Chapter 10: Chapter 10: A Favour and a Flower in bloom
Stretching my arms and legs after meditating for 8 hours straight I tell Nie Lie "I've just reached 115 soul force and I think I'll reach 1-star Silver rank by the exams."
"That's ridiculous! How is your soul force rising so fast?!"
"Oh Lu Piao I'm just that amazing."
We all have a good laugh because of the interaction.
'It's not like I can say I've got 2 soul realms with 1 I'm training with a technique equal to Nie Lie's and another that grows just because the main got bigger and it creates a feedback loop.'
"Don't worry we can speed up by using elixirs!" said Nie Lie.
"That's right! We improved so much without elixirs, then imagine how shocking it will be if we do" replied Lu Piao in a far more chipper mood than when he found out about my Soul Force.
"But can we get any? it will cost 10 000 demon spirit coins to be any Aid to practicing."
"Alright you guys go to the 3rd floor to continue training and I'll think of something to turn our 10 000 demon spirit coins into the money we need."
"I'm gonna go" I said as they all climbed the stairs.
"What are you doing now?" asked Lu Piao.
"I've got to give Xiao Ning'er this technique and I need to do so work I promised I'd for a friend."
"Who is this friend hmm?" Lu Piao giving me a 'you got a girl' face like in the manga.
"His name is Chou Lin and I'm tutoring him on alchemy for the Journeyman test" I replied with a lie.
'Can't say I'm going to give the school 'Goddess' a 'massage' for most of the night now can I?' I thought as I walk away but my thoughts are soon interrupted by a hand on my shoulder.
"Do you now where Xiao Ning'er has been these past few days?" asked Nie Lie.
"Hmm? Yeah I do. She's been ill these past few months and I've been treating her. Why?" I reply perfectly knowing why he asked for her.
"You knew she was ill?" Nie Lie asked in disbelief at the fact I figured it out myself.
"Well yeah. It was a week or so ago I found out, when I was hunting for the horned sheep I found her suffering from a cold based illness and since I suffered a similar fate when I was young I decided to helped heal her."
"How?"
"There is a lot of books in the library you know. Remember when I spent days in the library? Well I was looking for an illness that resembled her and I found it. After that I went looking for illnesses but also cures and found a technique called the Daoyin technique. Why is there a problem?" I said explaining my way out of any harm or suspicion that may has arisen by helping her.
"I've got a favour to ask of you!"
"Ok what is it?"
"I need you to ask Xiao Ning'er to buy all the 'Purple Mist Grass' she can with this 10 000 demon spirit coin" said Nie Lie as fished the money out of his robe.
"You putting to use your knowledge of the ancient scriptures?"
"Yes and I need your help to succeed."
Sigh. "Alright give me the coins and I'll ask her. You owe me one for this."
"Debts between brothers?"
"Between us? No. But asking Xiao Ning'er, an outsider, yes" I said while thinking 'I will milk you for all you are worth.'
"Remember the 'Lightning Dragon Chant' I gave you free of charge? Since it was for an 'outsider' then consider out debt squared."
Before I could even reply he walked at pace behind a bookshelf so I followed and found that he started talking to Ye Zi Yun. Seeing this I decided to leave and get my affairs in order before the expedition.
...
1 hour later...
"Ah! You're late" said Xiao Ning'er in her pink floral dress waving in the wind-
'Stop!'
'No.'
'Don't make me come in there!'
'Or what?'
...
"Sorry I got lost in time while cultivating and didn't realise it had gotten so late" I reply scratching the back of my head as I had always been early let alone late.
"Shall we get to the treatment then?" I ask trying to change the topic.
"Sure."
'Thankfully she didn't persist.'
Soon we're both seated across from one another like we had been when we had first met and as we have been every night since. I look at the bruise on her foot and see it has healed up nicely with an almost imperceivably small bruise that still remains.
