Heart Exchange
Mu Yu decided to stuff Xiaoshuai’s mouth so that the spirit beast wouldn’t vomit a mess the next time they were around strangers.
“Uh, Mr… Mr. Lang? May I ask you to… You sort of need me alive to save her, right?” stammered Mu Yu whilst thinking, I can’t even save myself, let alone save her!
The man finally let go. “You can call me Nameless.”
“Why does she call you Deer? Why pick ‘wolf’ for a name? Do you have a problem with dogs?” asked Xiaoshuai, genuinely confounded.
Nameless Swordsman looked to Xiaoshuai. As if the swordsman’s eyes were shooting beams, Xiaoshuai raced back into Mu Yu’s shirt. Nameless Swordsman then moved his intimidating gaze back to Mu Yu. “You can save her?”
Mu Yu: I don’t want to think about what would happen if I said no.
“Dear, don’t impose on them. I understand my condition better than anyone. It’s hopeless. Let them go,” Yu Die said in a gentle voice.
“Can you save her or not?” Nameless Swordsman had asked many lauded alchemists and doctors to take a look at Yu Die’s condition. Sadly, nobody had any solution. Logically, then, he didn’t buy Mu Yu’s claim when the latter was an unknown Golden Core Realm cultivator. Nonetheless, he was grasping at straws, so every straw was a chance.
Mu Yu answered, “I… We need to discuss that. Surely you understand how much we value our ability to treat people. Every man needs to eat, no? If you could give me and my buddy a moment…”
“Hmph.” Nameless Swordsman walked off as a way of tacitly giving approval.
Once Mu Yu ensured Nameless Swordsman was out of view and earshot, he brayed, “Nice going.”
“You can use your tr-”
Realising Xiaoshuai was about to mention Life and Death in the Blink of an Eye, Mu Yu covered Xiaoshuai’s mouth in a hurry. He explained, “I can’t carelessly use the ability. I have no certainty I can cure her, understand? I can tell she has no life force left in her organs. Although life extension pill has worked its magic, she’s at the end of the line.”
Last time, Mu Yu utilised Life and Death in the Blink of an Eye in the heat of the moment to save those he cared about. He couldn’t promise he could find the same feeling again for a lady he met for the first time.
“Her organs are fine, actually. Life extension pills only stimulated her heart’s life force. She just needs a heart replacement. I know a technique for transplanting hearts, thought it requires a strong life force as a safeguard. You’re the only person alive I know who can accomplish it.”
“Heart replacement? Don’t we need a dead person, then?”
“I reckon he could find another heart easily. Look how powerful he is,” replied Xiaoshuai, wagging his tail indifferently.
“I’m not performing the operation unless someone volunteers to offer their heart. It’s a matter of principle. I don’t support taking a life to save a life.”
“And it’s okay for Mr. Deer Dog to gnaw your head off?”
“It’s principle.”
“How confident are you?”
Suddenly hearing Nameless Swordsman’s voice right next to his ear, Mu Yu shuddered. He resolutely asserted, “Unless they agree to donate their heart, I won’t help you. Worst comes to worst, we’ll go down together.”
“How confident are you?”
“With Mu Yu on it and me directing, failure is no longer a word,” interjected Xiaoshuai.
“As I said, even if there’s no chance of failure I won’t operate if th-”
“Use my heart.”
Mu Yu: “What?’
“Use my heart. I’m willing to donate.”
“You do realise you’ll die without your heart,” informed Mu Yu, eyes wide.
“That’s of no significance if it can save her life.”
“Why?’
“Because I love her.”
“… You love her?”
Mu Yu’s view of life was challenged. He valued life more than anything; all of a sudden, he heard someone state love was more valuable than life.
“Have you loved a girl before?”
Mu Yu froze. He wondered if his unrequited feelings for her qualified as love. Compared to Nameless Swordsman’s love, his feelings seemed trivial. Moreover, if asked, he would be willing to sacrifice his life for his shifu, Xiang Nan, Cheng Yan and even Xiaoshuai. What were those feelings considered?
“You will eventually find the one,” said Nameless Swordsman, looking over to Yu Die with an affectionate look in his eyes. “Yu Die is a kind girl. She shouldn’t be forced to leave this world so soon.”
“Why do you trust us? If we fail, both of you will…” questioned Mu Yu, not even confident about the outlandish idea himself.
“She doesn’t have much longer. Once she parts with this world, I will join her. What’s the difference between you killing me and me taking my own life? If you manage to save her, I, at the very least, will live on in her heart. If there’s hope, I should try, agree?”
The gentleness in Nameless Swordsman’s eyes read, “How ironic. All this skill and power in me, yet I can’t protect the woman I care about most. I saw a bright future, but fate decided to give me a hand I can’t win with.”
Mu Yu suddenly felt jealous he wanted to have a girl he could give up so much for. Xiaoshuai sniffled. Mu Yu tapped Xiaoshuai and asked, “Why are you crying?”
“I don’t know, man! I hate the guy, but he made me cry…” answered Xiaoshuai, wiping his tears.
Nameless Swordsman met Yu Die when he was at his lowest. She softened his solid pride and cold emotions. He had done everything he could think of. Helpless, he left Mist City with her for one last trip.
“I’ll put her to sleep. I have an anaesthetic pill that should numb the pain. If you need anything, let me know,” Nameless Swordsman said as he sauntered back to Yu Die.
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