Wen Ran glanced at his clothes, which had lost their original color, and said in a tone of disbelief, "You're not that clean either!"
Shen Wu shook his head, "I just don't want to jump."
The collapsing stones on the side were even more intense, reminding everyone present of how dangerous this place was.
Wen Ran was losing her mind, "Then what do you propose we do?"
He didn't seem to care about cleanliness when fighting the Demon Beast, yet in a life-or-death situation, he suddenly became particular. What is wrong with this guy?
Shen Wu genuinely thought for a moment, "I'll take you flying out."
Wen Ran laughed angrily, "Senior brother, look up! Above us is a stone layer of unknown thickness..."
A rumbling sounded, and Wen Ran pointed to a chunk of stone wall that had collapsed after being swept over by a strong and domineering Sword Qi, revealing an exit. Outside, dim light poured in, indistinguishable between day and night.
Lowering the hand holding the sword, Shen Wu flashed a bright smile at Wen Ran, "See, we can fly out now."
Shen Wu had been forgotten as a man who, when faced with no options, creatively carves his own path.
Wen Ran awkwardly retracted the hand pointing upwards, and then as large stones fell, she exclaimed, "Do you think this place isn't collapsing fast enough? Seeking Flaws and my Luoxia are broken—how do we fly out?"
"I can use Iron Pillar."
Iron Pillar?
Wen Ran's gaze landed on the black blade, silent, clearly noting how this plain horizontal sword was named Iron Pillar—a name rather unique compared to the elegant names Immortal Cultivators often choose for their weapons.
Shen Wu released his grip on the sword hilt, and the sword named Iron Pillar hovered in mid-air. He smiled slightly, "Don't worry, my Sword Control Skill is quite proficient."
Judging by the deadly force he displayed when holding the sword to defeat the Snake Demon, it was clear how familiar he was with it.
Wen Ran looked at him skeptically.
Shen Wu directly grabbed her collar and brought her to stand on the sword's blade, which was exceptionally steady without the slightest wobble, allowing Wen Ran to secretly breathe a sigh of relief.
"Ranran, hold steady."
Just as he finished speaking, like flooring the gas pedal while driving, the black sword shot up instantly.
Standing behind, Wen Ran instinctively grabbed the hem of Shen Wu's clothes. Truth be told, she wasn't completely reassured by him yet; considering his history of unpredictability, she feared he might suddenly act erratically.
But in just a moment, they had flown out of the hole, completely leaving the collapsing cavern.
The wind howled past, cold, from above they could see a patch in the Forbidden Land's dense forest wiped clean—courtesy of Shen Wu. Perhaps it might someday serve as a landmark here.
Sensing her tension, Shen Wu decided to bolster Wen Ran's confidence in him, speaking amicably, "Since learning Flying with a magic tool, I've never failed. Rest assured, I'll safely get you out."
Seeing his words weren't deceptive, Wen Ran slowly released her grip on his hem.
In the silence of the Forbidden Land, the distant sound of people calling out suddenly came.
"Senior Brother!"
"Wen Junior Sister!"
Also, Old Wen's booming voice, "Ranran! Where are you?"
...
The birds in the forest were startled into a frenzy.
Wen Ran was nearly in tears of joy, "They're looking for us!"
Shen Wu inexplicably replied softly, "Ranran, watch out."
"Huh?" With a sense of inquiry, Wen Ran felt the blade beneath her feet sway, leading to a bad feeling, "What about the claim of never failing at Flying with a magic tool since you learned it?"
Shen Wu turned back with a smile, "In front of girls, men often can't help but brag, Ranran, it's human nature."
Human nature my foot!
Wen Ran suddenly felt a sense of falling, unexpected, Shen Wu also fell along, wind howling past her ears. As she plummeted, Wen Ran angrily shouted, "Shen Wu!"
He chuckled, seeming to be in a good mood.
Just before hitting the ground, he reached out and pulled her into his embrace. Wen Ran caught the scent from him, overwhelmingly mixed with blood. He shifted his position, becoming the one underneath.
In Wen Ran's incredulous gaze, she heard the sound of him landing with a thud; Shen Wu landed on his back, instantly coughing up fresh blood. While Wen Ran felt a jolt, with someone cushioning her fall, she didn't feel any pain.
"Senior Brother!"
"Wen Junior Sister!"
"Ranran!"
Their exclamations echoed.
Wen Ran was helped up from the ground in a daze.
"Ranran, are you okay?" The worried voice of her father, Wen Xun, who had helped her up.
Wen Ran's complexion was poor, but at least she wasn't bleeding.
The disciples were already scrambling to assist Shen Wu, asking nervously, "Senior Brother, are you okay?"
"Cough, cough..." Shen Wu coughed a few times, blood stains increasing at his mouth. Seeing his blood-stained white robes, no one dared touch him, fearing his wounds were so severe that he was on the brink of death.
Wen Xun noticed Shen Wu's miserable state too; after all, he's the eldest disciple he raised, and he certainly has feelings for him. He quickly took out a medicine bottle from his embrace and handed it to Yan Qing, "This is a Blood Replenishing Pill, quickly give it to your Senior Brother!"
Yan Qing didn't dare delay, hurriedly pouring out a pill for Shen Wu to take.
Their eyes were a bit red, having witnessed Shen Wu protectively shield Wen Ran with his body during their fall. Wen Xun's old face felt a pang of guilt.
That Blood Replenishing Pill was evidently of high quality, a precious item!
Wen Ran reached out her trembling hand to Old Wen, having coughed up blood several times herself, she too needed replenishment. Unexpectedly, Old Wen grasped her hand excitedly, "Ranran, your Senior Brother cares deeply for you; you must not let him down in the future!"
Such a good son-in-law—if he were to be taken by another family's daughter, then he'd certainly suffer a huge loss!
Wen Ran suddenly understood that Shen Wu had done this deliberately, yet she couldn't explain it away. After all, everyone had seen Shen Wu protect her with his own body.
She glared angrily at Shen Wu.
Wen Xun frowned, "Ranran!"
Over there, Shen Wu's calm face showed a hint of guilt; he lightly pursed his lips and said softly, "Master, Ranran entered the Forbidden Land searching for me; this incident is my fault. If Ranran blames me, it is well-deserved."
A truly blooming white lotus of a person.