Chapter 9: Unexpected Quests

Chapter 9: Unexpected Quests

“A cultivator saved me and gave me the pill,” William admitted truthfully.

“Really?” Huang Jingyi’s wizened face formed a smile, “What’s your name, boy?”

“... It’s Wei Liang.”

“Wei Liang,” Huang Jingyi repeated slowly, “Same as the Wei Clan from Qingyun City?”

William shook his head warily, worried his new surname might cause problems.

“That’s a surprise,” Huang Jingyi muttered, “The Wei Clan is full of wastrels, so it wouldn’t surprise me that they used immortal pills in this manner.”

“I never heard of the Wei Clan before,” William insisted again, this time verbally.

“I believe you,” Huang Jingyi started to stroke his beard again, “That makes what you claim even more curious. Tell me, what did this cultivator look like? What did he save you from?”

William hesitated, wondering if this could be considered as betraying Daoist Chen’s confidence. But that thought didn’t last long. With Daoist Chen’s level of cultivation, William doubted that there was anything he could do that would get his disapproval.

Unless it was wasting the potential of his master’s cultivation method. William was sure Daoist Chen would erase him from existence in anger after how long it had taken to find a successor.

William started to tell the story of Daoist Chen swooping in and saving the day while leaving out some critical information. He wasn’t stupid enough to utter a word about the system he now possessed and certainly didn’t say anything about being a transmigrator. Who knew if saying those things could lead to disaster.

However, William made sure to emphasize the kindness Daoist Chen showed him and the time he spent personally making sure William was left in a safe spot... if being put in the path of Wang Xiaoling’s wagon was considered safe.

Huang Jingyi's heart rate had increased, but he remained composed as he hummed thoughtfully. From what was described, he could immediately tell that the mysterious cultivator was a senior. Not once did Huang Jingyi think William was fabricating the story since he would never believe a mortal would dare to lie to someone like him. Besides, it also made sense why William was able to stare directly at his disciple.

With the aura that one with Li Xinyue’s constitution exuded, only three types of people could look at her. Cultivators, mortals with extraordinary potential on the path to immortality, and mortals with exceptional potential to be lustful wretches.

With William not falling into the former two categories, Huang Jingyi couldn’t be blamed when he assumed that William was a lustful wretch. However, it seemed that Huang Jingyi had wronged him with that assumption. Not only that, but there was something in him that a wandering senior saw that made it worthwhile to part with a Vitality Restoration Pill.

Still, there was one thing that he didn’t understand.

“Wei Liang, was it? Did that senior say anything when he gave you the pill?”

“Good!” Huang Jingyi smiled, “You can give Yue’er some company. Not many people in the city are qualified to visit my clinic.”

William kept his mouth shut, swallowing the protest of being that monstrous girl’s playmate. He didn’t want to deny the equally monstrous master.

“... Thank you, elder,” William said with a strained smile, “I’ll be sure to visit as much as I can.”

“Two or three times a week should be fine,” Huang Jingyi said casually with a wave of his hand. “Off you go. I spent too long chatting with you.”

[Side Quest added: Visit Jade Healing Clinic 2-3 times a week (Repeatable)]

The smile on Huang Jingyi’s face stayed until he saw the boy leave the clinic. After that, it dropped off to be replaced with a pondering expression.

“Master? Why did you give that boy another token?! You saw that he looked at me!”

“Hush, Yue’er,” Huang Jingyi turned to pat his disciple’s head, “The boy isn’t a lecher. Wei Liang had an encounter that could be the start of his destiny. That was the only reason he was able to look at you. It will do no harm to give him a small visiting token.”

Li Xinyue pouted and huffed at having to see the mortal again. “But why did you say that he could give me company? I rather read pill recipes than talk to the stupid boy!”

Huang Jingyi sighed at his disciple’s protest. Nothing was wrong with what she said, and most masters would love to have a disciple so dedicated to cultivation. Still, he was coming to recognize that Li Xinyue was socially deficient.

No matter how talented she was at cultivation, what was the point if she didn’t have anyone to share it with? Huang Jingyi didn’t think he was ready to see his beloved disciple with a dao companion. However, a beloved friend would be perfect.

That was where Wei Liang came in.

If Wei Liang was favored by destiny like Huang Jingyi suspected with the interest the senior had in him, the boy would serve as a good, long-term friend for his disciple. If that wasn’t the case, Wei Liang would be a mortal who would teach Yue’er how to form a friendship before she moved on to people with real worth.

Either of those options would be acceptable for Huang Jingyi.

“Yue’er,” Huang Jingyi said sternly, “Take this as an order. When Wei Liang returns, I expect you to do your best to talk to him. Understand?”

He had to fight the urge to backtrack when his beloved disciple looked at him with teary eyes. Yue’er might be socially deficient, but she had perfected the art of manipulating her master. However, Huang Jingyi wouldn’t fall for it this time.

“Fine!” Li Xinyue agreed through clenched teeth before turning around to ignore her master.

Huang Jingyi didn’t mind her antics and smiled, glancing at Wei Liang’s figure walking out of sight in the distance. He couldn’t deny that he was eager to see if his suspicions were true.