Chapter 1171: You or Me?

"Wait," Yun Jianyue said, a sudden doubt in her voice. "Did we forget something?"

Yan Xuehen was startled. "Did we?"

The moment the words left her lips, both women's faces changed simultaneously. "Yu Yanluo!"

Their focus had been entirely on Zu An, and with Yu Yanluo some distance away behind them, neither woman had thought of her until now.

Yet, Yu Yanluo had also risked everything to save them just moments ago!

Feeling apologetic, they hurried towards Yu Yanluo.

Although Yun Jianyue was severely wounded, she was still a Grandmaster. She had also just taken a spiritual pill from her sect, allowing her to gather a little strength.

She put Zu An's arm over her shoulder and began walking towards Yu Yanluo. After a moment, she turned back and glared at Yun Jianyue. "What are you doing? You're empty-handed and walking slower than me!"

In truth, she desperately wanted Yun Jianyue to help carry Zu An, as she was very weak herself and supporting him was quite strenuous.

But how could her proud nature allow her to stoop to asking for help?

She had expected Yun Jianyue to offer assistance first, allowing her to politely refuse a few times before reluctantly accepting.

However, this woman seemed completely oblivious and hadn't offered to help even after all this time.

Seeing her walking so slowly while unburdened, Yan Xuehen felt a surge of frustration.

"Mind your own business. Just walk," Yan Xuehen retorted with a frosty expression.

"You're impossible!" Yun Jianyue was also annoyed. This 'ice woman' picked the strangest times to bicker. What kind of situation was this?

She didn't bother responding further and continued to support Zu An as they moved towards Yu Yanluo.

Trailing behind, Yan Xuehen finally extended her hand. It was covered in fresh blood, but the blood had a dark, almost black hue.

In the center of her palm lay a tooth-shaped dagger – the dark light that had shot out of the Death Worm's mouth when she saved Zu An earlier.

She hadn't been able to dodge it then and had to take the full impact with her body.

She should have known. The Death Worm was entirely venomous, so how could its teeth be otherwise?

However, she didn't reveal her injury. She quickly circulated her internal energy to seal the acupuncture points on her back, preventing the poison from spreading.

After taking some antidote pills from White Jade Capital, she hurried to catch up.

When they reached Yu Yanluo, they found her collapsed on the ground, unconscious. Her face was as pale as paper, her dark hair dull and lifeless. There was no trace of her usual captivating beauty that could sway nations.

"How is she?" Yan Xuehen asked Yun Jianyue, who had arrived first. Zu An had already been propped up against a large rock nearby.

"Her condition is even more serious than Zu An's," Yun Jianyue said, releasing Yu Yanluo's wrist after checking her pulse. She pointed to Yu Yanluo's skin. "Her skin already shows faint signs of petrification. It seems she forcefully used her Medusa bloodline, causing a backlash."

"But that's strange," Yun Jianyue frowned. "With her cultivation level, activating that kind of power shouldn't have such severe consequences."

Yan Xuehen sighed. "When I was pursuing them earlier, she had already used her Medusa power twice."

Yun Jianyue's phoenix eyes widened. "Yan, you really do cause nothing but trouble!"

Unusually, Yan Xuehen didn't refute her. This situation was indeed her fault. If she hadn't insisted on pursuing Zu An and Yu Yanluo, all four of them would likely be perfectly fine right now.

Yan Xuehen took out a pill. "Give her this. Although it's not a Heart-Freezing Creation Pill, its effect is still quite good..."

Yun Jianyue rolled her eyes. "Don't you think I have medicine? And I doubt she'd want to take yours."

She didn't take the pill. Instead, she took one from her own pocket and tried to place it into Yu Yanluo's mouth.

However, her expression quickly froze. She found Yu Yanluo's lips and teeth were tightly shut, and the pill couldn't be administered.

Damn it, why was she just like Zu An!

She turned to Yan Xuehen. "How about you try?"

Yan Xuehen's face flushed slightly, and she turned her head away. "Since you've started helping, see it through to the end."

Yun Jianyue was speechless.

However, she was also uninhibited. Since she had already kissed Zu An, she didn't mind kissing another person, especially since Yu Yanluo was a woman.

