IFIWMWMAE Chapter 6: Are You Afraid That Su Zezhou Will Worry?

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A dense mass of snakes tangled together, their heads probing forward as they flicked their long, thin tongues, slithering toward me.

Cold, damp, and slimy…

The next memory vanished in sheer terror.

When I woke up, I was soaking in a spiritual spring, my whole body swollen and unable to move.

My eyelids were so swollen that I couldn't open them properly; my vision was blurry, and my entire body ached—bone-deep pain.

I softly called out the name of Immortal Lord Zezhou.

The next moment, I felt a broad, warm palm gently pat my head. His voice was calm and reassuring.

"Don't be afraid. I'm back."

I struggled to open my eyes, but everything remained a blur. My nose tingled, and I slowly sank into the water, letting my tears mix with the spring so Immortal Lord Zezhou wouldn't notice them.

Immortal Lord Zezhou said, "The disciple who lured you to the back mountain has been expelled from Qingxu Sect. Your soul is unharmed. Take your time recovering, and you'll heal soon."

I gave a low "Mm" and asked no further questions.

Immortal Lord Zezhou stayed by the spring with me for a while, then handed me my daily dose of medicine.

I didn’t want to take it. The pills were bitter—I wanted sweets instead.

For the first time, I dared to refuse.

After a long silence, Immortal Lord Zezhou sighed and said, "Do you not wish to cultivate? I added rootless flower from Yunjing Immortal Mountain to this pill. It will benefit you."

I swallowed the medicine.

It was incredibly bitter. My wounds, soaking in the water, stung even more. I tilted my head back, unwilling to let my tears fall.

If Mother were here, I could throw myself into her arms, whining about my pain, and she would comfort me.

If… If Xie Lin were here, I could cry shamelessly, make a fuss, and complain until he gave me extra drumsticks for dinner.

But now, I was facing Immortal Lord Zezhou—refined, composed, and dignified. He would find my behavior improper.

It took nearly a month for my wounds to heal completely.

After that, I moved into Immortal Lord Zezhou’s room because every time I closed my eyes, nightmares haunted me. Only with him nearby could I relax.

Immortal Lord Zezhou treated me well—always speaking gently and keeping me close at all times. Even when he went down the mountain to subdue demons, he brought me along.

That was when I saw Xie Lin again.

While living on the mountain, I had heard many rumors about him—ruthless, ill-tempered, cunning, venomous, and born rebellious.

But I didn’t think so at all.

He didn’t kill me. His temper wasn't that bad. He wasn’t particularly venomous, nor did he seem inherently defiant.

He liked to scare me, and he once used me as a hostage to trade for Immortal Lord Zezhou’s artifact, but at least he never threw me into a pit of snakes.

If anyone was truly venomous, it was the people of Qingxu Sect.

The demon Immortal Lord Zezhou sought to eliminate was one of Xie Lin’s subordinates.

At Arakawa River, Xie Lin stood with his sword, dark blood dripping from the blade and soaking into the equally dark soil. He glanced at me sideways, his voice indifferent.

"Stay out of my way."

The sharp intent of his sword flared.

I stood frozen.

Xie Lin glanced at me again and asked why Su Zezhou had brought a weak, powerless kid along.

He still remembered me.

But I was no longer a little kid. I had grown taller, like a bamboo shoot stretching up, finally resembling a young man.

Immortal Lord Zezhou raised a barrier around me, telling me not to run around, then advanced toward Xie Lin and his people.

Sword light flickered chaotically, their movements too fast for me to follow.

After waiting inside the barrier for two incense sticks’ time, the intensity of the battle gradually subsided.

When I saw them again, their robes were pristine, fluttering gracefully as if they had never fought at all—neither side had gained the upper hand.

No one was injured. I let out a breath of relief.

Then, in the next moment, the barrier collapsed with a deafening crash.

A fierce beast lunged at me from behind before I could react.

Xie Lin grabbed me and shielded me behind him.

His sword flashed, severing the beast’s head, which thudded to the ground.

Some of the thick, black blood splattered onto his sleeve.

I quietly reached out and wiped it off for him.

Xie Lin coolly said, "Little one, don’t be so handsy."

Immortal Lord Zezhou looked at me and furrowed his brows.

I immediately let go of Xie Lin’s sleeve.

Xie Lin laughed and pinched my cheeks with great force, distorting my face.

"Is that all the courage you have?"

Immortal Lord Zezhou pointed his sword at Xie Lin and ordered him to let go.

I tried to speak, but my words came out unclear. Xie Lin finally released me, glanced at me, and mocked, "You’re so thin, you look like a ghost."

Immortal Lord Zezhou’s expression darkened, and he said coldly, "What does this have to do with you?"

"I just love meddling in other people’s business," Xie Lin lifted his chin, looked at Immortal Lord Zezhou, and smiled as he asked, "And what does that have to do with you?"

The two started fighting again, from the desolate riverbanks to the dense forest. Their sharp sword auras sliced through tree trunks, leaving a path of destruction.

Xie Lin’s subordinates recognized me and brought me along to watch the spectacle.

In the middle of the forest stood a massive rock, awkwardly wedged between two trees. I climbed onto the rock, tiptoeing to get a better view of the battle.

At first, I was anxious, but soon, I became completely absorbed in the fight.

As night fell, I asked one of Xie Lin’s subordinates, "When will they stop?"

"Half a quarter of an hour," the subordinate answered nonchalantly. "Su Zezhou has almost exhausted all his moves. Just wait a little longer."

Sure enough, after about half a quarter of an hour, everything came to an end.

Xie Lin leaped onto the rock, looking at Immortal Lord Zezhou with a contemptuous gaze, and said, "I have matters to attend to today, so I’ll spare you this time."

Just as he finished speaking, Immortal Lord Zezhou’s sword flew toward him. Xie Lin sidestepped, dodging the attack. The sword struck the rock, creating a crack.

The fissure grew larger, suddenly emitting a bright white light. In the next instant, Xie Lin grabbed my ankle, and we were both sucked in.

Everything happened in the blink of an eye. When I regained my senses, I realized that the scenery around us had changed.

The dense forest had turned into a beautiful island.

The vast blue sea stretched endlessly before us, gentle waves rippling under the breeze, carrying a familiar salty scent.

Xie Lin kicked away a seashell and said unapologetically, "Sorry, if I die, I have to drag someone down with me."

"Where is this?" I asked.

Xie Lin extended his divine sense to scan the surroundings before replying, "A secret realm within the Desolate River."

The island wasn’t very big. After walking a full lap with Xie Lin, I asked, "How do we get out?"

"Didn’t find an exit," Xie Lin said casually. "Might as well stay here till we die."

I was worried that Immortal Lord Zezhou would be anxious about my disappearance, but I didn’t dare show it in front of Xie Lin. My heart pounded with unease.

After a while, Xie Lin sat down on the beach, picking up seashells and tossing them into the ocean, each throw going farther than the last.

I sat beside him and gathered a pile of seashells for him.

Xie Lin glanced at me and said, "Why are you staring at me like that? Do you want to play too?"

I shook my head, hesitated for a moment, then carefully asked in a roundabout way, "Wouldn’t your subordinates be worried about you?"

Xie Lin seemed to see right through my thoughts and said, "Are you afraid Su Zezhou is worried?"

I looked up at him and, cautiously, nodded.

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