Chapter 38: "Peerless Saint"
Chu Yueli's words left Xia Qingyue completely stupefied.
The fifty-four mystic gates of the mystic vein—of course she knew what that was. It was the most basic knowledge that every profound practitioner was bound to know. She understood perfectly what it meant to have all gates fully opened… It was a limit state theoretically achievable, but one had never heard of anyone actually attaining it. It was the "Heavenly Spirit Divine Vein" that, according to legend, only the ancient gods possessed—something beyond the reach of mere humans!
Ever since Xiao Che had used his silver needles to regulate her body, she had felt her mental and physical condition improve tremendously. The circulation and cultivation of her profound energy had become incredibly smooth—so smooth at times that she had the illusion that "this can't possibly be my own body." Now, hearing Chu Yueli's words, her heart was filled with shock…
All fifty-four mystic gates open… Heavenly Spirit Divine Vein…
How could this be! How could this be!!
But as one of the Ice Cloud Seven Immortals, how could Chu Yueli speak falsely? With her heaven-defying profound strength at the seventh level of the Heavenly Xuan Realm, how could she misjudge the state of her mystic vein? And the way she—usually as calm as still water—was now extremely agitated, how could that be fake?
Yet… how did this happen to me?
Could it be… could it be…
Xia Qingyue's mind flashed an image of Yun Che… She recalled how, during those days, he would use silver needles to regulate her body every day at the third hour of the morning. His stated purpose had always been "dispelling cold and clearing the meridians," and for that he would exhaust himself every time, even nearly harming his own vital energy…
Now she remembered: the silver needles he inserted into her body each time… were exactly fifty-four in number! This corresponded precisely to the number of mystic gates!
Could it really be him?
No… it could only be him! No one else had ever touched her body. And it was precisely because of his "regulation" that her body had undergone such tremendous changes.
But how could he—a son of the Xiao Sect, a man whose mystic veins were completely crippled—possess such an ability…
Seeing that Xia Qingyue, though not answering immediately, had a dazed look in her eyes and a complicated expression, Chu Yueli was absolutely convinced that in these past few days, Xia Qingyue must have encountered some kind of extraordinary luck… a miraculous encounter that could be called a divine miracle. She asked urgently, "Qingyue, tell me quickly—what person or what thing managed to open all your mystic gates!"
"It's… it's a person… I just never expected that he would actually be…"
"A person?" An even deeper shock covered Chu Yueli's face. "What is that senior's name? Or what does he look like? To possess such a shocking and unheard-of heaven-reaching ability!"
Shocking and unheard-of heaven-reaching ability—these words were in no way an exaggeration to describe the ability to fully open a person's mystic gates.
"I am a divine physician. Do you believe me?"
The sentence she had once dismissed with a sneer now echoed again in Xia Qingyue's mind. But her feelings about it now had undergone a earth-shattering change compared to then. At the same time, she also remembered that after Yun Che's third regulation of her body, he had gasped and said to her: "Qingyue, my wife, if your master ever discovers the changes in your body, don't ever tell her I did it… unless you want to be a widow…"
A person who could fully open all the mystic gates of a profound practitioner's mystic vein in such a short time—if his ability and his name were to spread, one could imagine the enormous commotion it would cause, and how many people would stop at nothing to find him…
"He said he was a divine physician," Xia Qingyue said with a complicated expression. "But he told me not to tell anyone about him. Please forgive me, Master."
Hearing Xia Qingyue's words, Chu Yueli was disappointed but did not press further. Instead, she nodded. "Someone with such heaven-reaching divine power must surely be a transcendent, peerless saint who has left the mortal world behind! Our Cang Feng Empire has a man known as the 'Cang Feng Medical Sage,' Gu Qiuhong. Not only is his medical skill superb, but he can also directly open three mystic gates for a profound practitioner through external means. This has made him widely renowned, with countless people seeking his help, earning him the title of the number one divine physician of Cang Feng. But compared to the senior you encountered, he is not even fit to carry his shoes! Such reclusive masters generally do not wish to be known to the world. Since you have received his heavenly grace, you should naturally keep his secret."
Xia Qingyue nodded, and a wave of clarity washed over her heart.
During those days, he had exhausted himself every day, almost desperately, regulating her body. What he called "dispelling cold and clearing the meridians" was merely a cover! What he was actually doing was opening all her mystic gates… And this "heaven-reaching ability" in her master's words, he had accomplished using nothing more than a few dozen silver needles.
Who was he, really…
Chu Yueli's face broke into an extremely pleased smile. Her gaze towards Xia Qingyue changed, becoming many times more fervent than before! She said solemnly, "After we return to the Bing Yun Fairy Palace, I will immediately report this to the Palace Master. I believe she will be overjoyed and take you on as a personal disciple. All the resources of the palace will be at your disposal without any restriction. Given the current state of your mystic vein, as long as you put in the most ordinary effort, you will surely become the most dazzling genius in the history of our Bing Yun Fairy Palace! In the next Cang Feng Ranking Battle, you will astonish everyone and shake the entire Cang Feng! Perhaps the Bing Yun Fairy Palace, because of you, will shake off the fate of being suppressed by the Tian Jian Villa for centuries! Our name will be restored as number one in Cang Feng!"
"…I will work hard and not disappoint my Master's expectations." Xia Qingyue nodded lightly, her mind still in turmoil.
"By the way! Qingyue, since that senior was willing to bestow upon you such heavenly grace, he must have taken a great liking to you. Did he leave any message about meeting again or anything like that?" Chu Yueli asked eagerly. Even if she were ten thousand times more intelligent, she would never have linked this "senior" to Yun Che, who was seen as utterly useless by everyone.
