Chapter 40: The Secret of Evergreen


    The poisoned bone arrow pierced through Mu Xiuyun''s chest, with the arrowhead emerging from her back.


    Although it did not hit her heart directly, it almost grazed it, and the dispersed damage and poison had already seeped into her heart veins.


    "With such severe injury, there is no way to recover!"


    Lan Chang''an''s face was solemn as he sighed inwardly.


    Such a fatal wound could onlybe savedbya third-rank healing pill or a Core Formation cultivator''spersonalintervention.


    As a Foundation Establishment market town, Bamboo Leaf Mountain could not meet either of these conditions.


    Lan Chang''an could only input his Evergreen power to neutralize the poison and protect Mu Xiuyun''s heart veins.


    He hoped to allow Mu Xiuyun a brief period of lucidity before herdeath,to leave a final message. At the very least, she should reveal the true culprit. So that Lan Chang''an could be on guard in the future.


    However, as soon as he transferred Mu Xiuyun to the third-floor bedroom of the shop, her heartbeat was already inaudible.Her heart had stopped!


    Although Lan Chang''anEvergreenpower had neutralized the poison, the damage from the poisoned arrow had already eroded and harmed her heart veins.


    "Dead?"


    Lan Chang''an stared nkly at the graceful and delicate youngdy on the bed, whose breathing and heartbeat were gone, with her life force irreversibly fading.


    To mortals or low-level cultivators, this was already a corpse. At best, a beautiful corpse.


    It wouldn''t be long before her soul dissipated and her body started to decay. But Lan Chang''an,ing from Earth and having undergone two lifetimes of cultivation, knew that a stopped heart did not mean there was no chance of saving her.


    Perform CPR?


    The power of the poisoned arrow had already eroded and damaged the heart, hewas afraid that CPR would cause secondary damage.


    "I can only try the Evergreen Technique''s healing secret spell, even if it is justto temporarily sustain her life."


    Lan Chang''an sat cross-legged by the bed, treating a dead horse as ifit werealive.


    The Ancient Trees Evergreen Techniquebeingawood-based cultivation methodnaturallyhad healing capabilities andincludeda healing secret spell.


    Since it would deplete his vitality, Lan Chang''an had never used it before.


    Buzz!


    The mana in Lan Chang''an''s body surged, and ayer of ancient, verdant green light swirled around his palm.


    It was as if an ancient tree was extending new green shoots, absorbing and exhaling the breath of life.


    Atthis moment, he couldn''t care about the difference between men and women. Lan Chang''an untied Mu Xiuyun''s dress, cing his hand, enveloped in green light, over her chest wound.


    The dark green at the wound site faded at a visible speed.


    The wound gradually scabbed over, and the nearby skin was restored to an icy, jade-like purity.


    Lan Chang''an couldn''t help but be surprised, theEvergreen Technique''s healing secret spell was unexpectedly good. Just like its poison-dissolution ability, it far surpassed ordinary wood-based cultivation methods.


    "Ugh..."


    MuXiuyun on the bed groaned, a fineyer of sweatappearingon her forehead, and a faint red flush appeared on her pale face.


    "Regaining consciousness?" Lan Chang''an''s heart leaped with joy, keeping his hand on Mu Xiuyun''s chest, afraid she would stop breathing the next moment.


    "I...I didn''t die?"


    Mu Xiuyun opened her starry eyes and looked at Lan Chang''an, her pale face squeezing out a faint smile.


    "Changan, itreallyis you..."


    Thest time shewas poisonedin the medicine garden, she felt herself falling into endless darkness, but a strand of pale green warmth had pulled her out of the abyss. Today, that feeling came once more.


    Even though Lan Chang''anwas disguised, the familiar masculine presence was unmistakable.


    "Steady your breath, speak softly." Lan Chang''an removed his disguise, raised his hand to stop her, and said sternly:


    "Leave your final words quickly. Who is the murderer? I need to give the Mu Family an exnation."


    Mu Xiuyun paused, the red flush on her snowy face showing a faint, tragic bleakness.


    "The murderer is a rogue cultivator."


    "Threete-stage Qi-Refining cultivators, wearing masks.The leader,at the ninthyer of Qi-Refining, was extraordinary, possessing a superior-grade magical bow andan extremelyfastflyingeagle spirit bird..."


    As she described, her starry eyes revealed a sense of reluctance, instinctively tightening her grip on Lan Chang''an''s warm hand, not letting it leave her chest.


    After revealing the murderer, Mu Xiuyun felt a weight lifted off her shoulders.


    She quietly gazed at Lan Chang''an, her delicate and graceful face showing a serene smile:


    "Chang''an, dyingin front ofyou is also a kind of luck."


    "Do you know why I announcedthat Iwould not marry outside back then? Youclearlyhad a slim chance in the path of immortality, whywere you unwilling to join the Mu Family? If you were willing, we...could have had a child in the future and let him take your surname Lan."


    Mu Xiuyun''s heartfelt confession before death stunned Lan Chang''an.


    But, youngdy, you are thinking too far ahead!


    Phew!


    At this moment, LanChang''anpower was exhausted, and his vitalitygreatlydepleted, forcing him to stop the healing technique.


    Mu Xiuyun clutched his hand tightly, keeping it on her chest.


    "Before I die, can you hug me once?" A blush appeared on her face.


    "Mm."


    A dying person''sst wish was hard for Lan Chang''an to refuse. Besides, the youngdy had nurtured andtaken care ofhim in many ways.


    Lan Chang''an embraced the graceful and elegant youngdy, who buried her head in his chest, experiencing the warmth before death.


    Hm?


