# Chapter 85: Courtesy Demands Reciprocity
Night had deepened, and the time was approaching midnight. The New Moon Mystic Palace had also fallen completely silent. Yun Che had not gone to sleep. After sitting in meditation for a while longer, he finally restored his profound energy to about half of its full capacity. He opened his eyes and sank his consciousness into the Heavenly Poison Pearl.
The world before him immediately turned emerald green. He was about to rummage through the Lesser Xuan Pill he had obtained from Lan Xueruo, but as soon as he took a step, he stopped in his tracks, staring blankly at the scene before him.
In this boundless green world, a delicate girl dressed entirely in red was lying quietly on her side, her eyes closed. She seemed to lack a sense of security—her body was curled up, her legs drawn in, making her look like a sleeping kitten. There was no coldness, no killing intent... only a fragility that made one want to hold her in their arms and cherish her tenderly.
Yun Che halted his steps, did not move forward, and silently withdrew.
When he came back in, he was carrying a thin blanket.
Moving lightly and quietly to Mo Li's side, Yun Che gently bent down. Mo Li was still fast asleep. Unable to use any profound energy at the moment and having completely let down her guard in this entirely independent space, she did not notice his approach.
*She spends most of her time in the Heavenly Poison Pearl sleeping, and I actually forgot to prepare a soft enough bed for her.*
Yun Che thought with some self-reproach as he gently spread out the blanket.
Looking at Mo Li up close was a visual delight. She was simply too adorable. Her small face was tender, delicate yet translucent, with brows and eyes like a painting, skin as white as snow, and long eyelashes as thin as cicada wings, fluttering with her even breathing. Her entire little face was utterly charming while also possessing a breathtaking beauty.
Her blood-red hair was spread out on the ground, almost blending in with her luxurious red dress. It highlighted her jade-like face, vermilion lips, arms as white as lotus root, and snow-white legs beneath her skirt that were as creamy as milk, all of which were deeply captivating. Her youthful figure, outlined by her dress, was indescribably graceful and moving. This red dress, a priceless "Liuxian" gown, was not something ordinary girls could pull off, but on Mo Li, it looked inexplicably harmonious. It seemed that only such extremely luxurious attire could match the noble temperament that Mo Li inadvertently revealed... and her status as a princess.
Yun Che couldn't help but squat there, watching her for a long time, unable to look away. Her small, delicate, snow-white nose moved slightly with each breath. At the corner of her pink lips hung a small trail of drool, and between her slightly parted lips, she unconsciously sucked the tip of her right index finger. Her sleeping posture was no different from that of an ordinary girl... or rather, she was still just a little girl.
However, her overly curled-up body showed that she had even less sense of security than ordinary girls.
Gently, Yun Che pulled the spread blanket and covered Mo Li with it.
As if feeling the blanket covering her, Mo Li's eyelashes fluttered slightly, and then she slowly opened her hazy eyes.
Yun Che's hand froze in midair. He smiled awkwardly and was considering what to say when he saw Mo Li's eyes grow increasingly dazed, and gradually, a thin layer of mist began to form over them...
"Big... Brother..."
Her gaze, through the mist, stared at Yun Che with infatuation, and a dreamlike murmur escaped her lips.
"..." Yun Che opened his mouth. Although Mo Li's eyes were open, she was clearly not fully awake yet, mistaking him for someone in her dream.
*Big brother? Is she dreaming about her dead brother?*
A small, snow-white hand reached out and gently grasped his. Mo Li looked at him dazedly, her voice carrying a heartbreaking melancholy: "Big brother... have you come to visit Mo Li in her dreams again..."
Yun Che kept his whole body still, unsure whether he should speak or not. At that moment, he saw the mist in Mo Li's eyes condense into teardrops that slowly slid down her fair cheeks... At the same time, her hazy, dreamy gaze began to gradually clear.
A strong force came from her hand, pushing him to sit on the ground. Mo Li had already stood up, her beautiful eyes filled with the icy coldness and arrogance that Yun Che knew well, but that teardrop seemed to have escaped its owner's notice, still hanging on her tender, fragrant cheek: "What are you doing in here?!"
"Bringing you a blanket." Yun Che stood up and lifted the blanket in his hand. Then he smiled and said, "But it seems I accidentally disturbed your sweet dream... Well, in the next few days, I'll prepare the most comfortable princess bed for you. I can't believe I've been neglecting this."
"No need," Mo Li refused.
"This is necessary. I've also slept on the ground a lot, and I know how uncomfortable it is. I'm rich now, after all—I can afford a comfortable bed." Yun Che shook a purple-gold card that he had somehow pulled out from who knows where, looking smug.
Mo Li did not respond further, whether out of tacit agreement or disdain. She tightened her small face and asked coldly, "What exactly did you come in here for? It can't be just to bring this princess a blanket, can it?"
"Well, there is indeed another matter." Yun Che narrowed his eyes. "You were sleeping just now, so you probably don't know that the Xiao Sect came to find me, and they even brought me a 'big' piece of news... Since the Xiao Sect came to cause trouble for me, courtesy demands reciprocity—I naturally have to return a big gift as well!"
"What are you planning to do?"
"Very simple." Yun Che smiled mysteriously and opened his palm. In his palm lay the Lesser Xuan Pill he had obtained from Lan Xueruo, along with the King Xuan Dragon Pill from the Flame Dragon. "This method can only be achieved with the help of the Heavenly Poison Pearl. To ensure perfection, it's best to do it inside the Heavenly Poison Pearl. Once it's done... it will be absolutely flawless!!"
