Under the system's torture, Ye Qingyun managed to extract it with great difficulty.
"Though I have no idea what kind of venomous creature this is, antibiotics should do the trick."
With this thought in mind, Ye Qingyun pushed a white pill into Bai SuyI's mouth and helped her swallow it.
Now, all he could do was wait.
If her body temperature gradually returned to normal, it would mean the antibiotics were working.
If there was no improvement, he would have to think of another way.
Before long, Bai SuyI's breathing grew steady.
He immediately reached out to touch her forehead.
A faint warmth was beginning to return.
Ye Qingyun's heart settled.
"Looks like the medicine is working."
He wiped the sweat from his forehead.
The space heater running at maximum power had roasted him thoroughly.
At that moment, Ye Qingyun was stripped to the waist, covered in sweat.
After a little while longer, Bai SuyI slowly opened her eyes.
She stared blankly at the ceiling, seemingly unaware of what had just happened to her.
"You're awake?"
Only when Ye Qingyun came into her field of vision did Bai SuyI snap back to reality.
But the moment she saw Ye Qingyun standing there shirtless, she jumped in fright.
Then she looked down at herself.
Though her clothes were still on, she was lying on Ye Qingyun's bed, drenched in sweat and utterly exhausted.
Bai SuyI felt completely helpless.
Could it be that she had been... defiled?
"Young Master Ye, you..."
Her face flushed crimson, a mix of anger and embarrassment.
Ye Qingyun wiped the sweat from his brow.
"That was too close. You almost lost your life."
Bai SuyI was stunned.
Almost lost her life?
Without hesitation, Ye Qingyun recounted everything that had just happened.
Only after hearing the whole story did Bai SuyI realize she had wronged Ye Qingyun.
The man hadn't done anything wicked at all.
On the contrary, he had saved her life.
At that thought, Bai SuyI couldn't help feeling a pang of shame.
He was a peerless master living away from the mortal world; how could he possibly harbor such vile thoughts like an ordinary man?
She really shouldn't have jumped to conclusions.
"Thank you, Young Master Ye, for saving my life!"
Bai SuyI offered her sincere gratitude.
Ye Qingyun waved his hand dismissively.
"Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. How could I just stand by and watch you die?"
*Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda?*
These words left Bai SuyI momentarily dazed.
Faintly, she seemed to sense an indescribable Zen wisdom hidden within the phrase.
"Young Master Ye..."
"Save your breath. Your body is weak, you should lie down and get some rest."
Bai SuyI said no more and lay back down to rest.
By the time dusk began to fall, Bai SuyI got up and walked out.
"Young Master Ye, I should be heading back."
Ye Qingyun looked her up and down.
"Are you all right?"
Bai SuyI nodded, gratitude written all over her face.
"I feel completely recovered."
Ye Qingyun thought to himself.
Could it be that my antibiotics actually possess such miraculous efficacy?
"It's already getting dark. You should wait until tomorrow to go down the mountain."
Ye Qingyun suggested.
Bai SuyI shook her head. "I cannot stay here overnight. My sect gave me a task, and if I delay by a night, I'm afraid I won't make it back in time to report to the sect."
"What kind of urgent business is this?"
Ye Qingyun asked out of curiosity.
Bai SuyI made no secret of it. "Recently, some rogue cultivators have appeared within the Tianwu Dynasty. They specialize in abducting children and have already claimed many young lives."
"Now, the three major sects and the Tianwu Dynasty are all hunting down these rogue cultivators. I need to meet up with some fellow sect members right away to track down their movements."
Hearing this, Ye Qingyun realized it was indeed no small matter.
"Then be careful."
Ye Qingyun cautioned.
Bai SuyI nodded, and then descended the mountain amidst the gathering night.
That very night, in the market at the foot of Fuyun Mountain, a bizarre dark figure emerged in the shadows.
"Hehehe, I never expected to find a market like this out here. Perfect for making my move."
Chapter 30: The Song Family Intercepts
Several days later, Ye Qingyun went down the mountain to walk the dog.
Damao strolled leisurely at the front.
Ye Qingyun followed lazily behind.
The Rabbit rested lazily in Ye Qingyun's arms, looking drowsy and listless.
Ever since this Rabbit started following Ye Qingyun, it did nothing all day except eat and sleep.
In just this short time, it had already grown a layer of fat, turning into a round, chubby rabbit.
Its fur had also grown back completely.
Only, for some reason, while it had originally been a white-furred rabbit, its coat had now turned gray, leaving Ye Qingyun somewhat baffled.
