Chapter 144: Fairy, Fairy
“The only piece of Demon Blood-Burning Jade has already been bought by that young man just now.”
The old man sat there, playing with a piece of blue-green jade, not lifting his head. But suddenly, his hand froze, and his head shot up, a look of surprise on his face as he stared at the white-clad woman behind the maidservant. Then, as if struck by lightning, he rose from his seat, his demeanor turning exceptionally respectful: “Esteemed guest, please forgive this old man for his earlier rudeness. The guild does indeed have a piece of Demon Blood-Burning Crystal, but it has already been purchased by the young man who just left.”
“It is truly regrettable that I could not assist you, esteemed guest. I beg your forgiveness... Perhaps you could leave a sound transmission imprint, and if any new Demon Blood-Burning Crystal arrives, we will notify you immediately.”
The reason for the old man's dramatic change in attitude was simple: he had just probed this woman's profound force and found it as vast as the ocean, beyond his ability to fathom. Without a doubt, this woman's profound force was at least a major realm above his own. How could he not be shocked?
Seeing the old man become so deferential, even somewhat fearful, the maidservant quickly adjusted her posture as well, becoming more respectful. She was about to say something when she saw a flash of white before her eyes. The white-clad woman had vanished like a ghost.
Yun Che left the Black Moon Merchant Guild and retraced his steps toward the Cangfeng Mystic Palace, but his pace was no longer hurried. Instead, he walked unhurriedly, even making a strange bet with Mo Li...
“I bet that little fairy from just now will come looking for me soon.”
“Her? Looking for you? Where do you get such confidence? With her level of cultivation, she wouldn't even give you a second glance.”
“Want to make a bet?”
“I don't believe it.”
Mo Li had barely finished speaking when a cool breeze brushed past Yun Che's side. Before he could react, a woman in flowing white robes, her face veiled in snow-white gauze, appeared before him like a dream. Her beautiful eyes stared at him with utter detachment. The moment she appeared, she captured all of Yun Che's attention, for everything around him—even the sky and earth—seemed to lose all color in her presence.
“Sell me your Demon Blood-Burning Crystal. I'll pay double the price.”
Her voice was soft, but the softness carried an icy chill that pierced the bone, and within that chill was an undeniable authority.
If Yun Che were an ordinary True Xuan Realm profound practitioner, her cold gaze and commanding voice would have made him tremble in fear. He would have dared not meet her eyes, dared not look again, and certainly dared not refuse her words. He would have almost involuntarily handed over the Demon Blood-Burning Crystal... for this was the pressure of a Half-step King Xuan. How could a mere True Xuan Realm practitioner resist it?
But Yun Che could hardly be classified as an “ordinary True Xuan Realm profound practitioner.” Instead of shrinking back in shame, he met her gaze without reservation, his eyes filled with undisguised admiration and appreciation. After a moment, he shook his head and said slowly, “I wouldn't mind selling something I just bought for double the price. But I advise you not to buy it. The ice poison you've contracted cannot be cured by Demon Blood-Burning Crystal.”
This young man, with only True Xuan Realm profound force, showed no sign of tension under her Half-step King Xuan pressure. Instead, he was completely at ease. This already surprised the white-clad woman slightly, and his next words made her crescent-like brows furrow slightly: “How do you know I'm afflicted with ice poison?”
Yun Che smiled faintly and said unhurriedly, “Not only do I know you're afflicted with ice poison, but I also know it's a type of origin poison! If I'm not mistaken, you fought a powerful ice-type profound beast a few days ago. That beast possessed not only an ice attribute but also a highly potent poison attribute. You killed the beast, but were contaminated by the poison it released in its dying moment.”
The white-clad woman: “...”
“I believe that with your Half-step King Xuan level of profound force, the poison of that beast couldn't harm you. However, it seems you don't have much experience fighting high-level poisonous profound beasts. You see, some powerful poisonous profound beasts generate a 'origin poison' within their profound cores. This small amount of origin poison is the root of all their venom and the source of their life. Its toxicity is terrifying, but once released, it causes their own death. Therefore, unless facing certain death, they never release it. The ice-poison beast you fought faced death at your hands. In its desperate despair, it released its origin poison. I suspect you thought it was just ordinary poison and paid it no mind. By the time you realized you couldn't suppress this ice poison, you sought out Demon Blood-Burning Crystal to remove it.”
A flicker of shock crossed the white-clad woman's face. What Yun Che said was absolutely accurate.
Seven days ago, she had indeed killed an ice-type poisonous profound beast and been contaminated by the poison released as it perished. The poison quickly took effect, and even her formidable profound force could only barely suppress it, not dissolve it. That was why she had to seek out Demon Blood-Burning Crystal, which could cure various ice poisons... She traveled alone, and no one else knew of these events. Yet this young man had spoken them all out in one breath. He even described her profound force accurately.
