Originated from mountains and seas, life never ends

Chapter 166 Yumian

"…So, what do you want to say?"

Nangong Huaxue smiled slightly, and her usually gentle eyes turned cold as she looked at the woman in front of her.

"Your Majesty, please don't be angry. We have no ill intentions."

The woman in front of her took out a small white porcelain bottle and placed it in front of her, smiling meaningfully: "We are fully aware of what you have suffered and express our deep sympathy... I hope you know that if you are willing, we are always available to cooperate with you."

What cooperation... You sound so polite.

Nangong Huaxue sneered in his heart and glanced at the porcelain vase on the table.

First, he showed concern for her struggling under Wang Ji's protection. After seeing that she had deep hatred towards Wang Ji, he hinted that they could help her escape from Wang Ji's control. Now he brought out this...

Nangong Huaxue calmly picked up the porcelain bottle, raised her eyes, and looked at her at a loss: "This... this is——?"

"This is Yumian, a specialty of Wangqiu. It has an excellent effect on blocked meridians and necrosis. It is an extremely rare medicinal ingredient... But be careful. If it is drunk by a Qi cultivator with healthy tendons and meridians, especially those with higher cultivation, their meridians will be broken inch by inch, and their tendons and bones will be eroded like a nest. The pain will be like a thousand ants gnawing at your heart, and you will eventually become a useless person."

The woman finished speaking softly, looking at her with a smile: "So your majesty must use it with caution."

Nangong Huaxue closed her eyes slightly, looked at the porcelain bottle in her hand, and after a moment of silence, she put it away.

"Well, thank you, Thunderbringer."

Nangong Huaxue smiled, her eyes gentle, and gave her a warm smile.

……

"What do you want to tell me?"

Qin Xiao looked at the man in front of him and couldn't help but speak.

The guy took him around and finally they arrived at the hotel he had booked a long time ago.

The guests in the restaurant were noisy, but it was quiet here, and there was no one in the private room for a whole week. People only came in when the food was served, and they came and went very quickly without any unnecessary movements.

"Would you like to try the cooking here first?" Wang Ji said with a smile, not seeming to be in a hurry.

Qin Xiao: ...

Qin Xiao felt somewhat helpless. Whether in his previous life or now, he hated people who didn't say what they wanted to say directly but had to beat around the bush.

Does she like this kind?

Qin Xiao looked at the man in front of him. He was indeed good-looking, his gestures were elegant, and his tone was quite gentle when he spoke...

She was indeed quite pretty, but he didn't like her very much.

For some reason, Qin Xiao didn't like this kind of person, nor did he think he was as gentle as he appeared.

Qin Xiao picked up a plate of snacks and took a bite.

He had only taken a casual bite, but he had never expected that it tasted so good. Qin Xiao had never eaten such delicious pastries before.

Wang Ji watched the child in front of him light up his eyes, and quickly stuffed the small and exquisite pastry into his mouth, and couldn't help but smile knowingly.

I don't know if I can pack it...

Qin Xiao suddenly thought of bringing it to Mo Hanyu and the others to try.

"If you like it so much, you can order two more plates to take home when you leave later."

Wang Ji seemed to see what he was thinking and said with a smile.

Qin Xiao paused and nodded.

"So, little friend." Wang Ji waited for Qin Xiao to finish his tea and eat all the cakes in his mouth before asking, "Who made that cave for you?"

Qin Xiao paused and looked at him.

Wang Ji was still smiling, and didn't seem to think that the question he asked was very sharp.

"...Although I don't know what a puppet is, she is not one." Qin Xiao looked at him and replied.

"I believe you won't lie, but everything can't be solved by just believing." Wang Ji produced a fan from somewhere, opened it and closed it again, "I need evidence."

"...Then what evidence do you need?" Qin Xiao put down his chopsticks and sat looking at him.

"The puppets are made by the Corpse Binders, but they are not made of wood, but of children under ten years old." Wang Ji lowered his eyes slightly, looked at the tea in the cup in his hand, and said leisurely, "I have heard a little about the production process. They use the Soul-Catching Grass to hang the lives of those children, hollow out their internal organs, extract their tendons and bones, and then refine their tendons and bones and stuff them back into the flesh, and then they are made."

"During this entire process, we must ensure that the children have a clear consciousness. When the refining is complete, we will chop off their heads and kill them, then use the soul-refining nails to nail their heads back on. In this way, the souls of those children will be imprisoned in that body forever, and they will regard the person who refined them as their master."

Wang Ji spoke slowly and looked up at Qin Xiao's expression, only to find that his face remained the same, without any of the fear or guilt that a normal child would have when hearing this story.

"Aren't you scared when you hear this?" Wang Ji asked with a smile.

"Not really." Qin Xiao said truthfully, "It's just a little unexpected."

Wang Ji: “Oh?”

"If your bones and heart are taken out, can you still live?"

Wang Ji smiled and said, "Taking the soul-snatching grass can keep a person alive for two days. It was originally used to save lives in critical moments, but it was abused by those people."