Strolling all the way to the market at the foot of the mountain, he noticed faint sounds of crying and commotion drifting from within the market.
Ye Qingyun immediately walked closer.
He saw a crowd gathered, full of anxiety, with several women weeping.
Frowning, Ye Qingyun asked a bystander nearby, "What happened?"
The person sighed. "The children from three different families have gone missing. They've been searching for days without a trace—they've probably been harmed."
Hearing this, Ye Qingyun instantly recalled what Bai SuyI had mentioned a few days ago.
A band of rogue cultivators had appeared within the Tianwu Dynasty, specifically targeting children.
Numerous cases had already occurred.
Because of this, the three major sects had even dispatched disciples to assist the Tianwu Dynasty in capturing these rogue cultivators.
"Could it be the work of those rogue cultivators?"
Ye Qingyun muttered to himself.
Looking at the weeping parents, he felt a deep ache in his chest.
Whose heart wouldn't break over a lost child?
Children were the apple of their parents' eyes.
It was just a pity that Ye Qingyun couldn't do anything to help them; he could only silently pray that those children would return safely.
Seeing all this, Ye Qingyun lost all mood to continue walking the dog.
He prepared to head back up the mountain.
Suddenly, Ye Qingyun spotted a little beggar standing not far away, disheveled and covered in grime, staring straight at him.
Ye Qingyun was taken aback.
He recognized him.
This little beggar was none other than the kid who had tried to steal pears from his courtyard not long ago.
Ye Qingyun immediately walked toward him.
The latter also seemed to have something he wanted to say, and walked toward Ye Qingyun as well.
"This is for you."
The little beggar spoke first, holding something up in both hands.
Ye Qingyun looked closely and couldn't help smiling.
It was actually a steaming hot steamed bun.
The little beggar's hands were washed very clean, entirely free of dirt, as if he was afraid Ye Qingyun would find him repulsive.
"Did you steal this?"
Ye Qingyun asked sideways.
The little beggar snorted with dissatisfaction. "I bought this."
With that, he even pointed toward a nearby bun shop.
Ye Qingyun was rather curious.
"Where did you get the money?"
"I gathered a bundle of herbs in the mountains, sold them to the pharmacy, and got the money."
The little beggar said with a hint of pride.
Ye Qingyun nodded.
"That's more like it. Making an honest living is much better than stealing food like you used to."
Ye Qingyun took the bun from the little beggar's hands and took a bite.
"Not bad, delicious."
Ye Qingyun smiled.
Seeing that Ye Qingyun didn't look down on him in the least, the little beggar felt a thrill of excitement, and a smile broke across his face.
"I took twenty of your pears, so I'll pay you back with twenty buns. Today is the first one."
The little beggar said with a deadpan earnestness.
Ye Qingyun was amused.
This fellow actually knew how to show gratitude and repay a favor.
"You don't need to pay me back. Keep your money to buy food for yourself."
Stubbornly, the little beggar shook his head.
"I see you live on the mountain and have to farm your own land, so you probably don't have it easy either. I can't be in your debt."
Ye Qingyun: "..."
Fine.
I suppose I've just been pitied by a beggar.
Who asked me, Ye Qingyun, to genuinely be just a farmer?
"Alright then. I'll wait for you to buy me buns."
"Mm!"
After finishing the bun, Ye Qingyun turned to leave.
Suddenly, the little beggar trotted up behind him again.
"What's your name?"
He asked with innocent curiosity.
"Ye Qingyun."
The little beggar paused. "That's such a nice name."
Then, he lowered his head.
"Unlike me, I don't even have a name."
Ye Qingyun stopped in his tracks.
"Would you like to have a name?"
The little beggar started, then nodded repeatedly, his eyes shining with longing.
"I don't want people calling me little bastard all the time."
Ye Qingyun patted his head.
Even though the boy's hair was a mess, Ye Qingyun showed no trace of disgust.
On the contrary, he really liked this little beggar.
At the very least, this kid had some backbone.
That was the quality Ye Qingyun appreciated the most.
"How about I give you a name?"
The little beggar looked up with yearning, yet timidly cautious.
"Really?"
"Would I lie to you? I remember you saying your dad's surname was Guo, right?"
The little beggar nodded.
As for memories of his parents, he only remembered that his father seemed to be surnamed Guo, though he wasn't even quite sure.
"Well then, how about—Guo Xiaobao?"
The little beggar pouted.
"Sounds like a little kid."
Ye Qingyun didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Aren't you just a little kid?
