Chapter 20

After listening to Xiao Che’s words, Xia Qingyue tried to condense her mystic energy in her hands. Instantly, her heart was once again shaken, because the mystic energy gathered in her hands much more smoothly than before, and the speed was nearly two to three times faster.

Seeing Xia Qingyue’s reaction, Xiao Che nodded in satisfaction: "Do you feel it’s much smoother and faster? If I can draw out all the coldness from your body and make your meridians smooth, your body temperature will be the same as a normal person when you’re not using the Ice Cloud Technique, and all the negative reactions will no longer appear. The speed of your mystic energy will be nearly half as fast. Moreover, from now on, the speed at which you cultivate the Ice Cloud Technique will be at least three times faster! Oh, I’m just saying this casually, you can just listen casually too, since there’s no way you’ll let me do it."

As Xiao Che spoke, he began to tidy up the things he had brought from the pharmacy.

"You said... the speed of cultivating the Ice Cloud Technique would be three times faster?" Xia Qingyue suddenly turned her head. Xiao Che’s words completely shocked her, leaving her in a state of disbelief.

A pill that could increase a person’s progress by one or two tenths in one or two years was a rare treasure that no one would question, enough to cause a bloodbath. But the meaning of Xiao Che’s words... was a permanent increase of three tenths!

These words were more than just shocking! If something or some condition could permanently increase a person’s mystic cultivation speed by three tenths, Xia Qingyue had no doubt that all the heroes of the world would swarm out to seize it with all their might.

"Yes." Xiao Che nodded: "Believe it or not, it’s up to you."

Xiao Che’s attitude of "believe it or not" made Xia Qingyue even more inclined to believe him. Coupled with the feeling she experienced after his treatment, she found it hard to doubt his words. This feeling surprised her deeply. The vast Ice Cloud Immortal Palace had stood for a thousand years in the Cangfeng Continent, and no one had ever heard of such an astonishing method. This young man, with his crippled mystic veins and only sixteen years old, could speak so confidently... and even make her subconsciously believe it.

"If what you said is true... why would you say I wouldn’t agree to it?" Xia Qingyue asked.

"Well..." Xiao Che’s lips twisted, and he said with a serious face: "It’s very simple, just think about it. To dispel the coldness from your entire body and unblock the meridians, acupuncture is definitely needed. Since acupuncture is needed, you would have to take off your clothes, at least expose your entire back to me... You wouldn’t even let me touch your hand, would you agree to take off your clothes in front of me?"

Xia Qingyue: "..."

"Alright, I’ve used the silver needles, I should return them to the pharmacy." Xiao Che smiled at Xia Qingyue: "No need to thank me, after all, you’re my wife. You ran to me in the middle of the night to give me a blanket, so it’s only right for me to do something for you."

Watching Xiao Che’s back as he tidied up, Xia Qingyue’s expression changed, and she finally spoke up again: "I’ve always known about the coldness accumulated in my body. I also know that the Ice Cloud Technique initially blocks some meridians. If the coldness is dispelled and the meridians are unblocked, it can indeed alleviate the discomfort in my body and help with the use of mystic energy... But what does this have to do with increasing the speed of mystic cultivation?"

"This involves very complex medical principles, very, very complex, so I don’t really want to explain it. Even if I did, you wouldn’t understand." Xiao Che said vaguely. Cold sweat almost broke out on his forehead... He thought his previous words and acupuncture had successfully fooled Xia Qingyue, but she still asked with full doubt, and even hit the nail on the head... Because increasing the cultivation speed had nothing to do with coldness or meridians.

Fortunately, Xia Qingyue didn’t press further. As Xiao Che tied up the package again, Xia Qingyue spoke again: "Where did you learn all these things? With your acupuncture skills, you’re fully qualified to join those large medical sects! If you really have the abilities you mentioned earlier, not just this small Flowing Cloud City, but the entire Cangfeng Continent would know your name. How could you remain unknown, and only be known as a cripple?"

Join those large medical sects? Xiao Che sneered in disdain, then turned his face and said calmly: "These were all taught to me by my master."

"Your... master?" Xia Qingyue’s eyebrows twitched. She had never heard of Xiao Che having a master.

"My master was a great healer, who spent his life saving lives and healing the sick. I met him when I was very young. He taught me the four diagnostic methods, acupuncture, and various medical, pharmacological, and toxicological principles. He taught me to recognize all the medicines, poisons, insects, and herbs in the world. I am his only successor, deeply indebted to him, and unable to repay him... But he left me not long ago, and I can no longer find him... This is why I know some medical techniques. As for the rest, don’t ask too much. I don’t want to talk too much about my master. And the fact that I know medical techniques, not even my grandfather and aunt know, you are the only one who knows besides myself."

