Chapter 20: Now This Is Interesting...
For the first twenty-plus needles, Xiao Che handled them with ease. But as sweat began to appear on his forehead, his left hand holding the needles started to tremble slightly, and his movements slowed down noticeably. Where before he could insert a needle in a single breath, it gradually took several breaths… After thirty needles, the time between each one grew longer and longer.
If Xia Qingyue had turned her head, she would have noticed that Xiao Che had been using his left hand the entire time. He wasn’t left-handed, nor was his left hand more skilled—it was because of the Heavenly Poison Pearl reflected in his left palm.
Every time a silver needle pierced in, the Heavenly Poison Pearl in his palm flickered faintly. The power of the Heavenly Poison Pearl silently seeped into Xia Qingyue’s body through the needles. Of course, this power was absolutely not poison; rather, it was a purifying force. The Heavenly Poison Pearl had the ability to cleanse all poisons in the world, and this “poison” included not only deadly toxins but also harmful or excess impurities within the body. However, this was different from marrow cleansing and meridian washing. Using this ability of the Heavenly Poison Pearl was the main purpose for him going through all the trouble to needle Xia Qingyue today.
Dispelling the cold energy and opening her meridians were just side effects and a cover. What he was truly doing was “opening her profound channels” for Xia Qingyue!
One minute passed… ten minutes passed… a quarter of an hour passed…
Wispy strands of cold energy slowly rose from each silver needle. After a full half-hour, fifty-four needles had been inserted into Xia Qingyue’s back. At this point, Xiao Che’s hands finally paused. But the pause lasted less than half a minute before he suddenly reached out, moving both hands in a flurry. One by one, he pulled the needles out of Xia Qingyue’s back with incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, all fifty-four needles had disappeared from her back.
Xia Qingyue’s jade-white back was still smooth and flawless, like the purest white jade. Thanks to Xiao Che’s exceptional skill, not a single mark was left behind.
“It’s done…” Xiao Che withdrew the needles and let out a long, relieved breath.
The moment all the needles were removed, Xia Qingyue felt as if she had suddenly drifted into paradise. An indescribable warmth and comfort suffused her entire body, making her almost unable to believe that this was her own body.
She pulled her clothes back on and immediately circulated her profound force. When she activated the Ice Cloud Art, she was startled badly—her profound force was mobilized almost instantly with her thought, flowing through her body with a speed and smoothness far beyond what it had been before.
In the nearly four years of practicing the Ice Cloud Art, she had still often been unable to fully control it. But now, feeling the Ice Cloud Art flow within her, she was absolutely certain that her current physical state allowed her to completely and perfectly master the Ice Cloud Art. The speed of her cultivation would naturally be elevated to a whole new level!
Having originally held little hope, she was overjoyed at this result, but also deeply shocked… She was stunned that what Xiao Che had said had actually come true! And the effect seemed even better than he had described!
She believed that if her master saw her current physical state, she would also be greatly surprised!
“Now… do you believe me?”
Xiao Che’s voice sounded in her ear, but it was unusually hoarse and weak. Xia Qingyue snapped out of her shock and turned to look at Xiao Che. She saw him leaning weakly against the bed frame, his forehead and entire clothes soaked with sweat. His face was frighteningly pale, as if he had just suffered a serious illness.
Thinking of the profound Qi poured into each needle, a pang of pain suddenly struck her heart—a feeling like being pricked by a needle. This feeling caused a slight disturbance in her emotions, because she actually felt an inappropriate ache for this person who was only her husband in name and with whom she would never have a real connection.
“I believe you… I believe you really are a divine doctor.” Xia Qingyue looked at him with a complex gaze. “So the person looked down upon by everyone in Liu Yun City actually has such astonishing abilities… But you clearly know that I have no feelings for you, and in a month, I will leave you forever… Why did you reveal all this to me? Giving me such a great favor, and even working so hard for me… why?”
A favor… this was truly an immense favor.
“Three reasons.” Exhausted, Xiao Che panted heavily but wore a full smile. “Almost everyone looks down on me, and you have every reason to do so. But you didn’t. Instead, you’ve been doing your best to protect my pitiful dignity… Last night, you went out to look for me out of worry, and silently brought me a blanket… To those who are good to me, I will always be even better!”
Xia Qingyue: “…”
“The second reason… you are my wife, after all.”
Xia Qingyue opened her lips but couldn’t speak.
“The third reason, and the most important one…” The smile on Xiao Che’s face turned mischievous. “I thought you would look very nice with your clothes off.”
“…” Whenever he teased her with dirty jokes, she would usually respond with cold disdain. But this time, looking at the cheap grin on his pale face, she simply couldn’t bring herself to get angry.
“Explanation done.” Xiao Che extended his hand and pointed to the medicine pot he had brought. “Dear wife Qingyue, go pour the medicine from that pot and drink it.”
Xia Qingyue took a deep look at him. Without asking what kind of medicine it was, she walked over, poured out the liquid, and drank it in one gulp.
