In the turbulent waters of the Wushan Waterway, where countless rocks lurked beneath the surface, Xiao Kun had just endured a fierce battle and was as exhausted as Xiang Xian. He tried several times to activate the Dragon Soaring Jade, only to realize that the Dragon Soaring Jade had already fallen into the river during the fight with the Ba She. But at this moment, he had no time to search for it.
He held Xiang Xian tightly with one arm and struggled to swim toward the surface. When he broke through to gasp for air, the raging waves mercilessly swept them downstream into the gorge, slamming the two men against the jagged rocks. Xiao Kun used his own body to shield Xiang Xian’s head and face, preventing him from smashing directly into the underwater reefs.
“Xiang Xian! Wake up!” Xiao Kun shouted.
Xiang Xian had expended too much energy and remained unconscious. Xiao Kun then heard the howling of apes from both riverbanks—a prolonged cry that carried for a hundred li, piercing with exceptional clarity.
The ape howls continued endlessly. Xiao Kun and Xiang Xian were lifted from the water, grabbed by a hand, and dangled in the air as they were carried to the shore.
The two men crashed heavily onto the riverbank. Xiao Kun panted heavily, still gripping Xiang Xian’s wrist, and looked up.
A tall man in his thirties, with broad shoulders and a sturdy back, stood on the shore watching them. His eyebrows were thick and rugged, his sideburns connected to a beard, and his eyes brimmed with intimidation.
Xiao Kun immediately flipped to his feet, dropped to one knee, pressed his right hand on the Tang Dao, and his eyes glowed with a chilling pale blue light.
The man took half a step back. A Huang flapped its wings and flew over, landing on the man’s shoulder.
When Xiao Kun saw A Huang land, he instantly judged that this man was an ally.
The man saluted Xiao Kun, seemingly pondering how to speak. But the next moment, A Huang spoke first: “How did you get here?”
“I came to the Shu Region as agreed,” the man replied. “I saw the Wisdom Sword unsheathed from ten li away. What tough opponent did you run into?”
A Huang did not answer. The man looked at Xiang Xian, wanting to approach but fearing he might provoke Xiao Kun into striking him with a blade. After a moment, he asked, “How is the Master?”
Xiao Kun snapped back to attention, sheathed his blade, and checked on Xiang Xian. He pressed one hand firmly on Xiang Xian’s upper abdomen, forcing him to spit out a gush of water amid violent coughing. Xiang Xian opened his eyes.
“Thank you,” Xiang Xian said, his divine sense returning as he spoke wearily. “See, it’s not that I didn’t want to draw the sword. If you hadn’t been there just now, back in the old days when it was just me, I might have fallen into the river and drowned.”
Xiao Kun said, “As long as I’m by your side, I’ll protect you no matter what.”
Xiao Kun sat down beside Xiang Xian. Both men looked utterly disheveled.
Xiang Xian shook his head vigorously to dislodge the water from his ears and said, “The Ba She must have gotten wind of us and come straight for us… Huh? Old Wu?”
“Yes, Master.”
That man was none other than Xiang Xian’s housekeeper, Wu Yingzong. When Xiang Xian had left Bianjing in early winter, he had sent Wu Yingzong to Shangjing to seek clues about the Heart Lamp, planning to rendezvous around the winter solstice. Baidi City was his hometown, so Wu Yingzong was very familiar with the area. After entering the Wushan region along the mountain paths, he had spotted the Wisdom Sword and the sky full of golden light from afar. He crossed mountains and ridges to reunite with Xiang Xian.
“He is my housekeeper, Wu Yingzong,” Xiang Xian explained to Xiao Kun, then introduced to Wu Yingzong, “This is Xiao Kun, Lord Xiao.”
Wu Yingzong had already heard the name from Xiang Xian two months prior and now nodded politely.
“Where is Chaosheng?” Xiang Xian asked.
“He’s finding a path downstream,” A Huang said. “He was worried about you two and sent me to check first.”
Xiao Kun asked Xiang Xian, “Are you alright?”
Xiang Xian replied, “I’ll recover slowly. The exhaustion will only last a few quarters of an hour. What about you? Did you cut your hand again?”
Wu Yingzong stood silently to the side, hands at his sides, watching the two without interrupting.
Xiao Kun waved it off, indicating there was no need to worry. In fact, during the battle with the Ba She, he hadn’t performed the blood sacrifice on his blade—after all, he was already covered in bite wounds and could draw blood anytime.
Xiang Xian recalled that heart-stopping moment when Xiao Kun had nearly been torn apart to save him!
“Let me check your body,” Xiang Xian said hurriedly, inspecting Xiao Kun’s tattered, bite-riddled clothes.
“It’s nothing,” Xiao Kun reassured him instead. “I’m not afraid of getting hurt.”
“You’re healing fast,” Xiang Xian said, finally catching his breath and regaining his usual smile. “Come on, let’s get moving and find Chaosheng first.”
Wu Yingzong was taller than both Xiang Xian and Xiao Kun. Xiang Xian patted his shoulder familiarly, showing no sign of a master-servant divide. After some casual chat, Xiang Xian even handed over the Wisdom Sword for him to carry.
Xiao Kun watched the backs of Xiang Xian and Wu Yingzong chatting and laughing, recalling the intense battle against the Ba She just moments ago.
Earlier, Xiao Kun had indeed been displeased with Xiang Xian for holding back, but today it was clear he hadn’t lied. The moment the Wisdom Sword was unsheathed, Xiang Xian’s humanity was sealed away. In gaining the might of the deity through divine descent, his divinity manifested, and after expelling the Ba She, he had nearly slain Xiao Kun as well.
Fortunately, the exhaustion phase was short, and Xiang Xian soon regained clarity.
