Chapter 101: You’ve Worked Hard
Nan Xiaoxiang, as usual, stayed up late.
She always enjoyed a long bath before bed, followed by some light reading of medical texts and jotting down any new remedies that came to mind.
Just like now. She sat at her desk, writing diligently.
But after only a few words, her brow furrowed.
…The Gu worms outside her door were dead.
She had placed them there as a precaution. If any uninvited guests approached, the Gu worms would crawl onto them, serving as a hidden weapon.
But for the Gu worms to die before she even saw the intruder… Nan Xiaoxiang had only experienced this twice before.
The last time was when that scoundrel Chen Yin kidnapped her.
She calmly put down her brush and looked towards the door.
As expected, a playful voice rang out, “Well, well. This is interesting.”
“These little bugs are quite fascinating. If I weren’t paying attention, I would have missed them.”
A shirtless man with fiery red hair strolled into the room, a tiny Gu worm held delicately between his fingers.
“If I’m not mistaken, this is a Gu worm, right?”
“I’m surprised a mere mortal like you could cultivate such interesting creatures.” He turned to look at Nan Xiaoxiang, who was sitting at her desk.
Nan Xiaoxiang’s expression remained calm as she asked, “What brings you here so late at night? The clinic is closed.”
“Nothing much. Just looking for a few people.”
Kuli narrowed his eyes. “Do you know someone named Chen Yin?”
“I do.”
Nan Xiaoxiang replied calmly, “He barged in late at night, just like you, and asked me to treat his friends.”
“Oh? Then do you know where he and his friends are now?”
Nan Xiaoxiang didn’t answer.
Her clear eyes were fixed on Kuli, as if trying to read his thoughts.
Kuli chuckled. “Don’t worry. I’m not bloodthirsty.”
“As long as you’re not involved in this, I won’t harm you.”
Nan Xiaoxiang fell silent.
She had a feeling this trouble was Chen Yin’s fault. She had repeatedly warned him to be careful when dealing with Ju Shaohé, but he had still attracted the attention of his enemies.
She was annoyed. For a moment, she even wished that this man and Chen Yin would fight to the death. It would save her a lot of trouble.
But Chen Yin wasn’t at the clinic now. Although she didn’t get along with him, she was quite fond of those little foxes.
After a moment of contemplation, Nan Xiaoxiang shook her head slowly. “Chen Yin is no longer at the clinic.”
“What about his friends?”
“They left with him after they recovered.”
Kuli stared at her for a long moment, then said slowly, each word deliberate: “You’re lying.”
The next moment, he crushed the Gu worm in his hand and pressed a finger, as pale and smooth as jade, against Nan Xiaoxiang’s forehead.
“I might not be bloodthirsty,”
“…But I hate being lied to.” His voice turned cold.
Nan Xiaoxiang felt a chilling aura of death emanating from his finger.
She blinked, her gaze remaining clear and calm.
“If you don’t believe me, why bother asking?”
“I’m just a mere mortal woman. If you want to kill me, it wouldn’t take much effort.”
Kuli’s playful expression faded, and he said impassively, “You really won’t talk?”
“I already told you. You just don’t believe me.”
Her eyes, like falling stars, lowered sadly. “If you’re just looking for an excuse to kill me, there’s no need to waste your time. Just do it.”
Tch. Kuli scoffed, a look of boredom on his face. He was about to raise his hand and kill her when a sudden movement outside made his hair stand on end. He quickly withdrew his hand.
But he was a moment too slow.
A dark beam of energy pierced through his index finger, leaving a clean hole.
Kuli stared at his injured finger silently, then turned towards the window.
“…It seems I don’t have to look for them anymore.” He murmured to himself.
The next moment, he transformed into a streak of black light and disappeared from the room.
After Kuli left, Nan Xiaoxiang breathed a sigh of relief and sat back down, her eyes filled with exhaustion.
“…I just brushed with death.” She couldn’t help but chuckle wryly.
However, she had a good idea who had attacked Kuli from outside.
It must have been the cold and aloof woman who had been following Chen Yin and the little foxes, Qingying.
But Nan Xiaoxiang didn’t understand why Qingying would save her.
She thought that this seemingly unapproachable and indifferent woman wouldn’t care about the lives of others.
“I just wonder… if she can escape now.” Nan Xiaoxiang sighed softly.
Indeed, she couldn’t escape.
Although Qingying had fled immediately after her attack, the red-haired, shirtless man quickly caught up to her.
It wasn’t difficult for a Supreme Clarity Realm cultivator to catch up to her, especially when he was using his full speed.
Even with the System’s help and all her skills, Qingying couldn’t shake him off.
