535: Lu Xueqi (12)

The faint morning light dispelled some of the night's heavy darkness, but the mist in the mountains rose, a vast expanse of white, making travel even more difficult.

Su Han and the two women struggled on the rugged mountain path, their speed much slower than anticipated.

Lu Xueqi's injuries were severe; even with two people supporting her, every step still affected her internal organs, her face was ashen, and fine cold sweat beaded on her forehead.

Su Han and Bi Yao were also greatly depleted; one's left arm injury had not healed, and forcefully wielding his sword had consumed a large amount of Qi, while the other's previous skirmishes with the Shadow Assassins had not been easy, and now she also had to focus on caring for the injured. Both gritted their teeth to endure.

To avoid potential pursuers, Su Han deliberately chose secluded, thorny paths.

Their clothes were soaked and torn by dew and branches, making them look quite disheveled.

Bi Yao's heartbreak flower continuously floated beside her, its soft light only illuminating a small area in the dense fog. More often, they relied on Su Han's spiritual sense, which far surpassed that of ordinary people, to scout the way.

"This isn't going to work," Bi Yao panted, looking at Lu Xueqi, who was almost entirely relying on Su Han to stay upright, a flicker of worry in her eyes.

"Her injuries can't be delayed. We're too slow. What if those ghostly things catch up to us?"

How could Su Han not know? He frowned deeply, feeling the slight tremor in Lu Xueqi's arm and her increasingly heavy reliance, knowing she was at her limit.

He stopped, and said in a deep voice, "Alright, I'll carry Junior Sister Lu for a while. Bi Yao, you scout ahead and stay vigilant."

Hearing this, Lu Xueqi suddenly opened her eyes, a hint of resistance flashing in her clear, cold gaze: "No need, I can still..."

"Still what?" This time, Bi Yao didn't contradict him; instead, she cut her off, her tone urgent and undeniable.

"Look at yourself! If you keep pushing, you'll collapse before we even reach Heyang City! Then you'll be even more of a burden to us!"

Though the words were harsh, they were true. Lu Xueqi's lips moved, but she ultimately couldn't retort.

Her nature was cold and strong; how could she ever have endured such a situation where she had to completely rely on others, even becoming a burden? The embarrassment and helplessness in her heart were even greater.

Su Han said no more, carefully sheathing his qingming sword, and turned his back to Lu Xueqi, crouching slightly.

"Circumstances demand it, Junior Sister Lu, I apologize for the imposition."

Lu Xueqi looked at the not-so-broad back before her, which exuded a steady strength, hesitated for a moment, and finally leaned gently onto him.

A pair of icy hands, somewhat awkwardly, rested on Su Han's shoulders.

Su Han supported her leg, and steadily stood up.

The girl's body was even lighter than he imagined, carrying a faint, cold aura like a winter plum blossom after snow. This intertwined with his own aura and the subtle fragrance from Bi Yao behind him, forming a very peculiar atmosphere.

Bi Yao watched Su Han carrying Lu Xueqi, her eyes flickering with a complex expression, but she quickly composed herself and huffed, "You're getting off easy, you oaf. Hurry up, I'll go first."

With that, she took the lead, the light from her heartbreak flower seeming to grow brighter as she carefully scouted the path ahead.

Lying on Su Han's back, Lu Xueqi's entire body was stiff, trying her best to avoid too much contact with him.

But the bumps of the mountain road gave her no choice; with every rise and fall, she could feel the warmth and solid muscle lines of the person beneath her back.

She could even hear Su Han's slightly hurried heartbeat due to the weight and the journey, each beat echoing in her ears, making her restless. She could only tightly close her eyes, forcing herself to continue circulating the Taiji Profound Clarity Dao, ignoring this unprecedented intimacy.

With Su Han carrying her, their pace was indeed much faster.

The three traveled in silence, only the sound of footsteps and panting echoing through the mountains.

Su Han was fully focused, needing to maintain his balance to avoid jostling the injured person on his back, and also constantly extending his spiritual sense to perceive his surroundings. His forehead was also covered in sweat.

Bi Yao in front also looked tense, not daring to relax in the slightest.

They continued like this for another hour or so. As the sun rose higher, the mist gradually dispersed, and they finally vaguely saw the edge of the forest and the outline of the majestic city on the distant plain—Heyang City.

"We're here!" Bi Yao sighed in relief, pointing into the distance.

Su Han also felt a surge of energy, adjusted his posture, and gave Lu Xueqi on his back a slight lift.

"Just a little longer, we'll enter the city as soon as possible."

To be safe, the three stopped at a secluded edge of a forest outside the city.

Su Han carefully set Lu Xueqi down, letting her rest against a tree.

He and Bi Yao quickly tidied up their disheveled appearances, dusting off dirt and straightening their torn clothes, trying to make themselves look less conspicuous.

"After entering the city, we need to disguise ourselves."

Su Han took out a few ordinary coarse cloth clothes and some simple disguise Materials made from herbs from a small pouch he carried.

These were things he had prepared during his previous travels down the mountain, and he hadn't expected them to come in handy now.

Bi Yao took them and skillfully applied them to her face. In a short while, a delicate and bright young girl transformed into a sallow-faced country bumpkin with a few freckles, though her lively eyes were difficult to completely conceal.

She then helped Su Han with some minor alterations, making him look like a dark-skinned young hunter with a weathered face.

When it was Lu Xueqi's turn, she was clearly somewhat resistant.

But she also knew that circumstances were stronger than personal will, and silently accepted Bi Yao's "makeover."

When that peerless beauty was concealed, transforming her into an ordinary woman with a delicate but slightly sickly appearance, Su Han inexplicably felt a sense of relief.

Such beauty, if not concealed, would surely attract attention upon entering the city.

"Alright, now we are three siblings, our hometown suffered a disaster, and we've come to Heyang City to seek refuge with relatives."

Su Han set their identities. "I'm the elder brother, and you two are my younger sisters. Bi Yao... speak less, and follow my cues. Junior Sister Lu, try to act sickly and keep a low profile."

Lu Xueqi nodded slightly.

Bi Yao pouted, but still agreed. (End of Chapter)