Chapter 1183: Flowing with His Blood

"Let me go!" Yan Xuehen tried to pull away, but found their fingers tightly interlocked, making her feel even more ashamed and indignant.

This time, Zu An didn't compromise. He said in a deep voice, "We've reached a critical point in the healing process. Don't let all our efforts go to waste."

Yan Xuehen knew it well. She had felt the toxins in her body gradually dissipating and her internal injuries steadily recovering. If the healing stopped now, the toxins and internal injuries would surge back, leaving her in a far worse state than before, perhaps even killing her.

Yan Xuehen carried the honor and disgrace of her entire sect on her shoulders, so she couldn't afford to be willful.

But the thought of that shameful sensation made her feel a surge of bitterness. "Why didn't you tell me earlier that the healing would have this effect?" she demanded.

Zu An explained, "The situation was so urgent just now that it didn't occur to me. Besides, I wasn't sure if this reaction was a special case or truly a side effect of my healing technique."

"Now you finally understand!" Yan Xuehen said, seething.

Zu An offered an awkward smile. He was perplexed; it was now confirmed that his healing true qi did indeed produce this peculiar side effect. Yet, when he had treated Chu Yan before, this effect was clearly absent. What could be the reason?

Yan Xuehen's lips were bitten so hard they turned pale. "Are you doing this to tease me on purpose?"

Zu An said earnestly, "I swear to heaven, I had no such intention, otherwise..."

Yan Xuehen quickly cut him off. "Enough," she said. "Don't keep swearing oaths to the heavens."

For some reason, she was genuinely afraid a bolt of lightning would strike him down.

"So you believe me now?" Zu An asked, pleased.

"Whether I believe you or not, my life was saved by you, and I won't be ungrateful," Yan Xuehen said. She was, after all, no ordinary person. She took a deep breath, composed herself, and added, "Let's continue."

"Alright, bear with it," Zu An said. He refocused his mind and resumed expelling the poison and healing her.

The familiar, strange sensation came in waves. Yan Xuehen quickly closed her eyes, silently reciting calming incantations from the "Scripture of Grand Purity and Detachment." Usually, these incantations easily allowed her to enter a meditative state, making her impervious to external malevolent influences. But this time, the sensation wasn't external; it originated from within her own body!

She felt herself growing hotter and her body becoming increasingly pliant. She felt an urge to cry out, but with immense willpower, she suppressed it. Her lips were bitten so hard that faint traces of blood appeared.

Zu An's voice reached her. "Don't try to suppress it," he advised. "It's not good for your body. Moreover, with your qi and blood churning like this, my efforts to expel the poison and heal your injuries will be much less effective."

Yan Xuehen glared fiercely at him. How could she possibly cry out? If Yun Jianyue and Yu Yanluo, who were not far away, heard her, she would never be able to hold her head high again. She might as well die.

Zu An seemed to guess her thoughts and quickly said, "You don't need to worry. I'll set up a sound barrier nearby. The sounds from here won't travel outside." Normally, such a setup wouldn't escape the notice of Grandmaster Yun Jianyue, but she was now severely injured and weakened, making it difficult for her to detect his arrangements.

Hearing this, Yan Xuehen's heart stirred. If Yun Jianyue couldn't hear, then... perhaps it wasn't impossible...

But she immediately came to her senses. Even if Yun Jianyue and the others couldn't hear, the man right in front of her certainly could. So her face remained icy, and she continued to grit her teeth and endure.

Zu An gave a wry smile. "You truly don't need to be so reserved," he said. "Right now, I am your healer. In a healer's eyes, there's no distinction between men and women, so there's no need to be concerned about such things."

Yan Xuehen was speechless.

Although she felt there was some truth to his words, she still resolved to endure.

Zu An's voice rang out again. "Actually, it won't make a difference if you hum," he said. "I've already heard it before, so hearing it again is nothing."

"Shut up!" Yan Xuehen glared at him, feeling as though he was deliberately dismantling her mental defenses. Yet, his words, like a devil's whispers, possessed an incredibly strong allure. Her already faltering willpower began to waver.

Just then, countless warm streams of vital energy simultaneously surged within her. Her body was already extremely sensitive; how could she possibly resist? Caught off guard, she finally succumbed to instinct and let out an incredibly sweet, soft moan.

Her once icy countenance now seemed to be bathed in the hues of a sunset. She looked at the man opposite her, both ashamed and infuriated. "You did that on purpose!" she accused.

Yan Xuehen's Rage points +233233233...

