Di Xueyan's face became full of sweats as she inserted the last needle in his body.
His subordinates rejected her idea but surrendered when they heard a light grunt from their master. Though they have heard it a lot of times now, they can't still bear to get used to it. Their master that never even blinked when his arm was almost severed, uttered a light grunt because of the pain of both his body and soul, how can they not be moved? Thus, they all decided to give it a shot. They knew that they can't very well experiment their master's life, but they are left with no choice as their master's body became weaker and weaker the moment that the curse started when he became twenty.
If something will go wrong, they can call his mother even if their master forbade them to disturb her of his business. His mother is a godly doctor and alchemist, she can even revive a man with only a last breath to savor, she can surely save her son if ever.
They know that they are wrong, but they are just so anxious as they stare at the moving veins in their master's body.
Di Xueyan looks pale because of qi loss, but her paleness is nothing to the man in bed a moment ago. She stares at the porcupi - - man rather, that is currently being poked with hundred of needles. She wanted to laugh, but decided against it. This is the most crucial moment, thus, she can't just laugh it off.
Ye Longtian's subordinates are no stranger to the acupuncture technique. They already saw once the marvel of such technique when their master's mother once healed one of them. But this is the first time that they heard that their master's illness can be suppressed by acupuncture. Even their master's mother that is hailed as godly doctor didn't know that this technique exist, how can their master be in this state if she does? Thus, they can't help but to frown in doubt.
One of them was about to stop her when she put her hand above the needles and sway it, prompting the needles to vibrate, dancing along with the rhythm of their master's veins. Luckily, their leader stopped him when he realized that this is the crucial part of the treatment, otherwise the girl will suffer from backlash and their master might be harmed.
Di Xueyan's brows are already furrowed. She was very confident when she said that she can suppress it because her mother came upon an acupunture technique that was once used by a god to suppress this same illness when she once ventured an ancient grave. She said that the god was way stronger than her by hundred times as she was barely alive when she went out, luckily and unluckily her mother doesn't give a damn about such grave injuries and focused only in obtaining gains... and fun . She was quite domineering and fearless when she was in her youth. If not for her high leveled and god leveled artifacts, she would have died that time. That was also the time that her mother and father first met.
Hundred Roaring Needles is an acupunture technique that specialises in calming the soul. The whole description of that ancient script simply says, ' a technique that quells the raging soul of the moon, but can't cure'. Simple right? It is her mother who instantly thought of the moon curse so she studied the technique thoroughly before coming to a conclusion that she is right.
Di Xueyan never used the technique before, therefore she is now not quiet sure whatever the hell she is doing, but she very well know that she can't stop this anymore. She became more serious, but she never expected that this curse is so powerful that it needs sheer willpower to finish it.
She heard from her mother that there was a rumor that this curse was the personal curse of the moon goddess to show her resentment to whoever it was. Seeing how powerful it is that she can barely keep going, she can't help but to think that maybe it is really something that a goddess had done.
She can barely keep her back straight when she felt that the soul beneath the needles is slowly calming after a few hours. Sweats drop from her exhausted face, even her body is lightly shaking.
" So this is how powerful a true goddess can be", she lightly mutters as she can feel her flesh trembling. Like wtf? She almost died just to suppress it, what more if someone wants to cure it?
She sigh in relief. If it went further, she might as well drop dead on the spot. She saw the veins slowly calming until his body returns to its original state. She took the needles in one swoop and hurriedly drink a qi replenishing pill before her vision turns black and she collapsed on the ground.
The shadow guards saw how their master miraculously calmed down even if the moon is still up. Usually, during full moon, their master's illness will not subside until dawn. Their eyes went wide in amazement but their leader still never forget to take the falling lady before she falls painfully in the ground. He saw how pale she is thus he ordered one of his colleagues to procure a bed and gently put her there.
The man in the bed sleeps peacefully for the first time after he turnes twenty during a full moon. The peaceful rise and fall of his chest indicates the end of this night's suffering, therefore his subordinates leave the room without forgetting to take the young woman away. Aside from the fear of their master's outrage once he will find out that he is sleeping near a woman, they also had little respect for the woman because of her feat, thus they can't bear to sullen her reputation. They can't afford to have her throwing a fit tomorrow if she will wake up and find herself with a man in the room.
