Chapter 139: Well Fought! (Requesting Monthly Passes or 2)

Deep in the night, when all was quiet, only the Alchemy Hall and the boudoir of the western residence in the vast mansion glowed with faint light.

A brass alchemy cauldron, over a man's height, stood in the center of the Alchemy Hall; the fire pit beneath it glowed crimson, while all around were hundred-drawer cabinets filled with medicinal herbs and various tools for processing them.

Lin Zisu, dressed in a white, form-fitting skirt, stood before the cauldron, twirling a hard brush in her fingertips, examining the ink marks, and murmuring silently:

"Yang energy rises, Yin energy descends... use cold herbs to make the decoction, place it in a cold, Yin location, immerse the head downward into it; this should counteract the Immortal-Burning Yang Poison, thus ensuring one never dies..."

"What to call it? Turning Heaven and Earth Upside Down... Inverting the Great Dipper... Upside-Down Hair-Washing Powder!"

The rainy night was slightly cool; with no one disturbing the Alchemy Hall, it was easy to enter a state of self-forgetfulness.

But just as Lin Zisu was fully devoted to solving the puzzle of the 'Immortal-Burning Gu Antidote', a few faint sounds came from outside the window:

Plop plop plop~

Glancing over, she saw a huge black eagle, resembling a lump of coal, break through the rain and fly into the window, dive straight in front of the cauldron, shake its head wildly to fling off raindrops, then spread its wings to warm itself by the fire, looking thoroughly frozen.

"Eh?! Meiqiu!"

Lin Zisu immediately tossed the paper and brush aside, glanced out the window, found that Young Master Xie had not come, then squatted down to inspect; she discovered Meiqiu was covered in filth, as if she had rolled in a mud pit, still clinging to chicken feathers and beast fur, her bright big eyes full of grievance, opening her beak to beg for food!

Startled, Lin Zisu quickly took out a handkerchief and wiped the feathers:

"What happened to you? Did a rooster beat you up outside? Which rooster is so bold? Tell me, and I'll slaughter it to make you a Beggar's Chicken!"

"Goo-jee~"

Meiqiu thought for a moment, then turned her head toward the outer courtyard of Lin Fu, presumably indicating the big, fat rooster that crowed in the Lin family!

Enraged, Lin Zisu rose and was about to run off to kill the chicken, but soon realized something was wrong:

"That was a black chicken, yet you have pheasant feathers on you; you're tricking me, right?"

"Goo..."

Meiqiu pondered for a bit, then began shaking her head and body, acting cute.

Seeing this, Lin Zisu didn't hold back; she dug out her snack, five-spice beef cubes, and held them in her palm:

"Cluck cluck cluck~ Eat up."

"Goo?"

Meiqiu found that call somewhat offensive, but in consideration of dinner, she still gobbled down a few mouthfuls and finished them, then flew back outside.

"Eh? Where are you going?"

Lin Zisu looked slightly puzzled, peered out the window, but since she couldn't catch up, she could only reluctantly withdraw her gaze and continue fiddling with her unique alchemical medicines.

Meanwhile, atop the walls of Lin Fu.

A figure clad in a black-and-white Daoist robe stood silently in the rain, raising her eyes to scan the familiar mansion, thinking inwardly:

Isn't this the home of Xie Jinhuan's beloved?

Could this fierce black eagle be that Miss's pet?

Or perhaps Xie Jinhuan's...

No wonder the black eagle's 'moves' in the chicken fight resembled Xie Jinhuan beating Ye Shirong...

Just now, near Tieji Gang, after capturing the ghost cultivator, to avoid missing a great opportunity, Nangong Ye had suppressed the Yang Poison as much as possible while searching for that fierce black eagle.

Although the black eagle could fly, so could she; from the sky, everything was clear at a glance, and she soon found it, but to avoid mistakenly capturing another expert's spiritual pet, she didn't dare grab it directly, instead following behind to see where this eagle would go.

As a result, the person and the bird ran all the way back to Jingcheng, arriving at this mansion.

Nangong Ye followed the black eagle's flight path and saw it fly into the Alchemy Hall at the front of the mansion, emerge shortly after, and then head to the only boudoir in the rear residence glowing with faint light.

This young man, just finished fighting outside, and now comes to steal a young lady?

This household appears to be a family of physicians; could he be here to treat his injuries...

Thinking thus, Nangong Ye silently passed through the rain curtain, landed near the courtyard, and listened slightly; through the drizzling rain, she could see the boudoir glowing with faint light, from which faintly came:

"Call me husband."

"Ah? Hu... Husband~"

"Hehe..."

?

Just now at Tieji Gang, she saw Xie Jinhuan holding an unknown girl; without doubt, it was the person inside the room.

What are they doing?

While Nangong Ye was puzzled, she noticed the huge black eagle land outside the door and raise its paws:

Tap tap tap tap...

A series of knocking sounds rang out; the room instantly fell silent, then voices spoke again:

"Don't be nervous, it's Meiqiu."

"You scared me to death; go check quickly."

Soon, the reflection of a man appeared in the window, then the door opened a crack.

Creak~

The black eagle immediately tried to squeeze inside, but was pushed out by an arm wrapped in bandages pressing on its head:

"Wow, who did you fight with? A rooster? You got beaten like this and still have the nerve to come back?"

"Goo-jee..."

The black eagle's eyes were full of grievance, opening its beak to beg for food!

"Uh... I didn't bring snacks; how about I help you settle the score tomorrow?"

"Goo!"

The black eagle turned its head to indicate the distant glow of the city, meaning it wanted to go out for a late-night snack.

The man inside the door clearly had no intention of going out: "Hmm... you find a place to sleep first, I'll take you to eat mushroom stewed flying dragon tomorrow," and after saying that, he closed the door.

