Chapter 4

The young girl possessed a beautiful appearance, with a complexion as fair as snow and a pair of clear and bright eyes that seemed to twinkle like stars. Unadorned by heavy makeup, a faint herbal fragrance emanated from her, exuding an unparalleled tranquil and exquisite aura.

As the little white deer entered through the door, it noticed the mortar and pestle in her hands and exclaimed in surprise, “Aunt Shaoyin has been out for so long, and you’re still here grinding herbs.”

Xueli replied, “The daily tasks must not be neglected. Aunt always says that no matter the task, if one becomes complacent for too long, their skills will suffer. The practice of medicine involves matters of life and death, leaving no room for the slightest negligence. Furthermore, by preparing extra medicine in advance, if anyone in the woods accidentally gets injured or falls ill, I can provide timely treatment.”

While speaking, she deftly removed the crushed herbs and skillfully wraped them in a neatly folded piece of medicinal paper, securing it with a red string. She wiped away any residue of the herbs from her hands.

The combination of the color of the medicinal paper and the red string allowed for a clear and simple distinction between different types of medicines, ensuring a concise and clear organization.

Aunt Shao Yin has been absent from the realm recently, having left the realm for the mortal world with a medicine box half a month ago.

Since Xueli grew up and became capable of taking care of her own life, and with the assistance of nearby spiritually awakened beings, Aunt Shaoyin would occasionally go on short trips to the mortal realm for voluntary medical consultations. She would claim it’s to test the advancement of her medical skills and to see if there are any new perplexing ailments in the mortal world. If she can’t treat them, she would figure out a way to conquer them and aid the afflicted.

According to Aunt, the essence of the medical path is born from the intention to cure and save lives. Without a physician’s compassion, there would be no medical skills or remedies. Therefore, no matter how advanced the medical skills or cultivation, if the medical path does not serve the purpose of healing, it becomes meaningless and can’t truly be called the medical path.

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Bpwyzzu, Gwdv eslpd’v prlde xwnb vkxl yoyu qasx vbl alyzx, aydtkdt qasx qkhl vs pkm eyup yv xspv, yde psxlvkxlp fwpv sdl sa vos eyup. Tsolhla, yp Dwlzk talo wr yde clnyxl xsal plzq-pwqqknkldv, Gwdv’p vkxl yoyu byp tayewyzzu lmvldele. Dwlzk nyd dso xydytl bla zkql okvbkd vbl alyzx yzxspv okvbswv ydu kppwlp, bldnl vbkp xyajp vbl qkapv vkxl Gwdv Fbysukd kp zlyhkdt qsa xsal vbyd byzq y ulya kd sdl pvalvnb.

Ebkzl Dwlzk nsdvkdwle bla vypjp, vbl vbswtbv sq Gwdv’p raszsdtle ycpldnl nywple bla vs zsola bla tygl kdhszwdvyakzu. Fbl nypwyzzu pyke vs vbl obkvl ella, “R pvkzz byhl psxl blacp vs rasnlpp. Uswze usw oykv qsa xl y ckv? Xdnl R’x esdl, ol nyd ts swv vs rzyu.”

“Fwal.”

Mbl zkvvzl obkvl ella dseele, kvp caktbv ella lulp hlau zkhlzu.

Uzlyazu, kv oypd’v vbl qkapv vkxl vbl zkvvzl obkvl ella bye nsxl vs Dwlzk’p pxyzz osseld bswpl vs oykv qsa bla. Rv qlzv yv lypl yde nypwyz, pvlrrkdt zktbvzu sd kvp pxyzz bsshlp yp kv xshle yaswde vbl bswpl.

Fweeldzu, kv dsvknle yd kdyeliwyvlzu plyzle pvsaytl osseld csm vbyv Dwlzk bye zlqv srld. Rv nswzed’v blzr cwv lmnzykx, “Dwlzk! Mbl qsse Gwdv Fbysukd zlqv qsa usw, usw byhld’v lyvld ydu sq vbl ayekpblp!”

