The Villain Fox's Sickly Beauty Master - Chapter 28

Chapter 28: Tasting the Feeling of Loss for the First Time.

Fu Yi no longer harbored the thought of staying away from Jiang Jinheng. Her gains in this Secret Realm had already exceeded her expectations.

Moreover, the situation here was indeed different from what she remembered. She needed someone by her side to act as her protector.

Furthermore, Fu Yi’s mood had improved by more than just a little since learning that Mo Tong had left this Secret Realm.

She really wanted to know if Mo Tong, without the unknown-grade cultivation technique for his mixed five spiritual roots and having lost an arm, could still manage to be ahead of her as he was in the previous life.

The applied ointment quickly took effect. Fu Yi could feel a cool sensation on her wounds, no longer the scorching pain from before. It was indeed worthy of being an Earth-rank healing ointment.

However, it would likely take a long time for it to fully heal.

With nothing else to do, she sat cross-legged next to Jiang Jinheng, absorbing spiritual energy while waiting for her. With the Heaven-rank cultivation technique she obtained from Feng Qi, her speed of absorbing spiritual energy increased by more than a hundredfold. When refining the absorbed spiritual energy into spiritual power, she discovered that the Phoenix Fire was nowhere to be seen on the fire platform in her Dantian.

She vaguely recalled forcing it back there while enduring the burning, so where was it now?

Thinking this, Fu Yi’s intention moved slightly, and a cluster of flame tinged with golden light reappeared in her Dantian, steady and unmoving, as docile as when they first met.

Fu Yi found this strange. Just as she was about to try summoning it, her body and limbs suddenly became abnormally hot, causing some of her wounds to crack open again. Only then did she realize the extremely intense fire-element spiritual energy surging in her bl00d.

But her body seemed too weak. According to Feng Qi, she was merely an infant demon beast. Her constitution was weak, and her cultivation was too low, so she couldn’t withstand such surging spiritual power, resulting in these side effects when she tried to use it.

Connecting everything, Fu Yi quickly stopped controlling the flame, understanding that it had probably merged with her flesh and bl00d, but given her current ability, it was best not to touch it.

Just as Fu Yi thought this, the golden light in her Dantian disappeared again.

This characteristic was quite miraculous but also beneficial, for instance, making it difficult for others to detect. Thus, she wouldn’t have to tell Jiang Jinheng everything she gained from the inheritance.

Coincidentally, Jiang Jinheng also opened her eyes at this moment. The cold energy in her body had mostly been expelled. The remaining time was for recuperation, and any further delay would be pointless.

But Jiang Jinheng didn’t expect to be greeted by Fu Yi’s face, which was so heavily wrapped that only her eyes were visible. If she hadn’t had a strong psychological tolerance and quickly realized who it was, she would have been startled by the sight.

However, besides the surprise, the sight also evoked a mixture of heartache and amusement. To be wrapped so thoroughly, it must be quite painful.

“Did you apply medicine?”

Fu Yi noticed the change in Jiang Jinheng’s expression and deliberately leaned closer when her hand subconsciously recoiled. However, she failed to genuinely frighten her and even elicited a laugh, making her instantly displeased.

She didn’t know why she had such a mischievous thought. Perhaps it was too boring staying here for so long, or perhaps she just wanted to see Jiang Jinheng’s genuinely startled expression.

“Mm.”

A soft nasal sound was her answer. As if afraid of raising suspicion, she quickly added: “It’s the healing ointment I found in that storage ring.”

Normally, Jiang Jinheng would have patted her head, but fearing she was in pain now, she refrained from doing so.

“Since it was given to you, naturally you can use it whenever you want. But I glanced at it earlier. The storage space of that ring is quite large, but that fellow Cang Yu was too stingy, only putting so little in it. When we go back, I’ll put more talismans and elixirs in it for you.”

