Seeing her return, Ning Yuzhou ignored the string of tied-up Ice-Patterned Goats bleating away and asked gently, “Ah Rao, are you injured?”
Wen Qiao shook her head. “Wen Tutu helped. It wasn’t difficult.”
Although there were nearly a hundred Ice-Patterned Goats here, Wen Qiao was now at the middle stage of the Yuan Bright Realm. She was not afraid of fourth-rank demon beasts. Not to mention, she had the Stone-Gold Python Whip. One whip could take down one Ice-Patterned Goat, and she could also stimulate the Stone-Gold Python Vine to ambush them from underground. With both methods together, dealing with these Ice-Patterned Goats was no problem at all.
As for the fifth-rank Ice-Patterned Goat commanding from behind, that was left to Wen Tutu. Before seventh-rank Wen Tutu, it was basically delivering itself to be beaten.
So Wen Qiao fought very easily, and even felt a little unsatisfied.
How could Ning Yuzhou not see the lingering excitement on her face? He could not help smiling.
Although he had been speaking with Shang Honglang just now, his attention had never left the battlefield, so naturally he had seen Wen Qiao and Wen Tutu’s cooperation.
Shang Honglang looked at the two of them and discovered that Wen Qiao’s cultivation was about the same as his own. He was startled and could not help asking, “Young Master Ning, this young lady is…”
Ning Yuzhou said warmly, “She is my wife. Ah Rao, this is Young Master Shang Honglang.”
Wen Qiao nodded slightly at Shang Honglang in greeting, her face expressionless.
Although she had become a little more cheerful now, that was only before Ning Yuzhou. At other times, Wen Qiao was still a rather quiet young girl, cool and distant.
Shang Honglang looked at them in shock. He opened his mouth, then gave a dry laugh. “So that’s how it is…”
He had thought she was Ning Yuzhou’s younger sister or something.
Judging by Wen Qiao’s age, she really seemed a bit young. Although Ning Yuzhou was not very old either, getting married so early still felt strange. Cultivators rarely married in their teens. Usually, after reaching a certain cultivation realm, they would directly form a dual-cultivation partnership, right?
Wen Qiao ignored him and pointed at the flock of Ice-Patterned Goats. “Husband, how should we deal with these goats?”
“I heard Ice-Patterned Goat meat is very delicious. Let’s keep them for ourselves,” Ning Yuzhou said.
Wen Qiao responded, having no objection. They still had a group of Shadow Scaled Guards to feed, so there was no such thing as too much meat. Besides, eating more demon beast meat was good for the body.
Hearing the two speak, Shang Honglang could not help interjecting, “Have the two benefactors come to Cangwu Mountain to train?”
“Cangwu Mountain?” Ning Yuzhou’s eyes flickered slightly, and he smiled gently. “Exactly.”
Wen Qiao looked at him curiously, then raised her head to look at this forested mountain land. After passing through that mountain path half a month ago, they had not left immediately. They had continued wandering around the mountains. Firstly, they could keep training; secondly, they wanted to find more spiritual herbs that were not in the space, and hunt some demon beasts as reserve food.
So the other side of Lin Tai Mountain was Cangwu Mountain.
Shang Honglang relaxed and hurriedly said, “Many thanks to both benefactors for saving my life just now. Without you, I might have died here. I cannot repay such great kindness, but I will remember it in my heart. If you ever need anything in the future, please speak freely.” Then, as if thinking of something, his expression changed slightly. “Benefactors, my younger sister is still over there. She is also injured. I will go find her first, then come back to look for you both.”
Ning Yuzhou looked considerate. “Go. We will set up camp nearby. There is a valley ten li ahead, over there.”
Shang Honglang smiled at him gratefully, then hurriedly ran in the direction he had come from earlier.
Wen Qiao and Ning Yuzhou watched Shang Honglang’s back until he disappeared. Then the two turned and left.
“Ah Rao, are you tired? Do you want me to help?” Ning Yuzhou asked.
Wen Qiao dragged the string of Ice-Patterned Goats with a relaxed expression. She grinned at him, her smile childish and cute. “They’re not heavy.”
