Chapter 1953: Elder Bai Ye

"Brother, why do you say that?"

Seeing his expression, Zhang Xuan was puzzled.

"Why do I say that?" The inner disciple said sympathetically, "Do you know who that girl just now was?"

Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"She is Bai Ruanqing, the granddaughter of Elder Bai Ye, one of the three great elders of the sect!"

The inner disciple shook his head. "To tell you the truth, she seems gentle, but she's actually a female tyrannosaurus. She's famous among the core disciples—no one dares to provoke her! You dared to spend so much money to buy a bottle of your worthless water? As long as you're still in the sect, you can't escape... If you don't leave the sect, you'd better go home and prepare your funeral, or else... no one can save you!"

"Female tyrannosaurus?" Zhang Xuan's eyebrows jumped.

She had seemed so amiable just now; he hadn't noticed at all!

"What, you don't believe me? Last year, core disciple Su Tong went to confess his love to her, and she dragged him into a challenge. She kicked him right in the groin, and he still hasn't recovered! Core disciple Zhang Yue offended her over some matter, and she beat him so badly he couldn't get out of bed for a month—utterly miserable. Oh, and core disciple Xue Hai sold fake medicine, so she stuffed him into a river and nearly drowned him. That wasn't enough—she even cut off half his tongue... If that's how she treats core disciples, and you, an inner disciple, dared to deceive her, aren't you just asking for death?"

The inner disciple from the neighboring stall snorted.

"This..."

Zhang Xuan scratched his head.

He had only noticed her long, straight legs and her pretty face; he really hadn't seen how ruthless she was.

"What's her cultivation level? Do you know?"

Unable to hold back, he asked.

If her strength was similar to his, he wouldn't be afraid! To be honest, at the same level, aside from his clone, he had never feared anyone!

"When she fought Su Tong last year, she was already at the peak of the Void Immortal realm. I don't know what realm she's at this year!" The inner disciple dragged his stall far away. "I'll stay far from you. If she comes looking for trouble, I can escape and not get caught in the crossfire. Ah, these days, business is getting harder and harder. I keep a low profile, but I have to guard against others courting death... How frustrating!"

"..."

Zhang Xuan was speechless.

"Forget it, I won't stay here. I do need to leave after buying the Divine Connection Jade Talisman..."

Too lazy to continue talking with him, Zhang Xuan packed up his stall and stood up.

His main purpose in coming to this trading market was to earn money to buy a Divine Connection Jade Talisman. Now that he had enough money, he could buy it and go back.

"Sell me a Divine Connection Jade Talisman. Here are twenty Sword Pavilion Coins!"

He walked over to the inner disciple from the neighboring stall and tossed down the money pouch.

"Twenty? Not selling... The price has gone up. It's twenty-five now!" The inner disciple shook his head.

"Price gone up? Didn't you just say twenty?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"It was twenty just now, but now you've offended Bai Ruanqing, which is practically a death sentence... If she finds out I sold to you, she'll come after me. Adding five is a psychological comfort fee and money for injury medicine. It's only because I'm familiar with you that I'm willing to sell at a higher price. If it were someone else, they might not even sell to you!" The inner disciple said with righteous indignation.

"You..." Zhang Xuan's face twitched.

Was this female tyrannosaurus really that terrifying?

Full of disbelief, he turned and walked toward other stalls selling Divine Connection Jade Talismans. But after going around, sure enough, no one was willing to sell.

Clearly, the news that he had offended the female tyrannosaurus had spread, and to avoid trouble, no one would do business with him anymore.

"These guys..."

His teeth itched with anger. Zhang Xuan really wished he could rob them, just as Cao Chengli had suggested.

He had thought that once he scraped together twenty Sword Pavilion Coins, he could buy one. But now, he still couldn't get his hands on it.

"Forget it..."

Full of helplessness, he was considering finding another way when Cao Chengli, whom he had driven away as soon as he arrived, came up to him: "Young master, this is the Divine Connection Jade Talisman you wanted. Here..."

With that, he handed over two of them.

Holding the items in his hand, Zhang Xuan's eyes widened.

He had set up a stall and worked for ages without buying even one. How had this unreliable subordinate managed to get two?

"Didn't I tell you just now? I set my sights on a pretty inner disciple..." Scratching his head, Cao Chengli grinned and was about to explain when Zhang Xuan saw a woman weighing about three hundred jin walk over: "Darling, let's hurry. My bed is big and round, and it's very soft..."

"Okay, coming..." Cao Chengli nodded repeatedly, then waved his hand: "Young master, I'll go over first. I'll explain later..."

With that, he followed the woman out, looking excited.

"..." Zhang Xuan covered his forehead again.

Damn...

What the hell was that?

That was what he called pretty?

He felt that even the horse he had tamed back in Xuanjiang City was better looking than this!

If you're going to be lecherous, at least have some taste!

Still, although his taste was poor, his efficiency was impressive. Zhang Xuan had spent over an hour and hadn't gotten a single Divine Connection Jade Talisman, while Cao Chengli had not only gotten two but also landed in bed...