Jiang Jinheng spoke casually, but Fu Yi was somewhat speechless. Dozens of profound-grade and above talismans of various types, over ten white bottles of profound-grade and above elixirs, and even two Earth-rank magic treasures, yet she spoke as if they were worthless.

Fortunately, her face was covered by gauze, so no one could notice her expression. All they could hear was her obediently replying, “Okay.”

The two supported each other and got up. Along the way, Fu Yi forbade Jiang Jinheng from using spiritual power for sword-riding.

She claimed that her spiritual reservoir was depleted, and she was afraid of accidents, also suggesting that since they had no destination, walking around in the Secret Realm would be good.

Jiang Jinheng naturally agreed. After all, 007 told her that she had already rested for half a day, and the young Buddhist nun she needed to meet had already acquired the Buddhist Dharma during her recuperation. There was no rush to meet her.

However, watching Fu Yi walk vigorously despite her injured body, while she was panting after a few steps just because her spiritual power was depleted and she was slightly cold, Jiang Jinheng sighed that youth was truly wonderful.

007 really wanted to say that her body was even worse than it was now when she was her age, but fearing it would dampen its Host’s confidence, it changed its approach.

“Host, did you forget? She has a half-divine beast body. Her recovery ability is exceptionally good. These minor injuries are nothing to her.”

“That’s true.”

Ancient Divine Beast bloodlines had a characteristic of vigorous vitality. Their bones, flesh, and organs could self-repair unless severely damaged.

Moreover, this characteristic was not only effective for themselves but could also be applied to others.

It was also because of this that many Divine Beast bloodlines were unable to continue. One reason was their rarity in offspring, and the other was their susceptibility to being hunted.

If a Divine Beast appeared in an Immortal Sect, it was usually either a Great Power’s spiritual pet or a reserved “material” to be captured. Since it was so for Divine Beasts, it was even worse for ordinary demon beasts.

Demon bones were used as tools, demon bl00d and leather as high-grade talisman materials, and organs and flesh were used for medicine. There was almost no part that was “wasted.”

Jiang Jinheng had seen such things many times.

Although the Human Race and Demon Race signed a treaty before the Great War a thousand years ago to jointly resist the Demon Race, the condition was that Immortal Sects would not extensively hunt demon beasts after the war.

But the Demon Race suffered a more severe loss in that war. Without strength, what good was a piece of paper?

Looking at the major sects today, how many of the spiritual treasures and talismans used by cultivators were not stained with bl00d?

Not to mention anything else, the Immortal Sect received tens of thousands of demon beast corpses every month. The source was always claimed to be remains, but the flesh and bl00d of things that had died so long ago were warm, which was truly ironic.

In fact, this phenomenon was much less common when her Master was still in the Immortal Sect. Jiang Jinheng also learned alchemy and artifact forging from her.

Initially, she hadn’t obtained the Cold Star Flame, so she couldn’t learn alchemy or artifact forging. But she didn’t understand why her Master went through such difficulties, flipping through thousands of ancient books, searching for alternative materials, and sometimes even injuring herself to test for the same effects.

At that time, He Yun just smiled, but with a touch of melancholy, and told her: “Things that come at a smaller price should be the right ones. But, Jinheng, I hope you never understand.”

At that time, Jiang Jinheng was still confused. For her Master, the materials explicitly written in the talisman and pill manuals were already obtained at a very small price for her. Trying a new path seemed to be the most difficult.

But she quickly understood the meaning of that sentence. It was when she had just turned sixteen.

A little white fox she had raised for over a year after bringing it back from her first trip to a Secret Realm was captured by a disciple of a senior brother, who claimed it was a rare spiritual fox.

The fox was skinned and its bones were dismantled. When she found it, there were only some rotten, shredded pieces of meat left.

That was the first time Jiang Jinheng tasted the feeling of loss.

Her Master knew about this incident. Although she punished the person with eighty-eight strikes of the Lightning Whip and made him kneel in front of the Sect Hall for an hour every noon for three years, her little white fox was gone forever.

