Hearing Nie Yun’s words, everyone was secretly puzzled. Ren Yingying’s prepared remarks about not being attracted to Nie Yun were also rendered speechless.

She stared at Nie Yun with her beautiful eyes, feeling as if her resolute actions had just hit a cotton ball.

Nie Yun turned to Qu Feiyan and said, “Of all Feifei’s people, you’ve known me the longest. Do you think what she said is right?”

Qu Feiyan looked bewildered, glancing at Nie Yun and then at Ren Yingying, before hesitantly nodding and saying, “It should…it should be right.”

“Sigh…” Nie Yun looked at him with a disappointed expression and shook his head, saying, “He’s such a child, so naive in his views on people and things!”

Upon hearing this, Qu Feiyan angrily grabbed his hand and bit it hard. Nie Yun pulled his hand away and asked Lan Fenghuang, “Fenghuang’er, what do you think?”

Lan Fenghuang was also confused about what Nie Yun was up to. She said, bewildered, “Brother Yun, what are you talking about? What the Holy Maiden said makes no mistake!”

“Sigh… I thought you all knew me well, but I didn’t expect you couldn’t even answer such a simple question!” Nie Yun sighed and looked up at the roof.

The group looked at each other, all with puzzled expressions.

Nie Yun stretched out his hands and made a fist, and said very seriously, “Miss Ren just mentioned three of my strengths: superb martial arts skills, outstanding musical talent, and handsome appearance, right?”

He raised a finger for each point he made, and Lan Fenghuang and Qu Feiyan nodded in agreement. Xiang Wentian looked at Nie Yun, his mind becoming increasingly confused.

Nie Yun continued, “Actually, she only mentioned a small part of my strengths. Besides these, I am also gentle and considerate, cheerful and open-minded, smart and quick-witted, quick to learn, proficient in medicine, have a keen eye, and can make women happy… You see, I have so many strengths, but she only mentioned three. She is obviously looking down on me!”

Seeing Nie Yun’s serious expression, the group’s initial puzzled looks slowly turned into suppressed laughter.

“So when others talk about my strengths, I feel uncomfortable because they never praise me in a comprehensive way. Sigh… But it’s understandable. If my strengths are like stars and my weaknesses are like clouds, then my life can be described in eight words: ‘A sky full of stars, a cloudless sky.'”

Nie Yun became more and more enthusiastic as he spoke, acting as if he were the only one who was sober in a world of drunks and that no one in the world was a true friend.

Qu Feiyan couldn’t help but burst out laughing first.

Lan Fenghuang looked at Nie Yun, who was talking eloquently, with a smile on her face, feeling that her little lover was really too cute.

Xiang Wentian instinctively reached out to stroke his beard, but missed, and awkwardly put his hand down. However, his gaze towards Nie Yun held a hint of appreciation.

Ren Yingying looked at Nie Yun’s raised fingers and felt that her suicide attempt was a joke. The sword was held against her neck, and she didn’t know whether to put it down or not.

If she were born in modern society, she would definitely use one word to describe her feelings: ‘囧’ (jiǒng).

She loosened her grip on the short sword slightly; although she didn’t put it down completely, it was no longer pressed tightly against her neck as before.

In the blink of an eye, Nie Yun darted in front of Ren Yingying. However, he didn’t grab Ren Yingying’s hand holding the sword, but instead reached directly for the blade.

Ren Yingying felt a strong force coming from the hilt of the sword, so she subconsciously pulled it back, but heard a muffled groan.

“Ah! Brother Nie!” Qu Feiyan’s scream startled Ren Yingying. She looked closely and saw that Nie Yun was tightly gripping the blade of his short sword in his right hand, and bright red blood was flowing down his wrist.

“Ah!” Ren Yingying cried out, quickly releasing the sword hilt, flustered and unsure of what to do.

Nie Yun tossed the short sword into the wall with a whoosh.

The sword was embedded deep in the wall, while the hilt continued to sway.

As he moved, a few drops of blood flew onto Ren Yingying’s veil, making her heart tremble.

“You… how could you be so stupid?” Ren Yingying looked at Nie Yun’s right hand, which was bleeding profusely, and felt both anxious and ashamed.

Qu Feiyan and Lan Fenghuang rushed up as well. Lan Fenghuang quickly took out some hemostatic medicine from her body, while Qu Feiyan, with tears in her eyes, held Nie Yun’s hand and cried, “Brother Nie, are you in pain?”

“It’s nothing, just a minor injury.” Nie Yun smiled slightly and casually tapped his arm a few times, and the bleeding quickly stopped.

Lan Fenghuang took out the wound medicine, looked at her blood-soaked palm, and frowned, saying, “It’s not good to apply the medicine like this!”

Just then, a small, white hand reached out from the side, holding a silk handkerchief.

