The Sickly Beauty and Her Guide Leopard - Chapter 16

Jian Li found Yan Qingshuang remarkably earnest. At the Dining Hall, she truly ordered ten massive Great Goose legs for her. These geese were raised on spirit spring water and spirit rice, and each leg was nearly half Jian Li’s size.

 

Even the voracious Jian Li struggled to finish them.

 

After gnawing through the last leg, Yan Qingshuang insisted on buying pastries.

 

Forced to intervene, Jian Li pleaded with Yan Qingshuang to save money. They needed to live frugally, not indulge in extravagance.

 

After packing up the leftovers and returning to their residence, Jian Li anxiously asked Yan Qingshuang how much money they had left.

 

“150 Spirit Stones.”

 

“We’re going bankrupt!”

 

“Nonsense,” Yan Qingshuang said affectionately, pinching Jian Li’s soft, squishy cheek. “I’ll take care of you.”

 

With what? Jian Li couldn’t bear to shatter her illusions and mumbled vague reassurances.

 

Suddenly, she remembered something. “Little Shuang, do you have any spare Storage Pouches?”

 

The jade pendant at Yan Qingshuang’s waist received a telepathic message from her Master, He Guhua. After listening, she returned the pendant to its place.

 

Turning, she retrieved a small Storage Pouch, suitable even for ordinary mortals.

 

“Here, this is for you.”

 

“Thank you, Little Shuang! You’re so kind. Please help me put it on.”

 

Jian Li stretched her neck and gazed expectantly at Yan Qingshuang, who didn’t question the purpose of the storage pouch and carefully tied the red cord around Jian Li’s waist.

 

Yan Qingshuang’s pale fingertips measured the cord, ensuring it wasn’t too tight. “I need to go out for a while and can’t bring you with me.”

 

Jian Li couldn’t bear to look directly at the patched-up storage pouch. “Will you be back to sleep tonight?” she asked.

 

Yan Qingshuang promised, “I’ll return before Hai Hour and bring you dinner.”

 

Her sincerity and guilt were palpable. Jian Li said bluntly, “Don’t burden yourself so much. You don’t need to report every little detail to me.”

 

“Has Xiao Li forgotten? I always tell you in advance when I’m going out.”

 

Jian Li had long forgotten this. She awkwardly brushed it off with a flick of her fluffy tail.

 

“I just don’t want you to get too tired, Little Shuang. If you buy me something delicious tonight, I’ll be a good girl and wait patiently at home for you to return.”

 

“Alright.”

 

“And remember to take your medicine tonight.”

 

Yan Qingshuang’s arm was tightly entangled by Jian Li’s fluffy tail. She lowered her gaze and murmured a soft acknowledgment before hurrying away.

 

Her rare display of discomposure caught Jian Li’s attention. A faint blush, like spring cherry blossoms in full bloom, swept across Jian Li’s blue eyes, an indescribably beautiful sight.

 

Hmm? Jian Li wondered.

 

Was Yan Qingshuang blushing just now?

 

As Yan Qingshuang moved away, Jian Li’s neck suddenly tightened, her own neck flushing red.

 

Yan Qingshuang blushing? That’s absurd.

 

She’s just someone who’s kind to me while maintaining a cold demeanor. There’s no hidden meaning behind it. I must have misread the situation.

 

Under the influence of this strange bracelet, my neck feels constricted. It’s probably just a hallucination.

 

Still, Jian Li had been eagerly anticipating the moment she and Yan Qingshuang could split up.

 

She had important matters to attend to. Jian Li activated her Teleportation Watch, planning to first tackle Chang Chi’s mission.

 

Before leaving, she took the precaution of reviewing the user manual.

 

Several lines of text popped up.

 

As expected, while the Teleportation Watch was impressive, its energy reserves were limited.

 

It could only be used twice a day—enough for one mission and one return trip.

 

“Oxen and horses should know their place,” Jian Li muttered, shaking her head in resignation. “Don’t get any fancy ideas. There’s no such thing as unlimited free teleportation.”

