The Villain Marked the Protagonist's Fiancée (Through the Book) - Chapter 14

Yun Xiao feigned fright, twisting around to bury her face in Fang Zhiluo’s arms. “A’Luo,” she whined, “he’s scaring me again! He’s been grilling me with questions, probably trying to get his hands on my treasures.”

Her words sounded so sincere that even Fang Zhiluo couldn’t detect any falsehood.

Xie Yunfan was about to retort when Fang Zhiluo abruptly drew her sword, silencing him.

“Martial Uncle Xie, you’re not new to traveling the mortal realm. You should know that such journeys are fraught with inconveniences. A little discretion can avoid a great deal of unnecessary trouble,” Fang Zhiluo said coldly. Though their previous encounters had been brief, Xie Yunfan had always been courteous and proper, earning him widespread praise.

Now, it seemed that had merely been a facade. The man before her was the true Xie Yunfan.

Xie Yunfan choked, his face darkening. “Are you truly willing to make an enemy of me for this mysterious, secretive female cultivator?”

“Martial Uncle Xie, you exaggerate. She helped me and saved my life. I’m simply doing what’s right. If you disapprove of my actions, you’re welcome to report it to my Master for judgment,” Fang Zhiluo replied patiently.

Xie Yunfan held a high position and great prestige within the Heavenly Evolution Sect, forcing Yun Xiao to tread carefully.

Yun Xiao took a bite of a Spirit Fruit she had plucked nearby. Its sourness perfectly matched her current mood.

Fang Zhiluo’s resolve remained firm. Despite Xie Yunfan’s lingering reluctance, he had no choice but to bide his time, reverting to his usual refined demeanor. “The Sect Grand Tournament is approaching. Martial Nephew Fang will likely depart soon. I shall accompany you both!”

This unilateral declaration made Yun Xiao roll her eyes. She had no desire to travel with such an arrogant and oblivious companion.

She gently tugged at Fang Zhiluo’s sleeve, feigning weakness. “A’Luo, you promised to take me with you. Look at how hostile he is toward me—I’m scared.” As she spoke, she coughed twice, silently reminding Fang Zhiluo of her injuries.

Xie Yunfan’s brow furrowed. This female cultivator is slandering me right in front of my face! Does she think I’m dead?

The sudden surge of murderous intent startled Yun Xiao, who quickly buried her face in Fang Zhiluo’s arms, muttering, “See? He clearly means me harm.”

Had this happened earlier, Fang Zhiluo might have agreed to Xie Yunfan’s proposal. But Xie Yunfan’s earlier accusations and sudden aggression had shattered her impression of him. How could she possibly entrust Yun Xiao to travel with such a man?

She politely declined, “Yun Xiao is injured and traveling would be difficult. We wouldn’t want to trouble Martial Uncle Xie.”

Constantly being blocked or rejected, even Xie Yunfan’s renowned good temper finally cracked, especially since his amiable demeanor was merely a facade for public consumption.

With an angry flick of his sleeve, he turned his profile to Fang Zhiluo and said coldly, “As you wish.”

Glancing at Yun Xiao’s sleeve, he added, “Martial Nephew Fang would do well to keep a close eye on things, lest some unsavory character take advantage of the situation.” With that, he soared away.

Fang Zhiluo helped Yun Xiao back to the Cold Pool. Noticing Yun Xiao’s pale complexion, she quickly retrieved two medicinal pills and urged her to swallow them, scolding, “Knowing you’re injured, you still have to be so sharp-tongued. You deserve this.”

Yun Xiao remained silent, her peach-blossom eyes, glistening with tears, gazing pitifully at Fang Zhiluo.

Fang Zhiluo sighed. “I’ll help you back to the Cave Abode to rest.”

After swallowing the pills, Yun Xiao felt somewhat better. She dodged Fang Zhiluo’s outstretched hand and smacked her lips. “I haven’t eaten the Heaven-Devouring Giant Wolf I hunted yet.”

What could Fang Zhiluo do but indulge her ailing companion?

Yun Xiao didn’t stand on ceremony, familiarly ordering Fang Zhiluo around as her assistant.

Half an hour later, the air was thick with the rich, spicy aroma of their meal.

Yun Xiao handed Fang Zhiluo the dipping sauce she had prepared. “Try this. It’s absolutely unforgettable.”

