Chapter 61: Repaying a Debt of Gratitude

Translator: Tim Editor: Tehrn

“I’ll save her. You guys be careful; that type of snake won’t attack you,” Ye Mo said, then rushed into the tent with Chi Wanqing.

Ye Mo knew it wasn’t a snake; it was a bare cockroach. Resembling a snake, it had four legs and green, glowing eyes—like a wolf’s. Bare cockroaches were incredibly fast and invisible to the naked eye. Their skin was exceptionally tough, rendering ordinary attacks ineffective. Most critically, their venom was unparalleled in potency.

This one, still wingless, was clearly an adolescent. However, Ye Mo was most surprised to find a bare cockroach in an area so deficient in spirit chi.

Bare cockroaches don't attack humans; they're only drawn to plants and things containing spirit chi, which they devour.

Ye Mo immediately pulled down Chi Wanqing’s top—he had no time for propriety. Two bite marks on her back showed black lines of spirit chi spreading upward. He used his cultivated chi to expel the venom, then administered herbs, aided by his chi, to help her digest them.

The poison was temporarily controlled, but Ye Mo knew this was only a stopgap. Without complete venom removal, Chi Wanqing wouldn't survive an hour.

“But what can treat her?” he murmured, turning her over and holding her. She remained unconscious; the gray pallor on her face, though not worsening, was still pronounced.

Bare cockroaches devour spirit plants, and their victims are not only poisoned but also lose life essence. Complete loss of life essence is fatal, even with the poison cured.

Chi Wanqing's life essence was rapidly depleting. Even if he purged the poison, she wouldn't live. Spirit pills would cure her in the cultivation realm, but here, even spirit herbs were scarce.

Regardless of her prior actions, Chi Wanqing was bitten because of him. Ye Mo couldn't rest knowing he hadn't saved her; besides, he liked her.

“If only I had a spirit herb…” he thought. One could restore her life essence, but his Silver Heart Grass was gone, and the new seedlings hadn't germinated. Then he remembered a section of Purple Heart Vine he'd recently acquired.

He hesitated. Using it to save her meant losing a potentially vital resource, especially if his Silver Heart Grass failed. But knowing Chi Wanqing was in this state because of him, he decided to use it.

Could he watch her die when he had the means to save her? Zhuo Aiguo had given him the vine; why couldn't he give it to someone else? Was he superior? The thought shamed him.

As he prepared to create a serum from the Purple Heart Vine, he remembered consuming Silver Heart Grass only a month ago. Some of its medicinal power must remain in his blood. Even without that, his cultivator's blood contained spirit chi, which might be even more effective than the Purple Heart Vine. Moreover, Chi Wanqing couldn't directly digest the vine; using his blood was simpler.

Without hesitation, he slit his wrist, directing the flow of blood toward her mouth while using his chi to aid digestion.

Chi Wanqing's complexion rapidly improved. The black lines receded, and black blood, then red, flowed from the wounds.

Relieved, Ye Mo realized the Silver Heart Grass's effects hadn't entirely dissipated.

Chi Wanqing awoke to a strange taste and the sight of Ye Mo's blood flowing into her mouth.

She screamed, pushing his wrist away. Seeing she was awake and the venom neutralized, Ye Mo stopped the bleeding.

“Brother Ye, you made me drink… drink your…” Chi Wanqing stammered, shocked.

Ye Mo smiled. “It’s fine. I donate blood often. You lost blood; it was necessary. Maybe someday I’ll need yours.”

He kept it simple. Explaining the Silver Heart Grass and spirit chi would be too complicated.

Though slow to react, Chi Wanqing knew snakebites didn’t cause this kind of blood loss. Even if it were a blood donation, this wasn't the way to do it!

She was touched by his action, forgetting she was injured because of him.

“Thank you, Brother Ye, I…” Chi Wanqing shifted, realizing she was in his arms. Her face flushed.

Ye Mo hastily set her down. “You’re fine now; rest. That thing is venomous. I’ll look for it later.”

He had a reason to hunt the bare cockroach: its presence suggested nearby spirit herbs, and finding one on Earth was rare. They typically inhabit areas with dense spirit chi, which is scarce on Earth.

Seeing her improved complexion, he warned, “Don't do anything so dangerous again. I almost couldn't save you.”

He implied she could have avoided it, but phrasing it directly would be hurtful. She'd tried to save him, unaware he could have dodged the attack.

“No, I'd still do it. If you're poisoned, it's over. If I am, you might save me,” she said, her voice low but firm.

Ye Mo was stunned, then touched. “Nincompoop! If you're poisoned, I might not be able to save you. Today was dangerous. What if I couldn't save you?”

Chi Wanqing shook her head. “Brother Ye, I don’t understand. You saved me. I just didn’t want you to be bitten. Even if you couldn't save me, I'd still do it…”

Her voice trailed off, as if fearing his rebuke. Ye Mo sighed. This girl was a handful. He wondered if staying was the right choice. Her feelings seemed more than gratitude.