Chapter 1178: Flowing His Blood Within

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

This time, Zu An didn't compromise. He said in a deep voice, "We're at a critical stage of healing now. We mustn't fail at the last step."

Yan Xuehen was well aware of this; she had felt the toxins in her body gradually dissipating and her internal injuries steadily recovering.

If the healing process were stopped now, the toxins and internal injuries would resurface, making her condition worse than before, possibly even fatal.

Yan Xuehen also bore the honor and disgrace of her entire sect, so she naturally couldn't act on a whim.

But the thought of that shameful sensation made her feel bitter. "Why didn't you tell me earlier that healing would cause such a reaction?" she asked.

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."

"Now you finally understand!" Yan Xuehen said resentfully.

Zu An gave an awkward smile, also feeling puzzled. It was confirmed again that his healing energy indeed caused this peculiar side effect. Yet, when he had healed Chuuyan before, this hadn't happened. What could be the reason?

Yan Xuehen's lips were pale from biting them. "Are you doing this on purpose to tease me?" she asked.

Zu An said seriously, "I swear to heaven, I have no such intention, otherwise..."

Yan Xuehen quickly interrupted him. "Alright, stop making Heavenly Dao oaths at every turn."

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

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

"Whether I believe you or not, you saved my life, so I won't be ungrateful." Yan Xuehen, being no ordinary person, took a deep breath to calm herself. "Continue," she said.

"Good, bear with it," Zu An replied, focusing his mind as he continued to expel the poison and heal her.

That familiar strange sensation came in waves. Yan Xuehen quickly closed her eyes, silently reciting some calming incantations from the "Scripture of Grand Oblivion."

Usually, these incantations easily allowed her to enter a meditative state, protecting her from external evils.

But this time, it wasn't from external sources; it was from within her own body!

She felt hotter and hotter, her body growing softer.

She felt an urge to make a sound and quickly suppressed it with great willpower.

Her red lips were faintly bitten to the point of drawing blood.

Zu An's voice came, "Don't hold back so much; it's bad for your body. Moreover, with your qi and blood churning like this, my efforts to expel the poison and heal you are only half as effective."

Yan Xuehen glared at him fiercely. 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 up again in her life. She'd rather die.

Zu An seemed to guess her thoughts and quickly said, "You don't have to worry; I'll set up a sound barrier nearby so the sounds here won't travel outside."

Normally, this wouldn't escape the notice of Grandmaster Yun Jianyue, but she was severely injured and weak now, making it difficult for her to detect his arrangements.

Hearing him say this, Yan Xuehen's heart stirred.

If Yun Jianyue couldn't hear, then it might not be impossible...

But she immediately realized that even if Yun Jianyue and the others couldn't hear, the man right in front of her certainly could.

Her expression turned icy, and she continued to clench her teeth and endure.

Zu An chuckled wryly, "You really don't have to be like this. I'm your doctor right now, and in a doctor's eyes, there's no distinction between men and women, so there's no need to worry about such things."

Yan Xuehen was speechless.

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

Zu An's voice rang out again, "Actually, it wouldn't matter if you hummed. I've already heard it once, so hearing it again is nothing."

"Shut up!" Yan Xuehen glared at him, feeling as though he was deliberately trying to break down her mental defenses.

But his words were like those of a devil, possessing an incredibly strong allure.

Her already wavering willpower began to falter.

Just then, countless warm streams of vital energy surged through her simultaneously. Her body was already extremely sensitive; how could she possibly resist?

Caught off guard, she finally followed her instincts and let out a soft, extremely sweet moan.

Her usually frosty face was now flushed like the evening glow. She looked at the man opposite her, both shy and annoyed. "You did that on purpose!"

Yan Xuehen's anger levels surged dramatically.

Zu An, however, was frank. "Mainly, you were holding back so much that my healing efficiency was too low. I just had to guide you to take the first step. Don't worry, the sound barrier is already in place."

Yan Xuehen hadn't expected him to admit it directly, which left her with nothing to say.

"You're so thick-skinned!" Yan Xuehen finally managed to utter after a long pause. However, by now, her usually cool eyes had softened into a pool of spring water, and her voice trembled, sounding sweet and utterly without any hint of deterrence.

