Roaring Dragon-Chapter 126: Skinny Dog

Xie Jinhuan carried snacks and wine, circled around two buildings, and landed lightly on the floating terrace overlooking the Fengyi River. With a flick of his toes, he leapt up. What met his eyes was a yellow curtain and a glazed lamp set inside the room.

The whole room was brightly lit. Bookshelves and instruments lined the sides, but the altar that should’ve been used to worship some ancestral founder was completely empty. Who were they paying respects to...?

Xie Jinhuan gave it a sweep of his gaze. The room was spotless. He asked politely:

“Should I take off my shoes?”

“No need.”

Nangong Ye had hidden away anything that might hint at her identity and stepped out from the room, eyes falling directly onto Xie Jinhuan’s barely clothed figure.

Though he wore a sleeveless soft armor vest, the fabric clung tightly to his body, revealing every ridge of his abs and chest. Under the warm lamplight, he looked like a metallic sculpture—glimmering with masculine charm. Even a man might find it pleasing to the eye...

Nangong Ye furrowed her brows slightly, her phoenix-shaped eyes sharp and filled with visible disdain.

“You walked through the city looking like that? Dressed like this just to shop?”

Xie Jinhuan found her glare rather fascinating. It was the kind that made you feel like someone was grinding a stiletto heel into your chest—oddly exhilarating. Not the time for those thoughts, though. He raised his hands and said:

“I was just out slaying demons. Thought you might’ve run into trouble again, so I rushed over without changing. Forgive me.”

Alone together, man and woman—yeah, the outfit was inappropriate.

Nangong Ye, seeing it was due to demon-slaying, said nothing further and turned back into the bedroom. She came back out with a black robe.

Xie Jinhuan had just set down the food and drinks on the small table by the lampstand. Seeing her, he said with a grin:

“Oho? This... how can I accept this? Is this your lover’s robe?”

...?

Nangong Ye immediately clarified, dead serious:

“I live alone. That’s something I wear when disguising myself as a man. Just make do with it.”

Single—good news.

Having fished out some valuable intel, Xie Jinhuan didn’t press further. He stood and took the robe.

They were about the same height, so the robe fit well. Once he put it on, his whole aura shifted—becoming the picture of a cold, refined young noble.

Nangong Ye sat by the small table, giving him a cursory glance. She had to admit: he was handsome. But that wasn’t what she needed to focus on. She got straight to the point:

“Do you have any other methods to detoxify?”

Xie Jinhuan sat across from her, wearing the expression of a worldly, all-knowing sage, but inside he was screaming:

What other method do I have?! Shit, what do I do...

Ghost-wife, say something already!

But alas, if Ye Hongshang had a solution, she would’ve said so from the start. Her voice echoed in his mind:

“You’d better think of something quick. She’s taken in too much yang energy—barely holding back the poison. She’s overheating. If you slip up, she’ll throw you out—sideways.”

What?!

Xie Jinhuan could sense that Nangong Ye was indeed getting more irritable. He racked his brain for anything he could bullshit:

“There’s something I could say, but I don’t know if I should...”

Nangong Ye, having left the ice bucket, now felt like she was sitting on a furnace. Beads of sweat formed on her skin:

“Worse than two women serving one man?”

Well, no...

Xie Jinhuan’s eyes darted to the instruments nearby:

“Have you ever heard of Su Boyu’s Pipa Lament?”

Nangong Ye inhaled deeply, her white nightgown puffing out slightly:

“If you try to change the subject again, I’ll have to ask you to leave.”

“Wait!”

Xie Jinhuan raised a hand urgently, speaking solemnly:

“That piece was composed by Su Boyu during the twelfth year of Mintai in the previous dynasty, inspired by an ancient tale.

“They say that in ancient times, there was a married couple deeply in love. Sadly, the husband died young from chronic illness...

“The wife couldn’t bear to part with him. She searched for a way to bring him back for thirty years—traversing from the northern plains to the western regions, from the west to the eastern sea, then to the southern jungles...

“Finally, on a remote island in the southern wilds, she met an immortal. Moved by her sincerity, the immortal gifted her the means to bring her husband back...”

Nangong Ye’s brows tightened. “You’re suggesting I go overseas looking for immortals?”

What else do you want me to say?!

Xie Jinhuan kept his calm and poured her a drink:

“It’s not all myth. I was into Daoist lore as a kid and read a bunch of old books. Even the Classic of the Southern Regions mentions mortals impressing immortals enough to be given fate-changing chances. Strange Records of the Mountains and Rivers too. The latest example would be Realman Qixia. According to Chronicles of Brotherhood, he met an all-powerful demoness on a journey south...”

...?

Nangong Ye twitched at the corner of her eye, hand halfway up—clearly tempted to smack him. But instead, she picked up the wine bowl and took a sip to cool her anger.

“You read some truly bizarre shit—even Chronicles of Brotherhood?”

Xie Jinhuan quickly clarified to avoid being labeled a pervert:

“I read broadly—those texts were just for research. I mean no offense to those who fought the witch-cults in the past.”

Nangong Ye fought off the growing heat inside her and replied:

“Realman Qixia did gain some opportunities down south, yes—but most of it came from his own training and demon-slaying. And even if those legends were true, you think finding an immortal is easier than finding Return-to-Life °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° Grass?”

