Chapter 409 - 216: Twin Lotuses! The Strife of Noble Families
Seeing Nie Xiangjun suddenly grow wary, displeasure already etched between her brows, Chen Sheng felt a bit helpless. Yet, his expression was serious as he said:
"Zhenren, you’ve misunderstood. That is not what I meant."
To be fair, Nie Xiangjun was exceptionally beautiful, with a voluptuous and graceful figure. Combined with her free-spirited and unrestrained air, she was indeed quite alluring.
But at this moment, Chen Sheng truly had no improper thoughts about her.
In any case, Nie Xiangjun was Patriarch Nie’s full-blooded sister. If he were to form a marriage alliance with the Nie Family, the bride would most likely be Nie Lingshan or Nie Lingxi.
According to seniority, he would actually have to call Nie Xiangjun "aunt."
The Nie Family would have to have lost their minds, unless he could one day grow so powerful that the entire family would have to look up to him, not daring to defy him in the slightest.
Otherwise, such an immoral affair would be absolutely impossible.
Of course, if Nie Xiangjun herself insisted on marrying him, there might be a slight possibility.
After all, she had a special status and was unmarried.
But clearly, she had no such intention.
And as for Chen Sheng, he currently had no such thought either.
"Then what exactly do you mean?"
Nie Xiangjun pressed, the wariness in her eyes not yet gone.
"I was hoping... to borrow the Zhenren’s influence to purchase an Ink Flame Spirit Frog from the Nie Family."
Chen Sheng gathered his thoughts and spoke earnestly.
He had already obtained the White Jade Cold Toad. If he could also get an Ink Flame Spirit Frog, he could take the blood and flesh essence from both, supplement them with other Spirit Medicines, and concoct an Ice Flame Barrier-Breaking Pill.
With the help of this Spirit Pill, breaking through the bottleneck to the mid-stage of Profound Mastery would be as easy as walking on flat ground.
The chances of finding an Ink Flame Spirit Frog by traveling to a remote and dangerous place like Nanzhao Prefecture were slim, and there were too many uncertainties.
In contrast, the Nie Family, with its deep foundation, was obviously more likely to possess such a creature, or at least have a stable way of acquiring one.
However, the two sides had not yet formally formed a marriage alliance, so it wasn’t appropriate for him to directly ask the Nie Family for it in his capacity as a prospective son-in-law.
Going through a powerful figure like Nie Xiangjun was not only more respectful but also a safer bet, less likely to attract criticism or cause unnecessary trouble.
After hearing Chen Sheng’s explanation, Nie Xiangjun’s expression softened, and she nodded slightly. But deep down, an extremely faint trace of bashfulness—one she didn’t even stop to examine—flashed through her mind.
’Just now, I actually thought this kid was audacious enough to have improper designs on me...’
But Nie Xiangjun was, after all, a seasoned Golden Core Zhenren. She quickly suppressed this strange emotion, her expression returning to one of casual indifference.
"This is a simple matter. Come back to the Nie Family with me, and I’ll help you find one."
With her status in the Nie Family, procuring an Exotic Beast that wasn’t exceedingly rare was not a difficult task.
"In that case, thank you very much, Zhenren."
Chen Sheng cupped his fists in a sincere show of thanks.
"The wine. Do you still want it?"
A slight smile played on Nie Xiangjun’s lips as she swirled the crimson, jade-like flask in her hand.
"Since it is a generous gift from the Zhenren... it would be rude to refuse."
Chen Sheng said with a smile.
"Insincere."
Nie Xiangjun scoffed, her gaze sweeping over him as she casually tossed the wine flask to him.
She then stood up, the hem of her plain white skirt sweeping across the ground like a flowing cloud, and looked at Chen Sheng.
"There’s no time to lose. Let’s not delay any further. Come on, follow me to Yunzhou City."
"Alright."
Having accepted her Spirit Wine and secured her promise to help him get an Ink Flame Spirit Frog, Chen Sheng naturally wouldn’t refuse. He immediately rose to his feet and brushed off his robes.
Before leaving, Chen Sheng didn’t forget to leave a short letter for Sun Yuzhi.
He briefly explained that he was going with Nie Xiangjun to the Nie Family estate in Yunzhou City, telling her not to worry.
...
High in the heavens, the astral winds howled.
A colossal, cyan-green bird of extraordinary majesty soared through the clouds with its wings outstretched.
Its wingspan stretched for nearly a hundred and fifty yards, making it even larger and more powerful than the Vast Sea Sect’s Iron-Winged Giant Eagle.
What was even more mystical was the faint cyan glow that flowed between its feathers. As it flew, it was wreathed in a faint aura of Pure Spirit Qi, and its speed was no less than the Escape Light of an ordinary Pill Realm Grandmaster.
Chen Sheng sat high upon the bird’s wide, flat back, a soft and thick Spirit Beast Fur Felt Blanket spread out beneath him.
In one hand, he held the crimson wine flask, occasionally taking a small sip of the Primordial Yang Spirit Wine. His other hand rested lightly over his Dantian as he silently circulated his Profound Skill, guiding the wine’s potency to merge with the Cold Marrow Essence that he had yet to fully refine.
Nie Xiangjun had not been exaggerating.
With the neutralizing aid of the Primordial Yang Spirit Wine, the overbearing, frigid energy of the Cold Marrow was skillfully dissolved, and his refining efficiency increased severalfold.
Chen Sheng estimated that in ten days at most, the remaining bulk of the Cold Marrow would be completely refined and absorbed. By then, his Cultivation would certainly advance another level.
"Drinking alone is boring, and your cultivation can wait a little while. Come, have a few drinks with me."
Seeing Chen Sheng looking so at ease, sipping wine while cultivating, Nie Xiangjun felt her own desire for a drink stir.
With a flip of her hand, she produced a pale blue jade flask with faint, ice-like patterns on its surface. She walked straight over to Chen Sheng and sat down beside him, a hint of languid leisure in her expression.
"I am happy to oblige."
Chen Sheng did not refuse, raising his flask in a toast.
The two of them took a drink together. The sweet, mellow liquid went down their throats and spread as a warm current through their limbs, dispelling some of the biting, high-altitude chill.
"Aren’t you going to ask... about those two girls, Lingshan and Lingxi?"
Nie Xiangjun swallowed her wine and glanced at Chen Sheng, taking the initiative to start the conversation.
She had assumed Chen Sheng would be at least a little curious, that he would try to subtly inquire about his potential future marriage partners.
But who would have known that after spending these last few days together, Chen Sheng could be so patient as to not mention a single word about it.
Instead, it was she, their aunt, who was getting impatient.
Although she herself had joined a Daoist Sect out of disgust for arranged marriages, this matter concerned the two nieces she had watched grow up. She couldn’t help but feel a certain degree of concern and curiosity.
