Chapter 198
Chapter 198: Spirit Root Growth Elixir
Chu Zhi Rou ran away crying, and Zhao Zhi Yu and the others immediately chased after her without a word.
Jiang Wan Sheng couldn’t help but sneer.
When his gaze landed on Ye He Qi, who was sitting there, his suppressed anger flared up again.
“Some people really know how to put on an act,” Jiang Wan Sheng muttered under his breath, a clear hint of sarcasm in his voice.
Ye He Qi and Chu Zhi Rou were truly brother and sister, both heirs to the same affected, pretentious mannerisms! Putting on airs!
Shi Zi Chu tugged at his arm at the waist, “Sit.”
Jiang Wan Sheng gave him a sullen look, his eyes full of silent reproach and resentment. He didn’t want to sit at the same table as this scheming old man!
Shi Zi Chu raised his hand and gently pushed him onto the stool, then took another seat for himself, gazing at Jiang Wan Sheng’s dark expression. In a calm voice, he asked, “What brings you to Supreme Virtue City?”
Jiang Wan Sheng snorted and turned his head away. He was angry and didn’t want to talk!
Shi Zi Chu casually reached for his tea cup and took a sip of the hot liquid.
Observing the tension between Jiang Wan Sheng and Shi Zi Chu, Ye He Qi spoke in a soft, even tone, “The Jiang Clan also wants the Green Fire Stone from Blue Rain Marsh.”
It seemed this was the reason why Jiang Wan Sheng was in Supreme Virtue City.
“Clan Chief Ye knows so much,” Jiang Wan Sheng said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
Ye He Qi smiled, his demeanor still gentle, but his voice held a quiet authority, “Young Master Jiang, you know quite a bit as well.”
One look, and it was clear that he and Shi Zi Chu had engaged in dual cultivation.
Should he say that Jiang Wan Sheng was truly a master of gu cultivation?
Watching the subtle undercurrents between the two, Shi Zi Chu took another sip of tea, looking as though he was not at all concerned with their little drama.
Before long, the shopkeeper and several waiters brought the dishes. The delicacies were exquisite, both in appearance and flavor, and Shi Zi Chu’s attention was fully captured by them.
Knowing Shi Zi Chu’s temperament, Ye He Qi and Jiang Wan Sheng wouldn’t disturb her enjoyment at this moment.
Once she had finished eating and drinking, Jiang Wan Sheng spoke first, “Qing Qing, you can’t bully people too much.”
Xing Lan could, Ye He Qi could, why couldn’t he?
Ye He Qi smiled warmly, his tone gentle yet firm, “Young Master Jiang, everything must follow a proper order.”
Order?
Jiang Wan Sheng couldn’t help but laugh in frustration.
If it was about order, he would definitely be the first!
But what was the outcome?
Both of them were despicable!
“Sheng Sheng, your business is more important,” Shi Zi Chu said with a soft smile, “Be good.”
There was no choice—Ye He Qi had been so sincere with his offer.
He would have to pamper Jiang Wan Sheng more in the future.
Jiang Wan Sheng shot a dark look at Ye He Qi.
It wasn’t Qing Qing’s fault—it was just that Qing Qing had been deceived by those sly old men!
Perhaps it was better to just get rid of Ye He Qi once and for all.
“Fine,” Jiang Wan Sheng said unusually calmly, his voice full of concession, but the next moment, he began to make demands, “But after I finish my business, you have to come find me.”
Shi Zi Chu nodded, “I promise.”
Jiang Wan Sheng stood up and left.
After settling the bill, Ye He Qi led Shi Zi Chu to the Linlang Pavilion.
By the time they had finished browsing the pavilion, the sky had turned completely dark, and the brightly lit streets were filled with bustle.
Ye He Qi lifted the curtain to peek outside, then turned to Shi Zi Chu and said, “There’s a sugar water shop up ahead. Shall we stop and rest for a bit?”
Shi Zi Chu agreed with a nod.
The carriage stopped at the entrance of the sugar water shop, and the two of them got down one after the other.
The shopkeeper, having received word, hurried out to greet them.
“Clan Chief Ye has arrived, please forgive my lack of proper greeting!” the shopkeeper said, bowing slightly. His warm hospitality carried a hint of servility.
Ye He Qi and Shi Zi Chu walked inside.
In the main hall, when Chu Zhi Rou heard the words ‘Clan Chief Ye,’ she looked up and saw Ye He Qi and Shi Zi Chu walking in side by side.
