Chapter 14

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The moment Qin Huang took hold of it, he was shocked to discover that this seemingly small and exquisite silver flower cart, which was no more than half a person's height, was made of some unknown material. No matter how much strength he exerted, he could hardly move it an inch.

Of course, this wasn't because the flower cart was incredibly heavy. On the contrary, the body of the cart felt light, as if it could be lifted with just a little effort. But no matter how hard he tried, the flower cart remained completely immobile! The strange and inexplicable contrast almost made him want to vomit blood!

"What... What's going on here?" Sweat trickled down Qin Huang's forehead, and he was at a loss for what to do.

"What's wrong? Didn't you eat dinner, young man?" Ying Ying, standing beside him, placed her hands on her hips and asked with a mocking smile: "Or is it that the old man has become senile and dared to recommend someone of your poor quality to me?"

Qin Huang gritted his teeth, his muscles tensed, and he risked overexerting himself and injuring his body, bursting forth with all his strength!

But the flower cart still showed no reaction!

Ying Ying shook her head slightly and said in a cold tone, "It seems you're not up to the task. A good-looking but useless guy, perhaps I should just give you a roasted lion's paw and send you back where you came from?"

The young man's face turned red, and he disregarded everything, once again activating the energy within his body. Under the intense mental strain, the Alaya consciousness technique naturally began to operate, and streams of warmth surged from his mind. At that moment, a miracle happened!

The flower cart, which had seemed rooted to the ground, finally began to move, allowing the young man to take his first step.

Yin Zhao's eyes lit up, and the disappointment on her face lessened slightly.

Although the flower cart had finally moved, each step was still a tremendous strain on Qin Huang. By the time he had barely managed to hold on for seven breaths, his energy was completely drained, and he had to stop again.

"Alright, it seems I can't pass the test!" The exhausted Qin Huang said helplessly.

He had done his best, but fate was against him, and he could only accept it. However, he had let down Teacher Sha Zhenghai, and he didn't know how to explain it when he returned.

To his surprise, Ying Ying's face showed a hint of a smile, and she said gently, "No! To be able to take seven breaths, you've done very well! The old man's mind hasn't completely gone bad yet!"

"Ah? So I've already... passed?" Qin Huang looked surprised.

Ying Ying smiled warmly, "This flower cart, though not a rare treasure, is not something just anyone can touch! You're the first one in all these years!"

Her dark eyes suddenly emitted a faint silver light, and she scrutinized the young man from head to toe before saying with a hint of confusion, "Your body does have some issues, but it seems to have been repaired by some unknown means, and it must have happened recently! Strange, did that guy give you a special deep gene repair agent?"

"Also... there seems to be a special kind of energy in your body, affecting your mental power and causing a series of unknown changes! Hmm! It doesn't seem to be a bad thing for now..."

Her few words sent a chill down Qin Huang's spine. What was the identity and background of this seemingly unassuming flower seller? She had seen through all his secrets in just one glance! Was this even fair?

Realizing that the more he said, the more he might reveal, he remained silent, letting her speculate and fill in the blanks.

Fortunately, Ying Ying didn't ask too many questions and said, "It seems you don't need much help from me anymore, but I didn't bring anything suitable for you this time. Even if I gave you a bouquet of flowers, you wouldn't be able to protect it with your current abilities. How about..."

She thought for a moment, then took out a pale golden object from her pocket and handed it to him, saying, "This little thing should help your cultivation. I'll give it to you! Remember, don't tell anyone about this except the old man!"

"Okay, I understand!" Qin Huang felt a slight joy and immediately responded.

The object stuck tightly to his palm as soon as he took it, and before he could react, it silently merged into his skin, leaving only a faint golden vein-like pattern.

"This is a leaf from the Qiluo Jianmu tree, a rare species from the Nanhua star domain!" Ying Ying's smile carried a hint of mystery, "Although it has some negative effects, its benefits are significant! As long as you persevere, it will be very beneficial to you! So... cherish it!"

Qin Huang's face turned pale, and before he could ask about the side effects, a searing pain suddenly shot through his palm. Caught off guard, the young man's vision went black, and he felt as if half his body was on fire, with every pore spewing flames. The unimaginable pain almost made him faint!

With a thud, he collapsed to the ground, his body drained of strength, and he was in such pain that he could hardly speak.

The passersby around him looked over, their gazes filled with various emotions such as surprise, disdain, pity, and schadenfreude:

"Sure enough, another reckless fool!"

"Poor guy, he must be new. How stupid to dare to provoke her! Look, he got what he deserved..."

"He deserves it. Who doesn't know that the female demon is untouchable? What a waste, he looks quite good..."

Ignoring the comments around him, Qin Huang finally caught his breath and managed to say to Ying Ying, "Miss... beautiful sister, can you help me? The effects of this thing are... really too much!"

"Hehe! This sister can't help you with that!" Ying Ying said with a smile, "It's not that serious! Although it might be a bit uncomfortable, you just need to endure it! You're a man, how can you not withstand such a small test?"

"But this is something no human can endure!" Qin Huang protested angrily, his face pale.

Damn it, he wasn't here to be tortured. Did this woman give him this strange thing just to play with him? What was Teacher Sha Zhenghai thinking, sending him to this crazy woman?

"I don't want this thing, sister, please take it back!" he said through gritted teeth.

Ying Ying's face darkened, and she looked displeased, "What kind of talk is this? I'm a woman of my word! How can I take back something I've given away for no reason? Are you questioning my character?"

A suffocating pressure filled the air, and her fan-like hand tightened, as if ready to fight at the slightest provocation!

Qin Huang's heart skipped a beat, and he suddenly remembered her terrifying reputation. If he really angered her, his fate would be even worse!

He quickly said, "No, no, no! I'm not doubting you! It's just that this is too painful, can't you..."

Ying Ying's expression improved, and she shrugged, "This thing will flare up three to five times a day, each time lasting about half an hour. As long as you can endure it, everything will be fine!"

The young man's face darkened as he asked, "How long will the pain last? Surely this thing won't be with me for the rest of my life, right?"

"Hehe! Not that extreme!" Ying Ying's smile looked sinister, "When your source energy level reaches the standard of a fifth-rank mobile warrior, the energy in this Qiluo Jianmu leaf will naturally be fully integrated into your body, and then everything will be fine!"

"..." Qin Huang's face turned ashen.

He was still far from the standard of a beginner mobile warrior, let alone reaching the fifth rank. Moreover, he still needed a lot of precious resources for cultivation! Wasn't this just a way to kill him?

"Beautiful sister, this joke isn't funny!" The young man forced a smile that was more like a grimace, "You know my situation. This requirement is beyond my capabilities! I'll probably die from the pain before I reach that day!"

"That's your problem!" Ying Ying was unmoved, pushing the flower cart away, and her voice drifted back from a distance, "Work hard, I have high hopes for you!"

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