Chapter 81 - Gentle Like Water, Enchantingly Beautiful

At this moment, as Di Ping regained his consciousness, he suddenly felt a surge of pain throughout his body. The pain grew increasingly distinct and intense, as if every muscle was being violently torn apart. The overwhelming pain caused his teeth to chatter uncontrollably, and his jaw clicked with each tremor.

"Boom!"

The bottle of mineral water in Di Ping's hand was crushed by his grip, shattering and spilling water everywhere. Yet, in that moment, he was completely oblivious to the mess around him. Wave after wave of pain washed over him, causing him to lose all awareness of his surroundings. His hands, clenched tight from the agony, creaked as his muscles tensed, and his veins bulged like gnarled roots, twisting around his arms.

"Mm..."

A muffled groan escaped Di Ping's clenched teeth, and sweat poured from his forehead in an instant, dripping down his face. His clothes, already stained with blood, became soaked.

"Master, what's wrong?"

Gina noticed Di Ping's unusual state and hurriedly approached, supporting his trembling, unstable body. Her eyes were filled with concern. Di Ping, hearing Gina's voice, found that he had no strength left to respond. He dared not loosen his jaw, fearing that if he did, he would be unable to suppress the scream of agony that threatened to escape him.

Feeling the violent tremors in Di Ping's body, Gina seemed to understand what was happening. After a moment of thought, she extended her right hand, and suddenly a soft white glow appeared in her palm, radiating like a glowing lightbulb, making her fair fingers appear even more delicate and luminous.

The white light grew stronger, gathering into a dense mist. When Gina sensed it was sufficient, she gently placed her hand on Di Ping's chest. The white light seemed to find its way in, quickly sinking into Di Ping's body.

As the light entered, Di Ping's body jerked, and the pained expression on his face slowly relaxed. His furrowed brow began to smooth out, and his features softened, the painful distortion fading.

He felt as though his body, on the brink of collapse, had been gently caressed by a cooling breeze. It was like the refreshing wind of an early spring morning brushing across his skin, or the soft waves of the sea gently lapping at the shore. The movement was so soothing, so gentle, like the fingers of a lover. As each of his torn muscles was touched by the coolness, the intense pain gradually began to dissipate.

Seeing Di Ping's furrowed brow finally loosen, a faint smile of relief appeared on Gina's face. Her magic, which calmed the mind and focused energy, had not only restored his magic and vitality but had a healing effect as well, lifting his spirits and purifying his negative emotions.

Based on Di Ping's previous agonizing state and the subsequent calming of his features, Gina deduced what had occurred to him.

The cool sensation came quickly but faded just as fast. Within ten seconds, it had passed through his body and vanished. As soon as it disappeared, the pain returned like a tidal wave, and Di Ping could not suppress another pained groan.

Gina's palm glowed once again, the pure white light seeming to have a will of its own as it entered Di Ping's body. As the light sank into him, his brow relaxed once more. Gina cast the healing spell four more times, allowing Di Ping to finally recover from the pain. However, by this point, she was drenched in sweat, her body beginning to tremble faintly.

The recent battle against the mutated dog pack had drained much of her mental energy, and now, after performing five magical rituals, her already fragile mental strength was near its breaking point. She had reached her limit—if not for her willpower, she would have collapsed.

"It's fine, Gina! I'm okay now!" Di Ping finally noticed that the pain was no longer as sharp. He could now endure it. Seeing Gina's troubled expression, her brow furrowed and her hands trembling as she prepared to cast her fifth spell, he grabbed her hand to stop her. Looking at her, her vision blurred with exhaustion, he was deeply moved. He gently brushed the hair from her face and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

"Master, you scared me!" Gina could no longer maintain her composure. Her body slowly leaned into Di Ping's embrace. Her eyes were soft and affectionate as she gazed up at him, and her voice was weak and soft, as though speaking each word took all her strength.

A pang of tenderness hit Di Ping's heart. He held her delicate body close, inhaling her faint, soothing fragrance. At this moment, his heart was filled with love for Gina, with no other thoughts clouding his mind. He half-carried her to the sofa by the wall, gently lifting it back into place, and helped her sit down, letting her rest against the cushions.

"Gina, take a break! Don't worry, I'm fine now!" Di Ping whispered gently in her ear, comforting her as he lightly stroked her head.

"Okay, Master!" Gina nodded obediently, then slowly sat cross-legged on the sofa to meditate. Though Di Ping couldn't see it, the tips of her ears were flushed with a soft pink. She loved her master's tender care—it made her feel so comfortable, but it also embarrassed her. She had to meditate to calm the emotions stirring in her heart.

Watching Gina meditate, Di Ping stood up and sighed deeply. He retrieved his broken sword from the floor.

This Han sword, which had accompanied him through life and death, had finally reached its end. Though it could no longer keep up with his progress, he was a sentimental person. Looking at the broken sword, he couldn't help but feel a pang of reluctance.

Putting aside his feelings of nostalgia, Di Ping walked over to the mutated Tibetan Mastiff's corpse. He used his broken sword to carefully search the shattered head for a crystal core. After a while, he finally found a white jade-sized orb, glowing with a soft, mysterious light. The orb was so clean that not a single drop of blood clung to it, as if it had emerged from the mud unsullied, like a pure lotus. Its pristine beauty was mesmerizing.