The Nine Creating Dan Is Far From Enough! . . .
In the wake of the woman's gesture, blood began to pool on the floor, a gruesome mosaic of flesh and gore coalescing like convergent streams. The crimson tide flowed like a river, tracing a morbid path down the mountainside. As for the men who had provoked this macabre transformation, well... they were long past being.
An anguished cry escaped Su Ye-Yue's lips as she beheld the unimaginable. She regarded the woman with a mixture of terror and disbelief, trembling uncontrollably. Her eyes mirrored her profound fear as she stammered, "You... Oh my God..."
The woman, however, appeared unfazed by the spectacle. With an affectionate tone, she remarked, "Oh, my dear girl, are you frightened? I did warn you not to look. Disobedience only leads to mistakes, my young disciple. I trust you comprehend that now."
Su Ye-Yue continued to tremble, her teeth chattering audibly. She struggled to articulate her bewilderment, her voice quivering, "That... What just happened? How did all those living men vanish so suddenly..."
Desperate for answers, Su Ye-Yue turned to Cha-Eun Xiao, seeking clarity from him. To her astonishment, she found him drenched in blood, his pallor drained, and his body on the brink of collapse. He appeared as though a strong gust of wind could topple him.
"Xiao Xiao!" Su Ye-Yue cried out, panic and anguish in her voice. She rushed to his side, taking him in her arms.
The woman's gaze shifted from the wounded Cha-Eun Xiao to Su Ye-Yue. Her voice held a tinge of resignation as she said, "He is gravely injured and teetering on the brink of death."
Su Ye-Yue, clutching Cha-Eun Xiao, was unable to contain her grief as tears streamed down her face. Her pleas grew desperate as she implored, "No! I won't allow him to die! Xiao Xiao, please! We haven't even been married yet... Sob, sob, sob..."
Behind Su Ye-Yue, the woman observed Cha-Eun Xiao, her expression undergoing a subtle transformation. Her eyes initially bore a piercing, deadly intent, but this soon gave way to an air of helplessness.
Amid the emotional turmoil, Cha-Eun Xiao regarded the woman with an unwavering, calm gaze. His voice was measured as he spoke, "If you intend to take her as your disciple, given your remarkable capabilities, it would undoubtedly be a blessing for her."
The woman's brow furrowed as she responded, "Is that truly your belief?"
Cha-Eun Xiao nodded resolutely, his sincerity evident. "I wholeheartedly believe it to be so. However, the ultimate decision rests with her."
The woman detected the authenticity in Cha-Eun Xiao's words, an unspoken sentiment from the depths of his heart. She acknowledged, "You harbor a wisdom I did not anticipate. You are less disagreeable than I had initially perceived."
Turning her attention to Su Ye-Yue, the woman posed a critical question, "My dear girl, would you like to accompany me?"
Su Ye-Yue clung to Cha-Eun Xiao, tending to his wounds with unwavering care, seemingly oblivious to the woman's inquiry. Her focus remained squarely on her injured fiancé, as if the world beyond them had faded into insignificance. The woman's question hung in the air, unanswered and unheeded.
With a faint shake of her head, the woman gracefully waved her hand, conjuring the illusion of billowing, multicolored clouds that swirled around her sleeves. In a dazzling display of radiant hues, a brilliant and vibrant light materialized and flowed into Cha-Eun Xiao's parted lips.
Instantly, Cha-Eun Xiao experienced a scorching surge coursing through his body from his dantian. In the blink of an eye, his agony dissipated, and his injuries vanished. The ceaseless bleeding ceased, and his skin returned to its natural state. It was as though the grievous wounds had never existed, and he appeared as hale and healthy as any ordinary man.
The astonishing transformation left Cha-Eun Xiao in awe. He marveled at the miraculous intervention that had restored his body. It was clear to him that the substance the woman had bestowed upon him far surpassed the potency of any supreme dan bead he had ever possessed. It was akin to a world-altering supreme dan bead, dwarfing his own in comparison. He sensed that the mysterious essence now residing within him had retained its formidable efficacy, lurking in silence. Though dormant, it remained poised to spring into action if he faced mortal peril, potentially safeguarding his life for several more instances.
As he contemplated the extraordinary gift, Cha-Eun Xiao was taken aback when the woman spoke again. Her words carried a tone of detached sincerity as she mentioned, "Since my girl is deeply in love with you, and you have willingly risked your life to protect her..." She paused briefly before continuing, "...I suppose I can bestow upon you this Nine Creating Dan Bead. Consider it a token of... recompense."
Cha-Eun Xiao was left astounded. "Nine Creating Dan!" he exclaimed inwardly, realizing the magnitude of the gift. It was a name unfamiliar to him, suggesting a dan of extraordinary significance.