“See, you’ve gotten yourself into trouble.” The System chuckled. “I told you this guy was tough. You still insisted on provoking him.”
Qingying gritted her teeth and said silently, “Shut up.”
“Tch, so stubborn now, but you’ll be begging me for help later.”
The System grumbled but continued to assist Qingying, closely monitoring the red-haired cultivator.
They chased each other out of Yanxia Province and into a desolate wilderness.
With no obstacles in the open terrain, Qingying knew she had no chance of escaping in a straight line. So she stopped and turned to face her pursuer.
Kuli also slowed down and landed before her.
“Why did you stop running? I thought you were planning to flee to Xianyun Province.”
“There’s no need to run.” Qingying’s red lips parted slightly, her cold eyes filled with indifference. “I just didn’t want to cause too much commotion. It’s better to settle this in a secluded place.”
“Oh?” Kuli raised an eyebrow.
“You seem quite confident.”
“Just to be sure, let me ask.” He said slowly, “I didn’t chase the wrong person, did I?”
“You’re that Chen Yin’s friend, right?”
Qingying countered, “If I said I wasn’t, would you let me go?”
“Of course not.”
Kuli grinned. “I would just give you a quick death.”
“Then stop wasting time.”
Qingying slowly drew a shimmering purple dagger, a faint glow emanating from its blade.
“System, exchange for a Dao Breakthrough Pill.”
“Exchange successful. I’ll administer it now.”
Qingying’s eyes flickered with power.
“Although you already know this, I’ll remind you again, just in case.”
The System said, “The Dao Breakthrough Pill’s effects only last for fifteen minutes. It will temporarily boost your cultivation to the peak of the Supreme Clarity Realm.”
“But once the fifteen minutes are up, you’ll have to run for your life.”
Qingying didn’t answer, her gaze fixed on the man before her.
Kuli let out a soft gasp. He could sense the woman’s aura growing stronger, quickly reaching a level that made even him wary.
“…Interesting.”
He stroked his chin and chuckled. “Tonight is full of surprises.”
“Let’s see if you have the skills to match your newfound power.”
The next moment, he vanished.
Qingying’s brows furrowed, and she swung her dagger, its blade clashing against a pair of arms as white and smooth as jade.
To her surprise, the impact produced a metallic clang.
…His arms are incredibly tough. Qingying frowned.
Her opponent also seemed surprised. “Oh? What material is your dagger made of? It didn’t even break after clashing with my bare hands?”
Of course it didn’t break. It’s a divine weapon from the System Shop. It would be strange if it broke so easily.
Although Qingying wanted to retort, her opponent’s relentless attacks gave her no chance to speak.
His arms, seemingly delicate and soft, were as hard as steel, each blow forcing Qingying to retreat.
Their blades clashed in a flurry of sparks, Qingying relying on the System’s assistance to nimbly dodge and weave through Kuli’s attacks. Her purple dagger flashed, striking from various unpredictable and deadly angles.
But every attack was blocked by those jade-like arms.
After a while, the System couldn’t help but say:
“Hey, you’re running out of time.”
“I know.”
“This guy is clearly a peak Supreme Clarity Realm expert, just a step away from the Grand Clarity Realm. You can’t defeat him with just a System boost and a pill.”
“I said I know!”
“Then why aren’t you running?”
Qingying gritted her teeth. “Don’t bother me!”
The System sighed helplessly. “What a stubborn girl.”
But it was right.
Qingying wasn’t weak. In fact, she was considered a prodigy among her peers. With the System’s assistance, she could even hold her own against top prodigies like Shen Shuanglian and Luo Qiaoqiao.
But her opponent was a true Supreme Clarity Realm expert. Even with the System’s enhancements, she could barely keep up. She was far from being able to kill him.
…And the Dao Breakthrough Pill’s effects only lasted for fifteen minutes.
Qingying’s eyes were still cold and determined, but she was starting to consider exchanging for a more powerful pill.
However, she didn’t have many points left, and that pill had severe side effects.
As Kuli’s attacks became fiercer, Qingying gritted her teeth, preparing to use her last resort.
Suddenly, a playful voice praised her from behind.
“Well done.”
Qingying froze.
Kuli seized the opportunity and was about to strike with his jade-like hand when a sword effortlessly deflected his attack.
Qingying looked at the man standing before her, sword in hand, her eyes flickering with a mix of emotions.
But in the end, she just snorted coldly.
“You’re always causing trouble for me.”
Chen Yin chuckled. This time, he didn’t tease her.
“You’ve worked hard.”
“Leave the rest to me.”
Leave a Reply