Chương 18: Mirror Cloud Formation
Inside the book depository of The Liao Yin Immortal Realm, Yue Ruling was engrossed in flipping through the pages of a book, completely unaware of a figure slowly approaching her from behind.
A sudden surge of hostility swept over, and Yue Ruling, sensing it, attempted to dodge sideways and grab the attacker's wrist.
But the assailant swiftly moved, their wrist turning as their other hand slapped Yue Ruling's shoulder. In a flurry of motion, Yue Ruling, unable to dodge in time, was pushed back against the nearby bookshelf.
"Master! Who attacks someone while they're immersed in reading!" Seeing that the person was Qingyuan, Yue Ruling's tone carried a hint of playful complaint.
"Ling'er, I've told you many times, the more you're alone, the more you need to be vigilant of your surroundings." Qingyuan deftly retrieved the dagger in his hand with a flick of his wrist, then adjusted the cuff of his other hand, his tone tinged with admonishment.
"Doesn't it depend on the place? If it's outside The Liao Yin Immortal Realm, of course, I'd be cautious. But who would be on guard all the time in their own home?"
"A vigilant mind is necessary."
"I don't care, this doesn't count. How can Master attack me when I'm concentrating on reading?" Yue Ruling pouted, patting her slightly wrinkled clothes from the recent scuffle and bent down to pick up the fallen books.
"The enemy doesn't care what you're doing. Any moment you let your guard down is an opportunity for them. You lost this round again." Qingyuan said as he walked over and sat down, pointing at Yue Ruling with a proud expression on his face.
"Alright, alright, you win this round, Master. So, what does Ling'er have to do now?" Yue Ruling still felt a bit aggrieved, but she also acknowledged the truth in Qingyuan's words.
It turned out, the two had made a bet: if Yue Ruling could fend off Qingyuan's hundred attempts at ambush, Qingyuan would gift her the precious set of armor. But every time Yue Ruling failed, she had to agree to do something for Qingyuan.
"Well... I haven't thought about it yet. I owe you for now. I'll let you know when I figure it out." Qingyuan rubbed his chin, responding.
"You can't just leave it hanging like that. If you can't think of anything, then forget it." Yue Ruling waved her hand, being stubborn.
"No, that won't do. Promises must be kept. But Ling'er, I noticed how earnestly you were searching in this book depository. What were you looking for?" Qingyuan asked, puzzled.
"Ah, I wanted to see if I could find some older medical books by Li Luoning. I went to see Mi Xingzhe a few days ago and learned more about him. I thought I might be able to help, so I came here to look through the books." Yue Ruling replied, flipping through the medical book in her hand while keeping her head down.
"Oh~ so my disciple is a fool," Qingyuan couldn't help but exclaim when he heard Yue Ruling's answer.
"Master, you're the fool! You're so foolish that you can't even come up with a request." Hearing Qingyuan's words, Yue Ruling immediately turned into a disgruntled kitten and retorted.
"If you weren't a fool, how could you come up with such a foolish idea? Let me ask you, was Li Luoning here in The Liao Yin Immortal Realm before you?" Qingyuan asked.
"Yes," Yue Ruling answered, blinking in confusion.
"What was his favorite practice during normal days?" Qingyuan asked again.
"Isn't it just reading medical books, studying pharmacology, and messing around with herbs? What's wrong?" Yue Ruling replied.
"Then let me ask you again, what do all the immortal friends usually call him?"
"Some people call him Li Luoning, but most people call him 'Medicine Idiot.' But what does that have to do with me looking for medical books?" Yue Ruling asked as she spread out the medical books in her hand.
"So? He's a 'Medicine Idiot.' With his obsession, do you think there are any books in this depository that Li Luoning hasn't read?" Qingyuan asked, shrugging.
"Oh, in that case, it seems to make sense. Well, then, I guess I've wasted my day." Hearing Qingyuan's words, Yue Ruling sighed and threw the book in her hand to the ground in disappointment.
