Chapter 517 - 455: Of the Same Gang
Chapter 517: Chapter 455: Of the Same Gang
Gongsun Ruxue was at her wit’s end with Tang Manman. On the surface, the girl looked pure, gentle, and agreeable, but in reality, her personality was bizarre. Most girls her age were naive, simple, passionate, and loved making friends. Their friendships would naturally deepen over time as they came to know and trust each other. But Tang Manman did the exact opposite. She was suspicious and guarded, leaving no crack in her armor. When they first met, she had been friendly and approachable, but as time went on, she grew reserved and cold. Sometimes she would even feign nearsightedness, brushing right past Gongsun Ruxue without a word as if she hadn’t seen her at all!
Even other Cultivators weren’t this guarded. The girl was also petty and cliquey. The Sun Brothers had originally been on quite good terms with her; Sun Yiming had once suggested inviting both her and Tang Manman for an internship at De Ren Hospital. But after Tang Manman said something to him—Gongsun Ruxue had no idea what—Sun Yiming never brought the matter up again.
Gongsun Ruxue was naturally aloof and proud, and she really couldn’t stand Tang Manman. The mere thought of the girl made her feel impatient and agitated, but for the sake of the Spirit Plant, she had to force herself to be patient.
School hadn’t started yet, so to see Tang Manman, she had to be the one to reach out. During winter break, she had tried to get in touch by having Sun Yiming call her, but all her invitations had been flatly rejected. ’Tang Manman,’ she thought with disdain, ’is exactly what you’d expect from a wild girl raised among commoners—no breeding and rude beyond belief.’
Grumbling inwardly, Gongsun Ruxue arrived at De Ren Hospital the next morning. She claimed she was just passing by and had dropped in to visit Sun Yiming. Upon seeing the "wild girl" Tang Manman was also there, she put on a show of being "pleasantly surprised." Without taking no for an answer, she insisted on waiting to treat them both to lunch. Sun Yiming didn’t mind either way. He had performed several major surgeries in a row these past two days and was exhausted. He had planned on getting some proper rest, but if Manman was going, he would naturally go too.
When Xiao Man saw Gongsun Ruxue, a glint flashed in her eyes as well. She went with the flow, smoothly agreeing to a little student gathering. Gongsun Ruxue could make the arrangements and treat them to a meal.
Gongsun Ruxue had, of course, already done her "homework." She had scouted out a newly opened restaurant called Zhenwei Restaurant that specialized in exotic delicacies, including over a dozen types of incredibly rare wild mushrooms. Gongsun Ruxue had gone to check it out herself and confirmed that two or three of the mushrooms were exactly what she needed. They could react with the "medicine lead" in Manman’s system and activate its medicinal properties. She had specifically instructed the owner on how to prepare a mushroom soup with a few other ingredients, making it exceptionally fresh and delicious. She’d even made a point of telling the owner she would be sure to order that soup on her next visit.
To her delight, everything was going according to plan. Tang Manman was an extremely picky eater and rarely accepted food from others, yet today, she had agreed to the invitation without hesitation.
Gongsun Ruxue was ecstatic. ’Once we get to the restaurant,’ she schemed, ’I’ll call home and have Grandfather and Father bring the family’s Crystal Stone. After the meal, Tang Manman will feel drowsy and pass out. As the only other girl there, I’ll be the natural one to stay by her side. I can use the Crystal Stone to scan her, find the storage space, and take it right away. It’ll all be over in a few minutes.’
’Sun Yiming won’t be a problem. He’s easy to handle. He’s not a Cultivator, so he’s nowhere near as alert or wary as Tang Manman. A simple Spell will be enough to leave him dazed for a bit. By the time he snaps out of it, everything will be finished. He might even think he just blinked and that no time has passed at all.’
While Gongsun Ruxue was busy with her wishful thinking, Xiao Man was in a rather good mood herself. ’Perfect,’ she thought. ’I was just trying to figure out when I could ask Gongsun Ruxue out so Gu Shaojun could get a look at her. That woman is so mysterious. Once, I scanned her with my Divine Sense by chance and couldn’t locate her body at all. I saw her again later, and every time I’ve checked since, she’s been perfectly visible. It was almost as if I had imagined the whole thing. But I’m sure of it—Gongsun Ruxue has some kind of superpower. More likely than not, she’s a Cultivator.’
’But I can’t discern her cultivation level. Gongsun Ruxue is incredibly cautious and meticulous. She’s a bit of a germaphobe and doesn’t like people getting too close, which is a common trait for doctors, but it could also be a form of defense for her. I’m positive she has an Invisibility Technique, but I’ve never been able to see anything unusual about her before. Then yesterday, Gu Shaojun mentioned that the fleeing Cultivator he saw had a thin layer of mist around him. And now, looking at Gongsun Ruxue, I’m shocked to find that I can see it too! There’s a faint white mist covering her shadow, flickering in and out of sight!’
A jolt of joy went through Xiao Man. ’This must be related to my cultivation level! I just broke through to the Qi Refining Eighth Layer the day before yesterday, so now I can finally make out a bit of Gongsun Ruxue’s "Hidden Skill." That means if she really is a Cultivator, her cultivation must be lower than mine! She’s just relying on that Hidden Skill to mask her aura, giving her the courage to pretend to be a normal person and get close to me with ulterior motives. If Gu Shaojun were here, I wonder if he could see her for what she truly is?’