Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Su Ruoxue was getting a bit worried. Could Jiang Yi enter or not? What was she still talking about?
She wanted to say a few more words, but Jiang Yi held his hand out to stop her. He stepped forward and took out a few pieces of gold leaves from his chest and gave it to the maidservant, smiling, “Sister, I am not an idler. I really need to see the Master regarding something important. Please help me say a few words.”
The servant girl received the gold leaves silently. Her face softened, but she still closed the door and said indifferently, “Just wait for a while more. I will go and inform the master!”
“Bang!”
The door slammed shut; it was another hour of waiting. Jiang Yi had yet to eat anything; he was so hungry that his stomach was growling. A hint of anger could be seen on Su Ruoxue’s face, but Jiang Yi’s expression was rather calm. He began advising Su Ruoxue, “Do not be so anxious. How many heaven-tier healers are there on the continent? If these big shots did not put on airs, how can they showcase their pristine status?”
“You think that you are the only one who knows about such things!”
Su Ruoxue pouted her little mouth in anger and rolled her eyes at him naturally. The sensuous and alluring face was displayed out instinctively under the moonlight, which left Jiang Yi in a daze. Su Ruoxue also felt like… it seemed too intimate? Turning her head away quickly, both of them remained silent; but the atmosphere was getting more and more tantalizing.
It was the first time Jiang Yi met Su Ruoxue after they came out from the Tomb of the Heaven Monarch. Even though the two of them have not met each other for a long time, but there wasn’t a hint of unfamiliarity between the two. After they had been through so much, their relationship felt extra peculiar. Upon finding out that Jiang Yi was the son of Jiang Bieli, Su Ruoxue did not show any special expression; neither did she probe further. Everything was just the same as before.
“Creak!”
Luckily, the doors of the courtyard opened up quickly and dissolved some of the awkwardness between the two of them. The maidservant glanced at both of them proudly and said, “You may enter now.”
The two of them thanked her repeatedly and followed the maidservant, who had her nose up in the air, to a small waiting room. The maidservant did not even bother serving them any tea. She left a sentence and walked away unconcerned: “Just wait here. After Master Liao is finished with his work, he will come out and meet you both…”
Jiang Yi and Su Ruoxue looked at each other and laughed bitterly. However, they recalled that Master Liao’s position was only second to Head Master Zhuge in the college. Even outside of the college, all the Clan Heads of the powerful clans wouldn’t dare to remiss and be disrespectful towards Master Liao. When they thought about it this way, they were more relieved.
This was a very brutal continent, where battles and fights happened frequently. None of the martial experts could guarantee that he would not die or get injured. This was why the only four heaven-tier healers in the continent were their life insurance. With medicinal herbs which were good enough, the four heaven-tier healers could save and drag one back from the grim reaper. Hence, it was needless to say that the status of these four heaven-tier healers was very respectable and pristine.
The two of them waited for another hour before an old man in a gray robe arrived slowly. There were two maidservants following behind him, and he walked towards the host’s chair in the waiting room and sat on it. The maidservants served him a cup of tea. He took a sip of tea before looking at both of them indifferently. Finally, he stopped his gaze on Su Ruoxue and said plainly, “Mentor Su, is there anything that made you look for me?”
Su Ruoxue and Jiang Yi had stood up for a while, and both of them bowed and greeted Master Liao. Without beating around the bush, Su Ruoxue said, “Master Liao, I won’t hide this from you. We came here regarding a particular matter. Please help us to save someone!”
Master Liao should be fifty or sixty years old, but his hair was still pitch black; and his skin was supple and radiant, making him look like a person who was only in his thirties or forties. His had very ordinary facial features, but anyone who looked at him would definitely take a second glance. It was due to his body, which had a subtle sublimity, that he could attract people’s attention.
He laughed unsurprisingly before slightly opening his mouth and said, “You know the rules; the costs will be high if you need a hand from me.”
Jiang Yi’s eyes shined instantly; he shouted anxiously, “No cost is too high as long as Master is willing to help!”
“Hmph!”
Master Liao’s expression turned dark; he snorted coldly and turned his face away. One of the maidservants standing beside him reprimanded Jiang Yi, “What do you think you are? Are you qualified to even speak here? Get out of here if you dare to speak another word.”