"…No, he didn't." Xia Qingyue shook her head.
"Hmm, I suppose I'm being a bit too greedy." Chu Yueli smiled dismissively, then sighed with emotion. "But if such a lofty person were to visit the Bing Yun Fairy Palace, even if it were just for a little guidance, it would be an inexhaustible benefit to our palace."
At this, Xia Qingyue's heart stirred. After a moment of hesitation, she said, "Master, at that time, he mentioned that he was looking for three things… namely, a Purple Vein Heavenly Crystal, a Seven-Xuan Exquisite Grass, and the profound pill of an Earth Xuan beast. If we could help him find these three things, perhaps he would appear and express his gratitude to our palace."
Xia Qingyue was clearly not very good at lying. As she said these words, she dared not meet Chu Yueli's eyes.
"Purple Vein Heavenly Crystal, Seven-Xuan Exquisite Grass, and the profound pill of an Earth Xuan beast…" Chu Yueli murmured the names of these three items, engraving them firmly in her memory. "Although these three things are extremely hard to find, given the capabilities of the Bing Yun Fairy Palace, it is not impossible to find them all. I will report this to the Palace Master and believe she will make a decision."
"Qingyue, let us go now. The Palace Master and your various masters and uncles will surely not know what a huge surprise I am bringing back for them."
Chu Yueli grabbed Xia Qingyue's wrist and lifted her into the air, soaring to a height of nearly a hundred meters in an instant. They turned into two ethereal fairy-like figures in the sky, flying towards the northwest.
This was Xia Qingyue's first time experiencing the sensation of flying through the air. She should have been excited, but her chaotic heart was completely occupied by other thoughts.
Before long, they had already flown beyond the boundaries of Liuyun City. Xia Qingyue looked back, her eyes glistening as she gazed at the Liuyun City that grew smaller and smaller in the distance. Her surging heart could not calm down.
What kind of person are you… In this world, who truly understands you?
You have bestowed upon me such a great favor—is it because you want to make it impossible for me to forget you? From now on, every time I practice profound arts, perhaps I will involuntarily think of you…
After you were expelled from the Xiao Sect, where did you go? Where are you now?
"Qingyue, my wife, are you asleep?"
"Wow! Qingyue, my wife, you look so much more beautiful today than yesterday! They all say that one's own wife always gets prettier the more you look at her—it turns out to be true!"
"Sniff sniff… Qingyue, my wife, did you go steal some flowers this morning? Otherwise, why do you smell so fragrant? Hmm? Could it be the legendary maiden's natural fragrance?"
"Qingyue, my wife, after this month, when you return to the Bing Yun Fairy Palace, will we really never see each other again… Then will you occasionally think of me in that place?"
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"Qingyue, my wife"—he always liked to call her that, deliberately adding that address before almost every sentence. She had gone from rejection to slowly accepting and getting used to it… And from now on, she knew she might never hear that address again. Thinking of this, a faint ache suddenly arose in her heart, and her gaze grew hazy.
"Qingyue? What's wrong? Why is your heartbeat so erratic?" Chu Yueli looked at her sideways.
Xia Qingyue shook her head gently. "I'm fine… I'm just a little reluctant to leave home…"
Chu Yueli clearly did not understand the full meaning of the word "home" in Xia Qingyue's heart. She comforted her, saying, "A girl leaving home for the first time is always sentimental. But once your profound strength reaches the Heavenly Xuan Realm, you will be able to traverse the void like your master, traveling a thousand miles a day. Then, if you want to come home, it will be a simple matter."
Speaking of Xia Qingyue's home, Chu Yueli thought of someone and casually said, "Your younger brother—I remember his name is… Xia Yuanba. Yesterday I examined his mystic vein. He was born with nine mystic gates open, an average talent. But his mystic vein is more than twice as thick as a normal person's. This is the first time I have seen such a condition in my life, nor have I ever heard of it before. Perhaps it is also one of the reasons for his overly large physique. I plan to do some research upon returning to see if this might be some kind of anomaly."
"Thank you for your concern, Master." Xia Qingyue responded softly. She turned her gaze towards the direction of her home and whispered to herself, "After I leave, Yuanba will also go alone to New Moon City to enter the New Moon Mystic Palace. I hope he can always be safe and not be bullied…"
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[I spent the whole night thinking about how to open Yun Che's cheat, and finally sorted out the ideas. I started pounding the keyboard… and then, after finishing Xia Qingyue and her master's conversation, a whole chapter had already passed!! Eh, well, that's how it is…………]
[The first female lead is finally about to appear! Wild monsters, tremble! Mini-bosses, obediently hand over your experience and equipment!]
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Thanks to Wind-k Jun for the ten thousand reward… Long time no see, I miss you dearly. Seeing you stirs great emotion in my heart…
Thanks to Still Indifferent Damo for the nn ten thousand reward! Supreme +1! When they said Damo Jun was going to reach Supreme, I thought it was a joke. And then… and then… and then… it happened…
Thanks to Rain in the Blood Seventeen for the ten thousand reward! Anyone who has read my Mars books knows that there is never any trace of bloodshed in my writing!! So this name makes me a little nervous…
Thanks to Pure White Little Qiongren for the ten thousand reward!! I don't know if it's pure white, but the ten thousand rewarder is definitely not poor!!
Thanks to Zhen Yi for another hundred thousand reward! I'll let Ci'er Niu give you a mwah mwah mwah x3!