The Healer Demands Payment!
chapter-126-1

THDP Ch 126 Part 1 – Why is He Here? (I)

“Lend me that token!” Chu Tianfeng insisted, reaching out his hand toward Meng Qi. His gaze swept over Sikong Zhan, who was standing on the side, before quickly turning back to Meng Qi. “Rather than letting you take another risk while we can only wait in safety, it’s better for me to go this time!” Chu Tianfeng said through gritted teeth.

Meng Qi shook her head: “No need.”

She looked back at the forest, then at Sikong Zhan and Xue Jinwen. These two obviously didn’t hear that voice. Who was it who spoke to her in the forest? Whoever it was, they had the same voice as Senior Lin Yan and knew about the five spirits cauldron. Not only that, but they could even easily pry into her spiritual sea and tell at a glance that her five spirits cauldron had reached the first level…

Neither of these feats was easy to accomplish. Even a cultivator whose level was much higher than Meng Qi’s couldn’t. Unless they were top-notch experts in the Great Ascension stage and had expertise in relevant techniques, it was impossible for someone to explore these things. Even medical cultivators who could examine other cultivators’ bodies couldn’t discern the name or rank of the other’s natal weapon, let alone pore over the slips stored in their spiritual sea.

Who was that voice?

Meng Qi was filled with numerous questions. Her fingers, dangling at her side, bent slightly. Reason told her it would be risky to venture inside once again, even with the token Yun Qingyan had given her. She should do as Chu Tianfeng had suggested and entrust the token to someone else to retrieve Pei Mufeng and Lu Qingran.

Meng Qi’s gaze swept over the faces of her friends, one by one. They were people she could trust and rely on. In fact…

“Sikong Zhan!” Sikong Xing’s voice cut off Meng Qi’s thought. “Why are you here?!” She had jumped in front of Sikong Zhan and was now scanning him up and down: “This is the Starfallen Sea! Why on earth did you…” She suddenly slowed down, “Wait, are you injured?”

“S-Sikong Xing. Cough…” Sikong Zhan coughed awkwardly. When Meng Qi mentioned her, he had a feeling she knew Sikong Xing, but he never expected to see her so soon. “Um.” He gave a noncommittal response, avoiding her question and instead asking, “What about you? What brings you to the Starfallen Sea?”

“Of course, I have something to do,” said Sikong Xing. She tilted her head slightly and looked at Sikong Zhan: “Are you injured? Oh, wow!” Sikong Xing blinked: “It’s been a few years since I last saw you, and you’ve already… the Void Comprehending stage? Isn’t that more powerful than your big brother? He’s only at the Spirit Severing.” As she spoke, she waved her hand a little proudly, summoning her own primordial spirit: “I’m also at the Spirit Severing stage now.”

“Congratulations,” said Sikong Zhan. His gaze fixed on her silently. Even in such a place as the Starfallen Sea, the girl’s bright smile was as dazzling as the sun. The corner of Sikong Zhan’s lips curled up slightly, and the frustration of being severely injured and then thrown into the Starfallen Sea without any resistance seemed to dissipate a lot. Suddenly, he had an idea and thought of the person’s words, who had said to give him a chance…

“Meng Qi,” Ji Wujiong’s nonchalant voice suddenly came from behind. Instead of Meng Qi, it was Sikong Zhan who reacted first. His expression, which softened in front of Sikong Xing, turned cold upon hearing the voice. He raised his eyes and glared coldly at the black-robed young man.

Ji Wujiong lazily walked up with his hands behind his back. Noticing Sikong Zhan’s glare, he gave the latter a casual glance and found the face somewhat familiar.

Ji Wujiong tapped his own forehead: “You should be…” Hmm, where had he seen this guy?

“Hmph.” Sikong Zhan suddenly let out a cold snort. Though Meng Qi’s medicine had taken care of his external injuries, his internal injuries remained a grave concern. Despite this, he lifted his still-heavy hand slowly.

“What?” Ji Wujiong sneered, “You want to go for it?”

“Sikong Zhan.” Sikong Xing quickly turned around and shielded Sikong Zhan behind her. “Ignore him; he’s just a lunatic.”

Ji Wujiong sneered and was about to say something when a memory suddenly resurfaced. “Ah, I remember you now. You’re from that… whatever-color army from the Demon Realm, right?”

Sikong Zhan: “…”

Sikong Xing: “…”

Why did this Ji Wujiong always pick up a fight whenever he opened his mouth?!

What ‘whatever-color army’?!

It was the Red Star Army!

“Red Star Army.” Su Junmo folded his arms around his chest and looked at Sikong Zhan coldly. “He is the leader of the Red Star Army.”

“Su Junmo.” Sikong Zhan looked at him, “Are you here too?”

“Oh, right.” Ji Wujiong nodded casually and gave Sikong Zhan another glance. “That guy who likes to name his subordinates with colors has quite the ambition, but unfortunately, he’s too impatient for quick success.”

“What did you say?!” As Sikong Zhan’s voice fell, there was a muffled boom, and a black flame appeared in the palm of his raised hand. Unfortunately, before the flame could condense, it quickly dissipated. Sikong Zhan’s body shook several times, and he suddenly bent over, coughing heavily.

At this point, the rest could tell that although Sikong Zhan was a fellow demon cultivator and knew Sikong Xing, he obviously had a bad relationship with Su Junmo and seemed to have some old grievances with Ji Wujiong.

“Okay, okay. It’s enough.” Sikong Xing was still standing in front of Sikong Zhan. She looked at Su Junmo, then at Ji Wujiong, and raised her arms: “We are in the Starfallen Sea, remember? Let’s cease talking about past grievances for now.”

“Hah—” Ji Wujiong gave Sikong Zhan another condescending glance as he walked to Meng Qi’s side, “How is it? Have you encountered a danger?”

Meng Qi looked at him, then at Sikong Zhan, and shook her head: “The journey’s pretty smooth.”

“Really? That’s good.” Ji Wujiong said, fixing her with a deep gaze.

Meng Qi fell into deep thought. She had a feeling that Ji Wujiong was hiding something and hadn’t revealed everything he knew.

“What are you talking about?!” Chu Tianfeng’s expression darkened. “Meng Qi has already taken one trip, and it’s too risky to send her back in again. What if something goes wrong?”

“Anything can happen to anyone, especially in the Starfallen Sea.” Ji Wujiong remarked, not bothering to look back. “Ask Meng Qi if she’d be willing to let you take on the risk in her place.” His lips curled up again, showing a cold smile, “Will you? Meng Qi.”

Meng Qi shot him a brief glance and told Chu Tianfeng, “I will go.” She then turned around and walked back towards the forest. She was curious about the identity of that mysterious voice. Why did they have the same voice as Senior Lin Yan? And how did they peek into her spiritual sea and find out about her natal weapon and the medical notes Senior Lin Yan gave her?

Meng Qi’s mind was filled with too many questions. She glanced at Ji Wujiong again, who stood with his arms crossed and a sly smile on his face, his inscrutable eyes hiding his mind perfectly. “Meng Qi,” Noticing her gaze, he said lazily, “since you’ve decided to go, then… let’s make it quick?” he gestured towards the forest.

Meng Qi couldn’t figure out this man’s thoughts and didn’t bother to guess. She looked back at the mysterious forest, nodded, turned around, and made her way back in.