The coolness of the ointment and the gentle spiritual energy from Tantai Yunzhi’s fingertips slowly dissolved across Su Yi’s back, accompanied by stinging prickles and dull aches.
Amid the silence, Su Yi broke the quiet. “Speaking of which, Junior Sister, how has your clinic been doing this past month? I’ve heard plenty of rumors out there, but it seems... some people are displeased?”
He felt the fingers on his back pause slightly before resuming their rhythmic pressure.
Tantai Yunzhi’s voice drifted softly from behind, calm as ever, yet carrying a touch more worldly warmth than before. “It was a bit difficult at first. Establishing the rule of only receiving female cultivators invited quite a bit of trouble.
“Still, while that reduced the clientele, most who come are fellow disciples genuinely in need of conditioning, so it remains rather peaceful. Besides, I am the only one here; attending solely to female cultivators is already more than enough to keep me busy.”
“That makes sense, but do not neglect your cultivation, Junior Sister,” Su Yi could not help reminding her. Tantai Yunzhi’s cultivation had to reach Qi Condensation great perfection before the secret realm opened; otherwise, all the suffering he had endured in rebuilding his cultivation over the years would go to waste. Moreover, Gongsun Lin’s spirit root issue also required heavenly treasures from that secret realm to mend.
“Understood. Senior Brother need not worry. Furthermore, though no Elder was willing to accept me as a personal disciple, the Manor Lord gave special instructions, so I have not been treated harshly regarding resources.
“The Manor Lord even intentionally suppressed the news, so no one in the manor knows about my physique’s condition.
“Therefore, while my progress is somewhat slowed due to my constitution, for a Five Elements Dao Physique, it is not an insurmountable issue. It is still far faster than ordinary people.”
Even if flawed, a Five Elements Dao Physique was still a Five Elements Dao Physique. It was just that others weren't like Su Yi—unafraid of whether the sinister, toxic aura around her would bring adverse effects. Otherwise, she would still be highly sought after. Regrettably, Su Yi was the only one capable of setting that concern aside.
Tantai Yunzhi gazed at Su Yi with gentle eyes, her voice tinged with gratitude. She understood why she, an ordinary disciple, received special favor from the Manor Lord—a privilege even some personal disciples could not obtain.
“Well, as long as everything is going smoothly, my mind is at ease. If you need anything later, come find me.” The treatment had drawn to a close, and Su Yi rose to put his clothes back on.
Hearing Su Yi’s words, Tantai Yunzhi parted her lips, but swallowed what she was about to say.
In truth, this past month had not been entirely smooth sailing.
The “Hundred Cures Hall” across the way, run by a senior inner sect disciple, had seen her business picking up and begun tripping her up both openly and in secret.
First came the rumors claiming she was too young, her medical skills superficial, and the herbs she used of dubious origin.
Later, he seemed to have hooked up with an Elder’s granddaughter, lately exerting pressure on her both intentionally and unintentionally.
Now, facing Su Yi’s inquiry, these unpleasantries flashed through her mind, but she merely drew a light breath and swallowed the words that rose to the tip of her tongue.
Senior Brother had only just emerged from his punishment on her behalf, his wounds still unhealed. She could not let him worry over her any further. He had already done enough.
And so, she simply added in a cheerier tone, “It is fine. The fellow disciples are quite kind, and Senior Sister Gongsun often drops by to look out for me.”
Hearing Tantai Yunzhi mention Gongsun Lin, Su Yi’s hand paused, and he asked, “Speaking of which, Junior Sister, since you conditioned Junior Sister Gongsun, how do you find her spirit root?”
Su Yi’s heart tightened slightly. In the original plot, Gongsun Lin suffered a devastating setback during a major crisis later on because her spirit root foundation wasn't solid enough and her poison resistance was weak. Her cultivation had been crippled, her face disfigured—a heartbreaking end, and one of the primary catalysts for her descent into villainy and demonhood.
Though he had previously made her walk the grueling path of breaking bones to rebuild cultivation and consuming poisons and gu alongside him, and had even managed to obtain the Seven-Colored Rainbow Phoenix Stamen to lay a foundation of poison immunity for her, the fundamental issue with her spirit root could not be solved merely through that arduous path of breaking bones to rebuild.
He had originally planned to claim the Stalactite Body Tempering Fluid in the secret realm where Tantai Yunzhi achieved Foundation Establishment. That was also why Su Yi was anxious about Tantai Yunzhi’s cultivation progress; that place was where a mighty expert had fallen, and only she, having inherited that mighty figure's legacy, could enter.
