From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

The world before Yan Ruyu's eyes began to blur, and a buzzing sound filled her ears, as if countless bees were flying around.

She felt her body was light and airy, like a fallen leaf, as if she could be blown away by the wind at any moment.

The cold, a bone-chilling cold, made her tremble uncontrollably, and the sound of her teeth chattering could be clearly heard.

His face was as pale as paper, devoid of any color, and his lips were cracked, like parched earth.

Xu Lin'an felt as if an invisible hand was gripping his heart tightly, making it difficult for him to breathe.

He held Yan Ruyu tightly, trying to warm her cold body with his own body heat.

"Ruyu, hang in there! I will definitely find a way!" His tone was anxious and his voice trembled. The calm and composed demeanor he usually put on had long since disappeared. At this moment, he was just an ordinary man worried about his lover.

The air around seemed to freeze, making it hard to breathe.

The once clear sky was now covered by dark clouds, gloomy and seemingly ready to press down at any moment.

The wind howled, like the low growl of a wild beast, sending chills down one's spine.

"I...I'm fine..." Yan Ruyu weakly uttered a few words, forcing a pale smile, not wanting Xu Lin'an to worry more.

But the more she acted this way, the more Xu Lin'an's heart ached as if it were being pricked by needles.

"Don't speak, conserve your energy!" Xu Lin'an hugged her tighter, his eyes resolute. "I will definitely heal you!" He looked up at the sky, silently praying: God, please protect her!

He must find a renowned doctor as soon as possible to treat Yan Ruyu.

However, the surrounding towns had already fallen into chaos due to the previous turmoil, and most of the clinics were closed. Even the few that were still open were all quack doctors who were completely unable to cure Yan Ruyu's illness.

On the street, pedestrians hurried by, their faces showing panic and unease.

Houses collapsed, shops closed, a scene of desolation.

The air was thick with the nauseating smell of dust and blood.

"Damn it!" Xu Lin'an slammed his fist against the wall, frustration and despair intertwined in his eyes.

He had never felt so powerless.

"Cough cough..." Yan Ruyu coughed a few more times, and a trace of blood spilled from the corner of her mouth.

"Ruyu!" Xu Lin'an hurriedly wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief, his heart aching.

Just then, a figure emerged from the alley, holding a medicine box in his hand, his eyes darting around uncertainly.

"Young master, this young lady seems quite ill. Would you like me to take a look?"

Xu Lin'an stared at the newcomer warily, his heart filled with doubt.

In this chaotic moment, the sudden appearance of a doctor seems too much of a coincidence...

He narrowed his eyes and asked in an icy tone, "Who are you?" Xu Lin'an cautiously sized up the newcomer. He saw that the man had white hair but a youthful face, dressed simply but neatly, carrying a wooden box that smelled of medicine. He had an air of otherworldly wisdom and extraordinary temperament, and was clearly not an ordinary itinerant doctor.

Is it...

Is he a legendary reclusive healer?

!

A glimmer of hope ignited in Xu Lin'an's heart, but years of experience kept him cautious.

"you are?"

The old man stroked his beard, smiled slightly, revealing a set of white teeth.

"I have been traveling around and have come here. I have seen that the young lady is seriously ill. I have some medical knowledge and may give it a try."

"Miracle doctor!" Xu Lin'an was overjoyed, as if he had grasped a lifeline, and his tone became respectful, "Please, miracle doctor, save my wife!"

The old man was touched by the deep affection in Xu Lin'an's eyes and nodded gently.

"Young master, there's no need for such formalities. Saving lives and healing the wounded is a doctor's duty." With that, he began to take Yan Ruyu's pulse.

Yan Ruyu was initially in a daze, feeling as if she were hovering on the brink of death, but at this moment she felt a warm current flowing into her body, which rekindled her hope.

She struggled to open her eyes and looked at Xu Lin'an.

Xu Lin'an held Yan Ruyu's hand tightly, as if trying to transfer his strength to her.

Yan Ruyu's hands were cold and weak, but Xu Lin'an's palms were warm and strong, making her feel extremely at ease.

Passersby stopped to watch, deeply moved by the touching scene.

Some exclaimed, "True friendship is revealed in times of trouble!" Others silently prayed that the young woman would be safe and sound.

The renowned physician examined the patient's pulse for a long time, his brow furrowed and his expression serious.

After a moment, he slowly spoke: "The young lady's pulse... is peculiar..." He looked up at Xu Lin'an, a deep meaning flashing in his eyes, "Young master, may I speak with you in private?"

"Young master, please forgive my bluntness, but the young lady's pulse... is indeed peculiar." The divine physician put down Yan Ruyu's wrist, his brows furrowed into a deep frown, his once ethereal face now filled with helplessness and solemnity.

He shook his head and sighed, "In all my years of medical practice, I have never seen such a strange pulse, which contains a trace of... an ancient curse."

These words struck Xu Lin'an and Yan Ruyu like a bolt from the blue.

The color drained from Xu Lin'an's face instantly. His hands clenched into fists, his nails digging deep into his palms. He stared at the divine physician in disbelief, his voice trembling slightly: "A curse?! This... how is this possible?"

Yan Ruyu was also shocked and speechless. She thought it was already outrageous enough that she was unlucky enough to transmigrate into the villain's body, but now she was also being cursed.

!

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found her throat too dry to utter a single word, leaving only despair in her eyes.

The once bustling streets were now eerily quiet, as if the whole world had lost its sound.

A suffocating sense of oppression filled the air, as if an invisible hand was tightly gripping everyone's throat.

The onlookers, who had just held onto a sliver of hope, now turned deathly pale, as if they too had been caught in the vortex of this curse.

Xu Lin'an was unwilling to give up; he absolutely could not give up!

He must find a solution!

He took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, and bowed deeply to the divine physician: "Divine physician, please tell me, is there any way to break this curse? Even if there is only a sliver of hope, I will never give up!"

The healer shook his head. "Perhaps you could try looking up some information about ancient curses."

Xu Lin'an did not give up. He thought of a place—the forgotten scripture pavilion behind the academy.

There are countless ancient books piled up there, and perhaps some clues about the curse are hidden among them!

Clinging to his last glimmer of hope, he arrived at the dusty library.

The room was dark and damp, with a musty smell permeating the air.

The books were piled up like mountains, in a disorderly fashion, as if telling the story of the vicissitudes of time.

He carefully moved among the bookshelves, his fingers lightly gliding along the spines, hoping to find a trace of the curse.

Time passed second by second, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his eyes were bloodshot, but he still did not give up.

Finally, in a tattered ancient book, he discovered some records about an ancient curse. It described a mysterious place, said to be full of unknown dangers, and perhaps containing the way to break the curse.

His heart skipped a beat, and a mix of excitement and nervousness welled up inside him.

Yan Ruyu watched as Xu Lin'an focused on reviewing the information, feeling both expectant and worried.

She hoped Xu Lin'an could find a way to break the curse, but she was also worried that he would be in danger as a result.

She stood quietly behind him, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

The places recorded in ancient books have long since lost their names, leaving only a few faint characters, yet they exude an aura of mystery and danger.

That place is located deep in the mist, full of unknown dangers; a slight misstep could lead to utter destruction.

Xu Lin'an raised his head, his eyes flashing with hesitation and determination.

He looked at Yan Ruyu and said firmly, "Ruyu, I must save you!"

In the distance, deep within the mist, a blurry outline looms out, like a monster with its jaws wide open, awaiting its prey...

"There……"