Wang Ji said this and couldn't help shaking his head.

"Although most of the cave puppets we have seen have no self-awareness, because the torture they suffered before death caused their mental breakdown, a small number of those who survived can have some consciousness, but they still cannot resist the orders of their masters."

"What will happen to his puppets if the 'master' dies?"

"There are two possibilities. One is to actively crush the souls of the puppets and let them perish along with themselves. The other is that if they don't have time, the soul-refining nails on the puppets' heads and necks will lose their function, releasing their souls."

Qin Xiao listened and nodded thoughtfully.

"So, how are you going to prove it to me?" Wang Ji gave him a lot of popular science, took a sip of tea, and smiled, "Prove that you are not a Corpse Binder?"

Qin Xiao pursed his lips and frowned slightly, seeming a little conflicted.

[Hey, you promised me, you can't go back on your word. ]

The voice that he least wanted to hear at this moment came into his mind. Qin Xiao closed his eyes, tightened his fingers slightly, and sighed after a moment of silence.

"I see."

Wang Ji's eyes moved slightly, and just as he was about to say something, he felt the sudden bone-chilling chill. He immediately turned his head to look at the source. He was like a tiger before hunting, his whole body tense and his eyes cold.

I saw a girl in a white dress appear in the corner at some point.

The girl's skin was pale, with many suture marks on her body and a hideous scar on her neck. At first glance, she fits Wang Ji's description just now.

Wang Ji was stunned for a moment and couldn't help but glance at Qin Xiao with a surprised look.

"Hello."

Before Wang Ji could say anything, the girl suddenly took a step forward, stood in front of him and smiled at him.

Wang Ji looked at the bright smile on the girl's face and couldn't help but be stunned again.

Qin Xiao felt helpless upon seeing this, and held his forehead, unable to bear looking at it.

"……Hello."

However, Wang Ji had a good ability to accept things. He quickly digested the scene in front of him, regained his previous smile, and greeted the girl.

"You are--"

"My name is Qian. I just heard you talk about that cave... something like that, haha, it's so scary, hollowing out the internal organs and stuff..." Qian didn't wait for Wang Ji to ask, and said to him with a smile, "So that means the Corpse Binder really deserves to die."

"That's right, so Yu Huayan ordered the existence of corpse binders." Wang Ji replied with a smile, and suddenly stretched out his hand and held the arm of the young child who was close to him.

As expected, the skin was cold and stiff, without any trace of human warmth.

"So, you are self-aware?" Wang Ji asked, tapping his chin lightly.

"Yeah." Qian nodded and sat down like them. Her eyes wandered around the room and finally fixed her gaze on a dessert on the table.

"Um...can I eat it?" Qian looked at Wang Ji cautiously and asked him.

"...Of course." Wang Ji's eyes dimmed, and he looked at her with no idea what he was thinking.

Qin Xiao placed the plate of cakes in front of her. Qian picked it up gently, took a bite slowly, and then squinted her eyes in satisfaction.

"Oh, it's delicious, but it's a pity that I have no sense of taste." Qian could only feel the crispy crust and the soft and fluid interior of the dessert, but could not taste its fragrant and sweet flavor.

Wang Ji watched the girl in front of him swallow the pastry, but she seemed to be choking, so he brought her a cup of tea.

Qian took it without hesitation, said thank you with a smile and drank it.

Wang Ji stared at the lively-eyed child in front of him, tapped the table unconsciously, then looked at the slightly nervous Xiao next to him, and suddenly smiled.

"What is your relationship?"

"I'm his sister." Qian said without hesitation.

Perhaps because of Wang Ji's kind appearance, she was also very friendly to him.

"Oh?" Wang Ji's eyes moved slightly and he looked at Qin Xiao. Seeing that Qin Xiao had no intention of refutation, his eyes dimmed and he lowered his eyelids as if thinking about something.

"So, how do I prove that I'm not that...something?" Qian asked.

"No, that's not necessary." Wang Ji smiled, "You've already proved it."

Qian:?

Qian didn't understand what he meant and glanced at Qin Xiao.

Qin Xiao was also a little confused. He frowned slightly and looked at Wang Ji.

Meeting Wang Ji's gaze, Qin Xiao understood something, looked at Qian, and communicated with her through his telepathy.

【Come back.】

Upon hearing this, Qian could only look at Wang Ji in surprise and confusion again, as if she still didn't understand why she had already proved it without doing anything, and then she turned into a wisp of green smoke and disappeared.

After Qian left, the two sat opposite each other in silence for a long time.

Qin Xiao thought that his anxiety had changed his mind anyway, so he lowered his head to eat. Wang Ji sat opposite him and looked at him quietly, as if he was considering something.

"Before I met you, your father came to me about your matter." Wang Ji spoke in a steady tone.

Finally brought this up.

Qin Xiao put down his chopsticks, looked at him, and didn't respond.