What made Jiang Jinheng most angry was the person’s disdainful and unrepentant attitude.

He always felt that he was punished only because he had offended the Sect Master’s most beloved young disciple, not because he had insulted a life.

She had raised the white fox for a year, long seeing it as family and a companion. Why was its life so lightly regarded just because of its demon beast identity?

From then on, Jiang Jinheng gradually understood how her Master measured the “price.”

To the person who took action, the white fox was just a material in his eyes, easily captured, skinned, tendons ripped out, and bones crushed. He did the work of a butcher under the guise of preparing medicine for fellow disciples.

Even if discovered, he would rarely be punished with an equal crime.

But to her, the white fox was irreplaceable.

It was the rule that made them feel that some things were materials from birth. It was the rule that made them feel that even if they committed a mistake because of this, they should not be pursued or punished.

Since then, Jiang Jinheng also started helping He Yun write new talisman and pill manuals. However, before they were finished, the woman suddenly announced that she was going on a long journey.

He Yun didn’t give a reason. She only handed over the half-completed manuals to her, saying that she should finish them and that she would check them carefully when she returned to the sect.

Although there was suspicion of slacking off, Jiang Jinheng continued as she was told. Now, after more than a hundred years, the two books were almost complete.

Jiang Jinheng was thinking about this while being led forward by Fu Yi. She didn’t notice Fu Yi suddenly stopping. She bumped into her and only reacted when she heard a groan of pain.

“Are you alright?”

How could she be alright when the painful area was suddenly hit? Fu Yi was gritting her teeth in pain. For a moment, she even suspected that this woman had done it on purpose because she had tried to scare her earlier. But she still couldn’t show it. She mumbled, “I’m fine,” and pointed ahead.

Jiang Jinheng followed her gaze and saw two groups of people fighting ahead. The attire of one side was very familiar to her, while the other side was all wearing Buddhist hats and robes. An idea instantly formed in her mind.

“Could we have run into Zhu Qiu and her group here?”

“Host, your guess is correct. According to the plot, she just came out of the inheritance, but I don’t know why she’s fighting with the Immortal Sect’s Elder team.”

The Immortal Sect’s Elder team was the group of rogue cultivators and disciples led by the Law Enforcement Elder, which was assigned before entering the Secret Realm. Jiang Jinheng looked from afar. It seemed to be a team led by a yellow-robed Elder, and these people were likely newly admitted disciples of the Pill Peak.

Unlike the Azure Vast Immortal Sect and the Thousand Blades Sword Sect, the Azure Frost Convent had always been a mysterious and little-known sect.

Besides occasionally sending people into various Secret Realms and participating in the ten-year Sect Martial Arts Competition, and sometimes sending people to resist the demons, they were generally unseen and rarely engaged in conflict with others. And the disciples admitted to the Pill Peak were generally the least inclined to martial arts. Why would these two most easygoing groups be fighting?

In her confusion, Jiang Jinheng heard Fu Yi speak beside her: “Should we… should we help?”

She asked softly, but Jiang Jinheng smiled and pointed to her tightly wrapped face.

“My spiritual reservoir is empty right now, and you are in this state. Who can we help? Even ignoring that, if we really have to help, who should we help?”

Fu Yi lowered her eyes, seeming to ponder for a moment, then spoke decisively.

“Naturally, we help our fellow disciples.”

But after hearing this answer, Jiang Jinheng shook her head. She was still smiling, but a sense of seriousness suddenly arose.

“Being protective is not a fault, but more important than that is understanding the whole story and discerning right from wrong.”

Since the first time Fu Yi saw Jiang Jinheng again, she had never seen her look so serious. She couldn’t help but feel stunned.

In Fu Yi’s estimation, her answer just now was based on her deduction of her Master’s usual style, but she didn’t expect it not to align with her wishes.

