Nine-layer armor-breaking

Chapter 356 Intent
Jiang Xian had treated others before, but he hadn't used this set of gold and silver needles that were tied to the arm.

Jiang Xian carried this piece of leather with her at all times, and even tied it tightly to her arm, so its importance was self-evident.

If the intention was merely to deceive the person already lying on the ground, there was really no need to go to such lengths.

These questions flashed through Liu Huwei's mind one after another. He pondered them deeply, but still could not find the answers.

Jiang Xian didn't notice Liu Huwei's expression. Instead, she was immersed in her own world, pulling one silver needle after another from inside the piece of skin and then inserting them into the acupoints of the heart and spine.

Guard Liu was filled with doubt and couldn't figure it out for a long time. Jiang Xian was carefully administering acupuncture to the main bodyguard. Among the group, only one person seemed to be relatively relaxed, and that was Guard Li standing to the side.

Unlike Guard Liu, who was also a guard, Guard Li didn't overthink things. He simply stood motionless beside Jiang Xian, intently watching Jiang Xian's acupuncture technique. He seemed completely absorbed in it.

Soon, Guard Li noticed that the person lying on the ground no longer seemed to be in as much pain as before.

The man's complexion gradually improved, no longer so pale, and regained some color. His brows began to relax, and even his fists, which had been clenched tightly due to the previous pain, were now relaxed.

After an unknown amount of time, the last injection was administered. Seeing Jiang Xian waiting patiently without making a move, the man lying on the ground looked up at the sky and said, "I haven't said anything yet, are you still willing to spare my life?"

His tone lacked the lighthearted joy he seemed to feel; instead, it was filled with confusion and a greater sense of desolation than before.

As he spoke, he didn't look at anyone, yet everyone present understood that he was speaking only to Jiang Xian.

“I didn’t say I would save your life; the acupuncture is only a temporary measure.” She moved the needles around a bit. “I’ll say it again: whether you want to live or not is entirely up to you.”

Upon hearing this, the leader smiled slightly and said nothing more.

Li, the guard, saw it clearly. It was much better than before. Most importantly, the smile no longer looked scary or distorted and ferocious.

"We'll set off in a stick of incense's time," Jiang Xian said to the two guards, glancing at the condition of the man lying on the ground.

"Yes!" the two guards replied in unison.

When Jiang Xian was applying acupuncture, Zhu Xingu clearly felt the changes in his body. Now that Jiang Xian had finished applying acupuncture, he felt his body again and found that there were already significant changes in his body.

I felt much lighter; to be precise, almost all the pain in my body had disappeared. If there was anything still uncomfortable about my body, it was only my lack of energy.

Although he was no longer in pain or itching, he was extremely weak, and he was afraid that a slight bump on the road would kill him. He could clearly sense that he could not withstand any more hardship.

He had overheard Jiang Xian's instructions to the two guards, and therefore he was very worried about his situation after an incense stick had burned.

How much can he recover in just the time it takes for an incense stick to burn? Or did he misjudge his own condition?
The woman before me, whose true face I cannot see, is reliable in her actions, and indeed, my body has greatly improved after she administered acupuncture. However, since I do not know her background or her true intentions, can I really trust her? And how much can I believe in her?
He had no answer and could only wait for time to pass.

……

Each person had their own thoughts, but who could truly see into another's heart? A stick of incense had burned, and in that short time, only one person was suffering.

The main character remained lying motionless on the ground, afraid that even the slightest lack of cooperation would severely affect his recovery.

“Everything is ready,” Guard Liu said to Jiang Xian.

He was struggling to hold on when he heard Guard Liu's words and his heart skipped a beat. It meant that the time it takes for an incense stick to burn was up, and he no longer needed to force himself to persevere. He didn't know if the road ahead would lead to rebirth or an even greater abyss.

In the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the area returned to its previous state, neat but lifeless, as if nothing had ever happened.

Jiang Xian nodded to Guard Liu, then walked to the side of the backbone and said, "Pretend you're alright now, relax, and try to get up."

Upon hearing this, the leader slowly opened his eyes, which had been tightly closed due to tension.

He stared at Jiang Xian for a long while before gradually relaxing his body.

First his limbs, then his torso. He moved his hands and feet, then turned his head, and then used his waist and neck to exert force. In the next instant, he found himself miraculously sitting up.

He was sitting there... The scene was so bizarre that he couldn't believe it.

An incense stick's time ago, Jiang Xian had administered acupuncture to him. Although he no longer felt pain, he was extremely weak at that time. Even something as simple as breathing was not an easy task for him.

However, despite his extreme weakness, he miraculously stood up after only one incense stick's time, which was simply unbelievable.

He thought this was the woman deliberately concealing her face, and that she didn't want him to have the strength to resist, so she intentionally kept him hanging like this.

However, the current situation is truly beyond his expectations.

She didn't do that; she actually did her best to heal him. He didn't understand.

He couldn't understand what the woman's purpose was. Was it just for those things hidden deep in his heart? Or did she have other intentions?
He slowly moved his body, trying to get up...

After a few slow movements, he stood up without any doubt, relying on his own strength rather than the help of others, and stood up upright.

After getting up, he closed his eyes and felt his body. This time, compared to the disbelief he felt before, he was more surprised.

He felt refreshed and invigorated; the weakness and exhaustion he had felt had vanished without a trace. He felt like a "human" again, rather than a reptile hiding in the shadows, dependent on others, and manipulated by them.

He opened his eyes and stared intently at Jiang Xian's hood. He stood there as if time had stood still for a long time before finally saying "Thank you" to Jiang Xian.

His gaze was unmistakable; he seemed to have many questions in his mind, yet his voice remained remarkably calm.

(End of this chapter)