Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Mad Blade on the field had gone completely berserk.

He was undoubtedly the strongest fighter there; he could take on ten by himself without breaking a sweat.

Most members of the Rivers and Mountains Pavilion had already been wiped out, yet Mad Blade showed no signs of regaining his senses. Instead, his eyes grew even more bloodshot, and a guttural, beast-like growl escaped his throat as he continued charging toward other players.

In just a short moment, only a handful of players with slivers of health remained in this bizarre instance.

With his increasingly frenzied assaults, these few players also turned into beams of white light and vanished from the instance.

The battlefield was suddenly almost empty.

Mad Blade's bloodshot pupils locked onto the only moving target left alive—Ji Xia!

"The Inspiration Pen... is mine!" he roared, charging toward Ji Xia like a battering ram, trampling over the fragments dropped by his fallen comrades.

Ji Xia was ready. The moment he lifted his foot, she was already in motion.

She didn't attempt a head-on clash with the clearly irrational Mad Blade. Instead, she pushed her speed to the limit, darting like a wisp of smoke straight toward the medicine cabinets that had been knocked askew when the formation activated.

Behind her were Dan Qing Fragments carrying a stench of blood and violence; before her were scattered medicinal herbs with a cacophony of clashing scents...

Time was running out!

Even with the clue from Grand Secretary Zhao, she couldn't possibly find the right medicinal herbs in such a short time!

"Yun Ling!" Ji Xia thought frantically, "Help me sense if there are any unusual Spirit Ink fluctuations here!"

By now, Yun Ling was dizzy and disoriented, barely clinging to the "Divine Cloud Brocade."

She sobbed tearfully, "This spirit has never suffered such humiliation! You, the dignified owner of a sacred artifact, reduced to fleeing in panic from a mere Dan Qing Fragment! You... you're too weak! How could this spirit have ended up with a useless..."

Ji Xia narrowly dodged a slash of blade-energy that cut down just behind her back. With no time to argue with the Little Paper Person, she went straight for her weak spot: "If you don't want that filthy blood staining your noble true form, help me find the clues now!"

Yun Ling: "!!!"

That truly was more effective than ten thousand words.

The severe clean freak of a Little Paper Person trembled, her voice shaking, "D-don't do anything rash, I-I'll..."

Yun Ling stopped her tearful sobbing instantly, expanding her perception to its absolute limit.

In her unique vision, most of the medicinal herbs appeared as mundane, lifeless objects. Only three locations emitted faint yet distinct auras!

"Found them! The third toppled cabinet on the left! The half-open drawer against the wall on the right! And... and that rickety small box at the very back!"

Finally, they had clues, but Ji Xia had also reached her limit.

If Mad Blade weren't in his frenzied state, given the disparity in their strength, Ji Xia would have long been cut down and forced out of the instance.

But now, even though Yun Ling had located the herbs, the three spots were far apart. Ji Xia had no energy left to search them all.

If she deactivated "Misty Swirl," she could free up half her Spirit Ink...

But Ji Xia didn't dare drop "Misty Swirl"!

Firstly, the chaotic aura here would make her lose her mind too. Secondly, she was still wary of the lantern-holding man and didn't want to expose the "Divine Cloud Brocade" to him.

Yun Ling: "It's over, it's over, this spirit is going to get dirty..."

At that critical juncture, Ji Xia raised her hand, now holding an item—"Wang Er's Soporific Handkerchief."

It only had three uses.

Ji Xia had been reluctant to use it originally.

But now, she couldn't afford to hesitate. She decisively threw it at Mad Blade, unsure if the handkerchief would even work.

Mad Blade's movements noticeably faltered.

Ji Xia steeled her heart and used all three charges in one go.

If she could knock out Mad Blade, it would be a massive victory.

A flicker of confusion passed through the frenzied Mad Blade's eyes. His Spirit Ink was also running on fumes after killing so many companions.

Now, the effect of the soporific handkerchief took hold, making his body sway unsteadily.

Ji Xia was shocked.

Mad Blade's strength was even greater than she had imagined.

Even in this state, he still hadn't collapsed outright.

Ji Xia glanced at her own Spirit Ink. She had already used up her 【Small Spirit Ink Bottle】. If she didn't resolve the situation quickly, "Misty Swirl" would also fail.

There was no time to finish off Mad Blade...

Ji Xia could only rush quickly to the three medicine cabinet locations. With Yun Ling's precise guidance, she soon found the first medicine box. It was clearly labeled in black ink on white paper with a single large word—"Greed."

Ji Xia first picked up the medicine box, then ran to the second one. This one also had identical white paper, inscribed with the word—"Obsession."

Yun Ling stared, her little face utterly confused. "What does this mean? Are there even herbs like this in the world?"

Without pausing, Ji Xia grabbed the third medicine box. Sure enough, she saw another large word—"Weariness."

"Weariness... is it?" Ji Xia murmured, her gaze flicking inadvertently toward the lantern-holding man who had stayed out of the fight from start to finish.

Yun Ling shouted, "You only have ten points of Spirit Ink left!"

Without hesitation, Ji Xia shot forward like lightning, first charging toward the swaying Mad Blade.

Ji Xia opened the medicine box labeled "Greed." Without even looking, she grabbed the herb inside, which emitted an ominous dark purple glow, and hurled it forcefully at Mad Blade's face!

Mad Blade suddenly jolted awake, slashing down with his blade regardless!

The herb shattered upon impact, transforming into a thick cloud of purple dust that enveloped him completely.