“This is just the first adjustment. If you want to maintain your current state permanently, you need a total of seven ‘adjustments.’ For the next six days, once a day. The best time is around three in the morning, because that’s when the yin energy is heaviest, and the adjustment effect is best. Of course, whether to continue is up to you.”
Having said this, Xiao Che closed his eyes wearily. His physical strength was indeed severely depleted, and it was definitely not an act.
“You should rest well.” Xia Qingyue’s gaze grew even more complex. She said softly, then walked to the door and silently closed it.
Standing in the courtyard, Xia Qingyue raised her hands and looked at her palms, her eyes misty.
What kind of person is he?
At the very least, I have always misjudged him… Everyone in Liu Yun City has also misjudged him…
After Xia Qingyue left, Xiao Che’s body collapsed onto the bed. He lay askew, not wanting to move at all, occasionally muttering incoherently to himself…
“Huff… huff… My current physique is too weak. Just opening the profound channels nearly killed me…”
“If Master knew that I made someone take off her clothes, I wonder if he’d be so angry he’d jump down from heaven to teach me a lesson… After all… I could already needle through clothes when I was thirteen… I could even needle with my eyes closed and through clothes at fifteen… Huff… huff… Time to sleep…”
……………………
Ever since receiving the letter from the Xiao Sect, the entire Xiao Clan had been immersed in an extremely tense atmosphere. The clan leader, elders, and stewards bustled about every day, busy from morning to night preparing for the reception, terrified of any oversight or omission. The younger generation, on the other hand, trained like mad, as if injected with stimulants, dreaming of suddenly breaking through in these few days to increase their chances of being chosen to go to the Xiao Sect…
But none of this seemed to concern Xiao Che. He was practically the most idle person in the entire Xiao Clan.
That day, at the back mountain of the Xiao Clan.
This was a cemetery established by the Xiao Clan in the back mountain. After members of the Xiao Clan died, most were buried here.
Xiao Lie stood quietly before a tombstone. His white hair, carrying the weight of age and grief, fluttered slightly in the wind. The wind howled, adding a sense of desolation.
On the tombstone were carved the words: “Xiao Ying.”
“…Ying’er, I know that since you were young, your dream was to fulfill the ancestor’s wish—to return to the Xiao Sect and revive our abandoned branch. Now, such an opportunity has finally come. But… it’s sixteen years too late.”
Xiao Lie’s eyes were misty. He stood stiffly, murmuring unconsciously…
“I know that even after all these years, you still have many, many concerns… Che’er’s profound veins were crippled since childhood… That’s probably for the best. Although he is destined to be ordinary for life, mediocrity means no conflict and no grudges. Now that Che’er has married, I hope he can continue to live in peace and stability… Though he’s not your biological son, you saved his life at the cost of your own and your real son’s. I will do everything in my power to keep him safe…”
*Crack!*
A faint breaking sound reached Xiao Lie’s ears, startling him. He instantly snapped out of his daze, turned his head, and shouted sharply, “Who’s there?”
Following his shout, Xiao Yulong’s figure emerged from behind the thick ancient tree in the center of the cemetery. Seeing Xiao Lie, he was visibly startled. He stepped forward and performed a standard junior’s salute: “Yulong greets Fifth Elder… I didn’t expect Fifth Elder to be here. I hope Yulong hasn’t disturbed you?”
Xiao Lie’s eyes flickered with unease… He had been lost in grief, momentarily losing focus, and hadn’t noticed someone approaching. He didn’t know if Xiao Yulong had overheard his muttering. Frowning, he said, “Yulong, what are you doing here?”
Xiao Yulong quickly replied, “The envoy from the Xiao Sect will arrive tomorrow. Father believes this is a major event that will change the fate of the Xiao Clan, so it should be announced to our departed great-grandfather. Thus, he sent me here… If I inadvertently disturbed Fifth Elder, it is my fault.”
“Did you hear what I was saying just now?” Xiao Lie’s voice suddenly turned cold and hard, and an intangible aura pressed heavily toward Xiao Yulong.
The pressure released by a peak Spirit Xuan Realm expert was not something Xiao Yulong could withstand. His face paled as he quickly shook his head: “Yulong only just arrived. If not for Fifth Elder speaking out, I wouldn’t even have noticed you were here, let alone heard anything you said. If Fifth Elder wishes not to be disturbed, Yulong will leave immediately!”
From Xiao Yulong’s expression, Xiao Lie could detect no flaw. His heart relaxed slightly. He withdrew his aura and softened his tone: “Never mind, it’s nothing. The envoy from the Xiao Sect arrives tomorrow. You are the most likely candidate to be chosen. When that time comes, you will be our branch’s greatest hope for revival.”
“Fifth Elder flatters me. Yulong does not deserve such praise.” Xiao Yulong said humbly.
Xiao Lie nodded to him, then turned and left without staying any longer.
After he left, Xiao Yulong’s expression gradually turned subtle. He tapped his chin with his right hand and muttered with a frown: “Could it be… if it’s true, now this is getting interesting…”
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