Ning Yuzhou glanced at the strung-together Ice-Patterned Goats and silently estimated his little wife’s arm strength in his heart. As expected, it was far beyond ordinary people’s. It seemed that after transforming into her demon body, the first thing that changed was her strength.
Having greater strength was quite good. She would not be at a disadvantage in fights.
Ning Yuzhou very naturally accepted the fact that his little wife possessed immense strength.
“That Shang Honglang’s temperament seems decent. He is someone who knows gratitude and repayment. We have just arrived here, so it would be best if we could find someone to help us understand the outside world…”
Ning Yuzhou gently analysed the matter of saving Shang Honglang for his little wife.
Of course, the one who had decided to act was actually Wen Qiao. She had happened to pass by and seen a flock of Ice-Patterned Goats whose strength was not too high, judging them suitable for practice. Saving someone was merely incidental.
Ning Yuzhou, on the other hand, had given Shang Honglang a healing pill for a certain purpose. Giving a supreme-grade Spring Revival Pill right away was also a way to test the waters. If Shang Honglang was someone who knew gratitude, that would be best. If not, it did not matter; they could treat it as a chance encounter. If he harboured malicious intentions, Ning Yuzhou also had ways to make him understand that his spirit pills were not so easy to consume.
The two walked and talked. The Stone-Gold Python Vine scraped across the ground with a rumbling sound, accompanied by one bleat after another from the goats, as they returned to the valley where they were temporarily staying.
A few Shadow Scaled Guards were left guarding the valley.
This valley was naturally not the valley at the exit of the Lin Tai Mountain shortcut. This place was very far from there, merely a shallow little valley that was suitable as a temporary camp.
Not only did Wen Qiao need training, the other Shadow Scaled Guards did too.
There were no high-rank demon beasts in this area, so naturally Qian Shou did not need to guard them constantly. Ning Yuzhou had given them some spirit pills and talismans, then had Qian Shou arrange for the Shadow Scaled Guards to find places to train on their own. He and Wen Qiao took Wen Tutu around this area; that was enough to protect themselves.
When the Shadow Scaled Guards saw Wen Qiao dragging back a string of Ice-Patterned Goats, they ran over expressionlessly to take over.
Recently, they had seen Wen Qiao drag back all kinds of demon beasts with the Stone-Gold Python Vine every day. This delicate-looking young girl, who seemed too weak to withstand a breeze, could drag things hundreds of times heavier than herself. The Shadow Scaled Guards could not help feeling inferior.
As grown men, they deeply realised that they were no match for the young madam.
Not in strength, and not even in fighting.
They did not know what the young madam had experienced before to be reborn like this. She was completely different from when she had first entered Lin Tai Hunting Valley for training.
After handing the Ice-Patterned Goats to the Shadow Scaled Guards, Ning Yuzhou took out his pill furnace, accepted the ingredients the Shadow Scaled Guards had prepared, and began making soup.
This soup was still for Wen Qiao.
Although Wen Qiao’s body had recovered, the issue of her fragile meridians still needed attention. Ning Yuzhou decided to start with medicinal cuisine.
In his inheritance, there was a complete legacy of pills, talismans, artefacts, and formations. Ning Yuzhou had specially gone through the pill section and found a treatment plan specifically for fragile meridians. After modifying and perfecting it, he decided to begin with medicinal meals to first regulate Wen Qiao’s body and slowly strengthen her meridians.
This was the gentlest treatment method. Its drawback was that it required a great deal of time.
While Ning Yuzhou busied himself, Wen Qiao sat to the side holding Wen Tutu and watched him.
She had always been quiet by nature. Aside from being livelier in front of Ning Yuzhou, she was still rather cool toward outsiders. Ning Yuzhou had no intention of changing this. In fact, he liked it very much, which showed that he was not as gentle as he appeared.
Wen Tutu hugged a spirit pill and licked it bit by bit, looking as though it could not bear to finish it too quickly.
Seeing its pitiful appearance, Wen Qiao could not bear it. She took out a spirit pill Ning Yuzhou had given her from her storage bag and secretly stuffed it to Wen Tutu.
