Xia Fei acted to swat away the Purple Soul Peach in Xiu Yiyi’s hand, scaring the little girl so that she chomped down from fright, biting hard on her teeth. She glared at Xia Fei, all furious.
Xiu Yiyi was ill-tempered, having been pampered with delicacies and silk clothes since she was young. She had never been treated so poorly before, and was angered by it.
Xia Fei somewhat regretted what he had done. Whether Xiu Yiyi lived or died had nothing to do with him, so was there even a need for him to act so harshly?
It was just that Xiu Yiyi was in a very bad condition. Her scrawny frame and dull eyes clearly indicated that she was barely hanging on to her life with what energy she had left, and was likely close to the point where she would see her short life flash right before her eyes. Eating three more Purple Soul Peaches would be enough to kill her!
Before Xiu Yiyi could speak, it was Huo Ying who interjected, letting out a mirthless laugh, “What do you mean she’s sure to die if she eats a Purple Soul Peach. Do you know how much Spirit energy needs to be exchanged for just one Purple Soul Peach? Miss Yiyi’s body is weak, and her brain region is experiencing a slow erosion. Long term consumption of the peach would be extremely beneficial to her. Not eating it would only speed up her death.”
Huo Ying had despised Xia Fei from the moment he set eyes on him. He was an Annihilator-tier Spiritualist, someone adept at treating all sorts of spiritual ailments. Meanwhile, how old was Xia Fei? What cultivation did he have? Having Xiu Qian see them as equals made the Great Spiritualist Huo Ying very unhappy.
Now that Xia Fei had said that Xiu Yiyi should not eat Purple Soul Peaches, Huo Ying had of course seized the opportunity to attack him!
Xiu Yiyi blinked. This little girl was actually quite pretty, but it was unfortunate that her illness had taken a toll on her body, so she looked like a child despite already being thirteen years old. However, she was no fool and harbored some weird ideas. She kept quiet and was smirking away to watch from one side the moment he saw the two Spiritualists start to argue.
Xia Fei lit a cigarette and responded coldly, “Purple Soul Peaches are a precious medicinal ingredient, that is true, and they have the miraculous effect of mending damaged brain regions. However, there’s an old saying: ‘deficiency is not to be compensated’. Xiu Yiyi already has a weak constitution, and can barely withstand the powerful energy assaults that come from the Purple Soul Peaches. Continuing to eat the fruit would only backfire, and If my guess is right, Xiu Yiyi has been consuming plenty of similar supplements, and these were the culprits that had aggravated her ailment.”
Turning his head around, Xia Fei asked Xiu Yiyi, “Every time you finish eating a Purple Soul Peach or food similar to it, do you feel your body temperature rise, and temporary recovery of your strength, but come night when it is time to sleep, you are having nightmares? When you wake up the next day, your limbs are cold, and you’re sweating all over. You’d also be weaker than the day before, so you’d feel compelled to eat a Purple Soul Peach again so that you could recover your energy. In the long run, it should have been about three years now.”
Xiu Yiyi was stunned. The little girl’s eyes revealed a hint of suspicion, as if Xia Fei had just torn off her clothes and tossed her naked outside.
Actually, Xiu Yiyi had quite the personality. She had never mentioned these things to anyone, so as to avoid her family worrying about her. She would be fine after eating a Purple Soul Peach in the morning if she felt lethargic when she woke up, so Xiu Yiyi thought nothing of it.
Now that Xia Fei had so accurately analyzed Xiu Yiyi’s symptoms, the girl not only was ungrateful, but was actually rather resentful of Xia Fei.
Only gods knew what was in a woman’s mind, but Xiu Qian could already see the changes in his granddaughter’s eyes, almost as if everything Xia Fei said was true.
“What nonsense,” Huo Ying was livid as he pointed at Xia Fei. “How old are you? I’ve crossed more bridges than the roads you’ve walked on! Miss Yiyi, don’t listen to this rascal and his nonsense. Your condition requires all these potent supplements in order to have any hope of recovery. The moment you stop, there’s no telling what terrible consequences will be in store for you.”
