Mysterious Spirit Branch

“Cai, I really think you should just now...” Song Cheng hadn’t even finished speaking when he saw Yu Daoyi beside him glaring fiercely, eyes wide.

“Daoyi... Daoyi, bro...” Song Cheng stammered.

“Mm? What is it? Speak.”

Yu Daoyi’s expression softened a little. Damn, they’re calling me Cai now—who knows how they found out my childhood nickname! I can’t take this injustice!

“Daoyi bro, you’d better head back. My sister’s not in the best mood lately and doesn’t really want to see you. I’m afraid you two might end up fighting if you meet.”

“She’s in a bad mood?” Yu Daoyi asked.

Song Cheng nodded obediently.

Fine, women all have a few unreasonable days. That’s normal. Yu Daoyi could understand.

“How could I possibly fight with your sister when we’re so close?”

“She’s preparing for the entry-level Alchemist’s examination. She’s been stressed about it. And you, a few days ago, went to show off your alchemy talent and skills to her. No wonder she gets annoyed just seeing you,” Song Cheng said, aggrieved.

“Did I? Am I the type to show off?”

Cai put on a solemn face. That’s called guidance, not showing off! This kid’s vocabulary is hopeless!

“We’re good friends. Helping each other is what friends do. If your sister’s in a bad mood, there must be another reason. Women, well, when they reach a certain age, they naturally have their own troubles. You know too little about this, kid. You still need your Daoyi brother to teach you a thing or two.”

Unaware of Song Cheng’s odd expression, Cai carried on, full of self-satisfaction.

“Oh? What kind of knowledge? Can I join in too?” A clear, cool voice sounded from behind him.

Yu Daoyi’s smug expression froze instantly, with beads of sweat rolling down his face.

The owner of that voice was less than a meter away from me, but in a quarter of an incense stick’s time, she will completely fall for me, because I’ve decided to tell a lie. I’ve lied countless times in my life, but this one, I believe, is the most perfect...

“Qiuqiu, darling~~~” Cai turned around with a leering grin.

“Ah!”

Behind him, Song Qiuling kicked out. Cai spun beautifully through the air and landed—a perfect ten.

Damn, not following the script at all! I wasn’t even finished!

Then, as if she still wasn’t satisfied, Song Qiuling stomped over and landed a few more kicks for good measure.

The commotion drew the attention of onlookers. Xia Rong watched, head bowed and hand on her brow, exasperated but not intervening.

The other Song family juniors who had come along simply looked at their noses, their noses at their hearts, pretending nothing was happening. Youngsters flirting and bickering—perfectly normal. They’d seen it plenty of times in the Song family. Nothing to do with them. Besides, this young master from the Yu family really was a handful.

Even Yu Yunfan, fiddling with something nearby, only frowned slightly and looked away. Oh, that Song girl seems to be hitting her own brother? Hm? Never mind, understandable.

“Stop, stop! We’re so close, and you still hit me like that!” Yu Daoyi struggled to his feet.

There was no helping it—this girl was the Song family’s little darling, had all the best things, and wasn’t lacking in talent either, though still far behind his own annoying little brother.

With the Song family’s support, she’d recently broken through to the fifth stage while also learning alchemy—a feat. Compared to himself, who’d barely broken through to the third stage after grueling effort—no contest. And he couldn’t beat her in a fight either. Fortunately, his body tempering wasn’t bad, so it didn’t hurt much. Lalalala~

Not a shred of dignity.

Song Qiuling, brows slightly furrowed, lifted her chin. “Couldn’t help it. You’re just asking for it.”

Yu Daoyi looked at her delicate face and sidled up again, grinning.

Song Cheng, seeing Daoyi’s lack of backbone, sighed deeply. Surely, right now, he felt much the same as Yu Yunfan.

“Qiuling, Qiuling, can I talk to you about something?”

“No.”

“I haven’t even said what it is yet.”

“No, I won’t listen.”

...

“I heard you’re taking the alchemist exam?” Yu Daoyi ignored her refusal, grinning.

“So what if I am?”

“What pill’s on the test?”

“No idea.”

Song Qiuling shot him a look, baffled by how someone like him could have such superior alchemy talent.

“But the test will probably choose one from the Qi and Blood Pill, Spirit-Stabilizing Pill, or Flowing Cloud Pill,” she added.

Spirit-Stabilizing Pill? Isn’t that the one I use to steady my cultivation? No wonder the Xuanling Branch was reserved...

“Qiuling, we’ve known each other for so long. Give me a few Xuanling Branches for making the Spirit-Stabilizing Pill, will you?”

“No. I barely managed to get someone to reserve those for me. Not negotiable.”

“Fine, once I master the Spirit-Stabilizing Pill, I’ll teach you hands-on.”

If she hadn’t been angry already, she was now. His cultivation talent was nothing special, but his alchemy skills were something she had to acknowledge—every detail he described had checked out in her own practice.

Eventually, she’d even agreed to his hands-on guidance. They knew each other so well, no need for formality. But every time he tried, if he didn’t fail, he’d blow up the furnace!

He blew a hole in a perfectly good house once, and her father thought something terrible had happened.

Once might be an accident, twice a coincidence, but three or four times—every successful pill ended in an explosion. The mere mention of it made Song Qiuling want to hit him!

Noticing her fierce gaze, Yu Daoyi shrank his head, unsure what he’d said wrong.

“No way! Not a single branch!” she snapped, then strode off toward the shopkeeper, leaving Daoyi with a stormy but strikingly beautiful figure.

Before long, the attendant handed her an antique black box.

Yu Daoyi looked on longingly, eyes shining with unshed tears.

Song Qiuling ignored him, opening the box to reveal three withered Xuanling Branches inside.

She frowned again. Three branches—just enough for three attempts. The Spirit-Stabilizing Pill was one of the harder ones on the exam; she had no guarantee of success. That’s why she’d been searching everywhere for branches of the right age. Three chances were far from enough for practice.

Yu Daoyi, seeing the three branches, pursed his lips. Only three? That’s not enough. I’d feel guilty taking any.

“Are these the only three left?” Song Qiuling asked, her voice cool and clear.

“Xuanling Branch is a rather uncommon herb. The pavilion only has these three left,” the attendant replied kindly.

What a pity, she thought—the amount of Xuanling Branch was far from enough. If nothing else worked, she could only hope the exam wouldn’t require the Spirit-Stabilizing Pill.

“Qiuling, dearest, sweetest Qiuling, won’t you hear what your handsome Daoyi brother has to say?” he pleaded, eyes shining with hope.

“No, and you’re not getting any.”

“Don’t be so heartless, everything can be negotiated.”

Song Qiuling snapped the box shut. “Just three left, not even enough for myself. I’ll have to find another way.”

Yu Daoyi wanted to say more, but just then, the sound of a quarrel arose among the Song family juniors.

A group of others in long robes had appeared in the pavilion, arguing with the Song family, Song Cheng among them, looking indignant.

Seeing this, Song Qiuling strode over.

“Sis, Lin He somehow found out you have Xuanling Branches and wants to get his hands on them,” Song Cheng hurried to explain as she approached.

The leader of the opposing group looked about fifteen, with a sinister air, narrow eyes, and an unnatural pallor to his face.

Lin He, a member of the Lin family, son of Lin Yanzhi, brother to Lin family head Lin Ling.

All those with him were Lin clan juniors.