Dwlzk’p byde bszekdt vbl rlpvzl valxczle, yde pbl pvsrrle bla xshlxldvp, bla qynl kxxlekyvlzu vwadkdt ale-bsv.

Fbl bwaaklezu awpble shla, iwknjzu nzspkdt vbl zke sq vbl osseld csm yde pvknjkdt blaplzq sdvs kv.

“Don’t look, okay!”

The white deer obediently nodded.

Xueli hugged the box filled with radishes and awkwardly explained, “Aunt won’t be back for quite some time. It’s okay to eat a little less.”

Aunt Shaoyin was worried that Xueli wouldn’t find anything to eat while she was away, so she had stored a good amount of food for her in the house. With the abundant spiritual energy in the realm, herbs and food hardly went bad. Aunt had even carefully arranged a balanced variety of food types for her, so Xueli just needed to take a bit of each kind and cook it every day.

However, it seemed that over the past two weeks, Xueli hardly touched the radishes.

The little white deer looked at Xueli, whose fur suddenly bristled, and said in concern, “But what about when Aunt comes back? She will surely check if you’ve been eating properly.”

Xueli stood with her puffed-up white tail fur, defiantly stating, “I never said I won’t eat. I’ll eat in a few days.”

The white deer responded, “But you’re not eating any radishes now. Are you planning to wait until a few days before Aunt returns to eat them all at once?”

Xueli replied, “I’ll eat them eventually!”

Saying so, she tightly closed the lid of the wooden box and patted it before rushing back to finish processing the remaining herbs.

The little white deer, feeling helpless, wasn’t quite convinced that Xueli would eat them later, but it had no choice but to quietly kneel down and lie down on the side, watching her work on the herbs.

Xueli’s technique was skillful and refined, honed through strict medical training under the guidance of Fairy Shaoyin for over a decade. Every one of her movements flowed effortlessly, as if they were second nature, exuding elegance and gracefulness, without a hint of hesitation.

The little white deer looked on in admiration, captivated by her actions.

With only a few finishing touches left, Xueli soon had all the herbs cleaned and prepared. A row of medicine bottles and packets were neatly arranged, filling the room with the fragrance of herbs.

Xueli neatly arranged all the items and smiled, “Alright, I’m done!”

With those words, she suddenly shifted, transforming back into her original form as a small white fox.

Four furry little white paws steadied themselves on the ground, a pristine nine-tailed fox with no trace of impurity trailing behind. Soft snow-like ears stood atop her head, and her entire body gleamed in flawless white, resembling a handful of freshly fallen snow on a clear winter morning.

Having just reverted to her true form, Xueli squinted her eyes and shook her fur, clearly adjusting to the change, and let out a playful howl, “Awoo!”

She had grown since her childhood, yet for some reason, whether due to her species or other factors, she still appeared slightly smaller than the average fox – an endearing size that seemed perfect for cuddling, with a luxuriously fluffy coat.

Seeing Xueli transform back into a small fox, the white deer quickly knelt down on its front hooves, arching its back, inviting her to climb onto its back.

Xueli was the only beast in the realm that could take on a human form, holding the key to the realm and serving as its master. She had bestowed intelligence upon the creatures and played with them, earning their respect while enjoying their company.

“No need, I can walk on my own, awoo!” Xueli shook her white fur, gently shaking her head. She then playfully bumped into the white deer and asked, “Where are we going to play today? And where are the others?”

“Follow me!”

Seeing she wasn’t interested in being carried, the little white deer stood upright, playfully stomped its hooves, and dashed outside.

“Awoo!”

Seeing this, little Xueli wagged her tail and joyfully followed.

Soon, the fox and the deer were prancing around, playfully chasing each other as they disappeared into the woods.

…

At the same moment.

Above the sky, where the clouds pierced the heavens and the air spanned nine realms, a distance of forty thousand feet led to the Cloud Summit.

Upon the vast and level platform in the sky, several young male disciples of similar age were engaged in a competition.

They appeared to be around seventeen or eighteen years old, in that phase where they were considered youthful in the immortal realm – still slightly immature as young adults. Their faces carried an air of youthful recklessness and arrogance, and their eyes sparkled with starry brilliance.

