Chapter 170 - 123: Making Empty Promises to Us, How Ridiculous

A flick of an arm sent a dazzling, snow-white streak of light sweeping across the area.

All the wreckage of the Flying Devices was obliterated, reduced to a field of fine debris, shattered beyond any hope of repair.

After another careful inspection to confirm that all traces had been erased, leaving not a single clue behind, the figure flickered and vanished.

「Elsewhere」

Meanwhile, Fu Yuan, moving at incredible speed, left all the pursuit squads far behind. Before night fell completely, he used an Invisibility Talisman to carry the others on his back out of the Empire’s territory.

They managed to cross the Empire’s defensive line without alerting the nearby garrison, and the group let out a collective, heavy sigh of relief.

The high-altitude wind was freezing, stinging their skin like a thousand tiny knives. Si Xie reached out, shielding Jiang Yunnuan’s face with his hand, and called out to the great fish beneath them.

"Fu Yuan, it’s dark. Find a safe place to land so we can rest for the night."

"Alright."

The words were barely out of his mouth when they appeared on a small island. The entire descent was swift and steady, without the slightest turbulence.

"’To soar upward and plunge into the abyss with the clouds’... That’s a pretty literal description, isn’t it? One second we’re high above the heavens, the next we’re on the ground. Fu Yuan, your speed is truly peerless. I doubt even the Empire’s fastest Flying Device could keep up with you."

Si Xie turned to Fu Yuan, who had now returned to his human form, his voice thick with envy.

Fu Yuan laughed humbly. "This is nothing. It’s a far cry from Instant Teleportation."

Si Xie: "..."

"Why did you have to go and compare yourself to Instant Teleportation?"

’Instant Teleportation is a skill only an Ultimate Venerable Stage Powerhouse can possess! It’s unrestricted by any law—you’re as fast as your thoughts, able to cross any distance in a single instant.’

’Comparing your speed to that is just asking to be humbled, isn’t it?’

"It’s just Instant Teleportation, right? You guys will definitely be able to do it in the future."

Jiang Yunnuan offered the casual encouragement, gently wiping the sweat from Fu Yuan’s forehead with a handkerchief before handing him a glass of milk. "Fu Yuan, you worked hard today. Here, drink something and get your strength back."

He took the milk, his gaze fixed on her, burning with intensity.

"Do you really think I can break through to the Ultimate Venerable Stage someday?"

Jiang Yunnuan was about to answer, but Si Xie cut in first.

"Of course! And not just you, me too. We’ll all make it. With genes as perfect as ours, reaching the measly Ultimate Venerable Stage is only a matter of time."

Brimming with confidence, he finished speaking and held his hand out to Jiang Yunnuan.

"Nuannuan, I want one too."

"Alright, here you go."

Jiang Yunnuan handed him a glass, then took out two more and turned to Ming Ye.

"Do you and your brother want some? This might be good for him."

"Thank you."

Ming Ye thanked her sincerely, taking the glass and moving to help Ming Yue drink.

Ming Yue was grievously injured and extremely weak. He had been conscious for a short while earlier, but after recounting what had happened to them, he had slipped back into a coma. Throughout the journey, he had been drifting in and out of consciousness, completely unaware of his surroundings and in terrible condition.

After feeding his brother the milk, Ming Ye handed the glass back.

He was severely exhausted from being on the run for days and needed to recover his strength. Jiang Yunnuan was just about to give him the other glass of milk when he, still supporting the unconscious Ming Yue, suddenly dropped to his knees with a THUD.

Hearing the noise, Fu Yuan and Si Xie immediately looked over. All three of them were startled by his sudden action.

Jiang Yunnuan quickly snapped out of her surprise and, still holding the milk in one hand, reached out to help him up with the other.

"What are you doing? Get up."

"Jiang Yunnuan, my brother... he’s in a really bad state. I’m begging you, please save him! I’ve already escaped the Empire. I swear I’ll survive. As long as you save my brother, my life is yours. In the future, I’ll do anything you ask..."

Hearing this, Si Xie felt a strange wave of irritation. He stepped forward, looking down at the kneeling man with a sneer.

"Even if you’ve escaped the Empire, you’re still a wanted man. You said it yourself—from now on, you’re a fugitive. There’s no place for you in the Alliance. What makes you so sure you’ll even survive?"

"And you’re making these empty promises to us? How ridiculous!"

"Besides, Nuannuan has money and resources. She’s not short on people willing to lay down their lives for her. She has no need for your service."

"And finally, we risked our lives to get you two out of the Empire. We’ve already done more than enough. As for anything else, Nuannuan can’t help you, so don’t try to force her hand."

His words were incredibly harsh. Jiang Yunnuan couldn’t resist lightly patting his hand, leaning in to whisper a warning in his ear.

"Hey, don’t say things like that."

’As the saying goes, a single kind word can warm three winters, but a harsh one can sting even in the summer.’

’They’d gone to so much trouble to rescue these two brothers. If a few harsh words undid all the goodwill they’d built with Ming Ye, wouldn’t all that effort be for nothing?’

"Ming Ye, Si Xie has always had a sharp tongue, but he doesn’t mean any harm by it. Please, don’t take his words to heart," she said gently.

Si Xie: "..."

’Wait, I was just stating the facts. How was that harsh?’

"As for your request... I’m afraid I really can’t help. You’ve already given your brother Innate Spirit Water, so his life is certainly not in danger."

"But when it comes to his inner core and Cultivation... well, even setting aside the fact that I can’t use my full power right now, I wouldn’t be able to help even if I could."

"His inner core has been completely shattered. There isn’t even a trace of it left inside him. It’s impossible to repair. Besides, it’s been too long. If I had been there right when it happened, there might have been a chance to fix it."

It was the answer he had expected, and Ming Ye’s face turned deathly pale.

He lifted his head to look at her, his eyes bloodshot, his voice choked with emotion.

"Is there... really no way to restore my brother’s Cultivation?"

Seeing the state he was in, and remembering his rapidly soaring Blackening Value, Jiang Yunnuan couldn’t help but frown, her heart heavy with worry.

’Sigh. Torn meridians and damaged organs are easy enough to deal with, but a shattered inner core... I really have no way to fix that.’

’Even if I could use my Healing ability, it only mends injuries. It has no effect on a Cultivation that’s already been scattered.’

"Let me think about it."

Jiang Yunnuan tapped her head, and then it hit her: the system.

’That’s right! I might not be able to do anything, but maybe the system can!’

’If I can cure Ming Yue, not only will I earn Ming Ye’s favor, but I’ll also have Ming Yue’s gratitude. If I need his help with something in the future, he definitely won’t refuse, right?’

"System, his inner core is shattered and his Cultivation is completely gone. Do you have any solutions?"

[Of course, Host. The Heavenly Essence Divine Pill. It can reforge one’s foundation and inner core. As long as the user can withstand the agony of the reforging process, not only will their Cultivation be fully restored, it will become even more profound.]

"That’s perfect! How many Points? I’ll take it."

Hearing her inner thoughts, a flicker of surprise passed through Si Xie’s eyes.

’So the system actually has a solution? It’s really that powerful?’

[10,000 Points.]

Jiang Yunnuan: "..."

’This damned system... might as well be a highway robber!’

’I only have a little over six thousand Points! And this damned system never gives credit, so even if I wanted to buy it, I can’t.’

"It’s so expensive... I’d rather just refine it myself. Can I exchange for the Pill Recipe? How many Points is the recipe?"