Chapter 171: Rose With Thorns
She kept everything that was weak about her hidden under the sharpness of the blade; never revealing it to anyone else. All the long-term suppression, suffering, grievances, and bitterness, were all released in a single breath today.
Finally, Liu Ruyue’s eyes started to slowly tear up. Before long, tears fell as she smiled, “Thank you for accompanying me for such a long time. You should go back first, let me be alone for a while.”
Everyone needs to unload their worries, especially those who appear to be strong, able women; they feel lonely in their hearts. If worries were hidden in their hearts for a long time, they would become a problem.
Xiao Chen smiled faintly and slowly got up. The original desires in his heart had long been cast aside to an unknown place. Since his mission was completed, there was no need to stay here anymore.
He took out a set of dry clothes from the Universe Ring and placed it by the side of the hot spring. Then he leaped out and headed out of the cave.
Xiao Chen knew that the next time he met Liu Ruyue after he walked out of the cave, she would have turned back into that rose with thorns. She would only take on the appearance of a sharp blade. The delicate girl in her would not be revealed again.
Watching Xiao Chen’s back as he left, Liu Ruyue felt slightly disappointed in her heart. After some time, she smiled bitterly and shook her head before sinking her entire body into the water.
The stream swirled around the hot spring, causing one to feel warm. However, Liu Ruyue’s heart slowly calmed down. Some things were impossible; there was no need to think about them.
The next day, early in the morning, Xiao Chen held the name card in his hand and studied it carefully. Finally, he decided to make a trip to Jade Maiden Peak. Although that medicinal spring could accelerate the healing process, it would not be as effective at getting rid of the scars as the Medicinal Pill he was going to refine. Thus, he wrote down all the herbs he needed and then he went to look for Liu Suifeng.
When Liu Suifeng heard that Xiao Chen wanted him to bring Xiao Chen to Jade Maiden Peak, he quickly shook his head and said, “No way. Look at my face, it is swollen like a pig’s head. How can I be unashamed to go out like this. If Miss Xinyun saw me like this, I would feel like dying.”
Xiao Chen found it funny. He did not expect Liu Suifeng to reject him like this. He compromised and said, “In that case, can you at least send me to the foot of Jade Maiden Peak.”
Liu Suifeng chuckled, “Let me say this first, I will not go up the mountain. Wait for a while, let me put on a cloak.”
After a while, Liu Suifeng appeared wearing a black cloak. His face was completely hidden in the shadow of the hood. His face could not be seen clearly, and it seemed a little strange.
“Haha, that’s more like it. Lead the way!” Xiao Chen smiled.
Liu Suifeng loved going to Jade Maiden Peak any time he could. Thus, he was very familiar with the way there. Soon, he led Xiao Chen to the foot of Jade Maiden Peak.
Jade Maiden Peak towered over the land, the top of the peak was shrouded in mist. The Peak was completely covered in fresh greenery. There was a lingering delicate fragrance around Jade Maiden Peak, and it could be smelled from a distance; those who smelled it would feel carefree and relaxed.
The thing that caused Xiao Chen to feel strange was that there were many disciples of other peaks at the foot of the Peak. They were all standing at the foot of the mountain in an elegant and graceful manner, arranged in small groups and chatting with each other.
“The Jade Maiden Peak disciples are coming down,” someone shouted suddenly.
The crowd instantly moved as they all rushed forward like a swarm of bees. They ignored all decorum of grace as they pushed and squeezed their way forward; each of them only wished to be the first to reach the Jade Maiden Peak disciples.
“Junior Sister Xiao, are you doing the sect missions? I’ll accompany you. I recently advanced to Superior Grade Martial Grand Master. I can guarantee your safety!”
[TL note: Seriously, the author needs to find better names… Just like before, this Xiao (肖) is different from the Xiao (萧) of Xiao Chen. Her Xiao is also different from all the ones that appeared before.]
“Junior Sister Xiao, I just obtained an Earth Ranked Spirit Weapon the day before; my strength is now boosted. Let me accompany you!”
“Junior Sister Xiao, let me accompany you! I have a Profound Ranked Battle Armor. I’ll give it to you so that you will certainly be worry-free.”
A girl dressed in white was being surrounded by the group of people, akin to the moon being surrounded by stars. The Heavenly Saber Pavilion inner disciples surrounding her all kept fawning over her, expressing their wish to do the sect missions with her.
The girl with the surname Xiao had an impatient look spreading across her face. She ignored the people around her, but eventually she got irritated and scolded everyone around her. Only after that, did everyone stop following her.
Xiao Chen felt it was interesting. Thus, he asked, “What’s going on? What is the group of people surrounding that girl trying to do?”
Liu Suifeng answered, “In most of the other peaks in Heavenly Saber Pavilion, the situation is that there are way more males than females. If those disciples want to search for a girl, they can only turn their attention toward Jade Maiden Peak. However, males are not allowed on Jade Maiden Peak. So, they can only wait below, at the foot of the mountain.”
So this was what was going on. In that case, how did Liu Suifeng go up? Xiao Chen could not help but think suspiciously. Could it be that Liu Suifeng has something special about him.
Liu Suifeng smiled proudly, “Who do they think am I? How can those people even dream of comparing themselves to me? It is easy for me to get into Jade Maiden Peak. Furthermore, I’m extremely welcome there. It is not something these people can achieve.”
As they spoke, the Jade Maiden Peak disciple with the surname Xiao walked over to the two of them. Liu Suifeng was clearly nervous, he quickly stopped speaking and deeply lowered his head.
In the instant she brushed past them, the girl suddenly stopped. She turned around and studied Liu Suifeng carefully.
