Huli Jing

Xiao trailed Liu on a field of flowers, the smiles on both of their faces evident. A coy chase of lovers. Soon, the two collapsed into the flowerbed, giggling all the while.

Liu's dreamy eyes invited for them to kiss, to which Xiao blissfully obliged.

The realization hit Liu, forcing her to separate with a forlorn expression.

"My father, he would never approve of you."

"Perhaps, but all that matters is that the troublesome daughter of his does." Xiao's lips touched the back of Liu's hands. An affirmation of sorts that it was all the approval that Xiao truly needed.

A gentle breeze passed along the field, carrying Liu's trepidation along with it. She wanted to continue where they left off and since it was her that caused its postponement, Liu boldly initiated this time around.

The tenderness within their innocent kiss heightened with every second, until their mouths rend open and their tongues lustfully entwined.

Liu closed her eyes, even though she was already lightheaded from the erotic haze, she wanted more of Xiao.

Their now sordid kiss caused the fires of lust within Liu to escalate. Xiao could very well press her to go all the way if the black haired woman asked, for Liu's resistance had already melted. 

Until…

Liu had jolted awake in the middle of the night with terrifying gasps. 

(What the fuck was that nightmare!?)

Even after Xiao had left, the woman still found ways to mess with her. Unbelievable. 

The terror from her dream subsided, Liu closed her eyes. Wherever Xiao is right now,  Liu could only hope that she is suffering immensely. 

+++

The early morning sun glazed the road, bereft of its harshness that is usually present come mid day. A certain masked cultivator missing an arm and a leg laid at the back of an open wagon transporting hay.

Life was great for Xiao. Not only was she able to escape death, her now powerful teacher had promised to impart to her an alchemy recipe that would be able to restore her missing limbs!

"I don't understand why we have to leave the city, teacher."

The mask spoke, but instead of projecting her sultry voice outward, it now found itself directly prnounced into Xiao's mind.

[That demonic cultivator is going to be a problem if you run into him again. That city is going to be chaotic for a while, with strength like that, the demonic cultivator you faced should have a bounty on his head and with it comes the cultivators who would be drawn to their destruction like moths to flame.]

"Wait, he has a bounty!? How much!?" 

[I could only assume that he's had plenty of people killed to boost his cultivation. The bounty should be close to a million.]

Her teacher's estimate made her sit up in surprise.

"I didn't know I was so close to being a millionaire!"

A million spirit stones! Xiao could be drowning in a pool of spirit stones right now if she had been able to defeat that baldie. Then again, ALL of her deadly ice stakes were shrugged off like they were mere pebbles. 

[The only thing you were close to being is dead.]

Xiao gloomily laid beside the hay once more. The gap between their strength was like heaven and earth, it would most likely take decades before Xiao could catch up to that demonic baldie.

"Teacher, how long do you think it would take for me to be on his level? Let's just say I want to repay him in kind for the 'favor' he did me."

[Is that why you became sullen so suddenly? Don't feel too bad. He's a demonic cultivator, a vile cheat when it comes to cultivating. Instead of absorbing natural qi from spirit stones and nature, he absorbs the souls of the living so his cultivation base would increase by leaps. Lucky for you, my guidance is worth more than any cheat. Give me a year and I will make sure you'd be able to pummel that cultivator into the ground.]

Her going toe-to-toe with that iron demon within a year? Xiao would have dismissed it as mad ramblings if it wasn't from the fact that her now teacher had saved her from the brink of death just last night. A feat nothing short of miraculous. If she has the power to do that then it got Xiao thinking what else is her powerful master capable of?

"Aw crap, If I had my right arm I would cup them together right now. My words would have to do. Thank you for saving my life. I shall devote myself to your teachings, master Zhen."

Zhen chuckled. The compatibility between her and her new vessel - nay, student was easily discernible. Xiao was a pleasant young lass.

[Do not forget that I have goals of my own. Saving your life was not for free. Our first course of action is to go to find the pill ingredients necessary to restore your limbs, only then can we begin your training.]

Whilst they were conversing, the wagon's driver grimaced. He pitied the woman and allowed her to hitch hike because of her missing limbs. One could only imagine how hard life is as an amputee, now he had been made aware that his passenger is also crazy. 

+++

The municipality of Guanjin. A town about 4 hours away from the city. Its buildings and houses are more traditional and less robust compared to Jiang Shian's high rises, giving the town an antiquated appearance. 

It's the kind of small town where you would expect that everyone knows everyone.

The town folks' eyes were on Xiao as the cripple with a crutch suddenly walked into town.

"So, teacher. How are you going to give me the recipe? Will you zap it into my brain?"

[You halfwit! Don't converse with me when there are people around! Explaining the recipe would be too bothersome, better if you just read it. Find a secure place and I will show you how.]

"I forgot I'm the only one who can hear you. Maybe that's why the driver from earlier was looking at me funny." 

If only Zhen had a mouth to sigh. Her new student was indeed talented but she has a propensity for being lax, which sometimes bordered on carelessness. No matter, Zhen's stoicness shall bend her carefree attitude when needed. 

[For now let us gather some ingredients. Go to a pharmacy, you will need a lot of crystal starfishes, lion's mane mushrooms, astragalus, and lastly, the blood of a huli jing]

Did Xiao hear that right? Blood of a huli jing? 

It was the first time she had heard of that ingredient, because huli jings are lauded as fox spirit beasts who broke through the awakening realm by devouring the human soul, in a sense making them synonymous to demonic cultivators. You could say their moniker as a demonic fox is well earned. Master shapeshifters who would lure their prey under the guise of a voluptuous woman or a handsome stud. 

"The other ingredients I have no problem with, but why the blood of a huli jing? I don't think we're going to find that in a pharmacy."

[I just told you to not speak to me in public!] 

"Alright teacher, no need to raise your voice inside my head. Geez. I'll shut up, just explain to me the need for a demon fox's blood."

Passing by a pharmacy, both master and student garnered a look inside. As expected, the other mid grade ingredients are there but when she asked for the blood of a huli jing the attendant gave her a look of unease. She couldn't fault the clerk for she was a fellow skeptic until her teacher explained its workings.

In essence,  they would need a powerful reagent to bind the ingredients together and give the pill a 'tissue and bone morphing' effect that would come from the huli jing's blood, borrowing from the source's capability to transform their body - Allowing for Xiao's missing limbs to regrow good as new. All was fine and dandy except for one small detail.

Where the hell are they going to look for a  huli jing?