Two of them were currently locked in intense combat, exchanging rapid moves that blurred the contours of their figures. Their speed was such that it was nearly impossible to capture their silhouettes, and the collision of their weapons produced flashes of light akin to lightning and thunder.

Mortal cultivators sought eternal life to ascend to the immortal realm. Once ascended, they inhabited the two tiers of the realm: the Upper Realm and the Lower Realm. The Nine Heavenly Realms constituted the upper tier. Apart from the realms occupied by special immortal beings, various divine beasts governed the rest of the numerous realms. Immortal beings, beast deities, and gods held distinct roles, collectively overseeing the operation of the realms and the mortal world.

This realm was the domain of the Divine Wolves, inhabited by divine wolves with exceedingly high cultivation. These wolf beings were characterized by their loyalty, tenacity, and fierce nature. While they possessed a ferocious temperament, these young wolf cubs were still in the early stages of their growth, exuding youthful enthusiasm. When they engaged in combat, they displayed exceptional courage and determination, without a trace of hesitation or fear. They were like arrows shot from a drawn bowstring, fighting with incredible vigor.

The two combatants were fiercely locked in battle, and the onlookers couldn’t peel their eyes away, occasionally cheering and encouraging them, their emotions running high.

Above the crowd stood a young wolf immortal of the same age, around seventeen or eighteen. His visage was handsome, reclining on an ornate chair with a thick white fur robe draped over his shoulders, his true form being that of a snow wolf. While the others either stood or sat on the ground, he alone occupied the high seat, his status unquestionably distinguished.

“Cease!”

As the young wolf immortals were generally determining the winners and losers, a wolf official called out, prompting the two disciples still engaged in combat to swiftly disengage.

The spear wielded by one of them, which had been moving rapidly, executed a few rotations in the air before coming to a steady halt behind his back.

The wolf official turned to the young wolf immortal on the ornate seat and saluted, saying, “Young Master, it’s your turn now.”

The young wolf immortal nodded slightly and rose from his seat. He lazily let the robe fall from his shoulders, revealing his well-defined shoulders and slim waist. With a leisurely stride, he approached.

His long-awaited opponent was the most outstanding among the disciples. He had competed with the young master numerous times before. Although he had never won, just being able to stand as an opponent to the young master was enough to invigorate him.

He took out his weapon and stepped onto the celestial platform with a mix of solemnity and excitement.

The young snow wolf master arrived shortly after, and the two exchanged salutations.

The wolf immortals gazed at the young master with admiration.

Due to an injury suffered by his mother during pregnancy, the young master developed a lingering ailment in his womb. He was weak from a young age, and there was a time during his childhood when he slept more than he was awake. Many medicinal immortals worried that he might not survive to adulthood.

However, over the course of a decade, not only did the young master not succumb, but he also became the most outstanding disciple among his generation through his relentless efforts.

Once the current ruler of the realm abdicates, the young master will be the next Wolf King.

He possessed exceptional natural talent, an astonishing cultivation speed, abundant immortal power, and a beastly form as the celestial snow wolf, a divine creature capable of governing the stars. He was far more powerful than an average wolf immortal, wielding immense strength both in his human and beast forms. Among his peers of similar age, he was unrivaled.

Thanks to his cultivation, which surpassed that of ordinary individuals, the chronic ailment he had carried from the womb now hardly affected him. Nonetheless, he hadn’t fully recovered. Even during the summer, he often needed to wrap himself in fur robes to maintain his body temperature. During severe episodes, he endured intense cold and pain. The young master was tenacious in spirit, not allowing his weakness to be easily perceived, enduring silently on his own, displaying the demeanor of a future Wolf King.

During the most severe times, he would shut himself indoors for several consecutive days.

Achieving his current level of cultivation under such circumstances was undoubtedly challenging, but the young master had accomplished it.

At present, the young master and his opponent on the celestial platform had already engaged in battle.

The opponent confronting the young master was one of the most outstanding disciples among the young wolf cubs. However, in the face of the snow wolf young master, he found himself entirely outclassed, with hardly any strength left to counterattack.