Azure Origin Pill

With Xie Xuanyi's temperament ten years ago.

If he encountered a woman of "unknown origins" like Shen Yan, there was an extremely high chance he would simply turn a blind eye. Traveling together in the same carriage was absolutely out of the question.

But things were different now.

He was very curious. If everything since he had awakened in Jade Pearl Town had been "ordained," what exactly did the person arranging things behind the scenes want?

He was going to Azure Prefecture.

Shen Yan was going to Azure Prefecture too.

This woman's appearance, her misfortune, and her plea for help were all far too coincidental.

Xie Xuanyi wanted to see what tricks this woman could still pull after entering Azure Prefecture.

Shen Yan became much more silent.

It was not that she did not want to speak.

It was that her earlier probing had struck a wall, making her realize that no matter what she said, she likely would receive no response.

This Young Master Xie, who looked so strikingly handsome, seemed uninterested in women.

At the very least... he was not interested in her.

So Shen Yan silently changed into clean clothes, draped herself in a cloak, and huddled around the brazier in the carriage for warmth, willingly becoming a "mute."

Xie Xuanyi was happy to have the peace and quiet. He leaned against the carriage window, admiring the scenery and sipping tea while silently condensing the ambient essence of heaven and earth.

The Deng Estate carriage sped along the last mountain road within Northern Prefecture.

Withered leaves filled the sky, swaying in the wind. Everything was bleak and desolate.

Yet this tranquility did not last long...

"Hungry, hungry!"

A childish cry shattered the silence.

Shen Yan had long noticed that there was another little girl sleeping soundly inside the carriage. Her skin was as white as porcelain, her hair an unusual fiery red, and her features were sweet. Though her face was still childish, one could already see traces of exotic charm.

At first, Shen Yan had only glanced at the little girl a few extra times because of her beauty.

But gradually, she realized something was wrong.

This little one seemed to sleep rather a lot, did she not?

The carriage had jolted along the mountain road for four or five hours... yet from beginning to end, the little one's sweet snores had never stopped.

At that moment, the half-asleep Jiang Huang slowly sat up, then smacked her lips and threw her arms around Xie Xuanyi. "Daddy! Food!"

"..."

Xie Xuanyi let out a long sigh, took out some rations, broke them apart, and fed her bit by bit with great patience.

Jiang Huang was not picky either. She ate whatever he fed her.

The entire feeding process was exceptionally quiet. Jiang Huang looked as though she had not woken up yet, her eyes half-lidded and her manner very obedient. Once she was done eating, she habitually rubbed herself against Xie Xuanyi's clothes to wipe herself clean. A contented purring sound rose from her throat. After doing all that... she smacked her lips, briefly savoring the taste, then flopped back down and went to sleep.

Shen Yan's expression was subtle. She did not say a word throughout.

It was not until Jiang Huang had settled back down.

That she asked in disbelief, "Did I hear that right? What did she just call you?"

"You heard correctly. She called me 'Daddy.'"

Just then, someone pulled open the carriage curtain. Deng Baiyi, having rallied her forces, charged back in and sat beside Xie Xuanyi in a bold, commanding manner, directly opposite Shen Yan.

After spending the past few days with Xie Xuanyi, she was already no longer surprised by Jiang Huang's situation.

"Daddy?" Shen Yan looked him over again and teased, "It seems Young Master Xie is a little older than I imagined?"

Xie Xuanyi was helpless.

"Mhm... I am indeed a little older than you imagined."

He answered, "Actually, Jiang Huang should also be a little older than you imagined."

Shen Yan did not continue on that subject.

Instead, she turned to Deng Baiyi and asked with a smile, "Miss Deng, you were doing perfectly well up front. What did you come back for?"

Of course, it was to make sure you did not have an easy time!

Deng Baiyi adjusted her posture and smiled as well. "Miss Shen, Fengsui City is just ahead. The border guards of Azure Prefecture are strict. You previously said the Shen family had prepared travel documents... may I ask where those documents are?"

During this time, Deng Baiyi had calmed down and thought things through carefully.

Though she did not know why Xie Xuanyi had brought this woman into their convoy.

She knew far too little about the Shen family Shen Yan had mentioned.

After much thought, Deng Baiyi decided to interrogate her carefully before they reached Azure Prefecture.

Shen Yan fell silent for a moment, then bent down and retrieved a stack of clothes that had been roasted half-dry before the brazier. They were the damp garments she had changed out of earlier. "To be honest, this is everything Shen Yan has on her. This journey had originally gone smoothly, but no one expected villains to suddenly rush out when we passed the Valiant Might River. The convoy was scattered to the four winds. I was only concerned with fleeing for my life. How could I have worried about travel documents?"

Deng Baiyi narrowed her eyes slightly.

That explanation was reasonable, but there was one point that did not add up.

Deng Baiyi continued, "So... the travel documents are gone, and rather than turning back, Miss Shen intends to continue into Azure Prefecture?"

Shen Yan shook her head. "I cannot go back."

"The Shen family's transaction was meant to be confidential. The fact that we were ambushed on the road means someone leaked the secret. Lingluo Mountain has considerable holdings and has never been peaceful in ordinary times. I already know who deliberately leaked the news this time."

