Archfiend

Chapter 354: Addict (3)

Xu Yangyi didn’t save her immediately. Li Wanxue would not die. Although she wasn’t a “spirit-master”, and only a mortal, not even a single hair on her body would escape his eyes. Inside her body… “life” was fading away in the wake of this spiritual force. Although it wasn’t much, one wouldn’t die. Instead, it would cause one to feel miserable pain.

“Uhh…” With great difficulty, Li Wanxue had managed to resist, but she finally shrieked out three seconds later, “Medicine! Give me medicine!!! I’m going to die!!!”

“Young Miss!!!” Outside the car, Uncle Long and the old man quickly cried out in alarm as soon as they heard her scream!

Granted that Xu Yangyi was here, though, they couldn’t do much. The old man’s legs were still trembling, but he ultimately steeled his nerves and rushed over. He was bound by honor to not turn back.

“Young Miss, h-how are you?” Uncle Long supported Li Wanxue with a hand and glanced at Xu Yangyi with an anxious gaze. His chin stirred, but he said nothing in the end. He simply helped Li Wanxue by wiping away her sudden outbreak of sweat, and murmured, “Bear it… Bear it, and it’ll be okay. W-We’ll go straight… to… to…”

As his voice reached the end, it continued to go lower.

Whether or not they could go, they weren’t the ones with the final say.

“Spirit Addiction... It’s Spirit Addiction! A Spirit Addiction flare!” The old man’s face was thick with deep worry. At this moment, he was no longer able to deal with Xu Yangyi around at all and said hoarsely, “Young Miss… this is the third time this year! The regular qi capsule is useless! The special one… what about the special one?!”

Uncle Long fell into a daze. He then gritted his teeth and kept silent.

“You… ate it?” The old man’s voice was trembling, and his eyes were a bit red. “Did you just eat… the special B-rank capsule?”

“Yes…” Uncle Long squeezed out a word from between clenched teeth. “I thought… thought…”

“You thought you could kill me as soon as possible and bring your young miss back?”

“Right… no! No! T-This, spirit-master… I, I didn’t…” Uncle Long came to an abrupt stop, like he’d suddenly bit his tongue. With fright covering his face, he raised his head. Those words just now had been said by Xu Yangyi.

“There’s no harm in doing it,” Xu Yangyi said indifferently. “She won’t die.”

These words caused the old man’s gaze to flash to life. In the next moment, he bowed lowly without the slightest hesitation and gritted his teeth. “Please… please save the young miss, sir… Once an ordinary person flares with Spirit Addiction, they’ll be in a state worse than death, and they’ll have to be immediately evaced to the emergency room. I beseech you, sir!”

“Sir Spirit-Master! I beseech you to save the young miss!” Uncle Long had also come back to his senses and urgently said, “As long as you save the young miss, the Li Clan will fulfill whatever you desire!”

Xu Yangyi remained, and the duo furthermore didn’t dare to speak more. They only looked at Xu Yangyi with imploring gazes.

“Alright.” Three seconds later, Xu Yangyi easily stretched out a finger, and a ray of green spirit light came out. It sunk into Li Wanxue’s forehead.

For some unknown reason, the young girl had spiritual force within her body. Right now, only her spiritual force was exhausted. Once he infused some of his own, then she would be fine. Nonetheless, just as the green spirit light emerged, he fell into a daze. Uncle Long and the old man at the side almost jumped up!

External release of spiritual light!

The two men shared a glance, not daring to believe in their eyes!

In the State of Shangchen… only one person was capable of the external release of spiritual light! They were both sure that it wasn’t the man before their eyes! At this moment, they had actually witnessed the second!

The old man’s complexion paled, and he looked to Uncle Long. Uncle Long locked his teeth rigidly and looked over with extreme nervousness. The complicated look in his eyes spoke of a thousand different things, none of them minor. Although the Li Clan was rich… if they wanted to contend against such a monster, then death was their only path!

However, Xu Yangyi’s surprise stemmed from that his spiritual force had changed in color. In addition, there was a strong element of wood qi. It could even be said to be of the utmost purity!

“It’s because my demon form is the Wolfbane, plus the added mix of the Spirit Ascending Bamboo. Wood qi is no surprise… but granted that I return to Earth, there aren’t any compatible magiks with qi among the Five Phases.”