“Who are you?” The white-clad woman's gaze toward Yun Che had completely changed. It was no longer the indifferent look one gives a True Xuan Realm practitioner.
Being taken seriously by a Half-step King Xuan—a peak powerhouse whose profound force ranked among the top ten in the Cang Feng Empire—who asked a mere True Xuan Realm nobody “Who are you?” was an incredibly satisfying feeling. Yun Che smiled with as mysterious an air as possible and said, “My name is Yun Che, just an ordinary disciple of the Cangfeng Mystic Palace... Oh, I also have another identity: I'm a divine doctor.”
“Judging from the external signs of your poison's outbreak, the profound force you can currently use is at most a third of normal. With your powerful profound force, you could eventually dissolve the origin ice poison within you, but it would take a long time—perhaps twenty or thirty years. During that time, your profound force would make no progress, and you could only maintain a third of your usual power. This origin ice poison cannot be removed by Demon Blood-Burning Crystal. On the contrary, since you practice an ice-type profound art, and Demon Blood-Burning Crystal contains a deep-seated burning blood fiend flame, if you rashly consume it, it could easily damage your profound veins... even cause permanent damage.”
“I've said all I need to say. If you still insist on using Demon Blood-Burning Crystal, then continue searching elsewhere. For your own good, I won't sell this piece to you... no matter the price.”
Yun Che finished, gave her a faint glance, then stepped forward, walked around the white-clad woman, and continued toward the Cangfeng Mystic Palace.
“How did you know she was afflicted with origin poison?” Mo Li asked with surprise.
“No matter what poison a person carries, it shows on their face. If I couldn't tell whether someone is poisoned and what poison it is, I'd be unworthy of being a divine doctor,” Yun Che replied.
“And how did you know she practices an ice-type profound art?”
“That's even simpler. This little fairy has such terrifying profound force; if she personally went to hunt a profound beast, it couldn't be for money. The only reason would be that something from that beast was greatly beneficial to her. She was afflicted with ice poison, so she must have killed an ice-type profound beast. And things from ice-type profound beasts are most beneficial to practitioners of ice-type profound arts. It's like back then, when the Burning Heaven Sect, which practices fire-type profound arts, went to great lengths to send their peak experts to hunt a flame dragon.”
Yun Che explained patiently, but his attention was entirely behind him. He sensed the little fairy had turned around, and her clear, cold gaze was fixed on his back.
“Wait!”
The voice Yun Che had been hoping for finally came from behind. He stopped, grinned, then turned around gracefully. “Fairy, is there something else you need?”
The white-clad woman's brows relaxed slightly, her eyes clear and bright. She said calmly, “Since you could see at a glance that I'm afflicted with origin poison, and you claim to be a divine doctor, do you also know how to quickly dissolve the poison within me?”
Yun Che had been waiting for this exact question. He nodded naturally. “Of course I do. This kind of origin poison is troublesome, but there is a way to dissolve it, and it doesn't take long—about ten days to completely remove it without any aftereffects... Fairy, you wouldn't be thinking of asking me to cure you, would you?”
Hearing Yun Che's words, a glimmer of brilliance flashed in the white-clad woman's beautiful eyes. She slowly nodded. “Then I'll trouble you to remove the ice poison from my body. After it's dissolved, I will reward you handsomely.”
Yun Che's face showed surprise, then hesitation. After a long moment, he spoke: “Fairy, you not only possess extraordinary profound force but are also a celestial being. I am merely a small disciple of a Mystic Palace. Aren't you afraid I might have ulterior motives?”
“Your eyes are clear. At the very least, you are not an evil person,” the white-clad woman said, utterly unruffled.
Yun Che laughed, seemingly pleased by her trust. He nodded. “Very well, since the fairy trusts me so much, I will try to dissolve the ice poison in your body. However, I am a disciple of the Cangfeng Mystic Palace and cannot be away for too long... How about this: I'll return to the Cangfeng Mystic Palace first. Before evening, you can find me in the Inner Palace, Disciple Room 101. I believe that with your abilities, the guards and barriers of the Cangfeng Mystic Palace are no obstacle. Besides, the disciple rooms in the Inner Palace are quiet, and no one will disturb us. It's a suitable place for you to rest and recuperate.”
The white-clad woman said nothing more, gave Yun Che a faint glance, then leaped into the air. Her robes fluttered, and in an instant, she disappeared from his sight.
Eh? Just like that?
Damn it! Just like that?!
At least say whether you're coming or not!!
Watching the graceful figure vanish into the horizon, Yun Che gritted his teeth. He wondered if the little fairy thought he was a swindler.
Ah, forget it...
Yun Che shook his head and walked back into the Cangfeng Mystic Palace.
Passing through the Outer Palace, crossing the Middle Palace, entering the Inner Palace, and finally reaching his small courtyard, Yun Che stretched. He pushed open his door, took one step inside, and instantly froze.
Because standing by his bamboo window was a figure in pure white—a woman as beautiful as a dream.