It's My Turn to Trouble Him

Xu Jin faced Lizhi’s pleading gaze but did not immediately agree. Instead, he pushed the medicinal pill closer.

"What’s wrong? Don’t you need saving?"

"I... my injuries... are severe..."

"Are you underestimating the Central Continent, or are you underestimating me?" Xu Jin interrupted bluntly.

Lizhi glanced at the pill, her eyes flickering with a renewed desire to live, and with great effort, she reached out a trembling hand.

Ignoring her unsteady movement, Xu Jin pressed the pill directly against her lips. Without waiting for her to open her mouth, he dissolved the pill’s potency with his spiritual energy, forcing it down her throat.

"Cough... cough..."

Clearly unused to taking medicine this way, Lizhi coughed violently.

The moment the pill slid down her throat, its effects took hold, immediately nourishing her battered body.

Xu Jin raised his hand and stripped away the bandages covering Lizhi’s wounds, revealing blackened, rotting flesh.

Though he was no physician, his elevated cultivation meant that power from higher dimensions could sometimes be universally applied to lower ones.

Xu Jin channeled his spiritual energy into the wounds on her arm and elsewhere. The delicate flow of his energy was enough to eradicate the lingering malevolent forces without causing further harm to Lizhi.

Moreover, the pill itself was meant for high-level cultivators. For a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator like Lizhi, a single pill was more than enough.

While it couldn’t regenerate flesh from bone, it was more than capable of replenishing her vitality and stabilizing her spiritual energy.

In mere moments, Lizhi’s complexion improved noticeably. Her voice, however, remained hoarse:

"Do you know the reason behind the recent rampage of those mindless demonic beasts?"

Jing Qing’s face twisted in disgust, but before he could speak, Xu Jin cut in:

"Without concrete evidence, baseless speculation is meaningless."

Lizhi nodded faintly. Then, drawing a short dagger from her waist, she sliced away the blackened flesh on her arm.

As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, this act brought nothing but pain—no lasting harm. In fact, it would speed up her recovery.

Gritting her teeth against the agony, she asked another question:

"Have you come to save the Western Oxhorn Continent? Is the Central Continent extending its aid?"

Xu Jin fell silent for a moment before answering honestly, unwilling to deceive her: "For now, we’re only here to investigate. For the Central Continent to intervene... would require navigating countless complications."

"Complications of interest?" Lizhi tried to laugh but couldn’t. She stood up. "We people aren’t the ‘interests’—this land is."

Jing Qing stepped forward and interjected sharply:

"If it were all about interests, why would my senior brother and I come here at all? We could’ve waited until the Western Oxhorn Continent collapsed entirely before swooping in for profit. Just because you can’t save this place, do you assume we can’t either?"

Lizhi lifted her gaze to meet Jing Qing’s. After a brief silence, she murmured, "You’re right... I spoke out of turn."

To put it coldly, this disaster wasn’t their doing. Even if they turned a blind eye... few outside would blame them.

"Has Senior Chu also come?" Lizhi changed the subject.

Xu Jin shook his head again. "He’s been occupied lately. He may not even be aware of the situation here."

Disappointment flickered across Lizhi’s face. After Jing Qing’s words, she understood all too well that the two wouldn’t linger here for long.

The Western Oxhorn Continent was vast, and Huangliang City was but a speck.

In the eyes of great figures, small things often went unnoticed.

Huangliang City had suffered repeated attacks from demonic beasts, and the fact that she—and the city itself—still stood was solely due to the protective artifact Chu Xingchen had given her.

But no matter how powerful the artifact, without spiritual stones or energy to sustain it, its strength would soon wane.

And for a group of Foundation Establishment cultivators like them, maintaining a high-tier artifact was an impossible task.

Lizhi retrieved the now-drained protective artifact from her spatial ring and asked once more:

"The artifact Senior Chu gave me has run dry... Without it, I’d have died countless times already. We barbarians of the Western Oxhorn Continent don’t know how to handle the Central Continent’s treasures. I know you won’t stay here long."

