Meng Qi was taken aback.
No money?!
Her pair of bright eyes widened, staring at Qin Xiumo in a daze.
His eyes seem to hide…a slight smile?
The IOU was in her hand. Even if the other party said that he has no money, she always had a way to collect this debt. Some thoughts flashed through Meng Qi’s mind. She had never doubted that people like Qin Xiumo and Chu Tianfeng would renege their debt. And just now, did this guy mention Chu Tianfeng?
“Sixth-realm Jingxin pill, did Chu Tianfeng sell it to you?” Meng Qi asked.
“Right.” Qin Xiumo nodded.
“Did you meet him?” Meng Qi asked again.
Fentian Palace had a dedicated medical hall, and there were high-level medical cultivators there. It was not impossible for them to refine a sixth realm Jingxin pill. But Chu Tianfeng and Qin Xiumo had fought back and forth for Lu Qingran so many times in the previous life. Meng Qi has seen it before. Their fights couldn’t be said to be a normal brawl, but more like a deathly match.
Her mind turned fast, but her face remained calm. His treatments had reached this point, if she didn’t continue, would all her previous efforts be in vain? The water in the cold pond was so cold, even with the help of the spring warmth pills, Meng Qi still felt chilled to the bone.
Paying the debt with his body?
Hehe.
Meng Qi was about to speak when her eyes suddenly lit up. Why didn’t she think about this before?!
If Meng Qi wanted to solve the jackdaw poison from Xiao Qi’s body, besides some precious medicinal ingredients, she would also need a large amount of jade cicada vine. Although she could find that in the area around Fentian City, she had to go to the place called Yuchen Cliff. The aura around the cliff was very thin, thus also known as a ‘dead place.’
According to legend, one thousand years ago, a powerful celestial demon cultivator and an elder of Fentian City fought there for three days and three nights. At the end of the great battle, all the vitality within the radius of a hundred miles was dissipated. Ordinary cultivators wouldn’t be able to absorb the aura they needed to cultivate there.
Those who in the Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment stage usually relied on simple means of transportation to fly at low altitudes. For example, Meng Qi has a paper crane folded from talisman paper. Using a spirit stone as the source of energy, she could use it to fly. Although the speed was not fast, it was still better than walking on foot.
But the item was completely unusable in jade cicada cliff. There, people in the Foundation Establishment stage could barely use a magic tool, and it was impossible to fly to the cliff to cut the jade cicada vine. Only Golden Core cultivators could barely use a flying tool. Of course, for the Nascent Soul stage and above, the impact would only be smaller and smaller.
Cultivators of the Nascent Soul stage, however, could serve as elders even in a large sect like Fentian Palace. It was impossible for them to be responsible for mundane chores like gathering medical ingredients. This jade cicada vine was not a legendary treasure and rarely used when refining medicine. Even if it was sold in the Cloud Immortal Pavilion, the quantity was small, and the price was still very high.
Meng Qi originally planned to search for a solution after arriving in Fentian City, the only place in the Eastern Realm where jade cicada vine was grown. If nothing really worked, she would have to find a Golden Core cultivator to help her took the jade cicada vine in exchange for some spirit stones. The price of hiring such a high-level cultivator wasn’t low. Moreover, those people usually have great pride, and it would be hard to find one who would be willing to help her, even with a high payment.
She looked at Qin Xiumo up and down. This guy already reached the peak of the Golden Core stage. After he was healed, he should be able to overcome the tribulation and breakthrough to the Nascent Soul stage. Meng Qi’s mind suddenly moved. Using one hundred eighth-grade spirit stones, how many times could she hire a Golden Core peak, or even a Nascent Soul Cultivator? Meng Qi indeed had concerned about so many things that were inconvenient to do with her low cultivation base.
Cultivators in Three Thousand Worlds, the stronger they were, the higher was their pride. As a Qi Condensation cultivator, if Meng Qi wanted to find a Golden Core or even Nascent Soul cultivator to do her bidding, it would probably be very difficult, no matter how many spirit stones she was willing to pay.
“Okay.” She nodded, “I will hire you to do some work for me at the market price until your debt of one hundred eighth-grade spirit stones is paid off.”
