Jiang Nannan watched the two of them playfully bickering. A trace of barely concealed envy flickered in her eyes.
Just then, something caught the corner of her eye. She turned and saw an icy-blue pill resting quietly inside a crystal cabinet.
"Is this..."
Jiang Nannan's pupils contracted sharply. She hurried forward on her long legs, rushing toward the pill.
Black Tortoise Divine Pill.
Those four large characters were printed on the sign beside it, leaving Jiang Nannan unable to trust her own eyes for a moment.
She reached out a trembling hand. Only when her fingertips felt the chill of the crystal cabinet did she finally come to her senses.
"Mother's illness can be cured!"
After searching so desperately for so long, the miracle medicine that could cure her mother was right before her eyes. Joy swept over her in an instant, clouding her mind.
She forced down her excitement and looked at the price below. The exorbitant sum struck like a heavy hammer, shattering her hopes.
Black Tortoise Divine Pill: 800,000 Gold Soul Coins.
For Jiang Nannan, that price was an astronomical sum.
"Eight hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins..."
The exorbitant price left Jiang Nannan dazed. The joy in her heart vanished, replaced by a deep bitterness.
"What should I do..."
Jiang Nannan hadn't forgotten that this was the third floor, which only inner court disciples were allowed to enter. Even if she could somehow come up with that much money, there was no guarantee the Treasure Pavilion would sell it to her.
Just then, the two playing around in the distance noticed that something was wrong with Jiang Nannan and stopped.
"Nannan, what's wrong?"
Tang Ya stepped forward and took her best friend by the arm. Following Jiang Nannan's gaze, she saw the Black Tortoise Divine Pill.
"This is... the Black Tortoise Divine Pill?!"
Tang Ya's eyes lit up, and she blurted out, "That's wonderful! Auntie's illness can finally be cured!"
Mu Guiyun said nothing, merely watching in silence.
This Black Tortoise Divine Pill was one of the four that Xuan Zi had recently traded for from the Xuanming Sect.
The Ten Thousand Year Black Tortoise Torso Bone was worth around 3.5 million Gold Soul Coins. All told, they'd lost a few hundred thousand on the deal.
But there was no helping it. They needed something from the other party; they couldn't very well insist on buying it at its original price.
As for why he didn't just give the Black Tortoise Divine Pill to Jiang Nannan?
Mu Guiyun wouldn't stoop to the kind of underhanded tactics Tang God King used, like keeping Lao Huo in line with Tang Wutong. But at the very least, Jiang Nannan needed to see how much he'd put into helping her.
Quietly making sacrifices wasn't Mu Guiyun's style.
As for doing good deeds without leaving a name, that was all well and good to say.
"Nannan, shouldn't you be happy? Auntie's illness can be cured!"
Seeing Jiang Nannan still looking so bitter, Tang Ya couldn't understand.
"I can't afford it..."
Eight hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins was a fortune even for some small and medium-sized factions, let alone Jiang Nannan, who came from a commoner's family.
Hearing this, Tang Ya glanced at the price below and fell silent.
The two of them would be lucky if their combined savings amounted to 8,000 Gold Soul Coins—and even that was thanks to what they'd earned from Mu Guiyun's Inter-grade Challenge Tournament a while back!
Wait... Mu Guiyun?
Tang Ya blinked and turned to look at Mu Guiyun, who stood silently beside them.
After hesitating for a moment, Tang Ya ultimately chose not to say anything. Mu Guiyun had already helped her so much; she couldn't bring herself to ask him to lend Nannan money too.
But without the money, what would happen to Auntie's illness?
With no solution in sight, Tang Ya could only pace around anxiously, scratching her head.
Just then, Jiang Nannan came to her senses as well. She looked at Mu Guiyun hopefully and pleaded, "Guiyun, please, can you help me buy this Black Tortoise Divine Pill?"
"Don't worry. I'll pay you back every last coin, with interest!"
By the end, determination showed on Jiang Nannan's pretty face. "If you agree, I'll do anything you ask!"
Jiang Nannan had thought she was already at the end of her rope. She never expected an unexpected stroke of luck at the Treasure Appreciation Fair today.
No matter the price, she had to seize this opportunity. She was willing to give up anything.
Everyone knew that when a girl said she'd do anything you asked, she really meant anything.
But Mu Guiyun wouldn't take advantage of her when she was desperate. How would that make him any different from Xu the Second?
Besides, Xian Lin'er was waiting for him at home, and Ma Xiaotao was always treating him to seafood.
"Hello, could you pack up this Black Tortoise Divine Pill for me?"
By the time they left the Treasure Pavilion, it was already late at night.
After parting ways with Mu Guiyun, Tang Ya walked along the path with a beaming smile, the Mystic Water Pill held tightly in her hand.
"See, Nannan? I told you Guiyun wouldn't make any weird demands of you!"
At the mention of Mu Guiyun, Tang Ya's smile grew even brighter.
Jiang Nannan smiled and nodded. Now that there was hope her mother might recover, the heavy stone weighing on her heart had finally lifted.
"Xiaoya, how should I thank Guiyun?"
Tang Ya froze. Looking at her best friend, she cautiously teased, "Nannan, why don't you repay him with yourself? Guiyun's so outstanding, and you wouldn't be losing out!"
"Besides, you're so talented too. The two of you would make a perfect match!"
After saying that, Tang Ya grew nervous, afraid Jiang Nannan might impulsively agree.
Thankfully, Jiang Nannan said nothing. She only blinked in confusion.
Tang Ya couldn't help but feel relieved.
Meanwhile, as soon as Mu Guiyun got home, Xian Lin'er slipped quietly into his room.
Looking at Xian Lin'er's eager expression, Mu Guiyun crooked his mouth into a grin and teased, "Senior Sister, aren't you afraid Senior Brother will catch us?"
At the mention of Qian Duoduo, guilt stirred in Xian Lin'er's heart. She whispered, "I... We just have to keep our voices down. Duoduo won't notice!"
After she said that, the little guilt in Xian Lin'er's heart vanished, replaced by an unprecedented thrill.
Even after giving him a shot, Mu Guiyun still had energy to spare. He leaned against the bed and looked at the dazed beauty beside him. "Senior Sister, I'm planning to leave the academy for a few days."
"Huh? Oh... Wait, you're leaving the academy?!"
"Shh!"
Seeing Mu Guiyun's gesture, Xian Lin'er quickly covered her red lips.
Only after hearing no sound from the room in the distance did she let out a heavy sigh of relief. Then she furrowed her brows and asked in confusion, "Are you going alone? Won't it be too dangerous?"
"Don't worry. I'll be back before long. I'm heading to the Star Luo Empire; it's not far from our Shrek."
"But..."
Xian Lin'er tried to say more, but Mu Guiyun roughly pressed her back down.