Chapter 415 : Familiar Sensation
Earlier, when they saw Sect Leader Zhu deal with the traitors so decisively, Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue had thought everything was under her control, and that her supposed injury was merely a pretext to deceive enemies.
However, reality proved that the situation was far more complex than they had imagined—Sect Leader Zhu truly seemed to have fallen victim to a secret plot!
Seeing Zhu Baiyi on the verge of collapse, Jiang Mo's expression changed as she hurriedly supported her, asking: "Sect Leader, what's happened to you? Were you really injured by someone's secret plot, requiring the Spirit Nourishing Pill to heal?"
Zhu Baiyi's complexion was ashen with a tinge of bluish-black, clearly indicating a dire situation. After recovering for quite some time, she gradually recounted what had happened...
It turned out that after parting ways with Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue, she had escorted Qingyu back to Xuanqing Sect. She had originally planned to stay in Xuanqing City for a few more days but unexpectedly received news that her sect was at war with Nine Abyss Sect.
Earlier at Nameless Temple, Zhu Baiyi had already decided to exact revenge on Nine Abyss Sect. Later, when trapped in the underground world for a year, suffering tremendously, she was also implicated by Nine Abyss Sect. With such new and old grudges, Zhu Baiyi naturally returned to Crimson Blood Sect immediately, intending to have a proper confrontation with Nine Abyss Sect. To her surprise, after being out of sight for just over a year, traitors had already emerged within the sect!
Normally, such a thing wouldn't happen. Even though people in demonic sects weren't as loyal to their sect leaders as those in righteous sects, a mere year was truly insignificant for cultivators. If Zhu Baiyi had disappeared for a hundred or eighty years, it would be quite possible for her to be usurped, but the time had been too short. She hadn't considered this possibility and was completely unprepared, thus falling victim to the plot.
In fact, with Zhu Baiyi's Great Achievement realm cultivation, she didn't initially notice that she had been attacked until one day when she suddenly found herself at a disadvantage during combat. She still won that battle, but after returning to the demonic vessel and examining herself, she discovered abnormalities in her divine soul.
The Spirit Nourishing Pill could indeed treat soul injuries, but Zhu Baiyi obviously could no longer trust anyone in Crimson Blood Sect.
She took out a jade bottle from her storage ring and said: "This is the Spirit Nourishing Pill that Elder Shi brought back this time. He told me he obtained it with you two, but I still haven't dared to take it."
Hearing this, Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue both looked at the jade bottle. The bottle was indeed the one from the auction house, with its seal intact. Additionally, they noticed that beyond the original seal, the entire jade bottle had been sealed with another layer of spiritual energy. Judging by the technique and the spiritual energy, it was undoubtedly Sect Leader Zhu's work, showing that she not only didn't dare to consume it but was deeply cautious.
Of course, given Zhu Baiyi's current predicament, such caution was entirely justified. In fact, it was precisely due to her vigilance that the situation hadn't deteriorated further.
Looking at the sealed jade bottle, Yun Qingyue hesitated before asking: "May I take a look?"
Zhu Baiyi was reluctant but after consideration, she handed over the jade bottle.
Since Yun Qingyue still couldn't transform into human form, she naturally couldn't take it, so Jiang Mo accepted the bottle for her. Before opening the seal, Zhu Baiyi specifically reminded her to be careful. Seeing the Sect Leader's current condition, Jiang Mo naturally exercised extreme caution.
Her protective golden light shone brilliantly, and her fair hand was covered with a thin layer of flowing metal. Fully prepared, Jiang Mo opened the bottle's seal, her cautious demeanor no different from defusing a bomb. When the layers of restrictions were removed and the medicinal fragrance wafted out from the bottle, Jiang Mo felt her spirits lifted just from smelling it, indicating that the medicine inside was not counterfeit.
To confirm this, she even poured the pill into her palm. The clear pill patterns on the lustrous white medicine were visible—those knowledgeable could immediately tell the authenticity of the medicine. The tiger might not recognize pill patterns, but her senior sister and the Sect Leader certainly could.
They exchanged bewildered glances, unable to believe the pill was genuine. Just as they were about to check for poison or other hidden issues, Jiang Mo, holding the pill, suddenly heard a system alert—
"Warning, warning, foreign power intrusion detected, system initiating virus removal protocol..."
The stuttering system spoke fluently again, clearly another warning program set by the main system. However, this phrasing sounded familiar to Jiang Mo, though she couldn't immediately recall where she had heard it before.
While pondering this, she quickly returned the pill to the jade bottle. This abnormal and swift action immediately caught the attention of the other two present. Yun Qingyue was particularly concerned, asking with some urgency and worry: "What's wrong? Has something happened?"