Click~

"Squeak?!"

The black eagle was locked outside, eyes full of shock, then instantly fluffed up its feathers, and raised its paws again:

Tap tap tap tap...

Like a woodpecker.

Voices still came from inside the room:

"If you don't take Meiqiu to eat, I... I'm ready."

"It's okay..."

After knocking a few times like this, the door opened again, a hand extended holding a silver ingot:

"Go sleep first, this is enough for ten days of mushroom stewed flying dragon; you're not a little eagle anymore, you need to learn delayed gratification."

"Goo?"

Meiqiu tilted her head to look, after thinking for a moment, grabbed the silver ingot, and flew away in a whoosh; if she guessed right, she was probably going to find someone else to beg food from.

Click~

The door closed accordingly.

Nangong Ye watched the black eagle depart, realized it was indeed Xie Jinhuan's eagle, naturally stopped trying to catch it, and turned his gaze to the room window, somewhat worried about the two people's injuries.

She pondered slightly, quietly landed outside the boudoir, pressed her ear to listen carefully, but strange sounds came from inside the room...

?

Nangong Ye realized, shuddered all over, her phoenix eyes filled with a bit of shame and anger, and secretly cursed twice:

"Scoundrel!"

Then her face flushed red, she quickly vanished from the spot, deliberately making some wind-breaking sounds.

Whoosh—

At the same time, inside the room.

Lin Wanyi, wearing a complete set of magical artifacts, was completely dazed, only biting her silver teeth to avoid making a sound.

Xie Jinhuan remained motionless, turned his head to look at the door, his eyes sharp and revealing, without a trace of mixed thoughts, only vigilance and alertness.

"Haa..."

Lin Wanyi had her leg draped over his arm, paused for a moment, then became slightly more sober, carefully opened her eyes, glanced at the large pig trotter right in front of her, and hesitated to speak:

"W-what's wrong?"

Xie Jinhuan frowned tightly, glanced over at the Zhenglun Sword leaning against the head of the bed, found no reaction, then raised his hand to touch it.

And immediately a dizzy sensation came in his mind, and a familiar soft and delicate voice sounded in his ears:

"Ungrateful one, now you remember sister? What do you want me to do?"

"Uh..."

Xie Jinhuan was indeed a bit embarrassed, thought for a moment and said:

"Sorry, I got carried away just now."

"Ah?"

Lin Wanyi's face flushed red, she was slightly stunned, then immediately punched her chest with a small fist:

"What's the use of saying that now? You are simply... do you regret it?"

So aggrieved she was almost crying.

"No, no..."

Xie Jinhuan felt there seemed to be a master outside, at this moment truly caught between advance and retreat, bent down to hug the glasses-wearing girl to coax her, and with his peripheral vision searched for the ghost wife.

The ghost did not appear, instead the dazed Wanyi in front of him suddenly had a few ethereal qualities in her eyes, like an unparalleled succubus dominating a mountain peak...

Holy cow—!

Xie Jinhuan shuddered all over, widened his eyes looking at the eyes right in front of him, feeling a bit fearful:

"Uh... wife, you... how did you come?"

Ye Hongshang had a calm expression, used the quilt to slightly cover herself, turned her head to look outside the door:

"This is not my body, I have no feeling, I just made it easier for you to speak."

Is that so?

Xie Jinhuan was half-skeptical, but at this moment still believed the ghost's nonsense, and cautiously asked:

"Was there someone just now?"

Ye Hongshang had a serious expression, looking at the window:

"I'm too lazy to look at your bear-like appearance, I went to sleep just now, anyway no one is here now."

"Oh..."

Xie Jinhuan waited seriously for a moment, confirmed there was nothing unusual, then looked at the breathtaking face right in front of him, and asked:

"Are you angry?"

Ye Hongshang turned her eyes, her calm expression carrying a bit of disdain:

"Sister is not a mortal, how could she be angry with you little brat? Besides, Wanyi is the second one personally chosen by sister, if you should yield, you must yield."

"Oh..."

Xie Jinhuan looked at the face right in front of him, hesitated to speak.

Ye Hongshang locked eyes with him, thought for a moment and said:

"Actually, you should be named Xie Zhuti."

"Ah?" Xie Jinhuan felt the Ghost Bride was angry and went along with her, asking, "Why?"

"Spring breeze brings success, and the pig trotter moves swiftly; look at your smug, self-forgetful bearish appearance, wu you~?!"

Seeing that disdainful, slightly dissatisfied look from above, Xie Jinhuan, for some reason, suddenly felt a surge of mischief rise from his gallbladder...

As a result, Ye Hongshang, caught off guard, saw those eyes with an aura reaching sixteen feet for the first time display the shame, fury, and panic of an ancient ancestor at the mountain peak; instinctively, she raised her hand and slapped the man across the face.

Crack—

Then Lin Wanyi suddenly woke from her daze, seeing Xie Jinhuan, whose face had been slapped, looking outward; her eyes shifted from confusion and suppression to terror, and she quickly pulled her hand back:

"Eh?! I... I was dazed just now... I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

Xie Jinhuan's face burned hot, stars dancing in his eyes, but as a martial artist with thick skin and flesh, it had little effect; he gritted his teeth and smoothed things over:

"Well struck! You can slap me on the right side again; good things come in pairs!"

Lin Wanyi looked at the handprint on his face, trembling with fear:

"Why did I slap you? I was truly dazed just now; does it hurt?"

"It doesn't hurt! It was deserved; I even feel you hit too lightly..."

"I truly didn't mean it; let me rub it for you..."

Then the room fell silent again, with only the wild wind and urgent rain outside the window...

—

Requesting monthly tickets or 2!

(End of this chapter)