The two of us stared at each other, but not long after, Ling’er’s eyes flickered away with guilt. I squeezed her hands as I continued to stare at her intensely, “Ling’er … please … just tell me what is going on … please don’t bear the burden alone. My heart hurts when I see you suffering alone, but it pains me more when you hide away from me like that.”
Ling’er bit her lips as she bowed her head in thought.
“Ling’er … look at me,” I gently raised her head with one of my hands, “Ling’er! Please! Tell me, I don’t want to lose you again! I don’t want to watch you disappear without even trying to do anything about it. Ling’er, we promised we will grow old together. If you are to leave me again this time, I will-“
Ling’er raised her hand to cover my mouth as she shook her head in refusal as tears leaked out of her eyes, “N-no, don’t say that. I don’t permit you to die.”
I grasped Ling’er’s hand while wiping her tears as I persuaded, “Then tell me. Let us try to find a solution together. At least let me try or I will regret it …”
Ling’er finally nodded her head as she began to explain, “At first … I thought everything was fine, but when I tried eating … the food was tasteless. I thought it was the food, but when I saw everyone else eating happily, I knew it was me. I-I thought it was just my taste … but soon, I began to throw up all the food I ate. It didn’t want to go down … I wanted to eat … but it just didn’t want to-“
Tears leaked from Ling’er’s eyes as she began to panic. My heart lurched as I hurriedly pulled Ling’er into my embrace as I stroked her head to comfort her, “It’s okay, Ling’er. Squishy is here … squishy will make sure you can eat in the future, I promise.”
I waited until Ling’er’s sobs died down and her breathe gradually became soft. I knew she has fallen asleep from crying. I carefully picked up Ling’er and laid her on her bed in her room. I sat down next to her and gently brushed her hair. I knew the problem was not as simple as losing her taste. I still remembered Ling’er not feeling pain when she was pierced by a thorn, so she might have lost her sense of pain as well. My mind churned as I tried to come up with solutions, but alas to no avail. I hurriedly pulled out a talisman to contact the Fatty and told him to come back.
Not long after, Fatty hurried back to the temple as he anxiously asked, “Bro Pro, what’s wrong? Why are you calling me back so urgently. This young master had to give up his chance at beddi- cough – saving a homeless lady. This better be important or else-“
“Fatty, is there any pill that can fight against the power of All Thors?” I solemnly asked.
“Eh? Bro Pro, what are you talking about? Pills to fight against an All Thor? What evil plan are you cooking up now? If it’s to rob someone, count this young master in!” the Fatty responded flippantly.
I coldly stared at the Fatty as said with a gloomy tone, “I’m not in the mood for jokes.”
“Hic-,” the Fatty’s face then gradually became solemn as well before he asked, “What happened?”
“Remember that curse of existence that the All Thor fired at me?” I asked solemnly, but without waiting for a response, “Ling’er took the attack for me. I didn’t think much of it at first, but now … I think it’s slowly taking effect. I can’t just sit here and wait for that curse to take Ling’er away from me … that’s why I am asking, is there any pills, treasures, or anything that can fight against the power of All Thors?”
The Fatty frowned in silence before he pulled out a talisman and began to communicate with his master telepathically. Not long afterwards, the Fatty frowned before he glanced at me as if hesitating. A spark of hope ignited inside of me as I hurriedly grabbed him and asked, “What is it? What have you found? Quick tell me!”
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“T-This, Bro Pro …” the Fatty stammered.
“Is there a price to pay? It doesn’t matter what price it is. No matter the price, I will willingly accept it. Even if I must work as a slave for the rest of my life, I will accept it,” I stated grimly.
“Bro Pro, there’s no need to talk about price between us brothers. The problem is not that … the problem is the pill itself,” the Fatty responded dejectedly.
“Just tell me what is required. It doesn’t matter if we are lacking materials or anything. No matter the difficulty, I will still go get it even if I must swim in lava or jump off a cliff,” I solemnly responded.
“Errr … there’s no need to find the materials. Although they are rare, our Divine Speed Sect happens to have them all in stock. As a large sect, why would we be lacking materials for a pill recipe that we own. Even if we did, we would have long searched for the materials just in case we need to make the pill in a emergency situation in the future. The problem is that in order to refine the pill, we need an expert that is ascending …” the Fatty stated awkwardly.
“Ascending?” I asked in confusion.
“Yes, ascending. Once an individual reaches the pinnacle of the transcendant Pink realm, the next step would be ascending. Ascending is breaking the shackles of this world and entering the world of the All Thors, the legendary realm above this one. However, to break the barrier of the world, the world naturally fight back so there will be an intense tribulation. The pill that can go against the power of All Thors is called the Ascendant Pill, a pill that uses the power of ascendants to recover all ailments, even existence crisis. This pill can only be refined during the end of the ascendant tribulation where you will be bestowed the power of ascendants and sent to the next realm above. However, to cultivate the pill, you will have to give up your chance in ascending and instead gather the power of ascendants into the pill,” the Fatty explained.
“Then, what are we waiting for? Let’s get started!” I said excitedly.
“Bro Pro, it’s not that I don’t want to help you, but this feat is nearly impossible! This recipe has always existed but it has been treated as trash because no one wants to refine it. Besides the fact that only one transcendant experts ascend once every one thousand years or more, even if they are willing to ascend, why would they give up the opportunity? Giving up their opportunity is not as simply giving it up. If you already an expert that is capable of ascending, the world will begin to reject you. If you fail to ascend, the world will attempt to kill you by sending a continuous chain of tribulations after you every single year, and they will keep getting stronger until you die,” the Fatty stated solemnly while glancing at me with a sad smile, “Even though I told you this … sigh, I guess it was a waste of my saliva.”
“Hehehe, you know me best Fatty. Just hand over the formula. Can’t find an expert ready to ascend? A future one is standing in front of you right now!” I cheekily replied as I stared at the Fatty with hope.
The Fatty grumbled for a bit before he transferred the formula over to me, “My master will be sending the materials over soon. As for the resources for breaking through …”
“Haven’t we found a good way to get those already?” I asked with a smirk as clones began to spawn around me, “Would you be so kind to deliver them to the secret realms.”
Fatty’s mouth twitched before he nodded. The clone strategy began once more.
In the meantime, I sat at Ling’er’s bedside as I began to ingrain the recipe into my brain so I will not make any mistakes. Occasionally, I would spawn more clones as my Qi recovered, and Fatty would come back to deliver them out to secret realms.
“Mmm …”
I glanced over at the bed and saw Ling’er stirring from her sleep. She opened her eyes that were still a bit red from crying to see me smiling gently at her. I grasped Ling’er’s hands as I stated with a happy smile, “Ling’er, don’t worry, we have already found a pill that can cure you. There is hope for our future!”
Ling’er stared at me as her eyes widen before she asked meekly, “But … the cost of-“
I shushed her with my fingers as I stated, “Don’t worry, it’s not too hard to make. I also don’t need to go anywhere dangerous to find any materials. I just have to cultivate a bit before I can start refining it.”
“Really?” Ling’er glanced back at me with doubt, yet a faint sense of hope.
“Mmm, really. I will stay by your side this entire time. Has Squishy ever lied to you?” I chuckled gently as I replied, “So don’t give up okay? Ling’er, believe in me, and wait for me alright?”
Ling’er stared at me for a bit before nodding drowsily, “Mmm.”
Then, she slowly closed her eyes and went back to sleep. I watched as Ling’ers breathe smoothed out as she went back to sleep. I bent down and gently planted a kiss on her head. Don’t worry Ling’er, everything will be alright. I promise.