Fang Zhiluo didn’t hesitate. She took the dipping sauce and, mimicking Yun Xiao’s movements, picked up a piece of fish, dipped it thoroughly in the sauce, and put it in her mouth.

Her brow furrowed, and her face twisted in a grimace. “Why is this so sour?”

“Sour? I must have added the wrong ingredient,” Yun Xiao said casually, handing Fang Zhiluo the sweet and sour fish she had just finished. “Try this instead.”

Fang Zhiluo took a small bite. Her brow, which had barely relaxed, immediately furrowed again. She glared at Yun Xiao across the table. “Are you doing this on purpose?”

Yun Xiao shrugged innocently and calmly offered Fang Zhiluo a Spirit Fruit.

This time, Fang Zhiluo refused, having been thoroughly soured by the previous experience.

Yun Xiao withdrew her hand as if nothing had happened, lowered her head, took a large bite of the fruit, swallowed it expressionlessly, and said earnestly, “It’s not sour at all. I added this Spirit Fruit to both the dipping sauce and the sweet and sour fish.”

Fang Zhiluo stared at Yun Xiao with a mixture of exasperation and disbelief, then set down her chopsticks. “You eat it yourself.”

She suspected Yun Xiao was doing this deliberately, but she couldn’t prove it.

Yun Xiao placed a fresh dipping sauce in front of Fang Zhiluo. “This one doesn’t have the Spirit Fruit.”

Seeing Fang Zhiluo remain motionless, Yun Xiao sighed dramatically. “You promised to take care of me, and now you’re balking at just having dinner with me?”

Fang Zhiluo clenched her fists at her sides, gritting her teeth. “I’ll eat.”

Contrary to her expectations, the dish wasn’t sour at all—it was intensely spicy.

Watching Fang Zhiluo’s brow unfurrow as she devoured bite after bite, Yun Xiao’s sour mood dissipated.

To hell with the Male Lead! My A’Luo wouldn’t give that arrogant stallion the time of day.

Meanwhile, Xie Yunfan hurried toward the collapsed area. Sensing the lingering fluctuations of Spiritual Energy, he deduced that a battle between Divine Transformation Cultivators had taken place here.

A clash between Divine Transformation Cultivators could easily obliterate an entire city. No wonder Zhong Qiu and the others had been reduced to ashes.

He seized a passing Cultivator and demanded, “Tell me everything you saw that day.”

The Cultivator, a mere early-stage Golden Core cultivator, bristled at Xie Yunfan’s aggression but dared not retaliate. He reluctantly recounted the events: “I was hunting in the Mist Forest when suddenly, thunder and lightning erupted from this area. Then I heard the mountain collapse. When I rushed over to investigate, a Nascent Soul elder scared me off. I only dared return after he left.”

Xie Yunfan pressed, “Was it a female cultivator?”

“Yes, I heard she even dug another female cultivator out from under the rubble.”

Xie Yunfan released the Cultivator, who immediately fled.

He soared into the sky, his gaze fixed on the ground below, and mentally asked, “Old Qiu, can you sense anything?”

After a long moment, Old Qiu replied, “Even after several days, the Spiritual Energy remains remarkably dense. It seems a Heavenly Treasure was born beneath this place.”

He added as an afterthought, “Possibly of the highest grade.”

“Have you noticed anything about the female cultivator beside Fang Zhiluo?” Xie Yunfan asked, revealing his suspicions. “I suspect she might be the Jade Flood Dragon.”

“Battles between Divine Transformation Cultivators can indeed cause such phenomena,” Old Qiu acknowledged, “but your suspicions aren’t unfounded. You should find an opportunity to test her.”

After another day of rest, Fang Zhiluo, seeing that Yun Xiao’s superficial wounds had mostly healed, proposed they set off immediately.

Yun Xiao naturally had no objections. She even packed up the cooking pot, stuffing everything into her Storage Pouch before leisurely boarding the Flying Spirit Tool.

Casting a resentful glance at Fang Zhiluo, who had already entered a meditative state, Yun Xiao propped her chin on one hand and gazed around listlessly.

Finally, remembering she hadn’t yet tried Pill Refinement, she retrieved a Pill Refinement furnace and materials for five High-Grade Spring Return Pills from her Inner Space and began the process.

Though Fang Zhiluo appeared to be cultivating, she remained vigilant.

