9 - The Divine Physician’s Overbearing Wife

Half-Summer Novel Chapter 9 "Lights On - Small, Medium, Large" Previous Chapter: Chapter 8 Next Chapter: Chapter 10 "Host, are you really sure about this?" The system was both worried and expectant. It knew the capabilities of its host, but it was unsure of her exact plans, leaving it somewhat anxious. "The Senior Sister will be leaving in a few days." The members of Yi Miao Sect would naturally do their best to delay Yun Mi Xue's departure due to their own agendas. However, Yun Mi Xue was the Senior Sister of Feng Hua Immortal Sect. No matter how gracious she was, she couldn't spend an indefinite amount of time at Yi Miao Sect. Thus, extending her stay by another day was the limit. Yan Zhu Guang replied, "A day is enough." As she spoke, she continued tending to the spiritual field, much to the system’s frustration. Dear Host, could you please show a little more urgency? Fortunately, Yan Zhu Guang picked up the pace in dealing with the spiritual valley bugs, significantly shortening the time spent tending the spiritual fields, giving the system a sigh of relief. At least the host was making some progress. Once Yan Zhu Guang showed her true speed, it was clear how much she had been holding back before. Where it once took two days to tend to a third of the spiritual field, she now managed the entire field in just half a day. After changing the water in the spiritual fields, she would not have to tend to them for several days. Breathing a sigh of relief, she discreetly climbed the small mountain to fill her stomach, and by the time she returned to the small dilapidated hut, darkness had enveloped everything, making the path invisible. Yan Zhu Guang fumbled for a candle, lit it, and placed it in a distant corner, then approached a small cabinet, taking out several earthen jars containing spiritual valley bugs and arranging them on the ground. Counting them, there were precisely four. Uncovering the first jar, she peered inside with the help of the dim candlelight. At the bottom of the jar lay a plump, nearly transparent white bug. A section of its tail still clung to its cocoon, but its body was coiled into a circle, munching on the pristine cocoon. Yan Zhu Guang's lips curled into a smile, and she whispered, "It's done." "It's done? What is done?" The system, bound to Yan Zhu Guang, could hear her clearly despite her whispering. Initially, seeing the host fiddling with the jars, it thought she would engage in another cycle of bugs eating bugs as she had before. Who knew she'd actually succeed? What did the host create this time? The system eagerly scanned the contents and was disappointed to find it was still the same large bug, just somewhat whiter and larger than before. "Host, what exactly are you doing with these bugs?" Yan Zhu Guang returned the lid to the first jar and opened the other jars one by one, revealing that all the spiritual valley bugs had become large and white. She seemed pleased, and when the system inquired, she didn't conceal the truth this time: "The spiritual valley bugs you usually see are those that have already consumed and reproduced. I simply refined and reverted them to their original state." "Reverted to their original state for what purpose?" Yan Zhu Guang explained, "Spiritual valley bugs are a special type of spiritual insect without innate attributes. Whatever they consume transforms into attributes of that thing." "Mhm." "Do you know the origins of spiritual valley bugs?" The system searched its data: "It seems to be a spiritual life form formed by a rare chance. They lack intelligence and have an instinct to devour anything containing spiritual energy." "But because too much spiritual energy would cause them to disintegrate, they are only found on objects with low spiritual energy content and relatively fragile in nature." The source of spiritual valley bugs was spiritual energy, and since cultivators relied on spiritual energy, the conditions to form these bugs were unpredictable, making it impossible to eliminate them at the source. Thus, they could only be manually eliminated. Yan Zhu Guang nodded, "Spiritual valley bugs are formed of spiritual energy. Stripping away their insect-like facade reveals a form of spiritual energy by itself." The system pondered and suddenly had a revelation: "Host, are you planning to use these spiritual valley bugs like spirit stones?" "But the spiritual energy in a bug is so little," the system was somewhat perplexed. "Doesn't the new deluxe gift pack for the host contain ten spirit stones? Those would be much more useful." Yan Zhu Guang ignored the system and took out a water-based poison from her backpack—a drop of a toxin called 'Bone-Melting Water.' Encased in a thin membrane, it resembled a small blackish-blue bead the size of a fingertip, appearing as if the slightest touch would shatter it. Yan Zhu Guang tossed the bead into the first earthen jar. "Oh no," the system exclaimed as it watched the bead fall, "if the spiritual valley bug eats it, it will surely die from the poison." Yet Yan Zhu Guang simply covered the jar with a stone lid again and took out an earth-based poison, similarly encased in a thin membrane. Inside was a small black grain called Solidifying Black Earth. Once touched, it would solidify the entire body into a stone statue, somewhat akin to Yun Mi Xue’s 'Frost Ice Flying Snow,' but only effective against cultivators below the Golden Core stage. Similarly, the prior 'Bone-Melting Water' was also limited in this way. The system