Chapter 19: Unlocking the Profound
After hearing Xiao Che's words, Xia Qingyue tried to gather her Profound Force in both hands. Immediately, her heart shook once more, because when the Profound Force gathered in her hands, it was far smoother than before, and the speed was also fully nearly two to three tenths faster.
Watching Xia Qingyue's reaction, Xiao Che nodded with satisfaction: "Does it feel smoother and faster? If all the cold energy in your body were drawn out and your meridians cleared, your body temperature would be no different from a normal person when not using the Ice Cloud Art, all negative reactions would never appear again, and the speed of executing Profound Force would increase by nearly half. Moreover, from now on, the speed at which you cultivate the Ice Cloud Art would also increase by at least three tenths! Oh, I'm just saying this casually; you can treat it as casual talk too, since there's no way you'd let me do it."
As he spoke, Xiao Che had already started packing up the things he had taken from the Medicine Affairs Hall.
"You just said... that the speed of cultivating the Ice Cloud Art would increase by three tenths?" Xia Qingyue abruptly turned her head. Xiao Che's words stunned her completely—so shocked that she wanted to believe them, yet couldn't.
A pill that could increase a person's cultivation progress by one or two tenths over a year or two was an undisputed world-class treasure, enough to spark fierce battles and rivers of blood. But what Xiao Che implied... was a permanent increase of three tenths!!
These words were not just astonishing! If some item or condition could permanently increase a person's Profound cultivation speed by as much as three tenths, then Xia Qingyue had no doubt that all the heroes of the world would swarm out, fighting fiercely to seize it.
"Exactly," Xiao Che nodded. "Believe it or not."
Xiao Che's "take it or leave it" attitude instead made Xia Qingyue believe it a bit more, and the feeling after his treatment was something she had personally experienced. Faced with his casual but shocking statement, she could no longer muster much doubt. This feeling surprised even herself. The vast Bing Yun Fairy Palace had stood for a thousand years on the Cang Yun Continent, yet it had never heard of a method with such astonishing effects. And here, in this tiny Liu Yun City, a sixteen-year-old boy with a crippled Profound Vein was speaking so confidently... and she found herself unconsciously half-believing him.
"If the effect is truly as you say... then why did you say I wouldn't agree to let you do it?" Xia Qingyue asked.
"Well..." Xiao Che's mouth twisted, and he said with a serious face: "It's very simple. Just think about it. To disperse the cold energy throughout your body and clear the frozen meridians, I would have to apply needles to your body. Since it's needles on the body, of course you'd have to take off your clothes—at least expose your entire back to me... You wouldn't even let me touch your hand, so would you be willing to take off your clothes in front of me?"
Xia Qingyue: "..."
"Alright, the silver needles are used, so I should return them to the Medicine Affairs Hall." Xiao Che smiled faintly at Xia Qingyue: "No need to thank me. After all, you are my wife. You went out of your way to bring me a blanket late last night; it's only right that I do something for you."
Watching Xiao Che's back as he packed up, Xia Qingyue's expression flickered several times before she finally spoke again on her own: "I've always known about the cold energy accumulated in my body. I also know that the early stages of the Ice Cloud Art freeze some of the meridians. If I disperse the cold energy and clear the meridians, it can indeed relieve the physical discomfort and help with executing Profound Force... but what does that have to do with increasing the speed of Profound cultivation?"
"This involves very complex medical theory—extremely complex—so I'd rather not explain. And even if I did, you probably wouldn't understand," Xiao Che said vaguely, a cold sweat nearly breaking out on his forehead. He had thought his earlier words and acupuncture had successfully fooled Xia Qingyue, but she still asked with full doubt, and hit the nail on the head—because increasing cultivation speed really had nothing at all to do with cold energy or meridians.
Fortunately, Xia Qingyue didn't press further. Just as Xiao Che was tying up the bundle again, she spoke once more: "Where did you learn all this? With your acupuncture technique just now, you would be fully qualified to join one of the great medical sects! If you truly had the abilities you described earlier, then not just this small Liu Yun City, but the entire Cang Yun Continent would know your name. How could you have remained unknown, with only the reputation of being a cripple?"
Join those medical sects? Xiao Che curled his lips in disdain, then turned his face and said calmly: "I learned all this from my master."
"Your... master?" Xia Qingyue's delicate brows moved. She had never heard that Xiao Che had a master.
"My master was a great healer. All his life, he traveled to save people, healing countless wounded and dying. I met him when I was very young. He taught me looking, listening, questioning, and pulse-taking; acupuncture, finger pressure, moxibustion, and massage; medical theory, pharmacology, and toxicology; and how to recognize hundreds of medicines, poisons, insects, and herbs. I am his only successor. His kindness to me is as heavy as a mountain, something I could never repay in a lifetime... but not long ago, he left me, and I have no way to find him. That is why I have some medical skill. As for anything else, don't ask more. I don't want to speak too much about my master's matters. And the fact that I know medicine—not even my grandfather or little aunt knows—you are the only one besides myself who knows."
