Chapter 907: Subst.i.tute
Li Ruolan anxiously asked, “How is he?”
“Extreme-just and extreme-Yang. This palm energy can conquer any obstacle that comes its way.” Chu Li let go of Ji Xin’s wrist and muttered, “It’s very hard to deal with!”
“Can you get rid of it?” Li Ruolan asked.
Chu Li shook his head. “I’m not sure.”
Disappointment washed over Li Ruolan’s face.
Ji Xin let out a sigh. “This palm energy is quite strange after all. There’s nothing we can do about it… It’s a pity I can’t go back to the Great Light Peak anymore. How I wish I can die at the Great Light Peak instead!”
Li Ruolan quickly said, “Senior Brother Ji, stop saying such discouraging words. You haven’t reached your final moment yet. There’s still hope!”
Tears swam in the corners of her charming large eyes as she was about to cry.
Chu Li remained silent.
Ji Xin smiled and replied, “However, I’m still glad that I can die with you by my side, Junior Sister Li. Don’t go and seek revenge against the Tempest Temple. You shouldn’t blame them for this. It’s my fault for not being cautious enough. I’ve been too careless!”
Li Ruolan slowly nodded as tears rolled down her cheeks and fell onto the bed.
Chu Li muttered impatiently, “We still have time. Why are you crying already?”
Li Ruolan turned around and glared at him.
Chu Li said, “I have an idea.”
“What is it?” Li Ruolan quickly asked while wiping away her tears.
Chu Li replied, “I’ll use the Earth Matrix and Reincarnation Scripture. Let’s get started right away!”
“Your injuries are still very severe. Can you use the Earth Matrix and Reincarnation Scripture?” Li Ruolan asked.
She could tell that Chu Li was quite seriously injured. It should not be easy to recover from the injuries caused by his reverse cultivation of the Earth Matrix and Reincarnation Scripture. It would take quite some time for him to recover completely.
Chu Li replied, “My injuries aren’t fatal, but Senior Brother Ji’s injuries are. If we drag this on any longer, even if I manage to get rid of the palm energy, he won’t be able to restore his cultivation after this!”
Ji Xin gave a fist salute and said, “Well then, thank you for your help, Junior Brother Zhao!”
Chu Li shook his head and then sat in a full-lotus posture on the bed. “Senior Sister, lend me a hand. Senior Brother Ji, relax your body and try to endure whatever pain you feel. Don’t resist it!”
“Okay.” Ji Xin seemed to have recovered his spirits as he straightened his body and sat with his back facing Chu Li.
Li Ruolan went and sat behind Chu Li before placing her palms on Chu Li’s back.
As the Earth Matrix and Reincarnation Scripture began to circulate in his mind, a peculiar strand of force seeped into Ji Xin’s body through Chu Li’s palms.
The strange palm energy within Ji Xin’s body immediately surged forward like a cat pouncing on a mouse. It began devouring the palm energy coming from Chu Li and then went after the peculiar force he had emitted until it reached Chu Li’s palm and entered his body.
Instantly, the palm energy of the Tempest Temple rushed into Chu Li’s body altogether. None of it remained within Ji Xin’s body.
“Puff!” Chu Li suddenly sprayed a mouthful of blood and limply fell backward.
“Junior Brother!” Li Ruolan hurriedly held him up.
Ji Xin turned around worriedly. “Junior Brother Zhao!”
He finally realized what had just happened. Zhao Dahe had lured this strange palm energy into his own body. That vicious palm energy from the Tempest Temple was still present, but it was now inside a different body. This was equivalent to Zhao Dahe dying in his place!
He felt touched and ashamed at the same time.
Chu Li tried his best to sit up straight and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. Then, he shook his head and said, “It’s okay.”
“You…” Li Ruolan fixed her eyes on him, not knowing what else to say.
The inner energy he had been using belonged to Li Ruolan, so she also knew what had just taken place.
Chu Li smiled and said, “Senior Brother Ji mustn’t die. Otherwise, you’re going to try to end your own life too, Senior Sister. I’m a loner, and I have no family, so it doesn’t matter.”
“What nonsense are you saying?” Li Ruolan yelled at him.
Her heart was filled with frustration and anxiety. Even though Senior Brother Ji should not die, this did not mean Zhao Dahe should!
Chu Li turned to Ji Xin and said, “Senior Brother Ji, I believe they’ve been relying on this palm energy to track you down. Now that you’ve been freed from this palm energy, they won’t be able to hunt you down anymore. Before they realize something is wrong, the two of you should take this opportunity to disguise yourselves and leave this place tonight!”
“What about you, Junior Brother Zhao?” Ji Xin asked.
Chu Li replied, “I’ll stay behind to stall them.”
“Junior Brother Zhao…” Ji Xin let out a deep sigh and said, “I’m very sorry for this!”
