"Are you the girl I saved last time? Are you alright now?" Thinking of this, Zhang Hao suddenly recalled the process of saving her that time, it was really special.
This girl was precisely Ruo Lan. She said gratefully to Zhang Hao, "Yes, I'm alright. Thank you, Senior Brother, for saving me, otherwise Ruo Lan would have truly been in danger."
Zhang Hao nodded and said, "No need to thank me, it was just a coincidence. If it were other Senior Brothers, they would have done the same."
Ruo Lan looked at Zhang Hao and nodded, "Although that's the case, Ruo Lan still wants to thank Zhang Shixiong."
Zhang Hao waved his hand at Ruo Lan and said, "Alright, you didn't just come specifically to thank me this time, did you?"
Ruo Lan said somewhat awkwardly, "No, this time, I came specifically for Senior Sister Mengyao."
"Liu Mengyao?" Zhang Hao asked.
"Yes, this time, Senior Sister Mengyao was injured during a sparring match with a Senior Brother, so Ruo Lan voluntarily offered to take care of Senior Sister Mengyao," Ruo Lan said.
Zhang Hao suddenly understood. He had been a little strange why Ruo Lan could enter the Inner Sect, as the Inner Sect was generally not a place Outer Sect disciples could casually enter. Of course, special circumstances were an exception.
"But what is your purpose in coming to me? Liu Mengyao and I don't have a good relationship," Zhang Hao said, somewhat surprised.
Ruo Lan pondered for a moment and said, "I came this time to ask Zhang Shixiong for something."
"Ask for something? Ask for what?" Zhang Hao felt it was getting more and more interesting at this moment.
"The Yi Jin Xi Sui Pill!"
"The Yi Jin Xi Sui Pill?" Zhang Hao furrowed his brow.
Ruo Lan looked at Zhang Hao's furrowed brow and said, "Ruo Lan knows this request is indeed a bit excessive, but Senior Sister Mengyao truly needs it. So..."
"Did Liu Mengyao send you?" Zhang Hao looked at Ruo Lan with a frown.
Ruo Lan quickly shook her head and said, "No, Ruo Lan came on her own initiative, because Ruo Lan really doesn't want to see Senior Sister Mengyao suffering like this anymore."
"I want to know exactly what's going on?"
Zhang Hao furrowed his brow. He thought back to the final match. Seeing Liu Mengyao's stubborn appearance, he had thought she was just being stubborn and unwilling to admit defeat. But thinking about it now, it was indeed not that simple.
"Senior Sister Mengyao has a younger sister, thirteen years old this year, named Mengxue. Thirteen years ago, while still in her mother's womb, their Mother was attacked by an enemy and hit by the Profound Nether Palm. Although Mengxue's life was saved, she has carried the Profound Nether Palm's cold poison in her body since childhood. The Physician said that if the cold poison in her body is not removed, she will definitely not live past fourteen. And in another year, Mengxue will be fourteen. That's why Senior Sister Mengyao is so anxious," Ruo Lan spoke fluently.
Only then did Zhang Hao understand. This Yi Jin Xi Sui Pill indeed had the effect of cleansing the marrow and washing the tendons, and expelling cold poison was just a secondary effect.
"You mean that Liu Mengyao needs this Yi Jin Xi Sui Pill to expel the cold poison for Mengxue?" Zhang Hao asked thoughtfully.
Ruo Lan quickly nodded and said, "Yes, before this grand competition, Senior Sister Mengyao knew that a bottle of Yi Jin Xi Sui Pill would be rewarded this time. So Senior Sister Mengyao suffered who knows how much to win first place in this grand competition. Senior Sister Mengyao was originally certain to win. She didn't expect to encounter Zhang Shixiong."
Zhang Hao gave a wry smile, "So, by winning first place in this grand competition, I did something wrong?"
Ruo Lan quickly said, "No, Ruo Lan just wants Zhang Shixiong to lend the Yi Jin Xi Sui Pill to Senior Sister Mengyao, she will definitely be grateful for Senior Brother's favor."
