Chapter Ninety-Eight: The Order to Leave

The Black Bear King possessed overwhelming power; even the great magnates of Black Bear City all held him in awe. Yet now even he had no confidence. Who, then, could save Qin Feiyang?

At first, if Qin Feiyang died, Ling Yunfei should have been glad. After all, that would free him from his bonds and restore his liberty.

But at this moment, his heart was filled with grief.

The Black Bear King glanced at him and said, “Having no confidence does not mean there is no hope. Stop losing heart and do as I say.”

Upon hearing this, Ling Yunfei was instantly energized. He looked up at the bear king with renewed expectation.

The Black Bear King said, “Cut his wrists and ankles. Drain the blood.”

“What?”

Ling Yunfei was shocked.

Qin Feiyang was already extremely weak. If he bled him further, would he not die on the spot?

The Black Bear King said solemnly, “There is no other choice. His blood is full of poison. To save him, we can only drain the blood from his body until it is nearly dry.”

“Drain it dry?”

Ling Yunfei glared in alarm.

“What are you hesitating for? Hurry up!”

The Black Bear King roared, clearly losing patience.

Ling Yunfei shuddered and hurriedly took out a dagger, crouching beside Qin Feiyang.

Then, as if remembering something, he turned back to the Black Bear King and said, “Senior Bear King, the Wolf King is still outside. I do not know how things stand now. Could you help it?”

The Black Bear King nodded and gave a low growl to the bear cub.

At once, the cub dashed out of the cave, vanishing into the torrential rain.

“Phew.”

Ling Yunfei drew a deep breath, then looked back at Qin Feiyang and murmured, “Please, you must survive.”

After that, he held the dagger and drew a bloodletting cut across each of Qin Feiyang’s wrists and ankles.

Black blood surged out at once, carrying a nauseating stench.

“That blood is now no different from poison. Do not touch it,” the Black Bear King warned before turning and walking deeper into the cave.

Inside, there was unexpectedly a hidden door.

With a rumble, the door was pushed open, and blinding golden light spilled forth.

It was actually a vast heap of gold coins.

Piled in the hidden chamber like a small mountain, they made Ling Yunfei swallow hard when he glanced over.

Just how much wealth had the Black Bear King amassed over the years?

This was a true magnate, fat with riches.

Soon after, the Black Bear King emerged from the hidden chamber, shut the secret door, and came to Ling Yunfei’s side. He tossed him a palm-sized iron box.

“Inside are three Blood-Rebirth Pills. When the blood in his body has been drained nearly enough, give him one.”

“That is all I can do. Whether he survives depends on his will.”

Ling Yunfei bowed deeply in thanks.

At that moment, the bear cub came back carrying the Wolf King and entered the cave.

“How is it?” Ling Yunfei hurried forward, his face full of concern.

The bear cub growled twice and set the Wolf King down on the ground.

The Black Bear King explained, “That little wolf is only exhausted and unconscious. Let it rest for a while and it will be fine.”

Ling Yunfei let out a sigh of relief.

But then his expression turned strange.

That little wolf?

From the Black Bear King’s tone, it almost sounded as though he disliked the Wolf King.

He did not dwell on it. Instead, he sat beside Qin Feiyang and watched him closely.

After several dozen breaths, Qin Feiyang’s heartbeat and breathing had grown faint to the extreme.

He was hanging by a thread.

Seeing this, Ling Yunfei quickly fed him the first Blood-Rebirth Pill.

The pill had the effect of restoring blood, and its medicinal power was excellent.

As fresh blood began to form, Qin Feiyang’s condition finally improved.

The blood flowing from the wounds also gradually changed in color, from black to dark red, then from dark red to a lighter shade of red.

By the time the effects of the second Blood-Rebirth Pill had worn off, the blood flowing out was already not far from that of a healthy person.

Even so, traces of poison still remained mixed within it.

This was because Qin Feiyang had initially reached the point where the poison had already attacked his heart.

The toxins had long since merged into his organs and viscera. It was impossible to expel them all at once.

“His condition has stabilized.”

“He is out of danger for the moment.”

“Now feed him the third Blood-Rebirth Pill.”

“In a little while, give him one Healing Pill and one Detoxifying Pill.”

“The Detoxifying Pill should be able to dissolve all the remaining poison in his body.”

The Black Bear King smiled.

Ling Yunfei nodded and did as instructed one by one.

Unnoticed, the horizon began to pale, and all things stirred to life.

But the rain had not ceased, nor had the wind died down. The sky and earth remained oppressively dim.

“After sleeping for a while, I feel wonderfully refreshed.”

The Wolf King finally woke up. After asking Ling Yunfei about Qin Feiyang’s condition, it walked alone to the cave mouth and stared at the gloomy sky, a terrifying ferocity flashing in its pupils.

“Thank heavens, the little Qin brat has finally kept his life.”

“But those who harmed him, Wolf Brother will not let a single one go!”

It muttered to itself.

Then, as if recalling something, it turned slyly toward the depths of the cave.

The place it looked at was the hidden door.

The Black Bear King seemed to have been watching it all along. His bear eyes widened as he barked, “You little wolf, you had better put away whatever ideas are in your head right now, or do not blame me for turning hostile!”

“What ideas?”

“I do not know what you are talking about.”

The Wolf King looked away somewhat guiltily, though its eyes kept spinning rapidly. Anyone could see it was up to no good.

“No. I need to make it leave at once, or it will surely start scheming again.”

The Black Bear King muttered inwardly.

Just then, a cough sounded.

