"The Blood Iris Seed, a national treasure? Sounds interesting. N, go fetch it for me," said the woman who had contracted Ruan Yue. She curved her vibrant lips, gently swirling her wine glass before taking an elegant sip after issuing her command.
"So this is the infamous assassin N, feared in both the underworld and legitimate circles? Not so impressive after all." A row of black gun barrels pointed at Ruan Yue. She knew there was no escape.
"Hand over the national treasure, and I'll leave your corpse intact."
But Ruan Yue was far too proud to die on her knees. She swallowed the so-called treasure, the Blood Iris Seed, then detonated the bomb, reducing herself and her attackers to ashes.
In her final moment, Ruan Yue thought she saw huge blood-red Iris flowers blooming before her eyes. She paid it no mind, assuming it was merely a dying hallucination.
Now, as Ruan Yue gazed at the identical blood-red Iris flowers covering the sky, she finally understood the mystery behind her resurrection.
This was no dream – it was a space created by the Blood Iris Seed!
Ruan Yue quickly composed herself and stepped out of the bamboo house onto a gravel path, her sharp eyes scanning the surroundings. If this national treasure could transfer her soul into this body, perhaps it held other wonders as well.
Ruan Yue walked to the boundary of the space, observing the swirling air currents. She slowly pressed her hand against it. The moment she made contact, she felt an enormous resistance. Even using all her strength, she couldn't push her hand forward a single inch. She tried at different locations, but the result was the same.
Giving up, Ruan Yue turned to search for other clues.
As soon as she rounded the bamboo house, she spotted a small spring bubbling up from the gravel. The spring's eye was gently releasing water, forming a pool about a meter in diameter. The water was clean, crystal clear, and free of impurities. The stones at the bottom were spotless, and the water's surface perfectly reflected the red sky above. It seemed oddly out of place in this strange realm, yet somehow harmonious in a way she couldn't quite explain.
Ruan Yue stared at the small spring for a moment, then circled the bamboo house to confirm this was the only unusual feature in the space before returning to the spring's edge.
"Cough, cough!" A sudden coughing sound startled Ruan Yue. She looked around, but she was alone! Then, remembering yesterday's rooster crow, she realized it was Pei Lin coughing.
The moment this thought occurred to her, Ruan Yue opened her eyes in darkness, back in Pei Lin's room, once again an immobile injured person.
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Ruan Yue turned her head towards the sound. In the faint moonlight filtering through the window, she saw Pei Lin hunched over the table, wrapped in a coat. The grown man had curled up against the night chill.
He's not catching a cold, is he? Ruan Yue wondered.
This Pei Lin was a rare kind soul, spending money and effort on a stranger like her, even giving up the only bed in his home for her. Ruan Yue knew that without him, she might have suffered a much worse fate.
She watched him for a while, noting how he pulled his coat tighter before falling into a quiet sleep, no longer coughing. Only then did she look away.
Wide awake, Ruan Yue lay in the darkness, her thoughts drifting back to the Blood Iris Space. Both times she had entered, it was passively while asleep, and she'd return automatically when disturbed by outside noises. She wondered if she could enter at will.
The moment this question crossed her mind, Ruan Yue found her answer. The darkness before her eyes receded, and she was back on the bamboo bed.
Ruan Yue narrowed her eyes and mentally commanded, "Exit." She found herself lying in Pei Lin's room, darkness enveloping her once more.
"Enter the space." The wooden bed beneath her transformed into bamboo.
After several attempts, Ruan Yue understood – this space appeared or disappeared according to her will.
Back in the space again, Ruan Yue left the bed and approached the small spring behind the bamboo house. Given how extraordinary this space was, surely the spring water was no ordinary liquid.
Ruan Yue crouched by the spring, hesitated for half a minute, then scooped up a handful of water and drank it. The spring water was sweet and slightly cool. As soon as she swallowed, Ruan Yue sensed a change. She felt a deeper connection to the space, as if she could sense it within her very being.
Not only that, but Ruan Yue discovered that the boundary between the space and the outside world had blurred. She could now see through it, observing Pei Lin sleeping at the table. This ability opened up countless possibilities – secret observation, deception, all within her grasp.
However, Ruan Yue quickly lost the capacity to consider these options as her body, especially where her bones had been broken, began to throb with intense pain.
How could this be? Her body in the space was uninjured, so why did it hurt?
Ruan Yue gritted her teeth and left the space. Pei Lin slept nearby as she silently endured the excruciating pain in the darkness.
It seemed all her injuries were reacting. Her cheek began to ache, though bearably so, but where her bones had been broken felt as if someone were sawing through her flesh.
Was it because of the spring water? Ruan Yue speculated.
She remained silent, allowing waves of pain to wash over her body as cold sweat soaked her hair.
After what felt like an eternity, the pain gradually subsided. Ruan Yue had weathered this torture-like ordeal and let out a long breath. She turned to look out the window; the dark sky's waning moon was setting in the west, and a sliver of dawn light appeared on the horizon.
The pain had been worth it – all of Ruan Yue's injuries had healed.
With her limbs still bound in splints and bandages, Ruan Yue used her shoulder to prop herself up against the headboard. She raised her stiff arm and used her teeth to undo the bandage knot, freeing her right hand. She flexed her fingers, feeling no discomfort. Even the whip marks on the back of her hand had vanished without a trace.
It seemed the spring possessed healing properties.
She proceeded to free her left hand, then threw back the covers and bent down to remove the splints from her legs. Feeling completely refreshed, Ruan Yue quietly left the bed she had occupied for two days.
Ruan Yue stood by the table, silently watching Pei Lin. She no longer needed him; with her skills and the space, she was confident she could thrive in this unfamiliar era.
Should she leave? Ruan Yue asked herself.
Time ticked by as Ruan Yue stood motionless, her gaze fixed on Pei Lin, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts.
"Cough, cough, cough!"
The person sleeping on the table started coughing again. His body shook with each cough, causing the coat draped over him as a makeshift blanket to slip onto the floor. Ruan Yue watched for a few seconds, then quietly stepped forward and gently tucked the coat back around him.
Pei Lin's brows furrowed, seemingly unsettled in his sleep. His shoulders unconsciously hunched inward.
Ruan Yue silently let out a sigh. Well, this scholar was neither family nor friend, but he had spent quite a bit of money on her behalf. At the very least, she ought to repay this debt of gratitude.