He didn’t continue thinking because the face of Li Wanxue in front of him had instantly changed from pale-white to rosy-red. Finally, she began to breathe easily.

“A miracle…” The old man shot a brief look at Xu Yangyi with a reverential gaze. Even if Li Wanxue was escorted to the best qi hospital, a week would still be required, at the very least. In this mere twinkling, however… she’d actually recovered in the blink of an eye!

Li Wanxue was still out like a light. The old man and Uncle Long didn’t risk speaking, and Xu Yangyi didn’t want to talk. Like so, a strange calm arrived upon the inside of the car.

“Drive,” Xu Yangyi said dimly after a minute of silence. “Take me to this…”

“Baizhai City?” the old man replied probingly.

Xu Yangyi nodded casually and shut his eyes.

The old man matched Uncle Long’s gaze. Afterwards, they appeared to steel their determination and nodded firmly yet softly.

“Master, may I be so bold to ask… do you have a destination currently?”

Xu Yangyi opened his eyes by a seam and laughed. Just as he was about speak, Uncle Long quickly scrambled to answer. “Master, we have absolutely no intention of inquiring about your whereabouts. Simply… we hope you will grant the Li Family corporation a chance at repayment.”

At the same time he spoke, his palm was slick with cold sweat! Such an unknown super master… was almost a comparable with the State of Shangchen’s three great state-magi! Among spirit-masters, especially those who advanced to a high boundary, not a single one of them set out without magnificent carriages and noble steeds. But what the other was wearing… could be said to be wretched and poverty-stricken. There were no such spirit-masters!

It couldn’t be said that this mysterious master was young, but such terrifying strength… so long as Xu Yangyi said that he willing to shelter some clan, then that clan would certainly do their best to provide for him!

In the same vein, he no longer believed that Xu Yangyi would try anything against the Li Family. With such realm… it was no exaggeration to state that Xu Yangyi could take up post as a state-magus! How could he fancy a mere Li Family?

He steadied himself as much as he could, yet his eyes couldn’t mask his expectation. Xu Yangyi studied him quietly. After no less than five seconds, Xu Yangyi caught sight of the heavy sweat Uncle Long had broke into and laughed, “You’re nervous.”

“No… sir…”

“No need to deceive me.” Xu Yangyi closed his eyes again. “Go. I don’t have a destination.”

A flash of radiance flitted through the old man’s eyes. He was unable to hide the passing flicker of joy. He shared a glance with Uncle Long, and the car immediately began driving.

On the winding mountain road, the car started again. Xu Yangyi didn’t make any inquiries. He had too many doubts. Spirit Addiction? Qi company? Qi capsule? And the strange transformation from mortal to cultivator in a second?

Right now, the others probably didn’t have the mind to answer, and asking wouldn’t clear the air. He also had to properly consider how he was going to move forward from here. Besides… the most crucial matter was to seek a location to reach Foundation Establishment.

Foundation Establishment was already imminent, pressing in on his eyelashes.

They descended from the winding mountain road and onto an avenue. Because there were no stars in the sky, there were in particular many street lamps on the road. At the distant Baizhai City, streaks of neon rocketed into the air. The city’s appearance was much more lively than a first-tier city on Earth. [1]

Very quickly, the car arrived before the city center’s gate. The two large characters of “Baizhai” were especially glamorous in the night sky. However, there were now over a dozen police cars and even a riot squad stationed outside of Baizhai’s tollbooth. At the tollbooth entrance, they formed a long black dragon! All vehicles entering were flagged down outside and inspected car after car. [2]

“Captain Gao, I’ll have to bother you,” a middle-aged man made an effort to laugh and forced down his anxiousness. He was trailed by a group of three or four, and he was dressed in an exquisite suit. “If weren’t for the matter being extremely urgent, I wouldn’t think of bothering you. I didn’t expect that you would actually bring so many people. Truly…”

“Chief Li.” The man addressed as Captain Gao wore a riot helmet. He was a tall man suited in bulletproof clothing. “You just can’t help it. Your daughter’s been kidnapped, I understand your feelings. But believe me, with just one word from me, the military police, the preparatory forces, and the riot police will all come out together. You still don’t have that honor, though.” 

