When I reach the pinnacle of my cultivation and am about to ascend to immortality, then I can let them see my true colors and be envious.
His status at this moment was extraordinary; to see a senior outer disciple was merely a matter of a casual remark. In a short while, Wang Hongxia had already arrived before him.
"Greetings, Elder."
"No need to be so polite, Senior Wang..."
Wang Hongxia's expression changed, and she quickly said, "Elder, you must not address me like that. That would mess up the seniority and violate the sect rules. I will be severely punished."
Xiao Wenbing frowned and said, "Yaqi and I are good friends. Since you are her master, you are naturally my elder. If the sect leader and the others want to blame someone, blame me. It has nothing to do with you."
Wang Hongxia responded meekly. Every elder of the Heavenly Dao Sect was hundreds of years old, and each had their own hobbies and interests. To outsiders, this was somewhat strange. Wang Hongxia had seen it all before and was used to it. However, Xiao Wenbing was the only one who disregarded his status.
Volume 3, Chapter 67: Injuries
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How did you come to have this good relationship with Yaqi?
"It was quite a coincidence, really, all thanks to Senior Brother Zhao Feng from the Secret Talisman Sect's gold card."
"A gold card?" Xiao Wenbing was certainly familiar with this gold card; it was a gift he had given to Zhang Yaqi.
Wang Hongxia whispered, "That's right. Yaqi used the money in that gold card as travel expenses to visit various remote and impoverished places to search for ancient sites. Unexpectedly, she was eventually targeted and someone wanted to rob her on the road. Fortunately, at that time, she had already entered the territory of the Tianyi Sect. Because she had swiped her card here, the disciples mistakenly thought that Senior Brother Zhao Feng had arrived and went to greet him, but they bumped into her and rescued her."
"What?" Xiao Wenbing exclaimed in surprise. So there was such a twist in the story, but Zhang Yaqi had never mentioned it to him.
"After seeing my skills, Yaqi insisted on becoming my disciple. I didn't want to accept her because I thought her talent was just average, but she knelt on the Tianyi Platform for three days and nights. Alas..." Wang Hongxia sighed, "In this world, there is no one who is so devout in yearning for the Dao. I was moved by her sincerity and made an exception to accept her as my disciple."
Xiao Wenbing nodded silently, but his heart was filled with turbulent emotions.
Zhang Yaqi, a mere frail woman, ventured to that remote place specifically for the sake of immortality; the dangers she faced were far beyond what could be summarized in a few words. Wang Hongxia spoke of highway robbery with ease, but given Zhang Yaqi's beauty, what if she were to actually encounter bandits?
Xiao Wenbing shivered. If such a thing happened, how would he handle it?
For three days and nights, a woman like her knelt on the ground for three days and nights. Just thinking about this made Xiao Wenbing's heart pound.
"Where is Yaqi?" Xiao Wenbing asked, having finally managed to sort out his tangled thoughts.
“Sigh, this child…” Wang Hongxia shook her head helplessly.
"What's wrong?"
"I've already told her that the path of cultivation is about fate; everything is predetermined and cannot be forced. But her, alas..."
Hearing her sighing and groaning for a long time without saying a word, Xiao Wenbing was quite displeased, but he refrained from speaking out of respect for Zhang Yaqi. However, he still frowned slightly and asked, "Senior Wang, where is Yaqi?"
"Ah, Yaqi is resting in the back room. This disciple told her to take good care of herself and not to practice martial arts for a hundred days."
"Forbidden to practice martial arts? Why?"
"Yaqi took some kind of potent drug, which enhanced her skills, but severely damaged her meridians. I told her long ago to proceed steadily and not to be greedy or impatient... This time, she tried to steal a chicken but ended up borrowing rice instead. Without a hundred days of recuperation, she will hardly recover."
Wang Hongxia originally wanted to continue blaming him, but when she looked up, she saw Xiao Wenbing's extremely ugly face, which was red like Guan Yu, black like a casserole, and green like grass, which was quite amusing.
A chill ran down her spine as she suddenly remembered that Zhang Yaqi had just gone out with this elder. If she had eaten something strange, this elder would likely be implicated.
Moreover, those potent drugs are often considered holy medicines, which Zhang Yaqi probably wouldn't have, while this elder should have quite a few. Thinking of this, Wang Hongxia's face immediately turned awkward.
"Is there such a thing? If Fellow Daoist Xiao is willing, why don't you let this old Daoist take a look?" Zhang Daoist suddenly strode into the courtyard where the outer disciples and servants lived.
Wang Hongxia dared not be negligent in the slightest towards this renowned old Taoist priest, and immediately became extremely attentive, paying her respects with utmost courtesy.
Xiao Wenbing was overjoyed. Although he had reached the Core Formation stage, with his rapid cultivation speed, there were many things he hadn't yet encountered. Otherwise, he wouldn't have so rashly given Zhang Yaqi the Foundation Establishment Pill.
