Chapter 64: I Can Only Resort to Selling My Looks

Damaged soul?

Yan Zhao didn’t understand what a damaged soul meant.

But from the way the woman said it, it seemed very serious.

Yan Zhao pressed her lips together, her gaze falling on the one-armed woman’s face.

The woman had stern brows and heroic features. Her black robe made her aura particularly solemn.

She calmly accepted Yan Zhao’s scrutinizing gaze.

While Yan Zhao observed her, she could also clearly see Yan Zhao’s features without obstruction.

The little fox turned its head to look at Nangong Yin.

Although its body was weak and lacked strength, its eyes remained full of hostility.

Why was Nangong Yin at the Medicine God Sect?

Was she the one hunting Bai Jin?

But if Nangong Yin had truly made a move, would there have been any chance for it to slip away?

Countless doubts raced through her mind. Ren Qingyue didn’t dare relax for a moment. She was determined to risk her life to create even a sliver of escape for Yan Zhao.

But her thoughts were an open book in Nangong Yin’s eyes.

“Under these circumstances, what do you think you can do?”

Nangong Yin stood before Yan Zhao. She didn’t speak aloud, but a forceful Voice Transmission hammered directly into Ren Qingyue’s mind.

“A mere Soul Formation Cultivation Base. Even at my full strength, I couldn’t stop her.” A faint mockery laced Nangong Yin’s cool, low voice. “If I kill you in front of her, what do you think will happen? Will there still be someone in the future to protect her like you do?”

These words poured over Ren Qingyue’s head like a bucket of cold water, making her hands and feet icy cold.

If she died, what would happen to Yan Zhao?

Ren Qingyue thought of Bi Lan, then of Feng Jin.

But these faces hurriedly flashed through her mind, and none seemed truly trustworthy.

She felt unwilling.

Her Shizun was already burdened by a bitter fate. Why did even Shizun’s child have to suffer such hardships from birth?

How could she protect Yan Zhao?

Ren Qingyue felt despair.

At that moment, Yan Zhao’s voice sounded behind her ear.

“What must I do to save it?”

This was spoken to Nangong Yin.

Yan Zhao recalled what the Furnace Spirit had asked of her in the Illusion Realm earlier.

So, without avoiding Nangong Yin’s eyes, she looked at her earnestly and said with sincere tone: “As long as you are willing to save it, I’ll agree to anything.”

Nangong Yin met Yan Zhao’s gaze.

It felt as if an invisible hand was gripping her heart, slowly squeezing it, causing a silent tremor.

Her lips moved, but no sound came out.

If not for a thread of reason still holding taut, she would almost have impulsively voiced the selfish request filling her heart.

You mustn’t!

The little fox grew so anxious it struggled.

But Yan Zhao’s arms were strong, holding it steady, not letting it break free.

It had barely a tenth of its strength left and was no match for Yan Zhao at this moment.

Yan Zhao stepped forward, walking up to Nangong Yin.

She had been thin and frail since childhood, all skin and bones. Although she had grown a little taller recently, she was still a head shorter than Nangong Yin and had to look up to meet her eyes.

“You know how to save it.”

Yan Zhao’s eyes were bright.

She didn’t want to trust anyone, but she had no choice.

Without treatment, the little fox might die, paying the price for her reckless actions.

The woman before her knew more than her and was stronger.

Yan Zhao had already made up her mind. If this woman gave her no answer, she would beg Yao Shenzi.

Not for any benefits from Yao Shenzi, just to save the little fox. Whether it meant learning Alchemy, learning to write, or trading her life for the little fox’s—she would do it.

Nangong Yin raised her sole arm.

The little fox’s heart clenched in fright, but Nangong Yin casually Formed Hand Seals and sealed its remaining scant Dharma Power, rendering it immobile in Yan Zhao’s arms.

Then, Nangong Yin’s hand touched Yan Zhao’s forehead.

Her fingertips gently brushed aside the messy hair on Yan Zhao’s forehead, revealing a pair of dark, bright eyes beneath.

Yan Zhao didn’t move, feeling as if something had been added to her mind.

The little fox quieted down.

Nangong Yin leaned forward, drawing close to Yan Zhao.

Her cheek lightly brushed against Yan Zhao’s forehead. In an extremely intimate posture, she whispered softly into Yan Zhao’s ear: “Go ask Yao Shenzi to refine a furnace of Soul Nourishing Pill for it to consume. Then, with the Mental Cultivation Method I taught you, nurture its Divine Soul daily. Within a hundred days, it will recover.”

After speaking, she stepped back, retreating to a distance of one step.

Only then did Yan Zhao understand that the thing suddenly appearing in her mind was the Mental Cultivation Method Nangong Yin had imparted to her.

The spot on her forehead where Nangong Yin’s fingertip had touched felt cool. Yan Zhao subconsciously reached up to touch it, but the coolness vanished in an instant, disappearing without a trace.

