Chapter 145: Read Faces

Chapter 145: Reading the Room

The Ancient Plain Secret Realm, after all, was alive.

A giant tortoise that had lived for over ten thousand years, even if its mind was unclear, could still hide by instinct and make itself impossible to find.

For Pei Jie to find it, he had to deduce its location through its diet, and he wasn't always accurate.

It had been two years since they left the secret realm, and to find their way back to it, they needed at least a complete map of the Dividing Mountain Range.

However, such a thing simply didn't exist.

They could only travel section by section, collect data, and let Pei Jie extrapolate based on his experience.

Shang Yunduo's head spun.

Since they were recuperating anyway, Pei Jie didn't seem in a hurry to cultivate, so they simply traveled through the mountains, gathering medicinal herbs, hunting, and slowly searching.

After covering a section, they'd fill in the map.

Over half a month, they'd gathered just about half the herbs they needed for the Spirit Rhino Shell Pill, and they'd also snagged the most crucial Spirit Rhino Shell.

Thirteen Spirit Rhinos, eight of which had harvestable shells. Taking one shell from each was harmless to them, and whoever took a shell could take that rhino out for some fresh air.

Shang Yunduo could use rest periods to land the flying ship, lead the Spirit Rhino to run around and play in the mountains, letting it pick its own fresh food to graze on.

He couldn't handle more than one at a time; otherwise it was too much for him to manage.

Pei Jie found this pretty baffling.

Wasn't it enough to let them eat inside the Spirit Beast Pouch or walk around on the ship? Shang Yunduo himself couldn't even see, yet he insisted on taking them down to run and play.

"Little animals like to have fun," Shang Yunduo said, petting the Spirit Rhino that was out today. "Since we're raising them, let them run and play. I haven't practiced body techniques in a while, so I can stretch my legs and sharpen my spiritual sense at the same time."

Pei Jie didn't quite agree with this self-imposed trouble, but he came around soon enough—

Shang Yunduo was right; little animals like to have fun. Since he started taking the Spirit Rhino out to play, Shang Yunduo had fewer nights of waking up and fewer nightmares.

The Dividing Mountain Range had tricky terrain, though. Even though they hadn't found any high-level demon beasts nearby, Pei Jie wasn't comfortable with him taking the Spirit Rhino—which didn't trust them and tried to escape as soon as it touched down—and running around alone.

So, walking the beast went from a solo gig to a team effort. When they reached a suitable spot, they put away the flying ship and walked the Spirit Rhino together, treating it as a stroll.

After the Spirit Rhino had run a bit and calmed down, they'd let it off the leash to find its own food while they either walked or rode their swords after it.

Shang Yunduo said, "No wonder rare species are rare. Look how good it is at picking food."

The tender grass, flowers, and fruits that the Spirit Rhino sniffed and selected generally tasted good, and nearly half were edible by humans, especially the fruits it picked—delicious!

"Great nose! It's making my mouth water!"

Pei Jie glanced at him silently, thinking how Shang Yunduo was much the same—every time he went out, he'd bring back something tasty.

So, on their flying ship, they once again had wild greens wraps with roasted meat and freshly squeezed fruit juice.

"Is it done? Is it burned?" Shang Yunduo asked while roasting.

Since he couldn't see, he had to judge by controlling the heat and smelling the aroma, and just in case, he needed Pei Jie to be a second pair of eyes.

Pei Jie acted as his eyes, and also had to cut the meat, wash the vegetables, plate the cooked pieces, put the raw ones on the stove, and take the cooked ones away—very troublesome.

Even more troublesome was that he didn't know when something was done or the perfect doneness for each type of food. He even found cooking more troublesome than refining pills.

Fortunately, neither of them was picky. A little undercooked or overcooked wouldn't make them sick. They sat in chairs around the grill, eating as they roasted—it had its own special vibe.

Pei Jie placed the roasted meat on a wild vegetable leaf, sprinkled salt and seasoning as Shang Yunduo taught him, rolled it up, and stuffed it into his mouth. Only by doing it himself did he realize how troublesome it was to make the things that Shang Yunduo used to prepare and present to him, begging him to taste them.

"Cough..."

"What's wrong?"

"Too salty." Pei Jie put down the plate, picked up his cup, and drank juice, further realizing how tricky flavors could be.

"Ah, give me the salty one. Wrap another one, just a tiny bit of salt—barely enough to see a single grain—that should be perfect for you."