As the two watched from a distance, someone in the fighting crowd seemed to notice them. Seeing Jiang Jinheng’s distinctive azure robe and the jade flute at her waist, and then her ethereal appearance, they shouted in surprise.

“Immortal Venerable Luan Qiu!”

Jiang Jinheng sighed, as if expecting the shout, and looked at Fu Yi beside her.

“Let’s go. Now we can’t avoid interfering.”

Following Jiang Jinheng’s steps, Fu Yi obediently trailed behind. She didn’t say a word but couldn’t help but sneer inwardly.

She spoke so decisively when lecturing me on grand principles, talking about discerning right from wrong, but when actually faced with this issue, as soon as someone called out, she rushed over without hesitation. It was truly ridiculous.

The disciples of the Azure Vast Immortal Sect in that team showed more brightness in their eyes after hearing the shout and seeing the person arrive. They looked at the opposite side with greater confidence. And the old nun in plain robes who was fighting the yellow-robed Elder also showed some apprehension in her expression. Despite this, the clanging sound of the staff and the demon-suppressing rod colliding still did not stop.

Helplessly, Jiang Jinheng had no choice but to throw her jade flute out, forcing the two to dodge, which finally stopped the fight.

“Immortal Venerable!”

The yellow-robed Elder seemed very dissatisfied with her action but was intimidated into silence by the severity in her eyes when their gazes met. Even the noisy, arrogant little ones behind him didn’t dare to speak.

Jiang Jinheng turned back, her gaze sweeping over the people on the opposite side. Finally, she spoke to the old nun in plain robes: “Venerable Master, can you explain what happened? Our two sects are closely connected, and we are guiding lights for all the Immortal Sects. You brought your young disciples to the Secret Realm for experience today, and if a rift is created now, sowing resentment among the juniors, I fear it will not be good for the future.”

These words were originally addressed to the opposite side, but just as Jiang Jinheng finished speaking, she heard a still-youthful voice behind her rush to answer: “Immortal Venerable, they are falsely accusing us of stealing some Buddhist relic, rushing up and hitting us without distinguishing right from wrong. They are going too far!”

Although the voice was youthful, it sounded full of energy, with no sign of injury. Someone from the Azure Frost Convent tried to argue, but Jiang Jinheng stopped them with a raised hand. She turned her back and searched for the speaker in the crowd. When she found him, the frost in her eyes deepened.

“Host, that’s him!”

With 007’s help, Jiang Jinheng already knew what these people were arguing about when she spoke to Fu Yi and had started having it investigate the current location of the so-called Buddhist relic.

This was likely a butterfly effect resulting from the change in the plot’s trajectory. After all, in the normal timeline, Mo Tong mistakenly entered the inheritance and obtained the relic, which was why he was constantly entangled with Zhu Qiu. Otherwise, given the Azure Frost Convent’s reclusive style, the number of times the two would meet in a century could be counted on one hand.

The current fact was that the people of the Azure Frost Convent had obtained both the Buddhist Dharma and the relic in the inheritance. However, when they emerged from the inheritance, they encountered a demonic wind that scattered them. The blind Buddhist nun was unconscious for a while. When she woke up, she heard many people gathering, and someone prying open her hand and taking the relic.

In her panic, she tore off a piece of cloth from that person’s clothes and gave it to the Venerable Master. After examining it, the Venerable Master determined that the person was likely from the Azure Vast Immortal Sect.

Their guess was correct, and they even found the right team on their first try. The Buddhist relic was currently on the person who spoke.

In that case, the thief was crying thief.

Jiang Jinheng looked around. The clothes of many people around him were already torn, and their faces and bodies were somewhat stained with bl00d. Yet, he stood there alone, clean and tidy. Her brow couldn’t help but furrow.