Nie Yun turned his head to look at her and saw Ren Yingying turn her head to the side and not look at him, saying with a blush on her face, “This…this is something I don’t need. You can just throw it away after you’re done wiping it.”

Seemingly realizing her change of heart was too abrupt, she added, “I just didn’t want you to ruin someone else’s handkerchief with your dirty hands. Don’t think I’ve forgiven you; I’ll settle the score with you sooner or later for those frivolous words you just said!”

Nie Yun chuckled, took the handkerchief, wiped away the blood, and then casually put it into his pocket.

“Hey, why…why don’t you throw it away?” Ren Yingying saw his movement out of the corner of her eye and quickly turned her head to ask.

Nie Yun looked at Ren Yingying with gentle eyes and a slight smile on his lips.

Ren Yingying felt as if his unusually bright gaze was melting her, making her heart race and causing her to panic. She quickly lowered her head, her face burning red and hot.

As she was secretly trying to guess Nie Yun’s thoughts, she suddenly heard his voice in her ear: “A plain handkerchief conveys my longing, a single thread horizontally, a single thread vertically. The threads are endless, so is my affection.”

Ren Yingying’s mind went blank for a moment. She looked up abruptly, only to see Nie Yun nodding slightly at her. The others around her seemed oblivious to what had just been said.

“He used a secret method of telepathic communication, but… but what did he mean by that sentence?”

Ren Yingying was lost in thought, various ideas coming one after another. When she came to her senses, only she and Xiang Wentian were left in the room.

“Young Miss, are you alright?” Xiang Wentian asked with concern when he saw Ren Yingying wake up from her daze.

“I’m fine, Uncle Xiang. You’ve just escaped danger, go and rest!” Ren Yingying suppressed her emotions and said to Xiang Wentian.

“Yes,” Xiang Wentian replied, then added, “Miss, although Nie Yun is young, his cunning and martial arts skills are both top-notch. If Miss were to…”

“Left Envoy, don’t you think you’ve talked too much?” Ren Yingying was furious that he had exposed her secret, and her voice suddenly turned icy cold.

Xiang Wentian was not surprised to hear this; instead, he smiled with satisfaction.

“Yes, I’ll take my leave.” He bowed and then slowly walked out.

After he stepped out of the room, Ren Yingying took off her bamboo hat and looked at the few drops of blood on the gauze scarf that resembled plum blossoms. She couldn’t help but reach out and touch them.

Whether it was her imagination or not, the bloodstain felt hot to the touch, just like the way Nie Yun had looked at her earlier…

********************

“Brother Nie, when are we going back to Mount Hua?” Qu Feiyan asked while bandaging Nie Yun, but Nie Yun pulled her into his arms and gently kissed her delicate cheek.

“Ugh, you’re so annoying!” Qu Feiyan jumped up immediately when she saw Lan Fenghuang’s smiling eyes next to her.

Nie Yun laughed and said, “Next time you’re jealous, just say so. I’m not an unreasonable person!”

Lan Fenghuang curled her lips slightly and said, “It’s not that he’s unreasonable, it’s that he’s too greedy!”

Nie Yun whistled and deliberately said, “Feifei, why did two bottles of vinegar break in the room all of a sudden? The smell of vinegar is so strong!”

Qu Feiyan rolled her eyes and said helplessly, “Sister Lan, how could such a scoundrel manage to steal our hearts?”

Lan Fenghuang blushed slightly and spat lightly, saying, “You’ve been tricked, but I haven’t! In our Miao family, daughters are very noble!”

Nie Yun stood up and pulled her into his arms. Looking down at her beautiful face, he said softly, “You’re right. It’s you who stole my heart.”

Lan Fenghuang narrowed her eyes slightly, her soft body leaning against him as if boneless, and whispered, “Then what are you waiting for?”

Nie Yun shook his head. “Not today. I’m never comfortable staying at other people’s places. Phoenix, I have a favor to ask you!”

Lan Fenghuang asked, “What is it?”

“Could you take Feifei back to Huashan for me? I need to go to Kaifeng and will be back later.”

“Brother Nie, what are you going to Kaifeng for?” Qu Feiyan asked curiously.

“Go find Ping Yizhi and see if he can make an antidote for the Three Corpse Brain God Pill.” Nie Yun pulled her into his arms, his tone becoming somewhat serious.

Both women fell silent upon hearing this. The Three Corpse Brain God Pill was like a sword hanging over their heads; they would not have peace of mind until the problem was resolved.

Just like this time, if Ren Yingying hadn’t offered the antidote for the Three Corpse Brain God Pill as a condition, Qu Feiyan would never have come to Luoyang City.

Lan Fenghuang, needless to say, was a victim herself, living in constant fear.

