“I’ll offer one thousand spirit stones,” Jiang Huai said slowly after a moment of thought.
The Blood Sandalwood Flower was the most crucial medicinal ingredient in Jiang Huai’s prescription, essential for improving Wen Wanwan’s sister, Wen Fufu’s, spiritual meridians.
Elder Qin sighed, his face etched with difficulty. “The key issue is that Li Qiusheng doesn’t genuinely need this Blood Sandalwood Flower. He only said so because he knew you wanted it.”
Elder Qin, once a member of the Medicine Refining Mountain himself, understood the implications.
Li Qiusheng was the eldest son of Li Xiaqian, the Sect Master of Medicine Refining Mountain. As a member of Medicine Refining Mountain, Elder Qin was caught in a difficult position. Furthermore, the medicinal ingredient was not currently in his possession but within Medicine Refining Mountain.
Moreover, a few days ago, Jiang Huai had injured Li Qiusheng’s younger brother, Li Qiuyuan, during the Inner Sect Competition. Not to mention the existing grudges between him and the younger disciples, as well as some elders of Medicine Refining Mountain, made Elder Qin’s brows furrow with worry.
“It’s with him now?” Jiang Huai asked.
“Yes.”
“Then I’ll go get it from him,” Jiang Huai chuckled. “I’ll handle this. Elder Qin, please don’t worry. I’ll trouble you with the remaining medicinal ingredients.”
Elder Qin seemed to want to say more, but seeing Jiang Huai’s relaxed demeanor, he simply nodded and remained silent.
***
Medicine Refining Mountain was one of the five major mountain gates of Tian Xuan Sect. Li Xiaqian, the Sect Master of Medicine Refining Mountain, was a cultivator at the Seventh Realm’s Integration stage. He had only two children, Li Qiusheng and Li Qiuyuan, whom he doted on immensely.
Only then did Jiang Huai recall that his conflict wasn’t just with Li Qiuyuan, whom he had fought a few days prior. He had likely beaten Li Qiusheng before as well. After all, without his instigation, those disciples might not have bullied Zhao Shi Yi so severely.
He had injured many Medicine Refining Mountain disciples that day, their tendons being severed regardless of who dared to attack him. In essence, more than half of the disciples in Medicine Refining Mountain were his enemies. Even so, Jiang Huai proceeded to Medicine Refining Mountain.
He wasn’t alone; Luo Qingyu was holding his arm tightly.
An incense stick’s worth of time later, Jiang Huai arrived at Medicine Refining Mountain. The disciples guarding the gate inquired about his purpose. He stated he was there to see Li Qiusheng for something, and they allowed him passage. However, the disciples of Medicine Refining Mountain soon swarmed towards the main hall.
Jiang Huai arrived at the mountain top. Many disciples of Medicine Refining Mountain were already gathered before him. The Li Qiusheng he sought was seated on a chair, a pot of wine on the table before him, lounging lazily. A junior sister behind him was gently massaging his shoulders, exuding an air of leisurely enjoyment.
Li Qiusheng was clad in a black robe and possessed a handsome appearance. Rumor had it that he had been involved with many female disciples of Medicine Refining Mountain.
Over a hundred disciples of Medicine Refining Mountain stood before Jiang Huai, with Li Qiuyuan among them. Jiang Huai and Luo Qingyu were the only two on his side. Jiang Huai’s gaze fell upon Li Qiusheng, but Li Qiusheng didn’t look at him, merely squinting lazily as if gazing at the moon overhead.
“You took my Blood Sandalwood Flower?” Jiang Huai asked calmly.
Li Qiusheng remained silent, his female disciple behind him still gently massaging his shoulders. He continued to gaze at the moon, ignoring Jiang Huai’s words.
Seeing his silence, Jiang Huai didn’t become impatient. He simply stared at him, clearly more composed than Li Qiusheng. After about half an incense stick’s time, Li Qiusheng finally lowered his head and looked at Jiang Huai. “The Blood Sandalwood Flower is sect property. I bought it with spirit stones; when did it become yours?”