His words couldn’t be considered polite, but Chief Li didn’t retort. Instead, he laughed hollowly, his face colored with deep anxiety. “No matter what you say, Captain Gao, you’re still resourceful. I, Li Mingfang, won’t pay nothing to this friend of yours. It’s just a minor token, not even enough to be called a tribute. Please my friends, drink a few cups…”

A card was passed over with familiarity. Captain Gao raised a brow and laughed, “How could that be… Chief Li, we’re the public police.” 

His hand was placed on the card, seemingly rejecting it, yet he didn’t let go. Li Mingfang inwardly gritted his teeth and firmly pushed it over. “You’re too kind, I did what was proper…”

In the space of the push, the card vanished without a trace. It was then that Captain Gao truly smiled, his voice very bright, “Chief Li, I won’t keep it from you. This is a command from the higher-ups. I don’t know why, but recent inspection has been unusually strict. If you didn’t come, hey, maybe that son of a bitch wouldn’t handle your business with an easy mind. But since you’re here, and because of our friendship, just leave this matter to me… Your daughter was en route here?”

Li Mingfang promptly took out his cell phone and glanced at it. “That’s right, I suspect she’s already been kidnapped…” He didn’t even finish his sentence and stopped talking. He appeared to remember something and remained silent.

“Take it easy,” Captain Gao laughed heartily and shook hands with Li Mingfang. “I’ll go. Wait on my good news.”

Li Mingfang nodded as if his soul had been separated from his mortal coil. His footsteps were floaty as he walked over to where the other members of the Li Family were.

“So?” Upon seeing him return, a rather handsome young man, around twenty-five or twenty-six years old, quickly said. “Did they agree to help?!”

Li Mingfang nodded. Cold beads of sweat were already dripping down drop after drop from his forehead.

“Brother Li, what’s up? Are they skimping us?” As soon as he saw Li Mingfang’s expression, a short, fat man jumped up. “Although the Li Family isn’t a family from Baizhai City, we’re still somewhat famous in a first-tier city, in any case. Those damn capital dogs really are fleecing everyone for what their worth, huh?! [3] 

“Don’t talk!” Li Mingfang lowered his voice. He felt somewhat light and said gravely, “Too worried… we’re too worried! Don’t you remember who went out with Little Snow?” [4]

“Wasn’t it those useless bodyguards?!” the short, fat man spat out. “Damn, if you’d spoken up earlier, then we could’ve spent a little bit more and hired an awesome spirit-master! But you weren’t willing to! If something happens to my niece, you and I are going have words!”

Before the fat man even finished speaking, the young man pulled at him, his expression queer. “Uncle… this time… Master Tian went as well.”

“What about Master Tian?! He still isn’t…” His voice yet to fall, the fat man gasped sharply. His head spun to look at Li Mingfang. “You, you’re saying…”

“Master Tian is close with our Li Family. A friendship of several generations! At beginning, it was our Li Family that relied on him to expand so quickly! Even if we’ve already invited Master Xiao, absolutely no one can compare to Master Tian in loyalty!” Li Mingfang said, his voice slicing iron and chopping nail, “But even with him there, he wasn’t able to protect Little Snow…”

Not one person among the three spoke.

A spirit-master!

Someone had requested a spirit-master to take action!

Moreover… it was a rather fierce spirit-master!

Thud… The short, fat man landed flat with his butt on the ground. His legs went weak and his face was paper-white. “How… how is this possible… W-Who has a huge grudge like that against our Li Family… isn’t h-he scared that we’ll take revenge…?”

1. “First-tier City”. In China, cities are divided by tiers. A first-tier city is for example: Beijing, Shanghai, etc. These cities classified on 5 measures: concentration of commercial resources, extent city serves as a central hub, vitality of urban residents, diversity of life style, and future dynamism.

2. Baizhai means “a hundred sacrifices”.

3. “Fleecing everyone for what their worth”. My best stab at a saying used to describe corrupt government officials during ancient times. “人高三尺”. The original term is “天高三尺”. The story goes that there was a very corrupt official. In the main hall, he had a signboard that said something along the lines of “fair and impartial”. One day, a band of citizens came and gave him a new signboard with aforementioned words. The official wondered what they meant and believed that they were praising him. Later on, his father, a man of learning, came. The father said, “What the heck is this?!” and the son replied, “What’s wrong?” Because the father was a man of learning, he explained that the common folk were making fun of him. The corrupt official had taken, plundered, and extorted so much for himself that he “caused the sky to increase by three feet”!

4. Li Wanxue’s name contains the character for snow.