Chapter 86: Madman

Ji Huo was awakened by the thunderous roar outside and the sound of rain pounding the leaves. When he opened his eyes, he found himself in a strange cave. A fire burned in the center, and a graceful woman, her back to him and bare from the waist up, was wrapping a blood-soaked wound around her waist with a ragged piece of cloth.

Lightning flashed outside, illuminating her back with a pale blue glow. Her skin was smooth as jade, as if carved from the purest stone, without a single blemish. The sight alone was breathtakingly beautiful. Bandages crossed her back at an angle, already stained with blood.

The wound, Ji Huo guessed, must have been left by the Sword Saint—a single strike that left this master bedridden for half a month, still not healed. Truly a blow born of fury, he thought.

Suddenly, Xia Ning Shang's movements paused. She quickly finished wrapping the wound, dressed herself in a purple robe, and sat beside the fire, glancing at Ji Huo, whose eyes were shut tight. With a faint snort, she said, “Since you’re awake, stop pretending.”

Ji Huo finally opened his eyes, offering a weak smile. “How did you notice, Miss Xia?”

She pursed her lips, replying, “Your breathing has been rapid since just now, and it hasn’t calmed. You watched for several minutes. Was the view pleasing?”

Ji Huo awkwardly touched his nose and smiled, “It was quite beautiful.” The simple movement made him cough violently, and blood oozed anew from his chest wound, though less than before.

Xia Ning Shang looked him over several times, clicking her tongue in amazement. “Young Master Ji, you truly aren’t ordinary. Most people, with half their heart ruined and blood drained, would’ve died long ago. You’ve survived even longer than the legendary nine-lived cat demon.”

Ji Huo smiled as he lowered his gaze to his chest. The gaping wound was shocking, exposing a shattered heart that still beat.

He mused inwardly: You don’t realize how much stamina I’ve amassed. It’s a hidden attribute, so I can’t see the exact value, but if this were a game, my health bar would be dark red by now.

If not for the curse placed on me, suppressing my injury and power, my heart would have healed already.

In a way, I’m no longer human.

“I merely possess a constitution unlike others,” Ji Huo replied with a smile, then glanced at his lower half, blinking at his bare legs.

“Hmm… what’s this?”

“Oh,” Xia Ning Shang replied flatly, “When I carried you out, they all targeted you and tore your trousers to shreds.”

That excuse is rather flimsy… Ji Huo smiled weakly.

“Thank you, Miss Xia, for saving my life. I can never repay you.”

She fixed her gaze on his face and suddenly asked, “When you shielded me from the attack, was it intentional? Did you already know I was hiding there and lead them to me? And you stayed awake the whole time, didn’t you?”

Ji Huo shook his head. “I truly didn’t know you were there.”

She regarded him deeply, then smiled. “So I thought. If you’d known I was there and gambled your life, hoping I’d save you, you’d be mad—a madman who cares nothing for his own life.”

Ji Huo shook his head, smiling, his face drawn and weak.

In truth, he hadn’t noticed Xia Ning Shang at all; he’d simply chosen a random path to flee—there was no time to spot her. But once he saw her, he feared she would escape, so he blocked the attack meant for her.

Ji Huo reckoned that Xia Ning Shang’s temperament would likely drive her to save him. If she didn’t, he could rely on his monstrous hidden attributes to rise and escape, even if gravely wounded.

Even when she carried him during their flight, he kept a shred of awareness. He even noticed when she tore off his trousers.

Eventually, the pain became unbearable, and he truly fell unconscious.

She was right—he was a madman.

Life itself is a grand gamble. If you don’t act a little mad, isn’t it all rather dull?

“Where are we? How long was I asleep?” Ji Huo asked.

Xia Ning Shang snorted, “The depths of Mount Tianjue. There were too many pursuers, so I jumped into the river and swam us here. You’ve been asleep for a day and a night.”

No wonder I’m soaked… Ji Huo nodded and forced himself upright, the movement wracking him with pain and leaving his face slick with cold sweat.

She continued, “A monster appeared outside. I couldn’t defeat it, so I hid, waiting for you to wake and figure out our next move.”

“What kind of monster?” Ji Huo inquired.

“A half-step grandmaster, and a sword-wielding lunatic. He’s the one who wounded me,” Xia Ning Shang said, touching the injury at her waist, her voice tinged with lingering fear.

“A half-step grandmaster, a sword-wielding lunatic?” Ji Huo frowned, thinking. “What does he look like?”

“He wears dreadlocks and carries five swords on his back, but fights with sword techniques using his fingers. His sword energy is twisted and alarmingly fast,” she explained.

Ji Huo replied gravely, “That’s Sword Maniac, the top swordsman of Liang. He sees the sword as his life, obsessed with collecting famous blades—those five swords were won by defeating masters. His swordplay is vicious and cruel, and his ‘Red Vein Sword Finger’ is unstoppable. He’s addicted to killing, especially fond of murdering swordsmen.”

The Sword Saint had mentioned him before, saying that years ago Sword Maniac challenged him and was beaten back. Sword Saint said his path was deeply flawed—if exposed, he’d die quickly and wouldn’t last long.

At the time, Ji Huo had asked, “If I meet him, what should I do?”

The Sword Saint had taught him a clever trick.

“Sword Maniac? He used finger techniques—doesn’t that mean his swordsmanship is even more remarkable?” Xia Ning Shang asked.

“Not exactly. Sword Maniac’s skill lies in sword fingers, and he’s mastered them. He doesn’t actually know sword techniques; he only collects swords out of obsession. He was mocked for being called ‘Sword Maniac’ yet not knowing swordplay—it's become a fixation for him.”

Ji Huo’s eyes lowered, his voice weakening as his wounds flared, the curse surging again.

“But his path is one of obsession—he’s mad for the sword. The deeper his obsession, the farther he can go.”

“Half-step grandmaster, obsessed with the sword…” Xia Ning Shang seemed to grasp something, pondering deeply, yet unable to fully comprehend. She murmured, “Can obsession lead to enlightenment?”

No one answered.

She looked over to find Ji Huo’s eyes closed, his face pale, breathing heavy—he had slipped back into unconsciousness.

Xia Ning Shang was silent for a moment, her gaze flickering over Ji Huo’s face. After a while, she lowered her eyes and whispered, “Are you a fool, or a madman?”

Outside the cave, thunder rumbled endlessly. Somewhere in the distance, someone seemed to be muttering under their breath, “How annoying…”