In the forest, Lian Yueying, clenching her teeth against the searing pain, pressed a hand to her abdominal wound and raced onward.
A wound, in the instant of its penetration, often delivered excruciating pain; while subsequent numbness might render it bearable if one remained still, Lian Yueying found herself compelled to move at full speed.
Escaping the scene was one immediate concern, but paramount was the question of how to heal her grievous injury.
Though the wound’s surface area was not extensive, and circulating her New Wood Art (TL Note: A cultivation technique focused on wood spiritual energy) should have sufficed for healing, Lian Yueying had been pierced by a verdant sword light, leaving behind wood spiritual energy that clung to her like a bone-deep poison, proving impossible to expel. The extensive knowledge she had absorbed within the scripture pavilion unequivocally informed her that such an injury demanded the aid of specialized pills.
‘Fortunately, it’s only my intestines; even if they were completely severed, it wouldn’t impede my journey. Fortunately… it hurts so much, ahhh!!!’
Lian Yueying had bound the wound both fore and aft, wrapping multiple layers to finally staunch the flow of blood; yet, with every single movement, a piercing agony shot through her abdomen, assaulting her brain in relentless waves, causing her scalp to prickle with numbness. Blood dried on her chin only to be replaced by another surge from her mouth, and as tears and snot streamed down her face, they mingled with and colored the crusted trails of old blood.
She had paused to rest once, and indeed, the wound’s throbbing had momentarily subsided. However, the intractable wood spiritual energy relentlessly ravaged her flesh and internal organs, causing the wound to subtly warm and pulse in sync with her heart, each beat delivering a fresh surge of excruciating pain.
Left with no alternative, she could only accelerate her frantic pace once more.
In that fleeting, lightning-fast exchange, Lian Yueying understood that victory demanded extraordinary measures. Unable to evade Wang Zhi’s sword, she could only retreat to protect her vital organs, then boldly dispelled her protective golden light, conserving her last vestiges of spiritual energy to unleash the Green Edge Shuttle (TL Note: A specialized sword technique or artifact).
The outcome proved her strategy correct; Wang Zhi had utterly failed to anticipate Lian Yueying’s desperate maneuver, or perhaps, he had simply never imagined such a technique existed.
Having secured her victory, Lian Yueying swiftly withdrew her sword and sheathed it, then hastily relieved Wang Zhi of his storage bag before rushing back towards her sect.
‘Had I known, I would have always kept some pills capable of neutralizing Five Elements spiritual energy (TL Note: The Five Elements, Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water, are fundamental forces in cultivation). This was indeed thoughtless… even more so was my reckless action driven by greed, which nearly cost me my life. I was truly anxious.’
Beyond Zhou Yan’s genius dual spiritual roots (TL Note: A measure of a cultivator’s innate talent, indicating affinity for two types of spiritual energy), even an ordinary triple spiritual root (TL Note: Affinity for three types of spiritual energy) like Zhao Qianqian showed signs of approaching the eighth layer of cultivation. In stark contrast, Lian Yueying had spent a grueling half-year merely progressing from the sixth to the seventh layer; conventionally, another breakthrough would demand a minimum of three years.
Lost in thought, Lian Yueying’s legs suddenly buckled as the agony in her abdomen intensified, nearly sending her sprawling. Using her hand as a conduit, she probed her injury, only to discover that the insidious wood spiritual energy had already begun to encroach upon her adjacent internal organs.
‘I cannot use the Same Wind Art (TL Note: A cultivation technique) anymore; it would accelerate the flow of spiritual energy, and the wood spiritual energy would spread along with it.’
Fortunately, half a year of body tempering had significantly fortified Lian Yueying’s physical form, and coupled with a light body talisman (TL Note: A magical charm that reduces the user’s weight, increasing agility), her speed had not diminished excessively, yet…
Through the dappled canopy of trees, Lian Yueying could discern distant mountain ranges; it was the one soaring majestically into the clouds that truly marked Mount Song. She faced the daunting task of not only reaching its base but also ascending to its peak, a feat undoubtedly impossible at the current, alarming rate of internal erosion.
‘The Immortal Market (TL Note: A marketplace catering to cultivators) also offers healing pills, but it’s a chaotic place, a true den of dragons and fish (TL Note: Chinese idiom meaning a mixed bag of good and bad people). Among the disciples of the three sects and rogue cultivators, ill-intentioned individuals are unavoidable. I must make preparations early.’