Zhang Hao actually felt a sense of empathy. After all, he had experienced a similar situation before. In the past, his younger sister Qin Zinan had the Profound Yin Body, and the cold poison would flare up, making her wish she were dead every day. He truly understood the heartache of being an older brother in such a situation.
"Is Mengyao in her residence now?" Zhang Hao asked, looking at Ruo Lan.
"Yes... Senior Sister Mengyao's injuries have just gotten a little better. But she's feeling distressed because of Mengxue's matter?" Ruo Lan said.
Zhang Hao nodded slightly and said, "I understand."
Inside a small courtyard in the Inner Courtyard of the Hao Xian Sect.
A stunningly beautiful girl in white was bowing her head and playing the zither. The lingering zither music, like weeping and lamenting, seemed to be narrating something. From the zither music, one could hear that the girl's mood was extremely unsettled.
"Clap, clap, clap!"
"What beautiful zither music! This tune should only exist in the heavens; how many times can one hear it in the mortal world!"
A Black-Clad Youth, with his hands behind his back, strolled over. There was a lazy smile on his face. It was precisely Zhang Hao.
"It's you?"
The zither music stopped abruptly. Liu Mengyao was a little surprised by Zhang Hao's appearance.
"It is I, the Young Master," Zhang Hao smiled faintly.
"If Ge Xia has come to mock me, you can leave now," Liu Mengyao said coldly.
"Not welcoming me so much?" Zhang Hao shrugged innocently.
"It seems Ge Xia truly has self-awareness," Liu Mengting clearly had no good feelings towards Zhang Hao and spoke without any politeness.
Zhang Hao said somewhat disappointedly, "Well then, forget it. This Young Master came this time to deliver a gift. Since Miss Liu doesn't welcome this Young Master, I shall take my leave."
"Wait, what do you mean?" Liu Mengting looked at Zhang Hao with some confusion, wondering what scheme this hateful fellow was up to.
"This time, first place rewarded this Young Master with a bottle of Yi Jin Xi Sui Pill. This Dan is useless to this Young Master. So I wanted to ask if Miss needed it. Unexpectedly, upon coming here, I received a cold shoulder. Well then, forget it. I'll go back and throw away the Dan." Zhang Hao finished speaking, gave a mischievous smile, and was about to leave.
"Wait!"
Liu Mengting's expression changed upon hearing this, her body flickered, and she appeared in front of Zhang Hao.
Perhaps it was because Liu Mengting was too agitated. She didn't control her movement well. Her delicate body was almost pressed tightly against Zhang Hao, her breathing audible.
"Ah!"
Liu Mengting perhaps also realized her abruptness. She quickly retreated a few steps and stood still. Her cheeks flushed, and she glared fiercely at Zhang Hao, her prominent chest heaving, seemingly due to agitation.
"Miss, didn't you say you didn't welcome me?" Zhang Hao looked at Liu Mengting with a half-smile.
Although Liu Mengting was displeased, she still took a deep breath. Forcing down her inner excitement, she said to Zhang Hao, "You... are you really willing to give me the Yi Jin Xi Sui Pill?"
It was no wonder Liu Mengting was so agitated; this Yi Jin Xi Sui Pill was the only Dan that could save her sister.
For so many years, she had also searched everywhere. But she hadn't had much success. After all, the Yi Jin Xi Sui Pill was no ordinary matter. It was a seventh-grade Dan. Even if there was an Alchemist willing to help her refine it, gathering the medicinal materials would be a massive undertaking. The biggest reason she chose to join the Hao Xian Sect in the first place was knowing that only the Hao Xian Sect could refine this Yi Jin Xi Sui Pill.
Moreover, Liu Mengxue would turn fourteen in another year. They could no longer delay.
"Heh heh, I was going to give it to you just now, but now I've changed my mind," Zhang Hao smiled lazily.