Hearing that she was seriously injured, he was filled with anxiety, but seeing Zhang Daoren volunteer, he grasped at a lifeline and said, "Thank you, senior."
Wang Hongxia led them to the back room, pointed to one of the rooms, and before she could speak, Xiao Wenbing pushed the door open and entered first.
Inside, a woman was lying fully clothed on the bed. Hearing the noise and seeing Xiao Wenbing, she gave him a beautiful yet unexpected smile.
Xiao Wenbing stepped forward and took her hand. A surge of spiritual energy flowed into her body, causing her to frown deeply. She said, "Yaqi, I'm sorry."
In just that short time, Xiao Wenbing knew that her injuries were extremely serious. The domineering nature of the Foundation Establishment Pill far exceeded the limits that ordinary people could withstand.
With a slight smile, Zhang Yaqi's face was flushed, whether from her injury or from him suddenly holding her hand, it was hard to tell. She whispered, "With me, there's no need to apologize."
Xiao Wenbing's eyes twitched slightly, and he felt a lump in his throat. He quickly changed the subject and said, "Yaqi, I've found you a doctor. He's the best doctor in the world... no, the most famous doctor in the world. Your little injury will heal immediately."
The Taoist priest behind him was taken aback, thinking to himself, "When did I, an old Taoist priest, become a famous doctor?"
However, this old Taoist priest truly lived up to his reputation as a top-tier alchemy master in Earth's cultivation world. Although he couldn't refine the kind of miraculous medicine that could transform a person, he didn't take this minor injury seriously.
He stepped forward and, under Xiao Wenbing's expectant gaze, took out a jade bottle. The old Taoist opened the bottle, and a fragrant aroma immediately wafted out, intoxicating the senses.
Zhang Daoren smiled slightly, raised the jade bottle in his hand, and pointed his finger. A drop of golden liquid immediately flew out of the bottle, slowly arriving above Zhang Yaqi. Suddenly, the drop of liquid transformed into a misty rain, enveloping the beautiful woman on the bed.
Xiao Wenbing watched Zhang Daoren perform the spell with extreme tension, his divine sense secretly scanning the jade bottle in Zhang Daoren's hand. This old Taoist's creation was definitely no ordinary item; it would be good to copy it first, just in case.
His divine sense naturally couldn't escape Zhang Daoren's notice, but the old man never imagined that such a bizarre thing as creating something from nothing existed in the world. So, instead of hiding it at all, he introduced it as follows: "This is the Dew of a Hundred Flowers that I have collected over decades. It is indeed very effective for meridian damage. Fellow Daoist Xiao, rest assured, I guarantee that you will have a lively little lover... cough, my junior sister in a quarter of an hour."
Xiao Wenbing blushed and said, "Thank you, Daoist Master."
Volume 3, Chapter 68: Recognizing Relatives
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The golden mist gradually seeped into Zhang Yaqi's body, and when the last wisp of mist disappeared, Zhang Yaqi stood up from the bed in surprise.
She was also a clever person, and immediately bowed to the old Taoist priest and thanked him, saying, "Thank you, senior."
Zhang Daoren stroked his beard and smiled. As he looked at her, a new color suddenly appeared in his eyes, as if he had remembered something. It was a kind of longing, a kind of concern.
Xiao Wenbing was surprised and looked at him with confusion, wondering what the old man was up to.
“Alas…” Zhang Daoren sighed deeply and said, “For hundreds of years, I have been all alone, without any successors or disciples. It is truly lamentable and pitiful.”
Xiao Wenbing was taken aback. What did he mean by that? Did he want to take Zhang Yaqi as his apprentice?
"Now that the tribulation is imminent, if I fail, alas..." Zhang Daoren glanced at Zhang Yaqi intentionally or unintentionally, and continued, "If you have an adopted son or daughter, they can also help this old Daoist in his final days."
Xiao Wenbing rolled his eyes. This old man, after all his rambling, apparently wanted to adopt Yaqi as his goddaughter. However, for Yaqi, this was a fantastic opportunity. He immediately winked at Zhang Yaqi, urging her to agree right away.
Wang Hongxia, standing behind them, was speechless with surprise. Zhang Daoren had been renowned in the cultivation world for many years and was a reclusive person. How could he be like a completely different person today? She couldn't help but shake her head and sigh inwardly, realizing that fate was something that couldn't be forced.
Zhang Yaqi's gaze swept across the faces of the group, she smiled slightly, and bowed deeply to Zhang Daoren, saying, "Daughter greets godfather."
"Haha..." Zhang Daoren laughed heartily, helped Zhang Yaqi up, took out a jade bottle from his bosom, and said, "I don't have anything good, so I'll just give you a little gift."
Xiao Wenbing's heart skipped a beat, and he said impatiently, "Yaqi, open it and take a look."
