"Her master..."
Feng Qishi left his words half-said as Mu Anxiao's weak voice reached his ears, "Shen Fengzi, are you alright?"
Hearing this, Feng Qishi immediately swallowed his words, turned, and looked at Mu Anxiao, who was sprawled on the ground, unable to move. His heart sank as he quickly ran over and crouched beside her. "I'm fine, how are you feeling?" he asked, taking her arm and pulling her into his embrace. He then lowered his head to gaze at her face.
Mu Anxiao squinted, her gaze unfocused as she looked at Feng Qishi's unharmed face. She let out a sigh of relief. "Shen Fengzi, I think I might die."
"You mustn't die," Feng Qishi said, quickly tapping his index finger on Mu Anxiao's forehead to begin healing her.
Mu Anxiao took a few breaths and said, "Listen to me first," she said, her hand trembling as she unfastened a money pouch from her waist and thrust it towards Feng Qishi's face. "Help me give this silver to my master."
"Don't talk nonsense," Feng Qishi pushed Mu Anxiao's hand away, focusing on healing her.
Conversely, Mu Anxiao was adamant that she was dying. She raised her other hand, grabbed the hand Feng Qishi was using to heal her, and said, "Don't waste your efforts. I'm dying, so don't waste your spiritual energy anymore."
"Don't move," Feng Qishi said, looking speechlessly at Mu Anxiao, who refused to stay still.
Mu Anxiao: "You can't save..."
"Disciple, can you be quiet for a moment?"
Upon hearing this, Mu Anxiao's body stiffened. She retracted the words that were about to leave her lips and looked up with Feng Qishi towards Zhang Yan, who had found them with a blue light.
Then, seeing Zhang Yan arrive, Mu Anxiao's mouth turned down.
Zhang Yan saw Mu Anxiao's tearful expression and twitched the corner of his mouth. "What are you doing?"
Without a word, Mu Anxiao handed the money pouch to Zhang Yan.
Zhang Yan saw it, crouched down, and unceremoniously took hold of the pouch. "For me," he said, tugging at it. He frowned. "Let go."
"Master, I have no immortal destiny," Mu Anxiao knew her situation clearly and began to sob. "I've become a cripple."
"I know," Zhang Yan said calmly.
Mu Anxiao heard this and turned to look at Feng Qishi, who was holding her. "Shen Fengzi, I want to sit up."
Feng Qishi was speechless but complied with Mu Anxiao.
At that moment.
Mu Anxiao, wrapped in Feng Qishi's robe, leaned against a tree, one hand dangling on the ground, the other holding the money pouch. Her eyes were unfocused as she looked at Zhang Yan, who was squatting opposite her. "Master, I'm dying, why are you still so calm?"
"Who said you're dying?" Zhang Yan said, glancing at Feng Qishi, who was squatting beside Mu Anxiao.
Feng Qishi raised his hands. "I didn't say anything."
Zhang Yan looked back at Mu Anxiao's face.
Mu Anxiao swallowed. "I said it myself."
"You yourself..." Zhang Yan narrowed his eyes. "Disciple, when did you become so pessimistic? You've become a cripple not once or twice; this seems to be the third or fourth time."
"There's a first, a second, but not a third," Mu Anxiao sniffled. "I'm definitely going to die this time."
"Why?" Zhang Yan played dumb.
Mu Anxiao: "Why else? Master... I'm the most seriously injured this time. My back is ruined, and look," she put down the money pouch and spread her blood-stained hands in front of Zhang Yan, "it's all blood."
"..." Zhang Yan lowered his head and stared at Mu Anxiao's hands.
Mu Anxiao continued, "Master, I'm dying, and I have nothing left to give you. When I die, use this silver to buy me a coffin. For the remaining silver, buy yourself some mortal realm wine, as a filial offering from me after my death."
"Are these your last words?" Zhang Yan looked up at Mu Anxiao.
Feng Qishi trusted that Zhang Yan would save Mu Anxiao, so he was no longer worried.
Mu Anxiao nodded.
"But you don't have to die," Zhang Yan said lightly.
Mu Anxiao pouted and cried a dry cry. "Master, you don't need to comfort me. My fate has reached its end. I've used up all the spiritual energy from my immortal destiny, and this..."
"Using the spiritual energy from immortal destiny requires cultivation techniques; you don't have that much power yet," Zhang Yan interrupted heartlessly.
Mu Anxiao's expression froze. "Master, what did you say... I don't understand." She shook her head.
"The spiritual energy you just used was my reserve spiritual energy. Everyone would think you used the spiritual energy from immortal destiny, but that's not the case. That light was just a signal to notify me."
"A signal?" Mu Anxiao was stunned.
"Yes, I predicted long ago that you wouldn't be trouble-free, so I left a contingency on you to notify me and come to save you."
"Master..." Mu Anxiao still pouted. "Does this mean I won't die?"
Zhang Yan: "You are my hard-won disciple. If you die," he smiled, "I'll have no target." As he spoke, he spread his hand and conjured a blue pill.
Mu Anxiao pointed at the pill in Zhang Yan's hand. "What is this?" she asked, her spirits much improved compared to before.
Zhang Yan remained silent. After staring at the pill for a few seconds, he clenched it in his palm and said, "Disciple, do you really want to die?" he looked at Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao was startled and gave a wry smile. "Master, of course, I don't want to die."
Zhang Yan looked at Mu Anxiao's wry smile and said solemnly, "Disciple, remember this: from now on, no matter what, you must have hope for life. Only then can you defeat your enemies, understand?"
"Understood, Master," Mu Anxiao nodded and then said, "Master, I want to ask you a question."
"Ask," Zhang Yan uttered a single word.
Mu Anxiao deliberately glanced at the hand where Zhang Yan held the blue pill. "Master, why is my spiritual energy wasted so quickly?" she said, glancing at Feng Qishi as well. "Why... is his spiritual energy not wasted at all?"
"..." Zhang Yan blinked, intentionally staying silent.
Mu Anxiao frowned. "Master, why aren't you talking?"
"Disciple, let me tell you the truth," Zhang Yan said, chuckling dryly. "All the cultivation techniques I taught you are rapid-growth ones, so naturally, the spiritual energy is also rapid-growth."
"Rapid-growth..." Mu Anxiao didn't understand Zhang Yan's meaning. "Master... I don't quite understand." She shook her head.
Then, Zhang Yan scratched the back of his head and immediately looked at Feng Qishi.
Feng Qishi was confused. "Why are you looking at me?" he pointed at himself.
"You understand what I mean, right?" Zhang Yan said lightly.
Feng Qishi glanced at Mu Anxiao and nodded.
"Explain," Zhang Yan said, lowering his head.
The most important principle of cultivation is to proceed step by step. Generally, rapid-growth techniques are used by immortals during some kind of 'competition.'
As for rapid-growth spiritual energy... Feng Qishi had never seen anyone use it before.
However, the old gentleman had mentioned rapid-growth spiritual energy before. At that time, he thought that no immortal would waste time cultivating such inferior spiritual energy.
Who would have thought... Mu Anxiao's spiritual energy was actually rapid-growth.
He suddenly didn't know how to explain this issue to Mu Anxiao.