"Could you repair this for me? Every extra day alive... is another day of hope."

Xu Jin took the artifact, running his fingers over its lifeless surface.

This item had been given to Lizhi by Chu Xingchen during their investigation into Buddhist secrets—a safeguard that had gone unused then but now saved her life.

Xu Jin handed the artifact to Jing Qing, who accepted it without hesitation and moved aside to begin replenishing its energy.

"Thank you," Lizhi said sincerely, a faint trace of her former smile returning. "I’m fortunate to have met you and Senior Chu, two great figures from the Central Continent."

Xu Jin didn’t acknowledge her gratitude, instead stating bluntly:

"That artifact alone won’t hold out for long."

"I know."

"You’re a Foundation Establishment cultivator. With the artifact—or if I take you with me—you could survive."

"I know that too. But this place holds memories, friends—even if many are dead—and promises I’ve made. The people of the Western Oxhorn Continent may lack manners, etiquette, and finesse, but we understand one thing: a promise is worth dying for."

Listening to Lizhi’s calm words, Xu Jin could only nod slightly. Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, he asked:

"Have you ever eaten lychees?"

Lizhi froze. Her smile faded, her lips downturned, but her voice remained as hoarse as ever:

"No..."

Jing Qing returned at that moment, holding the fully restored artifact.

Lizhi hurriedly expressed her thanks as she took it back.

Xu Jin retrieved a bottle of pills from his spatial storage and handed it to her.

"I have a few questions. Where did the demonic beasts first appear? Any word of the Buddhists intervening?"

"Initial reports came from merchants in the south, followed by refugees fleeing north. The furthest south... there was only one survivor from the Bodhisattva Barbarians, but they’re dead now. As for the Buddhists... back then, we didn’t know. Now... it seems they’re gone."

"Only rogue cultivators and sect disciples are organizing resistance. Larger settlements fare better, but towns like Huangliang—full of mortals—are in dire straits."

Xu Jin pressed further: "What about the local Patrol Sky Division?"

"Most are dead. The highest cultivation in the local branch is only at the Golden Core level, with Foundation Establishment captains." Lizhi shook her head weakly. "Aside from the central division—staffed by envoys from the Central Continent—most members are locals, their cultivation far inferior."

Xu Jin gave a slight nod. "Understood."

Lizhi studied him, hesitating before finally asking:

"Is this the Buddhists’ doing? Isn’t this their territory? Weren’t these people their followers? Why would they do this?"

Xu Jin shook his head.

"Without sufficient intelligence, I won’t speculate. But if the Buddhists are truly behind this... justice will be demanded."

With that, he turned his gaze toward the window.

"It's getting late. I came here in secret, and if someone were to track my movements, it wouldn't bode well for you. I have a mission and can't stay long."

Lizhi's mood was heavy, but she nodded in understanding.

"Understood."

"Stay safe." Xu Jin turned to leave, pausing only to add, "There will be another chance to taste lychees."

Jing Qing glanced at Lizhi, giving her a slight nod before following his senior brother.

The two figures headed out of Huangliang City.

On the road, Xu Jin suddenly spoke.

"Jing Qing, I won’t need you to follow me for now. Return to the Tianyan Sect on the Central Continent and find Chu Xingchen. Tell him everything that happened here—whether he acts on it or not is up to him."

Jing Qing slowed his steps and asked, "Then where does Senior Brother plan to go? This is Buddhist territory."

Xu Jin replied, "I’m going to Bodhisattva Barbarians. If Chu Xingchen comes, finish what needs to be done with him, then come find me there."

"Senior Brother is doing this… because of that woman?" Jing Qing questioned, puzzled.

"Not entirely."

"Then why?"

"Because someone once said, 'Lizhi’s life matters too.' She still wants to taste lychees. She’s a good person—I just can’t help her right now." Xu Jin’s gaze turned toward the direction of the Central Continent.

"In the past, he was always the one troubling me. Now, it’s my turn to trouble him a little."