“Has the excessive medicinal power built up inside her body, leading to some kind of pathological change?” Chen Xi mused thoughtfully. “Zhen’er, you’ve agreed to help her refine a Supreme-Grade Detox Pill?”
“Yeah, because I figured that if I can refine a Supreme-Grade Minor Yuan Pill, I ought to be able to handle a Supreme-Grade Detox Pill too. So I said yes.” Yan Zhen gave a faint smile, deliberately putting on a mature air. “If I can do a solid favor for the Chief Manager of the Golden Jade Chamber of Commerce, it’s all upside, no downside!”
“That makes sense. But there’s a better approach than refining a Supreme-Grade Detox Pill—one that cures the Chief Manager’s condition from the root and helps you build a stronger connection with the Golden Jade Chamber of Commerce, Zhen’er.”
The Beautiful Master spoke with layered meaning, and Yan Zhen caught on right away.
“Master, are you suggesting I dual cultivate with her?”
“Exactly. For a condition like hers, the best treatment is dual cultivation with a Pill Refiner who possesses Extreme Flame. That would refine the accumulated medicinal power back into a pill. You fit the bill perfectly, Zhen’er, so make the most of this chance. Convince her to accept your treatment.”
Chen Xi offered the advice calmly.
“That way, you’d not only cure the Chief Manager but also share intimate skin-to-skin contact with her. You’d earn her gratitude and closeness. Who knows? Zhen’er, you might even end up as the man of the house at the Golden Jade Chamber of Commerce.”
—Man of the house? Pass. I’m not that ambitious. Being the good little brother to the lady of the house sounds just right.
Plus, playing the good little brother is way easier. Good Big Sister has a bit of that doting big sis vibe—she’d never forget to hook her bro up with the good stuff. Heh~
Yan Zhen pulled his mind back from those thoughts and voiced his doubts about the Beautiful Master’s words.
“Will it really go that smoothly? That Chief Manager’s sharp as a fox spirit. She’s not the type to go all gooey-eyed and devoted after some guy takes her to bed.”
“The perks go beyond that.” Chen Xi coaxed him patiently. “During the treatment, Zhen’er, you could siphon off some of her medicinal power to boost your own cultivation. I’d wager that one round of dual cultivation treatment would catapult you straight to Two-Three Star Mystic Scholar. It’s a golden opportunity like this—once in a lifetime. Seize it before it slips away!”
Yan Zhen put on a tempted look, only to furrow his brow in worry moments later.
“But the Chief Manager seems dead set against Body Fusion Dual Cultivation with anyone. She has a Cauldron Constitution, so if she loses the upper hand during it, the partner could control her. In her position, that’s a risk she absolutely won’t take!”
“Cauldron Constitution, huh? Your cultivation level is way below hers, Zhen’er. There shouldn’t be any such worries.”
“She’s a powerhouse in the business world. She plans every move with extreme care, zero tolerance for even a sliver of risk.”
Yan Zhen let out a sigh, his face clouding over with melancholy. He was hoping to tug at the Beautiful Master’s heartstrings and coax out an even better idea.
“But passing up this chance would be such a waste. There’s that old saying: if you don’t grab what heaven offers, you’ll regret it big time! Master, isn’t there some way to treat her without Body Fusion Dual Cultivation?”
“…No.”
“That’s perfect—wait, what?”
Yan Zhen had just started to feign delight when realization hit, freezing his expression in place.
What?
Chen Xi replied flatly.
“No such method exists.”
“This…”
Yan Zhen’s smile faded away slowly.
But that couldn’t be right. There totally was one: whip up a Medicine Pool, have them both strip down and soak in it naked, and it’d mimic the fusion effect.
Sure, it was a touch less effective than the real deal, needing more time and ingredients, but it still got the job done for treatment.
The script spelled it out clear as day—just no exact recipe!
“R-Really none, Master? C’mon, think harder~ Your disciple doesn’t wanna miss out on this huge break, boo hoo~”
Yan Zhen pulled out his ace in the hole against the Beautiful Master: playing cute and whiny!
Chen Xi chuckled to herself, nearly cracking under her precious disciple’s adorable act, but she reined herself in.
“No need to go to all that hassle. Just tell her this, Zhen’er: those with a Cauldron Constitution have a ‘Closed Cauldron’ technique. It lets her lock down her core, safe from any man draining her essence. And with your realm so much lower than hers, you couldn’t force an ‘Open Cauldron’ even if you tried. No way you could control her.”
Yan Zhen blinked in a daze a couple times. There was a method like that?
It sounded handier than mixing up a Medicine Pool, but this wasn’t the script path.
He pushed back.
“With how paranoid she is, she won’t buy it, right? She’ll think I’m pulling a fast one, and who knows—might even give me a thrashing.”
Yan Zhen laid it on thick, trying to shoot down the Beautiful Master’s idea, but she replied with total confidence.
“Closed Cauldron and Open Cauldron for Cauldron Constitutions aren’t any big secret. She can look it up in the classics herself to confirm. Once she does, I guarantee the Chief Manager will agree to the dual cultivation treatment… This illness of hers has lingered for three years already. Give it another year or so, and it’ll flare up nonstop for seven straight days until she dies in agony. She wrecked her body to power up and take the reins of the chamber. No way she’d throw her life away lightly!”
Holy crap, the Beautiful Master had this Good Big Sister’s number without even meeting her. Too sharp.
—But that’s not the angle I need!
He’d have to bring it up himself.
“Uh, Master, I came across this in an old book once. It said two people could strip naked and soak in a specially prepared Medicine Pool to simulate the fusion effect… That might make the Chief Manager more open to it.”
Chen Xi was caught off guard. How did this kid know about such an obscure ancient formula?
She arched a slender brow and shot back.
“Which old book? I’ve never heard of it.”
Yan Zhen was stumped on the spot. He mumbled weakly.
“Saw it somewhere once. Can’t remember the name.”
“You must’ve mixed it up, Zhen’er.” Chen Xi shot her precious disciple a playful, scolding glance. “Enough about those oddball ideas. Do as I say, and you’ll lock down this opportunity tight… Unless you don’t trust your master’s words?”
A hint of hurt and displeasure crept into the Beautiful Master’s tone, her gaze turning wistful.
Yan Zhen shook his head vigorously.
“How could I not trust Master? I believe you unconditionally—one hundred percent!”
Chen Xi smiled with understanding, placing her soft, pale jade hand atop Yan Zhen’s head and stroking it tenderly.
“Good boy. Master hasn’t doted on you in vain~”
Yan Zhen soaked up the headpat blissfully on the outside, but inside, he was fretting.
What now? The Beautiful Master didn’t know about the Medicine Pool method. How was he supposed to treat Good Big Sister’s condition? He sure as hell couldn’t go through with actual Body Fusion Dual Cultivation.
That was the Precognitive Dream route—not the script!
He had to stick to the script!
Lost in his worries, Yan Zhen grimly set to refining Supreme-Grade Detox Pills. It took over a dozen batches before he finally produced two.
Bone-tired, Yan Zhen crashed out and slept like the dead. When he came to, afternoon light was streaming in—it was the next day already. Mentor Yu Xuan hauled him out of bed, made him freshen up, and informed him they’d head to the Golden Jade Chamber of Commerce together that evening for the auction.
This major auction was invite-only for Silver Moon City’s elite. Mentor Yu Xuan had gotten just one invitation, good for her plus a guest.
She wanted some quality alone time with Yan Zhen—and, while she was at it, to size up that vixen scheming to lure away her good (little) student (hubby).
