174 - Douluo: Martial Spirit Blue Silver Grass

Chapter 174: Days and Nights of Reincarnating as the Malicious Senior Sister The great demon in the spring cave was truly formidable. Qing Tong's right arm had been slashed, and despite having applied Fu Ling's high-grade medicine from Yu Chun Hall, the wound showed no signs of healing. Fu Ling had given him her best medicine, yet the injury only festered further. "There must be poison on those spines, otherwise the wound wouldn't have deteriorated like this," said Jiu Ying, frowning slightly as she observed the deep gash on Qing Tong’s forearm, concern faintly flickering in her expression. Yu Ping's demeanor was anxious as he looked at his servant's arm, clearly distressed. "What should we do? There's no healer here. Are we just supposed to watch Qing Tong suffer in agony?" Though the bleeding had stopped, the wound refused to heal, subjecting Qing Tong to perpetual agony from torn flesh. He made no sound of complaint, but the cold sweat increasingly beaded on his brow, and his face grew paler by the moment. "Senior sister, I'm out of other medicine," Fu Ling said, biting her lip, looking at the white-clad woman beside her with an unspoken reliance. Jiu Ying, upon hearing this, pursed her lips, her gaze fixed on the horrific gash, quickly formulating a plan to save him. She gently pressed her fingertips on the hardened flesh around the wound on Qing Tong's arm. "There's a way to save him, but it depends on whether Young Master Yu Ping is willing," Jiu Ying stated. Yu Ping was taken aback, his pupils constricting suddenly. "What do you mean?" Though he didn't understand why he could save Qing Tong, the other three in the room knew quite well. Qing Tong was the first to react. Before Jiu Ying could reveal the truth, he knelt before them and fervently refused the unspoken suggestion. "Qing Tong is of humble and lowly status, not worth Young Master doing this!" As a Tian Ya, Yu Ping's blood was the best healing salve in existence. But traditionally, only servants shed their blood for their masters, not the other way around. Knowing this was inappropriate, Qing Tong remained stubbornly kneeling, refusing to rise. Seeing this, Jiu Ying sighed, leaving Yu Ping with one last remark before taking Fu Ling with her: "Your blood can save Qing Tong. As for the reason, let Qing Tong explain it to you." Once the sisters were gone, they moved towards the mountain wall, following the trail of scattered pigeon feathers, they soon found a long, dark slit amidst the vines high up on the stone wall. It seemed the great demon had injured Qing Tong's arm through this gap. Daring as ever, Fu Ling took out her curved blade and struck at the narrow crevice. The sound of the silver bells on the blade handle rang crisply, and the sharp blade wedged itself firmly into the slit in the wall. The dragon-slaying sword was a divine weapon granted by the heavens to slay demons and hold immense intimidation over all creatures. Sensing the power of the weapon, the great demon within the cave, aware of the strangers outside, refrained from launching an attack as it previously had. "Senior sister, I'm going up to take a look." With long vines trailing from both ends of the rock face, as soon as Fu Ling finished speaking, she grabbed hold of one, leaping up to the summit with ease. Jiu Ying had no chance to stop her, watching as Fu Ling balanced herself on her curved blade. Fearless as a newborn calf and with her love right beside her, she had nothing to fear. Jiu Ying's brows furrowed tightly, troubled by how daring Fu Ling was even after witnessing Qing Tong's grievous injury. Her eyes never left the girl who so recklessly stood ahead, her heart filled with concern rather than anger. "You—never mind, just be careful," Jiu Ying managed, the tone helpless, yet Fu Ling heard an undercurrent of fondness. She turned, briefly gazing down at the white-clad woman below, her lips lifting before a response formed. Having been away from the sect for some time, her hair had grown long, reaching her waist, with her bangs lengthened. The wind teased strands of her dark hair across her cheeks, sometimes settling at the tip of her nose, other times brushing her soft lips, making her smile all the more vibrant and fetching. Such a lively and charming visage was indeed captivating. Jiu Ying's expression remained unchanged, but her heart skipped a beat. In the gentle sway of the day's breeze, Fu Ling's long hair rustled slightly. Alone at the dagger's edge, she seemed devoid of fear, even smiling in Jiu Ying's direction. This image of Fu Ling was one she vowed to keep forever in her heart. With Fu Ling oblivious to the impending danger, Jiu Ying instinctively stepped forward, her tone now stern. "Fu Ling!" Calling her by her full name was a sign of rising anger. Fu Ling, not wishing to upset the person she cared about, finally refocused, crouching close to the cliff to peer into the spring cave. Her line of sight met with a void of pitch darkness, not a glimmer of light from the top to the bottom of the cave, even the sunlight at the slit drowned in shadow, denying her any view of the cave's true contents. A chilling breeze swept by, causing the bells on the dagger's hilt to jingle once more. Lying flat against the cliff, Fu Ling sensed a subtle tremor emerging from inside the cave. Before she realized what was happening, an enormous dark eye fixated on her through the gap. Startled, she instinctively retreated until her toes found the edge of the hilt, finally discerning what the great demon within truly was— Round eyes, a swollen body, eight legs; what lay hidden in the spring cave was undeniably a giant mountain spider. The hissing sound of its breath reached her ears. Having read about the mountain spider once in a book, Fu Ling quickly closed her eyes, covered her mouth and nose, and leapt