Chapter Sixty-Seven: Awakening

Half-conscious, Li Sibai felt a burning heat throughout his body, as if he were feverish. He vaguely sensed a woman in green attending to him, wiping his sweat, giving him water, always by his side, speaking softly—though he could not make out her words.

When he finally awoke, the fever had subsided. Opening his eyes, he saw a modest cave, reminiscent of those he often visited in dreams. Nearby, he heard the gentle drip of water; droplets gathered somewhere, the cave dim save for a ray of light streaming in through the entrance.

At the mouth of the cave sat a woman, quietly hugging her knees, her head resting upon them as she gazed outside. Her long, lustrous hair cascaded to her waist; she was breathtakingly beautiful, yet looked utterly exhausted.

Li Sibai wanted to speak. He opened his mouth, but no sound emerged—his throat felt parched and fiery.

“Mmm…”

He managed a faint hum, the sound small but, in the silence, enough to catch the woman’s attention.

“Little Bai, you’re awake?!”

She was startled and overjoyed, hurrying inside from the cave’s entrance. Seeing his condition, she quickly handed him some fresh water.

Li Sibai sipped slowly, his throat soothed, and finally saw clearly—it was none other than Yao Xueqing, the woman he cared for most in his world.

Doubt filled his heart. Where had the woman in green gone? How had she transformed into Senior Sister Yao? Had he simply been dreaming?

“Senior Sister, why are you here? Where exactly are we?” Li Sibai asked weakly.

Yao Xueqing smiled warmly, her fatigue still evident, but his awakening had clearly brightened her spirits.

“Little Bai, don’t speak too much just yet. Let me explain everything to you.”

Li Sibai nodded. He desperately wanted to know what had happened. Sitting up to drink, he saw his injured right leg, now bandaged. It hurt faintly, but his leg had returned to its normal color, no longer purple as it had been when poisoned. He felt no discomfort elsewhere, though he distinctly remembered falling unconscious after being poisoned by a spider.

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“This is a cave deep in the original forest of Jade Pearl Peak,” Yao Xueqing continued. “It’s well hidden—most wild beasts wouldn’t find it.”

Li Sibai took in his surroundings. It was small but spotlessly clean, with faint traces of past habitation. Droplets from the cave wall formed a small stream that flowed deeper inside.

“You still had Brother He’s spiral shell on you. Three days ago, he and I followed its signal and searched the nearby woods. The place was a mess, clear signs of a fierce battle—your shell must have fallen there during the fight. But you were nowhere to be seen. We searched for two days with no luck and were about to give up, but an unknown person guided us here, and we found you unconscious. Thankfully, you had no internal injuries, just some minor wounds on your leg. Brother He was relieved once we found you and escorted Brother Gong back to the sect, since Gong was seriously injured. He promised to return for us once Gong was safe—if you hadn’t awoken, we’d have carried you back. Now that you’re awake, it’s wonderful. How did you get injured, and why were you here?”

Li Sibai pondered her account, recalling recent events. He had his suspicions but could not confirm them, and his confusion only deepened.

Yao Xueqing saw him thinking but not answering, and guessed he might be exhausted or still muddled. She did not press him, instead keeping vigil by his side.

The two sat quietly. Li Sibai struggled to make sense of it all. Was the woman in green from his dream real? How had he survived the deadly poison? Had she saved him? Yet her expression had seemed hopeless at the time. Or perhaps he had encountered some mysterious benefactor?

His thoughts exhausted him, and he drifted back into uneasy sleep.

Yao Xueqing had watched over him from the start. Days of searching and sleepless nights spent guarding him had left her weary. Now that he had awakened, she relaxed at last, the accumulated fatigue lulling her into slumber. She lay on Li Sibai’s chest and fell asleep.

It was not until someone called her name that Yao Xueqing awoke—He Tianshu had arrived with others.

He Tianshu, witnessing the scene, was rather embarrassed. Fortunately, the cave was narrow and he had not let his fellow disciples enter. He gently woke Yao Xueqing, whose cheeks flushed with color.

“Senior Brother He, you’re here. Little Bai has already woken once,” Yao Xueqing said softly.

“Let me have a look,” He Tianshu replied, checking Li Sibai’s pulse. “He seems to be recovering well.”

He called Li Sibai’s name, rousing him. Li Sibai opened his eyes and saw He Tianshu.

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“Senior Brother He, you’re here,” Li Sibai said, attempting to sit up.

He Tianshu helped him. “Little Bai, how do you feel now? Any discomfort?”

Li Sibai checked himself—the pain in his leg was gone. He gave a sheepish smile.

“Senior Brother Li, I’m fine—just a bit of stomach pain.”

“Hmm? Stomach pain?” He Tianshu looked puzzled, when suddenly a loud rumble came from Li Sibai’s belly. Yao Xueqing laughed.

“This kid must be hungry. Here, have some rations,” she said, pulling out some food from her pack—though supplies were running low.

They had indeed been out for a long time.

He Tianshu looked at her and said, “Junior Brother Li, can you walk now? If you’re able, let’s head down the mountain together and enjoy a proper meal at the Immortal’s Tavern in Carefree Town.”

Li Sibai nodded eagerly. He had been out for days, surviving mostly on water. While cultivators endured hunger better than ordinary people, he was still weak after his illness. The prospect of a good meal was far more enticing than mere rations.

He tried to stand and follow He Tianshu to Carefree Town, but as soon as he rose, dizziness overwhelmed him and he nearly collapsed.

“What’s wrong?” He Tianshu asked.

Li Sibai gave a wry smile. “Must be hunger. I’ll be fine—let’s go.”