Dashing Student Chapter 1442 - 1439: Signs Begin to Emerge (Part 2)

"Master Mei Gui, aid me!"

A disciple was carried into the humble dwelling; his breathing was faint, and his tunic was stained crimson with blood. A severe gash had nearly bifurcated his body, slicing into his abdomen.

Chen Nan’s brow furrowed as he approached. A disciple seized him, demanding, "Who are you? Where is Master Mei Gui?"

"The Master is in the rear; she instructed me to oversee the Medical Hall," Chen Nan stated with composure.

"Hmph, and who do you presume to be? Can you shoulder the blame if things go awry? Hurry and fetch Master Mei Gui!" the disciple cried out, his tone fraught with urgency.

Chen Nan surveyed the wounded individual, remarking, "Should you prevent me from administering aid, he may perish. Given Master Mei Gui’s directive for me to guard the Medicine Hall, I dare not defy her."

"If you are set on fetching Elder Mei Gui, then proceed."

Though seemingly unconcerned, he was poised to resume the healing process.

The disciple contemplated for a moment; Master Mei Gui possessed a reserved demeanor and disliked being interrupted. Witnessing his fellow disciple on the brink, he relented with a gritted resolve.

"Very well, you may tend to him, but should any harm befall my junior brother, I shall not absolve you!"

Chen Nan offered a shrug. "In that case, I shall withdraw my treatment. You may seek out Elder Mei Gui."

Several disciples were taken aback; Chen Nan’s resolute bearing did not resemble that of a mere disciple, but rather an elder.

Chen Nan maintained an air of indifference, his stance unwavering as though he were no disciple at all.

The disciple’s eyes widened, a surge of anger threatening to erupt, yet mindful of his injured junior, he suppressed it. Stepping back, hands clasped, he pleaded, "Esteemed junior, I implore your assistance!"

Chen Nan finally felt appeased, inwardly musing, *Could this group of Third Layer Foundation Establishment fledgling cultivators possibly overwhelm me? Even with my cultivation diminished to the Third Layer of the Foundation Establishment Realm, my physical might alone is sufficient to subdue them with a single blow.*

He turned back, stooping to examine the wounded disciple, and could not help but inquire, "Who inflicted this grievous wound?"

"Not human," a disciple responded, elaborating, "We encountered a demon beast near the forbidden zone, and my junior brother was injured by its attack."

Chen Nan’s frown deepened as he detected no lingering demonic Qi upon the wound, nor did it bear the hallmarks of a demon beast's assault; it was unequivocally a sword wound!

However, he offered no explanation. Instead, he proceeded to the hut’s shelves, retrieved a set of silver needles, and directed the injured disciple to be moved onto the bed.

Observing him, with fingers converged, mana enshrouded the silver needles. A subtle touch from his fingertip caused them to emit a faint luminescence and levitate, precisely piercing the wounded man’s acupoints.

His fingers then commenced a delicate dance, lightly tapping each silver needle, inducing a continuous vibration. Pure mana flowed into the wounded disciple’s acupoints via the needles.

The injured disciple, whose respiration had previously been shallow, now breathed steadily, his complexion regaining a healthy hue.

Chen Nan subsequently produced several spiritual medicines, gently crushing them into a fine powder, which he applied to the wound before bandaging it. He also selected a few herbs for decoction.

After the administration of a bowl of medicinal broth, the injured disciple’s eyelids fluttered open.

The cultivator who had initially berated Chen Nan approached with a measure of remorse. "Esteemed junior, I misjudged you earlier, and as your senior, I offer my apologies."

"However, I do not recognize you, and the sect has not accepted new disciples recently?"

Chen Nan offered a smile; acknowledging a fault and rectifying it indicated a person of good character, thus he did not chastise him further, simply explaining, "Senior Sister Yun Ying brought me into the sect."

"Ah, I understand," the cultivator nodded. "Consider this a debt owed. Should you require any assistance, seek me out in the Outer Sect. My name is Tang Kun."

"Very well, I shall bear it in mind," Chen Nan replied with a nod.

Tang Kun found himself glancing at Chen Nan several times; he could not articulate why, but he sensed within the junior before him an aura akin to that of the sect's elders, exuding an unshakeable composure.

Following the successful treatment, Chen Nan withdrew to continue his recuperation. The rescued disciple did not intrude, discreetly leaving behind a few spirit stones before departing with the injured individual.

Once they had departed, Chen Nan finally opened his eyes, his gaze lowered in contemplation.