 

With a sigh, she lamented, “I’m practically paying to come to work.”

 

In the blink of an eye, Jian Li teleported to a neglected mountain peak.

 

As everyone knew, the Spiritual Meridians converged on the Six Main Peaks, with the Sect Master Peak serving as the source, extending to the other five peaks.

 

The remaining side peaks received a trickle of Spiritual Energy, enough to sustain the cultivation of Outer Sect Disciples.

 

But Jian Li’s location was even more marginal than a nobody’s corner. Overgrown with weeds, it was so desolate that not even Spiritual Beasts bothered to rest there.

 

The only redeeming feature was its proximity to Wending Peak. Occasionally, disciples riding Celestial Cranes would pass overhead.

 

Jian Li couldn’t help but chuckle. How foolish they are, she thought, with their superficial vision. The reason there’s no Spiritual Energy here is because it’s sealed away!

 

Any gamer would understand: opportunities often lie hidden in overlooked corners.

 

Only game players are the Chosen Ones, Jian Li mused, activating her navigation system. A bright red marker instantly appeared on the screen.

 

Jian Li was used to the faint tightening around her neck, but she didn’t want to waste even half a second. She took a deep breath and set off along the predetermined route.

 

The Storage Pouch around her neck swung rhythmically, its bells chiming crisply and cheerfully.

 

After running for only a short distance, she reached the coordinates. Beneath her feet lay ordinary, compacted earth. She scanned the surroundings.

 

Confirming she was alone, she plucked several lush, verdant blades of grass.

 

Holy grass.

 

Jian Li murmured, “East Wind Unravels Intent.”

 

She blew out a breath, its nature unknown even to herself.

 

“South Rain Brings Joy.”

 

She spat twice onto the ground.

 

“North Grass Giggles.”

 

Jian Li slapped the grass against the earth three times, flinging it down with force. Dirt and dust billowed into the air.

 

She stood motionless, waiting.

 

A few seconds later, a rumbling sound rose from the ground. Golden runes shimmered to life on the seal, and as they shifted and flowed, a crack split open.

 

Before Jian Li could react, the fissure widened, swallowing her whole.

 

Thanks to the cushioning effect of the grass, Jian Li landed without injury.

 

Before her stretched a brightly lit, self-contained space. A stream gurgled through the landscape, its banks lined with dense clusters of spiritual herbs and flowers that swayed gently without wind.

 

The riot of colors dazzled her eyes.

 

As for the Jade Spirit Orchids Chang Chi sought, a casual glance revealed not just a hundred, but thousands, even tens of thousands, within easy reach.

 

Jian Li opened her Storage Pouch. The space was limited; she wondered how many orchids it could hold.

 

The Jade Spirit Orchid belonged to the fragrant herb and spiritual flower category, with both its petals and leaves a vibrant jade-green.

 

According to the game’s description, after refinement, it possessed calming, qi-stabilizing, and beauty-enhancing properties. When strong emotions or desires arose, the Jade Spirit Orchid could also aid in entering a meditative state.

 

Jian Li pondered offering a few stalks to Chang Chi to strengthen their relationship. She could then try to negotiate some free medicinal pills for Yan Qingshuang.

 

Without delay, she began harvesting the orchids, transforming into a diligent little bee flitting through the fragrant floral sea, her paw pads exuding a sweet aroma.

 

Time passed unnoticed until a two-meter-tall tree suddenly appeared in her field of vision, causing Jian Li’s eyes to widen involuntarily.

 

The tree bore dozens of plump, crimson fruits, each about the size of an adult’s fist.

 

As Jian Li approached, a rich, sweet fragrance filled the air, making her drool uncontrollably.

 

In the game, these fruits had no name, but their effect was to enhance pleasure. The description described them as round, juicy, and succulent, with cultivators who had tasted them claiming they would never forget the experience.

 

This tree randomly spawned across Xuanzhou.