"It seams the treatment has been going well! The colours of the bruises has faded a lot" I said in amazement at how quick this treatment has been but I suppose it's to be expected as this Daoyin technique has some improvements.
"Yes it has. I've slept very well these last few nights" replied Xiao Ning'er.
"There is something I need your help with."
"Sure, anything as long as it's within my means!" replied Xiao Ning'er with an almost disturbing vigour.
"I have 2 requests well 3 actually. First is I need 10 000 demon spirit coins worth of Purple Mist grass. Second is that I need a separate amount equal to about 20 tons of the herb. Last but not least please buy all the remaining stock and put it in it's own inter-spatial ring" I said while handing her 3 inter-spatial ring with all the needed demon spirit coins and for the herbs to be placed within.
"Just leave it to me! Though you can just keep the money as it's nothing for me to buy all the stock since it's a cheap herb" said Xiao Ning'er.
"Thank you for being considerate but please take the this 10 000 demon spirit coins for me" I reply trying to be as 'romantic' and 'chauvinistic' as those nurses said girls Xiao Ning'ers' age liked.
The words I had said seamed to have worked as she was blushing from ear to ear.
"Now it's time to treat the other bruises."
She blushed an even brighter red than a tomato.
...
"Have you been taking the medicine I prescribed these last few days?"
"Yes I have but when I went to practice it was barely faster than it was before."
"Well as I promised here is the 'Lightning Dragon chant' so you should soon see a vast difference from before" I said bringing a bright smile to her face .
"Thank you but I should warn you that since Nie Lie offended the sacred family that he should be careful. They ignoble and despicable, when my family declined they bought up more than 8 tenths of my families property." said Xiao Ning'er having her words laced with hate.
"Don't worry about it. Even if they wanted to they are a fame and glory-seeking family so they won't attack him any time soon."
"But they will attack you to get to him."
Her concern for my safety was plastered all across her face and it caused my heart to melt and this would become the time I will remember as the time I truly fell in love with her.
"I'll be fine. I have the backing of a 2-star Gold rank Demon Spiritualist with dozens of silver ranks among his gang. This is all before the alchemist association comes to my aid" I said trying to reassure her so as not to worry.
With teary eyes she asks "Really?"
"Yes." I reply unsure of my own reply as old Ming will take some forceful 'convincing' to bring to my side and that needs time to show results and the alchemy association will need a week before I can even begin to draw then to my side.
She lets out a few tears while I hold her in my arms and I'm conflicted as I'm happy for the development of our relationship but all I can think is 'how can she go from warning me about the Sacred family to this emotional wreck' but she soon calms down and wipes away her tears.
"Better now?" I ask.
Xiao Ning'er nods meekly still in my arms and this is causing issues which I shall not describe for modesties sake. thankfully she regains enough composure to ask me a question while getting even more comfortable in my arms.
"How are you going to bring the Alchemist Association to your aid?"
"Simple really. Remember my tutoring "classes" on ancient languages and my knowledge of lost alchemy recipes and inscription patterns? I'll use that knowledge to in a sense 'buy' there loyalty and in the process gain access to their libraries of better preserved ancient knowledge" I reply with laying the rough plan out before her.
"Ah! I see now why you are so sure of their backing" she said but I was not so sure I could so easily buy their loyalty and aid as Nie Lie.
"Go cultivate with the technique I gave you so you can achieve your dreams."
For a moment I see a bit a dissatisfaction on her face but nevertheless she leaves my arms and starts cultivating while I monitor her and use the Daoyin technique to remove any issues that slow down or impede her cultivation. By dawn Xiao Ning'er is almost at 100 soul force so I get up and walk away. I didn't just sit there watching like a creep but studied Alchemy all the way up to Senior Alchemist and made 100 scrolls, using the 'Harmony Pen' and a Silver rank Demon Spirit, so I need to sell the scrolls while the markets don't have too many eyes about.
Weekly Power Status
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