"Let's try another one. How about Guoxiaoyun?"
The little beggar tilted his head and thought about it.
"This name is pretty good."
"Thank you for giving me a name."
"From now on, my name is Guoxiaoyun!"
The little beggar Guoxiaoyun waved his hand and scampered off joyfully into the distance.
Over there, several other beggar kids around his age were waving at Guoxiaoyun.
Suddenly remembering something, Ye Qingyun called out, "You kids be careful, it's not safe around here lately."
"Got it!"
...
Leaving the market, Ye Qingyun prepared to head back up the mountain.
Suddenly, a troop of men came charging toward him.
"Right here!"
A man in black armor at the front pointed right at Ye Qingyun and shouted loudly.
Ye Qingyun was completely bewildered.
What was going on?
The troop came thundering in and quickly surrounded Ye Qingyun.
Ye Qingyun grew alert.
"What do you want? I don't have any money."
The man in black armor stared at Ye Qingyun for a moment, then sneered dismissively.
"Turns out to be a mortal with zero cultivation. And here I thought this so-called master was something fierce."
"Take him away."
Several burly men leaped out from behind the black-armored man, tied Ye Qingyun up on the spot, and tossed him onto a horse.
Then they galloped away.
Only Damao remained standing in place, letting out a yawn as it watched Ye Qingyun get carried off.
"Little rabbit, master is in your paws."
It shook its head and strolled leisurely back up the mountain, completely unconcerned about Ye Qingyun's safety.
Riding on horseback with his hands bound, Ye Qingyun found it difficult to move.
The rabbit was still tucked inside his robes.
"Who are you people? Why are you tying me up?"
Ye Qingyun asked in bafflement.
The black-armored man sneered, "We are people from the Song Family. We heard there's some kind of otherworldly master on Fuyun Mountain, so we're here to drag you back."
"The Song Family?"
Ye Qingyun was startled.
Could it be the Xiling Song Family that Chi Yanyu had mentioned before?
Chapter 31: You Grabbed the Wrong Person
Ye Qingyun clearly remembered that Chi Yanyu's Prince Pingxi's Estate had been bullied miserably by the Xiling Song Family, and had even been hunted down by experts sent by them.
Later on, however, through Ye Qingyun's mediation, Chi Yanyu had obtained the assistance of Martial Emperor Dongfang Su and Xu Changfeng, the master of the Profound Sword Sect.
Logically speaking, the Song Family shouldn't have been able to make any waves anymore.
So why were they kidnapping him now?
Could it be the Song Family found out that he was the one giving advice to Chi Yanyu?
And were now seeking revenge against him?
What was he supposed to do now?
Panic fluttered in Ye Qingyun's chest.
He was just an ordinary person without a shred of cultivation!
If he fell into the hands of the Song Family, heaven knows what inhuman tortures he might suffer.
In the event that the Song Family wanted to harm him, there wouldn't even be anyone around to save him.
"Um, how about you guys let me go?"
Ye Qingyun pleaded in a very humble tone.
The black-armored man gave a cold laugh and ignored him.
Ye Qingyun felt like crying without tears.
After jolting on horseback for a long time, Ye Qingyun felt like he was about to vomit.
Fortunately, they finally came to a stop.
Pale-faced, Ye Qingyun raised his head to look.
A majestic mansion loomed before his eyes.
Above the main gates hung a plaque bearing the two characters: "Song Mansion."
Ye Qingyun was rather surprised.
He had actually been dragged straight to the Song Family compound.
Just as Ye Qingyun was feeling butterflies in his stomach, the black-armored man hoisted him up by the collar and dragged him straight into the Song Mansion.
"Patriarch, Young Master, we've brought the person back."
The black-armored man dumped Ye Qingyun onto the floor of the main hall, reporting to the father and son seated inside.
Two figures sat within the hall.
One looked to be in his fifties, with a stern expression and sunken cheeks.
The other was in his twenties, quite handsome, though his cheeks were similarly somewhat sunken.
The two shared an eight-tenths resemblance, marking them instantly as father and son.
These two were none other than Song Xiaotian, the head of the Song Family, and his son, Song Chenglong.
The Xiling Song Family enjoyed a formidable reputation.
Naturally, the father and son were renowned far and wide.
Yet their fame was built not on virtue, but on notoriety.
In his early years, Song Xiaotian had relied on despicable methods to steal the cultivation of a martial arts master, drastically boosting his own power.
Later, he led the Song Family to eradicate several minor clans, propelling the Song Family into a position of dominance.
Compared to his father, Song Chenglong was cut from the exact same cloth.