couldn't freely substitute everything due to its limited permissions. To obtain high-level life-binding spirit items mentioned by Yan Zhu Guang before, special conditions had to be met or a chance in the rare luck-based draw. Thus, any poison that could be easily exchanged by the system wouldn't typically be of high quality. But for Yan Zhu Guang, poisons of this level were more than adequate; stronger ones she might not be able to withstand herself. "It won’t die from the poison." Yan Zhu Guang dropped the Solidifying Black Earth into another jar, and then she repeated the process, feeding the remaining two jars with fire and metallic attribute poisons. Afterwards, she carefully resealed the jars. Now, it was a waiting game. "Did you complete Tao Zhi's side mission?" The system regained its composure: "Yes." "What is the reward?" The system stated, "The mission rewards items the host needs. Since the host requires spiritual root enhancement, it includes treasures for refining spiritual roots." Yan Zhu Guang's eyes glossed over: "Exchange it." The system had anticipated this and was unfazed: "What would the host like to exchange it for?" Yan Zhu Guang considered: "Something gentle that can rapidly repair the body, ideally targeting thunder tribulation damage." The system breathed a sigh of relief, happy the host chose something sensible. Items for healing were popular rewards among hosts, essential for survival and never in excess. The system checked: "How about a high-grade Yellow Class Xiuming Pill?" In herb classification, levels range from Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, to Yellow, with Yellow being the lowest but most appropriate for the host's current capacity. Anything higher might be too potent. Yan Zhu Guang calculated: "It should suffice. Let’s exchange it for the Xiuming Pill for emergencies." The system was elated to oblige, pleased that the host was acting rationally, a cause for commendation. Then it hesitated, and a peculiar sound resonated in Yan Zhu Guang's mind. "Do you accept the main mission—to accompany Yun Mi Xue to Feng Hua Immortal Sect within a day?" "Host," the system cautiously inquired: "Will you accept this mission? The rewards are substantial, but main missions carry severe penalties if failed." Yan Zhu Guang asked, "What's the reward?" The system replied, "A special constitution." Yan Zhu Guang's eyes sharpened. She always assumed the system's rewards were tangible items, unaware that even unique constitutions could be offered as prizes. Keeping her expression neutral, she inquired calmly, "What kinds of special constitutions are available?" "Any constitution the host can imagine is available." "For instance, Pure Yang Body, Pure Yin Body, Immortal Spirit Body, Demon Spirit Body, and various elemental constitutions." Unable to resist, Yan Zhu Guang rubbed her fingers together. "What constitution is the reward for this main mission?" "Special constitutions aren't gifted arbitrarily; they match the host's current physical condition. Should I scan the host to determine which constitution you could be matched with?" After some thought, Yan Zhu Guang nodded. "Go ahead." No sooner had she spoken than a faint sensation swept over her, akin to someone probing her with spiritual sense. Having turned off the sound effects, Yan Zhu Guang couldn’t hear the system's beeping noises. After a moment, it suddenly remarked, "Wow, Host, you don't realize how bad your body is until it's scanned." The original owner of this body was a starving street urchin, dead by the roadside. The system merely inserted Yan Zhu Guang's soul into this body, enhancing only the outward appearance without performing other significant adjustments. How well could the body be? The body was originally a chaotic five-element spirit root, residing in the servant disciple area of the spiritually impoverished Yi Miao Sect. After half a year's cultivation, it had only reached the first layer of the Qi Refinement stage and barely retained enough spiritual energy to sustain itself, let alone nourish the body. The system felt a pang of sympathy, aware of its host's poor health but not the extent of it. Such a body likely made everyday survival a struggle. Yan Zhu Guang was well aware of her body's condition, but she wasn't particularly concerned: "What constitution is matched?" Annoyed at its host's lack of self-care, the system exclaimed with slight indignation, "The host's wood attribute spirit root is the most substantial. With the current poor health, other constitutions can't be supported. Only the most gentle and reparative Wood Spirit Body can be matched." Yan Zhu Guang considered for a moment. The Wood Spirit Body was indeed the most suitable for her. Even if she transformed her spiritual root into a Poison Spirit Root later, the system's match was still appropriate. "Alright, I'll accept the mission." "Aren't you going to ask about the consequences of failing the main mission?" "The prospect of a special constitution is enough to entice me. Regardless of success, I'm inclined to accept. Knowing the consequences doesn't really impact my decision." What's the point of worrying over something she can't change? System: It had expected its host to declare she wouldn't fail. Upon reflection, it made sense. Despite seeming quite assertive both in front of the system and outsiders, the host maintained a genuinely humble demeanor in private. It's simply that the host's capabilities are so impressive, leading the system to mistakenly perceive her as highly conceited.