Understanding her confusion, 007 used the interpersonal relationship chart it had just investigated to explain:

“This person is the only disciple your Martial Uncle Dan Yi accepted this time. He is Han Yan, the only son of the current head of the Han family. His status is quite extraordinary. But that old man Dan Yi didn’t lead a team into the Secret Realm this year, so he came with the Elder team. In addition, there are five escorts from his family in this team. It is precisely because of those people and the Elder protecting him that he remained unscathed.”

What a glorious, unrestrained aristocratic young man.

Even knowing his identity, Jiang Jinheng still waved a gust of wind from her sleeve without mercy. However, she didn’t use any heavy force, merely knocking him to the ground and then coughing a few times.

After all, she couldn’t stand this kind of person. Others were in a terrible state because of the mistakes he committed, while he was perfectly fine, even his clothes were clean. What kind of behavior is that?

“Noisy. Did this Venerable ask you?”

These little cubs were all in the Qi Refining stage, and even the Elder leading the team had just barely reached the Soul Transformation stage. How could they withstand the pressure unconsciously released by Jiang Jinheng? They were all terrified and dared not utter a word.

The person who spoke first was somewhat unconvinced when he was knocked away, but when he met Jiang Jinheng’s scrutinizing gaze, a cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

Did she discover something? Impossible. With the magic treasure my father gave me, that thing absolutely cannot show any trace.

Thinking this, the person calmed down a little but still didn’t dare to speak again.

Fu Yi, who had been standing beside Jiang Jinheng, was also bewildered. She originally thought that Jiang Jinheng was willing to come over to “uphold justice” for these people, but now it seemed that wasn’t the case.

After dealing with this minor interlude, before Jiang Jinheng could ask again, the leading old nun from the Azure Frost Convent spoke first: “Everyone says that Immortal Venerable Luan Qiu of the Azure Vast Immortal Sect is reasonable and will not only listen to the one-sided story of the young disciples in the sect. We are absolutely not fond of fighting. If not for someone snatching our sect’s secret treasure, we would never provoke a dispute with anyone.”

“That is natural.”

Seeing that Jiang Jinheng seemed to be swayed by the opposite side’s words, the yellow-robed Elder became a little agitated.

“Immortal Venerable, please don’t listen to their high-sounding claims. We were resting here just now. This Venerable Master brought a torn piece of clothing, insisting that we stole some Buddhist relic, and was unreasonable. After I checked the integrity of all the disciples’ clothes, she then claimed that the woman has an All-Seeing Eye, and the final location of the relic was traced to this spot. She insisted on searching everyone completely. A few short-tempered disciples refused, and then the fight started.”

As he spoke, the yellow-robed Elder pointed to Zhu Qiu, who was standing in front of the opposing team.

Jiang Jinheng looked her up and down. She felt that her face was exceptionally beautiful, but her eyes seemed somewhat unusual, empty, and devoid of vitality.

“The Buddhist Nun of the Azure Frost Convent is predestined from birth. Her eyes cannot see, but she can see through the life fate of ordinary people and detect her surroundings. It can be considered a case of gain and loss.”

However, the yellow-robed Elder’s words were impartial. These people were indeed too aggressive, which provoked the dissatisfaction of others and allowed the petty person to succeed.

But after all, they had lost something akin to a sacred object. It was normal for them to be a little anxious.

Seeing that the two sides were about to quarrel again, Jiang Jinheng couldn’t help but mediate.

She already knew who stole the item, but she needed an excuse to give someone else the name of “foreknowledge.” Looking up and down, Zhu Qiu was the most suitable candidate.

“There is no need for the Elder and the Venerable Master to say more. Since your young Buddhist Nun has an All-Seeing Eye, I will take her and let her check everyone. If any disciple has dirty hands, Luan Qiu will certainly present the sacred object and will not tolerate the person; if not, both sides should apologize for the brief use of weapons. Wouldn’t it be better to turn hostility into friendship and not harm the thousand-year-old relationship between our two sects?”

