Chronicles of Heaven's Chosen - Chapter 54

“Coming!” Yuan Yao answered immediately. She turned to Mentor Li. “Let’s talk another day.”

Mentor Li smiled gently. “All right.”

Yuan Yao followed Qian Jueshan into the medicine room. The moment she crossed the threshold, the dense, mingled fragrance of countless medicinal herbs washed over her.

The distinctive scent hung in the air as though a thin veil of mist covered the entire room.

A tall woman in pale blue emerged from behind a row of medicine shelves.

“Little Yuan Yao.” The woman called to her affectionately, smiling.

Yuan Yao’s dimples appeared. She immediately cupped her hands in greeting.

“Greetings, Second Elder!”

Second Elder Zong Rao looked at Qian Jueshan. “Jueshan, wait outside.”

Qian Jueshan nodded.

Only after he had left did Zong Rao turn her attention back to Yuan Yao. Smiling, she beckoned her closer.

Yuan Yao walked over.

Lowering her head with a trace of embarrassment, she said, “Second Elder, look—my wounds are almost completely healed…”

Zong Rao shook her head dismissively. “You don’t get to decide whether you’re healed.”

“Come. Let me see.”

…

About fifteen minutes later, Yuan Yao felt light all over as the last of her injuries were treated.

“For the next few days, take care of your foot. Don’t put too much strain on it, and don’t move around more than necessary. How did you suffer this wound?” Had the cut gone any deeper, little Yuan Yao might have lost the entire foot.

The image of Xie Yan surfaced in Yuan Yao’s mind. She gritted her teeth.

“An unknown cultivator did it.”

“You must be careful whenever you go out from now on.” Zong Rao patted her shoulder.

“Mm-hmm. I know.” Yuan Yao nodded, then seemed to remember something. “Second Elder, when I returned, I saw Senior Sister Zong and the others leaving for Yunming City. I heard everyone in the city has fallen unconscious. What do you think caused it? Could they be trapped in an illusion, or were they poisoned?”

Seeing her interest, Zong Rao offered what little she knew. “I don’t know the exact circumstances, but Mentor Cui’s message said it may be poison.”

Poison?

Yuan Yao fell into thought.

System 250’s voice sounded again.

【Target Zong Rao’s Awakening Value is 0.】

Yuan Yao ignored it. Ever since she entered the sect, its voice had barely stopped ringing in her sea of consciousness.

When she left the medicine room, she found Master seated nearby, sipping medicinal tea. The surrounding disciples kept their distance, seemingly intimidated by his presence.

Qian Jueshan set down his cup, rose, and walked toward her.

Yuan Yao smiled. “Master, don’t worry. I’m fine now!”

“Did you thank Second Elder?”

“I did.”

“Stay here. I need to speak with her.”

“All right.”

As soon as Qian Jueshan entered the medicine room, nearly every disciple in the Medical Pavilion gathered around Yuan Yao.

“Little Junior Sister, were you hurt?”

“I was, but I’m fine now! After all, my physician was the Peak Master of Heavenly Learning Peak herself.”

“Little Junior Sister, you haven’t visited Heavenly Learning Peak in two months. It’s so dull without you here to tell us stories.”

“That’s right! You can’t favor the people of Heavenly Letters Peak and Heavenly Inquiry Peak over us.”

“Little Junior Sister, try this medicinal herb I cultivated. It’s sweet and sour and tastes wonderful.”

“When will you come back and tell us more stories?”

Her fellow disciples surrounded her enthusiastically.

“Senior brothers, senior sisters, I’ve been a little busy lately. When I have time, I’ll definitely come to Heavenly Learning Peak and tell you stories!” Yuan Yao promised.

Back when she lazed around instead of cultivating, she spent her days reading storybooks.

She loved retelling those stories to others.

From the age of eight or nine, she had often wandered among the four peaks, telling stories to her senior brothers and sisters so that their cultivation and studies would not feel quite so tedious.

“Little Junior Sister, we heard you’ve fallen in love with cultivating now.”

Under everyone’s gaze, Yuan Yao arched a brow and planted her hands on her hips.

“That’s right! I love cultivating now. One day I’ll become very strong, and then I’ll protect all of you.”

Everyone laughed.

They did not take her seriously, but neither would they crush her enthusiasm.

“You can definitely do it, Little Junior Sister.”

“Keep working hard!”

“Cultivation can wait. Try the fresh tea I just refined.”

Yuan Yao accepted the cup and took a sip.

The tea was wonderfully refreshing. In an instant, a sense of ease swept through her entire body.

“It’s delicious!”

The senior sister pressed a large bag of spirit tea leaves into Yuan Yao’s hands. “Here, take these. Brew them yourself whenever you want a drink. If you don’t feel like making tea, come to the Medical Pavilion and I’ll brew it for you.”

“Thank you, Senior Sister Yang!”

Yuan Yao spent some time catching up with everyone in the Medical Pavilion.

Inside the medicine room, Qian Jueshan looked grave.

“Do you remember Lu Yue?” he asked Zong Rao.

Her expression shifted. She raised her eyes and stared at him. “What is your new personal disciple’s relationship with him?”

“Father and daughter.”

“She’s Lu Yue’s daughter…” Zong Rao murmured.

Only after a long silence did she look up at Qian Jueshan again.

“Is that why you accepted her as your disciple?”

Qian Jueshan gave a quiet affirmative.

Zong Rao guessed what he was thinking. “You believe something is wrong with her?”

“I suspect she is not Lu Yue’s daughter,” Qian Jueshan said slowly. “But the matter must be investigated.”

Zong Rao raised a brow and folded her arms. “So you want my help?”

“Yes.” Qian Jueshan’s voice was grave. “I always sense killing intent from her toward Ah Yan and the others.”

The way Lu Xiangxiang looked at him was also exceedingly strange.

“Very well. I’ll help.” After a moment’s thought, Zong Rao stood. She raised a hand, and a message talisman appeared above her palm.

Unlike a message token or message crystal, a message talisman could transmit information to another continent.

However, each talisman could be used only once.

That made message talismans exceptionally rare and expensive on every continent.

“I’ll have my clan investigate. I will inform you of everything we learn,” Zong Rao said.

After a pause, she continued, “If you truly believe something is wrong with her, test her several times—and remain on guard against her.”

Qian Jueshan’s expression tightened, and he nodded.

As the message talisman began to burn, Yuan Yao heard System 250’s voice from the Medical Pavilion.

【Target Qian Jueshan’s Awakening Value has reached 10. Target Zong Rao’s Awakening Value has reached 28.】