“Of course not.”

Xie Jinhuan smiled gently. “I’m just offering an alternative—something not too strenuous. If it’s no good, I’ll think of something else.”

“...”

Nangong Ye could tell he was just trying to sweet-talk and stall her. She set her wine bowl on the table.

“I’ll count to three. If you don’t give me a real detox method, I’ll have to ask you to leave.”

“Uh...”

“One!”

Xie Jinhuan panicked and raised his right hand!

Whooosh—

Qi surged violently. Wisps of icy cold energy rippled outward, causing the room temperature to drop several degrees.

Nangong Ye, previously feeling like she was roasting alive, was instantly soothed. The sudden chill felt like rain after a drought. Even her frosty gaze softened a little. She paused her countdown:

“Quick. Think of something.”

Relieved, Xie Jinhuan moved to sit beside the small table and offered his hand to Nangong Ye.

“I’ve read thousands of books—ahhhHHHHHH!”

An ultimate luxury vehicle went into full-throttle mode, unleashing high-pressure vacuum suction!

Nangong Ye’s breath grew heavier. She fought the urge to pin him down and drain his entire Qi Sea. While the flow was small, using Jinhuan as a personal radiator was far more comfortable than soaking in ice water. Even her impatience eased.

“Keep talking.”

As he was being violently siphoned, Xie Jinhuan kept his mind racing:

“Hm... I know a girl. Her medical skills are peerless. Specializes in odd and obscure remedies. She could probably solve any mystery poison—but her methods tend to come with... side effects.”

Nangong Ye wasn’t out of touch. She instantly guessed he meant the “Poison-Handed Medicine Girl” from Danyang Academy.

Her talent was undeniable, but her skills weren’t yet perfected. Her concoctions often came with unpredictable consequences. Yes, she might purge the poison—but the price might be worse than the poison itself.

“There are plenty of miracle remedies in the world. The reason they’re considered ‘miracles’ is because their costs are beyond what most people can bear. The highest price I’m willing to pay is a single celestial herb. Any more than that... I’ll seek alternatives. Cough—”

Nangong Ye suddenly let out a muffled cough, her cheeks flushed red.

Xie Jinhuan frowned with concern:

“Miss Mu?”

She had been restraining the yang poison with Xie Jinhuan’s cold energy, but his Qi had suddenly weakened. She furrowed her brow:

“Why’d you stop?”

“Did I stop?”

“Your Qi just dropped by thirty to forty percent...” 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

“I...”

He was nearly drained dry. He sighed with gravity:

“My Qi Sea isn’t bottomless. Just now you almost wrung me out! I barely regained a bit, and now you're tugging again. I can’t just conjure energy out of nowhere.”

“...”

Nangong Ye was silent, but her intense phoenix eyes narrowed with that 'can you even perform or not?' kind of look.

!

Xie Jinhuan straightened up and quickly fished out the imperial jade token: Kirin Reading Pendant!

It could gather spiritual energy from the environment and speed up Qi recovery. As soon as he channeled Qi into it, the jade glowed faintly, and a breeze seemed to flow through the room, freshening the air.

Holding the pendant, he began a frenzy of Qi circulation—drawing in energy through one hand and pushing it out through the other.

But the black-robed heavy-duty vehicle beside him was a monstrous gas guzzler. No matter how much he tried, the demand outstripped the supply.

Noticing his sluggish recovery, Nangong Ye pulled out a small bottle from a nearby box and poured out a blue pill:

“Take this.”

?

Xie Jinhuan gave it a glance, uncertain:

“What’s this?”

“Qi-Nourishing Pill.”

He’d heard of it before, but never used one. For first-rank and below, it was unnecessary—shallow Qi Seas didn’t need aid.

But those above first-rank took forever to refill their massive Qi reserves. That’s why such pills existed.

Now that he couldn’t keep up, he swallowed the pill. A warm current surged through his chest and sank into his Qi Sea.

The fog-like energy condensed into a spiral vortex, surging through his meridians and sucking in nearby spiritual energy. His whole body began to feel faintly swollen from the pressure.

It felt like strapping a rocket engine to a pony—barely in control, but at least it kept the cart moving.

“Hoo...”

With a massive infusion of cold Qi, Nangong Ye’s trembling lashes finally steadied. She closed her eyes and focused on suppressing the yang poison.

Whooosh—

Xie Jinhuan worked like a man possessed, circulating his energy nonstop, not daring to pause even for a second. Staring at the jade pendant in his hand, an odd feeling rose in his chest. He couldn’t help muttering:

“Miss Mu, we met by chance. I owe you nothing. Yet here I am, serving you like this. And if I don’t do it well, you even zap me. Don’t you feel the least bit ashamed?”

Nangong Ye, eyes still shut, replied faintly:

“I’ll give you a reward afterward.”

Xie Jinhuan just wanted the Jiazi Lotus.

After all, Mo-mo gave him a gentle kiss and acted like he was a delicate treasure. But this big frozen block? She kicked him in mid-air...

If he didn’t get that Jiazi Lotus, how was he supposed to show his face in Jianghu again?

Still, seeing her focus intently on suppressing the poison, he said nothing more. Quietly, he sat beside her, doing his best to act as her personal “A-Huan brand radiator”...