Chapter 06: Ice Soul Profound Body
“You truly don’t want this Fire Luo Saint Fruit?”
Luo Yueguan shifted her gaze to Jiang Huai.
She held some old grievances with Chu Xianning. After the incident five hundred years ago, she had attempted to mend their relationship. The battle in Moluo City that day had never compelled any cultivator to participate. Although Chu Xianning verbally absolved her, every time Luo Yueguan saw Chu Xianning’s eyes, she felt they were full of disdain.
Chu Xianning looked down on her; she knew it.
For so many years, Chu Xianning had treated her with an aloof indifference. Many times, it was she who offered a warm gesture only to be met with coldness, and gradually, resentment festered in her heart. Yet, three years ago, when Chu Xianning proposed marriage, she still agreed after a moment of hesitation.
Only Chu Xianning could make her agree like this. For anyone else, no matter how peerless their talent, they could never become Luo Yueguan’s son-in-law. But now that Jiang Huai had crippled his cultivation, if he were to become her daughter’s Dao Companion in the future, he would be a burden. Her daughter was still young and didn’t understand. As her mother, she couldn’t be ignorant.
However, Luo Yueguan held no ill feelings towards Jiang Huai.
Initially, she was somewhat unwilling about this marriage. But after seeing how Jiang Huai interacted with her daughter for a while, her daughter’s usually cold eyes gained a lot more vitality, and even the bright smiles on her face increased significantly. Her heart was greatly comforted, and the frequency of her inner demons acting up even decreased.
She knew Jiang Huai truly cared for her daughter, which was why she dared not wait for Luo Qingyu to come out of seclusion to break off the engagement. By then, Luo Qingyu would surely not agree. By breaking off the engagement now, before any official announcement, she could appease her precious daughter later. Her daughter was still young; perhaps in a few more years, she would gradually forget Jiang Huai.
Although she felt somewhat guilty towards Jiang Huai, offering this Fire Luo Saint Fruit was her doing everything she could. After all, Chu Xianning hadn’t even offered a single betrothal gift back then. That woman had always been detached from worldly affairs; how could she understand rules and etiquette?
In response to Luo Yueguan’s question, Jiang Huai gently shook his head. “No need. Thank you for your kindness, Sect Master Luo, but I have something I need you to deliver on my behalf.”
As Jiang Huai spoke, he stood up and went to his room. When he returned, he carried a jade box. He opened the box, revealing a fiery red pill inside.
“What is this?” Luo Yueguan was taken aback.
“Luo Qingyu’s physique inherited your Ice Soul Profound Body. I know you have been searching for medicinal materials to alleviate her cold meridians, but they are only superficial remedies. I have refined this pill using Sunburning Flower, Violet Xuan Jade Marrow, Thousand-Year Snow Lotus蕊, and an Ice Demon Wolf King’s inner core. After taking it, it can fundamentally change the drawbacks of the Ice Soul Profound Body, and she will no longer be troubled by cold meridians.”
“This was originally my eighteenth birthday gift for her. Please convey my birthday wishes to her, Sect Master Luo.”
Jiang Huai’s voice was calm, devoid of regret, but also devoid of tenderness. His eyes remained excessively serene from beginning to end. Luo Yueguan subconsciously reached out, but then she saw the cold smile on Chu Xianning’s lips.
This time, the one humiliated was her.
This pill was something Luo Yueguan absolutely could not refuse. She knew well how painful cultivation was for the Ice Soul Profound Body during childhood. She had endured for hundreds of years and was still occasionally affected by its backlash. Seeing her own daughter also experiencing such pain daily made her heart ache to the point of tears. Yet, Jiang Huai said this pill could permanently cure the troubles caused by the Ice Soul Profound Body.
“Don’t trust her too easily. she is an incredibly selfish woman. She might just eat the medicine herself once she leaves,” Chu Xianning said witheringly at this moment, without the slightest hesitation.
Luo Yueguan took a deep breath. “I knew it… I knew it… Chu Xianning… you look down on me… you look down on me!”
Chu Xianning merely sneered, remaining silent.
Jiang Huai, at this opportune moment, added a final blow. “I spent two years searching for these medicinal materials, and it took me another six months to refine them. I hope, Sect Master Luo… well, you won’t enrich yourself with them.”
Luo Yueguan’s face turned a mixture of green and white, angered by this master and disciple duo.
“I will personally deliver the pill to Qingyu. The next time you see her, she will tell you herself!”
“Mm, Sect Master Luo, please return.”
Luo Yueguan suddenly realized that Jiang Huai’s address to her had, without her noticing, changed from “Auntie Luo” to “Sect Master Luo.” The respect and deference in his eyes had now become incredibly indifferent.
In Luo Yueguan’s memory, Jiang Huai was a very interesting young fellow.
When Chu Xianning first took him in, Luo Yueguan was particularly surprised. After all, he was a boy. Chu Xianning, who had never dealt with men in her life, ended up raising a man in her courtyard.
Over the years, Luo Yueguan often visited Chu Xianning. In recent years, as Jiang Huai grew older, he became increasingly handsome, especially those strikingly alluring peach blossom eyes that were always inexplicably captivating.
Every time she visited the courtyard, Jiang Huai would prepare a table full of delicious dishes for them, tastier than any cuisine Luo Yueguan had ever eaten. She often found herself going to Chu Xianning’s courtyard to freeload meals, simply because she missed Jiang Huai’s cooking.