Not only did he bully the weak and commit every imaginable evil, he had even set his sights on Princess Pingxi, Chi Yanyu.
The Song Family's relentless suppression of Prince Pingxi's Estate wasn't solely to seize its foundation and assets; it was also because Song Chenglong wanted to possess Chi Yanyu for himself.
Lately, however, times had grown rather difficult for the Song Family.
First, the Taihao Sect—which had always maintained close ties with the Song Family—suddenly severed all contact with them.
What's more, Chen Gongwang, the master of the Taihao Sect, had explicitly warned Song Xiaotian to rein in the Song Family, or disaster would surely follow.
Almost simultaneously, the Imperial Capital's Prime Minister's Estate had sent people to the Song Family.
The Prime Minister's men informed the Song Family that the estate would no longer provide them with any protection; whatever happened to the Song Family henceforth would have nothing to do with Prime Minister Cao Huayuan.
Having delivered the message, the envoy from the Prime Minister's Estate left without a moment's delay.
Such an attitude clearly signaled a complete severance of ties with the Song Family.
The Song father and son were utterly dumbfounded.
The Taihao Sect and Prime Minister Cao Huayuan were pillars of support, considered the greatest backing the Song Family had.
The only reason the Song Family could strut around so arrogantly—even bullying Prince Pingxi's Estate—was because they had these two towering patrons propping them up.
Yet now, both of those backers were washing their hands of the Song Family.
What did that mean?
The Song Family was in grave danger!
After making numerous inquiries, Song Xiaotian finally uncovered the inside story.
It turned out that all of this stemmed from the appearance of a so-called otherworldly master up on Fuyun Mountain.
It was precisely this otherworldly master who had saved Chi Yanyu's life.
And who had devised strategies for her, forcing both the Taihao Sect and the Prime Minister's Estate to distance themselves from the Song Family.
Naturally, the Song Family refused to sit idly and wait for death.
After putting their heads together, the father and son decided to make a preemptive strike.
They would directly kidnap this so-called master.
Let's see who on earth he really is!
Initially, the father and son hadn't held out much hope.
To their surprise, they had actually managed to capture the person.
At that moment, the Song father and son stared hard at Ye Qingyun.
Looking him up and down, they practically wanted to strip him bare to inspect him.
Ye Qingyun felt his skin crawl under their gaze, intensely uncomfortable.
"Uh, how should I address the two of you?"
Ye Qingyun asked awkwardly.
Song Xiaotian's expression darkened.
"Song Tao, you idiot!"
The black-armored man started.
"Patriarch, I..."
Song Xiaotian pointed at Ye Qingyun.
"Isn't this just an ordinary mortal? How could he possibly be the otherworldly master of Fuyun Mountain? You lot are truly foolish!"
Looking wronged, the black-armored man produced a portrait.
"But Patriarch, this fellow is clearly the person in the portrait."
The Song father and son stepped closer, comparing the portrait to Ye Qingyun.
It really did look like him.
Yet no matter how one looked at it, this fellow was just an ordinary person.
Utterly unremarkable.
A guy like this would struggle even to qualify as a menial servant in their Song Mansion.
How could he possibly be the high master of Fuyun Mountain?
"Are you called Ye Qingyun?"
Song Chenglong asked with a frown.
Ye Qingyun thought to himself:
If I admit to that, I probably won't make it out alive today.
No.
I absolutely cannot admit I'm Ye Qingyun.
"Ye Qingyun? I'm not Ye Qingyun."
Ye Qingyun said with a blank expression.
All three members of the Song Family wore expressions of doubt.
Especially the black-armored man, whose worldview was beginning to wobble.
"Could I really have grabbed the wrong person?"
Unconvinced, the black-armored man immediately demanded, "What's your name? And why were you heading toward Fuyun Mountain earlier?"
"My name is Ouyang Feng, not any Ye Qingyun."
"The reason I was going to Fuyun Mountain was to gather herbs in the mountains."
With a straight face and a steady heartbeat, Ye Qingyun spun lies off the top of his head.
The black-armored man was left speechless.
It seemed he really had caught the wrong guy.
Song Xiaotian glared at the black-armored man.
"You screw up more than you accomplish! Get lost!"
The black-armored man slunk away in disgrace.
Seeing this, Ye Qingyun breathed a sigh of relief inwardly.
Looks like he would escape disaster today.
"Uh, well, the person you're supposed to catch is Ye Qingyun, which has nothing to do with me, Ouyang Feng. I'll be taking my leave now."