Xiao Xue’s life after the Master’s death was spent in isolation and cultivation. She chose to stay in a cave within the Black Highlands to quietly train and live in seclusion, away from the mundane concerns of day-to-day life within the valley.

The beast tide was set to arrive within the year, she needed to prepare as much as she could. The last beast tide lasted for five straight days, the longest in the temple’s history. Xiao Xue has no idea how the Master endured those torturous days. The Priestess never talked about the beast tide and Xiao Xue thought it prudent not to ask. All she knew was she needed to train and get stronger.

Xiao Xue spent a lot of time reading the temple’s annals, to further her knowledge about the daunting task of protecting the valley. She wasn’t naïve to think it would all be well and good. But there’s only so much one could learn from written words. Only by cultivating diligently could she rest assured. Xiao Xue wanted to breakthrough and advance as far as she could before the beast tide arrived.

Xiao Xue was heading out of the cave when she sensed an unknown presence outside. She slowly limped her way out while surveying the surroundings with her aura. Once she detected what was amiss, she made her way over to check.

In a clearing, not far from the cave where she was staying, a man was lying face down in a pool of blood. It was the scent of his blood mixed with the air that she sensed earlier. The man did not stir when she deliberately made some noise as she approached him, but Xiao Xue was certain he’s alive.

Xiao Xue knelt beside the unconscious man and gently turned him over to check the extent of his injuries. She was about to untie the man’s robe when a bloody hand firmly grasped her wrist.

“Who are you?!” The man’s hoarse voice sounded, the fingers around her wrist tightening. “What do you want?”

Xiao Xue glanced at the man and froze. She did not have time to look at his face before she turned him over because she was worried about his wounds. Now that she had the opportunity to look, she was surprised to find that a man could be so good looking.

Xiao Xue had lived two lifetimes and she could, with conviction, state that the injured man lying before her is the most handsome man she had ever seen. His was not a godly face that could shame the heavens but to say that he is merely handsome would be undermining. It would probably be more appropriate to say that he has an arresting appearance, an unrivaled face that one was not likely to forget and people usually covet.

Although his complexion was white as sheet due to blood loss, the man’s skin was unmarred and bore no imperfection. Straight, perfectly shaped nose, slashing eyebrows matched with thin lips. His long hair was in disarray but it was dark and lustrous, the same color as the midnight sky. What caught Xiao Xue off guard was his amethyst-colored eyes. They looked like two mysterious orbs that could see through everything. It felt like she could hide nothing from him because he could easily see right through her soul with those eyes.

Xiao Xue did not take offense with his harsh tone or the painful grip on her wrist. She calmly looked at the man and blandly stated, “If I do not see what’s wrong, I cannot help you.”

The man was not the first cultivator she found wounded and in need of help within the mountain range. Aside from spiritual beasts, the Black Highlands is littered with spiritual herbs and fruits that are beneficial for cultivators. But unless a person’s strength was on a certain level, surviving within the mountain the range was arduous. Of course, danger comes in many forms within the Black Highlands. Aside from feral spiritual beasts, cultivators prey on each other within the mountain range as well.

The man did not reply and rudely stared at Xiao Xue’s scarred face. The hand gripping her wrist didn’t have any intention of relaxing either. Xiao Xue inwardly sighed and patiently looked back at him. She could guess why the man does not trust her words and has doubts about her intention to help. She could feel his aura slightly prodding, trying to scan her body. Unfortunately, for him, he would not be able to feel any spiritual fluctuation at all.

“It’s not safe to stay here.” Xiao Xue said when the man, stubbornly, did not move. She looked up at the darkening sky and commented in passing. “There’s a cave not far from here, it’s safer to go there than stay out in the open.”

The man did not reply but struggled to get up on his own. Xiao Xue could smell fresh blood oozing out of his wounds with each movement but he did not show any sign of pain or discomfort nor did he ask for help. Once he managed to stand, unsteadily, he looked back at her and said lowly, “Lead the way.”

Xiao Xue nodded and turned to limp away. She didn’t offer to help him along the way. She’d met people like him, too stubborn for their own good. It’s better to let them do what they want so they can get it out of their system and help them when they finally ask. And they will ask, eventually. They just have to annoy you first.

Once they arrived at the cave, the man collapsed on the ground panting for breath. His body was soaked with blood and sweat, his complexion worse. Xiao Xue took a quick glance at him, to make sure he would not fall unconscious again, before venturing further into the cave. When she walked back the man was still sitting on the ground but his breathing was more stable. She purposely dragged her lame leg so he would hear her coming.

After lighting a small fire, she unrolled a mat and spread a clean blanket over it. She would have preferred to have him stay in one of the caverns where there’s a bed prepared but looking at the man, she doesn’t think he’d be able to stand up and walk any time soon. She’ll make him move tomorrow, if he’s still around. After carrying a basin with clean water and cloth, she placed a gourd of sweet wine and food not far from where he sat then reached into her sleeve to take out a jade box with a stalk of spiritual herb inside.

“This herb will stop the bleeding and numb your pain. I do not know what poisoned you but this could detoxify most of the poisons found on this mountain range. If the poison is not detoxified by morning, I will take you down the mountain and help you find a physician.” The man did not say anything, he only looked at her and then the herb on her hand. Xiao Xue thought that perhaps he thinks she’s trying to feed him poison. She would like to sway him off such a notion by ingesting part of the herb but it’s the only one she has at the moment. “I can’t sample the herb for you. Your wounds are quite severe, you’ll need the whole stalk to heal. I will leave it here and you can decide whether you want to eat it or not. It’s safe to eat even if it’s not processed.” With her secret prodding, she knew that his cultivation was quite high. Consuming the herb raw would not be dangerous for him.

After making sure that she did not forget anything, Xiao Xue started limping out of the cave. Today, a message arrived from her senior sisters. They want her to visit the temple, to help plan the ritual for the upcoming beast tide. If the message did not come, she would have preferred to stay and look after the man even if he did not want to be looked after. She did not want any mishap to happen to him when she barely managed to save him. But her senior sisters would not let her off if she did not go down the mountain today.

“Wait!” The man called out, weakly.

Xiao Xue stopped and looked back with a questioning glance.

“Thank you.” He looked at her like he wanted to say something more but was too weak to do so.

Xiao Xue smiled kindly before turning away.