Not to mention, the original Chu Xianning hardly dressed up, always clad in a white Daoist robe, with her hair tied up – she looked exactly like a nun. But in recent years, Jiang Huai had made many exquisite outfits for Chu Xianning. The design and craftsmanship of those dresses made Luo Yueguan herself envious. She had once badgered Jiang Huai to make one for her as well. Jiang Huai initially agreed, but after a sideways glance from Chu Xianning, he had to politely refuse, which greatly infuriated Luo Yueguan.
In recent years, Chu Xianning’s hairstyles had become more and more beautiful, let alone the countless pieces of jewelry Jiang Huai had made for her. Luo Yueguan had seen them in Chu Xianning’s jewelry box – necklaces, earrings, bracelets, anklets – a dazzling array. Chu Xianning would calmly mention they were all gifts from a disciple to his master.
That woman was definitely showing off!
Alas, the young man also brewed good wine. It was said he was also skilled in poetry and song. Luo Yueguan had personally tested his sword techniques and could only say that this young man’s talent was terrifying. Why did all the good things happen to Chu Xianning?
If it weren’t for that stubborn mule Chu Xianning, who had also taught her disciple to be as stubborn as a mule, Jiang Huai’s talent would be limitless in the future, definitely surpassing both of them. In the end, it was all Chu Xianning’s fault, that foolish woman!
What did the lives of ordinary citizens have to do with them? When they died, they died, just like weeds in winter; new ones would grow again eventually.
“I’m leaving.” Luo Yueguan stood up and picked up the pill on the table, but she didn’t take the Fire Luo Saint Fruit. She had taken a step when Jiang Huai reminded her from behind, “Sect Master Luo, please take the Fire Luo Saint Fruit with you as well.”
Luo Yueguan didn’t turn back and pretended to be nonchalant. “Do you think I would take advantage of you for nothing? I’m giving it to you. Consider it my thanks for worrying about my daughter.”
“I don’t need it,” Jiang Huai said calmly. “Please take it.”
Luo Yueguan turned around and stared at him intently. “Are you stupid?”
“Thank you for your kindness, Sect Master Luo. Jiang Huai appreciates it.”
Jiang Huai showed no fear despite the anger in Luo Yueguan’s eyes. He simply looked at her calmly, his gaze as serene as a windless lake surface.
“You have the same stubborn temper as your master!” Luo Yueguan put away the Fire Luo Saint Fruit, glared at Jiang Huai, and ascended her Spirit Boat via sword. She still had to go to the Sect Master’s place to announce the termination of the marriage between Jiang Huai of Tian Xuan Sect and Luo Qingyu of Qingxuan Sect.
Seeing her figure finally disappear from sight, Jiang Huai returned to sit opposite Chu Xianning.
Chu Xianning looked at him calmly. This calm gaze made Jiang Huai uneasy; he was somewhat afraid of his master getting angry.
“You gave her daughter a pill to treat the Ice Soul Profound Body for free, why didn’t you take this Fire Luo Saint Fruit?”
“Because I wanted to make her unhappy,” Jiang Huai replied softly after a moment of hesitation.
Luo Yueguan could not refuse the pill Jiang Huai offered. Thus, she left with her tail between her legs, not wanting to stay there for another second, as each moment made her cheeks burn hotter.
“Why humiliate her?”
“Because she spoke ill of Master,” Jiang Huai said earnestly.
Chu Xianning was stunned.
She turned her face away. “That’s no reason to get into an argument with her like that.”
“It’s just a single Fire Luo Saint Fruit. Besides, if I find the medicinal materials in the future and refine another pill to treat the Ice Soul Profound Body, she will beg me for it. Perhaps she’ll even offer more then.”
“You gave her the prescription, and she’ll still beg you?”
Jiang Huai blinked at Chu Xianning. “Master, you don’t understand pill refining. In this world, only I can refine this pill.”
Chu Xianning’s nervousness gradually melted away. But a moment later, it occurred to her that Luo Yueguan also had the Ice Soul Profound Body.
She hesitated for a moment and then slowly said, “Do you know that Luo Yueguan has the Ice Soul Profound Body?”
“Master, why bring this up suddenly?” Jiang Huai asked, puzzled.
Chu Xianning was silent for a moment, then said, “Just a casual remark.”
Jiang Huai thought for a few seconds and then said “Oh.” He then innocently blinked. “But doesn’t she already have a daughter?”
“She is a virgin.”
“Ah?”
“If I say she is, then she is,” Chu Xianning stated calmly.
Jiang Huai smiled helplessly. “So what if she is?”
Chu Xianning looked at him meaningfully. “That woman is very foolish.”
Jiang Huai had a feeling that her subtext was: “That woman is very foolish; you can easily seduce her.” No, his Master wasn’t such a scheming person. She must be testing him.
“Master dislikes her, so I will start disliking her too.” Jiang Huai tilted his head slightly and smiled helplessly at Chu Xianning. “Alright, alright, there’s no hurry with healing. What do you want to eat for lunch, Master?”
Chu Xianning’s eyebrows furrowed slightly, her voice still tinged with worry. “The Inner Sect Competition is at the end of the month.”
The Inner Sect Competition was a trial that every inner sect disciple of Tian Xuan Sect had to participate in. The bottom five ranked disciples would lose their inner sect status and cultivate in the outer sect. Conversely, the top five disciples from the Outer Sect Competition could enter the inner sect to cultivate.
This sect reform was initially suggested by Jiang Huai himself to the Sect Master. Since its implementation, all disciples in the sect lived in constant fear, cultivating with renewed vigor, and the slackers had significantly decreased.
This time, he had shot himself in the foot.