Thinking of his departed master, Xiao Che's face involuntarily showed sadness and remembrance. This was his truest emotion, without a trace of falseness or pretense. This sincerity also affected Xia Qingyue, and she completely believed Xiao Che's words. She said softly: "To have given you such astonishingly skilled acupuncture at such a young age, your master must have been a truly great healer."
"He was the greatest healer in the world—no exceptions!" Xiao Che declared with absolute firmness.
Xiao Che's demeanor unconsciously made Xia Qingyue's doubts diminish a little more. After some hesitation, she finally made her decision: "...Then, are you certain that what you said about permanently increasing my cultivation speed by three tenths... is true?"
"Since I said it, I wouldn't disgrace my master's medical reputation. Hm? You don't mean... you want to try it, do you?" Xiao Che turned around, looking at her with surprise.
Xia Qingyue took a small breath, then averted her gaze slightly: "You're sure you only need to expose my back?"
Xiao Che's eyes lit up. He leaned forward, grinning: "If you insist on exposing everything, that's also acceptable..."
Xia Qingyue's brows furrowed. With a flick of her red sleeve, a sudden gust of cold wind made Xiao Che shiver all over. She walked toward the bed, saying indifferently: "Begin. Let me see if your medical skill is as miraculous as you claim... But if you dare have any other thoughts, I will not let you off lightly."
"One slap from you could kill me. Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't dare," Xiao Che said with a sly grin.
He took out the silver needle case and the Red Sun Flower Extract he had just put away, then walked to the bed. Facing Xia Qingyue, who was already sitting on the bed, he said with a very serious face: "Take off your clothes!"
Those three innocent words, in Xiao Che's mouth, sounded like a bully forcing a virtuous woman.
One could imagine what Xia Qingyue, always pure and untainted like a proud lotus in the world, felt upon hearing those three words... But the promise of a permanent three-tenths increase in cultivation speed was an enormous temptation. So great that it could be said no Profound practitioner could resist it! Because if it truly worked, then with equal talent, equal Profound Arts and skills, equal environment and resources, three years of cultivation would be equivalent to another's four years! After a hundred years, she would surpass the other by thirty years of progress!
Xiao Che was certain that even if she had to undress, Xia Qingyue would not refuse. Because she was clearly a girl who pursued higher Profound power—otherwise, she wouldn't have joined the Bing Yun Fairy Palace despite the consequence of severing emotions and desires.
If it was truly as he said, then this price was worth it... and it was only exposing her back. Thinking this, Xia Qingyue turned her back to Xiao Che. Her chest rose and fell slightly, then her heart calmed like a still mirror. She closed her eyes, unbuttoned her clothes, and the red garments slid slowly down her fragrant shoulders and jade-like arms. Instantly, her smooth, dazzlingly white back was revealed without any cover before Xiao Che's eyes.
She pulled the brocade quilt over her chest, the fallen red clothes covering her full, tempting buttocks, exposing the water-like curve of her jade back. It was truly slender without being bony, radiant and unparalleled. The skin of her neck and shoulders was delicate and flawless, like moistened fat. Xiao Che stared directly, momentarily dazed.
"Begin immediately! Don't have any other thoughts!" Xia Qingyue closed her eyes, her voice cold.
"A woman's body is meant to be seen by her own husband," Xiao Che muttered under his breath, then shut his mouth, picked up a silver needle, and the moment it entered his hand, his expression turned serious.
Feeling Xiao Che's breathing behind her become steady, Xia Qingyue, who had been about to speak, said nothing and slightly closed her eyes. Even now, she still found it hard to believe Xiao Che's words... but the temptation of a three-tenths increase in cultivation speed—even if there was only the slightest possibility—no one could refuse.
A light movement of air. With a flick of Xiao Che's wrist, a silver needle gently pierced the Tianzong point on Xia Qingyue's jade back, his fingers not touching her skin at all.
Xiao Che began to move his fingers like flying. One silver needle after another was picked up, quickly and accurately piercing Xia Qingyue's back, so fast that only a continuous blur of motion could be seen.
Xia Qingyue kept her eyes closed, focusing all her attention on her back. She began to notice that every time a needle was inserted, it was accompanied by a thread of Profound Qi. This discovery made her heart stir.
She knew Xiao Che's physical condition well. With his Profound Vein crippled, he could only remain at the Initial Xuan Realm, Level 1. The most basic, minimal Profound Qi was all he could use. And yet, each needle piercing her back carried a thread of Profound Qi that, though small to her, was nearly the maximum intensity for a Level 1 Initial Xuan Realm cultivator!
She didn't know why Xiao Che infused Profound Qi into the needles. But it clearly meant that every needle he inserted was exhausting his full strength.
Previously, when he applied the eight needles to her hand, it was done so quickly that her attention was all on his technique, so she hadn't noticed this. Now, realizing it, her heart could not remain calm for a long time.
At this moment, twenty-three needles had been inserted into her back, and Xiao Che's speed had noticeably slowed. If Xia Qingyue turned around, she would see that his face was slightly flushed and covered in sweat.