    Lan Chang''an''s hand was still on her chest, feeling the gradually steady heartbeat, realizing something was amiss.


    Earlier, in the rushhehad been touching an inappropriatespot,but did not pay close attention.


    "Me, why am I still alive?" A few breathster, Mu Xiuyun, slightly confused, touched the bone arrow in her chest.


    "Strange! Howe you are not dead?" Lan Chang''an said subconsciously, confused and uncertain.


    He released his hand to check Mu Xiuyun''s condition. Her pulse was steady, and the fatal wound on her heart had healed.


    The bonearrowwas still lodgedin her chest, but for a cultivator, it wouldn''t be lethal in a short time.


    "How is it?" Mu Xiuyun looked at Lan Chang''an with a glimmer of hope in her eyes.


    Lan Chang''an''s expression was unusual: "You havee back to life."


    "Ireallysurvived?" Mu Xiuyun''s face lit up like the morning glow, tears streaming down her cheeks.


    "You don''t seem happy that I''m alive?"


    Mu Xiuyun''s starry eyes shifted to Lan Chang''an, whowas lostin thought.


    "...No."


    Lan Chang''an''s original intention was to sustain Mu Xiuyun''s life, allowing her to leave a final message and reveal the murderer.


    But ns couldn''t keep up with changes.


    The healing secret spell of the Evergreen Technique had exceeded his expectations, actually bringing Mu Xiuyun back from death.


    After using this healing secret, Lan Chang''an realizedthat ithad consumed two months of his lifespan.


    The Evergreen Technique prolonged longevity by drawing on the energy of time.


    The healing secret spell that brought back life would consume lifespan?


    Through this ident, Lan Chang''an touched upon the core secret of the Evergreen Technique.


    Hiss!


    Mu Xiuyun was so happy that she moved her wound, causing cold sweat to streamdownfrom the pain.


    "Don''t move, I''llhelp you remove the arrow."


    Lan Chang''an had Mu Xiuyun lie on her side on the bed,firstusing a cleansing spell to remove the poison from the arrowhead.


    One hand on her chest, using Evergreen mana to protect her heart veins.


    The other hand slowly pulled out the bone arrow.


    During the process ofpulling out the arrow, Mu Xiuyunwas drenchedin fragrant sweat from the pain. But she smiled silently, looking at Lan Chang''an''s serious expression.


    Afterthe arrow was removed, Lan Chang''an applied ointment and infused Evergreen mana to elerate the healing of Mu Xiuyun''s wound.


    "Chang''an, your wood-based technique is extraordinary, itshealing effects are truly amazing!"


    Mu Xiuyun was silentfor a moment, then couldn''t help but speak.


    Noticing Lan Chang''an''s slightly furrowed expression.


    She seemed to understand something andsmiled with pursed lips: "Chang''an, every cultivator has their secrets. After the incident in the herb garden, I felt you were different from ordinary cultivators."


    "If you are worried, I, Xiuyun, swear by my heart demon that I will never reveal today''s events to a third party." Mu Xiuyun raised her hand, solemnly swearing.


    "The youngdy is not an outsider; it''s notthat serious."


    Lan Chang''an''s brows rxed,showing a smile, satisfied with Mu Xiuyun''s intelligence and thoughtfulness.


    The healing effect of the technique was not a shocking secret.To ordinary cultivators,it was not as attractive as Bottleneck-breaking pills or Foundation Establishment pills.


    Even the longevity extension of the Evergreen Technique, some high-level wood-based techniques also possessed, could extend life by more than ten percent.


    Lan Chang''an''s greatest secret was the NineSeal Stele; the Evergreen Technique was secondary, and the healing secret spell was just the tip of the iceberg.


    "I, the ''final words'' I just said..."


    Mu Xiuyun, with her injuries stabilized, thought of her previous near-death confession, her face burning with embarrassment, both annoyed and awkward.


    "Whatst words? Howe I don''t know." Lan Chang''an said calmly.


    As he finished speaking, Mu Xiuyun took hold of his shoulder, her flowing hair dancing, and her delicate face erged in his vision.


    Lan Chang''an was startled, feeling a soft, fragrant sensation between his lips.


    The fragrance of osmanthus and orchid surrounded them as they kissed.


    Momentster.


    With a clear mind, Lan Chang''an released the still-weak youngdy.


    "Rest well and heal."


    Lan Chang''an had Mu Xiuyun lie down on the bed.


    "Chang''an, will you run away?" Mu Xiuyun, feeling uneasy, clutched his hand.


    Lan Chang''an was surprised at Mu Xiuyun''s intuition and decided to be honest:


    "After reaching the seventhyer of Qi-Refining, I will leave the Mu Family."


    After reaching the seventhyer, he nned to seek opportunities for Foundation Establishment, as the Mu Family would no longer be of much help.


    Currently, the timing was not ripe.


    How could Mu Xiuyun not understand the implication, herstarry eyes dimmed.


    Releasing her hand, Lan Chang''an left.


    She murmuredsoftly, "You are truly candid!"


    "Knowing you will leave, do you not want to be entangled with me? Not even two decades with the entire Mu Family could make you hold any lingering attachment?"


    ...


    Mu Xiuyun''s near-death attack outside the market caused a stir afterward.


    Thiswas the second incident of merchantsbeing attackedby rogue cultivators.


    A few dayster.


    Mu Xiuyun, together withothermajormerchants,pressured the Maple Leaf Huang Family to strengthen market security and eliminate the rampant rogue cultivators.


    Concerned about their safety, themajormerchants stood united.


    The Maple Leaf Huang Family, feeling the pressure,had to convene a meeting to discuss countermeasures.