"..." Pei Jie shoved the half-eaten meat roll into Shang Yunduo's mouth, then wrapped a new one exactly as instructed. It really was just right. He chewed, paused, and finished it, then asked, "How did you know how much to add?"

Shang Yunduo: "By watching your reaction!"

Pei Jie: "Watching my reaction? You actually watch my reaction?"

Shang Yunduo: "Mm! If you eat more than three bites, it means you like it. If you only take one bite, it means you don't. If you finish it, it means you like both the taste and texture."

Pei Jie: "..."

He found it hard to believe and pressed further, "What other reactions do you watch for?"

Shang Yunduo: "Whether you're happy or not."

Pei Jie: "Why do you need to watch if I'm happy or not? What difference does it make?"

Shang Yunduo: "If you're not happy, I shut up quickly!"

Pei Jie: "..."

Shang Yunduo: "If you're happy, I talk more and ask more. When you frown, I know—ah, you think I'm annoying or stupid."

Pei Jie: "When have I ever thought you were annoying or stupid?"

Shang Yunduo: "All the time! Right now, you're saying I'm annoying."

Pei Jie: "..."

He paused, put down his cup, and shot back, "And you're not annoying?"

"..." Shang Yunduo made a hurt face: "Senior! I only babble because I like you! If I don't like someone, I don't say a word."

Then he threw in, dramatically, "Huh, what's that sound?"

Pei Jie: "That Spirit Rhino, running around."

Shang Yunduo: "It's been running ever since we started roasting meat. Maybe it wants some?"

Pei Jie: "..."

He'd heard it running since they started roasting, and only now asks about it, huh. Truly good at reading the room.

Even blind, the guy could still read faces!

Pei Jie wrapped another meat roll, carelessly threw on a layer of seasoning, and shoved it into Shang Yunduo's mouth.

“Huh? Cough!”

Pei Jie pressed another cup of water into his hand.

Finally, some peace and quiet.

After discovering that the Spirit Rhinos actually loved the barbecue, Shang Yunduo fed each one and took them out for a walk again. Whether they had grown familiar, or the meat had done the trick, or the Spirit Rhinos realized he wouldn’t hurt them, they no longer ran wild.

Sometimes while munching on grass, they would turn around to see if the two of them were still there.

Shang Yunduo felt very relieved.

But even though the Spirit Rhinos were tamed, his eyes hadn’t improved at all.

The totem was washed clean, the residual Demonic Qi dissipated, and his pupils had recovered, but he still couldn’t see.

Meanwhile, they also went to a human cultivator city to visit several Healers and Alchemy Cultivators about his eyes, but still couldn’t figure it out.

However, along the way, they had almost collected all the herbs needed to refine the Spirit Rhino Shell Pill.

Shang Yunduo was mentally prepared. It had been so long, and he couldn’t feel anything abnormal; even Pei Jie couldn’t find the problem. The Healers couldn’t cure him, but he wasn’t disappointed. He even cheerfully stocked up on some spices and tableware in the city.

The large plates they had used before had all become food bowls for the Spirit Rhinos.

But Pei Jie seemed even more disappointed than he was.

Illnesses like this—the longer they drag on, the worse they get. Shang Yunduo’s grandfather was a doctor, so of course he knew that. But if the cause couldn’t be found, how could it be treated?

He had already begun to prepare himself for the possibility of never seeing again.

Instead, Shang Yunduo comforted Pei Jie: “It’s not that inconvenient. As long as you don’t mind me, Senior, that’s fine.”

Pei Jie didn’t say anything.

Shang Yunduo: “…”

He waited, but Pei Jie still said nothing. Shang Yunduo gripped his bowl and chopsticks nervously. “Brother?”

The bowl in his hands sank slightly as a piece of meat was placed into it. Pei Jie: “How can you pick up food yourself? You call that not inconvenient?”

Shang Yunduo immediately changed his tune: “Inconvenient, inconvenient. Without you, I’d definitely starve to death!”

Pei Jie: “…”

With that, he lifted the bowl to his mouth and shoveled the food in with his chopsticks.

Although most problems could be solved with Spiritual Sense, especially those related to cultivation, when it came to the details of daily life, it was indeed inconvenient.

At the very least, cutting vegetables and eating were not convenient. Everything had to be put into his bowl by Pei Jie first, and then he would shovel it in.

He himself enjoyed the details of living with Pei Jie. Pei Jie was willing to accompany him into the kitchen and eat together, and the sense of satisfaction could replace the emptiness and loss of being blind. But he was happy—what about Pei Jie?

