They kept running all the way to Cloud Hidden Peak before finally slowing down. Yang Kai looked at Dong Qingyan with suspicion, completely baffled. He had no idea why she was blushing.
"What's going on?" Yang Kai asked with a frown.
Dong Qingyan shot him a reproachful glance. She took a deep breath and explained helplessly, "Cousin, when alchemists say they want to 'compare notes,' they mean a competition in alchemy. Everyone takes the same materials and refines pills, and the winner is determined by the quantity and quality of the pills produced, as well as the time taken. Not what you did…"
As she spoke, she waved her small fists for emphasis. "It’s not like that!"
Yang Kai was stunned, and his face flushed slightly. He said sheepishly, "They didn't explain clearly, how was I supposed to know?"
Dong Qingyan let out a bitter laugh. "That’s common knowledge… Fortunately, you didn’t hit them too hard and didn’t injure them. If you had really hurt them, the consequences would have been serious."
She slapped her forehead weakly. "As expected, warriors are just a bunch of brute-force thugs who only know how to use their fists…"
Yang Kai felt incredibly awkward, thinking to himself that no wonder those three guys had looked so excited when he agreed to "compare notes," as if they didn’t even know what the word "death" meant.
It turned out they thought he was going to compete in alchemy…
That beating had been completely unjustified.
Feeling in the wrong, Yang Kai remained silent on the way back. Dong Qingyan, on the other hand, kept giggling behind her hand every time she recalled the incident.
Once back at the peak top, they handed over the herbs they had collected that day to the two beautiful women. After eating the medicinal meals they had prepared, Yang Kai and Dong Qingyan each returned to their rooms to rest.
The next day, before Yang Kai had even left his room, he caught a whiff of a rich, fragrant scent drifting from outside. The aroma filled his nostrils, making his entire body feel relaxed and comfortable.
Curious, Yang Kai opened his door and stepped out, following the scent. He saw that in the two rooms not far away, there was a large, steaming cauldron in each, filled with all sorts of bizarre medicinal herbs being boiled. The two beautiful women were each tending to one, fanning the fires beneath them, busy and sweating gracefully.
"Master, what kind of pill are you refining?" Dong Qingyan also came out, looking on with curiosity. Her big eyes sparkled with excitement.
After watching for a moment, Yang Kai walked up and asked, "Do you need our help?"
Aunt Xiang, one of the beautiful women, stood up and smiled at them. "Mhm."
Yang Kai rolled up his sleeves. "What should we do?"
Aunt Xiang smiled gently. "You two don't need to do anything for now. These two cauldrons of medicinal broth are for you. They’ve been simmering all night and will be ready soon."
"For us?" Yang Kai was surprised.
Aunt Lan nodded. "Yes. For the past month, Elder Xiao has been preparing all kinds of herbs. The ones you collected yesterday are all in here."
"Even for me?" Yang Kai felt a small, warm touch in his heart. If Elder Xiao had painstakingly prepared something for Dong Qingyan, Yang Kai could naturally understand. After all, she had already become his disciple and was his heir. But to have a share himself was somewhat unexpected.
Aunt Xiang nodded slightly. "Of course. Since you’ve entered Cloud Hidden Peak, you are part of Cloud Hidden Peak now. You two go eat something and get yourselves ready. Come back in an hour."
Yang Kai opened his mouth, a trace of emotion in his eyes.
Breakfast was already prepared in the kitchen. And it was also steaming hot, clearly just finished. As he ate, he watched Aunt Xiang and Aunt Lan bustling about enthusiastically, and a faint warmth rose in his heart.
It had been a long time since he’d felt this way.
An hour later, Yang Kai and Dong Qingyan each entered one of the rooms.
Yang Kai’s room was tended by Aunt Xiang. Under her direction, Yang Kai took off his shirt, wearing only a thin pair of trousers, and jumped into the medicinal broth.
Yang Kai had always held these two beautiful women on Cloud Hidden Peak in high respect.
They had silently dedicated over twenty years to the peak, spending the best years of their lives here. Yet the world only knew of one Xiao Fusheng on Cloud Hidden Peak; no one had ever known of the existence of these two unsung women.
Even for Yang Kai, having been on Cloud Hidden Peak for a month now, his daily life and needs were cared for by them, down to the smallest detail, yet he still only called them Aunt Xiang and Aunt Lan, not knowing their full names.
So even though he was now bare-chested, there was no awkwardness in his expression.
"Aunt Xiang, what do I do now?" Yang Kai asked, feeling the warm, comfortable sensation enveloping his body and mind.
"Perform the technique Elder Xiao taught you! That technique was prepared specifically for absorbing the medicinal effects of this broth; it has no other purpose. These herbs were not easy to gather. Elder Xiao spent a great deal of effort to collect them all, and there are only these two cauldrons. So you must be careful, do not waste the medicine, and let down Elder Xiao’s kindness."
"I understand!" Yang Kai replied with a solemn expression, closed his eyes, and began circulating the technique.
As the technique flowed, Yang Kai felt countless pores across his body open wide. The medicinal power contained within the broth seemed to transform into a thousand fine needles.
Everywhere, entering every opening.
Piercing through his pores and into his body.
Involuntarily, Yang Kai grunted, his body trembling slightly.