BDSMST -Chapter 114 The Mystery of the Origin of the Spiritual Spring Space

The room was so quiet that the faint crackling of the candle flame could be heard.

The emerald beam that had shot out from the jade pendant had already disappeared, and the wall had returned to normal. Yet the direction it had pointed toward was deeply engraved in the minds of the three people present. The jade pendant in Jiang Suisui’s hand had also lost its glow, leaving only its warm, smooth touch. However, the resonance it shared with the depths of her dantian was still clearly perceptible.

Gu Yan stood completely still, shielding Jiang Suisui behind him. His posture held no aggression, yet he was like an immovable mountain, blocking Bai Yutang’s probing gaze. Looking at the young man on the bed—his face pale but his eyes burning with intensity—Gu Yan spoke in a calm but unmistakably firm voice.

“Just because of a glowing stone and a story passed down for hundreds of years, you expect my wife to follow you to a place whose fortune or misfortune we cannot even predict?”

Gu Yan gently placed his hand over Jiang Suisui’s, the one holding the jade pendant, giving her a sense of stability and strength.

“Young Master Bai, your sincerity still seems insufficient.”

Bai Yutang felt the pressure in Gu Yan’s words. He did not argue. Instead, he gave a bitter smile, which tugged at the wound on his forehead and made him inhale softly in pain.

“I understand the Marquis’s concerns,” he said, leaning back against the pillow. His breathing was slightly uneven, but his gaze remained determined.

“To search for the ‘Master of the Spring Source’ is less a mission of the Bai family than a shackle we have carried for hundreds of years. Our ancestor received great kindness from the Medicine King and was able to preserve the family during chaotic times. But he also swore a solemn oath. For generations, the Bai family must guard this secret and find a way to resolve the next great catastrophe. We do not seek treasure—we seek redemption, and also survival.”

He paused and looked at Jiang Suisui, his eyes filled with almost pleading sincerity.

“Madam, Marquis—you live near the capital and may not know this. The Bai family’s trade caravans are spread throughout Great Xia. Over the past three years, the news I have received has grown increasingly unsettling. In the southern province of Yunzhou, there was a village where all people and livestock died overnight, their deaths exactly like the ‘Bone-Rotting Plague’ recorded in ancient texts. On the frontier of the Western Regions, a strange disease caused people’s skin to grow a stony armor, and they eventually suffocated to death. These matters were suppressed by local officials who dared not report them to the court. But I know that the great plague prophesied by the Medicine King is not something that will never come—it is merely gathering strength.”

His words made the atmosphere in the room grow heavier.

Jiang Suisui’s heart pounded heavily.

She remembered the epidemic in Qinghe County when she had first arrived in this world. If not for her spiritual spring, that county might have already become a city of the dead.

And perhaps that had only been the beginning.

She had always believed that her transmigration and this spiritual spring space were heaven’s compensation for her unjust death in her previous life—a foundation for her survival.

But Bai Yutang’s words revealed another possibility.

She had not been favored.

She had been chosen.

This space might never have been a gift, but rather a heavy responsibility.

Stepping out from behind Gu Yan, she looked directly into Bai Yutang’s eyes.

“I need to know more,” she said calmly. “What exactly must be done to activate the spiritual vein? What effect will it have on me? And if it fails—what will happen?”

At last, a hint of relief appeared on Bai Yutang’s face. He knew she had begun to consider it seriously.

“According to the ancestral records, the core of Medicine King Valley’s spiritual vein is a dried-up spring eye. Only the token of the ‘Master of the Spring Source’—that is, the source of the spatial power you carry, Madam—or your heart’s blood can awaken it again.”

“As for the process, the ancient texts are vague. They only say that it requires the guidance of ‘power of the same origin.’ As for the risks…”

Bai Yutang’s expression turned grave.

“The ancestral teachings say that this act goes against the harmony of heaven and may cause damage to the ‘Master of the Spring Source.’ However, the Medicine King left a safeguard. In the valley grows a plant called the Soul-Returning Herb, born alongside the spiritual spring. If it can be found, it will compensate for any loss.”

