"Captain..." Wu Liang started to speak but was cut off by a wave from Wang Chao. "What's the harm in letting him try?"
Wu Liang noticed with a jolt of fear that Wang Chao's powerful confidence seemed to have returned. Recalling the formidable leader Wang Chao once was, Wu Liang felt a sudden surge of dread. His hand, hidden in his sleeve, trembled involuntarily as he meekly replied, "Yes."
The others were surprised to see that Wu Liang's old deference toward their captain, Wang Chao, had returned.
They might have been just a temporary team, but they held a formidable reputation at the Adventurer's Guild in the Imperial Capital. Otherwise, how could a group composed entirely of Great Sword Masters dare to take on a mission in the Vendia Snow Mountains? Wang Chao's experience had been the deciding factor in all this.
After all, adventuring required more than just strength.
Ling Xiao glanced at Wang Chao. 'This man has some backbone.' He then said calmly, "Prepare ten Golden Needles and bring them to me."
"Golden Needles?" Anya furrowed her delicate brows. She glanced at Ling Xiao and asked, "What are Golden Needles?"
"Er..." 'Ling Xiao hadn't expected this world to lack a technique as basic as acupuncture. Then again, this body's memories contained no medical knowledge.' He let out a soft sigh and asked, "Is there a place nearby that makes embroidery needles?"
"Embroidery needles? HAHAHAHA!" Wu Liang couldn't resist mocking him. "Don't tell me you're planning on doing some sewing? That's hilarious!" When he finished, he realized no one else in the room was laughing. He added awkwardly, "This sounds like something a snake oil salesman would say. Curing injuries with needles? Then what's the point of having a Pharmacist like Anya?"
'Although Anya was skeptical, she didn't dare jump to conclusions when she saw Ling Xiao's composed expression. Besides, she thought, the captain was right. They'd know if it worked or not once they tried.' With that in mind, Anya said, "I know a place. There's a shop nearby that specializes in making all kinds of needles. Follow me."
Ling Xiao and Anya walked out the door. Anya asked softly, "Can you really cure the captain's ailment?" She then offered a charming smile. "Don't get the wrong idea. I don't mean anything by it, I'm just surprised is all."
'Women are so troublesome!' The corner of Ling Xiao's mouth twitched. "If you trust me, there's no need to ask. If you don't, asking is pointless."
"You..." Anya was rendered speechless. 'This guy is so infuriating!' she thought. She then said coldly, "I see my good intentions are wasted on you. Fine, do as you please. But don't think for a second that toying with an Adventurer is a game."
Ling Xiao paid her no mind, acting as if the nameless wildflowers by the roadside were more captivating than she was. This made Anya so furious she could have ground her teeth to dust, but there was nothing she could do about him.
The two arrived at a shop that specialized in making various kinds of needles. After Ling Xiao explained the method to the owner, he handed over two Gold Coins. In truth, making ten Golden Needles wouldn't even cost one Gold Coin, but Ling Xiao had no concept of money. The shop owner, who just a moment ago had thought melting down perfectly good Gold Coins into fine needles was an incredibly wasteful act, was now beaming. 'One Gold Coin is enough to cover business for several days! I've really hit the jackpot with this customer today!'
As expected of a professional, the work was done quickly. Gold was naturally softer than other metals, and the needles didn't require eyes, so the owner soon emerged holding a brocade box, which he respectfully presented to Ling Xiao.
Ling Xiao opened it and took a look. Inside lay more than twenty Golden Needles, each as thin as a strand of hair and about ten centimeters long. He didn't care whether the owner had skimmed some of the materials and simply turned to leave.
Anya, who had been about to say something to Ling Xiao, rolled her eyes in exasperation and followed helplessly behind him. 'This guy isn't just clueless,' she thought, 'he's a spendthrift too!'
......
Only Ling Xiao and Wang Chao remained in the room; everyone else had been sent out.
Wang Chao watched Ling Xiao, feeling a little tense. He hadn't been this nervous even when facing a Red Flame Leopard; it was as if that brocade box contained something lethal. It was no surprise, really. No one in this world had ever heard of using needles to heal injuries. The fact that Wang Chao was willing to be the first was a testament to his courage.
When Ling Xiao took out one of the long, slender, quivering Golden Needles, even Wang Chao—a man who remained stoic in the face of the most perilous situations—couldn't stop his facial muscles from twitching. His eyes blinked rapidly a few times before he finally clenched his jaw. "Little Brother Ling, if you can heal this injury of mine, I will be sure to reward you handsomely!"
Ling Xiao smiled. 'He knew it was just a sign of Wang Chao's nervousness.' "Alright, it's nothing," he said. "Close your eyes and count to ten."
Wang Chao's injury was on his left arm. Fortunately, it wasn't his right; otherwise, he might not have been able to use even a tenth of his power. His left arm was corded with muscle, clearly the result of years of training, and every one of those muscles was now tensed up.
Ling Xiao gently patted Wang Chao's shoulder. "Relax," he said softly.
Wang Chao felt his mind suddenly ease, his tense heart calming without him even realizing it. He silently counted to ten but felt absolutely nothing until Ling Xiao's voice broke the silence. "Alright, you can open your eyes now."
The moment Wang Chao opened his eyes, he was stunned to find more than a dozen glistening Golden Needles protruding from his left arm. They were as thin as hairs, yet they stood out clearly in the dimly lit room.
'Wang Chao was baffled. He hadn't felt a thing. How had they been inserted into his arm? He truly hadn't felt a thing!'
'He suddenly recalled how he had instantly relaxed the moment Ling Xiao told him to. A jolt of shock went through him. Could this seemingly weak young man be a master of Spiritual Power?'
'Spiritual Power was a real force on this continent. The higher one's level of Swordsmanship, the purer and more powerful their Spiritual Power became. But how could a young man who hadn't even reached the rank of Sword Master possibly have stronger Spiritual Power than him? Strong enough to hypnotize him... At that moment, Wang Chao was filled with curiosity about the young man named Ling Xiao.'
"Is... Is that it?" Wang Chao looked at Ling Xiao in disbelief. The process hadn't been painful as he'd imagined. In fact, its very simplicity made him uneasy. It was just too easy!
"Wait a little longer," Ling Xiao said, sitting calmly in his chair with a faint smile. "In the meantime, tell me about the Holy Mountain."
Ling Xiao's composure was infectious. 'Wang Chao gave a wry smile to himself. He could feel his own composure wavering. Indeed, faced with the temptation of recovering his strength, who could possibly remain completely unruffled?'
"The Holy Mountain... it's a dangerous place, but also one full of opportunity. You might accidentally stumble upon a powerful Tier-5 or Tier-6 Magical Beast. For a team like ours, simply escaping with our lives would be a blessing. At the same time, you could just as easily be walking along and find the corpse of one. Their pelts, skeletons, and Crystal Cores can all be sold for a high price, especially the Crystal Cores of High-Tier Magical Beasts." As Wang Chao spoke of his life as an adventurer, his anxious and fretful state of mind began to settle. A hint of his old, high-spirited vigor returned to his expression. He was clearly a man with a story to tell.