Their handsome faces, when placed together, were a sight to behold—equally captivating and pleasing to the eye.
Shi Zi Chu glanced briefly at Chu Zhi Rou’s group, then turned to the shopkeeper and said, “We’d like a private room.”
It couldn’t be helped—the sugar water here was just too delicious, or else she would have found another place.
The shopkeeper exchanged a glance with Ye He Qi, then led the two of them upstairs.
Neither of them greeted anyone nor exchanged unnecessary glances, their demeanor cool and indifferent, as if treating strangers.
Zhao Zhi Yu observed their retreating figures, a thoughtful look flickering in his eyes.
Beneath their seemingly gentle and reserved exteriors, they radiated a haughty, noble air. Truly, they were from prestigious family lines.
Chu Zhi Rou, holding her porcelain spoon, her knuckles white from gripping it too tightly, noticed the glances of her friends. She forced a faint smile on her lips and casually said, “This crispy mountain dessert is really delicious…”
As her friends’ attention shifted to the dessert, Chu Zhi Rou began a quiet exchange in her spiritual sense with the heroine system, “I want to exchange for the Spirit Root Growth Elixir!”
As the name suggested, the Spirit Root Growth Elixir would cause a cultivator to grow at least one more spirit root!
In the cultivation world, the number of spirit roots was directly linked to the speed of cultivation. A single spiritual root was undoubtedly the fastest to cultivate, while the purity of the spirit root determined how easily one could absorb spiritual power. The purer the root, the easier it was to refine spiritual energy.
Shi Zi Chu was a rare, top-tier water spiritual root, a talent that was one in a million!
But what if she grew other spirit roots and became a dual, triple, or even mixed spirit root cultivator?
The thought of Shi Zi Chu becoming a useless cultivator with multiple spirit roots in the near future made Chu Zhi Rou nearly lose control of her excitement.
[Spirit Root Growth Elixir requires one hundred points. Confirm exchange?] System 003 asked.
“Confirm!”
Chu Zhi Rou responded without hesitation in her spiritual sense.
[Spirit Root Growth Elixir exchanged. Remaining points: 170.]
Once the system finished speaking, Chu Zhi Rou found a small bottle containing a clear liquid in her hand.
She clutched the bottle tightly, her expression soft and sweet as she said, “I think there isn’t enough, I’ll go ask the shopkeeper to add more.”
None of her companions suspected anything.
Upstairs, in the private room.
The waiter placed several bowls of sugar water and desserts on the table, wished them a pleasant meal, and left.
Hidden around the corner, Chu Zhi Rou watched the waiter take away the empty tray, her eyes flashing with malice and anticipation.
——
When Shi Zi Chu had finished her dessert and sweet soup, and they left the shop, Chu Zhi Rou and her group had already gone.
Back in the carriage, Shi Zi Chu casually crossed her legs, leaning to one side.
“Husband, your good little sister has grown bold,” she teased.
Hearing this, Ye He Qi looked up, “Madam, do you have any good ideas?”
Who gave Chu Zhi Rou the courage to act so defiant toward him?
For someone like her, who wouldn’t listen, it was only right to let her experience a little hardship.
“A demi-god rank magic artifact—the Ye Clan must covet it,” Shi Zi Chu said with a playful smile, “Why is my husband playing the good guy in secret?”
The elders and ancestors of the Ye Clan hadn’t yet come to seek out Chu Zhi Rou, which must have been Ye He Qi’s doing.
Ye He Qi’s approach was to take a softer stance, but Chu Zhi Rou was proud and arrogant. If Ye He Qi wanted to soften her attitude, he first needed to make her feel some pain, or else she would only become more brazen.
“You make a good point,” Ye He Qi said with a slight smile. “There are many who covet a demi-god rank magic artifact, not just in the cultivation world. So, it’s quite normal that the golden core stage Zhi Rou was kidnapped by an evil cultivator, right?”
“Really that ruthless?” Shi Zi Chu feigned fear.
Ye He Qi chuckled softly, about to say something, when Shi Zi Chu suddenly turned pale.
A sharp pain suddenly shot through her dantian, and Shi Zi Chu almost couldn’t keep her composed, gentle expression.
The dim light in the carriage made it hard to see clearly, but Ye He Qi could still spot the veins bulging on her forehead and neck.
He hurriedly got up and squatted down in front of her. “Where does it hurt?”
“Dantian.”
Shi Zi Chu forced the words through gritted teeth, then collapsed weakly against the cushion.
This inexplicable pain was a thousand times more excruciating than washing the marrow and refining the bones!