His attacking momentum halted, and the frenzy in his eyes visibly receded.

Simultaneously, Ji Xia opened the medicine box inscribed with the word "Obsession." Inside, she saw a dark red flower, its petals thread-like and withered, resembling a faded Other Shore flower.

Ji Xia didn't hesitate, taking the herb and clenching it tightly in her palm.

Judging by Mad Blade's reaction, ingestion probably wasn't necessary; she just needed to hold it.

A chilling cold seeped from her palm into her body, spreading discomfort. Ji Xia's heart skipped a beat, and she almost dropped the herb in her hand.

But she restrained herself, gripping the dark-red medicinal herb tightly—this action instead revealed her tenacious nature.

The last medicine box was—"Languor."

Having absorbed the medicine's potency, Ji Xia unhesitatingly and precisely threw the final medicine box toward the man holding the lantern who had remained aloof from start to finish.

In the corner, Bai Yan's silver-gray eyes reflected the old medicine box inscribed with the character "Languor."

He sighed, as if catching it would be an extremely troublesome task, sapping all his strength.

He raised his pale, bloodless hand, which had been hanging naturally all along, and firmly grasped the medicine box marked with the character "Languor"—which represented his "root ailment."

The medicine box shattered, revealing a slender, grayish-white herb inside. Now devoid of all moisture and vitality, it lay half-dead in his palm.

The three "heart medicines" were now in their rightful places.

"Good."

Grand Secretary Zhao's ancient voice rang out once more, carrying a hint of satisfaction.

"The diagnosis is accurate, and the treatment is appropriate. You are now qualified to witness the true 'Inspiration Prescription.'"

The madness that had filled the area receded like a tide, and the distorted surroundings began to return to normal.

The instance wasn't over yet—it seemed there was still one more trial.

Grand Secretary Zhao waved his sleeve, and three blank scrolls and a brush with an ancient design materialized out of thin air. Stroking his long beard, he declared, "There is only one true Inspiration Pen, and it recognizes only one master. For this final challenge, you must use this brush on these scrolls to depict something that can convince me!"

Mad Blade had fully come to his senses.

Recalling his earlier humiliation and the current situation, he abruptly turned his head, glaring fiercely at Ji Xia, and hissed a threat through gritted teeth in a low voice:

"You'd better not take that brush! Otherwise, after we leave, members of the Rivers and Mountains Pavilion will hunt you down every time they see you, until you can't play anymore!"

Only then did Ji Xia look up at him, her expression unreadable, her tone flat: "Weren't you the one who killed all the members of the Rivers and Mountains Pavilion?"

"You...!" Mad Blade, reminded of the companions he had slain in his earlier frenzy, felt anger choke him, leaving him speechless.

"You have only the time it takes for one incense stick to burn," Grand Secretary Zhao reminded them.

Mad Blade took a deep breath and was the first to grab the brush.

Holding it in his hand, his mind went blank.

What should he draw? A powerful monster? Or a formidable fragment of civilization?

Instinctively, he turned to look at Bai Yan, who had kept a low profile, his tone unconsciously tinged with a hint of deference: "Mr. Bai, will you... draw?"

Bai Yan didn't even fully lift his eyelids, nor did he spare a glance at the brush.

"No," he replied curtly, as if uttering even one more word would be too much trouble.

The refusal was so blunt that Mad Blade felt stifled but dared not say anything.

Ji Xia, standing nearby, naturally overheard their exchange.

Mr. Bai?

So this mysterious man, who hadn't revealed his ID, was surnamed Bai.

Ji Xia searched her memories from her past life but couldn't recall hearing of such a figure.

It seemed this "Mr. Bai" truly looked down on civilization fragments of the Mysterious Brilliance quality.

This did little to reassure Ji Xia; instead, it made her even more concerned about the "Divine Cloud Brocade" she carried.

Mad Blade glared fiercely at Ji Xia again, wanting to see what this woman who had repeatedly thwarted him could possibly draw.

Feeling his piercing gaze, Ji Xia remained unflustered. Instead, she raised her eyes to meet his stare and reminded him:

"If you don't draw soon, time will run out. Does this Inspiration Pen belong to me now?"

Her words were like a needle, puncturing Mad Blade's suppressed anger.

"Shut up!" he roared, no longer hesitating. He lifted the brush and swiftly sketched the emblematic guild insignia of the Rivers and Mountains Pavilion on the blank scroll.

The brush stopped, the ink dried.

The scroll remained unchanged, and the brush in his hand remained utterly ordinary.

He had failed.

Mad Blade's expression grew even uglier.

Now, only Ji Xia hadn't yet taken action.

Unwilling to accept defeat, Mad Blade turned to Grand Secretary Zhao, clinging to a last shred of hope, and asked, "Grand Secretary Zhao, what if... she can't draw anything either?"

Grand Secretary Zhao stroked his beard, pondering for a moment before replying, "Opportunities cannot be forced. If none of the three of you can gain the Inspiration Pen's recognition, then it must remain here, waiting for someone with a 'Telepathic Connection.'"

Hearing this, Mad Blade's expression softened slightly—perhaps the Rivers and Mountains Pavilion still had a chance...

He fixed his gaze on Ji Xia once more, determined to see what she could possibly come up with.

Though Yun Ling was attached to the Divine Cloud Brocade, her small voice trembled with nervousness: "Ji Xia, are you confident? What exactly are we supposed to draw? We've come so far—it would be such a shame if you failed now!"

Ji Xia walked up to the scroll and grasped the seemingly ordinary brush.

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