CHAPTER 48

— Siam Honey-Fruit —

""Persistent as a ghost."

—This was Su Yan, squinting her eyes and speaking coldly.

"Hmm? So it's her."

—This was Lu Xianrou, her face wooden and expression unchanged.

"Wow! What a coincidence! This is fate!"

—This was Tong Tong, her brows curved and her smile as bright as flowers.

"Before coming here, I heard someone had defeated all rivals and taken the entire Siam Honey-Fruit tree. I had my suspicions, and indeed, it turned out to be true." Luqiu Fuyi walked gracefully over with her junior sister Ning Qinglian, her beautiful eyes glancing at the still mostly intact fruit as she spoke with a smile.

Her gaze habitually met her old rival Su Yan's, but she keenly noticed that the other was lazily leaning against her own spirit beast, a pair of phoenix-like eyes looking over with a half-smile, like a resting tiger, exuding an air of intimidation—how could the young master of the Nichang Valley, who had immersed herself in the medical arts for years, fail to notice the other's weakness?

—If you often walk by the river, how can you avoid getting your shoes wet?

Look at you, so cold and arrogant, so stubborn. Got injured, didn't you? Better change that stubborn temper, or you'll suffer more...

She chuckled inwardly but had no intention of exposing it. Instead, she turned to the other two, greeting them warmly as if they were long-lost close friends.

And Tong Tong, as expected, answered every question without a hint of guile. In just a few words, she revealed the whole story, clarifying the ins and outs. At the end, she couldn't help but anxiously ask, "Sister Fuyi, have you seen my Senior Brother Ding and Senior Sister He? And that bad guy Xiang Wu?"

Having heard enough gossip, Luqiu Fuyi ignored Su Yan's mocking gaze, took Tong Tong's small hand, and promised earnestly, "I haven't... but don't worry, Sister Tong. If I encounter them, I definitely won't let those demonic sect villains go!"

"Sister Fuyi!" Though disappointed, Tong Tong was moved by Luqiu Fuyi's sincere tone and couldn't help but gaze affectionately into her clear, autumn-like eyes, unobscured by the veil.

"Little Sister Tong." Beneath her veil, Luqiu Fuyi's delicate lips curved into a charming smile, her eyes softening as if they could drip with tenderness.

"Sister!"

"Little sister!"

The two involved parties seemed completely unaware, growing even more engrossed in their exchange. Even the onlookers couldn't help but be moved by the genuine affection between them—Miss Qinglian of the Nichang Valley turned aside, unable to bear watching, while the two from the Chonghua Sect stiffened, their lips twitching.

"Sis..."

"Ahem! Cough, cough—" Just as Tong Tong was about to continue with the sappiness, Su Yan covered her chest and coughed a few times, forcefully circulating her energy to flush her fair cheeks with a rosy hue, feigning a frail and sickly appearance. This immediately interrupted Tong Tong's heartfelt sentiments, causing her to hurriedly abandon her "deeply affectionate" "Sister Fuyi" and kneel beside Su Yan, fussing over her with concern.

Stealthily giving her old rival a provocative glance, Su Yan leaned slightly into Tong Tong's embrace, knitting her delicate, smoke-like brows and saying impatiently, "It's nothing serious."

Inwardly, however, she was immensely pleased by Tong Tong's concern for her.

—Childish.

Both Luqiu Fuyi, facing Su Yan directly, and Lu Xianrou, standing to the side, couldn't help but think the same.

The former secretly returned a disdainful, flirtatious glance, while the latter silently handed over a bottle of medicinal pills. Under Tong Tong's grateful gaze, she nodded considerately, subtly winning favor.

—Hmph, birds of a feather.

Su Yan gritted her teeth in secret but had no choice but to swallow her anger and continue pretending to be frail in Tong Tong's embrace.

"Little sister, do you know that Siam Honey-Fruit is perfect as a supplementary medicine? It's an essential item for healers... I'm willing to exchange five hundred mid-grade spirit stones for one. Would you be willing to part with it?" With a gleam in her eyes, Luqiu Fuyi set her sights on that cluster of Siam Honey-Fruit.

