The Blood of the Sorcerer

"Ah!"
"Brother Luo Chen!"
Qiao Wei and Luo Xuan had just put down their things and were about to sit when they heard a cry from Luo Chen’s side. Qiao Wei’s heart tightened; she hurried over, and Luo Xuan followed briskly.
"Brother Luo Chen, are you alright?" Qiao Wei rushed over just in time to see Rhine pulling Luo Chen out of the water. Luo Chen’s arm and body appeared as though burned—his once fair skin was now a bloody, mangled mess. Though the wounds were already healing, the scorched flesh was shocking to behold.
Ignoring Rhine’s dagger-like glare, Qiao Wei wiped away the blood and water with her handkerchief. Luo Chen, somewhat weakened, took the blood bag that Luo Xuan handed him.
After drinking the blood, Luo Chen finally regained some strength. His voice was hoarse as he said, "I’m fine. It seems there’s wizard’s blood in the water."
Qiao Wei paused, perplexed. "Does wizard’s blood really hurt you?"
Luo Xuan spoke gravely. "We vampires are stronger than humans; we don’t need air to survive. Yet there are three things we fear: sunlight, wooden objects, and wizard’s blood. If we come into contact with wizard’s blood, our skin is burned, and it can even kill us outright. It appears someone put wizard’s blood in the water. We can’t go any further."
The four fell into a long silence. Suddenly, Rhine let out a cold snort. "Isn’t there someone here who can go?"
Qiao Wei hesitated for a moment, then bit her lip and spoke with resolve. "I’ll go."
"No!" Luo Chen responded without thinking, "You’re human. You need air—how will you breathe underwater? Just stay put!"
Qiao Wei was annoyed. "Don’t underestimate humans! I’ll get the box. Besides, I have this pendant—it lets me breathe underwater. Anyway, I’m going."
Luo Chen glared at Qiao Wei, speechless for a long moment.
Luo Xuan spoke anxiously. "Qiao Qiao, it’s better if you stay here. We’ll think of another way. There must be another way."
"Qiao Wei, you haven’t contributed anything at all—do you really have the nerve to stand here?" Rhine’s cruel ridicule came at exactly the wrong moment, further provoking Qiao Wei.
Qiao Wei shot Rhine a glance, gathered all her resolve, and silently concentrated. Gradually, a pale aura enveloped her. Without caring about the others’ reactions, she jumped into the water.
Luo Xuan tried to grab her, and Luo Chen struggled to stand and stop her, but both were a step too late. They could only watch as Qiao Wei vanished beneath the surface.
"Let’s hope she’ll be alright," Luo Xuan said anxiously, gazing at the water. Luo Chen’s handsome brows were furrowed in worry. Their anxious faces made Rhine dislike Qiao Wei even more.
In a shadowy corner, a pair of emerald eyes had watched everything unfold. When Qiao Wei leapt into the water, the owner of those eyes smiled slyly, his gaze full of cunning—then he vanished without a trace.
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Yu Ning: I’m a good child, writing diligently—how about rewarding Yu Ning with a diamond?
Voice offstage: Get lost~
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