C7 Snatch the Pill!

Lost in thought, Yang Xiao began to sit cross-legged, silently reciting the incantation, "Four-dragon Ring, one ring for one battle, to slay one ring is to forge an immortal body and pave the path to celestial enlightenment..."

Time passed unnoticed until the sky gradually dimmed. Yang Xiao ceased his cultivation and opened his eyes. His immediate concern was for Yang Weiyue's health. He called out anxiously, "Weiyue..."

Receiving no response after a considerable wait, Yang Xiao's brow furrowed, and he hurried into Yang Weiyue's room. There, he found her huddled on the bed, shivering, her body radiating an icy chill.

Yang Xiao's face paled with alarm. He quickly retrieved a Spirit Gathering Pill from his pocket and fed it to her. Yet, even after a long observation, there was no sign of improvement in Weiyue's condition, prompting him to administer another pill.

It was only after swallowing the second pill that Weiyue began to regain some semblance of consciousness. Yang Xiao, drenched in sweat from worry, asked, "Weiyue, do you feel any better? Are you cold? I'll grab you a blanket, I'll find you some medicine."

"Brother... am I going to die?" Weiyue managed to utter, appearing extremely frail, her voice barely louder than a whisper.

"No, you're not going to die! I'm going to find medicine for you. Just hang in there, I'll be back quickly," Yang Xiao reassured her, gently stroking her head before dashing out of the room in a frenzy.

With no Spirit Gathering Pills left, Yang Xiao's top priority was to heal Weiyue's sickness.

In the Eight-wasteland, one cannot simply be a fervent cultivator obsessed with martial prowess. Whether for breakthroughs or healing injuries, the aid of pills is often essential. Thus, pill refining is a skill every cultivator must learn, even if it's just the basics.

In his past life, Yang Xiao had not only reached the pinnacle of his cultivation but also possessed considerable skill in pill refining and medicine. However, in the present circumstances, without any medicinal ingredients and time pressing against him, there was no opportunity to concoct remedies. Weiyue's illness could not afford to wait.

Concerned about Yang Weiyue's illness, Yang Xiao felt a surge of impatience and made a beeline for the pill refining room at Yang Mansion, guided by memory.

"What are you doing here in the pharmacy, Yang Xiao?" a Yang family disciple abruptly confronted him.

"Out of my way!" Yang Xiao snapped, his temper flaring. "Now is not the time to test me!"

The one barring his path was Yang Fu. The tales of Yang Xiao's recent exploits had spread like wildfire throughout Yang Mansion: his slaying of E Tiangan and the wounding of Chief Cook Liu. And yet, he seemed unscathed. It was bound to arouse curiosity.

"Hey, Yang Xiao, no need to rush," Yang Fu said, eyeing him critically. "You look the same as ever. What's the real issue here?"

"Scum! Move!" Yang Xiao shoved him aside, too preoccupied with the urgent need to find a pill for his sister to entertain such nuisances.

But Yang Fu was persistent, darting in front of Yang Xiao once more, taunting, "You're in quite the hurry. Could it be that your dear sister is on her deathbed? Desperate for medicine, are you?"

"If you're so desperate for a cure, maybe you should beg me. I might just lend you a hand. But let me tell you, your sister is like a money pit. She's been swallowing pills since childhood, costing a fortune. Maybe it'd be better if she just passed away; you'd be free of the burden. How's that for advice?"

"Back off!" Yang Xiao roared, his eyes blazing with fury. His fist flew, a blur of motion, and connected squarely with Yang Fu's face.

Yang Fu didn't see it coming. Yang Xiao's punch landed with a thud, and he crumpled to the ground, out cold.

"Speak ill of my sister again, and I'll take your life next time!" Yang Xiao had no intention of squandering more time on this fool. He leaped over the fallen Yang Fu without a backward glance.

He arrived at the Yang Mansion's medicine room, where an elder had emerged, alerted by the disturbance.

The elder was Yang Liming, the steward of the Yang Mansion's medicine room. Recognizing Yang Xiao, his brow furrowed with concern. "Yang Xiao, what brings you here?" he inquired.

"Give me the medicine!" Yang Xiao demanded as he strode over to the medicine cabinet and began rummaging through it. His eyes quickly locked onto one particular cabinet. He yanked it open, only to find it completely empty.

"Spirit Gathering Pill!" Yang Xiao's voice was laced with urgency as he barked at the elder, "Give it to me!"

"You desire the Spirit Gathering Pill?" Yang Liming asked, his tone mocking. "How could such a precious remedy be wasted on someone of no use? Yang Xiao, the Yang family has long since cut off the pill supply to your sister. You'd best leave now!"

"Don't give me that nonsense!" Yang Xiao's gaze turned icy as he launched a punch at Yang Liming.

Yang Liming's face paled as he hastily retreated, narrowly avoiding Yang Xiao's blow. He was about to retort when another fist came hurtling toward him.

Dodging with a swift bend of his body, Yang Liming was well aware of Yang Xiao's recent actions, having been briefed by E Zhengqing. They had preemptively hidden the Spirit Gathering Pill.

Yang Xiao seemed to be acting like a madman, resorting to fists without a second thought, which only served to infuriate Yang Liming.

As another of Yang Xiao's punches thundered towards him, Yang Liming instantly channeled the Vital Spirit within him, clenching his fist and meeting Yang Xiao's attack head-on.

With a resounding "Bam!" the Vital Spirit erupted in a low boom.

