Chapter Eighty-Five: Yun Chuxue Drinks to Relieve Her Woes

Yun Chuxue followed the route Muya had given her. Inside, two teams of guards stood on either side, clad in iron armor, each of them at the Ling Emperor level. The leading captain, a Ling Saint realm expert, questioned her as she approached,

"Who are you? What are you doing here?"

Yun Chuxue showed him the token. Upon seeing it, the captain respectfully said,

"Please, come in."

After entering, Yun Chuxue saw several massive buildings not far away. As she got closer, she realized the first building was a granary. A bit further in was a tavern. Without venturing further, Yun Chuxue headed straight into the tavern.

Opening the door, she was met with the sight of countless wine jars stacked high. Yun Chuxue slowly closed the door behind her.

Meanwhile, Muya was absorbing the essence of the Thousand-Year Ice Snow Lotus. The lotus floated before her, emitting streams of cyan-blue spiritual energy that enveloped her.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye. Muya opened her eyes, satisfied with her progress.

"Finally, my strength has reached the late Ling Shen stage. Now, I don't fear that wretched wolf anymore," she said, referring to the Cangming Poison Wolf.

Muya pushed open the door, squinting as the dazzling sunlight hit her eyes, shielding them with her hand.

"Great. Someone, come here."

"What are your orders, Chief?" a soldier asked respectfully.

"Where is Yun Chuxue? Why hasn't she come to greet me?"

"Chief, we haven't seen Yun Chuxue for three days," the soldier reported.

"What?" Muya was shocked. "Search the entire tribe immediately, and the area outside as well. I want her found, dead or alive."

"Yes, Chief."

The soldier hurried off. Muya walked slowly, puzzled.

"Yun Chuxue, where could you have gone? Leaving this tribe means almost certain death. Where would you go?"

In the hall, Muya sat in a chair, waiting for news. Soon, a captain ran in to report.

"Chief, we searched within a fifty-mile radius outside the tribe but found no trace of Yun Chuxue."

Four more captains came to report their findings.

"No sign of Yun Chuxue in the east side of the tribe."

"No sign of Yun Chuxue in the west side of the tribe."

"No sign of Yun Chuxue in the south side of the tribe."

"No sign of Yun Chuxue in the north side of the tribe."

Bang!

Muya smashed the table, causing the captains to tremble.

"What? You useless bunch! You can't even keep track of one person. What good are you?"

Muya scolded them harshly before calming herself. "Where haven't we searched?"

"The granary," one captain suggested.

Muya suddenly realized. Before her seclusion, Yun Chuxue had asked if there was any wine. Maybe she was in the granary.

"Follow me to the granary."

"Yes, Chief."

Muya led her men to the granary tavern, where the scent of wine wafted out, making the captains and soldiers swallow hungrily.

Muya paused at the entrance and commanded, "Order all patrols along the route from here to my home to stand down. No one is to patrol, including you."

"Yes, Chief."

Muya pushed open the door, and the strong smell of wine hit her. The entire tavern was filled with a heavy alcohol scent.

"Such a strong smell. This isn't normal for stored wine. She must be in here."

As she moved further in, Muya saw Yun Chuxue staring blankly, a wine jar in her hand, surrounded by dozens of empty jars.

Muya snatched the jar from Yun Chuxue and smashed it to the ground, shouting,

"Yun Chuxue, do you know what you're doing?"

"...Uh..." Yun Chuxue looked at Muya with hopeless eyes, "...Mu...ya..."

Yun Chuxue struggled to stand, stumbling toward Muya before collapsing into her arms, muttering, "I'm so tired... so tired..."

An even stronger scent of alcohol emanated from Yun Chuxue.

"Tired?" Muya murmured, carrying Yun Chuxue out.

Muya arrived home and gently placed Yun Chuxue on the bed, covering her with a blanket.

"Someone, come here."

"At your service."

"Prepare a bowl of sobering soup and bring it to me quickly."

"Yes, Chief."

A short while later, the subordinate brought the sobering soup. Muya carefully fed the soup to Yun Chuxue, blowing on it to cool it down.

At first, Yun Chuxue resisted, but eventually, she finished the soup. Just then, the High Priestess entered.

"Chief, someone wishes to see you."

Muya glanced at Yun Chuxue before telling the High Priestess, "Let's go."

In the main hall, the High Priestess led an old man inside.

"Who are you, and what brings you to my tribe?"

"Who I am is not important. We both have an interest in the same person."

"You mean Yun Chuxue?"

"Yes."

"What do you mean by that? What are you implying about my motives?"

"Chief, you are a wise person. Let me get straight to the point. I am the Flower Deity. Yun Chuxue ate the Sun God Flower in the cave at the foot of the snowy mountain. I chased away the spirit beasts guarding it."

"You gave her the Sun God Flower? That flower is comparable to a divine herb and is extremely rare. How could it grow in such a place?"

"It couldn't, of course. I nurtured it with my own blood essence. May I sit down?"

"Please."

Hearing that it was nurtured with blood essence, Muya's suspicion lessened slightly. She asked,

"Why did you do this?"

"Heh, let me explain. I was once a Sun God Flower spirit. When my power reached the Ling Wang realm, I was hunted by a group of people. Yun Chuxue saved me. She said that as a spirit transformed into human form, I had to grow stronger to truly join human society. Recently, I was nearby when she dueled with the sects of various empires. She was severely injured by black-clad assailants and fled. I followed her until you took her to the snowy mountain, giving me a chance to repay her kindness."

"Oh? I see. But don't you know that she saved you because she despised those nobles who bullied the weak?"

"Of course, I know. But she is different from others. At least she believes that not all spirit beasts are bad."

"Hahaha, it's admirable that you think this way. But why do you say we have the same goal? You want to save Yun Chuxue, but I don't."

"Oh? I am curious to hear more."

"I am merely curious about how someone with exhausted spiritual power and damaged meridians can recover her strength."

Muya's voice was sharp and determined, her gaze unwavering.

She stood up and walked to the door, turning her back to the Flower Deity, speaking with a sense of purpose.

"I can help you, but you must agree to one condition."

"What condition?"

"I'll tell you when the time comes. For now, stay here."

After Muya left, the High Priestess approached.

"Please, this way."

"Thank you."

The Flower Deity stood up and sighed deeply as she watched Muya's departing figure.