In the depths of despair, Yang Yao saw a ray of hope and her heart leaped with joy.
She hurriedly turned the direction of the Spiritual Boat, steering the shaky boat slowly towards the mountain top.
"Senior, please save my husband!"
As the Spiritual Boat landed, Yang Yao struggled to stand, her graceful figure unstable due to depleted Mana, and she stumbled to the ground, directly kneeling before Xu Ping.
Her hair was disheveled, clothes in disarray, her face pale, eyes full of tears, truly evoking pity.
Xu Ping glanced sideways, his gaze sweeping over this couple.
The young man showed weak breath, almost at the brink of exhaustion.
As he delved his Divine Sense, he found the manâs internal organs severely damaged, with more than half of his vital essence depleted, teetering on the edge of life and death.
Such injuries might be an insurmountable challenge for ordinary second-stage healers.
However, to Xu Ping, a cultivator skilled in Wood Element cultivation techniques and growth-inducing Secret Techniques, it was a trivial matter.
Yet, Xu Pingâs face showed no hint of compassion, instead curving into a slight enigmatic smile:
"I can save him, but I never do things for free. Is there anything you can offer me?"
With that, his gaze unabashedly lingered over the alluring curves of Yang Yaoâs body.
Noticing the implication in Xu Pingâs gaze, Yang Yaoâs face turned even paler, a flicker of fear passing through her beautiful eyes.
She instinctively shrank back, her gaze shifting restlessly, clearly engaged in a fierce inner struggle.
She looked at her dying husband beside her, then at the indifferent cultivator before her, and finally, biting her silver teeth, she fell to her knees with a heavy thud, her forehead knocking against the stones.
"As long as you save my husbandâs life, I... I am willing to do anything!"
Yang Yaoâs voice carried a blend of determination and despair.
"Very well!"
Xu Ping nodded with satisfaction, a deep, meaningful smile playing at his lips.
With a flick of his wrist, a lustrous green Pill appeared in his palm, exuding a faint medicinal fragrance.
Xu Ping flicked his finger, and the Pill landed steadily in Yang Yaoâs husbandâs mouth.
Immediately after, Xu Pingâs hands formed seals, and a wisp of cyan Mana shot out like a thread, entering his body, guiding the Pill to disperse through his meridians, repairing the damaged organs.
After several cycles of cyan light circulating within the young manâs body, his ashen face gradually returned to a healthy glow, his rapid breathing also stabilizing, life force slowly recovering.
In just a moment, the young manâs aura transitioned from imminent crisis to stable recovery, even regaining consciousness.
"Ugh..."
The young man awoke with a groggy gaze.
He instinctively raised his hand to touch his chest, surprised to find the excruciating pain gone.
"Where am I...?"
"Lu Lang!"
Yang Yao cried tears of joy, throwing herself onto her husband in a tight embrace.
"Yaoâer, what happened to me?" The young man still seemed bewildered.
"Thanks to this seniorâs intervention, otherwise you would have... would have..." Yang Yao sobbed, pointing to Xu Ping nearby.
The young man followed his wifeâs gesture and only then noticed the extraordinary white-clad youth atop the mountain.
He struggled to prop himself up, deeply bowing to Xu Ping: "Thank you, Senior, for saving my life. Lu is deeply grateful!"
"No need for courtesy."
Xu Ping waved his hand, a playful glint in his eyes, "Your wife and I have an agreement; she agreed to become my cauldron for saving you."
"Cauldron?"
"How can this be!"
Hearing this, disbelief flashed in the young manâs eyes, and he was startled.
However, Xu Ping completely ignored him, looking coldly at Yang Yao: "Your husband has been saved, now come with me."
Yang Yaoâs body trembled slightly, tears glimmering in her eyes.
She bit her lip, slowly released her husbandâs hand, and walked silently to Xu Pingâs side, like a dove offering its neck to be slaughtered.
"Yaoâer!"
The young man struggled to get up to stop her, but still too weak from his injuries, he could only watch helplessly as his wife walked to the unfamiliar cultivator.
In desperation, the young man suddenly shouted: "Senior, wait!"
His voice was hoarse yet firm: "With Seniorâs cultivation and insight, a female cultivator like Yaoâer may not hold much value for you."
"But I, as a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, can certainly be of greater use!"
Xu Ping halted his steps, slowly turning around.
His gaze sharp like electricity, he assessed the young man as if evaluating his worth.
After a moment of silence, Xu Ping nodded slightly: "Your aptitude is not bad, perhaps one day you could glimpse the Golden Core level."
Hearing this, hope ignited in the young manâs eyes, just as he was about to say more, Xu Ping took out a dark red Pill from his sleeve, slowly handing it to him.
"This Pill is named âRed Yin Calming Pill,â it contains a deadly poison, and within seven days, you will certainly die."
"Swallow it, and I will release your wife."
The Pill was blood-red all over, with dark red patterns faintly swirling within, exuding an aura that made oneâs heart race.
Seeing this, the young man swallowed the Pill without hesitation.
Yang Yao wanted to stop him, but it was too late.
"Senior, I have swallowed the Pill as requested, please fulfill your promise and let Yaoâer go." The young man, having swallowed the Pill, looked calmly at Xu Ping.
"Very well!"
"Such a deep and sincere trust, entrusting life and death to each other!"
Xu Ping suddenly burst into a hearty laugh, the clear and bright laughter echoing far in the silent mountains and forests.
In his three years on the path of mental cultivation, he had witnessed much deceit and darkness in human nature.
Yet this couple before him, one willing to sacrifice for her husband, the other ready to die for his wife, genuinely surprised him.