Chapter 34: A Flicker of Hope and a Bold Proposition

As long as the final verdict isn’t sealed, anything remains possible.

Ye Qingfeng felt like a moth drawn to a flame, clinging to the belief that for just a fleeting moment, the fire would not harm her.

Should this small miracle occur, she would once again return to the sect, resuming her esteemed position as a disciple of the Sky Philosophy Sect.

‘It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Du Yu; it was merely… that ridiculous, fleeting fantasy.’

The Xuan Yin Book Spirit interjected, “More rather unpleasant news, I see.”

Ye Qingfeng responded with an air of nonchalance, “Ah, yes, even worse than before. But this is how reality unfolds, isn’t it?”

The Xuan Yin Book Spirit advised, “I believe it’s unnecessary to waste this money for quite some time. Awaiting news from Du Yu would be the wisest course of action.”

Even it, usually so frivolous and detached, dared not jest about this matter, fearing it might awaken Ye Qingfeng’s inner demons.

“Mm-hmm, I know.”

Her reply was swift, yet laced with an undeniable sense of dismissiveness.

This wasn’t the first time the Xuan Yin Book Spirit had offered such advice; each time, Ye Qingfeng would affirm its words, yet each time, she would return.

The Xuan Yin Book Spirit refrained from further comment.

Lost in despair, Ye Qingfeng couldn’t recall how she had returned to Xingqing City, nor how she had found her way back to her own room.

It was only when a clear, resonant voice roused her from her daze that she stirred.

“Qingfeng, I need your help with something.”

****

After concluding matters with You An, Quan Haoqing had come searching for Ye Qingfeng, only to find her absent from her room, having naturally not informed him of her whereabouts.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Quan Haoqing decided to wait there for a while.

Fortunately, Ye Qingfeng did not keep him waiting long; after roughly three quarters of an hour (TL Note: A ‘kezong’ is a traditional Chinese unit of time, equivalent to 15 minutes.), the room door opened, and Ye Qingfeng appeared before him.

“Fellow Daoist Ye, you’ve returned?”

It seemed only Ye Qingfeng’s physical body had returned, her spirit still wandering elsewhere, as she completely ignored Quan Haoqing’s greeting, or rather, failed to even notice the living person who had appeared in her room.

She simply sank onto the bed in dejection, silently gazing at her own hands.

Quan Haoqing furrowed his brow slightly, wondering what could have transpired in such a short time since they parted to strike Ye Qingfeng with such profound impact.

‘Could someone have ridiculed her for her ‘pair of Aces’ (TL Note: A slang term referring to a flat chest.)?’

At that moment, a line of white text manifested behind Ye Qingfeng, perfectly visible to Quan Haoqing.

[Young man, your chance has arrived! You’ve taken a liking to my master, haven’t you? A hundred times your usual attentiveness pales in comparison to a single shred of comfort now. Her heart has already revealed a crack; if you don’t act now, when will you?!]

Quan Haoqing remained silent, his expression unwavering, as he had the Blazing Starfall Tome Spirit type out a reply behind Ye Qingfeng’s back.

[What’s the reason?]

The Xuan Yin Book Spirit did not explain, “I can’t tell you that right now. Everyone has their secrets, don’t they? How did that ‘thing’ inside you come to be? Can you be frank with my master about it?”

Quan Haoqing’s heart jolted; the Xuan Yin Book Spirit had touched upon his deepest secret. His gaze grew profound as the Blazing Starfall Tome Spirit typed out his thoughts.

[So it was discovered? How did you find out?]

The Xuan Yin Book Spirit did not answer Quan Haoqing’s question. “Haha, make my master happy, and perhaps I can tell you about that ‘thing.’ This is something even your junior tome spirit doesn’t know.”

Quan Haoqing stated with certainty, “That, of course, is a given.”

‘At the same time, he mentally asked the Blazing Starfall Tome Spirit, ‘Is this fellow reliable?”

The Blazing Starfall Tome Spirit replied, “It was indeed born much earlier than I. Not long after I was conceived, my master and his friend ascended to become immortals. That ‘thing’ within you is exceedingly peculiar; if it had existed and gained some notoriety in my master’s era, his friend would most certainly have ‘borrowed’ it for research.”

“The above is merely the result of my analysis. It’s highly probable that it knows, but it’s not impossible that it’s trying to mislead you. However… you’ve already made your decision, haven’t you?”

Quan Haoqing replied as a matter of course, “Precisely. I can’t just stand by and watch the girl I love remain in such despair, can I?”

“It seems you haven’t taken my advice to heart.”

Regarding the Blazing Starfall Tome Spirit’s lament, Quan Haoqing remarked with considerable perplexity, “I think that has a lot to do with you always speaking in riddles.”

“I am bound by a restriction. If you could undo the methods of an immortal, I would, of course, be delighted to tell you everything. For now, all I can do is offer you some reminders.”

