Chapter 238

Fang Yuan, bloodied, tells the old steward that thieves attacked him and stole his primeval stones, and begs him to seek justice. In the servants’ tent, Brother Qiang tries to claim the two primeval stones as evidence of the attack and as payment for his own injuries, and skinny monkey and another servant unwillingly hand theirs over. The old steward walks in, slaps Brother Qiang for taking the stones, and confronts the whole tent, striking several servants and accusing them of using knives on Fang Yuan; they deny it, and he sends them back to be dealt with the next day. Watching from a dark corner, Bai Ning Bing privately notes that the old steward’s sarcastic guess, that Fang Yuan cut himself, happens to be true. ^{ch. 238}

The old steward returns the two primeval stones to Fang Yuan, who tearfully asks him to safeguard them so they cannot be stolen again. The old steward agrees, privately hoping Fang Yuan will one day be killed by wild beasts so the stones become his. Alone again, he sneers that Hei Tu is a fool. The moment everyone leaves, Fang Yuan’s expression turns calm. Bai Ning Bing asks about his still bleeding wounds. He says he still has use for them. ^{ch. 238}

He then presents himself, weeping, outside Shang Xin Ci’s tent. Her bodyguard Zhang Zhu tries to drive him off, but Shang Xin Ci comes out, and Fang Yuan tells her that only she can save him because his life has been harmed by her. She orders Zhang Zhu to heal him, and a white light from Zhang Zhu’s hands stops the bleeding and gradually closes the wounds. Fang Yuan claims the other servants snatched his primeval stones out of envy and threatened to make his life worse than death, and adds that they might arrange for him to be killed by wild beasts and make it look like an accident. Xiao Die is doubtful and tells Shang Xin Ci not to get involved, but Shang Xin Ci, unable to refuse him, agrees to take Fang Yuan and Bai Ning Bing in for the time being. ^{ch. 238}