Chapter 21

Li Jiangying reached out and grasped Li Yueying’s little snake head. Her hand slid down the slender snake body until she touched the tip of her tail. She lifted her head and smiled at Doctor Liu: “It’s nothing, please continue.”

Doctor Liu twitched the corner of her mouth, gave her a strange look, and then seriously continued examining Li Jiangying’s condition.

As for Li Jiangying, she grabbed Li Yueying by the tail and pulled her out from her embrace. What was there to consider about whether she’d be recognized? She’d already been spotted anyway.

Li Jiangying calmed her heart and mind, maintaining her composure. She raised the hand holding the snake’s tail and began to spin it in circles.

The little madwoman only managed to utter the word ‘Jiangying’ before her voice abruptly stopped. In the air, a black shadowy blur swished incessantly. Around the outer edge of the black circle, there was a thin dark red line… slowly, the dark red disappeared, and a fresh, bright red line, half a finger wide, extended outside the black circle.

Finally, Doctor Liu withdrew her hand from Li Jiangying’s wrist, her expression extremely solemn.

Li Jiangying simultaneously stopped her hand. Slap! She smacked the little black snake onto the table. This snake, only as thick as a pinky finger, was now tightly shutting its eyes, its tongue lolling out.

“How is it, Senior?” Cui Yu couldn’t bear to look directly at her boss’s miserable state, so she forced herself not to look at her and shifted her gaze to Doctor Liu.

Doctor Liu deliberated for a moment, looking as if she was about to speak. She first asked: “What may I call you, Miss?”

“I am Ying Suanli. Doctor Liu, please feel free to speak plainly.” Li Jiangying kept a cautious mind, not even giving her twin sister’s name Li Suanying.

Doctor Liu endured this perfunctory fake name. She said: “If I am not mistaken, Miss Ying, there seems to be something inside your Dantian that continuously absorbs Devil Qi, preventing you from condensing and storing it. But as for what exactly it is…”

She shook her head regretfully: “I cannot discern that. The only thing I can see is that besides preventing you from storing Devil Qi, this object likely poses no other danger.”

Li Jiangying was deeply shocked. There was something inside her Dantian?? You’ve got to be kidding me. She had only just started cultivating; how could this be?

“Can it be taken out?” she asked urgently.

“No.” Seeing Li Jiangying’s extreme disappointment, Doctor Liu couldn’t help but console her: “If you encounter a Transformation Realm expert in the future, you can request their help. It might be possible to remove it then.”

It wasn’t that there were no Transformation Realm experts around. There was one right beside her. Here, look—still dazed, she’d been wriggling for ages but couldn’t crawl back onto Li Jiangying’s hand.

As for other Transformation Realm big shots… hah. Li Jiangying smiled bitterly. She would probably have to sell her blood for a living.

“I understand. Thank you, Doctor.”

Li Jiangying had no Devil Qi, so she couldn’t activate any magical artifacts, and naturally couldn’t use a Storage Bag. Therefore, all the items brought on this trip were kept with Cui Yu.

Cui Yu took out three hundred Devil Stones and gave them to Doctor Liu. Li Jiangying stood up, grabbed the little snake Yueying and stuffed her into her sleeve, preparing to leave.

As they were going out the door, Doctor Liu suddenly called out: “Wait.”

“What is it?”

Doctor Liu paused, then said: “Originally, I didn’t want to say this, seeing as you claim to be a Fire Spirit Body and can only cultivate the Fire Element. But if you are truly determined to cultivate, then I can point out a path for you.”

Just when all hope seemed lost, a new opportunity appeared. Li Jiangying’s heart, which had just sunk, immediately lifted. She looked at Doctor Liu with anticipation: “Please, Senior, give me your guidance.”

“There are countless cultivation methods in this world. One type involves storing Devil Qi within the physical body instead of the Dantian. This method is typically used by those whose Dantian is shattered but who refuse to give up. Therefore, it’s very uncommon and not well-developed. Miss Ying, if you wish to cultivate, why not try seeking out this kind of body-forging technique?”

Regardless of whether it was well-developed or not, having a ray of hope made Li Jiangying very happy. She cupped her hands and bowed deeply to Doctor Liu: “Many thanks.”

Doctor Liu coldly and ruthlessly extended her hand: “No need for many thanks. That’ll be one hundred Devil Stones, please.”

