ran was struck by how close they were—Ji Chun's head nearly touching his chin.
Flustered, Ji Chun quickly unsealed Su Ran's acupoints and took a step back. "I... I'll go check on Xue Shenyi. Please... do as you see fit," he stammered before hastily exiting the room.
After asking the innkeeper which room Mu Miefeng had taken Xue Yao to, Ji Chun knocked on the door. Mu Miefeng opened it and invited him in.
"How is Xue Shenyi?" Ji Chun asked as he entered. The strong scent of blood filled the room, and his eyes immediately went to the bed where Xue Yao lay.
"His life is no longer in danger," Mu Miefeng replied, though his voice was heavy with concern. "But he's suffered severe internal injuries. It will take time for him to recover."
Ji Chun felt a deep pang of guilt. Xue Yao's injuries were a direct result of Su Ran's actions, and Ji Chun couldn't help but feel responsible. "I've learned a technique that can help heal internal injuries. Would you allow me to try?" he offered.
Mu Miefeng's eyes lit up with gratitude. "Ji Chun Dashi, your assistance would be invaluable. Please, go ahead."
Ji Chun nodded, clasped his hands together, and sat down beside the bed. With Mu Miefeng's help, Xue Yao was propped up into a seated position. Ji Chun closed his eyes, focusing his internal energy, and began to channel it into Xue Yao's body. Slowly, the healing process began, the wounds in Xue Yao's body gradually mending under the flow of Ji Chun's Qi.
Author's Notes: Daily Confession: Thanks you all for your support and for reading my story. Love you, (づ 3) づ