“…”
Jiang Yi’s expression changed. Su Ruoxue also felt uncomfortable. How could a mere maidservant have such big authority? But both of them quickly managed to keep their anger down. Jiang Yi became quiet and never opened his mouth again. Su Ruoxue cupped her hands and said, “Ruoxue understands the rules; please say your price, Master!”
Master Liao nodded his head in satisfaction and said casually, “Tell me about the medical condition first; if I cannot cure it, there is no use in you paying a high price to me.”
Jiang Yi had told Su Ruoxue about Jiang Xiaonu before she paused for a moment before explaining, “It is a young lady. She was poisoned by the venom of the black widow spider. They managed to get the venom out from her body. Unfortunately, some of the venom infiltrated into her brain; and she is still in a deep slumber…”
“Black Widow Spider?”
The brows of Master Liu were locked tightly. After muttering to himself for quite a while, he finally asked, “How long has it been since she was poisoned?”
“Su Ruoxue calculated and replied, “Eight or nine months ago.”
“That would be troublesome!”
Master Liao shook his head lightly and said, “If you guys had sought help from me when she just got poisoned, things would be much simpler to deal with. But now, the venom had probably infiltrated the whole soul. Even if she was saved, she would become a fool! You guys should leave; I cannot save this person—even… even if I can, you would not be able to afford the cost!”
“Boom!”
After listening to the first few sentences, Jiang Yi’s mind felt as though it had been blasted by thunder from the clear sky. It was until the last sentence that he woke up from the shock and daze. His eyes were filled with anxiety and worry, but he did not dare to open his mouth; hence, he could only look at Su Ruoxue, giving her eye signals continuously.
Su Ruoxue was not sure if it would be that hard to save Jiang Xiaonu, or Master Liao was just scaring them on purpose. She saw that Master Liao had got up and was preparing to leave. She could only grit her teeth and bow, pleading him once again. “Please lend us a hand, Master! No matter what the cost will be, we are willing to pay for it.”
“En?”
A trace of mockery flashed past Master Liao’s eyes. He laughed coldly and said, “The soul is the most troublesome part. If you want to save the person, first, you need to have the Soul Subduing Herb, then you also need to use the Thousand-year-old Wolfberry Ginseng to drive out the poison; and lastly, the Tri-Petal Septuple Leaves for stabilizing. You guys go and gather these three spirit herbs, then come and find me again!”
After he said his piece, he quickly left the room with one of the maidservants while the other maidservant smiled coldly at the two of them and said, “Two of you, please return.”
Soul-Subduing Herb? Thousand-year-old Wolfberry Ginseng? Tri-Petal Septuple Leaves?
Jiang Yi and Su Ruoxue glanced at each other; both their eyes had this grave expression. They had never even heard of these three spirit herbs before, not to mention seeing them.
The two of them left the courtyard with heavy steps. Su Ruoxue looked at Jiang Yi, whose face was full of gloom and worry; and she began comforting him, “Jiang Yi, do not think so much. Since Master Liao specifically asked for these three spirit herbs, then the continent surely has them! When there is a will, there is a way. I will help you look for them, too.”
“Thank you, Mentor Su!”
Jiang Yi forced out a smile and walked towards the hostel quickly after bidding farewell to Su Ruoxue.
He immediately looked for Qian Wanguan after he entered the door and began questioning him. In the end, even the knowledgeable Qian Wanguan was puzzled. He left in a jiffy without saying anything and only came back after one hour. When he entered the room, his whole face was boiling with anger; and he scolded out loud, “Goddammit, Boss! That old dog must have extorted you on purpose: the Thousand-year-old Wolfberry Ginseng and the Tri-Petal Septuple Leaves are on the same level as saint herbs. They are worth at least ten million purple gold. As for the Soul Subduing Herb, only tens of them had been found in the continent so far…”
“Ten million purple gold?”
Jiang Yi nearly lost his balance when he heard the figure. One year ago, he nearly broke his head fighting for ten taels of purple gold in the Skyplume City; and now, he had to think of ways to look for ten million purple gold? Also, it seemed that one of the spirit herbs could not even be bought.