“It’s alright, I’m only going for a few days, and I’m good at light footwork, so I might catch up with you before you even reach Mount Hua,” Nie Yun said softly to the two women.

“I understand. I will safely return Feifei to Mount Hua,” Lan Fenghuang said earnestly.

“Brother Nie, you have to be careful. I’ve heard that Ping Yizhi has a very strange temper and is difficult to deal with.” Qu Feiyan thought of the rumors she had heard from Qu Yang before and couldn’t help but feel worried.

“Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.” Nie Yun didn’t seem to care too much. Now that his martial arts had reached a high level and he was immune to all poisons, he could go anywhere in the world.

********************

Early the next morning, Nie Yun bid farewell to Ren Yingying and the others.

Ren Yingying still wore a bamboo hat and veil, and a white robe, which made her figure even more graceful and dignified.

Ren Yingying asked softly, “Is your hand feeling better?”

Even through the gauze scarf, Nie Yun could feel her bright, autumn-water-like eyes fixed on him. He raised his right hand and smiled, “Thank you for your concern. It’s just a minor injury, nothing serious.”

Ren Yingying nodded and said nothing more.

Xiang Wentian said, “Brother Nie, take care on your journey. I’ll come to Mount Hua to find you after the New Year.”

Nie Yun nodded and said, “It’s a deal, but remember to disguise yourself, or you’ll get cornered again.”

Xiang Wentian laughed and said, “I have learned from my mistakes. I bear a heavy responsibility and naturally dare not be careless again.”

He glanced at Ren Yingying and said to Nie Yun, “I suppose you and Miss still have something to say, so I’ll head out first!” Without waiting for either of them to speak, he pushed open the door and left the room.

Nie Yun smiled, then turned to Ren Yingying and said, “Miss Ren, may I borrow your flute for a moment?”

Ren Yingying was taken aback upon hearing this. After hesitating for a moment, she picked up her jade flute from the table and handed it to Nie Yun.

Nie Yun held the jade flute, his fingers gently stroking the mouthpiece, but his eyes involuntarily turned to Ren Yingying, as if he could see her rosy lips through the veil.

Ren Yingying felt uncomfortable under his gaze, her delicate brows furrowing as she asked, “What are you looking at?”

Nie Yun smiled slightly, picked up the jade flute, and began to play it.

“Oh, how could you…” Ren Yingying couldn’t stop him in time, and could only watch helplessly as Nie Yun’s lips touched the spot where she usually played the flute, feeling extremely shy.

“I’ll throw this flute away as soon as he leaves and never use it again!” The proud young lady secretly made up her mind.

The sound of the flute rose softly, like a spring breeze brushing past the treetops; the sound was very faint, yet it lingered on and on.

Gradually, the sound grew louder, like a swift swooping down and then suddenly tilting its head back and flying into the sky, soaring higher and higher into the white clouds.

Although Ren Yingying was mentally prepared, she was still quickly captivated by the beautiful sound of the flute.

When she woke up, Nie Yun was nowhere to be found. The jade flute was placed neatly on the table, with a brand new silk handkerchief underneath.

She picked up the silk handkerchief, the six words Nie Yun had said yesterday echoing in her ears: “Silk is endless, affection is endless…”

“Tch! He’s clearly a shameless scoundrel who puts on this sentimental act. It’s disgusting!”

Ren Yingying picked up the jade flute, intending to break it with her strength, but then she smelled a faint medicinal fragrance emanating from it—a scent she was very familiar with, the unique aroma of the special wound medicine that Lan Fenghuang always carried with her.

She remained silent for a long time, then carefully wiped the jade flute with a silk handkerchief before putting it back in its place.

“This jade flute is my prized possession. How could I throw it away so easily just because a shameless scoundrel touched it? Humph! I’m not that stupid!”

Ren Yingying tried to justify her actions in her mind, tearing at the silk handkerchief with her small hands as if she were tearing at Nie Yun’s face…

********************

Nie Yun returned to Mount Hua from Kaifeng on the 18th day of the twelfth lunar month, only one day later than Lan Fenghuang and Qu Feiyan. Subtracting the travel time, he had stayed in Kaifeng for a full half month.

Ping Yizhi had an eccentric personality and his medical skills were also extremely exquisite. Even though Nie Yun had the Hu Qingniu Medical Classic and the Wang Nangu Poison Classic as his foundation, he only surprised Ping Yizhi slightly, but did not agree to his request to jointly develop a complete antidote for the Three Corpse Brain God Pill.

However, having read the original novel, Nie Yun was not so easily appeased, because he knew the doctor’s greatest weakness: he hated his mother-in-law and was afraid of his wife.

“If you don’t agree, I’ll kill your mother-in-law’s whole family, and then tell your wife that you ordered me to do it.”