—Even if not used for medicine, its bright red appearance was simply irresistible!

Ning Qinglian, who had been standing behind Luqiu Fuyi all along, glanced at her dignified and graceful figure upon hearing this and couldn't help but sigh inwardly: The young valley master's obsession with beautiful things has flared up again...

"Ah! No need! Since you need it, sister, just take it. No need to be polite!" Tong Tong immediately picked out seven or eight of the largest, roundest, and most vibrant fruits from the leftovers of her alchemy, wrapped them in a small cloth bundle, and eagerly handed them over with a beaming smile. "Anyway, keeping so many would be a waste. These are for you, sister!"

Her inner monologue, however, was—Ahhh! That's worth thousands of spirit stones! It hurts, it really hurts... But since it's Sister Fuyi asking, no matter how much it hurts, I can't be stingy!

Initially harboring a hint of mischief toward Su Yan, Luqiu Fuyi's playful intentions vanished the moment Tong Tong flashed her eight small white teeth in a radiant smile. She suddenly felt it would be wrong to disrespect such sincerity...

On a whim, she retrieved a small rosewood and silver-filigree vanity box from her storage pouch and placed it in Tong Tong's palm. Her eyes, gentle as a spring breeze, softened. "This is a token of my gratitude. Keep it safe."

—Though the contents of the box weren't any priceless treasure, they were practical—a secret formula exclusive to her Nichang Valley, something ordinary people couldn't obtain even if they begged for it.

"Thank you, sister!" Tong Tong grinned from ear to ear as she tucked the seemingly valuable little box into her storage pouch. The more she looked at Luqiu Fuyi, the more she found her pleasing, and she almost felt like pulling her aside to swear sisterhood.

"Alright then, we'll take our leave now. Until we meet again." After gifting the box, Luqiu Fuyi didn't linger any longer. She took the silent Ning Qinglian by the hand and left—truly afraid that if she stayed another moment, she might impulsively snatch back the little box she'd just given away in a fit of heartache. That would ruin the carefully cultivated image she'd worked so hard to maintain!

In truth, aside from the naive Tong Tong, no one present believed she was truly such an elegant fairy—including her junior sister Ning Qinglian.

As for Luqiu Fuyi's "hasty retreat," Su Yan watched with delight in her heart, and for one very important reason: she didn't trust the other woman—and likely, the feeling was mutual. After detoxifying, she would need a significant amount of time to recuperate and recover. If that woman were nearby, she wouldn't dare let her guard down to meditate.

The longer she delayed, the greater the impact on her cultivation. So even if the woman hadn't left, Su Yan would have found a way to drive her away.

Though reluctant to owe Lu Xianrou a favor, given Tong Tong's low strength—any random expert could easily overpower her—Su Yan didn't dare ask her to guard her during meditation. She had no choice but to entrust this task to her Junior Sister Lu, whom she found utterly disagreeable.

—At worst, after the trial ends, I'll just arrange for her to become a direct disciple under some Peak Master!

While I'm at it, I should figure out where she learned her alchemy skills. There's something suspiciously mysterious about her...

Having made up her mind, Su Yan shared her plans with the two of them and began making preparations.

After setting up a simple spirit-gathering array with several high-grade spirit stones, Su Yan sat cross-legged and entered a meditative state, beginning to guide her true essence through the major and minor celestial cycles.

Lu Xianrou, meanwhile, casually practiced the Shangqing Sword Art with her sword in hand, all the while remaining vigilant to her surroundings to prevent any opportunistic individuals from taking advantage of their vulnerable state.

Jiya strolled leisurely around the area, its ears perked high, while Cookie followed closely behind it, its golden eyes curiously scanning the surroundings, sniffing here and there in search of something delicious to eat.

Only Tong Tong remained, propping her head up in boredom. One moment she stared blankly at Su Yan's profile, the next she watched Lu Xianrou's swordplay in awe. Glancing at the two beasts happily keeping each other company, she felt increasingly isolated—well, truth be told, she was just bored.

