"Master, you're going to die, what will I do? You must live well!" Xin Chou came out and immediately retorted upon hearing the old man's words about resting in peace with a smile.
The old man glared at him. "You scoundrel, have you finished all the assigned homework?"
Xin Chou pouted and reluctantly returned to the pharmacy to continue fiddling with the medicinal herbs. Shui Lù, having just been detoxified, was not yet accustomed to his current physical state. He wanted to test if he truly could not touch anything with a life, and the reality told him that he indeed could not touch anything.
Zhu Qing was basking lazily in the sun on a nearby rock. Seeing Shui Lù ruin another patch of plants, he couldn't help but feel disdain. He slithered over and flicked his tail against Shui Lù's hand.
"Stop destroying flowers here!"
Shui Lù looked at his hand, then at Zhu Qing. After a moment, he raised his voice. "It spoke, the snake spoke!"
"What's so strange about speaking? I'm the Bamboo Segment Snake King, so it's not surprising that I can talk!"
"Aren't you poisoned?"
"I'm full of poison, incredibly potent. Can you be more poisonous than my master?" Zhu Qing huffed. "Even my master couldn't poison me to death, let alone you!"
"So, I can touch some living things?"
"Perhaps. There aren't many creatures as poisonous as I am in this world."
"Is your master very poisonous?" Shui Lù smiled warmly, like a big-tailed wolf wagging its tail.
"Naturally. There's no one she can't poison, and no poisonous creature she can't poison to death," Zhu Qing said proudly. "Moreover, she has the courage of a bear and the audacity of a leopard, and she's always getting into trouble. She even dares to provoke Nascent Soul cultivators!"
"Does your master have many enemies?"
"Many, too many to count. I don't understand why she has so many enemies, all wanting her dead. Just a few days ago, she was ambushed and almost became a meal for the Eight-Headed Serpent. Fortunately, a powerful expert arrived to save her, or my life would have been over." Zhu Qing crawled onto Shui Lù's shoulder. Shui Lù possessed a gentle aura that Zhu Qing found very appealing.
"Who harmed her?"
"I think his surname was Jin, or maybe Chen. I forgot. Anyway, he's not a good person. He had a Nascent Soul expert with him, intending to use my master and then silence her!"
When Shui Lù returned, Xiao Man was in the medicinal garden picking herbs. Elder Yao had told her to pick freely, so she naturally wanted to transplant some of each kind into her space. Moreover, the herbs Elder Yao had were very comprehensive, and most of them couldn't be bought outside. She certainly couldn't miss this opportunity to "pluck wool" so openly.
"Need any help?" Shui Lù's voice sounded.
Xiao Man, without looking up, replied, "No, no, I can do it myself."
A low chuckle was heard. Xiao Man paused her herb-digging and turned around, seeing Zhu Qing perched on Shui Lù's shoulder, looking like bosom buddies.
"No wonder I didn't see him. He went out with you," Xiao Man asked with a smile. "How are you feeling?"
"Very good, better than ever." Shui Lù crouched down, watching Xiao Man carefully dig out the herbs along with their roots and soil. "Are you transplanting them?"
"Mm," Xiao Man nodded. "The herbs Elder Yao cultivates are extremely rare and priceless outside. Thanks to this, I've struck it rich."
"It's my good fortune to have met you. Otherwise, I would have turned into loess and become nourishment for these herbs." Shui Lù picked up a small hoe nearby and helped Xiao Man dig for herbs.
"Even without me, Elder Yao wouldn't have let anything happen to you."
"I know Grandpa will do his utmost to save me, but Grandpa is also human, not a god. There are things he cannot do." Shui Lù's voice was gentle and soothing. "Grandpa gave you a recommendation letter for the Alchemist Association. Are you going to join the Alchemist Association?"
"As an alchemist, joining the Alchemist Association is the pursuit of many people, isn't it?" Xiao Man said vaguely.
Shui Lù glanced at Xiao Man. "For ordinary people, perhaps. But for you, it probably isn't."
Shui Lù's voice was full of certainty. Xiao Man was certainly not someone who cared about empty fame. Her joining the Alchemist Association must have another purpose. As for what that purpose was, Xiao Man might not be willing to tell him.
Xiao Man smiled and did not answer. Her goal was to join the Alchemist Association, thereby connecting with the Jin family. By entering the Jin family as an alchemist, she would not be discovered by Jin Yao and her objective would not be exposed. Furthermore, the status of an alchemist was relatively special. Even when entering the Jin family, she would have a degree of freedom, making it easier to investigate Mo Mo's whereabouts.
"Is it inconvenient to tell me?" Shui Lù asked softly. "It's fine. If there's anything you need my help with, don't hesitate to ask." Sū Dān Novel Network
"Thank you," Xiao Man said, bowing her head. She continued digging for herbs. She had already received more than she had given in return for treating Shui Lù. Moreover, the fewer people who knew about her upcoming plans, the better. If her intentions were exposed and the Jin family found out, it would be difficult for her to enter the Jin family through this method.
Zhu Qing slithered down from Shui Lù's shoulder and crawled up Xiao Man's leg. When he was halfway up, the little fire phoenix suddenly appeared and kicked Zhu Qing down. Zhu Qing fell to the ground, stunned. He lifted his head, looked at the little fire phoenix standing proudly on Xiao Man's shoulder, and then flopped back onto the ground, rolling a couple of times.
"Master, Huo Wu is bullying me!"
Shui Lù looked at Zhu Qing rolling on the ground and complaining. His expression froze for a moment, then he chuckled softly, his gaze falling on the little fire phoenix preening its feathers triumphantly on Xiao Man's shoulder.
"Your character. Losing is embarrassing enough, and you're still acting spoiled and complaining." Xiao Man glanced at Zhu Qing, who was rolling on the ground, and said coolly.
"It's a bird, and I'm a snake. It's naturally my natural enemy."
"You're an adult, and it's still a child."
"But it's my natural enemy in terms of bloodline, and it's younger than me. I can't bully it!"
"You want to bully me? Do you have the ability?" the little fire phoenix huffed. "Mama..."
Xiao Man gave it a look, and the little fire phoenix immediately changed its tune. "Papa, I miss Mama."
Xiao Man withdrew her gaze and continued digging for herbs. The little fire phoenix cautiously observed Xiao Man's expression. Seeing that Xiao Man was not angry, it quickly nuzzled Xiao Man's face affectionately. "Papa, I want to eat."
"No."
"What do you want to eat?" Shui Lù immediately asked.
The little fire phoenix's eyes lit up, and it immediately looked at the Nine-Leaf Ganoderma, its mouth watering. Shui Lù watched, amused, and reached out to pick it. However, as soon as he touched the Nine-Leaf Ganoderma, it withered at a visible rate. He couldn't help but be stunned. He was wearing gloves, so why couldn't he touch the Nine-Leaf Ganoderma?