These disciples claimed to have encountered a demon beast near the forbidden zone, yet the wounds were unmistakably inflicted by a sword, not a beast’s claw or fang.

"It appears someone wishes to deter all approach to the forbidden zone… Intriguing."

...

In the ensuing days, Chen Nan remained within the Medical Hall, tending to his own recovery while also treating the ailments and injuries of numerous disciples. Gradually, the sect’s disciples became aware of a remarkably skilled junior brother who had arrived at the Medical Hall.

From the very first day Mei Gui vanished, Chen Nan found a welcome respite, enjoying a period of tranquility. With ample time dedicated to his recovery, Chen Nan finally succeeded in purifying the initial strand of yin Qi completely on this particular day. This purification brought a wave of profound comfort throughout his entire being. His cultivation, as a result, rapidly ascended back to the Ninth Layer of the Foundation Establishment Realm. To prevent drawing the unwelcome attention of the Sect elders, Chen Nan swiftly implemented the "Life and Death Technique," carefully suppressing his cultivation level back to the Third Layer of Foundation Establishment. Just at this moment, a head emerged from the entrance of his hut – it was Yun Ying. "Junior Brother?" she called out. Chen Nan responded with a smile, "Female Knight, have you finished your cultivation?" Yun Ying nodded with evident happiness, "Yes, and I came specifically to see you." With a playful glint in her eyes, she teased, "I heard there's a junior brother with exceptional medical skills appearing in the Sect recently; I wonder who that could be?" Chen Nan felt a sense of helplessness; the young girl remained unchanged. However, his expression suddenly shifted to astonishment as he observed Yun Ying, noting that her cultivation had unexpectedly advanced to the Third Layer of the Golden Core Realm. "Female Knight, you..." Yun Ying playfully swung her small fist, exclaiming, "Hehe, the Third Layer of the Golden Core Realm! Even you noticed it? How about that, didn't I tell you I'm a genius?" Chen Nan's expression grew more serious as he inquired, "Just like last time, did it advance after you took elixir pills?" "Yes, what about it? I just slept longer this time," Yun Ying replied. Seeing Chen Nan's earnest face, she began to feel a trace of nervousness, finding his serious demeanor somewhat odd, akin to facing an admonishing mentor. Without delay, Chen Nan extended his hand, gently taking Yun Ying's wrist to examine her condition. Indeed, just as he suspected from their previous encounter, her realm was unstable. It was clear her cultivation had not been achieved through conventional means. This situation went beyond merely forcing growth; it seemed as though someone was actively trying to harm Yun Ying! "What's wrong? I feel perfectly fine," Yun Ying said, withdrawing her hand with a hint of curiosity. "Female Knight, in the future..." Before Chen Nan could finish his sentence, Mei Gui, who had not been present moments before, suddenly entered the hut, interrupting him. "Yun Ying, why don't you ask about your Master's well-being?" "Master!" Yun Ying exclaimed, running into Mei Gui's embrace. "I was just about to come find you; I didn't expect you to arrive first." Mei Gui smiled tenderly, "You, you forget your master the moment you make friends. But you must never neglect your cultivation, do you understand?" "Rest assured, Master, I will not," Yun Ying replied with a sweet smile. The scene, which should have been warm and familial, sent a chill down Chen Nan's spine. He realized with certainty that Mei Gui had intentionally interrupted him, and these individuals were undoubtedly concealing something. In Chen Nan's perception, Mei Gui appeared as a cunning wolf, while Yun Ying was but an innocent little rabbit. "Am I missing something crucial?" he mused internally. At that very moment, Mei Gui abruptly addressed Chen Nan, "The Pill Room requires assistance; I've been informed of your proficiency in Alchemy, so you should go help out there." Chen Nan understood immediately that this was a deliberate attempt to remove him from the vicinity. However, considering his cultivation had not yet fully recovered, revealing any suspicion could provoke Mei Gui, Qiao Que, or even the Sect Leader into silencing him permanently. Therefore, he could only bow his head and assent, "Yes, I understand." Yun Ying was visibly reluctant and pleaded with Mei Gui, shaking her arm, "Master, I rarely get free time. Can't Junior Brother just chat with me for a little while longer?" Mei Gui responded gently, "Be a good girl and cultivate diligently. Once you reach the Fifth Layer of the Golden Core Realm, we will no longer bother you. You'll have ample time for chatting then." She added, "Besides, didn't you wish to venture out as a female knight? How can you achieve that by slacking off? Your junior brother is right here; he won't disappear." Having spoken, Mei Gui glanced up at Chen Nan, her gaze sharp and cold, carrying an unspoken threat.