156: Chapter 156 He's been in a coma for two months?

Meanwhile.

Deep within the rolling mountain range, the peaks stood like screens, layer upon layer.

This place was already a desolate area of the Zhao State, with no signs of human life for thousands of miles, save for the vast, wild forests and the occasional roar of a Yao Beast.

In a hidden mountain col.

A petite woman crouched behind a giant boulder, vigilantly observing her surroundings.

She wore a goose-yellow dress; though it was stained with some dust, it could not hide her exquisite features.

Her oval face was fair and delicate, with curved eyebrows and bright eyes and white teeth. It was none other than the young girl, Ling Xiaotang, who had been seen on the list of demonic Cultivators that day.

Holding her breath and focusing her mind, she cautiously extended her Divine Sense, scanning every inch of the surrounding space.

There were no unfamiliar Divine Sense fluctuations.

Nor was there the aura of any Cultivator.

She waited for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, confirming that indeed no one was following her and there were no hidden figures around, before letting out a long sigh of relief.

"It should... be safe now."

Ling Xiaotang whispered to herself, patting her chest.

She waved her delicate hand.

The air suddenly rippled, and a faint, shimmering wave flew out from her sleeve, circled in the air, and landed not far in front of her.

It was a completely transparent Gu insect, shaped like a cicada's wing and thin as gauze. If it hadn't actively revealed itself, its existence would have been impossible to detect.

Stealth Gu.

This Gu was a unique, wondrous insect of the Five Gu Sect. Once deployed, it could conceal the aura and appearance of a space. Even if a Core Formation Cultivator passed by, they would struggle to find any clues unless they carefully investigated.

As the Stealth Gu revealed itself, the scene before her began to twist and change.

The seemingly ordinary mountain wall rippled like water, gradually revealing a cave entrance about two people tall.

The entrance had originally been concealed by an illusion array, blending into the mountain. Even if someone passed by, they would only think it was an ordinary cliff face.

Ling Xiaotang walked quickly into the cave.

Behind her, the Stealth Gu faded back into the Void Realm, the cave entrance twisted again, and in the blink of an eye, it returned to the appearance of an ordinary mountain wall, leaving no trace.

The cave was deep, winding, and tortuous.

After walking for several dozen zhang, the view suddenly opened up.

This was a naturally formed stone chamber, about two or three zhang square, with rough stone walls, but it was dry and well-ventilated.

In the corner were piled some simple items, clearly a makeshift dwelling that the Revered Master and Disciple had set up during this time.

In the center of the stone chamber, on a naturally formed, flat stone platform, lay a Woman in Purple.

Her eyes were tightly shut, her complexion was pale as paper, and her lips were devoid of color, clearly indicating she was severely injured.

Even in her coma, her brows were still slightly furrowed, as if she were enduring some kind of pain.

But even so, it could not hide her innate allure and charm.

Her exquisite figure was outlined even more alluringly by the purple dress, especially those two jade-like legs exposed to the air—slender, long, and fair as jade, glowing with a lustrous sheen in the dim cave.

Any man who saw such a sight would likely be unable to resist taking a few extra glances, perhaps even giving rise to thoughts that shouldn't exist.

Even just lying there, it was enough to make one's blood boil.

Ling Xiaotang walked to the side of the stone platform, crouched down, and looked at her unconscious Revered Master, her eyes full of heartache.

Two months ago, they had managed to escape from Qingxuan Immortal City with great difficulty.

They had thought they were out of danger, but unexpectedly, the Disciples of the Qingshui Sword Sect pursued them relentlessly, hunting them all the way here.

To protect her, her Revered Master had not hesitated to use a forbidden art, forcibly stimulating her Origin power, which was how they shook off their pursuers.

But the price was damage to her Foundation, causing her to fall into a coma on the spot.

She still hadn't woken up.

Ling Xiaotang looked at her Revered Master's pale face, her eyes slightly reddening.

She reached out, gently grasped Nangong Zili's cold hand, and whispered:

"Revered Master... you must wake up..."

For the past two months, she had lived in fear every day, needing to both avoid potential pursuers and venture out to risk finding Spiritual Plants for healing.

Fortunately, she had good luck; today, she finally found a few Spiritual Plants on a cliff that could nourish the Meridians.

Although their grade wasn't high, they were better than nothing.

Ling Xiaotang wiped the corners of her eyes, stood up, and walked to the corner on the other side of the stone chamber.

There sat a simple Pill Furnace, which she had dug out of her Storage Pouch. It was of ordinary quality, but it was sufficient for refining some simple Medicinal Pills for healing.

She took out the Spiritual Plants she had gathered today, carefully selected and washed them, and then cautiously tossed them into the Pill Furnace.

The earth fire had already been ignited, and the deep blue flames licked the bottom of the furnace.

Ling Xiaotang sat cross-legged, formed hand seals, and began to refine with focused concentration.

She did not notice—

On the stone platform behind her, that pale, slender finger curled slightly.

It curled again.

Immediately, those bright eyes that had been tightly shut for two months slowly opened.

At first, they were somewhat dazed, as if not knowing where she was.

A moment later, consciousness gradually returned, and a flash of clarity appeared in Nangong Zili's eyes.

She instinctively wanted to get up, but as soon as she moved, a sudden sharp pain struck her chest, and her throat itched—

"Cough, cough, cough!"

A burst of violent coughing sounded in the stone chamber, hoarse and weak.

Ling Xiaotang was startled, her hand seals nearly falling into disarray.

She hurriedly turned her head and saw the Woman in Purple on the stone platform supporting herself on her elbows, struggling to sit up, but because she was coughing so violently, her whole body was trembling.

"Revered Master!"

Ling Xiaotang cried out in surprise, no longer caring about the Pill Furnace; she rushed to the side of the stone platform in two or three steps, grabbed Nangong Zili, and said anxiously:

"Revered Master! You've finally woken up!"

Nangong Zili coughed for quite a while before gradually calming down.

She leaned against Ling Xiaotang, a trace of unnatural flush appearing on her pale face, panting, her voice so hoarse it was almost inaudible:

"Xiao Tang... where... are we?"

Ling Xiaotang's eyes reddened again, and she hurriedly said:

"Revered Master, I don't know where this is either. That day, after you used the Secret Art, you fell into a coma immediately. I brought you with me to escape, but we couldn't go very far..."

She paused, then continued:

"I was afraid of being discovered by pursuers, so I found a remote mountain peak and hid us with the Gu. These two months, I have been guarding you, not daring to leave for too long..."

Nangong Zili listened, a complex look flashing in her eyes.

She looked at the Disciple before her, who was full of worry, and felt a warmth in her heart. She raised her hand and gently stroked Ling Xiaotang's hair, her voice weak but carrying tenderness:

"You've worked hard, Xiao Tang."

Ling Xiaotang shook her head vigorously, but tears could not stop falling:

"As long as you are okay, Revered Master... You've been in a coma for two months; I was afraid every day... afraid that you wouldn't wake up..."

Nangong Zili gently patted her shoulder, not saying much more.

She closed her eyes, seemingly recalling something.

A moment later, she opened her eyes and asked:

"Xiao Tang, how long have I been unconscious?"

Ling Xiaotang wiped her tears and choked out:

"Revered Master, you have been unconscious for a full two months."