Qin Xiumo was a double cultivator. Both his sword technique and spell usage were very strong. But would he really keep his words? Meng Qi was somewhat uncertain. She had seen Qin Xiumo turning his face and not acknowledging his promise. This guy had no moral code in restrain.
“Alright…” Meng Qi took out a pill from her storage bracelet and handed it to Qin Xiumo, “To prevent you from reneging your words, take this medicine.”
“Don’t worry.” She paused, “It usually won’t have any effect on your body. But you will need me to suppress the toxicity once a month.”
“Okay.” Qin Xiumo reached out and took the pill. Without even asking about the tragic effect of the poison, he stuffed the pill into his mouth.
Meng Qi: “…”
When did Qin Xiumo ever be so obedient? She looked at the man suspiciously. Was he still Qin Xiumo, who was later called the Little Devil Lord by people in Three Thousand Worlds?!
“I will continue your treatment.” Meng Qi said, her face indifferent. She knew that Qin Xiumo would not return to the Southern Realm before he was ready to break through to the Spirit Severing stage. Until that time, he would stay in the Eastern Realm. If she used this guy properly, many medicinal ingredients that she could not get because of her low cultivation base should be available.
She could even use him to hunt down some fierce beasts. Before her death, Meng Qi was never able to defeat those kinds of fierce beast, even though many parts of their body could be used to refine medicine. Before meeting her master, she could only escape if she accidentally met any of such beasts.
Meng Qi made up her mind, but her face was as calm as usual. After going back, she would ask around for the market price of hiring a Golden Core cultivator. Anyway, it’s not that she wouldn’t pay, just with a different form.
“I will come again tomorrow.” Meng Qi nodded towards Qin Xiumo and turned around to leave.
“Wait.” He stopped her, “If it takes too long, remember to charge the interest, I’ll properly pay.”
“…Okay.” Meng Qi couldn’t help but glance at him one more time.
What an eccentric guy!
Meng Qi shook her head. No wonder he was called the Little Devil Lord, she really couldn’t figure out this man’s line of thought.
Meng Qi returned to her room. The sect leader, all the elders, and people from Fentian palace had gone out to fight the devil beasts and haven’t returned yet. Chu Tianfeng didn’t look worried after he was back, so Meng Qi estimated that the battle was going on their favor. She stopped thinking about it, then reached out her hand to gently pulled Xiao Qi’s paw, who was still lying on the bed, and carefully checking his wound.
“Without the blazing feather, I must find a way to suppress the jackdaw grass effect as soon as possible.” She reached out to lightly squeezed Xiao Qi’s ear. After getting along for days, they had reached harmony. Xiao Qi was now completely used having his body petted by Meng Qi from time to time, his ears squeezed, and his fur combed….the little white tiger was also wholly helpless. He turned his body slightly, his little fluffy ears twitched a bit, but he didn’t try to avoid Meng Qi’s touch.
“Let’s sleep.” Having been busy most of the day, Meng Qi was utterly exhausted. She rubbed Xiao Qi’s head again and was about to lie down on her bed. But suddenly, there was a rush of footsteps outside the door: “Junior Sister Meng Qi! Is Junior Sister here?”
Someone was calling her, and also knocked on the door loudly: “Junior Sister, I’m your senior brother, Yu Jianbo.”
Meng Qi didn’t remember this name, but still opened the door. The one outside her room was a young and honest-looking disciple whose face she was somewhat familiar with.
“Junior Sister, it’s great that you are here!” He said, “Senior Sister Lu Qingran invites you to gather in the great hall. Elder Lu was coming back injured, he instructs us to immediately organize more personnel to follow him as reinforcement.”
“Huh?” Meng Qi strode out of the room, “What’s happen?” After Chu Tianfeng returned, she saw him kept hanging out near her room and didn’t seem to have any intention to go back to the battlefield. That’s why she thought things were going well.
“I don’t know.” Yu Jianbo said: “Let’s go to the hall first.”
When Meng Qi arrived, there were already seventeen or eighteen people standing inside the hall. Elder Lu stood in the center. He was one of Qingfeng Valley’s elders. There was blood on his arm, and his complexion didn’t look good.
