Chapter 13: A Sister’s Mercy

After deducting the eight hundred and eighty-eight spirit stones used to settle the debt, Song Zhiyou selected a few more spirit plants, yet still had over ten thousand spirit stones remaining.

Bai Shopkeeper extended her hand. “Young friend, give me your storage pouch. I’ll fill it with spirit stones for you.”

Song Zhiyou didn’t comply. “I want to buy more—some magical artifacts. Do you know which shop has them?”

Bai Shopkeeper said, “You can go next door to the Lingbao Pavilion and buy a few. They have a full selection of artifacts, and storage pouches should be in stock. Mention my name, and they’ll give you a fair price.”

With that, Bai Shopkeeper took out two storage pouches. “Take my pouches first. There are eight thousand spirit stones in here.”

Song Zhiyou was taken aback, but she still accepted the pouches and went to the Lingbao Pavilion.

The clerk at Lingbao Pavilion was very enthusiastic, especially when Song Zhiyou said she came to buy storage pouches.

“Since you were sent by Bai Shopkeeper, our Lingbao Pavilion will naturally give you a discount. One thousand spirit stones each. What pattern would you like, and how many do you need?”

Song Zhiyou gasped.

How much?!

A thousand spirit stones?!

But then again, a storage pouch with spatial folding properties—maybe it’s normal for it to be expensive?

“Guest, our storage pouches can hold a full two thousand spirit stones. You definitely won’t regret buying one.”

Song Zhiyou had just composed herself, but upon hearing the clerk’s sales pitch, she almost lost her composure again.

Two thousand spirit stones—roughly the size of a household microwave oven. Was the space in this cultivation world’s storage pouches really that small?

“Are there any storage pouches with larger capacity?”

The clerk smiled. “There is a higher-grade pouch that can hold six thousand spirit stones, priced at two thousand five hundred. Our pavilion has only one in stock.”

Song Zhiyou silently took out three thousand spirit stones. “I’ll take three ordinary pouches with the bluebird pattern.”

She finally understood why Bai Shopkeeper had given her two pouches and why she said to buy ‘a few.’

Song Zhiyou had found it strange at the time o(╥﹏╥)o…

She asked again, “Do you have an artifact that can conceal aura?”

The clerk immediately brought out a wooden box and introduced it.

“This is our shop’s unique Concealment Box. Any treasure placed inside cannot have its aura detected.”

“Not that kind. I need something that can envelop an entire space.”

The clerk’s face stiffened, and he replied that they didn’t have such an item.

Song Zhiyou had no choice but to ask about other artifacts.

However, most artifacts usable by Qi Refining cultivators were defensive in nature; offensive ones were few and had very limited uses.

Song Zhiou chose three items and finally paid two thousand three hundred spirit stones for everything.

She returned to Qingmu Hall, Bai Shopkeeper’s pill shop, to collect the remaining spirit stones.

With all her belongings stored in the storage pouches, Song Zhiyou no longer had to carry a bamboo basket for spirit plants, making her journey back more discreet.

Even so, the spirit plants she could bring back were pitifully few.

The storage pouch space was simply too small.

After returning, Song Zhiyou still had no desire to sleep. She wanted to cultivate, but felt inexplicably restless and couldn’t enter meditation.

She decided to take a Blood Qi Pill and start body refinement.

For now, she couldn’t use offensive techniques and lacked attack methods. Relying on artifacts wasn’t a long-term solution; body refinement was better.

Fortunately, many cultivators chose body refinement, so Song Zhiyou’s decision wasn’t unusual.

She also considered drawing talismans.

But not a single completed talisman could be found in the entire Heyang City. Even if Song Zhiyou wanted to replicate one, she had no starting point.

She tried drawing them herself but failed.

Just as pills had distinct pill patterns, talismans likely had their own special techniques.

She also thought about drawing items with autonomous attack capabilities, like Swiftwind Leopards.

But limited by the paper size, it wasn’t feasible.

Palm-sized paper could only accommodate small things.

Song Zhiyou tried drawing a Fire Ground Frog that spat saliva at her shoe.

Then she drew a Sand Spirit Rat that also spat saliva at her shoe.

Later, a stick figure she drew was able to spit fire.

However, the palm-sized stick figure spat two soybean-sized fireballs and then dissipated.

These three drawings exhausted Song Zhiyou’s spiritual energy three times over.

Perhaps it was due to her current lack of ability.

In any case, she had to refine her body! She had to cultivate!

Three days later, in the early morning, Song Zhiyou stared with bloodshot eyes, full of melancholy.

If she weren’t a cultivator, she would have died—died from three days without sleep.

The Blood Qi Pill was officially renamed the Hyper Blood Pill, with an added effect: while stimulating blood vitality, it would cause mental hyperarousal for an entire day, preventing meditation and sleep.

The state was cumulative, irreversible, and could be accelerated by intensifying body refinement.

By the time Song Zhiyou troubleshot and realized the problem lay with the Hyper Blood Pill, it was too late.

She had been forcibly controlled by her own pill for three whole days.

And today was the day of the sect selection.

Song Zhiyou prepared to set out immediately for Fengling Dao Ground.

Everything was packed. Taking advantage of the night, Song Zhiyou quietly slipped into Song Qingyao’s courtyard.

Song Qingyao slept soundly, completely unaware of Song Zhiyou’s arrival.

Looking at Song Qingyao’s still-innocent face, Song Zhiyou silently drew a dagger from her sleeve.

The dagger was sharp; one slash would end Song Qingyao’s life, eliminating all future trouble.

Song Zhiyou had already experienced the power of the plot.

Even if she didn’t know that taking those two pills had nearly made her Song Lingtian’s human medicine, she knew that neither the Swiftwind Leopard nor the landslide had killed her, yet each time they aimed to seriously injure her.

Song Lingtian needed his sister to be repeatedly harmed to fuel his ‘I alone determine my fate’ fighting spirit.

He needed his sister to become a useless burden so he could kill her and achieve enlightenment without guilt.

The plot would continuously exert its force.

Song Zhiyou didn’t want Song Qingyao’s spirit power to go berserk again and ruin her foundation.

Nor did she want Song Lingtian to dig out Song Qingyao’s spirit root, making her a blood bag to boost his cultivation.

With one slash, none of that would happen.

But Song Zhiyou’s hand, gripping the dagger, tightened more and more, yet she couldn’t bring herself to strike.

After a long time, Song Zhiyou put the dagger away.

She climbed onto Song Qingyao’s bed, grabbed her by the collar, and shook her awake.

Song Qingyao’s mind was still foggy, but she instinctively wanted to call for help.

Especially since Song Zhiyou’s face before her was as pale as a ghost.

But just as she opened her mouth, a hand covered it.

Song Zhiyou lowered her voice. “It’s me, your good sister. Don’t shout.”

Song Qingyao’s eyes flew wide open, her expression even more incredulous.

She stopped shouting.

Song Zhiyou released her hand, and Song Qingyao couldn’t help but hiss, “Song Xiaoliu, what are you sneaking into my room for in the middle of the night!”

Song Zhiyou only stared fixedly at her and let out a soft sigh…

📚 Also on NHV Novels

I’m Not the Saintess! I’m a Good-for-Nothing Young Master!

Female ProtagonistGender BenderReverse Pursuit

Read Now →
Not interested