Thinking of his deceased master, Xiao Che’s face involuntarily showed sadness and nostalgia. This was his most genuine emotion, without a trace of falseness or pretense. This sincerity also made Xia Qingyue completely believe Xiao Che’s words, and she said softly: "To make you so skilled in acupuncture at such a young age, it seems your master must have been a great healer."

"The greatest healer in the world, without a doubt!" Xiao Che said with utmost determination.

Xiao Che’s demeanor made Xia Qingyue’s doubts subconsciously diminish. After a moment of hesitation, she finally made up her mind: "... So, you’re sure that what you said about permanently increasing my cultivation speed by three tenths... is true?"

"Since I said it, I won’t tarnish my master’s medical reputation. Hmm? You wouldn’t... want to try it, would you?" Xiao Che turned around, looking at her with surprise.

Xia Qingyue let out a small sigh and slightly turned her gaze: "You’re sure it only requires exposing my back."

Xiao Che’s eyes lit up, and he leaned forward with a smile: "If you insist on exposing everything, that’s also possible..."

Xia Qingyue’s eyebrows furrowed, and she flicked her sleeve, causing a sudden cool breeze to make Xiao Che shiver. She walked to the bed and said lightly: "Start, let me see if your medical skills are as miraculous as you say... But if you have any other thoughts, I won’t forgive you."

"You could kill me with one slap, even if I wanted to, I wouldn’t dare." Xiao Che laughed slyly.

He took out the silver needle box and the Red Sun Flower juice he had just put away, then walked to the bed and said solemnly to Xia Qingyue, who was already sitting on the bed: "Take off your clothes!"

These three simple words, when spoken by Xiao Che, sounded like a bully forcing a virtuous woman.

It’s easy to imagine how Xia Qingyue, who was always pure and noble like a lotus, would react to these three words... But the temptation of permanently increasing her cultivation speed by three tenths was too great. Great enough that no mystic could resist! Because if it really succeeded, it would mean that in the same environment, with the same talent, insight, and resources, three years of cultivation would be equivalent to four years for the other person! After a hundred years, she would surpass the other person by thirty years!

Xiao Che was also certain that Xia Qingyue, even if she had to take off her clothes, would not refuse. Because Xia Qingyue was clearly a girl who pursued higher mystic power, otherwise, she wouldn’t have joined the Ice Cloud Immortal Palace, willing to cut off her emotions and desires.

If it was really as he said, then the price was worth it... Besides, it was only exposing her back. Xia Qingyue thought to herself, turned her back to Xiao Che, and her chest rose and fell lightly, her heart as calm as a mirror. She closed her eyes, undid the buttons, and the bright red clothes slowly slid off her shoulders and arms, revealing her smooth, white back without any cover.

She pulled the brocade quilt over her chest, the red clothes covering her full and tempting buttocks, leaving her back, smooth and bright like water, truly slim and beautiful. Her shoulder and neck skin was tender and flawless, like smooth fat, making Xiao Che’s eyes widen in amazement.

"Start immediately! No other thoughts!" Xia Qingyue closed her eyes and said coldly.

"A woman’s body is for her husband to see, right?" Xiao Che muttered cautiously, then closed his mouth, picked up the silver needle, and his expression became serious as he held it.

Feeling Xiao Che’s steady breathing behind her, Xia Qingyue, who was about to speak, remained silent, closing her eyes. Although she still found it hard to believe that Xiao Che’s words were true... the temptation of increasing her cultivation speed by three tenths was so great that even the slightest possibility could not be refused.

With a slight breeze, as Xiao Che’s wrist moved, a silver needle lightly pierced the Tianzong point on Xia Qingyue’s back, without touching her skin.

Xiao Che’s fingers began to move swiftly, one silver needle after another was picked up and swiftly and accurately pierced into Xia Qingyue’s back, so fast that only a continuous blur could be seen.

Xia Qingyue closed her eyes, focusing all her attention on her back. She began to notice that each silver needle piercing in was accompanied by a thread of mystic energy. This discovery made Xia Qingyue’s heart stir...

She was very clear about Xiao Che’s physical condition. With his crippled mystic veins, he could only stay at the first level of the Mystic Realm, and the mystic energy he could exert was only the most basic and minimal. But each silver needle piercing into her back, the accompanying mystic energy, though small to her, was almost the maximum intensity for a first-level Mystic Realm practitioner!

She didn’t know why Xiao Che was infusing mystic energy into the silver needles. But it clearly meant that each needle he pierced was using his utmost strength.

The eight needles he had previously used were completed too quickly, and her attention was focused on his technique, so she didn’t notice this. Now that she noticed, her heart couldn’t calm down.

At this moment, twenty-three needles had already been pierced into her back, and Xiao Che’s speed had clearly slowed down. If Xia Qingyue turned her head, she would see that his face was slightly red, and he was sweating profusely.