Zu An smiled. "Every mistake is mine. All of this was caused by me, so don't feel burdened. Just let it happen naturally."

Yan Xuehen was taken aback. By taking all the blame upon himself, he made her feel embarrassed instead. She wasn't an unreasonable person; she knew he was trying to save her. Even his seemingly provocative actions were just to help her relax completely for the healing. How could she possibly blame him further?

She had a thousand words in her heart, but in the end, they condensed into three simple ones: "Thank you."

Zu An was momentarily surprised, then showed a sunny smile. "Open your mouth," he said.

Yan Xuehen looked confused.

Zu An explained, "The Death Worm's toxin is peculiar; it's intertwined with every inch of your body. To completely remove it without any lingering effects, I need to add another 'medicine'."

Yan Xuehen was about to ask what kind of medicine, when he suddenly cut an incision on his arm, and blood immediately gushed from the wound.

Then he placed the wound to her lips. "My blood has a purifying effect on toxins. Drink more."

He was now immune to all poisons, and his vital blood also possessed detoxifying properties. However, he couldn't exactly feed her the former.

Yan Xuehen indeed had a complex expression. "You don't need to do this..." she began.

Before she could finish, Zu An lifted her chin. This posture made it easier for the blood to flow into her mouth. "If you're truly grateful, just suck it yourself; it'll save me some energy."

Yan Xuehen's heart pounded wildly, thinking how she could ever repay such kindness.

However, a pure, fragrant sensation, almost like the Dao itself, melted in her mouth, and her starry eyes instantly widened.

Super-grade aptitude!

No wonder he had cultivated to such a realm at such a young age; he possessed the legendary super-grade aptitude!

As a Grandmaster, she naturally understood what this physique implied and the dangers it represented before fully maturing.

Yet, he had selflessly used his blood to save her. With his knowledge, he must have known this would expose his secret, but he did it anyway...

She, on the other hand, had been preoccupied with the distinction between men and women, truly judging a gentleman's heart with a petty mind.

The healing continued. Perhaps her heart had just been opened, for although Yan Xuehen still tried her best to remain silent, when she couldn't hold back anymore, soft, melodious sounds subtly escaped her throat.

At first, she tried to prolong and lower her voice, but later, she no longer had the energy to control it.

Soon, she was drenched in fragrant sweat, and continuous, ethereal melodies filled the air.

Yan Xuehen didn't dare to look at him anymore. Eventually, she simply gave up resisting.

After an unknown period, her body completely softened like mud, melting into his embrace.

A clear tear involuntarily fell from the corner of her eye. Since becoming a Grandmaster many years ago, she had never cried, even in the most difficult situations, but now she simply couldn't stop.

She didn't know why she was crying, but the tears just wouldn't stop.

At this point, Zu An's voice rang out, "Most of the poison has been expelled from your body, and your damaged meridians and organs have been repaired. You should now be able to use your own energy to heal and, with some rest, you'll fully recover."

Yan Xuehen instinctively turned her senses inward and found that the previous feeling of being near death had vanished, replaced by vibrant vitality.

The vital energy within her body had resumed its circulation. Although she was still very weak, she knew clearly that she would slowly recover with more time. "Thank you," she said.

As she spoke, she noticed his clear eyes, devoid of any lewd thoughts. Yan Xuehen knew he was deliberately maintaining that look to make her feel less awkward.

A moment ago, she had collapsed limply into his arms, and his body's reaction naturally hadn't escaped her notice.

Yet, despite that, he was still trying hard to project such a pure gaze, which must have been very difficult for him.

However, given his thoughtfulness, she was deeply grateful and tacitly chose not to expose him.

At this moment, Zu An noticed the tear streaks on her cheeks. His sympathetic nature instinctively made him reach out a finger to wipe them away for her.

But he immediately cursed inwardly, realizing this woman might turn hostile; this gesture was, after all, a bit too intimate.

Yet, Yan Xuehen merely stared blankly at him. For the first time ever, she didn't scold him, but instead revealed a hint of indescribable shyness.