Wen Tutu swiftly held it in its mouth, immediately stored it in its cheek pouch, then sneakily glanced at the alchemist seriously making soup nearby. Seeing that he had not noticed, it let out a relieved breath, making Wen Qiao unable to hold back a smile.
Ning Yuzhou had naturally noticed; he simply could not be bothered to deal with that little rabbit.
As long as it proved useful at critical moments, he naturally would not be stingy with a few spirit pills.
When the soup was halfway done, the Shang siblings finally found their way over.
The Shadow Scaled Guards had received Ning Yuzhou’s instructions and did not stop them, allowing them into the valley camp.
Shang Honglang came in pulling his pale-faced, unsteady-breathed younger sister along. Somewhat embarrassed, he said, “Benefactors, we’re sorry to disturb you.”
Shang Hongyue was bright and beautiful, with a delicate figure. Because she was injured, she looked even more fragile.
She followed beside her brother and could not help looking at the two life-saving benefactors he had mentioned. She really found it hard to believe what her brother had said earlier.
Ning Yuzhou was one thing. Her brother said he might be an alchemist, and with only Yuan Feather Realm cultivation, he did not look very powerful. After all, many alchemists were weaklings who could not fight. Alchemists focused on alchemy and spent most of their time shut away in pill rooms refining pills, unknowingly neglecting cultivation. Their combat experience was also limited, and cultivators of the same rank could completely crush them.
As for the other little girl, although she was young, she was very beautiful and looked delicate and timid. No matter how one looked at her, it was hard to believe she could send an Ice-Patterned Goat flying with a single whip. Of course, sending one flying might still be normal, but saying she could send dozens flying in one go was too exaggerated.
However…
After glancing at the Shadow Scaled Guards not far away, who were currently processing the Ice-Patterned Goats, Shang Hongyue silently withdrew her doubts.
No matter what Shang Hongyue thought inside, she did not show it on her face. Together with her brother, she respectfully thanked the two for saving their lives.
Although Wen Qiao had not directly saved her, they had saved her brother, so Shang Hongyue still treated them as her own life-saving benefactors.
Ning Yuzhou said gently, “We just happened to pass by. It was also because Young Master Shang’s fate was not meant to end.”
As he spoke, he invited the two of them to sit. Ning Yuzhou looked at Shang Hongyue and said to Wen Qiao, “Ah Rao, give Miss Shang a Spring Revival Pill.”
Wen Qiao silently took a Spring Revival Pill from her storage bag and handed it to Shang Hongyue.
Although Shang Hongyue knew they had an alchemist among them, casually giving out a supreme-grade Spring Revival Pill was still too frightening. The hand holding the pill trembled slightly, and she felt even more grateful, secretly rejoicing that they had met good people.
Shang Honglang was equally grateful. They had come over partly because his sister’s injuries were rather serious, and the spirit pills on them had already been used up. Having no other option, they had thickened their faces and come over.
He had not expected that before he could even ask to buy spirit pills from the two benefactors, the other party would directly gift them a supreme-grade Spring Revival Pill.
“Little sister, thank you,” Shang Hongyue said gratefully.
Wen Qiao said lightly, “No need to thank me.”
After saying this, she no longer paid attention to them. She lowered her head and stroked Wen Tutu’s fur, sitting quietly beside Ning Yuzhou and listening to their conversation.
Shang Hongyue soon discovered that this beautiful little sister had a rather cool personality and did not like interacting much. But because she was so beautiful, with a faint frailty lingering between her brows, she easily made people feel pity.
After chatting for a while, Ning Yuzhou quickly understood the siblings’ situation.
The siblings’ cultivation was not especially high. Shang Honglang was at the late stage of the Yuan Bright Realm, while Shang Hongyue was at the early stage of the Yuan Bright Realm. Both were around twenty years old. The elder brother was broad-minded and kind, while the younger sister was bright and straightforward. Both had good character.
They came from the Shang family of Huaiyin City. The Shang family had risen through medicinal pills, and most of the family’s disciples were alchemists. The Shang family was very famous around Huaiyin City, and many cultivators went to them to request pills.