“To make it short.” Elder Lu said: “This time, Fentian Palace received some news and discovered a gap in the boundary near Qingfeng Valley that separates Three Thousand Worlds with Demon and Devil Realm. Some devil beasts took the opportunity to invade. Everyone knows that under the command of elder Xun Yan and the sect leader, we went to exterminate the devils.”
“In the beginning, everything went smoothly. At this rate, in less than twenty days, we estimated all the invading devils could completely be wiped out.” Elder Lu spoke almost non-stop: “Who knows that this time the invasion to Qingfeng Valley was not from the Devil Realm. Several demon cultivators were lying in ambush in the dark, taking advantage of our battle with the devil beasts, and attacked from behind. Many disciples, both from Fentian Palace and our own sect, are injured.”
“Although the demon cultivators are powerful, their number is not large. However, because we have to fight both the demon cultivators and devil beasts at once, we don’t have enough hands to treat the injured disciples. So you should follow me to the battle area to help treating the casualties.” Elder Lu waved his hand, “Now go back and prepare commonly used medicines, mainly Ganlin and Beiming pills. If there are other hemostatic or trauma medicines, like Qingfeng pill, you can also prepare some.” He paused, remembering something, and looked at Meng Qi with a gleam in his eyes: “Meng Qi, you also follow us.”
The sect leader initially brought most of the disciples at the Foundation Establishment stage, leaving behind those with lower cultivation base. So Elder Lu simply called the remaining Foundation Establishment disciples, plus a few in the peak of Qi Condensation, and Meng Qi.
The disciples quickly dispersed and returned to their room to pack up. Many of them had some experiences of going out for practice, so they already knew what to do. Meng Qi also didn’t have any problem, but the little white tiger put her in a dilemma. Xiao Qi was injured, she definitely couldn’t take him with her. But to leave him in the sect, she also was not at ease.
And there was also Qin Xiumo…it would take at least half a month before she could calm the rest of the chaotic aura inside his body. Moreover, for a complete recovery from his qi deviation, other medicines were also needed.
Forget it. She just has to tell him to stay near the cold pond for the time being and wait for her return.
Meng Qi made up her mind and was about to go out when she heard two knocks at the door. Chu Tianfeng’s voice came from outside: “Meng Qi, are you going to go with Elder Lu’s reinforcement team?”
“Mm.” Meng Qi answered casually.
“Open the door.” Chu Tianfeng knocked again.
Meng Qi stepped forward and opened the door. Outside her room, Chu Tianfeng and Qin Xiumo were standing side by side.
“Why are you here?” Meng Qi frowned at Qin Xiumo, who had appeared so casually.
“I am a friend of Fentian Palace’s young master. Why can’t I be here?” Qin Xiumo smiled. His gaze crossed Meng Qi’s shoulder and fell into the room.
Inside, Xiao Qi was lying lazily on the bed. After hiding away the characteristics of a demon race, he looked no different from ordinary spirit beasts of Three Thousand Worlds. Except that his age was still too young, practically made him useless as a spirit beast companion.
Sensing Qin Xiumo’s gaze, Xiao Qi raised his head and looked back casually.
Across Meng Qi’s back, one human and one tiger looked at each other.
Qin Xiumo remembered Chu Tianfeng’s previous words. This little white tiger was probably Meng Qi’s precious pet. “Are you going to take him?” He asked Meng Qi.
“I’m afraid it won’t do.” Meng Qi shook her head, “Young master Chu should have also heard about it. This time, demon cultivators are involved. They must be very powerful. Elder Lu is also injured.”
“Ao-” Xiao Qi, who had barely made a sound after Meng Qi brought him back, suddenly stood up from the bamboo bed.
“Eh?” Meng Qi turned around.
“Ao-” Xiao Qi called again. After a brief thought, he simply kicked his hind legs and rushed towards Meng Qi.
“Hey, be careful!” Meng Qi hurriedly stepped forward and hugged the little tiger. “You also want to go?” She asked, a bit hesitant.
Xiao Qi should understand her words. He was lying in Meng Qi’s arms, his head tilted. Then, seemingly a little embarrassed, he reached out his tiny paw and gently put it on Meng Qi’s shoulder.
It looks like that he is… acting cutely?