Zu An, however, was frank. "The main problem is that your resistance made the healing process too inefficient," he explained. "I had no choice but to guide you through the first step. Don't worry, the sound barrier is firmly in place."

Yan Xuehen hadn't expected him to admit it so readily, leaving her unable to voice her intended retort.

"How can you be so shameless!" Yan Xuehen finally blurted out after a long pause. However, by now, her cool eyes had melted into pools of spring water, and her voice was a trembling, sweet murmur, utterly lacking any sense of deterrence.

Zu An smiled. "Every mistake is mine," he said. "All of this is my doing. Don't feel any psychological burden; just let nature take its course."

Yan Xuehen was momentarily stunned. With him taking all the blame, she actually felt a touch of embarrassment. She wasn't unreasonable; she knew he was trying to save her. Even his seemingly provocative actions earlier were merely to help her relax completely for the healing process. How could she possibly blame him further?

A thousand words churned in her mind, but in the end, they condensed into three simple ones: "Thank you."

Zu An paused, then offered a sunny smile. "Open your mouth," he instructed.

"Huh?" Yan Xuehen questioned, perplexed.

Zu An explained, "The Deathworm's poison is exceptionally peculiar, intertwined with every inch of your body. To completely eradicate it and prevent any future complications, we need an additional remedy."

Yan Xuehen was about to ask what kind of remedy, when he suddenly cut a gash in his arm, and blood immediately gushed from the wound. He then pressed the wound to her lips. "My blood has a purifying effect on toxins," he explained. "Drink more."

He was now immune to all poisons, and his vital essence blood also possessed detoxifying properties.

Yan Xuehen's expression was indeed complex. "You don't have to do this..." she murmured.

Before she could finish, Zu An lifted her chin, a posture that allowed the blood to flow more easily into her mouth. "If you're truly grateful," he said, "then suck it yourself and save me some energy."

Yan Xuehen's heart pounded wildly, wondering how she could ever repay such kindness. However, a pure, fragrant sensation, akin to the very essence of the Dao, melted in her mouth, causing her starry eyes to widen instantly.

Transcendent aptitude!

No wonder he had achieved such a cultivation realm at such a young age; he possessed the legendary transcendent aptitude! As a Grandmaster, she naturally understood what such a physique entailed, and the dangers it presented before one fully matured. Yet, he had unhesitatingly used his blood to save her. With his knowledge, he must have known this would expose him, but he still did it...

And she, meanwhile, had been so preoccupied with the distinction between men and women, truly a case of a small mind misinterpreting a noble heart.

The healing continued. Perhaps because her heart had been opened, Yan Xuehen still tried her best to suppress any sound. But when she could no longer hold back, a soft, melodious hum quietly escaped her throat. At first, she tried to prolong and lower the sounds, but eventually, she no longer had the energy to control them.

Soon, she was drenched in sweat, and waves of sounds, like celestial music, continuously filled the air. Yan Xuehen dared not look at him at all. Towards the end, she simply abandoned all self-restraint.

She didn't know how much time had passed. Her body completely softened, melting into his embrace like a puddle of mud. A clear tear involuntarily escaped the corner of her eye. Since becoming a Grandmaster many years ago, she had never cried, no matter how dire the circumstances, but at this moment, she simply couldn't help herself. She didn't know why she was crying, but the tears simply wouldn't stop.

At this moment, Zu An's voice broke the silence. "The poison in your body has been almost completely expelled," he said. "Your damaged meridians and internal organs have also been repaired. From now on, you should be able to circulate your cultivation to heal yourself. After a period of rest, you will fully recover."

Yan Xuehen instinctively looked inward and found that the previous sensation of near-death had vanished, replaced by vibrant vitality. Her internal vital energy had resumed its circulation. Although she was still very weak, she knew she would gradually recover with time. "Thank you," she whispered.

As she spoke, she noticed his eyes were clear and devoid of any lewdness. Yan Xuehen knew he was deliberately trying to spare her further embarrassment. Moments before, when her body went limp in his embrace, she had naturally been aware of his physical reactions. Yet, despite all that, he was still striving to maintain that clear-eyed gaze. It must have taken immense effort. Nevertheless, his consideration touched her deeply, and in unspoken understanding, she didn't expose his effort.

At this moment, Zu An noticed the tear stains on her cheeks. His compassionate nature instinctively prompted him to reach out and gently wipe them away. But he immediately thought, *Oh no*, this woman might turn on him. The gesture was, after all, too intimate.

Yet, Yan Xuehen merely stared at him blankly, and for the first time, she didn't scold him. Instead, an indescribable hint of bashfulness appeared on her face.