Lin Yue dragged Wu Zhen along by the shoulder, desperately trying to escape the town. However, before they could get very far, several torchlights appeared in the distance.
"They're here! Capture the thief!"
A group of men began chasing after them. Lin Yue had no choice but to quicken her pace, pulling Wu Zhen along as fast as she could.
Eventually, they found a dark alley and hurried inside, hoping the pursuers would pass them by. Mother and son pressed themselves against each other, trying to make their bodies as small as possible.
Even so, they were probably still visible in the dim alleyway. Wu Zhen's condition was deteriorating once again. His body began burning from within, and his breathing grew increasingly labored. He could no longer keep up with his mother. Lin Yue was growing desperate. She had no idea what to do.
Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out, "It's you again."
It was Jing Lei, who was still holding Han Yu's hand.
"You can't just keep stopping here, young master. We should go home," Han Yu urged him. But Jing Lei ignored him and looked directly at the two people in the alley.
"What happened to you?"
"Are you... Little Wu's friend?" Lin Yue asked cautiously.
Judging from Jing Lei's clothes, he clearly came from a wealthy family. His pristine white outfit and oversized fur cloak were far too luxurious for an ordinary child.
"Little Rabbit... help..."
Wu Zhen's vision was hazy, and he could barely make out the figures in front of him. However, he recognized that voice.
Suddenly, Jing Lei took off his oversized fur cloak and spread it over both Wu Zhen and Lin Yue, completely covering them. He then grabbed Han Yu's hand and walked out of the alley. Not long afterward, several men carrying torches approached them.
"Have you seen a little boy and a woman around here?" one of the men asked. Jing Lei tightened his grip on Han Yu's hand before answering.
"They went that way."
He pointed toward the road in the opposite direction. Without asking any further questions, the men immediately rushed off in the direction Jing Lei had indicated. Jing Lei wanted to turn around and return to the alley, but Han Yu tightened his grip.
"Young master, we shouldn't get involved in this. Let's go home."
Han Yu firmly held Jing Lei's hand and led him away. Jing Lei could only glance back as Han Yu dragged him along, his gaze lingering on the dark alley where the two people had been hiding.
After making sure the pursuers were gone, Wu Zhen finally removed the cloak covering him and his mother.
"Wait... I haven't heard your name yet..."
His vision was still blurry, and his voice was so weak that only his mother could hear him.
"Let's get out of here quickly."
Lin Yue helped her son to his feet before continuing their escape. Eventually, they managed to reach a forest near a river.
However, before they could go any farther, the sound of approaching footsteps suddenly reached their ears.
"They're here!"
The footsteps grew louder and closer. Several adult men were chasing after them. Some carried torches, while others held sharp weapons. Soon, they found themselves surrounded.
The pursuers stood in front of them, while behind them was a river with a rather strong current. Lin Yue looked at her son.
"Wu Zhen... please trust Mother."
Wu Zhen didn't quite understand what she meant. His mind was already hazy, and he could barely keep his eyes open. Nevertheless, he gave a weak nod. Lin Yue pulled her son tightly into her arms.
Then, without hesitation, she jumped into the river with him.
The men surrounding them were stunned. Lin Yue never loosened her embrace around her child as the powerful current swept them away.
"Follow the current! Don't let them escape!" one of the men shouted.
On the other side of the forest...
Several people had gathered around a campfire beside their carriages. From their appearance, they seemed to be a group of guards and servants accompanying someone of considerable status.
"My lord, please have something to eat."
A young servant offered a bowl of warm soup to a boy sitting nearby. The boy was barely nine years old.
His long black hair fell like a waterfall down his back. Beneath his dark brows was a pair of sharp, piercing eyes, and his expression remained icy cold, as though nothing in the world could make him waver.
Even while sitting on a small rock, his dark red robes gave him an air of natural dignity and authority. This was none other than the young Yang Luoya.
The little boy accepted the bowl and began eating quietly.
"...Bai Qian, how much longer until we reach our next destination?" he asked.
"We should arrive by tomorrow afternoon, my lord," Bai Qian replied.
Suddenly, a servant hurried toward them, "My lord! There are two people drenched in river water over there. They appear to be asking for help!"
Yang Luoya glanced toward the direction the servant had indicated. There, he saw a boy around his own age carrying an unconscious woman on his back. The woman was considerably older than him, presumably his mother. Both of them were completely drenched, as though they had just been swept away by the river.
"How dare you interrupt my lord's meal!" Bai Qian scolded.
