“How’s Taiping doing?”
“Not sure, he hasn’t come out yet.”
“Eating Dragon’s Teeth Fruits raw… This little Junior Brother from the Seventh Peak is even harsher on himself than Senior Brother Qingxiao.”
In the small courtyard of Dew Garden, a few female disciples from the Sixth Peak were whispering about Xu Taiping, occasionally glancing towards the backyard.
“If it weren’t for Junior Brother Taiping, we would all be dead by now.”
Zhou Ao, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke up.
The others nodded in agreement.
“Seventh Junior Brother, you should go check on him.”
“Yeah, go see how Taiping is doing.”
“Senior Sister Ziyan wouldn’t let us go over, but since you’re a male disciple, it should be fine.”
The Senior Sisters urged Zhou Ao.
“Alright.”
Zhou Ao nodded and then walked towards the backyard.
…
At the backyard entrance.
“Senior Sister Ziyan, Junior Sister Buyu.”
Zhou Ao greeted the two standing at the entrance.
Xu Ziyan nodded slightly.
Lin Buyu, however, acted as if she hadn’t heard, her eyes still fixed on a stone house in the backyard.
The stone house was originally a place for discussing important matters. Once the stone door was closed, no sound could be heard from inside.
“Seventh Junior Brother, how are your injuries?”
Xu Ziyan asked Zhou Ao.
Today, Zhou Ao had taken a direct hit from that demonic cultivator and was seriously injured.
“I’m fine now. After all, I’m half a warrior; these minor injuries are nothing.”
Zhou Ao shook his head.
But his pale face and weak voice clearly showed he was just putting on a brave front.
Xu Ziyan said nothing, just gently patted Zhou Ao’s shoulder.
“Senior Sister, how is Junior Brother Taiping?”
Zhou Ao asked Xu Ziyan.
“I don’t know.” Xu Ziyan shook her head and sighed, “He hasn’t come out of the stone house. We’ve called out a few times, but there’s been no response.”
Hearing this, Zhou Ao’s expression became tense.
“Could something have happened?”
He asked Xu Ziyan worriedly.
“I’m not sure either. Before Master left, he repeatedly warned us not to eat Dragon’s Teeth Fruits raw. It seems the consequences are indeed severe.”
Xu Ziyan frowned.
“Bang!”
At that moment, a loud crashing sound came from the stone house in the backyard.
“Bang, bang!”
Soon after, the crashing sounds continued, as if someone was pounding the ground and walls with their fists.
“Senior Sister, let me go in and check. What if something’s wrong?”
Zhou Ao said anxiously.
“Zing!”
Just as Zhou Ao finished speaking, Lin Buyu drew her sword and blocked the entrance to the backyard.
“No one is allowed to enter until Xu Taiping comes out.”
Lin Buyu said coldly.
“That was Taiping’s instruction before he went in.”
Seeing Zhou Ao’s confusion, Xu Ziyan explained.
The group then heard more sounds of fists pounding the walls and ground, and even a few muffled groans of pain.
At this moment, even Zhou Ao could guess that Xu Taiping was enduring the backlash from the Dragon’s Teeth Fruits inside the stone house.
But they had no idea that Xu Taiping was suffering from more than just the backlash of the Dragon’s Teeth Fruits.
He was also enduring the pain of the Ghost-Sealing Talisman devouring his blood, the agony of overexerting his body beyond its limits, and the impact on his soul from consuming large amounts of Dragon Gall Wine.
In fact, the pain from the Dragon’s Teeth Fruits’ backlash was the least of his worries.
…
After a long while.
The crashing sounds from the stone house ceased.
The painful groans also stopped.
“Senior Sister Ziyan, Junior Sister Buyu, you can come in now.”
Xu Taiping’s voice came from inside the stone house.
“He made it through.”
Hearing this, Xu Ziyan let out a long sigh of relief.
Even Lin Buyu’s cold expression softened a bit.
“Senior Sister, can I go in with you?”
Seeing Xu Ziyan and Lin Buyu heading towards the backyard, Zhou Ao suddenly asked Xu Ziyan.
“Come along.”
Xu Ziyan nodded.
Lin Buyu didn’t even look back and walked straight to the stone house door.
…
Inside the stone house.
Despite being mentally prepared, Xu Ziyan was still shocked by the scene inside.
The walls and floor of the stone house were covered with bloody fist marks, and the air was filled with a violent aura that made one’s heart race.
But the most shocking sight was Xu Taiping himself.
Xu Taiping’s face was as pale as paper, and he looked as if he had been soaked in blood. His clothes were all stained red.
What surprised Xu Ziyan and Zhou Ao the most was Xu Taiping’s body.
Xu Taiping, who had been well-built, was now skin and bones.
They couldn’t imagine what kind of pain could cause someone to lose so much weight in such a short time.
“Taiping, how do you feel?”
Xu Ziyan asked worriedly.
“I’m fine now. Sorry for making you worry, Senior Sister.”
Xu Taiping struggled to stand up.
Seeing this, Zhou Ao quickly stepped forward to support him.
“Thank you.”
Xu Taiping nodded slightly to Zhou Ao.
“I’m the one who should be thanking you.”
Zhou Ao said, full of guilt.
“Third Senior Sister made roast goose. There’s half left for you.”
Lin Buyu handed Xu Taiping a roast goose wrapped in oil paper.
“Thank you, Junior Sister Buyu. I was starving.”
Xu Taiping smiled and took the roast goose, eating it in big bites in front of Lin Buyu.
“If you still have an appetite, then you’re really fine. Let’s go to the dining hall. I’ll ask Third Junior Sister to prepare more food for you and boil a pot of hot water for a medicinal bath. It’s a secret recipe from our Sixth Peak. After soaking, you’ll feel completely rejuvenated.”
Seeing Xu Taiping eating heartily, Xu Ziyan finally relaxed and spoke in a lighter tone.
“Boom…”
Just as they stepped out of the stone house, thunder rumbled in the sky above.
Looking up, they saw that the once clear sky was now covered with dark clouds.