Xia Fei chuckled coldly and remarked, “Master Huo Ying, you must really not get enough of ruining people! Well, just take it as I’ve said nothing today. The universe will still carry on even with one less soul. It’s not my place to stop someone from killing themselves.”
With that said, Xia Fei got up and made to leave.
Xia Fei’s attitude was very beguiling. Xiu Qiqi could not help but get a sense of unease when she saw the corners of his lips curled up into his trademark smirk, making it seem like he had a sheer disregard for any living being in the world.
A pampered young girl that came from a large family like Xiu Yiyi had never met anyone like Xia Fei, who showed such undisguised indifference toward her fate.
It was hard to understand the thoughts of a rebellious young lady; Xiu Yiyi fixed her stubborn gaze on Xia Fei, and proceeded to pull out a Purple Soul Peach, taking a crunchy bite of the fruit in an act of defiance.
“Don’t!” Xiu Qian hurriedly took away the peach Xiu Yiyi had in her hand, but it was a step too late. By the time he had managed to snatch the peach from her, there was already a neat bite mark left on it.
Xiu Qian was essentially desperate for a remedy at this point, so whether what Xia Fei said was true or not, Xiu Qian would rather believe him than not. Besides, Xia Fei had said it with such confidence that Xiu Qian secretly believed in his words. After all, he knew just how many of these medicinal treasures Xiu Yiyi have consumed over these last few years, and she was still getting skinnier and skinnier with each passing day!
“What do you mean, don’t!” Huo Ying pointed at Xiu Qian and asked. “Are you trying to endanger the life of your granddaughter?!”
Xiu Qian was put in a difficult spot. He kept trying to smooth over the situation, going so far as to invite Huo Ying back to his seat and personally pour him a cup of tea.
Xia Fei suddenly decided not to leave. He sat down back on his chair and watched Xiu Yiyi from afar.
Everyone saw as the little girl’s face became paler with each passing second. She lifted a hand to clutch her chest, as fine beads of sweat slowly trickled down her face.
She’s actually enduring it?, Xia Fei thought to himself in surprise.
He could tell how much pain Xiu Yiyi was in, but it was as if she had been possessed, forcibly keeping herself standing upright. Her stubborn eyes were very similar to the look Xia Fei had when he was fighting for his survival, and Xia Fei even discovered something shocking from Xiu Yiyi.
Let’s see how long you can last, Xia Fei wondered silently.
Xiu Qian was still fawning over Huo Ying with flattery, oblivious to the intense pain that his granddaughter was currently experiencing.
Xia Fei’s desire for schadenfreude turned to sympathy. Under normal circumstances, Xia Fei would not care about a stranger living or dying, as he only cared about himself. But Xiu Yiyi’s display of stubbornness and tenacity was far greater than Xia Fei had prepared himself to witness. A little girl of only thirteen, terminally ill, but still choosing to hang on for her dear life, persisting by her sheer will to live, refusing to submit!
Why bother?, Xia Fei shook his head and wondered.
*Thud*
Finally, Xiu Yiyi could no longer keep herself upright any longer. Her eyes darkened, and she collapsed to the ground. The sound of her frail and skinny body dropping down to the ground only made a light thud.
“Yiyi!” Xiu Qian had a fright. He ran over and held her in his arms, shaking her repeatedly. He cried out for his men to come help, his face as white as a sheet.
Meanwhile, Huo Ying was just frozen there, absolutely floored. By his conjecture, this should definitely have not happened. Xiu Yiyi collapsed after taking one bite of the Purple Soul Peach; could the situation really have deteriorated to the stage that Xia Fei had previously described? Was he really the one who had harmed Xiu Yiyi?
He saw Xia Fei shake his head, get up, and pull out a small soul weapon from his spatial ring, making his way to Xiu Yiyi’s side and placing it squarely in her embrace, close to her body.
