NOVEL NEXT Chapter 119: Thirty
Chapter 119: Thirty
After walking for a few miles, Xu Lian finally saw the Poison Dragon Pool.
In his imagination, Poison Dragon Pool should have been the name of a water pond. However, it was nothing of the sort. Instead, floating about thirty feet above the ground were bloated, pig-stomach-like objects, each with a large mouth filled with dense tiny teeth.
“Puff! Puff! Puff!”
As the group approached, the bloated creatures began to spew out colorful bubbles.
Inside these bubbles were snakes, spiders, centipedes, and other poisonous creatures.
What kind of monstrous things are they? Xu Lian was truly broadening his horizons. In his view, these pig-stomach-like bloated creatures defied all biological logic. How could so many poisonous creatures survive inside of them?
He really wanted to slash one open with his sword to see just how many poisonous creatures were inside and why they seemed endless. Moreover, even after spitting out so many creatures, the bloated things didn’t seem to shrink at all.
“They are poisonous. Don’t touch them. Try to avoid them as much as possible,” Jiang Xianyu warned. “If you can’t avoid them, use your weapons to kill them.”
This warning was obviously directed at Xu Lian. The others were experienced and didn’t need her to explain it to them any further. They had already begun to actively avoid the bubble-like poisonous creatures.
Xu Lian controlled his black horse, weaving left and right, skillfully maneuvering to avoid these bubble creatures.
Fortunately, the bubbles descended slowly, giving everyone ample time to dodge them.
Xu Lian looked at the slowly falling bubble creatures and couldn’t help but feel puzzled. “They’re falling so slowly. They don’t seem very dangerous, do they?”
Xiao Xixi scoffed, “You country bumpkin who’s never seen the world, this is just the beginning. There will be bigger ones later.”
Xu Lian teased, “A few nights ago, when you wanted to earn thirty Spirit Stones from me, you didn’t call me a country bumpkin. What are these bigger ones you’re talking about?”
Xiao Xixi blushed and glared at him. “Why should I tell you? Unless you’re willing to let me earn another thirty spirit stones tonight.”
Xu Lian hesitated for a moment, then said, “Alright, fine…”
Xiao Xixi immediately added, “You need to pay me ten spirit stones as a deposit first.”
Xu Lian had no choice but to toss her the ten spirit stones.
Xiao Xixi caught them and pocketed them.
Old Yun interjected, “Why are you only getting spirit stones from him? Are our spirit stones not good enough?”
Xiao Xixi was quite beautiful indeed, and it wasn’t just Old Man Yun who had their eyes on her. Other men in the group, including some of the guards, were also eager to spend thirty spirit stones for her company. For some reason, however, she had refused them all.
“Look at your sorry faces. Even if you offered three hundred spirit stones, I still wouldn’t accept,” Xiao Xixi snorted. “What do you take me for? Do you think I’m some kind of loose woman? I have my own rules. First, I must find the man acceptable. Second, I only entertain one man at a time.”
She even picks her clients… The group was speechless, and they couldn’t help but feel a little jealous of Xu Lian. They tried to convince him.
“Brother Xu, in Pingyang County, you can find a pretty girl for just a few taels of silver. Sure, she’s a cultivator, but thirty spirit stones is way too expensive. You should be careful.”
“From the way she’s acting, it’s clear that she’s trying to drain you dry.”
Xiao Xixi was furious. “What’s it to you? You’re just sour grapes because you can’t have me. Go ahead and be jealous.”
However, Xu Lian didn’t think the price was too high. It was like a box of instant noodles – selling it on the side of the road versus selling it at the peak of Mount Everest would naturally result in vastly different prices. On such a dangerous journey, the high price seemed understandable.
Ignoring the others, Xiao Xixi continued to talk to Xu Lian about the larger poisonous creatures that would appear later. They weren’t just bigger, but also more poisonous and ferocious.
She might as well have said nothing… Xu Lian could only walk forward in silence.
Seeing that Xu Lian had lost interest in the larger poisonous creatures, Xiao Xixi stopped talking about them and began to share her own story instead. “I know these people look down on me and think I’m cheap, but I never had a choice. My family has been poor since I was a child.
We couldn’t afford food, so I was sold to a brothel. I started by serving tea and water, and when I grew up I was forced to entertain customers. That’s the way the world is. What could I do?
“Fortunately, I met a kind-hearted cultivator who saw that I had potential and taught me some cultivation techniques. From that day on, I vowed to become a cultivator and change my fate.”