Would Pei Jie be unhappy, or dislike it?

On the way back, Shang Yunduo suggested he could try alchemy.

Pei Jie: “Alchemy?”

Shang Yunduo: “Yeah! Since we’ve bought all the ingredients anyway.”

The Spirit Rhino Shell Pill required Spirit Rhino Shells, which were nearly extinct, but the other auxiliary materials weren’t too hard to find.

Some of the herbs bought from the demon race, a little they gathered at Boundary Mountain, plus what they bought from human cities—he had silently calculated that he had enough.

Pei Jie: “What gave you the idea of alchemy?”

Shang Yunduo: “Because if you spend time with me, it delays your cultivation. But I want you to accompany me, yet I don’t want to delay your cultivation. If I can successfully refine the Spirit Rhino Shell Pill, it can both speed up your cultivation and give you time to spend with me. Perfect!”

Pei Jie: “…”

Before his injuries had fully subsided, it wasn’t suitable for him to advance his cultivation level. But after thinking it over, he didn’t refuse.

If Shang Yunduo really couldn’t regain his sight, future cultivation would only be twice as difficult. If he could acquire a skill and become an Alchemy Cultivator, that would be a viable option.

Whether in the human cultivation world or the demon world, Alchemy Cultivators were a relatively comfortable choice.

When he first started trying, Shang Yunduo didn’t directly refine the Spirit Rhino Shell Pill—the cost was too high.

He started with the most familiar and simplest Vitality Pill. If he ruined it, it wouldn’t be a waste; if he succeeded, he could use it himself, sell it, or keep it for his senior sister.

In theory, as long as he was familiar enough with these herbs and medicines, he could refine them using only spiritual power without his eyes. In the past, he could indeed chat while refining, multitasking without any issues.

But when he was truly completely blind, refining became fraught with difficulties.

Picking the wrong herbs.

Over-refining or under-refining.

Putting them in the wrong place in the furnace.

Mistaking the fire intensity while controlling the flame and adding liquid medicine, etc.

Multitasking while relying entirely on Spiritual Sense to judge was a frantic scramble.

The first batch was predictable—it didn’t succeed at all.

At first, he thought Pei Jie would help him, but he didn't.

When he said he wanted to refine, Pei Jie let him refine alone on the deck while he went back into the cabin, not even helping him sort out the herbs.

Everything needed to be done by himself. Starting with the herbs, he first roughly identified them with Spiritual Sense, then picked them up to feel and smell, sorting, arranging, cleaning up the failed residue on his own, and then refining the next batch himself.

These were manageable; after the initial chaos, he gradually got the hang of it. The most troublesome part was, again, the dosage.

Previously, although he didn’t rely on a scale to weigh, with his sight, he could grab an approximate amount, then fine-tune by calculating the spiritual power in it and calculate the proportion with other herbs. Sometimes, he could even complete most of it by intuition alone.

Now he had to figure it all out from scratch.

Pei Jie sat on the couch, listening to him clatter around as he picked up and put down things, bumping into things, making it hard for him to enter meditation.

He silently watched Shang Yunduo go from being at a loss to stumbling through refining. He didn’t knock over the furnace or burn down the airship—no big deal.

He kept refining until late at night, and finally Shang Yunduo succeeded in a batch of Vitality Pills.

Although there wasn’t a single high-grade pill, and only one medium-grade pill, at least he had successfully taken the first step.

The next day, refining went much more smoothly.

Again, he started dreaming about making the motions.

On the third day, the Vitality Pills had recovered to Shang Yunduo's usual standard.

Greatly encouraged, he prepared to refine a new batch.

When it was time to take the Spirit Rhino out for a walk, he was still chattering away to Pei Jie, sharing his "sightless" alchemy tips.

It was a blessing in disguise. Before, Pei Jie would tell him to pay attention to those spiritual energy details that he couldn't make heads or tails of, but now, forced to rely solely on his Spiritual Sense to discern them, he found he could notice them easily.

"Guess I really had to focus without distraction..." Having lost one of the five senses, his concentration had sharpened out of necessity.

Just as he was speaking, the Spirit Rhino suddenly cried out, and Shang Yunduo faintly heard someone calling for help.

Author's note:

Yunduo: Me? A small animal?

Pei Jie: A small animal that can read the room.

Yunduo: ...Hehe, fine. Who knows, maybe one day I'll become a Spirit Pet!