Chapter 149 Tears Flowing

As Gu Qingli entered the room, Ouyang Qian visibly relaxed, having feared her hospitality had fallen short and left the guests impatient.

"Mother, please go get some rest. I'll take it from here," Gu Qingli said hurriedly, gently ushering Ouyang Qian away.

With a warm smile, Ouyang Qian replied, "Then take your time chatting. I'll leave you to it."

"Auntie, take care!" Sikong Ran beamed with a polite, well-behaved smile—so much so that Gu Qingli nearly suspected she had mistaken him for someone else.

"Alright, alright," Ouyang Qian chuckled softly and made her way out.

"My dear girl, I've been so anxious I haven't shut my eyes all night! It's like waiting for the stars and the moon just to finally see you again," said Old Man Tian, his deeply wrinkled face nearly blooming into a chrysanthemum with glee. Rubbing his hands together in a comically eager fashion, he added, "Did you bring my pill, little girl?"

His beady eyes were brimming with anticipation.

"Of course," Gu Qingli replied, tossing a jade vial into his hands.

Old Man Tian sprang from his chair in alarm, catching the bottle midair as though it were made of glass-thin treasure.

"Brother He, help me close the door," he said.

Though they were in their own home, the parasite in Old Man Tian's body was no ordinary creature—it was better not to let anyone else know.

"Understood." He Zhongyi, upon hearing Gu Qingli's request, allowed a faint smile to grace his otherwise stoic face before silently closing the door.

Once the door shut, Gu Qingli spoke solemnly.

"I need to observe how your body reacts to the pill, particularly the parasite. Go ahead—take one and let me see what happens."

All three pairs of eyes fixated intently on Old Man Tian, watching for his every move. After all, he had long boasted of his unparalleled charm, and now everyone was eager to see if that claim had any merit.

"W-Why are you all staring at me like that? It's making me nervous," he muttered.

In truth, Old Man Tian hadn't slept a wink. His mind had been a whirlwind of thoughts—part anxiety, part hope. Would this really work? Gu Qingli was, after all, only twelve years old and still new to alchemy. What if the pill was harmful—or worse, fatal?

And yet, despair had long outpaced fear in his heart. He had reached the point where even a desperate gamble seemed worth it. A drowning man doesn't question the nature of the rope he's thrown.

"You're overthinking it, Old Tian. Afraid we'll laugh at you for being too ugly?" Sikong Ran teased with a look of disdain, clearly untroubled by any doubts. He had full faith in Gu Qingli.

"You little rascal!" snapped Old Man Tian. But the banter helped ease his nerves. Shooting Sikong Ran a glare, he popped a pill into his mouth.

Instantly, a fragrant medicinal aroma melted on his tongue. The pill dissolved with ease, transforming into a gentle warmth that coursed through his body like a stream finding its long-dried riverbed.

"There's definitely a change!" Sikong Ran exclaimed. He had been watching closely and noticed the subtle shifts immediately.

Fortunately, the Beautifying Pill wasn't a high-grade elixir—its effects were purely cosmetic, not life-extending.

"Yes, something's happening," He Zhongyi murmured, eyes locked on Old Man Tian's form as a glimmer of astonishment flickered across his face.

The withered, deeply lined skin on Old Man Tian's face began to flush with a faint rosy hue. A glow of vitality returned, and his flesh took on a supple, youthful sheen.

And the transformation continued.

Suddenly, a red light pulsed from his chest—small, about the size of a fingertip, yet strikingly visible.

"What… what is that?" Sikong Ran gasped. The crimson thing blinked rhythmically and even seemed to writhe faintly.

"That's the parasite," Gu Qingli said gravely, her eyes fixed on the eerie glow. She hadn't expected the creature to be visible, much less luminous. To her surprise, it was nestled near his chest.

The parasite flickered a few times before fading from sight.

It was then that Old Man Tian's transformation surged forward dramatically—like peeling away the coarse rind of an orange. Wrinkles melted, his hunched back straightened, and the once creepy, disheveled old man took on a startlingly different appearance.

Even though they had braced themselves, both Sikong Ran and He Zhongyi stared in open-mouthed disbelief. Who could have imagined such a pill existed?

Sikong Ran turned to Gu Qingli.

"Xiao Li, if you ever put this pill on the market, beauty-obsessed men and women across the world would lose their minds over it. You'd make a fortune!"

Gu Qingli arched a brow but said nothing. She shared the same thought—though she didn't particularly need the money right now, selling these pills could certainly be a lucrative venture in the future.

The Phoenix Flame Codex held the formulas for many such "small" pills. Though not powerful in the traditional sense, they possessed mysterious, desirable effects—and required only modest ingredients. Truly, a gold mine waiting to be tapped.

Gu Qingli made a mental note.

By now, Old Man Tian had fully transformed. He looked like a man in his forties, his age seemingly aligned with Shao Yan or Sikong Aofeng. His new appearance was nothing like the frail, lecherous figure from before.

Although the pill had worked well, Gu Qingli could tell the effects wouldn't last forever. The improvement was visible, but it likely wouldn't be permanent.

More importantly, the parasite hadn't reacted negatively to the pill—a crucial sign that it could, at the very least, pacify the creature within him.

A temporary fix, not a cure.

Old Man Tian's looks were, indeed, striking. Unlike Shao Yan's scholarly elegance or Sikong Aofeng's commanding presence, his newly youthful form carried a quiet, almost melancholic charm. Lean, clean-featured, and noble in bearing—he seemed more like a melancholic poet than the haggard elder he once was.

Whether that melancholy was innate or born from years of suffering, no one could say.

Opening his eyes, Old Man Tian felt vitality surging through his limbs. He caught the astonished glances of Sikong Ran and He Zhongyi, and the quiet satisfaction in Gu Qingli's eyes.

He looked down at his hands—smooth and unblemished. His cheeks—no longer furrowed, but smooth and firm.

In that moment, his eyes welled with tears.

He was young again.