Every Lifetime I Fall {COMPLETED but undergoing revisions}

Chapter 37: Third Life - Save a Life

"Open up!" I yelled, carrying an unconscious Lu Kai on my back. Knocking once again on the door, someone finally opened.

"What are you doing here?" Wu Jing asked. He still had a grudge against me since the last time we met. Well, I did try to kill his father, but he stabbed me in the heart!

"Where's Wu Dufeng?" I asked, walking passed him and into the wooden shack. I gently placed Lu Kai's body onto the day bed. 

"He's out. What's wrong with her?"

"The Star Gem happened."

His eyes grew big upon hearing about the Star Gem.

"You! You really went to go get that thing?" He asked.

"Master ordered it."

"Then what are you doing here?! I can't have you people coming into my home!"

"I can't bring Lu Kai back there... he'll be killed."

"Why? Why would she be killed?"

Turning to face Wu Jing, I sighed and said, "Lu Kai is a man."

"A man? With this face?" He pointed at Lu Kai's glowing face. 

"I didn't know. He must have kept it from me when we entered Crimson Snow Valley."

"You brought a man into the all female sect, Crimson Snow Valley? Are you crazy? If he gets killed because of trespassing, what about you? What are they going to do to you?"

"I don't even want to think about it."

"Wu Jing, who's here?" Wu Dufeng entered through the doors.

"Father! Uh, she's here again..."

"What's the matter?" Wu Dufeng turned his attention to me.

"There's a possibility that my Younger Sis-- Younger Brother disciple has been poisoned. Wu Dufeng, could you take a look?"

Wu Jing wanted to argue with me, but his father raised a hand to silence him. Wu Dufeng examined the luminous markings on Lu Kai's body. Although dressed in female attire, Wu Dufeng disrobed Lu Kai with a scared Wu Jing turning his back to the healing process. Exposed was Lu Kai's flat chest and juvenile abs. The distinct glowing light illuminated from the wound on his chest. 

"Is this... The Star Gem?" Wu Dufeng asked.

"It is. We were at Shui Jing Mountain. When the Star Gem broke, there was this explosion of light and power... It was incredible," I recollected.

"The Star Gem... is being absorbed by his body."

Worried, I asked, "What? What do you mean?"

"For some reason, the gem is attracted to the elements of his body. He is absorbing the powers of it."

This is not good. If I could not bring back the Star Gem to Master, then she will definitely kill Lu Kai... and then kill me.

"How do we remove it?" I asked in a demanding tone. 

"I don't know. But the good news is, he isn't poisoned. The powers of the Star Gem is too intense for him to handle, causing him to sleep through the absorption."

"So he'll be okay?"

"He should be."

Good.

Placing a hand to my abdomen, I exhaled deeply. Wu Dufeng asked me if I was hurt. 

"Not too badly, but the powers of the Star Gem injured my internal organs... and I'm afraid Sect Leader Song's best two disciples died from the explosion."

This silenced Wu Dufeng. I knew he wasn't comfortable with me knowing of his location, but now tying in the other sects would make things messy for him. After I spared his life, I told him to lie low while I figured things out. Strangely, he trusted that I wouldn't return to kill him.

"Why don't we focus on healing you and the boy first?" Wu Dufeng suggested and then said to Wu Jing, "Son, bring some medicine to the kitchen and brew it for her."

Wu Jing clucked his tongue but did as his father instructed.

For three days and nights, Lu Kai slept soundly. I sat at the side of the bed, hoping he would awaken soon. Once I knew that he was all right, then I would have to leave. I would have to return to Crimson Snow Valley.

Nodding off, I slammed my head onto the bed and became wide awake. A struggling Lu Kai started incoherently muttering under his breath.

"No... don't..."

By now the glowing marks on his body had disappeared. 

"Xiao Kai? Xiao Kai, can you hear me? I'm right here," softly calling out to him, I held onto his hand.

Opening his eyes for the first time in days, he said, "Senior Luo? Where are we? Are you hurt?"

"We're safe here for the time being. The Star Gem exploded and your body absorbed its powers."

"It what?" Feeling his around his body, he found himself dressed down to his white under clothes. 

Puling the blanket over his chest, he asked through the covers, "Senior Luo... you know?"

"Know what?" I smiled.

"That I'm not... a girl?"

"It couldn't be avoided. When I ripped open your robes, I knew right away."

"Are you mad?"

"Of course not."

"Oh. I'm glad." He pulled down the covers and smiled happily. That innocent and mischievous smile. The one that made you want to squeeze him.

Standing up, I informed him, "In order not to strangle you to death, I'm abandoning you. Goodbye."

And I walked out the door.