down from the curved blade. As expected, just as she landed, Jiu Ying watched as a thick black mist seeped through the crevice, dissipating into the air. Wherever the mist traveled, the vines it touched withered instantly. "Senior sister, it's a mountain spider." Her voice was calm, betraying no hint of fear. Watching the vines wither to brown in an instant, Jiu Ying was gripped by a sudden and unexplainable fear. She couldn't fathom what might have happened if Fu Ling had reacted just a second slower, likely already succumbed to the spider's venom. Silently, she held Fu Ling's hand, pulling her away from the spring cave. "Why did you climb the wall without consulting me first?" Still upset about what just transpired. Noticing her beloved's displeased expression, Fu Ling finally grasped the concept of fear. She bit her lip, a hint of unease creeping into her demeanor. "I knew you wouldn't let me, senior sister—" Understanding that Jiu Ying would have stopped her, Fu Ling had taken action abruptly. The more they spoke, the angrier Jiu Ying became, casting a colder shadow on her face. "Escaping the poison was pure luck. But have you considered what would happen if the mountain spider attacked you first? Yu Ping, deep-rooted in loyalty to Qing Tong, wouldn't hesitate to shed blood to save him. But if he refused to save you, then what should I do?" The spring cave held unknown perils, and she couldn't bear the thought of Fu Ling taking that risk. The atmosphere turned somber, a chilling tension settling in the air. After receiving the reprimand, Fu Ling felt a bit dispirited, her small head hanging low. She knew Jiu Ying was right, but still felt defiant. After a pause, she tentatively voiced her explanation. "We came to Ming Sea to retrieve the Dragon Heart Herb for you. With your cultivation yet to recover, naturally, the retrieval is my task." "With a great demon lurking in the spring cave, someone had to investigate. Qing Tong's injury fills me with guilt, so I couldn't ask outsiders to help. I only acted to spare you from danger, senior sister." Both simply unwilling to let the other take on peril. Jiu Ying pressed her lips together, her brows still carrying a lingering chill. It was always her protecting Fu Ling until now, and the reversal of roles unnerved her. As she wrestled with this unaccustomed feeling, Fu Ling abruptly embraced her, resting her chin on Jiu Ying's shoulder. In her ear, the voice that reached her was filled with a sense of grievance. "I have celestial spirit energy within me, the mountain spider's poison can't harm me, so why worry, Senior Sister?" Fu Ling insisted. "Besides, even if it did manage to scratch me with its claws, I'm not afraid." "Did Senior Sister forget? Dragon Saliva can heal all physical wounds." Dragon Saliva, sweet and aromatic, was unsurpassed in healing injuries— In her concern, Jiu Ying had forgotten, only now realizing that her worry was indeed unnecessary and mirrored Fu Ling’s assurances. Truly, heavenly nectar was not the only cure for wounds in this world. She had already used Dragon Saliva twice to heal Fu Ling's injuries before today. "Senior Sister wouldn't bear to see Lingling suffer; she'd use Dragon Saliva to save Lingling, right?" Fu Ling's words were soft and sweet, each syllable imbued with a playful lilt. When her gentle voice brushed against Jiu Ying’s ear and nape, Jiu Ying's heart inevitably fluttered once more. Her hands, initially by her sides, lifted of their accord. She intended to push the person away, yet as that soft voice resounded by her ears, all her intentions were forgotten. "Wouldn't you?" Persisting with the same question. Hot breath warmed her neck as Fu Ling spoke, causing Jiu Ying to furrow her brow imperceptibly, attempting to mask her nervousness. She turned her head slightly to escape the warm and enticing source of comfort, but the person in her embrace took advantage, wrapping arms around her waist, making even moving a challenge. The island's sparse life rendered it silent when no one spoke. Jiu Ying let her eyelids droop, releasing the tension in her brows. Her hands hung suspended in the air, and only when a cool breeze brushed her fingertips did she finally resign herself. She gently placed a hand on the back of the one in her arms, providing Fu Ling with the assurance she longed for. "—Yes." The mountain spider was enormous, its abdomen as large as a cauldron, round like a wheel. It exhaled gases that turned into a black poisonous mist, annihilating all life around it. Its web, though sticky, was incredibly tough—thicker than a human arm, and not easy to deal with. The great demon in the spring cave had cultivated for hundreds of years. Its eight legs were long and hook-like, its claws able to span several feet of ground. To enter its realm and expect to depart unharmed was a feat indeed. After their disagreement, the two began strategizing on how to retrieve the Dragon Heart Herb in the presence of the mountain spider. "Senior Sister, I remember reading that mountain spiders have no natural predators and fear only one thing: fire. How about I burn its web with a fire spell? Let's see how arrogant it remains." Jiu Ying shook her head at the suggestion, quickly identifying a flaw. "The mountain spider's silk is extremely rigid, and your spirit fire is derived from celestial energy. If it can turn the silk to ash, it could also destroy my Dragon Heart Herb." Author's Note: Thank you to the kind souls who voted for me or watered me with nutrient fluid during 2021-04-28 23:59:48 to 2021-04-30 01:06:09~ Special thanks to the lovely person who dropped a landmine: Awoo, 1 piece; Thanks to the angels for irrigating with nutrient fluid: This is a serious name, 20 bottles; Ting Xiao Yi Chen, 10 bottles; Nine-Tailed Night Sky Sword, 1 bottle; Thank you all for your support, I will continue to strive hard!