Nie Yun’s words shocked and angered Ping Yizhi, but he had no choice but to obediently agree to Nie Yun’s request. He was even forced to show Nie Yun his medical skills and resume.

There was nothing he could do. He couldn’t beat Nie Yun in a fight, and Nie Yun was immune to all poisons. Furthermore, Nie Yun had caught him red-handed. No matter how powerful Ping Yizhi was, he had no choice but to submit.

In fact, Nie Yun did not believe the book’s claim that the Three Corpse Brain God Pill contained corpse worms. This is not a mythological world. What kind of worm can run from the stomach to the brain and survive, yet be suppressed by taking the antidote regularly every year?

Is this a bug or a miniature computer chip?

If such insects existed, ruling the world would be a piece of cake. How could the Sun Moon Cult be forced to retreat to Blackwood Cliff by the righteous faction?

Even after Ren Woxing regained his position as leader, he never intended to use this thing to control the martial arts world; he still aimed to conquer by force.

It is clear that this thing is not as mysterious and unpredictable as described in the book, and its power is limited.

As Nie Yun had predicted, the Three Corpse Brain God Pill turned out to be nothing more than a hallucinogen. When it took effect, it would instantly boost a person’s physical functions and cause hallucinations in the brain, leading them to do all sorts of bizarre and even extremely cruel things.

The so-called antidote distributed every Dragon Boat Festival can suppress hallucinogens and stop their effects, but it cannot cure them.

Because this hallucinogen acts directly on a person’s mind, ordinary oral medications cannot completely neutralize it. It must be combined with highly skilled acupuncture to force the toxins to one place and then release them through bloodletting.

“Isn’t this just a weakened version of the T-virus? But being able to precisely control the drug’s effects and ensure that the outbreaks always occur around the Dragon Boat Festival every year is just too high-tech! This Jin Yong’s allusions to reality don’t consider any logic at all, it’s really ridiculous…” Nie Yun complained as he traveled.

He gained a lot from this trip to Kaifeng. He absorbed all of Ping Yizhi’s lifelong knowledge and even got hands-on experience in several surgeries.

While his medical skills might not be enough to revive the dead or heal the sick, he could certainly be considered a miracle doctor.

********************

Inside the Huashan reception room, the underfloor heating was blazing hot, and although snow was falling outside, the room was warm and cozy.

Upon returning to Mount Hua, Nie Yun unsurprisingly faced another joint trial.

Yue Lingshan pouted her red lips, glared at Nie Yun, and snorted, “Senior Brother, weren’t you going to save Sister Feifei? Why are you…”

She glanced at Lan Fenghuang and said irritably, “Why did you bring Master Lan back again?”

Today she wore a lotus-root-colored long dress with a blue-and-white floral-patterned jacket, which made her small face even more radiant and beautiful, like a newly blooming rose.

At that moment, she felt a pang of sadness, and the way she pouted and frowned made one want to go up and give her a big kiss.

“Brother Yun, I didn’t believe Sister Yue when she said you were a womanizer, but I didn’t expect you to actually bring back a sister after just one trip down the mountain!”

Ling Shuanghua looked at Nie Yun with some helplessness, but she had experienced Nie Yun’s prowess in bed before, so although she was a little jealous, she did not show it too obviously.

She wore a moon-white padded jacket on top and a lake-green ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) on the bottom. Sitting there quietly, she exuded the refined and elegant air of a well-bred lady.

“Brother Nie, how could you do this? You have four sisters like us, yet you still go around getting involved with such shady women!”

Shui Sheng and Nie Yun’s relationship was a twist of fate. She originally felt that she was already being wronged by sharing a husband with Ling Shuanghua, Yue Lingshan, and Qu Feiyan. Unexpectedly, Lan Fenghuang also came up the mountain a few days ago and stayed there, waiting for Nie Yun to return.

Based on Yue Lingshan’s description of Lan Fenghuang’s last visit to the mountain, she had a very bad impression of this leader of the Five Immortals Sect. When she saw Lan Fenghuang, she practically had the words “whore” written all over her face.

Therefore, her emotional reaction was the strongest when she saw Nie Yun, that womanizer.

The straightforward young woman’s delicate eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and her white silk outfit made her skin look even whiter and more beautiful than ever.

Qu Feiyan sat next to Yue Lingshan, tilted her head with a grin, made a face at Nie Yun, and mouthed silently, “Serves you right!”

Lan Fenghuang sat in the guest seat with a smile, not angry at the hostility of the women. Instead, she swept her eyes over everyone with a look of amusement.

Looking at the several girls in front of him, who were all aggrieved and coquettish, even the audacious Nie Yun felt that he was in a bit of a predicament.

“Sigh! I should have used the brainwashing cheat back then!” Nie Yun complained inwardly.