Chapter 68 - A Girl Dies Every Day in Her Dream Life

Tending to the injuries of the woman in black was truly a strenuous task. Not only was her back marred by a frightening sword wound, but her entire body was covered in various cuts and bruises. Yet, none of these compared to the severity of the sword wound, which was slowly healing thanks to the effects of the Nine Transmigrations Rebirth Pill. Thinking about it, given her fighting style, it wasn't surprising she had sustained so many injuries. Luo Xue spent considerable effort bandaging each wound. Soon, the surrounding area was littered with fragments of her dark blue, almost black nightwear, and the woman in black—now more appropriately dubbed the "Mummy Beauty"—was fully wrapped in bandages, sound asleep on the bed. "I ended up shredding all her clothes..." Luo Xue wiped the sweat from her forehead. Despite her innate cultivation, maintaining such high-intensity wound care was challenging. "Still, she really is quite impressive..." Luo Xue observed the Mummy Beauty, poking gently, then glanced down at herself. "They'll probably grow larger; I'm still young," Luo Xue muttered to herself, "as long as I don't inherit from my ancestors... it should be fine." After thoroughly cleaning the room and removing the bloodstains, Luo Xue finally managed to rest. The events of the day had been overwhelming, leaving her feeling a bit fatigued. Ignoring the slightly eerie-looking slumbering mummy beside her, Luo Xue slumped onto the bed. Sleep gradually overtook her, and her heavy eyelids closed slowly. She fell asleep. ...... On a moonless, windy night. "Tomorrow afternoon, at the Youxiang Restaurant. The target has just reached the Xiantian realm. This is her portrait and aura." A cool, female voice echoed, and a portrait drifted into the shadows. "Five Earth-rank Qi Condensation Pills? Do you take us for fools in the Shadow Guild?" A man shrouded in darkness, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, accepted the portrait and asked in a sharp, sinister voice. "No need to take her life, just bring her here." The cool female voice continued, "Five Earth-rank Qi Condensation Pills is a sincere offer, no more than that." "Ignorant woman, what do you take the Shadow Guild for…" The man in the hat replied with malice, seemingly on the verge of violence. "...If the demand were to be one more pill, I willing to accept it." The cool female voice remained calm, a hint of cold light seemed to flicker in the surroundings. "Absurd! Just for a kid at the Xiantian level, it commands such a price?" The hat-wearing man growled, a hint of anger in his tone. "When we previously assassinated a Yunling cultivator, it was no more than twenty Earth-rank Qi Condensation Pills. What merit does a Xiantian child have!” "A flat rate of two Earth-rank Qi Condensation Pills, no more!" The cool female voice was momentarily stunned, not expecting this turn of negotiating events. Why would the seller lower his offer... "Heh, we in the Shadow Guild are legitimate businessmen, dealing in lives with market prices. If we whimsically raise prices, could we conduct business in the Devil’s Gate anymore?" The man with the hat memorized the image of the girl with short flaxen hair, then used his spiritual power to ignite it into ashes. "We accept this contract. The deposit is half, the rest upon completion." The cool female voice paused for a moment, then tossed over a pill. In truth, she intended to pay in full, but the man's odd temperament led her to comply with his terms. The Earth-rank Qi Condensation Pills were negligible to her—she had as many as she needed. But she couldn't risk exposing her identity. Especially since the Faceless Mage was currently in the Devil’s Gate. She sought out this obscure Shadow Guild to avoid drawing too much attention. The man with the hat pocketed the pills into his storage bag. Then, with a gust of cold wind, the shadows dissipated without a trace. Soon after, a tall figure revealed, gazing in a particular direction. It was none other than Shangguan Lengyan, the prodigious sinister seed from the Evil Ghost Capital. The man’s cloaking technique was futile against her keen eyes. "This dark concealment technique vaguely resembles that of the Wanmo Dao Sect… but it's unrefined and clumsy." A trace of blood seemed to flash in Shangguan Lengyan's scarlet eyes. "But I cannot see through his cultivation… no wonder the Devil’s Gate is full of formidable figures." "Sima Senior Brother's caution has merit." Of course, this matter was merely a passing concern. If the so-called Shadow Guild managed to capture the slave girl, fine. If not, there was no need to pursue it further. More pressing was the Faceless Mage and the approaching Devil’s Gate auction. One wonders how many eyes were watching... Shangguan Lengyan withdrew her aura and quietly vanished. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Big Sister, did you memorize the target’s appearance before burning it?" "I vaguely recalled some details… Well, doesn't that make us look professional! I don't get simple tasks often, and I don't want to blow it." "But we're not professional in the first place, our so-called Dark Gang is just the two of us!" "No worries, let's return to the inn and start a thorough search tomorrow morning! If nothing else, we excel at tracking!" "I'm getting the feeling you might not be very reliable, Big Sister..." "I'm quite reliable, sticking only to simple tasks!" ...... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The following morning, as the sky began to lighten with dawn. Enjoying a rare dreamless sleep, Luo Xue slowly opened her eyes, sensing someone nearby, and instinctively called out, "Senior Sister..." "Hmm?" A somewhat unfamiliar voice answered her. Luo Xue abruptly woke up, suddenly realizing her Senior Sister was no longer at her side. An unsuppressable emotion surged within her, a feeling akin to loss. Turning her head, she saw a pair of blinking eyes belonging to the Mummy, who was staring at her quite intently. "Were you calling me?" The Mummy—let's call her Miss Mummy for now—gazed unwaveringly at Luo Xue. "...No." Luo Xue averted her gaze. "But there's only me here." Miss Mummy's eyes seemed puzzled. "I just called out for different person," Luo Xue quickly sat up, speaking calmly, "You've been awake for a while?" "Yes, for some time now," Miss Mummy replied, sounding slightly troubled, "However, why did you bind me like this... I can't move." Having sustained significant injuries, she couldn't harness her strength just yet. Moreover, the bandages Luo Xue used weren't ordinary; they were tightly wound, offering no room for escape. "It was necessary for your treatment," Luo Xue explained. Calming herself, she brushed aside the lingering disappointment and continued, "Also, who are you? Why did you attempt to rob the alchemy shop?" Despite feeling this woman's intellect seemed somewhat lacking, Luo Xue was determined to uncover the truth of what had transpired. At the very least, she needed to ascertain her identity... To her surprise, Miss Mummy appeared taken aback, "Eh, aren't we comrades?" "...We weren't initially, but circumstances forced it later on." Luo Xue's forehead throbbed slightly. "Oh, I needed money, so I decided to rob them." Miss Mummy replied, "As for my identity... My master said I must never reveal it." A hidden identity? Could she be a rouge cultivator engaged in some secret mission? Classic plotlines often revolve around such themes... This train of thought even seemed influenced by Gui Jiao's stories. Luo Xue looked down at Miss Mummy, who was wriggling awkwardly, trying to free herself from the white bandages. ...A cultivator master’s intellect would probably be better than this, right? "Fine, let me help you." Watching Miss Mummy struggle, Luo Xue sighed, "If you keep thrashing like that, your nearly healed wounds will worsen." Upon hearing this, Miss Mummy stopped struggling, giggling softly; from her bandage-clad face, only her eyes revealed a bright smile. "Thank you, comrade, you're such a good person." "...'Good person card' isn't meant to be used like that." Luo Xue muttered helplessly, never expecting her first time receiving a 'good person card' would be in such a situation. "By the way, don’t call me comrade. I have a name—call me Luo Xue." "Mhm, Luo Xue." Miss Mummy nodded energetically, like a pecking chick, "I'm Nangong Mengxiang, usually just call me Nangong!" Miss Nangong lived up to her name, for she exuded a dream-like, captivating fragrance—not just a scent, but a sensory pleasure on another level. "Stay still." Luo Xue leaned closer, examining with care. Though Nangong Mengxiang seemed somewhat scatterbrained, she was at least obedient. Once Luo Xue finished speaking, she quietly lay back on the bed. "The injuries... seem to have healed quite a bit," Luo Xue observed, examining several previously serious wounds, her brows lifting in surprise. "It's only been less than half a day, hasn't it?" What she considered serious wounds were, in fact, nearly fatal for ordinary cultivators. Yet, for Nangong Mengxiang, they seemed almost trivial. "Turn over so I can check your back," Luo Xue instructed, noting the most severe injury should be the sword wound on her back, which had nearly cleaved her in two. "Help me out of these bindings first, they're uncomfortable," Nangong Mengxiang murmured. "If you don't turn over, I won't remove them." "Oh..." Nangong Mengxiang obediently turned, revealing her graceful back. Luo Xue drew out a small dagger, infused it with spiritual energy, and deftly sliced a few bandages. Beneath the bandages lay skin as tender as a baby's, with a subtle pinkish hue. Luo Xue's eyes widened in shock. The wounds were almost fully healed. Though a thin, long scar remained, it was largely inconsequential. Compared to yesterday's ragged, bloody state, she seemed almost like a different person. "Is it my senior sister's medicine at work, or is it Nangong Mengxiang herself..." Even considering body cultivators, could someone possibly possess such an abnormal recovery rate? Luo Xue had some understanding of body cultivation, as her own circumstances might lead her down that path in the future. "Are you done yet, Luo Xue?" Nangong Mengxiang's tone carried a hint of plaintiveness. "Yes, I'll help you out now." Coming back to her senses, Luo Xue used the dagger to gently sever the tightly wrapped bandages, setting Nangong Mengxiang free.