Then came a weak voice, halting and faint, drifting through the cave.

“I need water...”

“Qin Feiyang!”

Ling Yunfei reacted first. He quickly crouched beside Qin Feiyang and, seeing him try to rise, hurriedly said, “No, no, no. You are still very weak. Do not move.”

The Wolf King immediately rushed over as well, crying excitedly, “Little Qin brat, you are finally awake. At last, Wolf Brother does not have to help collect your corpse...”

Ling Yunfei snapped, “Shut up! Can you speak properly? If you cannot, then keep your mouth closed.”

The Black Bear King and the bear cub also looked at it with disdain.

The Wolf King felt somewhat embarrassed and could only laugh awkwardly.

Qin Feiyang gave the Wolf King a powerless glance and said, “I am very thirsty. Find me some water...”

“Lie still. I will go find some right away.”

Ling Yunfei nodded, then stood and looked toward the Black Bear King.

“Senior, is there well water here?”

“Well water?”

The Black Bear King looked at Ling Yunfei oddly.

Was this boy’s head all right?

Out in the wilderness, where would there be any well water?

He said indifferently, “There is no well water. There is rainwater, though. Figure it out yourself.”

“Rainwater?”

Ling Yunfei frowned, grabbed the iron box that held the Blood-Rebirth Pills, and ran out of the cave. He went to a small tree and collected rainwater from its leaves.

Soon, the iron box was more than half full.

He hurried back into the cave, returned to Qin Feiyang’s side, helped him up with one hand, and held the iron box with the other, bringing it to Qin Feiyang’s lips as he smiled. “Drink slowly.”

“Thank you.”

Qin Feiyang thanked him and began gulping it down.

Ling Yunfei said, “If not for you, I would have died long ago in that nest of poison insects. So I should be the one thanking you.”

Qin Feiyang smiled faintly, pushed the iron box away, and glanced around the cave. His eyes finally settled on the Black Bear King as he said with a smile, “Senior, it seems this junior owes you another favor.”

The Black Bear King said, “You saved my child. Consider this repayment of the favor I owe you.”

Qin Feiyang said nothing more and carefully sensed the condition of his body.

Aside from weakness all over, there was not much else amiss.

“Since you have awakened, you should leave.”

The Black Bear King suddenly issued an order to depart.

“Leave?”

The Wolf King froze, then snapped in anger, “Did you not see that the little Qin brat does not even have the strength to stand? And it is pouring outside, with danger lurking everywhere in the forest. If you make us leave now, are you not plainly sending us to our deaths?”

Ling Yunfei also rose and clasped his hands. “Senior Bear King, to be honest, the reason we risked our lives to come here this time was to seek your help.”

“What help?”

The Black Bear King asked.

“We have been blockaded by the two great families and the City Lord’s Manor...”

Ling Yunfei briefly explained the entire situation in clear, straightforward terms.

After hearing it, the Black Bear King pondered for a moment and shook his head. “I cannot help you with this.”

“Why not?”

Ling Yunfei asked anxiously.

The Black Bear King said, “Do you know why I and the people of Black Bear City have been able to coexist in peace all this time?”

Ling Yunfei shook his head.

“Because I never meddle in the affairs of you humans.”

“Although my strength surpasses that of the people of Black Bear City, that is only within Black Bear City.”

“In other places, such as Swallow City and Star Moon City, there are countless humans stronger than I am.”

“To put it plainly, I simply do not want to invite disaster upon myself. Do you understand?”

The Black Bear King said.

Ling Yunfei said unwillingly, “What about the beast tide last time...”

Before he could finish, the Black Bear King said, “The beast tide happened because they hurt my child. If not for that, I would never have done such a thing.”

Ling Yunfei’s brows furrowed tightly, his expression rather ugly.

After a narrow escape from death, they had finally found the Black Bear King, only to learn that he refused to lend a hand.

What were they to do now?

Qin Feiyang smiled faintly and said, “Since that is the case, then let us go.”

“But if we go back now, it will be useless!”

Ling Yunfei said hurriedly.

“The Bear King’s concerns are not wrong. We cannot be so selfish.”

Qin Feiyang smiled, then looked up at the Black Bear King. His face was full of apology as he said, “Senior, I am sorry. I did not think things through and caused you trouble.”

This, instead, surprised the Black Bear King a little.

He had originally thought Qin Feiyang would cling and plead endlessly, never expecting him to be so sensible.

Qin Feiyang turned to Ling Yunfei and said with a smile, “Help me up.”

“Sigh.”

Ling Yunfei let out a deep sigh, reached out to grasp Qin Feiyang’s arm, and slowly helped him to his feet.

Qin Feiyang then looked at the Wolf King and smiled. “White-Eyed Wolf, I will have to trouble you again to carry me back.”

“What can I do? Since Wolf Brother has ended up with a burden like you, come on then.”

The Wolf King walked helplessly to Qin Feiyang’s front.

But at that moment, the Black Bear King’s eyes flashed and he suddenly said, “Wait.”

“We do not need you to escort us. We can leave on our own.”

The Wolf King was very displeased now.

It knew the Black Bear King’s sudden order to leave was really directed at it.

The Black Bear King sighed. “Then I will see you off for a stretch. However, I will not go near Black Bear City. Whether you can enter the city or not will depend on your own fate. But you must tell no one about this, and absolutely do not let anyone know that you have had any dealings with me.”

“Thank you, Senior Bear King!”

“We will certainly keep our mouths shut!”

Qin Feiyang and Ling Yunfei were overjoyed and hurriedly bowed in thanks.