Chapter Eighty: Special Reward

“There are already two older brothers in the family to carry on the lineage; that’s more than enough, Fourth Brother.” After a pause, Ning Baixia tried to keep his tone calm as he continued, “You, too, will have children in the future. Whether or not I do isn’t of much consequence.”

“There are always other flowers in the world.”

“Then why has Master not remarried all this time?”

The two of them stared at each other for a long moment, big eyes meeting small, before Ye Qingyun sighed and said, “Do as you please. As long as you can persuade your parents, I’ll be glad to see you pursue the Dao wholeheartedly.”

Once his resolve was set, Ning Baixia felt his whole body relax. Though the pain in his eyes could not be fully concealed, he was able to speak of her in a casual tone. “Master, last time Fourth Brother suffered a cold poison attack, my sister-in-law used thunder crystal energy to purge the poison, then repaired his meridians with wood element magic. It seemed far more effective than the methods we’ve used before. What’s more, she administered the medicine in advance, so when the poison struck, his intellect was unaffected.”

“Oh?” Ye Qingyun was intrigued. After hearing the details, he clapped his hands in praise. “Marvelous! The Fire Sheath Flower burns like a blaze and is fiercely poisonous. Its toxicity is so tyrannical that if one ingests it directly, using magic will cause the heart to burst and death to follow. The branches and leaves induce hallucinations. When the whole plant is taken, the toxins neutralize each other, and it strengthens the heart, but the medicinal force is not something a mere Qi Refining novice could bear. Luckily, that girl Youwei was able to multitask and use wood element magic to mend Mofei’s meridians.”

Ning Baixia’s lips twitched as he said, half laughing and half crying, “My sister-in-law was just a Qi Refining novice herself at the time.”

Chapter Fifty-five: Celestial Sovereign, Sect Master

Ye Qingyun’s eyes went wide, his expression changing in a rare moment of surprise. “Say that again? She was really only at the Qi Refining stage then? When I saw her in the main hall, she was at the early Foundation Establishment stage.”

“That must mean she broke through recently,” Ning Baixia said with certainty, though a sense of helplessness lingered. She wasn’t even of age yet, was she? She was even more monstrous than he was!

“She likely advanced within the Nether Emperor’s Ancient Fortress.”

“She went to the Nether Emperor’s Ancient Fortress as well?”

“By the way, you must remember: it was you who went to the fortress. She and Mofei did not. You just happened to meet on the road and returned together.” After giving these instructions, Ye Qingyun recounted what Elder Ma had said, then sighed. “That girl’s talent borders on the demonic, and her intellect as well. Luckily, Mofei has already married her, or else every peak master would be fighting to take her as a disciple—or a wife.”

“The peak masters would fight over her as a disciple?” Ning Baixia was puzzled.

“Of course. If she weren’t already Mofei’s wife, even I’d be contending with them. That girl’s talent is no less than yours; no wonder...” He did not finish, his words trailing off in a sigh.

Ning Baixia understood the meaning behind his master’s sigh—it was no wonder he had been drawn to Yu Youwei. Men did not all prefer women weaker than themselves; geniuses were often arrogant, and only the extraordinary could catch their eye. Other women, no matter how beautiful, he could not be bothered to spare even a glance. But now she was his sister-in-law, and the duty to protect his Fourth Brother was ingrained in his very bones. Other than severing his feelings, there was no other path left to him.

“You remember Master Luo Changfeng, the White-Browed Sword Immortal?” Ning Baixia forced a smile.

“Of course I remember him. He and your grandfather were like brothers.” Ye Qingyun followed his disciple’s lead in changing the subject, chuckling. “His reputation as Island Lord of Heavenly Wind Island is no less than mine. You haven’t gotten into trouble with that old man, have you?”

“My sister-in-law did.” Ning Baixia recounted how Island Lord Luo Changfeng had tried to take Yu Youwei as his disciple, then smiled. “But she refused him. She said, ‘With nothing to occupy me, I stroll with my husband in the breeze. On the moonlit river, I untie my boat and drift upon the sea. Even if I cannot achieve immortality through cultivation, I shall live free as a god.’ Then she asked, ‘May I ask, Elder, how many immortals are there?’ And with that, Elder Luo was enlightened.”

“She’s unwilling to be even Luo’s disciple? There must be a reclusive master behind her. Very well, we’ll drop the matter of taking her as a disciple.” Even in his wildest dreams, Ye Qingyun couldn’t imagine that Yu Youwei was a rogue cultivator. He simply assumed there was a hidden master backing her, unaware that her cultivation relied on an inherited bloodline artifact, most of her resources came half from her family and half from robbing others, and that she happened to pick up a juvenile divine beast as a pet and was chosen by the Scarlet Flame Sword.

Ning Baixia kept silent as his master said, “For saving Elder Ma and the others in the Nether Emperor’s Fortress, I intend to reward her with ten days in the Scripture Pavilion and a chance to train in the Flowing Cloud Realm. You go make the arrangements. Old Luo is about to make a breakthrough, and I must enter seclusion as well. The matter of cultivating the Severed Emotion Technique can wait until I emerge.” Ning Baixia hesitated, but in the end, said nothing.

Leaving his master’s chamber, Ning Baixia resumed his icy, impenetrable demeanor. The weaker disciples dared not approach. But Lin Xinyue, the genius of Jade Water Peak, was waiting with a basket of melons and fruits. Seeing him approach, she greeted him with a smile, “Junior Brother Ning, let’s go to your Gourd Studio. I brought Mofei’s favorite fruit.”

Baixia agreed without enthusiasm. He knew full well that these women used the excuse of caring for his Fourth Brother to get close to him. He didn’t mind if it made his brother happy, but he found it difficult to say more than a word or two.

Lin Xinyue was unfazed by his indifference and walked beside him as gently as a devoted wife.

“Senior Brother Ning!”

As they neared the Gourd Studio, a clear, oriole-like voice called from behind. Ning Baixia ignored it and strode into the courtyard. Lin Xinyue turned to see Bai Meier, the youngest disciple of Purple Gold Peak, hurrying over, and greeted her softly, “Junior Sister Bai.”

“Senior Sister Lin, you’re so diligent. Ning just arrived and you’ve already brought a basket of fruit.” Bai Meier’s words were barbed.

Lin Xinyue, no pushover herself, smiled sweetly, “You’re not slow either, Junior Sister Bai. Are you here to tidy up the courtyard for him or to boil the tea?”

“I’m here to find my Goldenmane. Someone saw a little eagle snatch it and fly into Senior Brother Ning’s courtyard.” Without further ado, Bai Meier pushed past Lin Xinyue and rushed inside—only to let out a shriek and faint dead away.

The Goldenmane was Bai Meier’s spirit beast, with the blood of an ancient divine beast. Though its bloodline was impure, it could well grow into a ninth-rank demon beast or even reach transformation. Bai Meier often flaunted it, and Lin Xinyue—who saw it as her greatest rival—had secretly hoped it might come to a bad end. Still, seeing it decapitated with her own eyes made her heart lurch.

When a spirit beast dies, its master suffers a backlash. Bai Meier screamed and collapsed. The culprit, Ning Mofei, had just lopped off the Goldenmane’s head. Hearing the scream, he turned to see his third brother standing in the gateway with a beautiful woman, a peculiar look on his face. Unconcerned, he called out cheerfully, “The little eagle brought back something big. Youwei is getting the spices ready. Third Brother, come help skin it—I don’t know how.”