Yang Luoya raised one hand, signaling for him to stop. He placed his bowl down, stood up, and walked toward the boy and the unconscious woman.
"What do you need?"
His voice carried no emotion.
"M-My lord, please... hide us. We're being chased..."
"Don't tell me you're criminals asking to be sheltered," one of the guards remarked suspiciously.
"No! We've been falsely accused of stealing! We never stole anything! The gambling house promised to give my father a reward for winning their championship, but they refused to pay him and even accused him of theft!"
Wu Zhen tried desperately to explain while carrying his mother on his back. Lin Yue appeared to have lost consciousness. Her face was flushed, perhaps because she had developed a fever. Before anyone could respond, the sound of approaching footsteps came from a distance.
The pursuers would arrive within minutes.
Wu Zhen's expression grew increasingly frightened as he heard them approaching. Noticing his reaction, Yang Luoya calmly pointed toward a nearby carriage.
"Over there. Hide beneath the hay. Stay there for a while."
Inside the carriage was a large pile of hay, presumably intended as feed for the horses.
Wu Zhen immediately bowed, "Thank you, my lord."
He carefully carried his mother into the carriage before hiding both of them beneath the hay.
A few minutes later, several men carrying torches arrived. They looked around and immediately noticed that Yang Luoya stood out among the entire group. It was obvious that this little boy was the leader of the people accompanying him.
Seeing the numerous guards, servants, and carriages, the pursuers realized that this was no ordinary group. The scale of the procession was far beyond what they would expect from a minor noble household.
Realizing that the person before them might hold a position of considerable status, they immediately changed their attitude and spoke respectfully.
"Greetings, my lord. We would like to ask whether you have seen two people passing through this area—"
Before the man could finish speaking, Bai Qian suddenly interrupted him, "How presumptuous! You dare disturb my master while he is resting?"
Cold sweat immediately formed on the pursuers' foreheads. This group was clearly not just a wealthy noble household. Judging by their numbers and the way their servants conducted themselves, they began to suspect that the person before them might even be royalty.
Yang Luoya merely stared at them without saying a word, as though he had no intention of entertaining their questions.
"F-Forgive us, my lord... W-We shall take our leave.", The group hurriedly retreated, afraid of offending someone whose status might be far beyond their reach.
Once they were gone, Yang Luoya returned to the small rock where he had been sitting and continued his meal.
"My lord, what should we do with those two?" Bai Qian asked.
"...Call a physician. Have them examined."
Yang Luoya's expression remained unchanged. Bai Qian obeyed immediately and summoned a physician to examine the two strangers.
A little while later, Yang Luoya approached the carriage, curious about the physician's findings. Lin Yue was still unconscious, resting atop the pile of hay. Wu Zhen, meanwhile, was barely conscious. His mind remained hazy, but he was doing his best to stay awake while the physician examined his arm.
"What are the results?" Yang Luoya asked.
"The woman appears to have a mild fever. As for the boy..." The physician hesitated, his expression troubled. "His condition is considerably more complicated."
"Speak.", Yang Luoya's voice turned cold.
"The boy appears to possess a rather unusual constitution. He was born with an exceptionally strong Pure Yang essence. In fact, it may be far too strong for his body to withstand. This constitution is causing him considerable suffering from within."
"Is there no cure?"
"Well... there isn't exactly a cure, but there are several ways to suppress or regulate his Yang energy. One method is to consume something containing an exceptionally strong Yin essence. Another method would be to... ahem..."
The physician awkwardly cleared his throat.
"To find a way to expend the excess Yang energy. However, the boy is still a child, so the second method is out of the question for now."
Yang Luoya remained silent for a moment, "I don't know of anything that contains such powerful Yin energy. And I presume it's quite rare?"
"...Actually, my lord, one of the nobles who presented gifts to you recently offered a flower containing a pure Yin essence. That flower should be powerful enough to stabilize the boy's condition and allow him to remain healthy for several years, at least until he is old enough to consider the second method."
The physician's voice trembled slightly as he made the suggestion.
"How presumptuous! To suggest taking something belonging to my lord—"
Bai Qian immediately tried to reprimand the physician, but Yang Luoya stopped him.
"Give him the flower."
Yang Luoya stood up.
"All those gifts from the nobles will end up forgotten in the storeroom anyway."
"M-My lord...", A weak voice suddenly called out to him.
Yang Luoya turned his gaze toward the boy.
"May I... know your name, my lord? The name of the person who saved me?", Wu Zhen asked weakly.
Yang Luoya looked at him with his usual emotionless expression.
"Yang Luoya."