Seeing Yun Xiao refining pills on the Flying Spirit Tool, Fang Zhiluo’s lips twitched. Even if Pill Refinement didn’t require pre-ritual bathing and incense burning, it certainly shouldn’t be done so carelessly.

Fine, she thought. I’ve reinforced the Flying Artifact with Defense Talismans. Even if Yun Xiao’s cauldron explodes, it won’t damage the Spirit Tool.

Silently affixing a Defense Talisman to Yun Xiao’s back, Fang Zhiluo closed her eyes and resumed her cultivation.

As expected, Yun Xiao failed.

Yet instead of being discouraged, she grew even more determined. Abandoning the standard Pill Refinement procedures, she began adding ingredients to the cauldron based purely on intuition.

Forty-five minutes later, a rich medicinal aroma filled the air—the pills were nearing completion.

Yun Xiao suppressed her excitement and focused on channeling her Spiritual Power. Soon, ten perfectly round pills materialized.

Yesterday, she had discovered that as long as she didn’t drastically manipulate her Spiritual Power, her internal injuries wouldn’t be aggravated. This realization gave her a newfound sense of self-preservation.

Eagerly retrieving the pills, Yun Xiao stared in bewilderment at the strange white patterns etched across their surfaces. Turning to Fang Zhiluo, she asked, “A’Luo, can you take a look? Did I succeed or fail?”

Fang Zhiluo suppressed her surprise and examined the pills for a while, but couldn’t discern their status. She shook her head. “Once we reach the Kaiyang Sect, I’ll ask the Pill Sect Elders for you.”

The Sect Grand Tournament, held every ten years, rotated among the Four Great Sects. This year, it was the Kaiyang Sect’s turn to host.

Yun Xiao couldn’t wait. She tossed a pill into her mouth with lightning speed, leaving Fang Zhiluo no time to stop her.

“It has a tingly, numbing sensation—so comfortable,” Yun Xiao said, offering Fang Zhiluo another pill. “Want to try one? The effects are the same as the one you gave me.”

Fang Zhiluo accepted the pill and examined it closely. It was indeed a High-Grade Spring Return Pill.

Spring Return Pills aided cultivators in healing both internal and external injuries. Their complex refinement process required significant spiritual power, so Pill Masters typically only allowed disciples to attempt their creation after reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage.

Talented disciples could refine a Low-Grade Spring Return Pill within a year, with a success rate of no more than forty percent. Less gifted disciples might take three years to produce a single batch.

Low-Grade Spring Return Pills healed injuries for cultivators below the Golden Core stage, Mid-Grade pills for those below the Nascent Soul stage, and High-Grade pills for those below the Divine Transformation stage.

For cultivators with higher cultivation levels, the effects of Spring Return Pills were minimal.

She voiced her lingering doubt: “Have you refined pills before?”

Only this could explain how Yun Xiao had managed to create a High-Grade Spring Return Pill.

“No, this is my first time,” Yun Xiao said matter-of-factly. “If I’d known, I wouldn’t have followed the pill refinement instructions in the book. Not only did I waste three sets of materials, but I also ended up covered in ash.”

Fang Zhiluo turned her head away, unwilling to speak to Yun Xiao at that moment.

Refining a High-Grade Spring Return Pill on her first attempt? If word of this got out, the Pill Sect Elders would lose their minds.

Remembering her own three years of fruitless study, unable to produce a single pill, Fang Zhiluo felt a pang of bitterness.

“What’s wrong?” Yun Xiao tilted her head, studying Fang Zhiluo. “If you don’t want to eat it, just throw it away. Don’t be upset.”

Regaining her composure, Fang Zhiluo placed the pill in her mouth.

In the next instant, she felt a jolt of electricity coursing through her body, her entire frame convulsing violently. The spasms only subsided after half a cup of tea’s time.

Yun Xiao was terrified, wanting to help Fang Zhiluo but unsure how.

Fang Zhiluo exhaled a foul breath. “The Spring Return Pill you refined carries Thunder energy.” This explained the white mark on the pill’s surface.

As Yun Xiao was about to ask Fang Zhiluo more, an unwelcome voice suddenly rang out from behind them.

“Since we’ve crossed paths, why not travel together, Martial Nephew Fang?” Xie Yunfan’s gaze settled on Yun Xiao. “This Fellow Daoist’s complexion seems much improved from the past few days. She must be nearly fully recovered.”