Li Jiangying/Cui Yu: “…”

After leaving Doctor Liu’s place, Li Jiangying asked Cui Yu if they needed to hurry to buy medicine for the little madwoman. Cui Yu replied: “The medicine for Her Highness isn’t available here. We need to go to Flying Swallow Capital. The road is still long. Jiangying, let’s rest here for tonight first.”

Li Jiangying said: “Flying Swallow Capital must be very prosperous.”

Cui Yu smiled: “It is indeed much bigger than here. You can find all sorts of items there. However, the body-forging technique Doctor Liu mentioned is quite rare. Before going there, it’s best to first search around the local Ghost Market to avoid missing out.”

“Ghost Market?”

“It’s a place where the idle Rogue Devil Cultivators around here gather privately and conduct transactions while hiding their identities.”

Li Jiangying understood. It was a black market for Devil Cultivators.

Cui Yu led her towards an inn and continued explaining: “But the Ghost Market isn’t open every day. By my calculation, there happens to be one tomorrow. Let’s rest here tonight, shop at the Ghost Market, and then leave. Otherwise, it would be a shame to miss it.”

“That’s fine.” Li Jiangying knew Cui Yu was still taking care of her. After all, the chances of finding good things in such a small place were slim. She accepted Cui Yu’s kindness.

There weren’t many inns in Fangping Town. The furnishings were simple, they only offered basic meals, and the safety was probably not very high. But having a place sheltered from the elements and stable enough to sleep in was already satisfying for Li Jiangying.

To be safe, they only asked for one room. The two of them and one snake rested together. Li Jiangying lay on the bed, while Cui Yu sat meditating on the floor.

As for Li Yueying…

She had already woken up from her dazed state. Afraid that Li Jiangying might spin her around again, she obediently coiled around Li Jiangying’s arm, playing dead.

Now, Li Jiangying was lying on the bed, closing her eyes to rest. The little snake spirit, with her poor memory, soon forgot the pain after the wound healed. The restless desire in her heart could no longer be suppressed!

In the darkness, two faint red points slowly appeared. A small black snake, only as thick as a pinky finger, slowly lifted its head. She looked around: the human she was coiled around had her eyes closed and was breathing evenly; the woman on the floor nearby was meditating with her eyes shut, seemingly oblivious to everything.

The little snake happily slithered its body back and forth, moving from the arm onto the torso.

Heave-ho, heave-ho, she continued upwards. In the quiet night, only the sound of scales rustling against fabric could be heard.

When she stealthily reached Li Jiangying’s neck, a pair of red-bean eyes stared with difficult-to-express affection: “Jiangying, I’m coming!”

The black snake reared up her head, cool and smooth. She slowly bent her neck down, preparing to place a kiss on the sleeping beauty.

Flick, flick… its forked tongue slowly approached the soft, pale lips. Suddenly, it stopped in mid-air.

Of course, it wasn’t because she changed her mind. It was mainly because the sleeping beauty suddenly opened her eyes and was coldly staring at her.

Li Yueying slowly turned her head away and closed her eyes. The raised snake body suddenly slumped down limply, trying to pretend it was asleep.

Li Jiangying sneered, propped herself up on her arm to sit up, picked up this restless little snake spirit, and swiftly tied it into a knot around the bedpost.

Li Yueying’s body trembled. She wanted to protest aggrievedly: “Jiangying, I want to be with you…”

“Shut up.” Li Jiangying lay back under the covers, turned on her side to adjust her pillow, closed her eyes, and said faintly: “If you don’t behave, I’ll throw you out.”

Li Yueying shut up.

Li Jiangying dreamed. She dreamed her whole body was burning hot, as if she were being roasted over a fire. What a joke! If anyone should be roasted, it should be that little pervy snake!

It’s decided then. Next time she misbehaves, she’ll be roasted. Li Jiangying thought hazily in her sleep. In reality, she was also covered in sweat.

Li Yueying, entangled around the bedpost, didn’t dare to disturb Li Jiangying. She could only slowly wriggle. After twisting for a long time, she finally untied herself.

At that moment, the window was suddenly smashed open by an external object. A round thing whizzed inside.

Cui Yu snapped her eyes open. Li Yueying instinctively expanded her body size and covered Li Jiangying. Immediately after, the rumbling sound of an explosion rang out.