Still, that was Tantai Yunzhi’s fortuitous opportunity after all. If Gongsun Lin’s problem could be solved without touching the Stalactite Body Tempering Fluid, that would naturally be best.
Hearing this, Tantai Yunzhi pondered for a moment, a glint of contemplation flitting across her clear blue eyes. Recalling her perceptions while treating Gongsun Lin, she organized her words and said earnestly, “Senior Sister Gongsun’s mutated lightning spirit root is exceptionally pure, and her foundation is already among the finest of our peers. Her spiritual energy is condensed, circulating seamlessly. However...”
Her brows knit slightly, as if searching for an appropriate phrasing. “However, Senior Sister’s physical constitution seems to have suffered an acquired deficiency, leaving her exceedingly fearful of yin-cold energy.”
At those words, delight flashed in Su Yi’s eyes. The female lead truly lived up to her role. Gongsun Lin had indeed been brought back from a bitter cold land in the far north. Although Su Yi didn't know the exact details of that future crisis, he knew that a female cultivator from the demonic sect's Soul Lost Ridge practiced yin-cold techniques and was adept at poisons. She had given Su Yi a world of trouble in the game, and Gongsun Lin had likely suffered that tragedy upon crossing paths with her.
Filled with pleasant surprise, Su Yi seized Tantai Yunzhi’s shoulders and asked urgently, “You see it so clearly! Is there a way to solve it?!”
The sudden warm touch on her shoulders caused Tantai Yunzhi to stiffen all over, as if struck by a faint current of electricity.
A wave of heat surged into her cheeks, instantly flushing her ears red. Instinctively, she wanted to pull back, but looking into Su Yi’s golden eyes—filled with undisguised urgency and anticipation—she forgot to move for a moment.
“S-Senior Brother...” Tantai Yunzhi’s voice carried an imperceptible tremor, her cheeks crimson and even her neck tinged with pink.
She turned her face slightly aside, evading Su Yi’s overly burning gaze, and whispered, “You... let go of me first.”
Only then did Su Yi realize his breach of etiquette, hurriedly letting go. “Apologies, Junior Sister. I was too impatient.”
He couldn't help it; he had suffered immensely for the sake of Gongsun Lin’s problem. From his grueling childhood cultivation to venturing into mountains in search of medicine in his youth, and then braving widespread opposition to accept Tantai Yunzhi—almost all of it had been done for Gongsun Lin.
Only he knew how terrifying a corrupted Gongsun Lin was. She was an entity that had dominated virtually the entire server's player base, beating so many people into quitting the game.
Seeing Su Yi pull his hands away, Tantai Yunzhi took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. But the flush on her face was slow to recede, so she kept her eyes lowered slightly and continued, “Deficiencies in spirit root foundation require an exceptionally profound body-refining technique, supplemented by specific heavenly treasures and gradual progress. With my current capabilities alone... it cannot be done.”
She spoke the honest truth, neither exaggerating nor concealing anything. Though she could discern the issue, the method to resolve it was far beyond what she, a mere Qi Condensation cultivator, could currently provide.
Hearing this, Su Yi also gradually calmed down. Indeed, the female lead was only at Qi Condensation after all. However, the method she proposed aligned with his own thoughts. Divine Might Manor did not lack profound body-refining techniques; what was lacking were those specific heavenly treasures. That was the real trouble.
Such heavenly treasures could only be stumbled upon by fate, not sought out. If one ever appeared on the market, Divine Might Manor could easily purchase it, but there simply were none available.
‘Must we still proceed according to plan?’
“I understand.” Su Yi nodded, his expression returning to composure, yet he felt much more confident. This proved his plan was most likely viable. After all, it had only been a game walkthrough—he had never actually tested it in reality. That Tantai Yunzhi’s method coincided with his own put his mind at ease instead.
Looking at Tantai Yunzhi’s still-flushed cheeks, he knew staying any longer would only make the atmosphere more awkward. Thus, he cupped his hands in a relaxed farewell: “Thank you for treating my injuries today, Junior Sister. It is getting late, so I won't disturb you any further. If anything happens at the clinic, you can seek me out at my residence anytime.”
With that, he turned and left the clinic.
Tantai Yunzhi stood where she was until Su Yi’s figure vanished into the night. Only then did she gently lift her still-warm face, gazing in the direction of his departure, and softly exhaled.
Only, this was the first time she had ever seen Su Yi lose his composure... and it was because of... Senior Sister Gongsun.
Rate on N.U.
