The Journey of Immortal Cultivation
Chapter 44: Parting is the Most Hurtful

Chapter 44: Chapter 44: Parting is the Most Hurtful

"Rest easy," Quan Shifang put away his worried expression, "Tonight, I and a few junior brothers will patrol Siping County, hoping to find any traces of the Bat Demons." Having said that, he bid farewell and left.

Having heard of her encounter with danger at the Prefecture, Old Huang felt extremely remorseful. He was too embarrassed to enter the girl’s boudoir and could only ask the chef to prepare a blood-nourishing soup for her. Coincidentally, she had slept past dinner time, and when she woke up with a hunger burning like fire in her stomach, she was delighted to see the Maid bringing in Red Date Blood Building Porridge.

This porridge recipe is not difficult either. Just clean the red beans, black rice, regular rice, and peanuts, and soak them in cold spring water for two quarters of an hour, then put them in the pot together with the dried red dates and simmer slowly. After the pot comes to a boil, continue to cook on low heat for three quarters of an hour. Just before the porridge is ready, stir gently with a spoon to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot, and before serving, sprinkle a little brown sugar on top.

The various ingredients in this porridge all have the effects of nourishing the blood and calming the mind. The chef, knowing she had been stabbed, made this specially for her. Although the porridge does not require a profound culinary foundation, when tasted, the flavor, aroma, and the soft and sticky texture of the grains are all just right. It seems her previous live demonstration of the lobster on the iron plate had given the head chef some inspiration. There are not many ingredients in the porridge, but it is evident that more emphasis is now being placed on the taste of the materials themselves.

Only after eating a bowl of porridge did she start to feel her breath come back. She felt an intensely itchy sensation on her shoulder and knew that this was the discomfort brought on by the rapid healing of the wound. The Spiritual Medicine from Chaoyun Sect indeed had miraculous effects; in just a few hours, the wound was healing, and perhaps by tomorrow morning, not even a scar would be left.

She sent everyone away and then took a deep breath before asking, "Lord Changtian, why did you poison me?"

"The poison of the Bat Demon has no other effect but to make you fall asleep," his voice was particularly low, as if he was in a poor mood, "Your shoulder wound will get more painful; it is better to sleep through it."

She admitted that what he said was logical. Generally, after surgery, doctors also provide some painkillers. And her being poisoned and unconscious would make the bitter ploy more credible. Yet, she felt that something about this matter wasn’t right.

"Are you angry with me?" The thought of Lord Changtian being angry made her feel somewhat petrified, her voice carrying a trace of pitiful sorrow, "Is it because I am too lazy and unwilling to learn Alchemy Skill tomorrow morning?"

"No," he sighed deeply, the first time she had heard him sigh, "It is my fault. You should rest first." Then he fell silent and no matter how she called out, it was useless. The maids were waiting outside the door, and she didn’t dare to directly confront him in the God Demon Prison, so she could only clutch her blanket in frustration.

Everything had gone awry for her today: first the shock from Afu at noon, and then the bitter ruse in the evening causing a lot of blood loss, so after lying down for a while, she again fell deep into slumber.

Lord Changtian listened as her breathing gradually slowed and became regular, knowing she had fallen asleep.

Ning Xiaoxian had guessed right; he was annoyed with her. He was irked by her laughing and chatting with Quan Shifang, angered by her unwillingness to leave Siping County without Quan Shifang. The indignation and resentment, which he had never experienced before, made him want to teach her a small lesson. Although the Bat Demon’s poison could make her insensible to the pain of her shoulder wound in her sleep, poisoning her was indeed an overstep on his part.

His life, which had spanned tens of thousands of years, had been filled with battles, deceit, and bloodshed, all of which he could handle with ease. But when it came to emotions, he had always kept his distance, his heart as firm as rock. Yet somehow, this little girl had managed to pry open a crack in his heart and worm her way in. The mere sound of her laughter and her scent could bring him a faint sense of joy; each time one of her little schemes succeeded, he felt a bit of pride and indulgence.

Frowning, he sighed deeply once again, feeling the frustrations in his heart were irremovable and inseparable, the more he thought, the more confused he became. His voice echoed in the empty hall, lingering for a long time.

Asking a Divine Beast to experience human emotions, indeed, put too much of a burden on him.

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Perhaps because she had gone to bed early the previous day, she woke up at dawn the next day, just as the people from the Chaoyun Sect were returning to the estate. From their expressions, Ning Xiaoxian could tell that they had not achieved anything overnight.

Quan Shifang came to say goodbye.

The woman before him had a ruddy complexion, indicating her injuries from the day before had healed. But he was about to leave, and her path lay to the west; after this, he might never be able to protect her again.

Their companionship lasted merely a few days, yet Quan Shifang felt unusually comfortable and natural with this girl by his side. Now that the moment of parting was near, his heart was full of things he wanted to tell her, but when he actually saw her dark, spirited eyes, he found himself unable to say anything, just like when they first met in the Banyan Forest.

"Quan Shifang, you’re really useless!" In the end, all he could do was smile wryly at himself, sigh, then take a small Jade Bottle out of his Storage Ring and gently place it in front of her. Just by looking at the bottle, its material wasn’t inferior to the Mutton Fat Jade Token she had sold, especially with a touch of natural rosy red on the body of the bottle which made it look even more exquisite and translucent. In her eyes, such a delicate bottle seemed unlikely to be something Quan Shifang would use.

"Inside are a few Jade Dew Pills. While their effects are not as miraculous as those able to bring back the dead or reconnect severed limbs, as long as one is still breathing, they can save a life. You may find them useful on your journey." He hoped only that these elixirs would be enough to keep her alive.

These were authentic Immortal Elixirs! Ning Xiaoxian’s eyes widened in half surprise and half emotion. With these, her chances of survival on her westward journey increased substantially; no matter how serious her injuries were, as long as she wasn’t eaten by a demon in one gulp, she would always be able to save her own life.

It was precisely because the medicine was so precious that it demonstrated how much Quan Shifang cared for her. "Senior Brother Quan..."

He waved his hand and said with a wry smile, "Miss Ning. After this parting, we do not know when we will meet again, so let’s not stand on ceremony. If fate wills it, we shall meet again. Quan Shifang... takes his leave." He looked deeply into Ning Xiaoxian’s eyes with his warm and bright gaze, nodded slightly, and then turned to leave.

"Senior Brother Quan! There is something that might be inappropriate for me to say." She could not hold back any longer, "Your character is steady and dignified, modest and courteous, which is indeed admirable. However, I heard that to reach the sacred realm in Immortal Cultivation, one must be brave and diligent, resolutely striving forward, especially since you have entered the Dao through the sword and refined your heart with the sword. If you remain gentle in the future, I fear it will be difficult to achieve Great Success!" Lord Changtian, please forgive her. These weren’t her own thoughts; they were evaluations given to Quan Shifang by Lord Changtian. But she felt that her classmate Quan was a genuinely good person and didn’t want him to suffer because of this.

Quan Shifang stopped in his tracks. He was so astonished that he couldn’t contain himself, for before he descended the mountain, his master had also hinted to him that he "had ample defense yet lacked sharpness". Ning Xiaoxian’s remarks were even more profound and accurate than his master’s evaluations. "How is this possible!" Thinking of all the mysteries surrounding her, he couldn’t help but feel his heart waver.

------------------Acknowledgments------------------

Gratitude for the rewards on May 5th: Sky_碧澄, thank you so much~

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