“After I saved enough money, I bought my own freedom, left the brothel, and began my life as a cultivator.
However, I soon realized that even cultivation isn’t easy. First of all, you need cultivation resources. Without them, talent is useless.
The vast majority of cultivation resources are controlled by sects and powerful families. For an rogue cultivator like me, it is extremely difficult to obtain these resources.
I had no choice but to return to my old profession. Fortunately, with my good looks, I was still able to earn some spirit stones to buy cultivation resources and barely sustain my practice.”
How tragic… Xu Lian fell silent after hearing her story. “Why are you telling me all this? We’re not that close, are we?”
Xiao Xixi replied, “I’ve seen a lot of men, but you’re different. Most men look at me as if they want to swallow me whole. You’re not like that. When you look at me, there’s always a hint of pity in your eyes.”
That’s because I was hoping for a boost in favorability, you know… Xu Lian was indeed hoping for a stroke of luck to gain some favorability points.
Xu Lian asked, “So what?”
Xiao Xixi brushed a strand of hair from her cheek and smiled coquettishly, “I’m very perceptive. When the others took their antidote pills, they all looked pained. Only Zhou Xin, the young master of the Zhou family, and you didn’t seem to mind.
Especially you. You took the antidote pills as if they were candy. I can tell that you must come from a remarkable background and have a lot of spirit stones. Would you dare to let me have only you as my man from now on?”
The reason I took so many antidote pills is simply because I value my life too much… Xu Lian’s eyes narrowed, “Are you thinking of leaving your old life behind?”
Xiao Xixi nodded, “I’ve always wanted to. Do you dare?”
Xu Lian fell silent again. This wasn’t a question of whether he dared or not, but rather whether it was worth it. If Xiao Xixi were to follow him from now on, he would undoubtedly be responsible for providing her with cultivation resources. He wasn’t the type to let his emotions cloud his judgment and make impulsive decisions.
He had gradually become accustomed to the way of thinking in this world, where everything had to be considered from the perspective of benefit. Was this worth it?
Clearly, it wasn’t.
Unless Xiao Xixi developed a favorability toward him, and that favorability increased explosively, allowing him to gain progression points, then it might be worth it.
Xu Lian said, “I’m actually someone who values emotional connection… If you were to leave your old life and follow me, could you guarantee that you’d really care for me?”
Xiao Xixi was momentarily stunned, then her eyes welled up with tears as she seriously nodded, “If you let me leave my old life and follow you, I promise I’ll care for you deeply. Even if you run out of spirit stones and can’t support me, I will never leave you!”
Better to marry a reformed woman than… Xu Lian said, “All right, then try to take care of me. Stay with me for a while, and I’ll give you thirty Spirit Stones every day. I’ll watch you for a while before I make a decision.
If you truly come to care for me, I’ll be able to feel it.
If it doesn’t work out in the end, you won’t lose anything. You’ll still have earned spirit stones.”
Xiao Xixi shook her head, “You don’t need to give me spirit stones every day. Since I’ve decided to leave my old life and follow you, I won’t leave myself any way out. I’ll definitely take care of you.”
Xu Lian didn’t insist. If it didn’t work out in the end, he could just compensate her with a lump sum of money.
The other men in the group and some of the guards who had their eyes on Xiao Xixi were practically green with envy. Xiao Xixi was willing to follow him without even taking spirit stones for a while?
At some point, Jiang Xianyu walked over and stared at Xu Lian, “If she truly comes to care for you and you dare to abandon her, I won’t let you off.”
“…” Xu Lian didn’t know what to say, “What’s your relationship with her?”
Jiang Xianyu replied, “No special relationship. I just feel a little bit of sympathy for her.”
Xiao Xixi gave Jiang Xianyu a grateful look and smiled sweetly, “Thank you, Miss Jiang, for standing up for me. But I’m not a weak woman. I don’t need your sympathy.
If Xu Lang betrays me, I won’t blame him. I’ll just blame myself for misjudging him and laugh at my own foolish dreams. From then on, I’ll cut off all emotions and never think of leaving my old life again.”
“As you wish.”
Jiang Xianyu nodded and said nothing more. She urged her horse forward and ordered, “Prepare for battle! The large poisonous creatures of the Poison Dragon Pool are about to appear!”
Zhou Xin spurred his horse to follow her, “Miss Jiang, I’ll help you.”
It was clear to everyone that Zhou Xin, the young master of the Zhou family, hadn’t come on this trip to go to Yanfu County. He was here for Jiang Xianyu, hoping to win her favor during this perilous journey.