Jiu Baiyun looked at Yun Yao’s face, which had instantly turned pale from the sharp pain, and her curled-up body.
He sighed, his voice deepening.
“Alright, don’t dwell on it.”
He stepped forward, quickly steadying her trembling shoulders, and with moderate force gently pressed her back against the bed board she was leaning on, making sure she wouldn’t aggravate the wound from the pain.
“What you need most now is to rest well.”
Jiu Baiyun’s tone returned to calm, his gaze sweeping over the bandages at Yun Yao’s waist and abdomen, which might have started seeping blood again from her earlier movement.
“Your injury is not light. Even though that pill is good, you still need to rest quietly to recover your vitality.”
Yun Yao bit her lower lip, cold sweat beading on her forehead.
Her azure-blue eyes were misted with pain, and her gaze at Jiu Baiyun was complicated.
She opened her mouth as if to say something, perhaps an apology, perhaps a question about “Little White Sister,” but Jiu Baiyun didn’t give her that chance.
After confirming that Yun Yao had temporarily stabilized and wouldn’t aggravate the wound from emotional excitement or movement, Jiu Baiyun also breathed a sigh of relief.
Since Yun Yao had clearly stated that her injury was caused by accidentally entering the Forbidden Area, and not from being chased by some mortal enemy, the biggest crisis alarm was essentially lifted.
He really didn’t want to stay any longer in this room filled with awkwardness, old memories, and a delicate atmosphere, and even less did he want to face Yun Yao’s azure eyes or any topic that might involve “Little White Sister.”
Staying any longer would only upset himself or cause Yun Yao to have some kind of episode.
He quickly straightened up, his gaze lingering on Yun Yao’s pale face for a moment to ensure she was fine for the time being, then decisively turned and walked toward the door.
“You focus on recovering.”
His voice carried a hint of deliberate distance, his steps not pausing at all.
“I still have some matters to attend to. I’m leaving now.”
Watching Jiu Baiyun’s retreating figure, Yun Yao leaned against the bed board.
A trace of barely perceptible resentment flickered in her azure-blue eyes.
She looked back at the Jade Token and quietly stroked it, but then seemed to think of something and suddenly lifted her head.
“Wait!”
“Lord Jiu! In the next few days… around here… something might happen!”
Yun Yao’s words made Jiu Baiyun, who had just stepped one foot over the threshold, freeze completely.
As if he thought Yun Yao was about to say something useless again, Jiu Baiyun turned his head helplessly and looked at Yun Yao, waiting for her explanation.
Seeing that Jiu Baiyun had turned back, Yun Yao leaned against the bed board, enduring the dull pain from her wound, and explained with a hint of solemnity in her azure-blue eyes.
“Not long ago, I was passing through the territory of the Great Lan Sect with Xiao Chun… I found their mountain gate tightly shut, the Mountain-Protecting Grand Array fully activated, and… a large number of disciples and elders were hastily assembling, seemingly… moving supplies, looking like they were preparing to evacuate.”
Jiu Baiyun’s brows instantly furrowed, and he pressed on instinctively.
“Evacuate? Why would they evacuate for no reason?”
Not to mention, the Great Lan Sect is the governing sect of this entire large region.
To abandon such a big place and prepare to evacuate… it seems like a big deal…
Yun Yao shook her head slightly, indicating she didn’t know the specifics either.
“The specific reason… I don’t know either. The situation was urgent at the time, and I entered the Forbidden Area to continue investigating…”
Jiu Baiyun frowned and didn’t speak immediately.
He thought of what the Gray Feather Mask Man, who had controlled the Mountain Sparrow earlier, had said…
“Fattened up… time to reap…”
Could it be… this is the reason?
The force behind that Gray Feather Mask Man is about to reap this region?
Jiu Baiyun’s heart sank heavily.
If that’s really the reason, then he really needed to prepare and get out of here…
And he had to immediately take Su Zhiyun and A Ran away from here! The farther the better!
“I understand.”
Jiu Baiyun’s voice was a bit low as he looked at Yun Yao and continued.
“You rest well. I’ll go check the situation outside.”
Truth be told, if even the Great Lan Sect was running away, how could he not run!
Turning around, Jiu Baiyun quickly walked out of the room and gently closed the door behind him.
He didn’t immediately sprint, but walked quickly across the small courtyard.
Only after completely exiting the courtyard gate and confirming no one was watching did he suddenly speed up his pace.
Jiu Baiyun’s goal was clear.
He had to hurry and inform Su Zhiyun and A Ran!
Because he had already deactivated the Fox Demon Transformation, Jiu Baiyun no longer had to hide.
His speed going up the mountain was actually much faster than when he had come down.
Along the way, there were many glances of malice or disdain, but Jiu Baiyun didn’t mind at all.
No matter what they did, they couldn’t just stop him and beat him up, right? If it really came to a fight, Jiu Baiyun wasn’t afraid of them.
Since he had walked it a few times, Jiu Baiyun was fairly familiar with the path.
Following the familiar route, he soon returned to the Ancestral Hall.
After catching his breath for a moment, Jiu Baiyun immediately rushed into the courtyard of the Ancestral Hall.
His gaze swept over: A Ran was inside the Ancestral Hall arranging incense offerings, while Su Zhiyun was sweeping the courtyard.
Without disturbing A Ran, Jiu Baiyun quickly rushed toward Su Zhiyun.
Grabbing Su Zhiyun’s sleeve, Jiu Baiyun pulled her and immediately walked toward the back of the house.
Su Zhiyun had been daydreaming while sweeping, enjoying thoughts of a good life, when suddenly Jiu Baiyun grabbed her sleeve and startled her.
She looked up and saw Jiu Baiyun, then couldn’t help but curse: “Jiu Baiyun, are you crazy!!!”
Obviously Su Zhiyun had no idea what Jiu Baiyun was trying to do with this sudden move.
Jiu Baiyun frowned at Su Zhiyun’s shout, but he didn’t loosen his grip.
Instead, he pulled her more determinedly toward the dense bushes behind the house.
“Shh—don’t yell! It’s important!”
Su Zhiyun was taken aback by his serious expression and deliberately lowered voice. The words she was about to curse with got stuck in her throat.
Though she still looked reluctant and suspicious, seeing Jiu Baiyun’s tense expression, she resisted less and was half-pushed, half-pulled to the side and back of the Ancestral Shrine Hut.
“What the hell are you up to? So mysterious!”
Su Zhiyun rubbed her wrinkled sleeve and asked in a displeased low voice, but she unconsciously lowered her volume; Jiu Baiyun’s attitude made her realize there might really be something.
Jiu Baiyun took a deep breath and quickly began to speak.
“I just came back from the foot of the mountain and got some bad news.”
He paused, as if choosing his words.
“The Great Lan Sect… you know, the sect that governs this area.”
“What about the Great Lan Sect?”
Su Zhiyun asked instinctively, her brows furrowing.
She had no good feelings toward these cultivation sects.
“They… are preparing to evacuate…”
“I figure… something might happen in this area soon…”
Jiu Baiyun immediately voiced his speculation.