With these thoughts swirling, Lian Yueying subtly altered her course, arriving in the forest housing the Immortal Market approximately two quarters of an hour later.
Clad in a black robe, her comely face obscured by a wooden mask, Lian Yueying stood before a towering tree, her eyes closed. She grimly endured the wood poison that had now invaded her lungs, circulating her spiritual energy. When her eyes next fluttered open, a faint, pale blue light shimmered within her pupils.
The previously unremarkable forest now appeared to her gaze cloaked in an invisible barrier. Extending a hand to touch it, she simultaneously advanced. Had a mortal witnessed this, Lian Yueying would have seemed to pass directly through the massive tree, vanishing without a trace.
This was merely a rudimentary illusion spell (TL Note: A spell that creates a deceptive visual or sensory effect), sufficient to deceive mortals.
This hurried return journey bore no resemblance to the calm composure Lian Yueying had possessed hours earlier when descending the mountain for leisure. Swallowing the blood that nearly spilled from her mouth, a consequence of circulating her spiritual energy once more, she hastened towards the pill hall.
Architecturally, the Immortal Market differed little from its mortal counterparts, yet the wares displayed at its street stalls and within its shops far surpassed the comprehension of any ordinary person.
Fangs gleaming with a sanguine hue, spirit fruits (TL Note: Fruits imbued with spiritual energy) floating inexplicably in mid-air, and metals radiating an otherworldly chill—such curiosities merely adorned the street stalls. Within the shops, however, many treasures commanded prices starting at a thousand spirit stones (TL Note: A form of currency used by cultivators, imbued with spiritual energy).
As she strode swiftly, some glances did fall upon Lian Yueying’s black robe, though none lingered.
Cultivators, often harboring secrets, routinely appeared without revealing their true faces. To pry into such matters invited swift resentment, a folly only the truly inexperienced dared to indulge.
Of course, unawakened beasts were another matter entirely…
From a street-side cage, a red-eyed, black-furred spirit hound began to bark furiously long before Lian Yueying drew near, its claws scrabbling at the iron bars, its blood-red maw gnawing, leaving trails of crimson drool.
Lian Yueying’s brow furrowed slightly as she glared fiercely at the spirit hound through her mask. Disregarding her injury, she locked her spiritual aura (TL Note: A cultivator’s spiritual presence or energy signature) onto the beast, her body radiating spiritual energy, which sent the hound whimpering and shrinking back into its cage.
Even as she did this, Lian Yueying maintained her stride, scaring the creature before quickly dashing off into the distance. The stall owner outwardly kicked the cage, yet subtly, almost imperceptibly, watched Lian Yueying’s retreating form, exchanging a knowing glance with the person beside him.
Unaware of these subtle exchanges, Lian Yueying crossed two more intersections, turned into an alley, and after a mere few steps, arrived before a shop.
Xuan Pill Hall. Lian Yueying had known of the Immortal Market even before joining the Tuoshan Sect, and it was the very owner of this establishment who had first guided her into the market and brought her to this shop to procure medicine.
Lian Yueying regulated her breathing, striving to appear as normal as possible. As she approached the main door, its wind chimes swayed naturally, emitting a clear, melodious sound. Stepping over the threshold and peering inside, she found not the familiar shop owner, but a young woman.
The young woman was meticulously grinding herbs. Noticing a customer, she turned her head, but upon seeing the black-robed, masked figure, her customary “Welcome” caught in her throat.
Lian Yueying paid no mind to her reaction. Seeing the young woman behind the counter, she drew a deep breath, suppressing the searing pain from her wound, and spoke in a low, strained voice: “I recall you carry basic pills for Five Elements injuries here. I’ll take five bottles of each.”
No sooner had she finished speaking than, before the young woman could reply, Lian Yueying erupted into a violent fit of coughing. Despite her desperate efforts to prevent blood from emerging, it nevertheless streamed from her nose, and ultimately, her lips proved unable to contain the crimson flow.
‘This won’t do. Speaking requires more use of my lungs, and I’ve just realized they’re completely ravaged by the wood poison.’
