Chapter 174: How Could I Really Bear to Cut Off Your Horn
Yuelai Inn.
Regarding this Commentary on the Water Classic, Chu Xingchen chose to listen to Li Xingtian's suggestion and called his own eldest disciple over.
Currently, Li Yingling was using a single finger to lightly flip through the book before her. Her eyes casually glanced at it twice, then she raised her eyebrows slightly and looked at Li Xingtian to the side.
She asked with a somewhat surprised tone: "Junior Brother, you don't understand such a simple thing? You even specially had to find me."
Hearing this, Li Xingtian was stifled for a long while, and could only say with self-deprecation:
"Senior Sister is naturally brilliant; this junior cannot compare."
Chu Xingchen, who was originally watching the heavy rain outside the window, glanced sideways at his eldest apprentice upon hearing this.
He saw that his eldest apprentice's face held some pride that she didn't bother to hide.
Li Yingling's current expression could roughly be understood as—without me in this sect, it's bound to collapse sooner or later.
Chu Xingchen walked up to Li Yingling, reached out, and lightly tapped her head:
"Stop showing off in front of your junior brother. Time is urgent; finish learning and get ready to work."
Although Li Yingling didn't feel much pain from the tap, she still covered her head in a pretentious manner and said with a wronged tone:
"Master! In a moment, my clever brain might be knocked by you to be as silly as Second Junior Brother."
The silent Li Xingtian to the side silently took another verbal attack from his senior sister...
However, his performance was truly too poor to refute.
Chu Xingchen asked: "How much time do you approximately need?"
Li Yingling withdrew her expression. She naturally understood that when handling serious business, one must maintain a serious attitude. She said seriously:
"Wait for me for half a shichen, and we can set off."
Hearing this, Chu Xingchen nodded gently, signaling Li Yingling to do as she pleased.
Immediately after, Li Xingtian had his eyes opened. What is true natural brilliance, what is a genius's learning method.
They saw Li Yingling pick up the pen, ink, paper, and inkstone to the side. With a serious expression, she flipped the book with her left hand while holding a pen in her right hand, writing something on the blank paper.
In a moment's time, a sheet of white paper was filled by Li Yingling.
Two quarters of an hour later, as Li Yingling filled the eighth sheet of white paper, this Commentary on the Water Classic was also flipped to the last page by Li Yingling.
Li Yingling put down the pen, looked at the notes she had written, scanned her gaze over them a few times, compared them with the book's explanations, then confidently said:
"I've figured it out. It's a bit simpler than I imagined. We can set off now."
Chu Xingchen looked twice at the white paper filled with summaries in Li Yingling's hand, as well as the somewhat ghost-drawing-like lines.
This [Cultivation Genius] tag seems to have a bit too much universality, doesn't it?
A strange thought suddenly arose in Chu Xingchen.
If he taught Li Yingling some modern common physics knowledge, would there be... different sparks?
But now, all thoughts must be put aside for the moment.
The main business must be handled first.
"Xingtian, you go with your Eldest Senior Sister. Go survey the surrounding water veins clearly and draw them into a map."
As he spoke, Chu Xingchen glanced at Li Yingling's notes and added,
"Draw it simply and easy to understand... later on, there might be other not-so-smart people reading it."
"One must also think a bit for the people coming later."
Hearing this, Li Xingtian nodded and replied: "Yes, Master."
Li Yingling appeared somewhat full of energy and said: "Let's go, Second Junior Brother. Senior Sister will teach you on the way!"
Watching the departing figures of his two disciples, Chu Xingchen slightly raised his head and glanced at the heavy rain that continued endlessly.
But in the next instant, Chu Xingchen's figure also leisurely disappeared within the room.
Besides casting the net in advance, he also had to make some other arrangements.
As the saying goes, one fears not having too many plans, but having no plan at all.
Plan B was naturally, the more, the better.
Tianyan Sect.
Bai Xuanling held one of the horns on Qinghe's head with her left hand and carried a long sword in her right hand.
With an icy face and an interrogating tone, she asked:
"You little flood dragon, you regrew your horns and forgot the days without them? You dare to play tricks on me?"
"Confess honestly now, and I can still forgive you. If you stay stubborn, your horn might not be saved."
The little flood dragon Qinghe was so scared that her face turned pale. Her voice trembled, but she still remained stubborn:
"Where would I dare to play tricks... There really is only this much. I didn't dare to swallow a single bit privately. Recently, the shipment volume of pills has been large, and prices have been suppressed the whole time. I kept the accounts. You can take the ledger and check the numbers one by one."
Qinghe was not stupid; she had followed Bai Xuanling for quite a long time, so she naturally understood the nature of this aging female demon before her.