"It's not a waste. At least you've learned some pharmacology yourself." Seeing Yue Ruling's disappointment, Qingyuan stood up and comforted her softly.
"Well, forget it. Master, you've said that everything we learn will have its place of use. But speaking of which, did you come to me for something?" Yue Ruling asked.
"Ling'er, I came to you because there is indeed something I need to discuss with you." With that, Qingyuan's expression suddenly turned serious.
Seeing Qingyuan's expression, Yue Ruling's expression also changed from the playful young girl with a pout to a serious and attentive one.
"Master came, is it because there is a battle that Ling'er needs to go to?"
Qingyuan waved his hand, indicating that this was not the matter he wanted to discuss.
"For some reason, in recent years, both the Wuming Demon Mountain and the Pingyan region have been unstable. My investigation revealed that these two places have been colluding in secret for some time, and their intentions may not be good. Although based on the current strength of both sides, there shouldn't be any major disturbances in the short term, there might be changes in the future."
"What do you mean, Master?" Yue Ruling was somewhat puzzled.
"Although you have received my true transmission, you have not yet overcome the Seven Emotions and Six Desires Tribulation. I worry that if you were to engage in battle with demonic soldiers in the future, it would disturb your mind and spirit. Therefore, I was thinking..."
Qingyuan paused for a moment, then leaned forward with a serious expression, staring into Yue Ruling's eyes and slowly asked, "Are you willing to accompany me to undergo the Tribulation in the mortal realm?"
Inside Mirror Cloud Residence...
Mi Xingzhe was alone in the study, transcribing his heart techniques. The soft tip of the brush traversed the pristine paper, and these days of transcription had gradually made him fall in love with the serene feeling of writing.
But today, his brush strokes were particularly unsteady because Mi Xingzhe's mind was preoccupied with what he had heard earlier in the morning.
"I heard that Yue Ruling went to undergo the Tribulation in the mortal realm?" A celestial servant dressed in white and cyan clothes whispered to another celestial youth.
"Why would she go to the mortal realm for no reason?" The other youth asked in confusion.
"It's all because of what happened last time when she was drinking with that Mi Xingzhe. She got punished." The celestial servant, seemingly from the Lianzhan Pavilion, revealed.
"How do you know?"
"I happened to pass by the Starlight Pavilion not far away that day and saw the two of them drinking and chatting there. Yue Ruling, the war marshal, usually looks quite dignified. How could she associate with that unknown Mi Xingzhe?"
"It's all because of his luck. He was taken in as a disciple by Medicine Idiot. The position under Medicine Idiot's door has been coveted by many over the years, but it ended up going to such a person."
"But it's just a drink. Does War God Qingyuan really need to be so angry? Isn't this punishment too severe, being banished to the mortal realm?" The youth beside him exclaimed in shock.
"I think War God Qingyuan simply wants to use this opportunity to prevent Yue Ruling from interacting with that Mi Xingzhe."
"It's all because of that useless Mi Xingzhe. Not only does he lack spiritual power and diligence in cultivation, but he also had to drag Yue Ruling, and now she has to undergo the Tribulation in the mortal realm. I heard it's one of the Seven Emotions and Six Desires. I wonder if Yue Ruling can handle it." The celestial servant complained with indignation.
"I heard that too. Apparently, Master Medicine Idiot and Senior Qingyi have been very indulgent towards this disciple. They brew medicine for him and even allow him to sleep until late morning. I don't know what kind of luck he had in his past life to be accepted as a disciple under Master Medicine Idiot." The celestial youth grumbled.
"Everyone has their own fate. Some people are born with good luck, effortlessly obtaining things that ordinary people can't. How can they be the same as us ordinary little immortals, only serving others?" The celestial servant sighed softly.
"Don't say that. Maybe he really has something special." A friendly-faced little celestial said weakly.