 

To her surprise, she had stumbled upon one. Jian Li swallowed repeatedly, her mind already captivated by the fruits, drawing her closer without conscious effort.

 

The tree wasn’t particularly tall, and its trunk was too slender to support such a heavy load of fruit. Yet, Jian Li could easily reach the top by jumping. As she moved beneath the tree, the vibrant red fruits beckoned her to pluck them.

 

She brushed her paw against Fur, plucked a fruit, and bit into it decisively. The juicy flesh burst in her mouth, sweet and refreshing.

 

So delicious!

 

She felt little stars twinkling before her eyes. It really did lift her spirits.

 

Jian Li grabbed the tree trunk, heaved herself up to a fork in the branches, sat down, and stretched out to pluck ten more fruits in quick succession.

 

As she reached for another, the central part of the fruit cluster was revealed.

 

An oval-shaped brown pupa hung from a branch, its surface riddled with tiny holes.

 

Puzzled, Jian Li felt like she’d seen something like this before. She scratched her head and poked the pupa with her paw.

 

Suddenly, her pupils constricted as if she’d spotted some terrifying creature.

 

She scrambled down the tree trunk in a panic, but before she could even stand up, a buzzing swarm filled her ears.

 

One even landed on her face, right under her eyelid.

 

Oh my god!

 

Wasps! Wasps!

 

She’d accidentally disturbed a wasp nest!

 

Jian Li fled blindly, running faster than she ever had before, as if eight hundred ferocious beasts were nipping at her heels.

 

Wasps are ferocious beasts too!

 

Her paws flew across the ground as she desperately tried to escape.

 

Only when the familiar desolate mountain peak came into view did she finally breathe a sigh of relief. As she relaxed, her face began to itch intensely. She scratched repeatedly, but the irritation persisted.

 

Yan Qingshuang’s crow’s mouth really jinxed me! That was so close! I almost died from wasp stings!

 

Muttering to herself, she opened her Storage Pouch. She couldn’t count them all, but there must have been several hundred Jade Spirit Orchids.

 

As an extra bonus, she received a gift of twenty-one fruits, one of which she took a bite of.

 

Having completed the task from daybreak to dusk, Jian Li activated her Teleportation Watch.

 

The watch accurately transported her to Wending Peak. The familiar scent of herbal Aromatic Pills filled her nostrils, invigorating her spirits. She wagged her tail and set off to find Chang Chi to claim her reward.

 

Perhaps her leopard-like appearance was truly awe-inspiring, because Jian Li hadn’t taken more than a few steps before a group of young women began staring at her.

 

Since arriving in the Cultivation World, she had almost forgotten her socially awkward persona. She greeted each person with a friendly head-wag, and the young women smiled back at her.

 

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, she arrived at the Medicine Hall.

 

She glanced at the small house that had previously exploded in a mushroom cloud. A woman in green robes, her hair tied back with a cloth strip, was squatting and hammering at the wood, rebuilding the structure.

 

How diligent, Jian Li thought, watching for a moment. I feel like I’ve seen her somewhere before.

 

Her mind raced, and then it clicked. Isn’t that Chang Chi? What’s she doing as a carpenter?

 

Jian Li hurried toward Chang Chi, taking two steps for every three. Chang Chi, completely absorbed in her carpentry, didn’t notice her approach.

 

“Chang Chi!” Jian Li called out.

 

Chang Chi turned her head.

 

The Little Spiritual Beast’s face was rounder and larger than the full moon tonight, her eyes brimming with undisguised joy. She circled Chang Chi, tail in her mouth, never stopping.

 

Chang Chi studied Jian Li intently. After a moment, recognizing her by the patterns on her fur, she hesitantly raised her mallet. “Could you be Xiao Li, Senior Sister Yan’s Spiritual Beast?”

 

What a forgetful Medical Cultivator! Jian Li thought irritably. She can’t even remember me after just two days!