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Time gradually approached midnight.
The main gate of the New Moon Mystic Palace had been destroyed, so a few more disciples were assigned to night watch. At this hour, very few people were entering or leaving the palace.
Just then, a disciple dressed in black, yawning as he walked, approached the palace gate. As he got close, he casually greeted them: "Oh! Senior Brother Zhan, Junior Brother Fang, on night duty? Hard at work."
"Yo! Junior Brother Li, where are you going in the middle of the night?" the one called Senior Brother Zhan called out.
"Mm, going out to buy something."
"Going out to buy something in the middle of the night? Heh heh, we're all men here—we know what that means." Another spoke with a sly grin.
The disciples on night duty burst into laughter. Another lowered his voice and said, "There are already few beauties in this palace. A young lad stuck alone in his room at night, burning with desire, going out to find some fun—completely understandable! If Junior Brother Li is going to the 'Piaohua Tower' to 'buy something,' remember to drop my name—might even get you a twenty percent discount!"
"Go to hell! Don't tell anyone I went out tonight!"
"Got it, we all understand!"
Amid knowing glances and laughter, "Junior Brother Li" swaggered out of the New Moon Mystic Palace. The moment he stepped out, several hidden gazes quickly swept over him several times before withdrawing.
The streets of New Moon City were already sparsely populated, and most shops were closed. "Junior Brother Li" hummed some old tune he had picked up somewhere and headed south. Before long, he had disappeared into the night. A little while later, another figure dressed in a black cloak and wearing a face-covering bamboo hat, with a cold and rigid expression, emerged from the darkness and walked with heavy steps straight toward the Black Moon Merchant Guild.
The Black Moon Merchant Guild operated twenty-four hours a day and did not close even at night. Some owners of valuable items, to avoid accidents, would often choose to go to the merchant guild for transactions in the dead of night.
This was Yun Che's second time entering the Black Moon Merchant Guild. His disguise was the same as the first time he came. There were no other customers in the shop, only a man in his early thirties standing behind the counter. It appeared to be the same clerk he had seen last time.
Hearing footsteps approach, the clerk did not look up, remaining expressionless and listless as he asked, "Buying or selling?"
"Call your manager out," Yun Che said, his voice cold and harsh.
Only then did the clerk look up. He was about to speak when he suddenly recognized the attire and face of the middle-aged man before him. After a brief pause, he sprang up from his chair like a spring, speaking in a flustered voice: "Ho... honored guest, wait a moment! This humble one will call the manager out immediately."
With that, the clerk hurriedly ran upstairs.
Yun Che did not have to wait long before Pu He came rushing down, straightening his clothes as he walked. When he saw Yun Che, his expression tightened, and he quickly came forward, greeting him from afar: "So it's an honored guest visiting. Pu has just lain down to sleep, causing the honored guest to wait so long—truly an inexcusable offense. I wonder what brings the honored guest here at this late hour? Is there anything this humble shop can do for you?"
"I want you to help me with something." Yun Che extended his left hand and opened his palm before Pu He. When Pu He's gaze fell on his palm, a crimson profound pill suddenly appeared there out of thin air: "I want you to buy this King Xuan Dragon Pill!"
Looking at the profound pill that had materialized out of nowhere in Yun Che's hand, Pu He's whole body trembled, and his teeth nearly chattered.
He had seen clearly—there was no space ring on Yun Che's hand. That profound pill had indeed appeared out of thin air. There was only one possible explanation... He had once heard that when one's profound strength reached the Lord Xuan Realm, one could use powerful profound energy to carve out one's own small space with bare hands. In that case, there would be no need for a space ring—items could be stored directly in one's own personal space, never to be stolen.
This person's profound pill had just been taken out of thin air from the void!
Could this person's cultivation already be... already be...
The Lord Xuan Realm! That was an existence at the pinnacle of the world, on the level of the Holy Domain and the Sea Palace! Could this terrifying person really be from there? At such a level, destroying the entire Cang Feng Empire single-handedly would be effortless!
Pu He was by no means a coward; on the contrary, he had weathered countless storms in his life and had extensive experience. But facing a top-tier expert who might very well be at the Lord Xuan Realm, even if his mental fortitude were ten times stronger, it would be impossible for him to stay calm. He could not even speak smoothly: "Ho... honored guest! It's not that Pu is unwilling to buy this King Xuan Dragon Pill. This King Xuan Dragon Pill is a priceless treasure—I would dream of buying it. But this humble shop is just a small branch of the Black Moon Merchant Guild. We simply cannot come up with enough money."
"I only want fifty thousand Purple Mysterious Coins." Yun Che slapped the King Xuan Dragon Pill onto the counter and said coldly.
"Wh... what? Fifty thousand Purple Mysterious Coins?" Pu He's eyes widened, and his lips trembled. He almost thought his ears were playing tricks on him.
Fifty thousand Purple Mysterious Coins was undoubtedly an astronomical sum—that was a full five hundred million Yellow Mysterious Coins! Enough to support a wealthy family for over a dozen lifetimes. But at this price, on the Cang Feng Continent, one could barely afford a low-grade Heavenly Xuan Pill. As for a King Xuan Pill, let alone fifty thousand Purple Mysterious Coins, even five hundred thousand would never be enough to buy one!
In all of New Moon City, items worth fifty thousand Purple Mysterious Coins were extremely rare. Selling a King Xuan Dragon Pill for fifty thousand Purple Mysterious Coins... was practically giving it away!