Hearing that Rainbow was there, Liu Bugun deflected the incoming attacks, killed the demon harassing Chi Feng with a single stroke, and rushed to the shrine. He lifted the unconscious Xu Cai Tong, her eyes closed, her face as pale as death. His heart ached, tears welled up, and he held her close. Chi Lu handed him a divine herb, saying, “General, this is Yao Chi, bestowed by the Jade Emperor. There is only one. Take it back, gather three ladles of water from the heavenly well, three of your divine hairs, and three lingzhi mushrooms. Boil them for three hours, and there might still be hope for Fairy Zi Yue.” Liu Bugun took the Yao Chi grass, thanked the mountain gods, and flew out of the mountain with Cai Tong in his arms. Reaching the foot of the mountain, he mounted the horse and headed towards the inn in town. Liu Bugun returned to the inn and instructed the waiter to fetch some “water without roots.” The waiter, who had been fast asleep in his quilt, was suddenly awakened by Liu’s knocking. Now he had to go out to fetch this “water without roots,” which was quite annoying. Yawning repeatedly, the waiter showed his displeasure. Liu Bugun then produced a large ingot of silver; seeing that it was worth at least ten taels, all traces of sleepiness vanished from the waiter. “Where does the guest want to find this water without roots?” The waiter asked. As Liu Bugun pondered, there was suddenly a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder, followed by a heavy downpour. “That’s the water without roots,” Liu Bugun said, ordering the waiter to quickly fetch a bucket to collect the rain. After half an hour, the waiter measured the collected water with a ladle, which amounted to exactly three ladles. Liu Bugun pulled out three hairs from his head and borrowed three lingzhi mushrooms from the innkeeper. He instructed the waiter to bring the stove into their room so he could personally brew the divine medicine. Seeing Liu Bugun carrying back Xu Caitong, whose face was ashen, the innkeeper, understanding the urgency of saving a life, had the waiter bring in a small stove, trying to meet Liu Bugun’s needs as much as possible. “The fire is ready, sir,” the waiter said. “Thank you, you may leave now,” Liu Bugun replied. “Thank you, sir, I’ll take my leave,” the waiter said happily, quickly disappearing.
The inn was now quiet, with about an hour until dawn. Liu Bugun sat by the stove, the fire casting a red glow on his face, his thick brows furrowed, sweat pouring down his face from the heat. He glanced at Caitong lying on the bed, added more wood to the fire, making it blaze even hotter. Liu Bugun approached the bed, looking at Xu Caitong, whose face was ashen, his heart twisting in pain. He gently embraced her, kissing her softly. He blamed himself, thinking if only he had allowed her to bleed a little, perhaps those demons would no longer pursue her. Three hours later, Liu Bugun, holding the bowl of miraculous medicine, helped Caitong sit up and fed her the medicine bit by bit. Xu Caitong’s eyes were tightly shut, her teeth clenched, and the medicine Liu Bugun fed her flowed out from the corners of her mouth. In his anxiety, Liu Bugun took the medicine into his own mouth and fed it to her mouth-to-mouth, using his tongue to pry open her teeth, successfully administering the medicine. As he patiently fed her, Xu Caitong’s complexion gradually improved. About an hour later, she slowly opened her eyes. “You’re awake, you’re awake,” Liu Bugun exclaimed, embracing her tightly, fearing to lose her again. “What happened to me?” Xu Caitong asked weakly, seeing Liu Bugun’s haggard and anxious face. “I thought I would never see you again. It’s all my fault. I won’t let you suffer anymore.” “I remember now, we were on the mountain, and then I was dragged away by vines…” Xu Caitong trailed off, having fainted after being ensnared by the vines. “I won’t let you leave me again,” Liu Bugun said, his face close to hers, gently rubbing. “Yuanming Mountain…” Xu Caitong wanted to know if they had found it. “We found it. The god of Wufeng Mountain has informed me. We’ll head there once you’re feeling better,” Liu Bugun said, tucking her in. “Will it delay us?” Xu Caitong asked softly. “No, now you must rest and recover. Don’t think about anything else, okay?” Liu Bugun kissed her gently; Caitong was still very weak. Liu Bugun took meticulous care of her, ensuring she had everything she needed until she recovered, and then they left the inn.
Wufeng Mountain had informed him that Yuanming Mountain was over a hundred miles to the north, beyond the Wusu River, and another hundred miles from there to reach Yuanming Mountain. Liu Bugun and Xu Caitong set out towards Yuanming Mountain, unaware of what fate awaited them. Their mission was to stop Fu Xiu from destroying the world, even at the cost of their lives, which they were prepared to pay. Just as their black horse carried them five miles from the dilapidated town, there was a sudden mountain collapse and earth split, with thunderous noises shaking the ground. Liu Bugun quickly turned the horse around and rode up a nearby hill. Dust filled the air, engulfing Wuli Slope town in a cloud of dust, and Wuli Slope town sank into an abyss. Xu Caitong looked up at Liu Bugun, who gazed into the distance where the towering Wufeng Mountain had now collapsed. Liu Bugun’s eyes were filled with fiery hatred: “Fu Xiu, I swear I will make you pay in blood.” Turning the horse, he whipped it, and the black horse galloped away from Wuli Slope.