How would they know that the woman that they want to protect, does not even know their implication? Though she knew that this world is very strict, but so what? Who asked her parents to raise them in a place where as long as you have aheemm-- protection, then it is fine! ' Live like the romans do' my ass! Why would she if she is living her own life? If she will know their thought right now, maybe she will just tell them anyway that, ' I even sleep soundly together with my boy classmates whenever we have thesis in their houses, with an open mouth, dripping saliva and limbs stretch wide, what more with a man whose face is not even sure of it is of a human or whatever entity there is in this world?', the point is, she can sleep wherever as long as she can't feel some malicious intent. But she's asleep, so disregarding her liberal mind is for the best.
---
Di Xueyan woke up feeling refreshed. She knows it is because of her mother's pill. She is also an alchemist and prided herself because of that, but for a desperate time such as last night, she has no choice but to use her mother's pill.
As if she has a choice as she really is pitifully and pathetically weak right now. If people will hear her while knowing her real cultivation, they might puke blood. She is a heaven 3rd mid - step cultivator at the age of twenty four for goodness sake! The realm cultivation is divided into three step, the upper, mid and high in which each are divided into five levels. Considering that she only started cultivating when she was nineteen, she really will be considered a genius among geniuses in the mainland. Of course though, without the resources that were generously given by her mother, she won't deny the fact that she might not have the same power that she has right now, so her mother deserve the credits.
She surveys her surrounding and found herself inside a luxurious tent which made her frown. Who the hell in their right minds would embroider their tents with roaring golden dragon everywhere ? No - - scratch that, who the hell would embroider their tents?
The interior looks domineering as the golden dragon in the center stood mightily as if it is the center of the universe. The little dragons surrounding it prostrate themselves before the golden dragon, like subordinates to their masters and subjects to their king. The whole background is red. She raise her brow when she saw that even the bed is red together with the comforter and the pillows, like wtf? Who the hell is going to marry?
But since it is not her business because she should be grateful that she has a comfortable bed to sleep in - - -
' Wait! Why should I be thankful? What I did for that monkey is more than enough! ', she rolls her eyes and decided to get her ass out of the tent. What she saw outside is a bustling scene.
The men from yesterday are making the breakfast. Some are making porridge while some are cooking the main dishes and side dishes.
She looks at the tent at the other side and gape at how unnecessarily gaudy it is. Unlike her red tent, the tent in her side is purple colored. The outside is embroidered with entricate pattern that looks chaotic but peaceful at the same time. It looks very regal and refreshing but extravagant, knowing that the threads used are not ordinary but as a woman who does not even knows how to embroider, how would she knows what it is? It just a sparkling silver with a lot more life than the usually dull silver. She just even knows that the embroidery in her tent is gold because it is colored gold in the first place.
It is a shame that she can't understand the pattern in the embroidery, but looking at how it gives off a peaceful yet imposing aura, she knows that it is considered grand. Would it kill this little boy if he will just take a simple white tent in the wild? Even she can't bear to get this fine things to be just mudded in a damn forest.
" Good morning!", she cheerfully greeted as she deeply inhales the delicious scent wafting in the air, making her stomach grumble. She went to look at the cooking people and marvels how these men is so good with their cooking and cutting techniques. The way they cut their ingredients are so precise and meticulous, making her, a woman, feel embarrassed. She is not a meticulous cooker to begin with nor does she has some weird fetish of making everything looks perfect, as long as it taste nice, she won't mind if the cut is uneven.
" Hey how can you do that neatly? What a pro!", she exclaimed while looking at the shadow guard who was assigned to chop the ingredients and meat. The shadow guard might not know what in the world a 'pro' is, but he thinks that it is a compliment, so he smiled lightly and start a conversation with her.
Ye Longtian has never had a good night sleep whenever it is a full moon of the month, this is the first time. So, he woke up way earlier than the usual 2 days sleep. He instantly sumon the leader of his shadow guards and asked him what happened last night.
" The young lady used an acupuncture method to suppress your illness last night, master. After that, she passed out", the shadow guard emotionlessly reported what happened the night before. Though completely unnecessary as he knows that his master will not give a damn, it still felt right to report that someone passed out to save him. Ye Longtian raises his left brow, a glint of interest flashed his eyes before it vanished.
It was caught by his shadow guard, making the shadow guard think that at last, his master shows an interest to a girl even if it is just passing. He, together with his master's family, are already afraid that their master sways the other way.
How would he know that he is not even a little bit interested with the girl, but to her acupuncture technique? How would he also know that his master saw the subtle change in his face, making Ye Longtian rolls his eyes internally?
Ye Longtian went out of his extravagant tent and immediately saw his subordinates cooking as usual but with an addition. The girl is assigned to cut the vegetables and he can't stop himself but to raise his brows in contempt when he saw the uneven cuts. He closes his eyes to stop himself from having a bad mood early in the morning.