Unlike Xiao Wenbing, Zhang Yaqi was not in a hurry. She thanked Zhang Daoren first before opening the jade bottle, and her expression changed slightly.
Xiao Wenbing peeked inside and saw that there were about ten Foundation Establishment Pills.
"Here are twelve Foundation Establishment Pills. I will write a prescription for you later. You will decoct the herbs into a thick soup. Cut each Foundation Establishment Pill into eight pieces, and prepare one dose of the soup for each piece. Take one dose every seven days. These twelve pills are enough for you for two years. Within two years, I will definitely collect spiritual herbs and start a furnace to refine pills for you." He paused, then said heavily, "Since you have acknowledged me as your father, if I cannot help you embark on the path of cultivation, I will have no face to ascend to the Immortal Realm."
Wang Hongxia listened from behind with great envy, thinking that fate truly determines one's destiny.
Zhang Yaqi thanked him and asked, "Godfather, does one Foundation Establishment Pill need to be taken in eight doses?"
"That's right. You haven't yet mastered spiritual power and can't absorb the medicinal power, so it has to be divided into eight sessions and accompanied by medicinal soup to ensure that it's beneficial and harmless."
Zhang Yaqi looked towards Xiao Wenbing with her expressive eyes, only to see his strange and embarrassed expression. She couldn't help but smile brightly, like a hundred flowers blooming, beautiful and charming.
※※※※
A month passed quickly. With Zhang Daoren's help, Zhang Yaqi made rapid progress. Although she did not comprehend the Qi mechanism, her own skill level improved by leaps and bounds. She was comparable to an ordinary outer disciple who had cultivated for ten years, which made Wang Hongxia and others envious.
Faced with the facts, Xiao Wenbing had to admit that being a tortoise had its advantages. At least one lived longer and gained more experience. Zhang Daoren's gradual approach was the true way of a king, while his own method was absolutely unsuitable for ordinary people.
On this day, Xiao Wenbing idly arrived at Zhang Yaqi's residence. The various pavilions of the Tianyi Sect would not be open until after the centennial celebration in April, so he was quite free during these months.
Although he possessed a jade pendant signifying his status as an honorary elder of the Heavenly Dao Sect, granting him free access to all floors of the pavilion for browsing, he currently felt no interest whatsoever.
As soon as the door opened, Zhang Yaqi and her apprentice were talking about something. When she saw Xiao Wenbing arrive, Zhang Yaqi was overjoyed and stepped forward to say softly, "Wenbing, may I ask you for a favor?"
“Sure, go ahead.” Xiao Wenbing agreed without even thinking.
“A relative of Master’s in Canada just called from overseas, saying that he has offended a vampire count and asked Master to ask someone to help him.”
"A vampire count? Canada?" Xiao Wenbing was greatly surprised. How did this get involved with the West? However, facing the beautiful woman, he did not hesitate and simply asked, "What level is a vampire count equivalent to in a cultivator?"
"The Vampire Earl is only around the top level of the Core Formation stage," Wang Hongxia said respectfully.
"Core Formation stage? Haha... No problem, leave it to me." Xiao Wenbing said confidently. He had been spending all his free time lately on one thing: refining Fiery Talismans.
If an ordinary Core Formation stage cultivator could refine one Fiery Talisman a day, that would be considered very impressive. However, Xiao Wenbing was different; he could draw at least a dozen a day.
In just one month, he had accumulated hundreds of Fiery Talismans. With so many Fiery Talismans on him, let alone a mere Core Formation cultivator, even those in the early Golden Core stage might not be a threat to Xiao Wenbing. Moreover, Xiao Wenbing wasn't alone; he also had Zhang Jie by his side.
If a Golden Core cultivator in the early stage, with hundreds of Fiery Talismans, still couldn't defeat a vampire count, then something would really be amiss.
"Thank you, Elder." Wang Hongxia bowed and said, "With the grand ceremony approaching, all disciples are strictly forbidden from leaving the mountain gate without permission. To do so without the Elder's permission is a serious offense, which is why I thought of..."
“Senior Wang, you have done a great favor for Yaqi. Is there any need to thank me for such a small favor?” Xiao Wenbing smiled slightly and said, “I will go and ask my senior brother to go with me. There is a Golden Core cultivator. Surely we can defeat him.”
He took Zhang Yaqi's small hand and led her halfway up the mountain. In the past few days, their relationship had progressed rapidly, and holding hands had become a perfectly normal occurrence.
Even within the Heavenly Dao Sect, Zhang Jie would come to the mountainside every morning to meditate and practice his internal energy, and today was no exception.
Looking at his second senior brother, who was completely absorbed in absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, Xiao Wenbing felt a sense of admiration rising in his heart.
His senior brother was the least talented among all his fellow disciples, but he persevered in his arduous practice for over a hundred years, which led to his achievements today. That was real skill, without any shortcuts.
If I didn't possess such a special ability, I really wouldn't have had this much patience.