Despite mustering all his strength, Yang Liming was still sent stumbling backward by Yang Xiao's powerful punch, astounded by his adversary's might. Before he could regain his composure, Yang Xiao's relentless assault continued, leaving Yang Liming defenseless.

"Stop, Yang Xiao!" Yang Liming's voice was desperate as he exclaimed, "I'll give you the medicine! I'll give it to you!"

Yang Xiao's fist halted abruptly, hovering just inches from Yang Liming's face. A fraction of a second later and the elder would have been struck by the formidable blow.

Yang Liming gazed at Yang Xiao with a mix of fear and disbelief. Though his own cultivation level was modest, being in the Qi Refining Stage, he had never truly engaged in combat. However, he knew Yang Xiao to be merely at the Essence Condensation Stage, and yet, in this brief encounter, he had been utterly overpowered.

Yang Xiao's recent behavior had a solid foundation; his increased strength gave him the confidence to be so bold.

"Hand it over," Yang Xiao demanded, extending his hand. Yang Liming's face fell, and without any hesitation or tricks, he quickly retrieved a white medicine bottle from his pocket and passed it to Yang Xiao.

Upon inspection, Yang Xiao found only ten Spirit Gathering Pills inside the bottle and looked back at Yang Liming.

Yang Liming hastened to explain, "Yang Xiao, as you know, the Spirit Gathering Pill aids in cultivation. The ingredients are incredibly rare, and with so many in the Yang family, supply can't keep up with demand. This is all that's left, and even this small amount, I had to secretly set aside from what was meant for the elders."

Realizing his predicament, Yang Xiao knew he had to accelerate his own cultivation and that pill refining was imperative; he couldn't wait for Yang Weiyue's next bout of illness.

After a brief silence, Yang Xiao pocketed the pills and addressed Yang Liming, "I may not have made significant contributions to the Yang family, but my father has risked his life for family missions for over a decade and still hasn't returned. Taking some pills from the family isn't asking too much, is it?"

"Not at all... not at all," Yang Liming quickly concurred, casting a wary glance at Yang Xiao. He knew better than to provoke him further; Yang Xiao's drastic change in temperament and reckless behavior were well-known throughout Yang Mansion.

Without further discussion, Yang Xiao left the pharmacy with the pills and hurried back to his room, where he immediately administered two Spirit Gathering Pills to Yang Weiyue.

In a moment of desperation, an idea struck him. He propped up Yang Weiyue and channeled his Vital Spirit, attempting to transfer it into her body to dispel the coldness within.

But no matter how Yang Xiao concentrated his Vital Spirit, it had no effect on Yang Weiyue. It was as if the Vital Spirit had entered an endless morass, disappearing without a trace.

Left with no other choice, Yang Xiao had to abandon his previous plan. It seemed that, for now, his only option was to turn to pill refining. After a moment of contemplation, he resolved to visit the largest Pill Refining Building in Azure Connection City the next day.

Thankfully, after taking the Spirit Gathering Pill Yang Xiao had given her, Yang Weiyue's chill had vanished, and the pain that once marred her face was now nowhere to be seen. She was sleeping peacefully. Knowing that Yang Weiyue was no longer in any danger, Yang Xiao didn't have the heart to wake her. He gently released her hand and slipped back to his own room to continue his cultivation.

The following morning, Yang Xiao rose early and headed to the Yang family kitchen to prepare some food for Yang Weiyue. Upon his arrival, he noticed that Chief Cook Liu, whom he had injured the day before, was absent, likely tending to his wounds. The kitchen staff were exceedingly deferential towards him, not daring to show any disrespect, and Yang Xiao was treated to an exceptionally lavish breakfast—a rare occurrence indeed.

After gently waking Yang Weiyue, they shared breakfast together. Yang Xiao was already planning to explore the finest Pill Refining Building in Azure Connection City that day.

As he was heading out, he decided to take Yang Weiyue with him.

Azure Connection City, though considered a small city within the Eight-wasteland with a population of less than three hundred thousand, was expansive and vibrant at its core. The city center was alive with excitement, offering a variety of entertainments, from street performances to delectable food.

E Zhengqing had already arranged for Yang Xiao to be watched. Upon learning that Yang Xiao had left Yang Mansion with his sister, he feared they might attempt to flee, prompting him to hastily send additional men to discreetly tail them.

Yang Xiao was well aware of such tactics, but he remained unconcerned about the followers. He had planned to simply enjoy his day out, and as long as they didn't interfere with him, he was content to let them trail behind.

"Little Yue, would you like me to carry you?" Yang Xiao asked with concern, noticing Yang Weiyue's pallor.

"Ah? That might not be a good idea. There are so many people around," Yang Weiyue replied, slightly embarrassed by the bustling crowd.

"Let's just enjoy our stroll and ignore their stares. Besides, you're quite frail at the moment. How far do you think you can walk?" Yang Xiao said, smiling.

"Brother, I can walk by myself. I'm not that fragile," Yang Weiyue retorted with a pout.

"Uh... okay, Weiyue isn't fragile. Weiyue will walk on her own," Yang Xiao conceded with a hint of resignation.

Yang Xiao then took Yang Weiyue on a tour of the entire Azure Connection City. They shopped for clothes, enjoyed various foods, and indulged in the company of the dear girl until noon, when he finally escorted Yang Weiyue back to the Yang Mansion.

Later, he set out once more. His earlier leisurely walk had informed him of the location of the largest Pill Refining Building in Azure Connection City, and he promptly made his way there.