Lian Yueying dared not circulate any spiritual energy now. She could only gaze at the young woman, who, in turn, regarded her with a timid expression.
“Guest, are you alright? Do you need…”
“I want to buy pills!”
Each breath Lian Yueying drew now sent agonizing spasms through her lungs, yet mere pain had become secondary to her. Her full attention was fixed on the young woman, poised to retaliate or flee the moment any suspicious movement occurred.
In her state of weakness and agony, Lian Yueying could no longer restrain herself. The young woman, sensing Lian Yueying’s intense urgency and heightened aggression, could only nod repeatedly before turning to the medicine cabinet, selecting five white porcelain bottles, and placing them before her.
“Ten pills per bottle, for a total of one hundred and fifty spirit stones.”
Xuan Pill Hall’s medicines were renowned for their excellent value; even so, Lian Yueying would typically attempt to haggle for a better price on every visit.
However, she now lacked the breath to bargain. Even infusing spiritual energy into her storage bag to retrieve spirit stones would prove agonizing. Thus, she merely paid for the pills, took the bottles, and turned to depart.
Yet, no sooner had she stepped out the door than she noticed two highly suspicious individuals passing the alley’s entrance, casting a fleeting glance in her direction.
‘Could they have discerned my severe injuries and deliberately followed me?’
Even as she pondered, the two figures had already moved on, but Lian Yueying dared not take the gamble. She turned her gaze to the counter, observing the young woman meticulously collecting the spirit stones.
Her apricot eyes brimmed with an innocence utterly uncharacteristic of someone from the cultivation world. Above them, crescent brows arched with gentle luminosity, while below, her charming red lips hinted at the meticulous effort she had put into her appearance.
It was normal for female cultivators to enjoy putting on makeup and primping themselves; it didn’t take much time but could please them, which aligned with the saying that cultivation is also about cultivating the heart.
After a few breaths, Lian Yueying suddenly felt a stinging pain in her heart. She immediately roused herself, affixed talismans to the walls on either side of the shop’s exterior, made a simple disguise, and then quickly returned to the counter.
“I need to borrow a room. Might I ask for some accommodation?”
Saying this, Lian Yueying placed twenty spirit stones on the counter. The young woman initially wanted to shake her head, but after glancing at Lian Yueying, without even looking at the amount of spirit stones, she silently nodded, leading Lian Yueying into the room behind her.
The room wasn’t large. Two walls were bookshelves, a bed was placed by the window, and a bright yellow meditation cushion sat in the center of the room.
“Guest…”
The young woman turned, only to find Lian Yueying facing her. Through the wooden mask, she couldn’t see Lian Yueying’s expression, but she sensed the other person was very urgent. Reluctantly, she held her words back and quickly brushed past Lian Yueying, leaving the room.
‘Perhaps she’s a good person… but I don’t have time to think about such things now.’
Lian Yueying didn’t realize she had scared the young woman. She closed the room door tightly, affixed another talisman to the doorframe, and quickly scanned the room’s interior. But the stinging pain in her heart returned, forcing her to quickly sit on the meditation cushion. She took out the porcelain bottle labeled “Gengfa Pill,” poured out the pills, briefly identified them, and after confirming their authenticity, swallowed one.
Although Lian Yueying couldn’t refine pills, she had gained familiarity from reading books, knowing that even bone-deep Five Elements injuries needed to be treated little by little.
The pill entered her abdomen. Under the propulsion of spiritual energy, Lian Yueying controlled the medicinal power to first treat the organs distant from the wound, then gradually pushed it downwards. When the medicinal power dissipated, she would take another pill, repeating the process.
Outside, the young woman sat on a small stone stool, absentmindedly grinding herbs. She didn’t know how much time had passed, nor the extent of Lian Yueying’s injuries.
To be honest, she was a little scared; Lian Yueying’s demeanor seemed unfriendly.
“Sigh, I wonder where Master went to gather herbs. Leaving the shop to me, a fourth-layer Qi Refining cultivator (TL Note: A cultivation realm, indicating a relatively low level of spiritual development)… what if some villain…”
Before she finished speaking, the wind chimes at the door rang again. Two sturdy men entered the shop. The young woman, as usual, said “Welcome,” and rose to stand behind the counter.
“So it’s Miss Huaxi tending the shop. Is Fellow Daoist Jin here?”