"I can see that you are different from other children." Wang Ji said, tapping his temple gently, "The look in your eyes and your reaction to things are not like that of a ten-year-old child."

When Qin Xiao heard this, he was stunned at first, and his eyes changed slightly.

"Before you proved it to me, because of your words, actions and past, I thought you were just a little different from ordinary corpse binders." Wang Ji gently opened the fan, staring at the fine texture of the fan nonchalantly, and said slowly, "But Mo Hanshang assured me that he didn't think the girl was a puppet, so I gave you this time."

"I originally just wanted to talk to you, but your father was very worried about this, and even asked me to talk alone... He was willing to guarantee me with his life that you are definitely not a Corpse Binder."

When Qin Xiao heard this, his pupils moved slightly and ripples appeared in his heart.

I am very touched, but...

"What do you mean by saying this?" Qin Xiao's expression did not change, he just looked at him.

"It's nothing." Wang Ji smiled, seemingly nonchalant. "I don't know what's in that mountain, but it's very dangerous. People... can do anything to survive, especially in a place without any rules."

“This is normal and understandable.”

"But now that we're out, we should think about what's next..." Wang Ji shook his teacup casually, "Children are impulsive and don't know good from evil. It's normal for them to cause trouble, but I advise you to find the right balance."

"You are not a teenager of 17 or 18 years old. You have caused trouble and made enemies. The adults naturally don't want to bother with a child like you. So who do you think they will blame and who will they go to?"

Qin Xiao paused and his eyes changed.

"It's not a bad thing to keep a low profile. Sometimes, even if you don't intend to, trouble will still find you."

Wang Ji raised his eyes slightly, saw this, smiled, and put down the teacup: "You are a smart child, I believe you can understand."

“…Is this considered advice?”

Wang Ji smiled and did not answer.

Qin Xiao frowned and stared at the delicacies on the table in front of him, with light and dark in his eyes. After a moment of silence, he nodded.

"I know, I'll pay attention."

……

Qin Xiao still bought a few dishes that he thought were delicious, went to where Qiu Puyue lived, and as expected, found Mo Hanyu.

As soon as I entered the door, before I saw anyone, I heard Taotie's playful voice.

"I told you two to follow me. I just happen to be in need of two younger brothers."

Qin Xiao:?

Qin Xiao entered the room and saw Yin Xihui and Qiu Puyue sitting at the table. They looked helplessly at Taotie who was sitting at the table. Yu Jin who was sitting in the air next to them and Chi Feng who was leaning against the wall with his arms folded showed some indescribable expressions.

Mo Hanyu, who was sitting alone at the table, heard the noise and looked towards him. The moment he saw him, his eyes lit up.

"How was the chat?" Mo Hanyu said as he looked at his expression.

Qin Xiao looked puzzled: "It's OK."

"Did he make things difficult for you?" Mo Hanyu saw him sitting down next to him and leaned over to ask.

Qin Xiao recalled their conversation and shook his head.

Mo Hanyu breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good."

Seeing him like this, Qin Xiao smiled: "Are you so worried?"

"Of course." Mo Hanyu glanced at him unhappily, "You don't know some things about him."

Qin Xiao raised his eyebrows: "Oh?"

Mo Hanyu was just about to talk to him when the Taotie sitting at the table spoke again.

"Oh, I've told you all, you won't be treated unfairly if you follow me." Taotie said with a pout.

"I went hungry ten times in three days following you?" Qiongqi sat on the railing on the second floor and said sarcastically, "On the fourth day, I was eaten as a snack."

"You're slandering me!" Taotie was not convinced and shouted, "But you see, I didn't eat her either, did I?"

Looking at the handsome man pointing at her, Qiu Puryue didn't react for a moment.

What does this have to do with her?

Faced with Qiu Puyue's confused expression, Taotie shook his head in disappointment.

Yin Xihui chuckled and turned to look at Qin Xiao: "You've been busy these past two days? Did something happen?"

"No." Qin Xiao denied, "I just went for a walk."

"Oh?" Yin Xi raised his eyebrows.

Qiu Puryue's eyes lit up: "That's perfect, I've also withdrawn from the competition, so we don't have to train all day long... How about we play together?"

"I don't have any objection..." Mo Hanyu looked at Qin Xiao.

"Me neither." Yin Xihui also nodded.

Qin Xiao tilted his head slightly, his eyes straight, as if he was thinking about something, and looked at the two of them: "Then you should disguise yourself."

Qiu Puryue: “Ah?”

Yin Xihui was stunned for a moment, then he understood what Qin Xiao meant and said with a smile: "Do you think it will cause you trouble?"

"I do have some identity." Qin Xiao said frankly.

Qiu Puyue hesitated after hearing this: "To be honest, it's not good for you to trouble yourself so much..."

"It doesn't matter to you, as long as you don't get exposed." Qin Xiao glanced at her and turned to Yin Xihui, "It's mainly you."

Yin Xihui was startled for a moment, then laughed and shook his head helplessly: "I understand."