Black Snake Jade

Mei Xiang's face turned purple. She had never expected that one day would come when she would be ridiculed.

In the past, she would always be praised for her beauty, and no man could pass her by without marveling at her.

This wretched girl! It must be because she was jealous!

Mei Xiang huffed and looked at Qiu Yuansheng, expecting him to stand up for her. But she seemed to have seen contempt in his eyes.

Mei Xiang was dumbfounded. Had she really overdone her dressing and makeup?

"Madam Mei Xiang, please leave. I'd like to speak with Xiaonuo alone," Qiu Yuansheng said.

Upon hearing that, Mei Xiang's expression soured, and she threw him a flirty glance. In a saccharine-sweet voice, she called out, "Brother Yuansheng, we're going to be a family sooner or later. You can always say it in my presence."

Qiu Yuansheng's expression darkened, and he said in a cold tone, "Madam Mei Xiang, please have some self-respect. I don't have a family member like you, and even if I ever decide to get remarried, I'll never marry a frivolous woman like you!"

"You…"

Mei Xiang widened her eyes in shock. She had never expected this man to see her in this light.

She couldn't wrap her mind around it. Didn't men like flirtatious women like her?

"Hey, are you deaf? My father asked you to leave. Why are you still standing here?"

Qiu Nuo wrapped her arms around her chest and lifted her chin. Her tone was filled with arrogance.

Mei Xiang looked at the father and daughter pair with hatred in her eyes. Without saying a word, she stood up and left the study.

As she watched Mei Xiang walk off into the distance, Qiu Nuo threw the bowl of soup out of the window before finally sitting down in front of Qiu Yuansheng.

"Father, you'd better not touch anything that woman gives you in the future, whether it's food or anything else. That soup was drugged."

Qiu Yuansheng's expression changed. Thinking about how he had almost fallen for that woman's tricks earlier, he was in a rage. Then, he sighed. "If I hadn't failed my advancement this time, that old man wouldn't be bearing down so hard on me. Now, he knows that my life is over and he doesn't have much to worry about anymore."

"Father, I wanted to ask you why you failed." Qiu Nuo frowned in confusion.

Qiu Yuansheng shook his head. "I don't know what happened, either. Even though I wasn't a hundred percent confident, I did have at least seventy percent confidence. But at the very last stage, I wasn't able to condense the aura and all my efforts went to waste. I was thinking of finding a doctor to take a look at my aura after coming out of isolation. I never expected this to happen…"

Qiu Nuo's gaze wavered, and she took his arm over. "Let me have a look."

Qiu Yuansheng was filled with a stream of questions when he saw his wrist in his daughter's pale white hands.

When had his daughter learned to treat others? And she was even using such a strange method…

Qiu Nuo's expression suddenly sunk as she took Qiu Yuansheng's pulse.

There were numerous black spots within his body, most of it concentrated within his aura. It was an obvious symptom of poisoning.

Apart from that, Qiu Yuansheng had quite a few hidden injuries all over which should have been a result of his failure to advance this time.

"Father, take all of your belongings out and let me have a look at them." Qiu Nuo requested.

It was obvious that the poison in Qiu Yuansheng's body had accumulated over a long period of time.

In that case, it was unlikely that the poison came from his food.

After all, that would have been easily exposed. Only more obscure ways of poisoning would both ensure the damage while being hard to expose.

Although Qiu Yuansheng had no idea what Qiu Nuo was on to, he acceded to her request and placed all of his belongings on the table.

There was a sachet, a green and black piece of Soul Jade, as well as a silver saber.

Qiu Nuo scanned through the items, and her gaze landed on the piece of green and black Soul Jade. "It's you!"

Qiu Nuo took out a handkerchief and wrapped the Soul Jade up in it. Then, she turned to Qiu Yuansheng. "Father, do you remember where you got this Soul Jade from?"

Seeing Qiu Nuo's actions, Qiu Yuansheng had also guessed that something was amiss. He frowned. "Xiaoyue gave this to me as a birthday present last year."

"What an ingrate!" Qiu Nuo pursed her lips and revealed a corner of the jade from underneath the handkerchief. "Father, do you see the black spots on this jade? Although this Soul Jade looks like a valuable green ink jade, it's actually a Black Snake Jade that looks very similar but is poisonous! The spots on a green ink jade are dark-green but the spots on a Black Snake Jade are blacker. Many people mix these two kinds of jade up."

"What?" Qiu Yuansheng was shocked, and he jolted up. "Do you mean that I failed to advance because of this Soul Jade?"

Qiu Nuo nodded. "Father, you'd better find another piece of Soul Jade for yourself. I'll find an antidote for you."

Everyone who cultivated, whether they be Warriors or Soul Masters, would always carry a piece of Soul Jade with them.

A Soul Jade nourished the body and soul, and its effect improved with its age and purity level.

Anyone with a little bit of money would always buy a Soul Jade to carry around, even if they didn't buy pills.

Although pills were effective, they were a one-time use. Soul Jades, on the other hand, lasted forever.

Because Qiu Nuo had enjoyed reading books on Soul Jades ever since her childhood, and given how her energy had strengthened, it wasn't at all difficult for her to distinguish between a real and fake Soul Jade.

"Do you think that Xiaoyue was duped too? After all, you said that it's common for people to mix the two up…"

Qiu Yuansheng frowned, somewhat doubtful that the obedient young lady would do such a thing.

"Perhaps." Qiu Nuo shrugged her shoulder, not bothering to explain herself any further.

"Xiaonuo, I wanted to ask you earlier, how have you suddenly gained medical skills?" Qiu Yuansheng asked out of curiosity.

"That's not all!" Qiu Nuo had already prepared her excuse. "Ever since you went into isolation, the First Elder found an excuse to send me off to Ziying Mountain. There, I stumbled upon a mysterious old man and saved his life. To repay me for that, he taught me some medical skills and even unblocked all my meridians! Now, I'm already a first-level Warrior!"

Just as Qiu Nuo had expected, Qiu Yuansheng was overjoyed by the news. "Xiaonuo, does that mean that you can cultivate now?"

Qiu Nuo nodded as she released some soul power.

"It's true… You're really a first-level Warrior!" Qiu Yuansheng was overcome with emotions. "Xiaonuo, I can finally give you what your mother left behind for you!"

Qiu Nuo blinked blankly. Did that mean that her mother had left her something other than that fifth-level Defence Rune Crystal?