Elder Jian surveyed the aftermath of the brutal confrontation. He looked first at the mangled corpse of Shen Mo – missing both arms, pierced through the abdomen, dead from blood loss and the pill's backlash. Then his gaze shifted to Bai Yu, lying unconscious, severely injured, covered in blood, his breathing shallow. Despite the boy's battered state, the fact that he, an Mid-Stage Qi Refiner, had actually killed a berserk Late-Stage genius like Shen Mo was astonishing.
"What a monster..." Elder Jian murmured under his breath, shaking his head slightly in disbelief and admiration. This Young Master's potential was truly terrifying.
He quickly checked Bai Yu's vitals – injured, yes, but stable. He then checked the unconscious woman. Her wounds were numerous but mostly superficial cuts and bruises, likely sustained during the chase rather than serious combat; her primary issue seemed to be exhaustion and the Qi depletion from whatever technique she used to find the Fire Lion core initially.
Knowing this area was now unsafe, Elder Jian acted swiftly. He picked up Bai Yu carefully, cradling him like a sack of precious, broken grain. Then, with his other arm, he gently lifted the unconscious woman, he scanned the surroundings, searching for a safe, hidden place for them to recover. He found a small, dry cave concealed behind a dense thicket a short distance away.
Half a day later, consciousness slowly returned to Bai Yu. His first sensation was overwhelming pain – his body ached intensely at every single place. Broken ribs, internal bruising, torn muscles, Qi depletion – the fight had taken a tremendous toll. He blinked his eyes open, his vision blurry at first. As it cleared, he saw he was inside a small, dim cave. In front of him sat Elder Jian, cross-legged, silently mediating, his presence a calm anchor in the small space. Next to him lay the woman they had rescued, still unconscious but breathing steadily, her worst wounds cleaned and bandaged crudely with strips torn from spare cloth.
"You are awake," Elder Jian stated calmly, sensing Bai Yu's return to consciousness and opening his eyes. His gaze was assessing, checking Bai Yu's condition.
Bai Yu tried to nod, but even that small movement sent jolts of pain through his neck and chest. "My whole body... feels like it's in tatters," he rasped, his voice hoarse. "How long was I asleep?"
"For half a day," Elder Jian replied. He offered Bai Yu a waterskin. "You did a good job, Young Master. Killing Shen Mo under those circumstances... it was impressive."
Bai Yu took a grateful sip of water before asking the question weighing on his mind. "Won't it be a problem for the Bai Clan? Because we killed people of the Shen Family, especially their prized genius?"
Elder Jian shook his head, his expression calm. "They won't know that we were the culprits. I took precautions. After ensuring you both were safe here, I returned to the battle site and burned their corpses thoroughly. Ash and bone fragments tell no tales. There is no evidence linking us directly to their disappearance."
Bai Yu breathed out, relieved. A direct conflict between the Bai and Shen clans over this would have been disastrous. Trusting Elder Jian's thoroughness, he pushed aside the lingering political concerns. Despite the intense pain, driven by his cultivator's instinct and the urgent need to recover, he tried to maneuver himself into a seated lotus position. It was an agonizing process, every movement sending waves of pain, but he managed it. He closed his eyes and immediately started absorbing ambient Qi, directing the nascent energy towards healing his grievous wounds and replenishing his utterly depleted Dantian.
About an hour later, as Bai Yu was immersed in his recovery meditation, a small cough was heard. Both he and Elder Jian opened their eyes. The rescued woman was waking up. She blinked groggily, looking around the unfamiliar cave with confusion.
"Huh? Where... where am I?" she murmured, her voice weak. Then, memories seemed to flood back – the chase, the desperation, the sudden appearance of rescuers. Her eyes widened as she saw Bai Yu and Elder Jian. She quickly remembered what happened and directly struggled to sit up slightly, wincing from her own injuries. "Thank you! Thank you, my saviors!" she said sincerely, bowing her head gratefully.
Elder Jian gave a slight nod. "Rest easy. You are safe for now." His gaze was polite but probing. "What is your name, young lady? And what is your affiliation? Why were the Shen Clan members pursuing you so ruthlessly?"
The woman hesitated for only a moment before answering, perhaps sensing the strength and integrity of her rescuers. "My name is Mei Ling," she said, her voice gaining a little strength. "And I... I am the daughter of Mei Rong, the Sect Leader of the Snow Moon Sect."
"The Snow Moon Sect?" Bai Yu asked, confused. The name wasn't familiar to him; his focus had always been solely on Water Court City's internal clan dynamics.
Before Mei Ling could elaborate, Elder Jian explained quietly to Bai Yu, his eyes showing recognition and a measure of respect. "The Snow Moon Sect is a powerful, independent sect whose influence rivals, or perhaps even surpasses, that of the City Lord's faction here in Water Court City. Their main sect is located in the mountains bordering the surrounding area of the city, not within its walls. They are known for their unique ice and moon-based cultivation techniques and their formidable strength. They reportedly have at least three Martial Grandmasters. And her father, Mei Rong, is not just the Sect Leader; he is renowned as an especially strong Martial Grandmaster, perhaps even nearing the peak of that realm."
Bai Yu's eyes widened slightly. They hadn't just saved some random noblewoman; they had rescued the daughter of a major power player in the region, someone whose sect was on par with, if not stronger than, the combined might of Water Court City's ruling factions. This complicated things considerably.