Love from the Male Protagonist’s Harem

Chapter 103-Xuan-Level Liandan Master Part 2

Xia Ge glared at the smoking furnace: “I do prefer formations to liandan.  Yet I studied what I ought to when it comes to refining.  I don’t feel like I’ve been perfunctory?”

Getting up, Xia Ge tried to pat the ash off her body: “So you think the true meaning of liandan is liking it?  That’s too excessive.  Not everyone who passes Danfeng’s entry examination is going to love refining dan.  What, are they going turn away potential Xuan-level liandan masters just because of that?”

The system replied: [No One Turned You Away, And You Are In Fact Already A Xuan-Level Liandan Master.  You Just Can’t Refine A Xuan-Level Dan That Requires Soul Strength, That’s All.]

Xia Ge: “Don’t be like that……”

[You Can Do Well At Something You Don’t Like, But You’re Unlikely To Be The Best At It.]  The System’s tone was idle: [There Might Be Exceptions, But That’s Generally The Way It Is.]

Frustrated about her inability to grasp liandan’s ‘true meaning,’ Xia Ge went to check on Mao Qing.

At some point Bixi had arrived and she was helping the master change Mao Qing’s dressing.  Eyes closed, Mao Qing appeared to be asleep.

Xia Ge studied Mao Qing’s pale face, asking the other two softly: “How is she doing?”

Bixi, startled by Xia Ge’s presence, simply nodded, while the master tugged at his goatee: “Her wound is slightly inflamed and her mind is confused.  We’ll need to keep an eye on her.”

The master then asked Xia Ge: “How is your refining going?”

Xia Ge shook her head: “Nothing yet……”

The master was unsurprised.  “I didn’t expect it to be that simple.  Mao Qing has had her medicine changed.  Take a break and watch over her while I go check on the others.”

“Bixi, come with me.”

“Yes.”

Many Danfeng disciples had been injured in the Demon Sect attack, and although there was a doctor from down the mountain, there was still medicinal herbs and dan that needed to be dispensed.

Moving a stool over, Xia Ge sat down by Mao Qing’s side.

System: [What About The Baihun Dan?]

Xia Ge: {……why ask me that?  do i look like i know what to do?}

“Aaaa……”  Seemingly caught in a bad dream, Mao Qing’s expression was unsightly, sweat beading on her forehead.  Xia Ge quickly wrung out a wet cloth and wiped Mao Qing’s brow.  Suddenly Mao Qing’s pitch-black eyes were staring at Xia Ge with an unwavering coldness, and her icy hand grabbed Xia Ge’s wrist.

Shocked by the murderous intent in Mao Qing’s gaze, Xia Ge tried pulling her hand back, but Mao Qing’s grip was too strong.  Worried about Mao Qing’s wound tearing, Xia Ge gave up on freeing her wrist and instead sat stiffly still.

Mao Qing stared at Xia Ge for a long time, the lethal look in her eyes gradually dissipating and replaced with confusion.  Even though her grasp on Xia Ge loosened, she didn’t let go, murmuring to herself: “Am I……going to……die?”

Pseudo Xuan-level Baihun dan couldn’t completely cure a person’s delirium, right?

So that meant……Mao Qing couldn’t think clearly.

After a long time Xia Ge finally answered: “No.”

“Oh.”  Mao Qing acted dazed.  “You say……I won’t die.”

“Therefore……I won’t die.”

Xia Ge: “Mmm……”

Xia Ge glanced at her wrist still caught by Mao Qing.

Following Xia Ge’s line of sight, Mao Qing gave a small smile and slowly released Xia Ge’s hand: “That’s really……good.”

Mao Qing’s ‘good’ carried all the weight of ‘I believe in you.’

Yet her trembling hand that haltingly slipped from Xia Ge’s wrist belied that word.

——No, it didn’t matter.

Xia Ge abruptly felt her heart lighten, her doubts about being able to refine Baihun dan in time melting away.  Now it was her turn to unhesitatingly grab Mao Qing’s wrist.

She heard herself calmly saying: “I too think it’s good, it’s……really good.”

Looking at Xia Ge’s face and then down at her held wrist, Mao Qing’s smile widened.

A moment passed, and Mao Qing whispered: “Don’t worry.  It’s alright if you can’t do it.”

Xia Ge looked back at Mao Qing, but some reason, it was a Senior Sister dressed in red and white that filled Xia Ge’s mind.  Senior Sister’s vermilion brush had marked her documents, her countenance had been serene, and she’d offhandedly said very many things to Xia Ge.

Many, many words.

But on the tip of Xia Ge’s tongue there were only a few words.

“That……Senior Sister said something like that too.”

“As a Danfeng disciple, I must be truthful so that you can trust in me.”  Xia Ge tucked Mao Qing’s hand under the blanket, saying earnestly: “Therefore, if I say you won’t die, I will do everything I can to honor that promise.”

As Xia Ge was speaking, her mind was on liandan.  She didn’t notice the cold gleam that flashed through Mao Qing’s eyes at the words ‘Senior Sister.’

Mao Qing’s voice was weak: “Truly?”

Xia Ge comforted her shamelessly: “Mm, I never lie.”

System: [……]

As soon as Xia Ge’s voice fell, she heard the sound of a pleasant male voice just outside.

“Is it possible for Xia Wuyin who holds Danfeng’s [Command] token to see us?”

Xia Ge’s answer was crisp and blunt: “No time, can’t see you.”

Mao Qing feebly asked: “Who’s out there?”

Xia Ge: “Hmm, I’m guessing it’s a bunch of houseflies.”

Mao Qing: “……”

Xia Ge: “Ai, it’s your turn to not worry now.  If your head hurts, close your eyes and get some sleep.”

Her dark gaze unreadable, after a moment Mao Qing nodded obediently and closed her eyes: “Yes.”

Xia Ge made an attempt at tucking Mao Qing in, but since her younger brother had rarely done it for her in the past, Xia Ge was a bit awkward at it.  When she was done, the system asked: [What Are You Going To Do About The Jianfeng People That Are Here?]

Xia Ge: {let them be cold and dressed with sauce for all i care.}

A Jianfeng disciple next to Chang Lan, upon hearing Xia Ge’s ‘no time’ comment, wanted to kick down some doors.  However Chang Lan put out a restraining hand, saying politely: “Xia Wuyin, please don’t be alarmed.  We have no ill intentions……”