Chapter 1975: White Leaf Elder

"Brother, why do you say that?" Seeing his expression, Zhang Xuan was puzzled.

"Why do I say that?" The inner disciple looked sympathetic. "Do you know who that girl was just now?"

Zhang Xuan shook his head.

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

The inner disciple shook his head. "To be honest, she seemed gentle just now, but she's actually a 'female tyrant.' She's infamous among the core disciples; no one dares to provoke her! Since she dared to spend so much money to buy a bottle of your 'worthless water,' as long as you're still in the sect, you won't be able to escape... If you don't leave the sect, you'd better go home immediately and prepare for your funeral, otherwise... no one can save you!"

"Female tyrant?" Zhang Xuan's eyebrow twitched.

Her attitude just now was so gentle; he hadn't seen that at all!

"What, you don't believe it? Last year, core disciple Su Tong went to confess his feelings to her, was dragged into a challenge, and got his lower body shattered on the spot; he still hasn't recovered! Core disciple Zhang Yue offended her for some reason and was beaten so badly he couldn't get out of bed for a month – it was truly miserable. Oh, and core disciple Xue Hai, for selling fake medicine, was shoved into the river and nearly drowned to death, and that wasn't the end of it; she even cut off half his tongue... Even core disciples are treated like this. You, an inner disciple, dared to trick her? What are you doing if not courting death?"

The inner disciple next to him snorted coldly.

"This..." Zhang Xuan scratched his head.

He had only noticed her long, straight legs and her beauty; he hadn't realized she was so ruthless.

"What's her strength? Do you know?" Unable to hold back any longer, he asked.

If her strength was similar to his, he wouldn't be afraid! To be honest, at the same level, apart from his clone, he truly hadn't feared anyone!

"When she competed with Su Tong last year, she had already reached the peak of the Virtual Immortal realm. I don't know what realm she's in this year!" The inner disciple next door pulled his stall far away. "I'll keep my distance from you first. If she comes looking for trouble, I can at least escape and not get caught in the crossfire! Sigh, business is getting harder and harder these days. I try to keep a low profile, but then I have to guard against others courting death... It's truly troublesome!"

Zhang Xuan was speechless.

"Forget it, I won't stay here anymore. After I buy the Spirit Comprehension Talisman, I really should leave..."

Too lazy to say anything more to the other person, Zhang Xuan packed up his stall and stood up.

His main purpose in coming to this trading market was to earn money to buy the Spirit Comprehension Talisman. Now that he had enough money, he could buy it and go back.

"Sell me a Spirit Comprehension Talisman. Here are twenty Sword Pavilion Coins!"

He approached the inner disciple next door and threw down the money pouch.

"Not for twenty... The price has gone up; it's twenty-five!" The inner disciple shook his head.

"Price increase? Didn't you just say twenty?" Zhang Xuan couldn't help but frown.

"It was twenty just now, but now that you've offended Bai Ruanqing, it's like you've been sentenced to death... If I sell you something and she finds out, what if she comes looking for trouble? The extra five is for my peace of mind, and also money for healing medicine. It's only because we're acquainted that I'm even adding money to sell it to you; anyone else might not even be willing to sell!" The inner disciple said righteously.

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

Was this 'female tyrant' truly that terrifying?

Full of disbelief, he turned and walked towards other stalls selling Spirit Comprehension Talismans. After a round, sure enough, no one else was willing to sell.

Clearly, the news of him offending the 'female tyrant' had spread, and to prevent any trouble, no one was willing to do business with him anymore.

"These guys..."

His teeth itched with frustration. Zhang Xuan genuinely wished he could just rob these people, as Cao Chengli had suggested.

He had thought that gathering twenty Sword Pavilion Coins would be enough to buy it, but unexpectedly, he still couldn't get his hands on one.

"Forget it..." With a face full of helplessness, just as he was considering other options, Cao Chengli, whom he had driven away earlier, came over: "Young Master, here are the Spirit Comprehension Talismans you wanted. Here..."

Saying that, he handed over two.

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

He had set up a stall and worked for half a day, unable to buy even one, yet this unreliable subordinate had managed to get two at once?

"Didn't I tell you just now? I took a liking to a beautiful inner disciple..." Cao Chengli scratched his head and chuckled. Just as he was about to explain, Zhang Xuan saw a woman, weighing around 300 catties, walk over: "Darling, let's hurry up. My bed is big and round, and most importantly, it's very soft, you know..."

"Alright, coming right away..." Cao Chengli nodded repeatedly, then waved his hand: "Young Master, I'll go over first. I'll tell you the details later..."

With that, he excitedly followed the woman out.

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

What the heck...

What was this all about?

*That's* what he calls beautiful?

He felt like the horse he had tamed back in Xuanjiang City was better looking than this.

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

However, even if his taste was questionable, his efficiency was certainly strong. Zhang Xuan had wasted over an hour and hadn't even gotten one Spirit Comprehension Talisman, but the other guy not only got two but even "got into bed"...