Comparing people only makes you angry!

Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan walked slowly back to his residence.

...

In the courtyard where Elder Bai Ye lived.

With a sharp beast's cry, Bai Ruanqing jumped off the beast's back and pushed open the door to enter the main hall.

"Miss..."

An old man came forward to greet her.

He was Bai Feng, Elder Bai Ye's servant.

He had grown up with Elder Bai Ye and entered the Lingyun Sword Pavilion at the same time. Although he had no fame in the sect, no one knew how deep his cultivation was.

Knowing that the miss had gone out again to find medicine for healing, Bai Feng sighed and came to her side: "I understand how you feel, miss, but the master's injury was sustained in the Skyfall City and carries a strange, unpredictable power. The sect has tried every method. What effect can these medicines you buy from the inner and outer disciples have?"

He couldn't help shaking his head.

Skyfall City was one of the most mysterious places on the continent. Although it held many treasures, the dangers were equally great.

If the master had only an ordinary injury, given his status as one of the three great elders, even if it couldn't be cured, at least he could live a normal life. But unfortunately, the injury was too severe. Every method had been tried, with no effect, and it was getting worse. Barring a miracle, he wouldn't last much longer.

That was why the miss went out every day searching for various ancient prescriptions and rare medicines, hoping for a miracle... But in truth, it was all in vain!

"I know all this, but..." Bai Ruanqing clenched her delicate fists.

She knew everything he said.

But she couldn't bear to watch her only relative die like this.

"Ah!"

Knowing the miss's thoughts, Bai Feng sighed again: "Miss, what medicine did you bring this time? May I have a look?"

"It's this..."

With a flick of her wrist, Bai Ruanqing handed over the bathwater she had just bought.

Taking it casually, Bai Feng pulled out the stopper, sniffed it, and couldn't help shaking his head: "Miss, is this medicine? I've lived for a hundred and fifty years and seen many kinds of medicine... This has no spiritual energy at all. Could someone be fooling you?"

For medicine to be effective, it must contain spiritual energy. The liquid in this jade bottle was like plain water, with not a trace of spiritual power. How could it be medicine?

Could the miss, in her desperation, have been scammed?

"It was sold to me by an inner disciple. He said it was a miraculous healing medicine, extremely effective for any injury..."

Bai Ruanqing nodded.

She had doubted it when she got it, but her grandfather was on the verge of collapse. She was unwilling to give up even the slightest hope.

Moreover, the seller had looked confident and didn't seem to be lying.

After all, her reputation was so great that everyone among the inner and core disciples knew her. Anyone who saw her should understand the consequences of deception. Knowing that, he still dared to boast so boldly—he must have some basis!

"Effective? With no spiritual energy at all, and he dared to sell it to you... This man has some nerve! How much did it cost?"

Bai Feng snorted.

"Twenty Sword Pavilion Coins!" Bai Ruanqing said.

"Twenty?"

Bai Feng was stunned, then said angrily: "Miss, I can basically confirm that you've been scammed! For twenty Sword Pavilion Coins, you could buy ten lower-grade Immortal Origin Pills. And you spent it on just one bottle of this stuff? Which elder's jurisdiction does this inner disciple fall under? I'll go find them right now and demand an explanation! Just because Elder Bai is injured, does that mean we can be bullied?"

Boom!

In his anger, a powerful force emanated from his acupoints, causing the entire mansion to shake, as if it could barely withstand his violent power.

Although Elder Bai was severely injured and on the verge of collapse, he was still here. Anyone who dared to bully the miss like this was asking for death!

"I... I bought it willingly. I wasn't deceived..."

Bai Ruanqing's face reddened.

The seller had clearly said she could take it or leave it. He hadn't forced her or said much.

"Willingly? He must have used sweet talk..." Bai Feng was still furious.

"Enough. Whether it has spiritual energy or not, since we've bought it, let's give it to Grandfather to try..."

Interrupting him, Bai Ruanqing walked into the room and soon reached the bedside.

On the bed lay an old man, his face already withered. On his chest was a bowl-sized wound, festering and emitting a foul odor.

The old man was unconscious, seemingly unaware of their conversation.

"Grandfather, you must get better!"

With no other options left, she didn't bother with steps like testing the medicine. She propped the old man up and slowly poured the liquid from the jade bottle into his throat.

After he drank it, she waited for a while. Seeing that the wound was still festering with no improvement, Bai Ruanqing's expression darkened.

"With no spiritual energy at all, it must be fake. Miss, don't believe such things in the future. Even the elders skilled in medicine in the sect have tried and failed. How can you trust things sold by ordinary disciples..."

Watching this, Bai Feng shook his head and snorted. Before he could finish, a weak voice slowly sounded.

"Cough, cough... What did you give me to drink?"

Their bodies stiffened. Bai Ruanqing and Bai Feng quickly looked over and saw that the unconscious Elder Bai Ye had somehow opened his eyes.

Though still weak, he had awakened.