Chapter 128 - 122: Deliciously Roasted Kidneys_1

A Loose Cultivator? Su Bei had an expression that said, You must be fooling ghosts, as he looked at the woman before him. A Loose Cultivator reaching the Transcendence Tribulation Stage? In fact, I already have a vague suspicion. This woman is very likely that individual from the Sacred Land. The joint council of sects from the Twenty-One Provinces is in the Sacred Land, and it's said that the master of the Sacred Land is at the Tribulation-Crossing level. But how high she has transcended, no one really knows... Perhaps she is this woman before me? Thinking this woman might be from the Sacred Land eased Su Bei's mind considerably. He then stuffed the medicinal pill into his mouth, pinched the mouths of his wasteful disciple and Dan Wulan, and forced a pill into each of theirs as well. Ji Nanjue gave Su Bei a faint glance and said nothing, her eyes surveying the fire, waiting for Su Bei to resolve her confusion. After busying himself, Su Bei let out a sigh of relief and sat down again. He looked at Dan Wulan, whose eyes were tightly closed. The firelight flickered across her face, casting shadows that hinted at a joyful dream, and a corner of her mouth revealed a rare smile that Su Bei had never seen before. A fleeting warmth flashed through his heart. He gently tightened the Crane Cloak around her. I have to fulfill my promise to her, he thought. The scene of the pigsty on fire surfaced in Su Bei's mind. My own pigs roasted away. Indeed, it would be appropriate to put something else there to fill up the empty space, he murmured softly, "I should plant a peach orchard there for you..." As for my wasteful disciple? It's the perfect occasion to build her a house there, so she won't have to fight with me for the bed anymore... His soft murmurs were full of tenderness. Ji Nanjue looked over at Su Bei, who was muttering to himself as if he had left her out, and she was momentarily stunned. In a daze, I suddenly realized that since my ascension, no one has ever treated me quite this way, she thought. At this thought, she couldn't help but scrutinize this handsome man, who also had a certain reputation in the Twenty-One Provinces. Recently, Su Bei's name has frequented the documents and memorials on my desk. The outside world speaks highly of him; I've heard something to the effect that 'of the ten portions of handsome men in the world, Su Bei alone claims thirteen, leaving the rest in debt of three portions.' I laughed these off, but what truly caught my attention were the things Su Bei has done in Mo City recently. Capable of wielding the Qingping Sword with only the Divinity Transformation Realm? A single sword thrust forced back Luo Ritian. I am certain that Su Bei's realm is indeed only at Divinity Transformation, but the power of that sword he just wielded was so great that even an ordinary practitioner in the Late Stage Refining Void might not be able to parry it. There have been geniuses who defied convention and battled across realms in the Twenty-One Provinces before. I've even come across records from a time long past in the Dongfeng Ancient Country's library about a cultivator who had broken through nine thousand layers of Qi Cultivation—although the credibility of that is not high. But Su Bei's sword strike? I witnessed its power myself, and he used the Sword Scripture of the Sword Sect. I didn't arrive most timely; I observed him from the shadows for a long while, only revealing myself after he had truly swung that sword. Ji Nanjue's heart harbored some curiosity toward this man shrouded in an air of mystery. As if suddenly realizing that he had sidelined this woman from the Sacred Land, Su Bei quickly raised his head, coughed lightly in slight embarrassment, and said, "Nan... Ji... Miss Nan." After thinking about it, I still feel it's better to call her Miss Nan; after all, the 'Ji' part... sounds somewhat strange, Su Bei thought. "Su Mou doesn't know how he injured that tiger demon," he continued. "Maybe it's because he's particularly diligent on ordinary days, eventually turning an iron rod into a needle..." After finishing, Su Bei suddenly realized his words might have a double entendre. Looking up at Nan Ji, he saw she hadn't seemed to pick up on anything unusual. Instead, she was furrowing her brows and contemplating what he said, making him silently breathe a sigh of relief. The opening ceremony for the Sword Sect's recruitment is still to be held in the Sacred Land. If I leave a bad impression in her heart, all my efforts over these past many days will have been in vain. Then he saw Nan Ji lift her head, her eyes thoughtful as she looked at him and asked, "Does Sword One, refined to perfection, hold such power?" Su Bei smiled meaningfully but didn't reply, or perhaps he didn't know how to reply. One should ask Xiao Ruoching about understanding Sword One; I've borrowed so much of her prominence. If I continue on this topic, I might inadvertently reveal some flaws. Feeling this, Su Bei decided to divert the conversation. He stood up, walked over to the tiger demon, cut off a generous chunk of succulent meat, skewered it on a stick, and placed it over the fire. While roasting the meat, he said, as if to himself, "Actually, Miss Nan doesn't need to conceal her true identity." "This world isn't so vast. There are but a few who have reached the Tribulation-Crossing Stage—one, two, three, four... just those few..." Listening to Su Bei's words, Ji Nanjue's eyes suddenly flashed with severity. She looked at Su Bei, her voice involuntarily tinged with authority, "Oh?" "Then Elder Su, do tell of this one's real identity?" Her gaze bore into Su Bei, a faint chill emanating from her. Su Bei, however, seemed not to notice the change in her tone. He continued roasting the large chunk of meat over the fire, watching the fat sizzle, and went on, "Miss Nan must