Chapter 93 Illustrated Text

Zhong Qing had a tall and slender figure, wearing a cashmere sweater on top and black trousers on the bottom, perfectly showcasing her great figure, with her legs straight and long. 

In her daily interactions, she was impeccable. Though young and with a sweet and pure appearance, her mentality was mature, and her actions were steady, often leaving Wu Yin at a disadvantage.

Now, however, she had lost her composure. Striding forward with her long, beautiful legs, she moved with youthful vitality, but her pretty eyes were ablaze with fury, locking onto Zhong Cheng from a distance as if she wished she could stomp him into the earth's core!

Especially upon seeing Wang Xuan already flipping through the manual, she immediately shouted, "Don't look!"

Zhong Cheng shrank back in shock, never expecting to be caught red-handed, with his older sister storming in from behind!

Wang Xuan raised an eyebrow, glancing casually in that direction, and said to Zhong Cheng, "Your sister is really stingy. The Zhong family has so many manuals; what's the big deal in looking at one?"

Hearing this, Zhong Cheng broke out in a cold sweat, realizing Wang Xuan was digging a pit for him—had he washed his hands clean in advance?!

He anxiously rubbed his hands, looking frantic, reaching to take the manual back, but Wang Xuan held on tightly, ignoring him.

After flipping through two pages, Wang Xuan frowned. 

Was this what they called a manual? The printed text had no spirit at all. Weren't these supposed to be illustrated? He thought it was rather inconsiderate that even Old Zhang's five-page golden book had illustrations, yet the Zhong family's didn't?

Wang Xuan said seriously, "Is this a defective version? Just text without any true images is like having no soul; it's easy to make mistakes in practice!"

Zhong Cheng was dumbfounded. "This is the scripture left by Chen Tuan; there are images in the back."

Upon hearing that name, Wang Xuan stopped caring about the so-called illustrated text and hurriedly recited the scripture, realizing it might be an exceptional text.

Who was Chen Tuan? He was a peerless figure in the realm of internal alchemy, succeeding Zhong Li Quan and Lü Dongbin, and a supreme being in Taoism. His scriptures were far from mundane!

Wang Xuan quickly memorized it, flipping through the pages, which numbered very few in total.

Just then, Zhong Qing arrived, immediately trying to snatch the manual away, her beautiful face full of frost. She not only targeted her brother but also set her sights on Wang Xuan.

She thought this person was too bold—at this point, how dare he continue reading?!

"Don't be stingy; let me look for a moment longer!" Wang Xuan said, gripping the manual stubbornly and focusing intently on it.

Upon hearing this, Zhong Qing felt dizzy with anger. What kind of person was this? How could he say such things so casually?!

She couldn't hold back any longer and decided to take action. She would definitely find someone to deal with him; how outrageous was it to look so recklessly!

Wang Xuan held the manual in one hand and blocked her delicate hand with the other, saying, "Just let me read two more pages. I'm looking this up for Old Chen. He's on the brink of death; I'll memorize it and burn it for him to see later!"

Zhong Qing had not seen the manual, her gaze fixed on Wang Xuan. Upon hearing such words, she felt like going insane. What kind of nonsense was that? Burn it for someone else to see?!

Meanwhile, Zhong Cheng was drenched in sweat, too scared to move.

Finally, Zhong Qing realized that Wang Xuan was earnestly speaking ridiculous words, his serious expression a stark contrast to his outrageous claims.

She looked down and was immediately stunned; it was indeed a scripture, completely different from what she had imagined—there were no photos of her.

The printed text in the manual was very clear. She had browsed through some parts before; it seemed to be an important work by Chen Tuan.

Zhong Qing was deeply surprised and quickly adjusted her emotions, gradually regaining her composure. She calmly said, "There's a misunderstanding here; Mr. Wang can read it. I apologize for my earlier behavior…"

Zhong Qing was gracious and poised, her words like a breath of spring, expressing her apologies with elegance.

"Thank you!" Wang Xuan, preoccupied, was wholly invested in the scriptures, quickly memorizing them. To the Zhong family, this might just be one of many collections.

But for him, it was invaluable—an important classic from a sage, rich in profound insights worth studying and referencing.

Beside them, Zhong Cheng felt an overwhelming sense of dread, nearly trembling, especially when Wang Xuan turned to the sixth page, almost suffocating him.

"What are you so nervous about?" Zhong Qing, perceptive, noticed his unusual behavior.

Zhong Cheng forced himself to calm down, saying, "I didn't get permission from the family to show an important scripture to an outsider; I'm a bit scared you won't tell on me and let grandpa punish me."

Zhong Qing shook her head, glancing at him. "I won't. It's fine for Master Wang to see. I originally planned to collaborate with him."

She looked at Wang Xuan with a faint smile, now calling him "Master," which was a result of her assessment; she believed he would soon step into that realm.

When Wang Xuan reached the sixth page, his expression changed dramatically. He continued flipping to the next pages, turning each until he reached the second-to-last twentieth page.

Zhong Cheng trembled in fear because his sister could see the final "scripture" with just a glance downward.

