"Master, are you back?"
Li Taixing went up to greet Wang Xuanwu but was startled to find that she seemed like a completely different person. Her eyes were empty, lifeless, and she moved like a walking corpse. She had none of the usual energy that he had come to expect from her.
"Master, what's wrong with you?"
Without a word, Wang Xuanwu took out the ring that Li Taixing had given her earlier that day, thrusting it back into his hands angrily.
"Here, take it back."
Li Taixing looked at her in confusion. "Master, what happened? Is something wrong with the ring?"
He examined the ring, checking inside. The 100 million Spirit Stones were still there, untouched. He couldn't help but ask curiously, "You didn't use any of the Spirit Stones?"
"Hmph." Wang Xuanwu scowled. "You gave me so many Spirit Stones all of a sudden. I was excited at first, but then I got nervous. I've been agonizing over this all day, too scared to even spend a single one! I'd rather give it back to you."
Li Taixing was both surprised and amused. His master, who always seemed carefree and a little irresponsible, was suddenly showing concern over money? It was a side of her he hadn't expected.
"Master, were you really fretting over this all day?"
Wang Xuanwu's dull eyes and lifeless expression remained. "Yeah, thanks to you! I haven't eaten anything all day because I was so stressed out."
Li Taixing couldn't help but smile at how adorable she looked right now.
"Alright, Master. Let me make it up to you. What would you like to eat? I'll prepare it for you. By the way, I need your help with something, and of course, I'll pay you for it."
As Li Taixing spoke, he took out the ring again, offering it to her with the 100 million Spirit Stones still inside.
Wang Xuanwu's eyes widened as she looked at him, her voice raising slightly. "Are you trying to kill me? You're going to make me panic again!"
"Master, it's a reward. And I wouldn't ask for your help without giving you something in return," Li Taixing explained.
"Fine, what is it that you need help with?" Wang Xuanwu still refused to take the ring.
"First, I need some equipment that can make me invisible or change my appearance, or even a Cultivation Technique for that. Second, I need various Medicine Pills for healing, recovery, and detoxification. Lastly, I need self-defense weapons and equipment," Li Taixing said, listing off his requests.
Wang Xuanwu sat down at the table and asked, "Do you have any roast duck?"
"I do."
With a wave of his hand, Li Taixing summoned a plate of roast duck onto the table, along with a jug of wine. He knew how much Wang Xuanwu loved her wine.
"Hehe, finally something to eat!" she exclaimed, grabbing the roast duck and devouring it, paying no attention to her appearance as she ate.
Li Taixing could only shake his head as he watched. 'Is this really a woman? She's got no reservations at all,' he thought to himself.
After a while, he just sat across from her, watching her eat and drink to her heart's content. He kept refilling her plate and cup, and by the time she was done, there were more than a dozen empty jugs and seven or eight plates of roast duck in front of her.
Li Taixing's mouth twitched at the sight. He seriously doubted whether his master was actually human, given how much she could eat after fasting for just one day.
"Master, are you finally full?"
"Yes, but don't give me that ring again. It makes me panic," Wang Xuanwu said, wiping her mouth with the silk handkerchief Li Taixing had handed her.
"Alright, I won't force it," Li Taixing replied, a little amused but also respecting her feelings.
Wang Xuanwu leaned forward, looking a bit more serious. "The reason you want all those things is for self-defense, right? Well, with how unique you are, it makes sense to be cautious."
She paused for a moment, deep in thought. "Invisibility or appearance-changing equipment or techniques... that's tough. I've never heard of anything like that. But I do know there's something called a ghost mask. The Third Elder has one. It prevents people from seeing your cultivation base when you wear it."
Li Taixing looked at her suspiciously. "Master, what exactly are you suggesting?"
"Hehe, nothing much. I'm just saying I could go and... borrow it for you. If the Third Elder doesn't agree, I could knock him out and snatch it."
"Master! You can't go around stealing from the Elders! How about I go and talk to him myself? If I negotiate properly, maybe I can buy it from him," Li Taixing hurriedly suggested, already imagining the disaster that would come if Wang Xuanwu went ahead with her plan.
Wang Xuanwu gave him a sidelong glance. "You think being rich means you can solve everything, huh?"
Still, she reluctantly gave in. "Alright, fine. The Third Elder is on Black Cloud Peak. But don't say I didn't warn you. That guy's as stingy as they come. You probably won't get anything from him."
"That's fine. I'll handle it myself," Li Taixing said firmly, deciding he definitely didn't want to drag his master along for this.
"As for the Medicine Pills," Wang Xuanwu continued, "The Seventh Elder specializes in those. We've got a pretty good relationship, so maybe—"
"Master, please stop! I don't want to know anything that'll get me into trouble," Li Taixing interrupted, suddenly worried that he was about to hear something dangerous again.
"Don't worry. No one can do anything to me. The only one I'm ever afraid of is Senior Brother."
Li Taixing felt sweat forming on his forehead. 'Does she just run wild because she's that confident in her strength?'
"Master, where's the Seventh Elder?"
"Why? Are you planning on meeting her privately?" Wang Xuanwu teased, grinning mischievously.
"Master, please be serious. I didn't even know if Seventh Elder was a man or a woman! How could there be any talk of a private meeting?"
"Oh, well, she's on Wanhua Mountain."
"Got it," Li Taixing said, mentally noting it down.
"And as for the self-defense weapons..." Wang Xuanwu paused.