After a moment, the dishes are served in a round table laid under a shade of an ancient tree. Di Xueyan saw the appetizing dishes and inhaled the smell while closing her eyes. A while ago, she was only assigned to cut veggies, the others are cooking. She knows very well what they really thought, but to prevent things from getting awkward, she just shut her tactless mouth and continue doing her work, trying to engrave the cutting technique that the shadow guard imparted to her. She was about to take a braised pork when a low clearing of throat from behind disrupts her movement. That is when she realized that the host has not even put his table napkin in his lap yet, making her flush in embarrassment. She awkwardly clears her throat and act as if nothing happens.
Ye Longtian saw the embarassed face of the girl in front of him as amusement flashed in his eyes before it vanish.
' What a glutton'
He started eating quietly, his silver mask is glinting coldly whenever the wind sways the leaves that serves as their shade.
Seeing that he started eating quietly, Di Xueyan excitedly reached out for the braised pork again without minding the man who seems to gave her a look of contempt awhile ago and instantly puts it in her mouth after slicing it into little parts.
A spatting sound echoes throughout the quiet surrounding. Everyone's face looks puzzled as they watched the coughing girl who is wiping her table napkin in her mouth frantically.
" What the hell is this?", she exclaimed. She knows very well that she has no right to complain as she just freeloaded, but who the hell can eat this dish? She watched the man in front of her who stopped eating while looking at the pork fat that she just spat in her plate with disgust, as if he can't continue eating anymore, earning a big eye roll from her.
What a sissy.
" Why is the taste feels weird? Should this be sweet? Why is it sour and something like astringent? What am I eating in the first place? It is braised pork right?", she asked the shadow guard nearest to her who gives her an innocent stare. He looks at his master and when it nods, he faces Di Xueyan again.
" The dishes are filled with rare medicinal plants to nourish a person's constitution and to maximize the spirit qi of the ingredients", the shadow guard briefly replied and went back to his post rigidly.
Di Xueyan can't believe it. Even when eating, the people here still tortures themselves? She understands that the masked man needs it after what he went through last night, but she doesn't need it, thank you very much. She can cultivate to fill her spirit qi and drink pills to nourish her, so why the hell would she torture herself?
" Sorry to offend you but, I guess I really can't eat this. But don't worry, the presentation is very good as well as the - - the -- whatever", she awkwardly excused herself and went to a huge space just in the side of the table, leaving a lot of glinting emotions in the eyes of the men she left.
" How capricious!", one of them absentmindedly muttered. Their culinary skill is already the best in the whole continent (self - proclaimed), how can she say that she can't stomach eating it bluntly?
Ye Longtian did not even cast the girl a glance and just ordered his subordinate to clean the mess.
Di Xueyan saw an empty space and immediately get her cooking things from her storage ring.
The men saw her getting weird equipments from her storage ring. They saw her get a rectangular moss green with square design and went to a place where the sun shines the brightest. They can't undestand why instead of making a fire, she still has the time to do some unnecessary things. They saw how she plugged a long and thick black thread like object and connects it to a small rectangular metal where she pours a generous amount of oil. All the shadow guards are curious as to what this things are, yet what frustrates them is that they can't move. They saw her took out another rectangular metal but is flatter than the other one and plugged the thick and long black thread in something that they can't see because of the angle. They observed how she took a meat and large amount of sliced potatoes, seasoned the meat with spices and seasoned the potatoes with salt. Their eyes widen as she brazenly put the sliced potatoes in the oil, wondering how it will cook if there is no fire?
They felt ridiculous when they heard a sizzling sound. All of them instantly flick their ears, wondering if they already has hearing problems. What made them more incredulous is when they saw how she put the meat in the flat rectangular box and heard another sizzling sound.
" What in the world is happening?", one of the men unmovingly stare at the weird devices that can cut off work a million way faster.
" Will that really cook the food?", another muttered mindlessly as if checking if the things are just for aesthetic purposes but failed when Di Xueyan flips the meat. They saw how the meat is evenly cooked with even a grilled marks!
A delicious scent wafted in the air when she added butter and thyme to her steak, making the shadow guards unconsciously gulp.
Ye Longtian observes his subordinates changes of emotions with a cold amusement as he continues eating his fill slowly, disregarding their inattention for the first time.
If Di Xueyan knows that they are enterpreting her cooking the way the martian did in 'the martian sends a postcard home', she would really laugh out loud.