However, Shang Honglang and Shang Hongyue did not have high comprehension in alchemy, and their ambitions did not lie there. Therefore, they often went out to search for various alchemy materials for the family. This time, the siblings had brought family guards to Cangwu Mountain to search for some precious spiritual herbs. Who would have thought that after entering the mountain, they offended someone for certain reasons? Their accompanying guards were either killed or injured, and in the end, only the two siblings remained.
If Wen Qiao and Ning Yuzhou had not happened to pass by and save them earlier, the siblings would likely have died here too.
When Shang Honglang reached this point, he hesitated, then continued, “Young Master Ning and Madam saved our lives. We are extremely grateful. If you ever need anything in the future, you may come to the Shang family in Huaiyin City to find us.”
Shang Hongyue also said, “Yes. If you two ever come to Huaiyin City, we must properly host you.” She then said somewhat embarrassedly, “Also, for your spirit pills, let us count them as bought. We’ll pay ten percent above the market price.”
Ning Yuzhou smiled. “That won’t be necessary. Consider it making friends.”
The Shang siblings were deeply moved upon hearing this. They had come over not only to thank Ning Yuzhou and the others for saving their lives, but also to explain their situation, so they would not implicate them with the trouble they had attracted.
Who knew the other party not only said nothing against them, but even said to treat it as making friends. It showed how upright and open they were, not like those despicable villains.
When travelling outside, the most frightening thing was encountering those despicable villains; they were impossible to guard against.
Although the siblings wanted to thank them properly on the spot for saving their lives, unfortunately, their valuables had already been exhausted during the past few days of fleeing. They were short on money and could only thank them after they returned.
As they spoke, the soup in the pill furnace finished cooking. A rich, overbearing fragrance drifted through the air.
The Shang siblings curiously watched Ning Yuzhou pour a bowl of soup from the pill furnace, both somewhat shocked. This was the first time they learned that, aside from refining pills, pill furnaces could also be used to make soup.
The soup smelled far too fragrant. The siblings both felt that this was no ordinary soup. Connecting it with the supreme-grade spirit pills from earlier, they increasingly felt that Ning Yuzhou’s group had an extraordinary background.
Could they be disciples of some famous sect?
Yet after thinking through the younger generation disciples of the various sects across the Shengwu Continent, they had heard of many famous ones, but had never heard the name Ning Yuzhou. As for Ah Rao’s name, Ning Yuzhou did not seem willing to tell them his wife’s maiden name.
Could there be some unspeakable reason?
There was only one bowl of soup. Ning Yuzhou handed it to Wen Qiao. Seeing the siblings look over, he explained, “Ah Rao’s health has never been good. This is to regulate her body.”
Hearing this, Shang Honglang’s gaze toward Wen Qiao became even stranger.
So she really was a delicate and frail tyrant flower?
Wen Qiao quietly drank the soup, her eyelids lowered. Her thick, curled lashes cast a shadow across her fair skin, giving her whole person a cool, distant air.
Ning Yuzhou looked at her gently, then continued chatting with the Shang siblings. Without realising it, he learned quite a bit about the outside world from them and gained a rough plan for their future arrangements.
Seeing that the sky was growing dark, the Shadow Scaled Guards returned one after another and began lighting fires to roast meat. Tonight, they were eating Ice-Patterned Goat meat.
Ning Yuzhou said to the siblings, “It’s already late. Why don’t you two rest here tonight?”
Shang Honglang said, “We’d better not. In case we implicate you…”
“It’s only one night. There’s no implication,” Ning Yuzhou said gently.
Shang Honglang hesitated, then looked at his exhausted sister and finally agreed.
He could not see the cultivation of the guard named Qian Shou who had just returned, but instinctively felt that his cultivation must be very high. Resting for just one night should be fine. His sister had been seriously injured earlier. Although she had mostly recovered after taking the Spring Revival Pill, she was still exhausted and indeed needed rest.
Perhaps Ning Yuzhou looked far too much like a good person. Even though the Shang siblings knew absolutely nothing about his background, they had already treated him as someone trustworthy and had not even considered whether he might harm them.
Besides, right now, they had nothing on them worth scheming over or using.
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