One person: Starting with the Snow Drinking Blade

When Nie Lingfeng woke up, his consciousness seemed to slowly rise from the deep sea.

The first thing to return was my hearing—the faint sound of traffic in the distance, the muffled sound of a television in the next room, and... steady, soft breathing, all very close by.

Then came the sense of touch. Beneath her was the rough texture of the sheets, the weight of the blanket pressed against her chest, and the air was filled with a mixture of disinfectant and musty smells, as well as a very faint, unique scent with a bitter, herbal aroma—that was Chen Duo's scent.

He struggled to open his eyes.

My vision was initially blurry, as if veiled by a layer of mist. A thin crack ran across the ceiling, winding from the corner to the center, its edges tinged with yellow, as if it had been soaked in water. Sunlight streamed in through the gaps in the curtains, drawing a bright beam of light in the air, within which countless dust particles danced and swirled, like a silent twilight.

Nie Lingfeng blinked, his vision gradually clearing.

He tried to turn his head, but his neck was stiff as if it had rusted. With each breath, a needle-like pain shot through his chest—the protest of his depleted internal energy. His dantian was empty, like an ancient well that had dried up for a hundred years, without even a ripple. His limbs felt heavy, as if they didn't belong to him; even the slightest movement of a finger brought a wave of weakness and soreness that seemed to spread from the depths of his bones.

How much time has passed?

Memories, like torn pieces of paper, are drifting back into my mind. Chen Duo's Gu poison flared up, Wang Bing led a sneak attack, and after three days and three nights of desperate treatment, she finally collapsed from exhaustion...

"Chen Duo..." he managed to utter, only to find his throat dry as if sandpaper were rubbing against it, his voice so hoarse it was almost inaudible.

The breathing by the bedside stopped.

Then, a face appeared in his field of vision.

It's Chen Duo.

She had fallen asleep on the edge of the bed, but was startled awake and looked up at him. Her hair was a little messy, a few strands clinging to her pale cheeks, and there were faint dark circles under her eyes—the marks of prolonged sleep deprivation. But her eyes were bright; her emerald green pupils, like two clear pools of water in the dim light, were staring at him intently, filled with surprise, worry, and a hint of…relief.

"You're awake!" Her voice was slightly hoarse from just waking up, but it quickly became clear. "How are you? Are you feeling unwell? Do you want some water? Are you hungry? I'm going to..."

"Stop, stop, stop." Nie Lingfeng interrupted her barrage of questions, trying to force a smile, but found it difficult even to control his facial muscles. In the end, he could only manage a somewhat distorted expression. "I'm fine, just... a little weak. How are you? Is the Gu poison... under control?"

He tried to raise his hand, but his arm fell limply halfway up. Chen Duo immediately reached out and caught it, the movement as natural as if she had done it a thousand times. Her hand was cold, but her palm was dry and steady, firmly supporting his wrist.

"Most of the Gu poison... you forced it out," Chen Duo said softly, her emerald eyes lowered as she looked at their clasped hands. "Only a little bit remains in the heart area, very stubborn, but very still. As long as I don't get agitated and don't use Gu, it won't move."

Her voice was calm, but Nie Lingfeng could hear a subtle tremor in it. It wasn't fear, but a complex, indescribable emotion—the relief of surviving a disaster, the bewilderment at her own situation, and... a certain dependence on him, her savior?

Nie Lingfeng breathed a sigh of relief; the tension that had been building up finally eased. His strength seemed to vanish instantly; he sank into the mattress, even breathing became difficult.

"That's good." He closed his eyes, his voice as soft as a sigh. "As for your heart... take it slow, no rush. At least now, you don't have to worry about it exploding at any moment."

Chen Duo nodded without speaking, but held his hand tightly. After a few seconds, Nie Lingfeng felt a faint but clear flow of energy coming from her palm and slowly flowing into his body along his wrist.

That's internal energy.

It was weak and clumsy, like a child who had just learned to walk, taking unsteady steps, but each step was taken with great care. Moreover, the nature of this internal energy was very special—unlike Nie Lingfeng's Xuanwu True Scripture, which was upright and peaceful, or like the Wind God Leg, which was swift and fierce, but rather a kind of soft, cold, and naturally purifying energy, like the spring water flowing in the mountains, clear to the bottom, yet unfathomable.

"You..." Nie Lingfeng opened his eyes, looking at her in surprise, "You've started to develop internal energy?"

Chen Duo nodded, her expression somewhat uncertain: "I don't know... whether it counts or not. It's just following the method you taught me before, breathing, feeling the flow of 'Qi' in my body, and then trying to guide it. It was difficult at first, the Gu poison would interfere, but later... it seems like I can gradually control it."

She paused, then added, "Moreover, the 'Qi' I've cultivated seems to soothe those poisonous insects. They've become much calmer."

Nie Lingfeng carefully sensed the internal energy flowing into his body. Indeed, this internal energy had a natural restraining effect on Gu poison. Although it was still very weak now, given time, if Chen Duo could fully master this power, she might really be able to completely control the Gu poison in her body, or even... turn the Gu poison into her own.

"That's a good thing," he said sincerely, a genuine smile finally appearing on his lips. "Keep practicing, but don't rush, take it slow. Haste makes waste."

Chen Duo nodded, then lowered her head, silently channeling her inner energy. Her movements were very focused; her eyelashes cast small shadows on her cheeks, and her lips were slightly pursed, as if she were doing something very important.

