Chapter 51: The Refuge of the Wounded

Bao Qing approached the steward, turned his body over, and placed a finger on his nose to check if he was breathing. Feeling his breath, he sighed in relief. "Thank heavens, he's still alive", he thought, feeling a weight lifted from his heart.

Carefully, he carried the steward on his back and began to fly towards the cave. Upon arrival, the two guards that Xue Sha had assigned to watch the entrance were alarmed at the sight of their wounds.

"Hurry, let us through!" Bao Qing exclaimed urgently.

"What happened?" one of the guards asked, hastily opening the entrance.

"No time for explanations now. We need immediate medical attention," Bao Qing replied as he quickly entered.

Inside the cave, the scene was one of intense activity. One of the healers was activating his second spiritual ring, making a baozi appear in his hands. He handed it to the wounded waiting in line, with the most severe cases at the front. Each time he administered the baozi, he activated the ring again. Then, the wounded went to the healer with the scepter, who activated his rings depending on the severity of the wounds. If the wound was fatal, he activated several rings, and a golden light emanated from the scepter, healing the wounds.

Xue Sha approached the healer with the scepter while he continued to heal people. "What are the casualties?" he asked tensely.

The healer with the scepter replied, "There are no deaths."

Xue Sha let out a sigh of relief. "That's good news."

The healer with the scepter continued, "But there are many wounded. Half of the people will take several weeks to recover."

Xue Sha frowned, his expression becoming serious and worried. "I understand. We must do whatever it takes to ensure their recovery. We can't afford more casualties."

At that moment, Bao Qing approached with the steward on his back and said, "Young Master, we managed to kill the enemies." Right after, Bao Qing also fainted.

Xue Sha hurried to catch Bao Qing before he fell to the ground. "Quick, we need help here!" he shouted, drawing the healers' attention.

The healer with the scepter quickly approached and began to examine Bao Qing and the steward. "Both are gravely injured, but with proper treatment, they should recover in a few months," he said as he activated his spiritual rings and began channeling healing energy into them.

Xue Sha, frowning with concern, asked the healer, "How long will it take for them to wake up?"

The healer, taking the pulse of the wounded, replied, "At least a few hours, at most 48 hours. There's nothing more I can do. If I were an Emperor or a Saint, maybe I could wake them up right now, but..." He shook his head and sighed.

Xue Sha slowly nodded, processing the information. "I understand," he finally said. He gestured with his hand indicating it didn't matter and added, "Go back to healing the others. Gather the bodies and burn them. The rest, prepare to spend the night here."

The healer bowed his head in respect before returning to his work, while Xue Sha looked around, ensuring everyone was following his orders. The cave was full of activity, but also of palpable tension. He knew they had to stay strong and united to overcome this crisis.

Xue Sha's followers began to gather the bodies of the fallen. They stripped them of anything useful and placed them in a pile of corpses. The pile grew quickly, a macabre mix of bloodied bodies stripped of their belongings.

The scene was grim, with the torchlight casting dancing shadows over the lifeless faces of the bandits. The pile of bodies stood as a monument to the brutality of the recent combat, a silent reminder of the fragility of life.

"It's an incredible sight," one of the followers murmured, as he threw another body onto the pile.

"Yes, but we must move on," another replied, his face hardened with determination. "Every item we recover could be the difference between life and death for us."

Everything they recovered from the bandits' bodies—weapons, armor, and any valuable items—was piled into another heap. This second pile gleamed with the reflection of weapons and precious metals, a stark contrast to the dark and bloody pile of corpses. The followers worked in silence, their faces serious and focused, knowing that every recovered item could be vital for their future survival.

Meanwhile, other followers went in and out of the nearby forest to hunt. A few hours later, they returned with many hares and deer. The hunt had been fruitful, and the animals were enough to feed everyone.

"Look what we've got!" one of the hunters exclaimed, proudly showing off his haul.

"Good job," Xue Sha said, nodding in approval. "Quick, light the fires and start cooking the meat."

Quickly, they lit fires and began to cook the meat. The aroma of roasted meat filled the air, providing a brief comfort amid the tension and fatigue.

One of the followers took a torch, lit its tip in the bonfire, and threw it onto the pile of corpses. The flames began to consume the bodies, crackling and hissing as the fire spread. The heat from the fire could be felt even from a distance, and the acrid smell of burning flesh mixed with the aroma of cooking food.

Finally, everyone sat around the bonfires and began to eat. The roasted meat was a welcome feast after the battle, although the atmosphere remained tense.

"We know we still have a lot of work ahead," one of the followers said, breaking the silence. "But for now, we must regain our strength."

"That's right," Xue Sha replied, with a firm look. "We must be prepared for whatever comes. Let's stay strong and united."

With those words, the group allowed themselves a brief respite, knowing that the real test was yet to come.