“And if it fails… if it fails, the spiritual vein will completely fall silent, and Medicine King Valley will disappear from the mortal world forever.”

Jiang Suisui fell silent.

Heart’s blood. Personal loss. The consequences of failure. Every phrase carried enormous risk.

Gu Yan tightened his grip on her hand.

“No.” He spoke directly to Bai Yutang, his tone leaving no room for negotiation. “I will not let her take that risk.”

What did the safety of the world have to do with him?

He had guarded the northern frontier for many years, protecting the people of Great Xia. But now, the only person he wanted to protect was the one standing before him.

“Marquis!” Bai Yutang cried anxiously, trying to push himself upright.

“Gu Yan.” Jiang Suisui squeezed her husband’s hand in return and gently shook her head. She looked at him, silently telling him she had already made her decision.

Then she turned back to Bai Yutang.

“I can cooperate with you,” she said. “But I have several conditions.”

“Please speak, Madam! As long as I can accomplish them, I would face death without hesitation!”

“First, this mountain expedition must be commanded entirely by my husband, Gu Yan. Everyone must obey his orders, including the people from your Bai family.”

“That is only proper.” Bai Yutang nodded without hesitation.

“Second, you must share all information about Medicine King Valley with us. There must be no concealment. Only by knowing every detail can we make the most accurate judgment.”

“That is only natural. All the relevant records preserved by the Bai family will be delivered to you tomorrow, Madam.”

“Third,” Jiang Suisui said slowly and clearly, “I will only be responsible for locating and attempting to activate the spiritual vein. After that, how Medicine King Valley is handled and how the things inside it are distributed must be decided jointly by the three parties—no, by our Woniu Village and your Bai family together. Your Bai family cannot monopolize it.”

Bai Yutang was clearly taken aback. He hadn’t expected Jiang Suisui to think about the issue of profit distribution so quickly.

He looked at the woman before him. She possessed not only compassion, but also a vision and decisiveness far beyond ordinary people. Soon he relaxed and smiled.

“Madam is right. Medicine King Valley belongs to the world; naturally my Bai family cannot swallow it alone. What my Bai family seeks is only the ability to protect ourselves when the great plague arrives, and to leave a sliver of hope for the world. I agree to your terms.”

“Good.” Jiang Suisui finally nodded. “Then it’s settled.”

She turned to Gu Yan. Seeing that his brows were still tightly furrowed, she spoke softly.

“I’m not doing this for the people of the world. I want to understand who I really am and why I came here. Besides, if there truly is a great plague, Woniu Village—our home—will not be spared. I’m protecting us.”

Gu Yan looked into her clear and determined eyes. All the objections in his heart turned into a quiet sigh. He understood his wife well—once she made a decision, she would never change it. All he could do was stand beside her and shield her from whatever storms might come.

“When do we leave?” he asked Bai Yutang, already tacitly agreeing to the expedition.

“The snow in the mountains has not yet melted, and the roads are difficult to travel. Early spring will be the best time. These next few months will allow us to make thorough preparations,” Bai Yutang replied.

Gu Yan nodded and said nothing more. He took Jiang Suisui’s hand and walked toward the door.

“Take care of your injury,” he tossed over his shoulder.

After stepping outside, the cold wind brushed against Jiang Suisui’s face, clearing her muddled thoughts.

“You’re not angry that I made the decision on my own?” she asked quietly.

Gu Yan stopped and turned back to look at her. Moonlight fell over him, softening his entire presence. He raised his hand and tucked a strand of wind-blown hair behind her ear.

“I only blame myself for not being strong enough to let you live without having to do anything you dislike or anything dangerous,” he said softly, a trace of self-reproach in his voice. “But since you’ve decided, I will accompany you. Through mountains of blades or seas of fire—I’ll be there with you.”

Jiang Suisui’s heart filled completely at those simple words.

She stepped forward and leaned into his embrace, listening to the steady and powerful beat of his heart.

“Alright. We’ll face it together.”

She knew the road ahead was unknown and full of danger. But as long as this man was by her side, she was afraid of nothing.