“Do you even need that Blood Sandalwood Flower?”
“Yes, for body tempering,” Li Qiusheng said with a smile, his eyes glinting with amusement. “What, you want it?”
“Yes.”
“Ten thousand spirit stones, and I’ll resell it to you.”
As soon as Li Qiusheng uttered these words, a wave of laughter erupted from the Medicine Refining Mountain disciples behind him.
They were well aware of the Blood Sandalwood Flower’s price, roughly three thousand spirit stones. Now, Li Qiusheng was demanding thrice that amount, and they found satisfaction in this moment of righteous indignation.
However, merely two breaths after Li Qiusheng finished speaking, Jiang Huai produced a ten-thousand spirit stone note from Ziyun Pavilion and said faintly, “Here.”
Li Qiusheng looked at the spirit stone note in his hand. They were still some distance apart. He didn’t use spiritual energy to retrieve it, merely smiling playfully. “I haven’t finished speaking. In addition to ten thousand spirit stones, there’s one more condition.”
“Speak.”
“Three years ago, you came to Medicine Refining Mountain and severed the tendons of my disciples. Even if I agree to give you this Blood Sandalwood Flower, the junior brothers behind me won’t. Don’t believe me? I’ll ask them for you. Do you agree?”
The disciples behind him responded with a clamor of disagreement.
“Then tell us, how can you agree?” Li Qiusheng gently grasped the slender wrist of the woman behind him, holding her hand and toying with it.
“Make him kneel and kowtow!”
“Make him sever his own tendons!”
“Make him crawl around Medicine Refining Mountain like a dog!”
Fuelled by Li Qiusheng’s courage, the disciples of Medicine Refining Mountain shouted louder and louder, clearly finding immense satisfaction in venting their pent-up grievances.
Jiang Huai’s composure was honed by Chu Xianning. He showed no hint of anger. In many situations, anger only revealed one’s weakness. Thus, he quietly put the spirit stone note back into his pocket. “So, you’re not going to give me this Blood Sandalwood Flower?”
“Are you planning to snatch it then?” Li Qiusheng released the woman’s hand and straightened up slightly.
“If I could sever your tendons three years ago, I can still do it now even with my cultivation crippled. Do you dare to try?” Jiang Huai swept Li Qiusheng a dismissive glance.
“Senior Brother Jiang Huai is truly imposing. How could I dare to make a move against Senior Brother Jiang Huai? If anything were to happen to Senior Brother Jiang Huai, your Master would come to Medicine Refining Mountain to demand an explanation. As for this Blood Sandalwood Flower, I intend to use it for my own body tempering. So… please return, Senior Brother Jiang Huai. Also, in the future, all the Blood Sandalwood Flowers in the sect will be mine. Senior Brother Jiang Huai should look elsewhere.”
Li Qiusheng was not as impulsive as Li Qiuyuan. It was Li Qiusheng who had devised the methods used to torment Zhao Shi Yi after Li Qiuyuan and Zhao Shi Yi had taken on the mission together. Li Qiuyuan, initially unable to tolerate Zhao Shi Yi’s insults in the Enforcement Hall, had been about to act when Li Qiusheng stopped him. Private fights were forbidden in the sect, but there were many ways to torment a disciple without background.
He didn’t wish to get into a dispute with Jiang Huai. If Jiang Huai were to bring his Master to Medicine Refining Mountain to demand an explanation, Li Qiusheng had many ways to trouble Jiang Huai. Even if Jiang Huai’s cultivation were intact, he would still be powerless. If he dared to draw his sword now, he would be in the wrong. If the matter went to the sect’s Enforcement Hall, no one would show favoritism to Jiang Huai. Moreover, with his cultivation crippled now, his status within the sect had plummeted.
Even if he could rely on the Immaculate Golden Body and his combat power, what of it? His cultivation would not advance further, and he would eventually be surpassed by other disciples.
The future was long, and Li Qiusheng had ample time to exact revenge for the sword strike from years ago.
