“I heard Manager Qiu has the Jade Peach King. I wish to purchase it at a high price,” Mu Yun said.
Qiu Yun replied indifferently, “Not for sale.”
Mu Yun frowned. “To be honest, the Jade Peach King is very important to me. I hope you can reconsider.”
“Important? How important? Will you die without it?” Qiu Yun sneered. “You look perfectly healthy to me. I, on the other hand, need it to save a life.”
Xiao Jingting: “…”
Mu Yun looked puzzled. “I don’t know, Manager Qiu, whose life you are going to save with the Jade Peach King?”
Qiu Yun smiled leisurely. “There are countless people stuck at Foundation Establishment, unable to advance. The Jade Peach King can increase the chances of forming a Golden Core. Giving it to a lifespan-exhausted Foundation Establishment cultivator might just save them.”
Xiao Jingting: “…”
This Qiu Yun.. Saying this to a late-stage Golden Core cultivator and he was not afraid of being beaten.
“Manager Qiu, my martial uncle suffers greatly from fire poison. Please reconsider. There are other ways to aid in forming a Golden Core,” a female cultivator from the Lingyao Sect pleaded, casting an expectant look at Mu Yun.
“Fire poison? So what if his organs burn? It won’t kill him. No need to rush,” Qiu Yun said dismissively.
Xiao Jingting: “…”
Isn’t he afraid of attracting hatred
“Manager Qiu seems very knowledgeable about Xuan Yang Fire Poison,” Mu Yun remarked.
Qiu Yun smirked. “I’ve never suffered from it, so I wouldn’t know. Only those who have truly experienced it can claim to understand.”
Xiao Jingting: “…” This man is digging his own grave.
“Senior Mu, Manager Qiu has a peculiar sense of humor. Please don’t take his words seriously,” Xiao Jingting said with a forced smile, trying to mediate.
Qiu Yun glared at him. “Shut up.”
Xiao Jingting: “…”
Qiu Yun is such a useless guy! He tried to smooth things over for him, but the guy just told him to go away.
“Manager Qiu, we came sincerely to request medicine. Must you be so unwelcoming?” the female cultivator asked.
Qiu Yun grinned. “Because I feel like it.”
“How can you be like this?” The female cultivator said angrily.
Qiu Yun scoffed. “If you don’t like it, get lost.”
—
Xu Mu’an looked at Xiao Jingting in surprise. “You’re back so early?”
Xiao Jingting sighed. “Got kicked out.”
“Why?” Xu Muan asked puzzled.
“Probably because I was in the way.”
Xu Mu’an: “…”
“I suspect Manager Qiu has a grudge not just against Xie Wanran but also Mu Yun,” Xiao Jingting mused seriously.
Xu Mu’an nodded. “I’ve heard some rumors.”
Xiao Jingting perked up. “What kind?”
“The Lingyao Sect is renowned for its spirit herb cultivation. They have countless herbalists and spiritual plant masters. Years ago, there was a particularly skilled Golden Core spiritual plant master who nurtured many rare herbs for the sect. He had a grandson named Cheng Yishu, who grew up with Mu Yun.”
“Later, Xie Wanran joined the sect and was assigned to assist Mu Yun. Rumors spread that the two developed feelings.”
“Cheng Yishu, likely desperate, drugged Mu Yun with an aphrodisiac. Mu Yun practiced a special technique that required him to remain celibate until reaching the Nascent Soul stage—otherwise, his chances of breaking through would plummet.”
“Cheng Yishu’s actions were seen as selfish, sabotaging Mu Yun’s future.”
“As a genius disciple, the sect had high hopes for Mu Yun to reach Nascent Soul. When the scandal broke, Cheng Yishu was severely punished. His grandfather also suffered a cultivation deviation and died. After that, Cheng Yishu disappeared.”
Xiao Jingting’s eyes widened. “You think—?”
Xu Mu’an nodded. “Very likely. Think about it: Qiu Yun suffers from Xuan Yang Fire Poison, meaning he once clashed with someone with a Xuan Yang Body. Rumor has it Mu Yun resisted Cheng Yishu’s advances and struck him with a palm strike.”
“And there’s more! Qiu Yun manages the spiritual medicine garden, and you’ve said his plant cultivation skills are extraordinary. If his grandfather was a spiritual plant master, it makes sense he inherited the talent. Back then, Cheng Yishu and Mu Yun were considered a fated pair in the sect.”
Xiao Jingting exhaled. “That… actually fits.”
“Best not to get involved in their mess,” Xu Mu’an warned.