He understood that the woman's gesture wasn't solely for his benefit; it was a reflection of her deep regard for Su Ye-Yue. Yet even so, the fact that she had bestowed upon him such a priceless treasure was nothing short of remarkable. It underscored the woman's unique character and the depths of her commitment to Su Ye-Yue. In that moment, Cha-Eun Xiao found himself incapable of drawing parallels between her and anyone else he had ever encountered.
Cha-Eun Xiao grasped the complexity of value as it hinged upon individual perspectives. What was considered precious to him might appear trivial in the eyes of the enigmatic woman who had graced their presence. It was a lesson in relativity—a reminder that one's treasure could be another's trifling matter.
For Cha-Eun Xiao, the gifted supreme dan bead held immense significance, but to the woman, it might have been just another bauble. It paralleled the perception of the Pei-Yuan dan—a magical elixir to the common folk in the Land of Han-Yang, a mere ordinary dan to cultivators, and garbage to those in the exalted Qing-Yun Realm. In essence, he and the woman occupied different strata of understanding, akin to the disparity between ordinary people and Qing-Yun Realm denizens.
Comparing one individual to another was, as Cha-Eun Xiao had come to understand, a fruitless endeavor. Each person bore a unique perspective, influenced by their own experiences and values.
Once she discerned that Cha-Eun Xiao's body was on the path to recovery, the woman, her voice devoid of sentiment, began to elucidate the properties of the dan bead. "This dan bead can offer you salvation eight times throughout your life. It will enhance your innate constitution, facilitating a smoother and more luminous path in your cultivation. If you exert yourself diligently, you may attain legendary status in this realm and potentially ascend to dominion in higher realms. I am taking your fiancée with me. I imagine it pains you deeply. This dan bead should serve as adequate compensation."
Her final words bore a sting, designed to reach only Cha-Eun Xiao's ears, concealing them from Su Ye-Yue's hearing.
Cha-Eun Xiao, however, shook his head with an air of detachment. "Compensation? That hardly suffices."
The woman registered her surprise, her demeanor shifting to cold detachment. "Not enough? Young man, you mustn't be greedy."
Cha-Eun Xiao responded with a measured tone. "I am not driven by greed. First and foremost, I never made any demands of you, rendering this gesture more of a token than compensation. Second, your perspective, while superior, colors your judgment. Consider, if I were to slay your husband and offer you this same compensation, would you find it sufficient?"
The woman's voice grew frostier. "You are hardly qualified to speak to me in such a manner."
Unperturbed, Cha-Eun Xiao maintained his composure. "And what leads you to believe you should address me in such a way?"
A palpable chill descended upon the conversation, yet it was Su Ye-Yue who interjected, her anxiety evident as she stood before Cha-Eun Xiao. Stammering, she asked, "Wh-what do you seek?"
The woman, her smile unwavering, regarded Su Ye-Yue. "Strong words, indeed. But you are correct. Nonetheless, even after a million more years of cultivation, you would remain incapable of challenging my husband."
Cha-Eun Xiao responded with a faint smile. "Nothing in this world is absolute. It is unwise to adopt an extreme stance in one's words or actions."
With those words, the woman ceased her dialogue, an enigmatic silence falling over the surroundings.
Fully restored, Cha-Eun Xiao's recovery didn't provoke any astonishment from the enigmatic woman. Her demeanor suggested an air of control, as though everything unfolded precisely according to her design. She seemed poised to speak, but her countenance shifted, a subtle grimace crossing her face. The scent of blood still lingering on the mountain evidently grated on her sensibilities. In a casual sweep of her hand, a powerful gust of wind swept through the area, purging the mountain of its grim reminders, leaving it pristine once more.
Yet, in a bewildering twist, Cha-Eun Xiao and Su Ye-Yue found themselves transported to the mountain's pinnacle alongside the mysterious woman. The clouds enveloped them, obscuring their view of the surroundings below. The sudden shift left them disoriented, their sense of time and space confounded.
"This woman possesses power capable of reshaping mountains and manipulating the very elements," Cha-Eun Xiao marveled inwardly, the enormity of her abilities never ceasing to astonish him. It was a power he had longed for in his previous life but had spent his entire existence pursuing in vain.
"Please, have a seat," the woman commanded with a graceful sweep of her hand. In response, the rocks that had previously cluttered the area vanished with a soft whoosh, replaced by a flat, pristine stage. On this stage, a white jade tea table stood, accompanied by three matching chairs. One chair was positioned on one side of the table, while the other two faced it.
Anxiety gripped Su Ye-Yue as she clung to Cha-Eun Xiao's sleeve, her hands trembling. She gingerly settled into one of the chairs, her recent memories of the bloodshed casting a pall over her. The gruesome tableau they had witnessed still haunted her.
The woman, on the other hand, seated herself opposite them. Her gaze remained fixed on Su Ye-Yue, a medley of emotions playing across her enigmatic eyes. Within those depths lay astonishment, inquiry, skepticism, and perplexity. The girl seated before her was evidently the source of her intrigue, and she was eager to delve into the enigma that was Su Ye-Yue.