Comparing oneself to others can be maddening!

Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan, his face full of helplessness, slowly walked towards his residence.

***

Elder Bai Ye's courtyard.

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

"Miss..." An old man came to greet her.

Bai Feng, Elder Bai Ye's attendant.

He had grown up with Elder Bai Ye and entered the Soaring Cloud Sword Pavilion at the same time. Although not well-known in the sect, no one knew how profound his cultivation was.

Knowing that his young lady had gone out again to search for healing medicine, Bai Feng sighed and came forward: "I understand Miss's feelings, but Master's injury was sustained in the Sunken City and carries strange and unpredictable power. All methods in the sect have been tried. What effect could these medicines you bought from the inner and outer sects possibly have?"

He couldn't help but shake his head.

The Sunken City was one of the most mysterious places on the continent; although it contained many treasures, the dangers were also great.

His Master's injury, if it were just an ordinary one, with his status as one of the three great elders, even if it couldn't be cured, could at least ensure he lived a normal life. Unfortunately, the injury was too severe, and all methods had been exhausted without effect. It was getting worse, and unless something unexpected happened, he wouldn't last more than a few more days.

Precisely because of this, his young lady went out every day to search for various ancient prescriptions and rare miraculous medicines, hoping for a miracle... In reality, it was all in vain!

"I know all this, it's just that..." Bai Ruanqing clenched her delicate fists.

How could she not know what he was saying?

But to watch her only relative die like this, she was truly unwilling.

"Sigh!" Knowing his young lady's thoughts, Bai Feng sighed: "What medicine have you found this time, Miss? May I see it?"

"It's this..." With a flick of her wrist, Bai Ruanqing handed over the "bath water" she had just bought.

Taking it casually, Bai Feng pulled out the stopper and sniffed it. He couldn't help but shake his head: "Miss, is this medicine? I've lived for 150 years and seen many kinds of medicine... This has no spiritual energy at all. Could someone have deliberately fooled you?"

For medicine to be effective, it must contain spiritual energy. What was in this jade bottle was like plain water, without a trace of spiritual power. How could it be medicine?

Could it be that Miss was too anxious and got swindled?

"An inner disciple sold it to me, claiming it's a healing immortal medicine with excellent effects on any injury..."

Bai Ruanqing nodded.

She had been skeptical when she received it, but her grandfather was nearing his end. Even with a sliver of hope, she didn't want to let it go.

Moreover, the person selling the medicine had a confident expression, not like someone lying!

After all, her reputation was so immense that everyone in the inner and core sects knew of her... Anyone who saw her should understand the consequences of deception. Knowing all this, and still daring to boast like that! They must have had some reliance!

"Effects? With no spiritual energy at all, yet he dared to sell it to you... This person truly has guts! How much was it?"

Bai Feng snorted.

"20 Sword Pavilion Coins!" Bai Ruanqing replied.

Bai Feng was stunned, then flared up in anger: "Miss, I can almost certainly confirm that you've been swindled! 20 Sword Pavilion Coins can buy ten low-grade Immortal Origin Pills, but you bought just one bottle of this stuff. Which elder's inner disciple was that? I'll go find them now and demand an explanation! Is it possible that just because Elder Bai is injured, he can be bullied so casually?"

*Rumble!* In his fury, powerful energy emanated from his acupoints. The entire mansion trembled continuously, as if it could collapse at any moment under his violent power.

Although Elder Bai was severely injured and could pass away at any moment, as long as Bai Feng was there, anyone who dared to bully his young lady like this was simply courting death!

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

Bai Ruanqing's face flushed.

The other party had clearly said "take it or leave it" and hadn't forced her or said much else.

"Voluntarily? It must have been some sweet talk..." Bai Feng's anger still raged.

"Alright, whether it has spiritual energy or not, since it's already bought, let's just try it on Grandpa..."

Interrupting him, Bai Ruanqing walked towards the room and soon arrived at the bedside.

Lying on the bed was an old man whose face appeared somewhat withered. A bowl-sized wound on his chest had begun to fester, emitting a foul odor.

The old man was currently unconscious, seemingly having heard none of their recent conversation.

"Grandpa, you must get better!"

There were no other options, and the steps for testing medicine didn't matter anymore. Helping the old man sit up, Bai Ruanqing 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 without any improvement, Bai Ruanqing's expression grew dim.

"It has no spiritual energy at all; it's definitely fake... Miss, please don't believe such things in the future. Even the elders skilled in medicine within the sect have tried, and nothing has worked. How can you trust something sold by ordinary disciples..."

Witnessing this, Bai Feng shook his head and snorted coldly. Before he even finished speaking, a weak voice slowly rang out.

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

Their bodies stiffened simultaneously. Bai Ruanqing and Bai Feng quickly looked over, only to see the unconscious Elder Bai Ye, who had opened his eyes at some unknown point.

Although still weak, he had regained consciousness.