The Blazing Starfall Tome Spirit explained, “Even if those who cultivate the Xuan Yin Netherworld Art appear exquisitely beautiful, their hearts are troubled. Rather, it’s more accurate to say that those who cultivate the Xuan Yin Netherworld Art are destined to possess world-shattering beauty, but internally…”

Quan Haoqing mused, “Now that you mention it, Qingfeng is indeed more mischievous and whimsical than most women.”

‘Good heavens, you call that ‘mischievous and whimsical,’ do you?’

‘The Blazing Starfall Tome Spirit was speechless. ‘Are you perhaps applying a few too many filters to your perception?”

“Hm~, then I’ll offer you one last piece of advice. If you truly intend to pursue her, you’ve likely already experienced the difficulty. Should you actually succeed, be mentally prepared, and have no regrets.”

The Blazing Starfall Tome Spirit kindly advised.

‘Being a scumbag is a terrible thing; I certainly don’t want to become the domestic abuser in Qingfeng’s stories.’

True to form, Quan Haoqing showed no inclination whatsoever to give up.

The Blazing Starfall Tome Spirit ceased its admonishments.

Quan Haoqing saw no reason to abandon his intentions now. Even if the Blazing Starfall Tome Spirit had hinted at potential issues with Ye Qingfeng’s character, what had been revealed so far made her seem utterly charming, well within the bounds of his tolerance.

Even if regret were to follow, he wished for it to be a consequence of his own firsthand experience.

As for how to pull Ye Qingfeng back from her current state, Quan Haoqing already had an idea.

Without knowing the underlying cause, any conventional comfort might prove to be a ticking time bomb.

He retrieved the unnamed pill that You An had sent over, attempting to wave it before Ye Qingfeng’s eyes. When he received no response, Quan Haoqing hesitated for a moment before directly lifting Ye Qingfeng into a princess carry.

“Waaah!”

Ye Qingfeng had merely been lost in thought, contemplating her bleak future; she hadn’t transformed into an unresponsive vegetable.

Quan Haoqing’s sudden and audacious action elicited an involuntary gasp from her.

However, before she could fully react, she was gently placed onto a high-backed chair before the table.

Immediately afterward, a dark brown pellet was presented before her.

****

“Qingfeng, I need your help with something.”

“This is something I ‘borrowed’ from You An. It’s the method Rong Guangliang uses to control his subordinates. Can you help me reverse-engineer the formula for this pill?”

Quan Haoqing’s voice drifted from beside her.

Ye Qingfeng was, of course, aware that Quan Haoqing was in the room. While she might have been lost in thought, she wasn’t so muddled that she couldn’t have survived until now; she simply chose to ignore him. Her mood was so exceptionally foul that she subconsciously overlooked his presence.

“You’re trying to take liberties with me, aren’t you? You just reminded me yesterday: under normal circumstances, would a man make such a move on a woman?”

Ye Qingfeng’s delicate, rosy cheeks puffed out, resembling a shrunken loaf of bread that had suddenly become fluffy and bloated.

This time, Quan Haoqing did not merely observe from a distance; instead, he boldly extended his index finger and poked her cheek.

Ye Qingfeng’s puffed-out cheeks, like a hamster’s pouches, couldn’t, of course, be popped like a balloon, but they certainly deflated. No matter how hard she tried, Ye Qingfeng couldn’t puff them back to their original extent.

‘Does this scoundrel truly believe I am weak and easily bullied?!’

“I’ll kill you!”

Ye Qingfeng glared at Quan Haoqing, her eyes burning with murderous intent, but to her surprise, Quan Haoqing held the pill between two fingers and dangled it before her eyes.

“Who told you to ignore me all this time? I came here specifically to discuss important matters with you, yet you were just spacing out. This item is crucial to our success or failure, and it concerns the spirit stones for your final realm breakthrough, you know.”

Ye Qingfeng’s eyes, which had been burning with fierce flames, suddenly cleared considerably. Emotions were one thing, but business was another; matters of commerce took precedence.

She shot Quan Haoqing an annoyed glance, unaware of how captivatingly charming the gesture truly was.

“How should I put this? You certainly hold me in high regard.”

Ye Qingfeng’s azure eyes fixed upon the pill Quan Haoqing had ‘borrowed’ on the table. Her delicate features softened slightly, revealing a helpless expression as she said, “You’re giving me just one pill and asking me to decipher the formula for that addictive poison? Isn’t that a bit too challenging? Go find someone more professional!”

Quan Haoqing sat on the bed, propping his chin with his hands as he replied, “There’s no other way. The alchemists I trust aren’t anywhere nearby; finding them would take at least ten days to half a month. As for the alchemists around Xingqing City, heh, You An and his associates aren’t fools, nor are they puppets to be easily manipulated.”