Jiang Huai suddenly smiled. “Sometimes I feel that it’s easier to provoke the King of Hell than a petty demon; it’s not without reason.”
“Senior Brother Jiang Huai, you want this Blood Sandalwood Flower for Wanwan’s sister, don’t you?”
“It seems your information is quite thorough.”
“My grievances with Senior Brother Jiang Huai extend beyond this. I had previously approached Wen Wanwan, hoping for an opportunity to care for her, but unfortunately, she found you in the end. Senior Brother Jiang Huai, if you want this Blood Sandalwood Flower, it’s not impossible. Go and tell Wen Wanwan to come to my cave residence tonight, and I’ll have a good chat with her. Perhaps, if I’m in a good mood, I’ll give her the Blood Sandalwood Flower.”
“I may not have the chance to beat you now, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be able to beat you during the Inner Sect Competition,” Jiang Huai’s smile completely vanished. “During the Inner Sect Competition, I will break every bone in your body. You won’t be able to get out of bed for a year.”
“I’m so scared,” Li Qiusheng laughed cheerfully, his cultivation aura of the late-stage Core Formation great perfection now fully revealed.
Just as Jiang Huai was about to say something more, the young woman beside him suddenly stepped forward.
On her snow-white wrist was her Earth-grade renowned sword, Qin Yu. Under the surge of spiritual energy, her spirit sword instantly took form, tightly held in her hand. As she stepped forward, just as Jiang Huai was about to speak, he heard Luo Qingyu’s voice.
“Wanwan is my good sister. How dare you insult her?”
Luo Qingyu took another step forward, activating her Ice Soul Profound Body. Everything around her began to freeze.
Li Qiusheng was taken aback.
“You insult my sister, so I will tear your mouth apart.”
At this moment, Luo Qingyu’s dress fluttered slightly with her spiritual energy. Her usually docile and cute little face had become cold and stern. A murderous aura emanated from her, and the sword’s edge glinted with a faint cold light. She advanced step by step, like a vengeful ghost come to claim a life.
A beautiful ghostly young girl.
“What do you think you’re doing? This is Tian Xuan Sect, this is Medicine Refining Mountain!”
Luo Qingyu let out a cold laugh. “You’re asking for it!”
The next moment, Luo Qingyu’s sword light was upon him. The sword’s edge traced a bloody gash across Li Qiusheng’s lips. Blood flowed instantly. Luo Qingyu flicked her sword blade slightly, and the bloodstains vanished, replaced by nascent frost.
Li Qiusheng’s wails instantly echoed throughout the mountain-top hall. Everything had happened too suddenly, and Luo Qingyu was simply… too fast.
“You! How dare you… how dare you… you *bitch*, *bitch*, *bitch* woman…” Li Qiusheng’s lips trembled. He was about to draw his sword, thinking that with his late-stage Core Formation great perfection cultivation, he could at least contend with Luo Qingyu, who was only at the mid-stage Core Formation. He had merely been negligent for a moment, which led to him being so humiliated.
Unfortunately, in just an instant, Luo Qingyu’s sword pierced his mouth again. Luo Qingyu twisted the blade, rotating it a full circle inside his mouth. As she withdrew it, it was laden with flesh and teeth, and seemingly a piece of his tongue. Luo Qingyu then flicked her spirit sword again.
“I am Luo Qingyu, the sole daughter of the Sect Master of Qingxuan Sect. How dare you insult me?! Now, kneel down and kowtow one hundred times. I will spare your life today. Otherwise, no matter who comes today, you will die here!”
On the side, Jiang Huai stood with his arms crossed, watching the scene with amusement.
He never felt any shame in relying on a woman.
***
PS: Let’s set up a reward for when the books go on shelves.
If nothing unexpected happens, it will be put on shelves on the 26th. For every three hundred monthly votes, there will be an additional chapter. For example, with the current two thousand one hundred and ten monthly votes, there will be seven chapters upon shelving, all of which will be 3k chapters.