Jiang Mo nodded, about to say something when a flash of inspiration struck, and she remembered where she had heard the system's words before. Her tiger eyes immediately brightened, and she hurriedly resealed the medicine, organizing her thoughts before speaking: "Just now, a force tried to invade my divine soul. It felt somewhat familiar. After thinking about it, I finally remembered. Back when we were underground, I had a confrontation with Third Elder, and she released some small insects to bite me. The feeling was similar to now."
More insects—Yun Qingyue couldn't help but think of their experience last night.
Jiang Mo thought of it too, and connecting it to the black line worms from last night, her arms immediately broke out in goosebumps. She quickly resealed the jade bottle and threw it away like a hot potato: "This medicine can't be used."
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What's more important, points or one's mother-in-law? Is this even a question that needs consideration?
It wasn't a major issue for Jiang Mo to come into contact with unclean things herself, as the system bound to her soul could help eliminate viruses. But this virus-removal function was built into the system and passively activated; even Jiang Mo couldn't use it at will, let alone solve Zhu Baiyi's problem. Moreover, with the Spirit Nourishing Pill now ruined, the only option left was the system mall.
Since realizing that self-cultivation wasn't slower than leveling up by defeating monsters, Jiang Mo had consciously reduced the system's influence on herself. For trivial matters, she was still willing to seek the system's help, but when facing real challenges, she wouldn't resort to the system without even trying.
However, there was one temptation Jiang Mo couldn't resist—the system mall!
The system mall connected to three thousand worlds, and its products were all-encompassing. Jiang Mo had obtained excellent items for her senior sister several times, all with outstanding effects. In the current situation, the system mall was the best option.
Jiang Mo tentatively nudged the system: "System, have you completed the virus removal?"
The system, sealed by the White Tiger, was noticeably slower to respond. After a few seconds, it replied: "Virus, removal, complete."
Hearing this, Jiang Mo breathed a sigh of relief, then asked: "System, when we encountered Third Elder before, you also initiated the virus removal program. How about it, is the target of this virus removal the same as last time?"
The system responded earnestly, stuttering: "No, not the same, virus, up-upgraded."
Hearing this, Jiang Mo's eyes flashed. If the system said they were different because of an upgrade, did that confirm that the secret plot on the Spirit Nourishing Pill and Third Elder's insects from before were indeed from the same source? However, their opponent had always been Nine Abyss Sect, so encountering similar tactics wasn't particularly surprising.
After this tentative inquiry, she temporarily set aside this topic and asked: "System, the Sect Leader has also fallen victim to a plot. Can you scan her condition and find some medicine for her in the mall?"
The system appeared quite troubled by this request, responding pitifully: "Host, energy is, being blocked, cannot scan."
Jiang Mo paused upon hearing this and switched tactics: "Then what about medicine for treating the divine soul? The system mall claims to have everything, so it should have the Spirit Nourishing Pill from the cultivation world, right?" As she spoke, she felt a pang of heartache, and after thinking of something else, she asked: "And insect repellent, do you have any?"
Though the White Tiger's seal made the system sluggish in responding to its host, it immediately understood her meaning. It understood both Jiang Mo's pain at the upcoming expense and what she meant by insect repellent. It quickly opened the mall to search for products, and within seconds, displayed suitable product pages before Jiang Mo.
Jiang Mo clutched her points, trembling, not even looking at the product price yet but already imagining the significant expenditure she was about to face. After all, Sect Leader Zhu was at the Great Achievement realm and needed ninth-grade pills for treatment, which would undoubtedly be expensive.
However, when she anxiously looked at the price tag, she momentarily thought she had misread—1000 points for a ninth-grade Spirit Nourishing Pill suitable for a Great Achievement realm cultivator. Such a cheap price made Jiang Mo suspect either her eyes were deceiving her or the mall had input the wrong price, mistakenly marking it down.
Confirming she wasn't seeing things, Jiang Mo immediately placed an order with lightning speed. Only after receiving the medicine did she remind the system: "System, is the price of this pill in the mall incorrect? Why is it so cheap?"
The system had observed all her actions. If it had a body, it would probably be rolling its eyes: "Host, rest assured, the mall never, makes mistakes. This world's, products, include free shipping, so they're cheaper." After a pause, it added: "Points value, very high, system is not stingy."
The last sentence was spoken exceptionally fluently, as if the system was shouting with all its might.
For the first time, Jiang Mo took the system's words to heart. Thinking about the items she had purchased before, which weren't products of this world, she immediately felt heartbroken about the substantial shipping fees she had paid.
With this in mind, she glanced at the "insect repellent" recommended by the system... Good heavens, 5000 points—highway robbery!