Shen Yan gave a self-mocking smile. "Given that person's nature, once they have acted, they will not simply let matters rest. This ambush is only the beginning. If I turn back toward Lingluo Mountain now, I would be walking straight into death. Only by going to Azure Prefecture and seeking the help of a Lineage friendly with the Shen family will I have a sliver of hope of reclaiming control of Lingluo Mountain in the future."

That explanation truly left no seam unstitched.

Deng Baiyi cast a glance toward the person beside her.

Since it had nothing to do with him, Xie Xuanyi had no desire to get involved in the struggle between these two women. He simply closed his eyes and assumed the pose of an old monk in meditation.

"He may be a great philanthropist, but I am not."

Deng Baiyi spoke irritably. "Let me make the ugly words clear first. We can take you into Azure Prefecture. But there is no such thing as free food and drink in this world. You have no travel documents for heading south through the border. Why should the Deng family give you a ride? Just because you say you are the young miss of Lingluo Mountain?"

Shen Yan reacted very calmly.

She looked directly into Deng Baiyi's eyes, raised one finger, and smiled. "Take me into Azure Prefecture. One thousand taels of gold."

Deng Baiyi froze.

One thousand taels of gold!

The Deng Estate could be considered fairly wealthy in Jade Pearl Town, but one thousand taels of gold was something they could not produce at any time.

In a peaceful age, one thousand taels of gold would be enough to purchase a luxurious residence in the Great Chu Imperial City, hire dozens of servants, and live a lifetime without worrying about food or drink!

Deng Baiyi hesitated.

She already had one foot over the threshold of cultivation. By stretching things a little, she could be considered a Qi Refiner. To her, one thousand taels of gold did not mean much, but she still had to settle the Deng Estate... that gold would be enough for her old father to live out the rest of his life without want, never needing to toil again.

"One thousand taels of gold is not enough!"

At that moment, the silent Xie Xuanyi spoke.

Xie Xuanyi said calmly, "Miss Shen, suffering misfortune at the Valiant Might River, then fleeing all the way... nearly a hundred li. That could not have been easy, could it? Without a Thousand-Mile Talisman, I fear you could not have waded through that muddy water earlier."

A Thousand-Mile Talisman?

Deng Baiyi raised her brows!

"..."

Shen Yan instinctively shrank back.

This Shen family young miss, who appeared so "unrestrained," had changed her outer clothes in front of Xie Xuanyi, but she had not changed her close-fitting undergarments. Within them, a talisman lay against her snowy skin, drawing faint traces of ambient essence toward itself every moment.

As a novice Qi Refiner, Deng Baiyi had not noticed anything unusual.

But none of this could be hidden from Xie Xuanyi.

From the very first glance, he had known... that cultivators stood behind the Shen family of Lingluo Mountain.

That was normal enough.

Northern Prefecture had thin essence and few cultivators, but to occupy a mountain and hold a reputation throughout the surrounding lands... one needed some formidable strength to support it.

With cultivators behind the Shen family, everything made sense.

"You have sharp eyes, Young Master Xie."

Shen Yan smiled softly. "From the first glance, I knew you were no ordinary man. My father, Shen Zhongqi, and Xu You, the Deputy City Lord of Taian City in Azure Prefecture, are sworn brothers and friends who would die for one another. My reason for entering Azure Prefecture this time is to find that Deputy City Lord of Taian City. If he is willing to help... the trouble at Lingluo Mountain will be nothing."

There were nearly a thousand cities of all sizes within Great Chu. Taian City was not large, but the position of Deputy City Lord was not one just anyone could hold.

The "Xu You" Shen Yan spoke of was at least a cultivator at the peak of the Qi Guiding Realm!

"So that is how it is..."

Deng Baiyi suddenly understood what Xie Xuanyi had meant earlier. "Gold and white jade—what are they worth mentioning?"

To cultivators, gold and silver were merely possessions outside the body, no different from dirt!

"Three Azure Origin Pills."

Xie Xuanyi said, "I will take you into Azure Prefecture to meet Xu You of Taian City. As payment, you will need to give me three Azure Origin Pills."

Shen Yan stared fixedly at Xie Xuanyi.

Azure Origin Pills... naturally, she had heard of them. They were pills formed by condensing enormous amounts of essence into a single pellet. They were scarce, priceless, and impossible to find on the market.

At the very least, the Shen family of Lingluo Mountain did not possess them.

"I have never seen such a thing."

Shen Yan gritted her teeth. She could not agree to this deal.

Azure Origin Pills were extremely precious.

Those capable of taking such pills were no ordinary cultivators.

"You do not need to have seen them. If that Deputy City Lord of Taian City truly is your father's friend who would die for him, then he certainly has them, and he will not begrudge giving them to you."

Xie Xuanyi said calmly, "Three Azure Origin Pills in exchange for taking you through the border is well worth it."

Shen Yan took a deep breath and said seriously, "That condition is beyond my ability to agree to. I need to think it over carefully."

"There is only a short distance left before Fengsui City..."

Xie Xuanyi smiled lazily. "Miss Shen, you had best make your decision early. You do not have much time left."

"Creak."