Xiao Jingting nodded. “Agreed.” I never wanted to. Both sides are terrifying.
—
“Senior Sister, Martial Uncle Mu brought back Zhou Yin and Zhou Ming. The Spirit-Devouring Flowers drained their spiritual power—their cultivation has dropped significantly,” Zhu Jin reported.
Xie Wanran frowned. “Why did those two idiots barge into the herb garden?”
Zhu Jin shook his head. “No idea.”
Xie Wanran massaged her temples. “Martial Uncle will be furious.”
“I investigated. The Northern Herb Garden (spiritual medicine garden) is Qiu Yun’s private property. Even Qingyun Sect can’t interfere,” Zhu Jin said.
Xie Wanran’s frown deepened. “His private land?”
“Yes.”
“That man clearly despises me. I don’t understand why,” Xie Wanran muttered.
“I heard Qiu Yun has a terrible temper and is notoriously eccentric,” Zhu Jin said.
“Yet Qingyun Sect entrusted him with the herb garden?”
Zhu Jin nodded. “Despite his personality, his plant cultivation skills are unmatched. Since he took over, the garden’s herb yield has increased by 30%.”
Xie Wanran sighed. “Then our chances are slim.”
“Not necessarily.”
“No?” Xie Wanran said in surprise.
Zhu Jin leaned in. “The Jade Peaches were transplanted by Qiu Yun, but they were struggling until Xiao Jingting arrived—that ‘assistant’ we saw today. Rumor has it he’s the one who nurtured the Peach King.”
Xie Wanran’s eyes lit up. “So we don’t need Qiu Yun. We just need Xiao Jingting.”
Zhu Jin grinned. “Exactly.”
Xie Wanran smiled. “Perfect.”
Zhu Jin hesitated. “Senior Sister, you go to such lengths for Martial Uncle Mu. I wonder if he even notices your feelings.”
Xie Wanran’s smile dimmed. “I just want to help him. I don’t need his gratitude.”
—
Xiao Jingting was tending the Jade Peaches when Xie Wanran approached.
“Miss Xie, do you need something?” Xiao Jingting asked warily.
Xie Wanran looked at Xiao Jingting, who was facing a formidable enemy, and asked curiously “You seem afraid of me. Am I that frightening?”
“Miss Xie, of course not! It’s just… I have a phobia of women. They make me nervous,” Xiao Jingting lied. Around the heroine, only the male protagonist can protect himself, most of the male supporting characters are half dead, and as for the cannon fodder, they die without a burial place.
Xie Wanran laughed. “What a strange condition. How did you get married, then?”
Xiao Jingting shrugged. Just marry Shuang’er (a ger). I’m already married.”
Xie Wanran smiled. “Ah, right. Actually, I came to ask a favor.”
Xiao Jingting forced a smile. “I don’t know what the young lady wants me to do. It’s too difficult. I’m sorry I can’t help you!”
“It’s not a difficult thing. I heard that the jade peach king that is about to mature in this peach forest was actually cultivated by you.” Xie Wanran said sweetly.
Xiao Jingting’s heart sank. She’s trying to poach me!
“You flatter me. I just assist Manager Qiu. The Peach King is his achievement.”
Xie Wanran leaned closer. “Don’t be modest. Your skills are well-known. The Lingyao Sect is where a talent like you belongs. Since you’re not officially a Qingyun disciple, leaving would be easy.”
“Miss Xie, you’re forgetting something,” Xiao Jingting said flatly.
“What?”
“My son is a Qingyun disciple.” His son is here, how can he, as a father, have the nerve to leave!
“Xiao Jingting! Slacking again?” Qiu Yun’s roar echoed through the garden.
Xiao Jingting’s ears rang as he hurried over. “Manager Qiu! What brings you here?”
Qiu Yun scowled. “If I didn’t come, you’d laze around all day, wouldn’t you?”
Xiao Jingting: “…”
“Miss Xie, my herb garden isn’t open to outsiders. I suggest you stay away,” Qiu Yun said icily.
Xie Wanran paled. “Understood.”
Qiu Yun smirked. “Not everything in this world can be solved by batting your eyelashes, Miss Xie.”
Xie Wanran’s face twisted in fury.
Xiao Jingting: “…”
Qiu Yun’s verbal attacks are lethal.
As Xie Wanran stormed off, Xiao Jingting exhaled in relief.
R : Hiii there ! ♥
I’m still working on this novel, I don’t have a fixed schedule yet, but yes… it’s slowly coming back ! (~￣▽￣)~
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