The force restraining the little fox’s body vanished. It looked at Nangong Yin with lingering fear.

Nangong Yin stood not far away, having made no move against Yan Zhao.

Moreover, there was a hint of a smile in her brows, no trace of malice in her eyes.

For a single moment, Ren Qingyue seemed to see in the woman’s expression something similar to her Shizun’s look.

How is that possible? Ren Qingyue thought. It’s absurd.

This person was unpredictable, moody, and bloodthirsty. She seemed fine now, but who knew when she might start devouring flesh and drinking blood.

We can’t relax our guard for a moment.

“Do as I say,” Nangong Yin spoke, a smile curving on her lips. “Be good.”

A hint of doting tenderness in her tone sent chills down Ren Qingyue’s spine.

Yan Zhao agreed. Anxious to treat the fox’s injury, she wanted to return to find Yao Shenzi.

Before turning to leave, she remembered the etiquette Ren Qingyue had taught her.

The words one must say when asking someone for help.

Yan Zhao paused, turned back to Nangong Yin, and said: “Thank you.”

Even after Yan Zhao had completely left Nangong Yin’s sight, the little fox’s heart continued to pound.

It still couldn’t figure out why Nangong Yin had done this.

Connecting Nangong Yin’s abnormal behavior with Feng Jin’s previously baffling actions, a ridiculous suspicion suddenly emerged in Ren Qingyue’s mind.

Could it be that Feng Jin stayed by Yan Zhao’s side, repeatedly acting to eliminate threats, under Nangong Yin’s orders?

Why?

What was Nangong Yin’s motive?

A thought streaked through her mind. In that flash of insight, Ren Qingyue caught onto something.

Could it be…

that Nangong Yin had a deep relationship with Yan Zhao’s biological father?!

The little fox’s eyes sharpened.

That would explain everything.

During that trip to the Immortal’s Cave Abode, Shizun had passed the abode to Yan Zhao, and Nangong Yin had thus confirmed Yan Zhao’s identity.

Now, she wasn’t planning an outright snatch but was adopting a conciliatory approach, lowering Yan Zhao’s guard to draw closer, then, when the time was right, taking Yan Zhao to the Devil Clan.

It must be so!

The more Ren Qingyue thought, the more anxious she became. She absolutely couldn’t let Nangong Yin succeed!

Yan Zhao could only stay by her side, be personally taught by her. She would never allow a Fiend to take Yan Zhao away!

But today, Nangong Yin had undoubtedly left a good impression on Yan Zhao.

Ren Qingyue felt a grave sense of crisis.

She secretly decided she had to make Yan Zhao willingly stay by her side.

As the little fox’s thoughts wandered, Yan Zhao had already carried her far away.

At some point, she heard Yan Zhao’s voice: “Ah, ya.”

What is it?

She looked at Yan Zhao.

Yan Zhao stood amidst the lush forest. “I’m lost.”

The little fox: “……”

“Forget it.” Yan Zhao gave up finding the way, found a clean, large rock, and sat down on the spot.

She lifted the little fox, gently stroking her fur, murmuring to herself: “Let’s try that Mental Cultivation Method I just learned.”

Saying this, she closed her eyes, recalling the information Nangong Yin had transmitted to her.

Several images of small figures appeared in her mind, seemingly depicting the healing movements accompanying the Mental Cultivation Method, and the locations of acupoints where Spiritual Qi should be injected.

Yan Zhao’s brow furrowed.

The images clearly showed two small human figures, but she needed to heal a fox.

Were the acupoints on a fox’s body the same as a human’s?

Yan Zhao couldn’t figure out many things, but the little fox’s injury couldn’t wait.

She placed the little fox on her lap and began circulating the Mental Cultivation Method. Then, she touched here, probed there.

First, the head.

Yan Zhao spread her hands, gently massaging the little fox’s temples, slowly infusing Spiritual Qi into the acupoints.

Ren Qingyue’s Spirit Platform cleared, the stabbing pain in her soul slightly lessened. The Mental Cultivation Method Nangong Yin taught Yan Zhao was actually effective.

This thought surfaced in her mind, making Ren Qingyue’s feelings complicated.

Suddenly, Yan Zhao let go, changing position.

Yan Zhao’s left hand pried open its mouth. Her right hand, with two fingers together, reached inside, the fingertips pressing on the root of its tongue.

Spiritual Qi infused from the tongue root. The little fox looked dazed.

After a short while, Yan Zhao moved her hands toward the little fox’s belly.

“……”

Thinking of Nangong Yin’s goal, Ren Qingyue’s mind went blank.

Nangong Yin’s power was extraordinary. To keep Yan Zhao here, what was her only advantage in this contest?

The little fox’s gaze drifted downward, looking at her paws, then turned her head to look at her tail.

If worse comes to worst…

I can only resort to selling my looks.