Hearing this, the Venerable Master hesitated for a moment but agreed. However, there were still some dissatisfied voices from her side.

“Wouldn’t that take too much time?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

She had already locked onto the target, so how long could it take?

Since she was determined, others couldn’t refuse, but it still drew many complaints, which they could only whisper among themselves in small groups.

Their discussions were not loud, but Jiang Jinheng could hear them clearly. Yet, she only smiled and paid no attention.

After all, they were just saying she was cold and unreasonable and didn’t trust her fellow disciples. When the result came out later, they would naturally shut up.

Zhu Qiu came to Jiang Jinheng’s side, squeezing Fu Yi, who was closely following her, to the side.

“Before the search, Luan Qiu has another suggestion. I hope everyone present will close their eyes for half a quarter of an hour from this moment.”

At this point, Jiang Jinheng paused. Seeing no one object and everyone complying one by one, she continued:

“If anyone truly stole a secret treasure from another sect and now repents, open your eyes now. This Venerable will come to you, take the stolen item, and will not reveal your identity. You will accept the punishment afterward, and the crime will not be publicized. If you remain unrepentant and are caught, besides the punishment from the Law Enforcement Hall, which this Venerable will personally supervise later, you will also be immediately expelled from the Secret Realm.”

Jiang Jinheng’s voice was so cold that many people shivered, but she only stared at one person.

But that person showed no sign of fear or guilt, which truly made her sigh with emotion.

“Host, he seems to have a storage magic treasure and a concealment magic treasure that can hide an item in his Dantian. It is extremely difficult to detect, but if it is forcibly stripped out, his Dantian might be ruined.”

007’s meaning was clearly that if she forcibly took the relic, the family behind this person would inevitably resent her.

But so what? She was used to being free and unrestrained. Her current goal was merely to make trouble for a young man who was still wet behind the ears. A mere aristocratic family couldn’t touch her. Moreover, if he refused to admit it, that consequence would be his own doing.

Half a quarter of an hour passed, and no one moved. Everyone reopened their eyes, and the search naturally began.

Seemingly seeing that Zhu Qiu was blind, Jiang Jinheng naturally took her hand and walked to the front of those disciples.

Zhu Qiu was slightly uncomfortable with being touched and frowned, but she didn’t struggle free. As soon as she stood still and was about to use her ability, she heard Jiang Jinheng shout loudly:

“Oh, it’s not him. Next.”

Even though she couldn’t see, Zhu Qiu couldn’t help but turn her head toward the direction of the voice, looking confused.

She hadn’t spoken.

After several people passed by like this, and she heard Jiang Jinheng say “next” many times, Zhu Qiu gradually realized that this person seemed to have no intention of using her ability at all.

She had thought this person was a wise elder who could distinguish right from wrong. Now, it seemed that she was trying to use her to help these people escape guilt quickly.

Thinking this, Zhu Qiu rarely felt a surge of faint anger. The yellow-robed Elder and the Venerable Master, who were standing not far from the two, also changed their expressions. One had a look of “I knew it” smile, while the other’s face instantly dropped.

What if she is a Body Integration stage Immortal Venerable? Zhu Qiu was not afraid of these things. Just as she was about to expose Jiang Jinheng’s true colors, she heard a rush of wind. The person beside her seemed to have made a move. Immediately, she heard a collision sound and a cry of agony, which instantly made her hold her breath.

The others were also caught off guard by this sudden situation and were stunned. The person who was kicked was Han Yan, who had previously been hit by a gust of wind from Jiang Jinheng’s sleeve. He was now half-lying on the ground, unable to climb up, his body trembling like a sieve, and muttering something.

Jiang Jinheng let go of Zhu Qiu’s hand and walked a little closer. She only heard him continuously muttering, “My father is Han Li, how dare you hurt me…” while trying to get up, only to be stepped back down to the ground.

“That opportunity just now was given out of respect for your father’s face.”