She placed the pill in her own mouth, then leaned down and kissed Yu Yanluo, transferring the pill. She quickly pulled back.

As if to cover her embarrassment, she remarked, "As expected of the capital's foremost beauty, her lips are fragrant and soft. So many men in the world dream of this, yet I've gotten there first, haha... hahahaha."

After laughing for a while, she noticed Yan Xuehen staring at her as if she were an idiot, which made her feel a little awkward.

Just then, Yu Yanluo let out a soft moan, her eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes.

"You're awake?" Yun Jianyue and Yan Xuehen both asked with concern.

"Where's A'Zu?" The first thing Yu Yanluo did upon opening her eyes was to glance in the direction where the Death Worm had been.

"Don't worry, that strange worm has been eliminated. Zu An is a little injured, he's over there." Yun Jianyue explained vaguely, worried that knowing the full extent of Zu An's condition might worsen Yu Yanluo's injuries.

Yu Yanluo looked at Zu An, a trace of relief in her eyes. "Then I can rest easy."

After saying this, she closed her eyes and fainted once more.

Yun Jianyue checked her breathing, her expression grave. "I didn't expect that even after taking the medicine, she could only stay conscious for such a brief moment. I'm afraid she... won't last much longer."

Yan Xuehen remained silent. Normally, with their astonishing cultivation, they might have attempted to use their internal energy to heal her and see if there was any hope. But now, they could barely protect themselves, so what could they do?

"Damn it, I, Yun Jianyue, have never owed anyone a favor, but this time I can't repay it, cough cough..." Yun Jianyue's words strained her injuries, leading to a violent coughing fit.

At this moment, Yan Xuehen suddenly exclaimed, "He... why is he starting to bleed?"

Yun Jianyue turned and saw various tiny cracks on Zu An's skin, from which fine beads of blood were seeping.

With so many wounds, he quickly became covered in blood.

Yun Jianyue's face contorted in alarm. "He forcefully used the 'Star-Shattering Profound Seal' too many times! His body can't take it and is starting to collapse!"

"What do we do?" For many years, Yan Xuehen had never been so flustered, feeling as helpless as a novice cultivator.

"There's no cure!" Yun Jianyue's expression flickered between grim and anxious. "Among the past cultivators who practiced this technique, many had exceeded the limit, but without exception, they all met with misfortune. Otherwise, the cultivation manual wouldn't contain such severe warnings; those were lessons learned in blood."

Zu An had used it five times in total. The fact that he hadn't immediately turned into a mist of blood was a testament to his exceptional talent.

Yan Xuehen suddenly spoke, "His life essence is collapsing? Does that mean if we replenish his life essence, we can save him?"

Yun Jianyue's eyes lit up. "Are you saying..."

Yan Xuehen nodded. "The cultivation methods we practice should both contain corresponding dual cultivation techniques. These practices involve the harmony of Yin and Yang, fostering vitality and prosperity. The entire process aligns with the cosmic creation and is imbued with the laws of the great Dao of Heaven and Earth. With our cultivation levels, we should be able to generate the necessary life essence for him."

Yun Jianyue's jaw nearly dropped. Of course, she knew about dual cultivation; it was a method for cultivation partners to mutually enhance their powers, achieving results with half the effort.

However, given their cultivation levels and status, neither woman had any interest in or disdain for seeking a cultivation partner.

Hearing Yan Xuehen's suggestion, her first reaction was that it was absurd. But with her extraordinary knowledge, she pondered it carefully and realized there was indeed some feasibility.

However, she still said in a low voice, "Our cultivation levels are too far apart from his. True dual cultivation would lead to a significant loss of our own cultivation, and it's only a possibility that it could save him; it's not guaranteed to work."

"Of course, he got into this state trying to save us, so losing some cultivation to try is fine. But the crucial point is how awkward his relationship with us is!"

If it were any other man she found agreeable, she wouldn't mind indulging him. Although she had remained a virgin for many years, it was only because she hadn't met anyone she truly respected; it wasn't that she cared much about that particular aspect.

Zu An was quite a decent fellow, but he happened to be their disciple's man. What a mess!

To her surprise, Yan Xuehen spoke in a cold voice, as if she hadn't heard anything Yun Jianyue said: "Are you going to do it, or should I?"

Yun Jianyue was utterly bewildered.