Confessing meant a dead end. Only by being strict in resistance could she barely cling to her life and save the two horns on her head.
Even if solid evidence was slapped in her face, Qinghe had to grit her teeth and say no.
These horns were the dignity of the Dragon Race!
Although Qinghe was a bit of a hybrid, still! Dignity was dignity!
"Do you think I didn't ask?"
Bai Xuanling sneered: "Before coming to ask you, I went to Lingmiao Peak and found that group of alchemists to check the numbers. You didn't sell it cheap!"
"Not only did you not sell it cheap, but you also claimed there was no stock and sold it at a markup!"
Bai Xuanling's tone suddenly changed as she imitated Qinghe's voice and said:
"You think it's expensive? I think it's expensive too. But this goods is in such short supply. If it weren't for the sake of our past friendship, I wouldn't sell this pill to you. Outside, I could sell it even if I added two more layers on top. This already counts as the friendship price."
Hearing these words, Qinghe's face became even paler.
Bai Xuanling narrowed her eyes: "This sounds familiar, doesn't it? Little Qinghe? Did you think that because they suffered a loss, they would really keep the secret for you?"
"Don't say I didn't give you a chance. I'll give you three more chances to make excuses. Otherwise, today I'll have to use the horns on your head to pay off the interest!"
Qinghe thought of that group at Lingmiao Peak, that group of alchemists. Before they left, their faces were clearly full of gratitude.
They even personally said they would keep the secret for her and not let others know that Lingmiao Peak's pills were the cheapest.
Unexpectedly!
People!
They were all too sinister! As a flood dragon! Why was her own heart not dirty enough?!
Bai Xuanling waited for a while but didn't see Qinghe speak. She said coldly:
"Nothing to say?!"
Qinghe thought about it but really couldn't find half an excuse.
She could only harden her scalp, raise her head, and say with a fawning smile:
"I really didn't line my own pockets! If you don't believe me, take me directly to Miaoling Peak to confront that group of people face to face. I..."
Bai Xuanling didn't wait for Qinghe to finish, but interrupted with a cold sneer: "One!"
Qinghe's expression instantly became aggrieved. Her large eyes were teary as she said:
"Other people's spirit pets all eat and drink well. Only I eat some tasteless pills every day..."
"Two!" Bai Xuanling interrupted again.
Qinghe closed her eyes. Anyway, it was impossible for her to hand the money back. If she really had to save those spirit stones herself, relying on the meager monthly salary Bai Xuanling gave, she would have to save until the ends of the earth.
Those months, not spending a single cent, she could only go to the Zhiwei Pavilion at Tianyan Sect once in two months!
She said stubbornly: "Go ahead and cut it! Anyway, I have no face to see other dragons anymore!"
The scene instantly became icy cold.
"Master, that's enough..."
Xie Lingyu's voice came over.
Hearing this, Qinghe's eyes instantly widened. She looked at Xie Lingyu, who had just returned, as if looking at a savior.
Xie Lingyu was truly the apple of Bai Xuanling's eye. As long as this precious disciple wanted something, Bai Xuanling would never refuse if she could satisfy it.
At this moment, in the entire Tianyan Sect, probably only this auntie could save her.
She hurriedly spoke: "Save me!"
Bai Xuanling was still holding Qinghe's horn, but she looked at Xie Lingyu.
Before Xie Lingyu could speak, a stream of light fell straight from the sky.
Bai Xuanling directly raised her hand to summon it, and the stream of light was drawn into her hand. It was a small jade disc glowing with a pale blue light.
Urgent letter from the Sect Master?
Bai Xuanling frowned slightly. This kid dares to assign me a task at this time?
Was it that I fed him too few pills last time?
Her spiritual consciousness probed into it. A second later, the icy look on Bai Xuanling's face instantly vanished.
This Sect Master finally learned to be sensible and knew to give some benefits.
She let go of Qinghe's horn and also put away the long sword in her hand. Her tone became somewhat gentler as she said:
"Eh, I count it as my soft-heartedness. It's just some spirit stones. How could I really bear to cut off your horn."
Qinghe's face instantly became filled with horror.
Dear Readers,
I have an important favor to ask of you today. If you've been enjoying the story, please consider switching to Patreon to support me directly.
By joining, you will instantly unlock 20 chapters and gain access to a total of 50 to 55 chapters every month.
To be honest with you, I am currently in deep financial trouble, and your support would mean the world to me during this difficult time. Furthermore, if I can get more members, I plan to add even more new fanfics by the end of this week!
Please consider supporting me on Patreon so I can continue creating content for you.
Thank you for your help
patreon.com/Alex_Cruise