"A person with an unknown background, if he really had something special, would the people in The Liao Yin Immortal Realm not know?"
A few people's conversation by the wall was heard clearly by Mi Xingzhe, who was lost in thought recalling the conversation he had overheard that morning.
Still lost in thought about the morning's conversation, Mi Xingzhe didn't even notice when Yun Qingyi walked into the room.
Yun Qingyi walked in carrying a bowl of medicine, next to it was a plate of delicately crafted snacks.
"Nian Nian, look what I made for you." Yun Qingyi smiled softly and called out lightly, placing the tray on the table.
Seeing no response for a while, Yun Qingyi approached Mi Xingzhe with the snacks, gently patting his shoulder and waving the snacks in front of his nose.
"Ah, Brother Qingyi, when did you come? And this? Wow, these snacks are beautiful. Did you make them, Senior Brother?" Mi Xingzhe snapped out of his daze, seeing the snacks in Yun Qingyi's hand, he couldn't help but exclaim.
The snacks this time were crystal clear, with deep blue transparent cakes adorned with golden and silver petals, emitting a sweet fragrance. Just the appearance alone made it hard for anyone to resist.
"Hey, hold on, yes, I made them for you, but you have to drink the medicine first before you can eat." Yun Qingyi pressed Mi Xingzhe's hand, which had reached halfway, and handed over the medicine bowl.
"Ah, more medicine. Can't we skip it? I'm almost getting the taste of these herbs from the medicine. Look at my current state, Master's medicine is really too bitter." As soon as he heard about the medicine, Mi Xingzhe's enthusiasm deflated instantly, his tone tinged with coquetry.
"This time it's different. This is a new prescription specifically opened by Master for you. Take a whiff and see, there isn't as much bitterness." Yun Qingyi handed the medicine bowl to Mi Xingzhe.
Xingzhe accepted the bowl with a mixture of skepticism and curiosity, bringing it close to his nose for a tentative sniff. "Hmm... it actually doesn't seem as bitter this time, and there's even a hint of a subtle fragrance," he remarked.
Yun Qingyi smiled, placing a delicately crafted pastry in front of Xingzhe. "Master and I have put a lot of thought into this. Aside from herbs, most of our attention has been focused on you," he said warmly.
This time, indeed, there was a noticeable difference. Without the usual struggle to swallow the medicine, Xingzhe quickly finished it and proudly displayed the empty bowl to Yun Qingyi.
However, just as Xingzhe was about to indulge in the pastry, his hand froze in mid-air. His other hand clutched at his chest, his face paling as beads of sweat formed on his brow.
Sensing something was amiss, Yun Qingyi moved to check on Xingzhe, but Xingzhe gestured for him to stay back, his body tensing as he struggled to contain the surging heat coursing through him.
As Xingzhe's condition worsened, Yun Qingyi couldn't resist the urge to approach and check his pulse. But the moment he touched Xingzhe, it was as if a dam had burst. Xingzhe convulsed, coughing up a mouthful of blood as he writhed in agony.
"Senior brother, it's burning... so hot," Xingzhe gasped, his face flushed and veins bulging as he clawed desperately at his neck.
Yun Qingyi tried to soothe him, but Xingzhe seemed oblivious, lost in his own torment.
Just then, Li Luoning entered the room and immediately sprang into action, sealing Xingzhe's pulse to stabilize him. With a gasp, Xingzhe fell unconscious, leaving Yun Qingyi staring in shock at the blood on his hands.
"Master... Xingzhe," Yun Qingyi stammered, his voice trembling with fear and confusion.
Li Luoning's expression darkened as he examined Xingzhe, his mind racing to understand what could have caused such a sudden and severe reaction.
"Qingyi, prepare the barrier," Li Luoning commanded, his tone grave and urgent.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Yun Qingyi nodded, swiftly erecting a protective barrier around the Mirror Cloud Residence, sealing them off from the outside world.
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