Something amazing happened. Only a handful of seconds passed, and color began to return to Xiu Yiyi’s face. Even her breathing eased.
Xiu Qian looked at Xia Fei, then turned to Xiu Yiyi. It was almost as if he instantly understood something, and nearly burst into tears there and then.
It was at this moment that Huo Yi leaped to his feet once more and pointed at Xia Fei with an accusatory tone, “Oh look! You have angered Miss Yiyi so greatly! She could originally be saved, but now she’s doomed. You’re the one who has caused the death of this poor young lady!”
This was what it meant to make unfounded counter-charges. Normally, it would be Xia Fei who would attempt this on his enemy, but today, it was instead Huo Ying who had used this method to deal with him!
*Squelch*
Whipping out his sword before anyone could even make sense of what had happened, Xia Fei instantly slew Huo Ying with his Fiendish Blade Nirvana!
“That was the third time!” Xia Fei said to himself, sheathing Nirvana.
Xiu Qian was completely shocked. A Spiritualist from the Annihilation Universe was crushed by Xia Fei like he was just an insignificant ant!
Xia Fei lit a cigarette and explained, “I originally wanted to kill him after we left, but he provoked me thrice and that was my bottom line. No matter who he was, he must die!”
Provoking Xia Fei thrice meant death?
Xiu Qian showed a weird face, but he was not concerned with Huo Ying’s death right now. What mattered the most to him was his own granddaughter.
Nirvana left no trace, and Huo Ying had been drained until nothing of him remained. Meanwhile, collecting the loot left behind was a good habit of Xia Fei’s, which was why the guest room looked no different from just before, aside from there being one less Annihilator Spiritualist in it.
He had his men send Xiu Yiyi back to her room. With Xia Fei’s healing soul weapon, though it was unable to cure what ailed her, it at least helped Xiu Yiyi not suffer as badly, and in a while, she actually managed to fall asleep.
—
Xiu Qian could not rest easy at all. He invited Xia Fei to the courtyard and asked him in a low voice, “Master Spiritualist, do you think Yiyi’s illness is curable?”
Xia Fei gave the matter some thought, “It’s hard to tell right now. Let me ask you. When was the first time Xiu Yiyi got sick?”
“Three years ago.”
“Did she go anywhere three years ago?” Xia Fei asked further.
Xiu Qian had not expected Xia Fei to ask such a question and was slightly taken aback by it. There was hesitation in his eyes.
“If I’m not mistaken, it’s impossible for your granddaughter for your daughter’s illness to have happened three years ago. This is the first time you’ve lied to me, so you better think carefully right now. Tell me the truth, and I might just be able to save Xiu Yiyi. But if you don’t tell me, your granddaughter won’t live out this month,” Xia Fei said calmly. “Also, if you lie to me a second time…”
“I’ll tell you,’ Xiu Qian looked around to make certain there was no one around before speaking in hushed tones, “Actually, Yiyi was sick from the moment she was born. The location he was born at was an ancient site of battle during the Hero Alliance’s great war. Back then, my son and daughter-in-law were exploring the place when they found themselves trapped for no apparent reason. By the time they returned, a year had already passed, and they came back carrying Xiu Yiyi.
“Not long after, both of Xiu Yiyi’s parents died, and the not even one year old Xiu Yiyi became more and more irascible. I invited a Spiritualist friend to take a look, and that was when I learned about this problem with her body.”
Hearing Xiu Qian’s story, Xia Fei knew that what he said was all true. However, Xia Fei only furrowed his brows deeper, like he was facing some problem.
“How is it? Just what is the deal with the little girl?” Radix asked, curious.
Xia Fei heaved a sigh, “The human brain region is able to harbor a spirit, just like how you and Phantom have accompanied me for some time.”
“If I’m not mistaken, Xiu Yiyi has a spirit hiding in her brain region. However, this is an evil spirit that is eating the brain of its host!” Xia Fei said softly as his eyes glimmered.