be that person from the Sacred Land." "As far as Su Mou is aware, there are very few who have crossed the Tribulation under the heavens—apart from old men, it's just old men. In these Twenty-One Provinces, only the Sacred Land could have someone of your esteemed bearing..." Ji Nanjue's vermilion lips parted slightly. The coldness in her eyes gradually faded, replaced by a puzzled expression as she looked at Su Bei, listening to his methodical analysis. Suddenly, an inexplicable thought arose in her heart: What would Key Smoke think if she knew she'd been mistaken for her? Chесk Мy Virtuаl Librаry Еmpirе (МV1LЕМР1YR) fоr thе lаtеst updаtеs. Watching the woman before him staring silently, Su Bei believed he must have guessed correctly, and he couldn't help but take a sharp inward breath. This is someone from the Sacred Land! Theoretically, she's the greatest of them all, entitled to command all sects worldwide. If I could secure her support, wouldn't my future days be absolutely joyful? I could visit any sect I disliked as casually as if dropping by my own home! At this thought, Su Bei's smile grew even brighter. He reached out, handing over the roasted meat, and said with a grin, "Is Su Mou's guess correct?" "Miss Nan, please try Su Mou's cooking. This is called roasted kidney; it's very fragrant!" Ji Nanjue blinked, looking at the self-satisfied Su Bei with inner amusement, yet she found herself unable to refute him. Oh well, today I'll just pretend to be Key Smoke for a while, she thought. Somehow, looking at Su Bei and listening to his ramblings, she felt an inexplicably relaxing sensation in her heart, as if all the weariness from handling state affairs in the Imperial Palace had dissipated like smoke. She reached out to take the skewer of kidneys from Su Bei, sniffed it, and her delicate brows instinctively furrowed at the somewhat gamy smell. "Is this edible?" she asked. Seeing Nan Ji dare to doubt his culinary skills, Su Bei instantly frowned! He opened his mouth wide, took a big bite of the kidney in his hand, and chewed vigorously, mumbling, "People from the Twenty-One Provinces don't lie to their own!" Ji Nanjue watched Su Bei wolfing down his food, slightly startled, then broke into a smile. That smile turned Su Bei's five-tenths daze into nine-tenths. After a moment, Ji Nanjue gently opened her mouth and took a small bite... PTUI! Su Bei looked with regret at the kidney meat Nan Ji had wasted, sighing deeply. Just then, he suddenly heard Dan Wulan cough and quickly turned his head to look. Dan Wulan's brow was tightly furrowed, beads of cold sweat were trickling down her forehead, and her complexion had grown much paler. Seeing this, Su Bei grew anxious. He turned to Nan Ji and asked, "Miss Nan, do you have a way to cure my junior sister's injury?" "On the way here, my junior sister seemed to be chased by a group using Evil Qi. Since then, it has remained in her body, obstructing the flow of Spiritual Energy..." Ji Nanjue's cold eyes narrowed tightly as she watched Dan Wulan. My earlier sensation was correct; it truly is Evil Qi! I didn't expect that after so many years, this thing still exists within the Twenty-One Provinces, even gradually infiltrating the Dongfeng Ancient Country. Listening to Su Bei's description, Ji Nanjue's delicate brows furrowed. Her fingers, like carved white jade, lightly tapped the ground, her heart filled with overwhelming shock! Could there really be a method to extract a cultivator's Gifted Constitution and preserve it? What vile technique is this? The surface of the Twenty-One Provinces appears calm, without a ripple, yet beneath it is filled with surging undercurrents! The disciples of the Sword Sect are definitely not the only ones; there must be some scheme behind this that I'm unaware of! "The Evil Qi in your junior sister's body is also something I've never seen before," Ji Nanjue said. "Or rather, this kind of Evil Qi has been absent from the Twenty-One Provinces for who knows how many years." After a pause, observing that Su Bei's expression was becoming increasingly serious, Ji Nanjue hesitated before adding, "However, the good news is that the Evil Qi remaining in her body is not very severe. With the passage of time, it can naturally recover, but it may take a long time..." "The Miaojiang Clan of the South Wind Ancient Country has done extensive research on this Evil Qi. So, if you want to completely resolve this hidden danger, I'm afraid a trip to the South Wind Ancient Country is in order." South Wind Ancient Country, huh? Su Bei pondered for a while, then nodded gently. It seems that no matter what, after the Sacred Land's recruitment ceremony concludes, I will have to visit the South Wind Ancient Country. 「The snow gradually stopped.」 「The sky also gradually brightened, with clouds drifting leisurely by.」 Ji Nanjue saw it was about time, stood up, looked at Su Bei, and said indifferently, "A chance meeting, and it turns out I quite enjoy talking with you. Since that's the case, I'll bestow upon you a stroke of fortune..." Atop the white clouds, the red sun shone on the green pines, spreading warmth over Unrepentant Cliff below. Su Bei's eyes lit up, but he then crossed his arms behind his back and, looking at Nan Ji, said very seriously, "Su Mou has long been indifferent toward the pursuit of immortality, believing that life and death are predestined and that wealth and honor are in the hands of heaven. He has no desire or wish for fortune..." "If Miss Nan is willing, why not grant this fortune to Su Mou's disciple instead?" Saying this, Su Bei pointed to Xiao Ruoching, who was still in a deep sleep. Ji Nanjue's eyes widened in shock as she looked at Su Bei. At this moment, she realized she truly couldn't see through this man at all! In this day and age, could there really be such a person, as tranquil and unconcerned as a passing cloud or gentle wind?