Chu Li smiled and replied, “Senior Brother Ji, you don’t have to worry too much. I can deal with this palm energy. It’s just that we need to stall the monks from the Tempest Temple right now. That’s why I’m not getting rid of this palm energy yet. After the two of you leave, I’ll destroy it!”
“Really?” Ji Xin was astonished.
Chu Li replied confidently, “Don’t worry. I’m not that foolish. I won’t allow myself to die in vain.”
Ji Xin fell silent and nodded as he became convinced by Chu Li’s word.
After all, Junior Brother Zhao was not related to him in any way. They had just gotten to know each other before this. Junior Brother Zhao would not be so foolish as to sacrifice himself and die in his place having met him only once. No one could be so foolish. Therefore, Junior Brother Zhao should be telling the truth when he said that he was capable of dealing with this palm energy.
Li Ruolan kept her eyes on Chu Li without blinking. She was trying to guess whether he was lying or telling the truth.
Chu Li did not meet her gaze. He smiled at Ji Xin and continued, “Senior Brother Ji, you should channel and recuperate first. Try to recover as much as possible before leaving tonight.”
“…Okay.” Ji Xin slowly nodded.
Chu Li got off the bed and staggered to his feet. Li Ruolan anxiously said, “I’ll bring you someplace you can rest!”
Chu Li nodded.
After the two of them went out of the room, Li Ruolan brought him into a waterside pavilion by the lake.
Chu Li sat on the bed and heaved a long sigh.
Li Ruolan opened the window of the waterside pavilion and a cool breeze gently blew in.
She took a garden stool and sat down in front of Chu Li, watching him closely. “Junior Brother, be honest with me. Are you really capable of dealing with this palm energy?”
“Of course.” Chu Li nodded and looked straight into her eyes. “Senior Sister, you think I’ll risk my life to save Senior Brother Ji? I’m not that selfless!”
Li Ruolan gently nodded. “Alright then… Junior Brother, thank you very much!”
She had not expected Chu Li to actually follow her here. Initially, she had been so angry that she wanted to slap him in the face. Now, she felt like giving him a hug.
Chu Li smiled. “Consider this my repayment for the guidance you’ve given me previously, Senior Sister. After all, I can’t let all your efforts go to waste!”
Feeling awkward from listening to these words, Li Ruolan frowned and shot a glare at him.
Chu Li stretched himself a little. “Senior Sister, the two of you should leave tonight. The longer you delay it, the more problems may arise. I’ll stay behind for some time before going back. I need to channel and recuperate now, so I won’t be seeing you off!”
“…Okay, understood.” Li Ruolan nodded quietly.
Chu Li closed his eyes and started to meditate.
Li Ruolan stared at his ugly face in a daze. After a while, she finally averted her gaze and silently went out of the waterside pavilion before slowly closing the door behind her.
Chu Li opened his eyes and shook his head.
…
As the sky turned dark, Ji Xin got off his bed looking refreshed and well-rested.
Without the strange palm energy from the Tempest Temple gnawing at him internally, he had managed to heal his injuries to a large extent by midnight with the help of some spirit pills from the Holy Church of Light. Now, he had recovered sufficient energy to defend himself and was confident that he could escape from this place.
When he opened the door and walked out, he found Li Ruolan sitting absentmindedly in a gazebo. Her jade-like hand was propping up her chin while her gaze was fixated on the waterside pavilion by the lake.
“Junior Sister Li, what are you looking at?” Ji Xin asked softly while looking at her with a gentle gaze.
After his near-death experience this time, his feelings of love and grat.i.tude toward her had grown even stronger. This woman was willing to live and die together with him. How fortunate was he to have met such a woman?
Li Ruolan raised her head and looked at him. “Senior Brother Ji, how’s the condition of your injuries?”
“I’ve recovered significantly,” Ji Xin replied with a smile, “without the palm energy of the Tempest Temple, I was able to recuperate very quickly.”
“Well, that’s good.” Li Ruolan nodded and then muttered, “It seems like this palm energy is indeed very vicious and hard to deal with…”
A thoughtful look entered her face as she wondered if Zhao Dahe was really capable of getting rid of it. She could not tell whether he had been truly confident about his ability, or whether he had been lying to her so that she would leave.
As she thought about Zhao Dahe’s current situation as well as how severely injured he was, she could not bring herself to feel hopeful at all.
“Shall we leave?” Ji Xin asked. “More problems may occur if we stay for too long. The monks from the Tempest Temple might suddenly launch an attack. It’s going to be disastrous if you fall into their hands too!”
“…Okay,” Li Ruolan replied, “let’s disguise ourselves first before leaving.”
While she was still speaking, she swiftly glided over to the waterside pavilion and looked in through the window. Chu Li was still sitting on the bed like a statue. White steam was rising above his head, his face looking pallid and sickly.