Nie Lingfeng closed his eyes again, feeling the faint warm current coursing through his body. It flowed through his parched meridians like spring rain nourishing cracked earth; it flowed through his painful acupoints like a gentle breeze soothing the sting of wounds; finally, it flowed into his empty dantian. Although it was only a drop in the ocean, it at least brought some life to that lifeless place.

He was exhausted and weak; every part of his body screamed with fatigue. But deep down, he felt a sense of peace he had never known before.

At least, the person was saved.

At least, this girl can live like a normal person now.

At least... he did not betray Liao Zhong's trust, nor did he betray Chen Duo's confidence.

The light from outside the window moved slowly, from the foot of the bed to the headboard, and then from the headboard to the wall. The room was quiet, with only the steady breathing of the two people and the occasional distant and indistinct noise of the city coming from outside the window.

---

Another day has passed.

Nie Lingfeng had barely recovered 30% of his internal energy. Although he was far from being at his peak, he could at least walk normally and speak without so much difficulty. Chen Duo's internal energy also gradually stabilized. Although it was still weak, she could now freely circulate it through a small cycle within her body. Moreover, she discovered that as long as she continued to circulate her internal energy, the stubborn Gu poison in her heart would become calmer, as if it had been soothed by some kind of force.

That afternoon, the sun shone brightly. Nie Lingfeng sat cross-legged on the bed, meditating, while Chen Duo sat on a chair by the window, holding a Doraemon comic book, slowly turning the pages one by one. She could understand most of the text now, although Nie Lingfeng still needed to explain some of the humor in the dialogue, but at least she could keep up with the story.

"Doraemon's dimensional pocket..." she suddenly whispered, "If only such a thing existed."

Nie Lingfeng opened his eyes: "Why?"

"In that case," Chen Duo looked up at the window, "we can go wherever we want. We can become whatever we want. We don't have to be afraid of being chased, we don't have to be afraid of the poison taking effect... How wonderful."

Her voice was calm, but Nie Lingfeng could hear the longing hidden within it—a longing for freedom, for security, and for a "normal" life.

"It will happen," he said with certainty. "Once we deal with the Wang family and once your poison is completely under control, we can go wherever we want. We can see the sea, the snow-capped mountains, the desert, and everything you've never seen before."

Chen Duo turned to look at him, her emerald eyes sparkling: "Really?"

"Really," Nie Lingfeng nodded. "I promise."

Just then, the cell phone on the bedside table rang.

It wasn't a text message, it was a phone call. The screen lit up, displaying the caller ID—Xu Si.

Nie Lingfeng picked up his phone and glanced at Chen Duo. Chen Duo immediately understood, closed her comic book, stood up, and silently pointed to the door, indicating that she could go outside to wait.

Nie Lingfeng shook his head, indicating that she should just sit down. Then, he pressed the answer button.

Fourth Brother.

"Xiao Feng," Xu Si's voice came through the receiver, sounding somewhat tired but still energetic, "How's the recovery going?"

"He won't die," Nie Lingfeng said casually, but his eyes were serious. "Fourth Brother, is there any news?"

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone, then Xu Si lowered his voice: "Yes. Chairman Zhao wants to see you. He'll send a car to pick you up at 3 PM this afternoon. I'll text you the address; just be there on time."

"Chairman Zhao?" Nie Lingfeng raised an eyebrow. "The current person in charge of the company?"

"Yes." Xu Si paused, his voice lower, almost a whisper, "Xiao Feng, Chairman Zhao is... a very complex person. He's the powerful figure in the company, ruthless and decisive, but also the most pragmatic and profit-driven. When talking to him, don't beat around the bush, don't mince words, just discuss the terms directly. He'll tell you what he can give you. What he can't give you, no matter how much you beg, it's useless. And..."

He hesitated for a moment: "Don't believe any of his promises unless they are written down in black and white and stamped with the company seal."

Nie Lingfeng sensed the warning in Xu Si's words. This usually fearless North China regional manager, when mentioning Chairman Zhao, actually carried a hint of... apprehension?

"Understood." Nie Lingfeng nodded. "Thank you, Fourth Brother."

"Also," Xu Si said, "don't bring Chen Duo. The fewer people who know about this meeting, the better. Chairman Zhao doesn't like unnecessary complications."

"it is good."

After hanging up the phone, Nie Lingfeng looked at Chen Duo. Chen Duo had already put down her comic book and was quietly looking at him, a hint of inquiry in her emerald eyes.

"I'm going out for a bit," Nie Lingfeng said, throwing back the covers and getting out of bed. His legs were still a little weak, but he stood up steadily. "Wait for me here, lock the door, and don't open it for anyone. I'll be right back."

Chen Duo stood up, walked to him, and looked up at him. She was only up to his shoulder, so she had to tilt her head back to look him in the eye.

"Is it dangerous?" she asked, her voice soft but each word clearly enunciated.

Nie Lingfeng smiled and reached out to ruffle her hair—a gesture he had come to do quite naturally.

"It's not dangerous," he said. "It's just a business deal. Once it's done, no one can hunt us down anymore. We can walk the streets openly, go wherever we want, just like normal people."

Chen Duo's eyes lit up for a moment, but quickly dimmed again. She lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes: "But... I killed Wang Bing. The company won't..."

"Wang Bing brought this upon himself," Nie Lingfeng interrupted her, his voice cold. "He led a group to ambush us, trying to capture you to refine your poison. He deserved to die. The company is aware of this. They won't fight us to the death for a dead playboy."

He paused, his tone softening, "So, don't worry. Everything will be alright when I get back."

Chen Duo looked up at him for a long time. Then she nodded and whispered, "Come back soon."

"Um."

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