Casually plucking a bright red Siam Honey-Fruit, she wiped it with her sleeve and took a small bite. Her face relaxed with pleasure, and she quickly devoured the fruit in a few bites. Tossing the pit aside, she licked the juice from her fingers, her eyes unusually bright.

—This fruit really tastes amazing!

Why not... have another one?

Before entering meditation, Su Yan had mentioned he would wake up in as little as seven days or as long as two months. How was she supposed to pass such a long stretch of time?

Practice swordplay?

—Better wait for Senior Brother to wake up and teach me.

Picking up another fruit, she took another crisp bite.

Practice arts?

—What if I accidentally damage some flowers or plants? Besides, making too much noise might attract unwanted attention.

After finishing one fruit, she reached for another, the motion so smooth it seemed like a conditioned reflex.

Alchemy?

—Now that's a good idea! I could learn a thing or two from Junior Sister Xianrou! Maybe I could even become a master alchemist! Ohohoho...

Unconsciously, she had already devoured eight fruits, and Tong Tong, thoroughly enjoying herself, had long forgotten her earlier intention to "just have one or two to satisfy the craving."

When she finally came to her senses, only two or three lonely fruits remained huddled in a corner of the cluster, looking rather pitiful.

"Burp—" Unable to hold back a belch, Tong Tong regretfully licked her juice-stained fingers, lamenting the large amount of spirit stones she had essentially eaten—yet she couldn't help but think: in for a penny, in for a pound. Why not finish off the rest?

Her burning gaze fixed on the few remaining plump fruits, Tong Tong was unaware that her eyes gleamed with a ravenous hunger, like a starving wolf spotting a succulent piece of pork belly after days without food...

Just as her gluttonous instincts overpowered her frugal rationality, and she finally extended her sinful claws, Lu Xianrou's voice suddenly rang out, tinged with urgency: "Senior Sister Tong!"

"Huh? Wh-what's wrong?" Startled, she retracted her hand and turned to see Lu Xianrou's complicated gaze. Feeling inexplicably guilty, she hid her juice-stained hand behind her back, rubbing it vigorously against her robe in an attempt to destroy the evidence.

"Senior Sister Tong, how many Siam Honey-Fruits did you eat?" Glancing at the branch now sparse with red and lush with green, Lu Xianrou sighed and asked in a serious tone.

"Uh... sev—no, eight?" Tong Tong lowered her head like a student caught misbehaving and mumbled, "Maybe... eleven..."

—Actually, it was thirteen. Seeing Lu Xianrou's expression darken, Tong Tong felt compelled to "stretch the truth" and beautify the shocking number.

"..." Lu Xianrou silently lowered her gaze, but it made Tong Tong's heart skip a beat, giving her a bad premonition.

"I-Is there something wrong?" Tong Tong swallowed hard, asking cautiously, afraid of angering the other.

—Junior Sister Little Rou's expression looked exactly as if she had committed some unforgivable crime. So scary, wuwu!

"The 'Abyssal Secret Realm Exploration Manual' records that the Siam Honey-Fruit has a clear, sweet, and rich taste, like sugar and honey. It has the effects of clearing heat, detoxifying, strengthening the foundation, nurturing vitality, and enhancing cultivation. It is suitable for both medicinal and alchemical purposes." Lu Xianrou recited word by word as she looked at Tong Tong. Just as Tong Tong was confused, she continued, "Small note: The recommended dosage is six to eight fruits. Excessive consumption should be cautious. Consuming over twelve fruits may lead to poisoning, with unknown toxicity and currently no known antidote."

"What?!" Tong Tong stared incredulously at Lu Xianrou, who remained expressionless as she repeated the words. She felt as if a flame had ignited below her navel in her dantian, burning her painfully.

—Whoever said that having a good appetite is a blessing!

Then what is this situation now?

BACK | TABLE OF CONTENTS | NEXT