After a while, she revealed a strange look on her face, “Liu Suifeng, why are you dressed like that? Didn’t you take a sick leave? Why do you seem so healthy and active now? I was about to go looking for you.”
Liu Suifeng was recognized… he smiled helplessly and said, “Junior Sister Xiao, I am just here to accompany a friend. I am truly injured, I’m not lying.”
Junior Sister Xiao snorted and said, “I don’t believe you. Come back with me quickly. In the days you were gone, birds kept coming to the herb field I’m responsible for and pecked at the herbs. I was thoroughly scolded by my master.
“Come back with me quickly and chase away those birds. Otherwise, I’ll tell Master that you were lying and prohibit you from coming up the Peak. Let’s see how you chase after Senior Sister Chu after that.”
Xiao Chen found it funny. So Liu Suifeng worked as a scarecrow on Jade Maiden Peak. Yet, he still was so proud that he could go up to Jade Mountain Peak.
When the surrounding people heard that Junior Sister Xiao needed someone to chase the birds away, they all surrounded her once again. They all shouted, “Since he is not willing, let me help you!”
Junior Sister Xiao snorted, “Who asked you to go! I’m very irritated now, so go away and stop bothering me.”
Xiao Chen was astonished. He did not expect that an unpopular job like chasing birds would have so many people fighting for it. Based on this, Liu Suifeng did indeed have the right to be proud.
Liu Suifeng was forced into a helpless situation, she had figured out his weak spot. He could only follow Junior Sister Xiao and head for Jade Maiden Peak. Xiao Chen simply followed quietly behind them.
“Who is he? Doesn"t he know that Jade Maiden Peak does not allow outsiders in?” Junior Sister Xiao said unhappily when she saw Xiao Chen following them.
Liu Suifeng quickly explained, “He has the name card that Ancestral Martial Aunt gave him. He was invited.”
“You are Ye Chen!” Junior Sister Xiao’s eyes brighten as she cried out in joy. After a while, she pouted, “He does not seem very handsome. How did he chase away Song Que?”
This girl was really direct. Xiao Chen smiled but did not reply. As the three of them moved forward, Xiao Chen got to know how Liu Suifeng got the bird chasing job.
Jade Maiden Peak had extremely vast herb fields. There were many birds on the mountain eyeing these fields. Occasionally, they would swoop down and peck at some of the herbs.
Furthermore, these birds were not ordinary birds. After staying in the Spiritual Energy rich Jade Maiden Peak, the intelligence of these birds was much higher. The moment there was a chance, they would take advantage of it.
Any herb in the peak’s herb field would be worth thousands of gold taels. If an aged herb was eaten by birds, it would be even more unfortunate. Thus, the higher-ups of Jade Maiden Peak had a headache due to these birds.
Sometimes, when some Spiritual Herbs matured, there would even be high ranking flying Spirit Beasts. Thus, every herb field had their own person to guard them.
For a period of time, Jade Maiden Peak was short-handed, thus, they issued sect missions. Liu Suifeng was lucky enough to get one of these missions.
Liu Suifeng was very good at chasing these birds away. The fields that he watched over never had any birds pecking at the herbs. So, when the mission ended, Jade Maiden Peak’s Peak Master even offered him a position protecting the fields—Professional Scarecrow.
Xiao Chen also found out the name of the girl with the surname Xiao; it was Yuhuan. She was 14-years-old this year. She kept pestering Xiao Chen along the way, asking some strange questions; they gave him a headache.
Soon, they arrived at the first checkpoint. Xiao Chen showed the name card that Ancestral Martial Aunt gave him, and the people at the checkpoint did not stop him. They even sent someone to guide Xiao Chen.
Seeing Xiao Chen walk straight up into Jade Maiden Peak, the crowd below was incredibly astonished. There were even some who tried their luck, thinking they could go up Jade Maiden Peak.
However, even before they reached the checkpoint, they were mercilessly thrown out by someone. They fell miserably and rolled down the mountainside, humiliated.
“We can’t go up? How did that fellow enter?” someone exclaimed.
Someone, who saw Xiao Chen yesterday, mocked him, “He is someone with Ancestral Martial Aunt Shen’s name card. If you have it then you can go up as well.”
“So he is Ye Chen. He is simply an Inferior Grade Martial Grand Master, how did he chase away Song Que?”
“He used the Secret Treasure of Qingyun Peak, that’s how he chased Song Que away. Furthermore, the Old Peak Master of Qingyun Peak made a move. Based on his strength, how could he be a match for Biyun Peak’s Peak Master.”
On the peak, Xiao Chen could not hear all these things being said about him. When they arrived at the herb field, he parted ways with Liu Suifeng and Xiao Yuhuan.
Herb fields after herb fields appeared before Xiao Chen’s eyes; it was a big eye-opener. Liu Suifeng’s words were indeed true. As he walked, he literally saw tens of thousands of herbs.
Aside from a few Spiritual Herbs which required special environments, all the herbs in Tianwu Continent could easily be found here.
After a while, Xiao Chen was led to a place above sheer cliffs and precipitous rocks. There was a wooden pavilion standing tall, as though it were floating in the air.
“Senior Brother Ye, please wait here for a while. Let me report to Ancestral Martial Aunt first.”
Xiao Chen nodded. Not long after, the girl who led Xiao Chen here came out and brought Xiao Chen into the Great Hall of the pavilion.
He saw the fairy-like woman from yesterday in the Great Hall. She was seated on a wooden chair with a smile on her face. When Xiao Chen saw this woman again, he could not believe that this person was already more than 200-years-old.