 

Jian Li rolled her eyes at Chang Chi, then wasted no time removing the Storage Pouch from around her neck. She placed it on the ground and pointed with her paw.

 

Chang Chi’s gaze shifted from Jian Li’s swollen face to the crude Storage Pouch, then back to Jian Li’s pitiful expression.

 

“What happened to your face?” she asked. “Did Senior Sister Yan mistreat you?”

 

What do you mean? Jian Li stood there, bewildered.

 

Chang Chi set down her mallet and retrieved a polished mirror from her Storage Ring, placing it before Jian Li.

 

“Meow!!!”

 

The face in the mirror nearly sent Jian Li into shock. Who is this hideous, swollen creature?!

 

Oh, right. It was her—after being stung by wasps.

 

Jian Li even forgot to tuck her tail, pitifully nudging up to Chang Chi.

 

She pushed the Storage Pouch toward Chang Chi, who was astonished by her intense reaction, yet still found the composure to examine the pouch.

 

Chang Chi opened the unclaimed Storage Pouch to find it overflowing with Jade Spirit Orchids, interspersed with unknown red berries.

 

Her jaw dropped. “Where did you get all this?!” she exclaimed.

 

With that, she grabbed her pestle, the Storage Pouch, and Jian Li, then flew to the Medicine Hall’s room—the same place Jian Li had visited with Yan Qingshuang before.

 

Jian Li was anxious to have Chang Chi calculate the payment, but unable to speak, she had a sudden inspiration. She began typing on the Spirit Mirror, using both paws.

 

Chang Chi watched with fascination as the little leopard painstakingly pieced together a few words.

 

Mission Reward

 

Chang Chi: “You really found all this?!”

 

“Did you find it all by yourself?”

 

Jian Li nodded, thinking, Why are you making such a fuss? You’re so clueless.

 

Chang Chi couldn’t fathom where Jian Li had obtained the Jade Spirit Orchid. She could only marvel at the Little Leopard’s extraordinary intelligence and treasure-hunting abilities.

 

She realized she had underestimated Jian Li.

 

She admitted to herself that she felt a twinge of envy toward Yan Qingshuang.

 

Chang Chi knew Yan Qingshuang lacked Spiritual Power and would inevitably be relegated to the Outer Sect Disciples. Such a remarkable Spiritual Beast would be better off serving her.

 

She tried to poach Jian Li: “Xiao Li, doing missions must be exhausting, right?”

 

Jian Li replied with a nod.

 

“Why don’t you stay with me tonight? I’ll treat you to some delicious food as a reward and even heal your face.”

 

Jian Li was always short on Spirit Stones; everything revolved around them. She asked: Free?

 

Chang Chi: “Of course! As if I’d ever worry about such a small expense.”

 

With free food on offer, Jian Li couldn’t refuse. She continued scratching her itchy face until Chang Chi firmly grasped her paw.

 

“If you keep scratching, your face will get infected.”

 

The word “infection” immediately conjured images of her adorable face covered in pockmarks. Terrified, Jian Li lowered her paw and replied to Chang Chi:

 

Thank you, Sister Chang.

 

Chang Chi ruffled the soft fur on Jian Li’s back. “So cute.”

 

Jian Li experienced firsthand what it meant to be cared for by a wealthy Medical Cultivator. She had everything she could want: delicious food, fine wine, and a bed softer than the one in Yan Qingshuang’s room, with blankets as light as feathers. She lay back comfortably, letting Chang Chi heal her swollen face.

 

Curious, Jian Li asked Chang Chi through the Spirit Mirror why she was working as a carpenter. Chang Chi explained that it was her alchemy workshop, and the furnace had exploded.

 

If you blow up your own house, you fix it yourself.

 

In the Sect, furnace explosions were commonplace, nothing to be surprised about. Chang Chi educated Jian Li on alchemy and the uses of the Jade Spirit Orchid.

 

When Jian Li learned that Chang Chi’s Aromatic Pills were highly sought after and sold for a considerable profit, she couldn’t help but feel envious.