Wang Xuan carefully examined the text. Adhering to the principle of being decent, he intended to close the manual to keep Zhong Cheng safe. However, Little Zhong was too sharp; she noticed her brother's unusual behavior and immediately looked down.

Then, her face flushed with rage; it was too much! One was daring to give it, while the other was daring to look!

Moreover, all of this was happening right under her nose!

Especially when she recalled what she had said to Wang Xuan earlier, Little Zhong felt like she might spit blood, her delicate earlobes turning crimson!

She snatched the manual back, first hitting Wang Xuan twice before turning her wrath onto her brother.

Zhong Cheng, now thoroughly honest, crouched on the ground with his hands over his head, not daring to resist.

Wang Xuan couldn't bear to watch any longer and said, "You've misunderstood your brother; all those images are covered up quite thickly."

Zhong Qing's gaze could almost kill; she wanted to question him—what was he thinking, wanting to see something not properly covered?!

Wang Xuan said, "Don't be anxious; let me finish. Your brother's aesthetic sense is seriously flawed. The images he pieced together are not beautiful at all. Your face is delicate and lovely—so beautiful! And look at what he chose: either curvy or flashy bodies. What kind of taste is that? He has a perfectly pure and stunning sister and chooses those random people, ruining the beauty!"

Zhong Cheng was almost in tears, wanting to shout: "Brother Wang, please stop explaining! My sister is extremely sensitive about this; she hates the word 'curvy,' especially knowing I chose such people to piece together photos. This is going to get me killed!"

Sure enough, upon hearing this, Little Zhong's anger towards Wang Xuan softened somewhat, but when she looked at her brother, her fury instantly ignited; she wanted nothing more than to send him to the eighteenth layer of hell.

Little Zhong began to beat Zhong Cheng mercilessly, instantly leaving him bruised and battered.

Wang Xuan added, "The last two photos are very beautiful. One is a portrait in a school uniform, radiating a serene beauty of time. The other is a swimsuit photo of you running on the beach at sunrise. Honestly, your figure is really great; it exudes youthful vigor in the morning light. I have to say, your brother does have some taste."

After saying this, Wang Xuan leisurely departed, his mood uplifted, as if he truly appreciated the beauty of things.

Zhong Qing, flattered by the compliments, was at a loss—should she be murderous or ponder that kind of beauty? Ultimately, she returned to beating Zhong Cheng. "You even posted my real photos?!"

Zhong Cheng protested, "Just two! Besides, all your photos are heavily covered, even the swimsuit shot goes past the knees. What's there to worry about? And look, Brother Wang praised your figure! Beauty should be shared at the right time to gain recognition and admiration!"

And then… he was beaten again!

After Wang Xuan left, he hurriedly looked up at the Heavenly Herb, relieved to see nothing unusual; it was still there.

He turned back and entered the ward, telling Old Chen and Qingmu that he had unexpectedly obtained part of a scripture. It wasn't complete, but it seemed quite powerful.

Old Chen took it seriously, sighing, "Chen Tuan's scripture is truly remarkable; he's a well-known master of Taoism. I didn't expect the Zhong family to have it so readily available, indicating their extensive collection."

"This scripture is a bit strange; it seems to contain hidden messages, revealing levels like Mist, Lighting the Lamp, Fate Soil, and Gathering Herb. And it appears to tell a mysterious and terrifying story—there's something to it that requires careful study later!"

The three of them examined it together, finding it rather peculiar, as it contained a narrative!

By evening, the thunder had lessened, the dark clouds had thinned, and the clouds on the horizon were even torn apart, revealing a stretch of sunset that painted the sky red.

Wang Xuan had been watching the Heavenly Herb intently, and now he suddenly looked astonished. "Something's off; that herb is moving! It's unstable but hasn't fallen; instead, it's burrowing into the clouds."

Old Chen's expression changed instantly; he gritted his teeth and said, "There's no other choice! The Heavenly Herb might not be ripe yet. We must approach and try to gather it!"

He instructed Qingmu to prepare the spaceship; today, no matter what, they had to get close. Regardless of whether they could harvest the Heavenly Herb, they had to give it a shot.

Soon, a small spacecraft took off, flying directly toward the area where the clouds were swirling.

Wang Xuan, holding the bone of the female sword immortal, called out, "Old Qing, be careful! Oleasha's spacecraft had an accident; we mustn't follow in his footsteps and get struck by lightning!"

"It's fine; our spacecraft has a lightning protection system. Today, we're going to gather the great herb amidst the thunder!" Qingmu replied confidently.

Sure enough, that golden light entered the clouds, weaving through the lightning-intertwined mist, floating heavily, with golden glimmers scattered, showering the sunset's glow, appearing remarkably sacred.

"This truly is… the Heavenly Herb!" Old Chen exclaimed, his shock evident. Although he couldn't see it yet and was still quite far away, he could smell a fragrant aroma.

Not only him, but Wang Xuan and Qingmu also caught the scent, which was extraordinary—despite being so far away and sealed in the spacecraft, the fragrance of the herb could still be detected?

"No, this scent… it's not from our mouths or noses. It seems to originate from a spiritual experience; the fragrance of the Heavenly Herb… penetrated into our spirits?!" Wang Xuan's face changed, utterly astonished.