When Chu Liang let out that impulsive shout, he felt nervous and quite uneasy.
His suspicions about the little girl had been confirmed the moment he saw her swim through the water like a fish. It was clear that she wasn't an ordinary little girl at all.
Moreover, she had returned to this crystal palace inside the fish's belly with such ease and familiarity and then casually pulled out the Celestial Herb of Ascension to eat it raw. Even Yun Chaoxian would be able to tell that the little girl was an extraordinary being, let alone Chu Liang.
Regardless, the herb she was about to eat was the Celestial Herb of Ascension, the spirit plant that was necessary for the formation of an ultimate-tier Golden Core. This was a ray of hope that was seen only once in a hundred years. It was right in front of Chu Liang, yet the little girl was about to eat it like it was lettuce... She didn't even bother dipping it in some sauce first.
The heart of any cultivator would ache upon seeing this sight. It was a pure and utter waste of the treasure of nature.
After hearing Chu Liang's shout, the little girl turned around to face him. She gazed at him strangely with her teeth bared. It was a rather disgruntled expression like that of someone protecting her food from getting stolen.
The little girl cast a sideways glance at the Gold Ba corpses outside and then shot a rather fierce look at Chu Liang, making his heart race in fear. It seemed that the little girl had killed the Gold Ba outside because they had come to steal her food.
Chu Liang immediately put on a friendly smile and waved his hands as if to show he meant no harm. "I want to eat that too. How about we make a trade?"
The little girl stood still as she held onto the Celestial Herb of Ascension.
Chu Liang took out a Golden Vein Berry from his pocket and offered it to the little girl. "You ate this fruit earlier. It's delicious, isn't it? Let's exchange."
The little girl remained motionless.
Even Chu Liang thought that exchanging one Golden Vein Berry for the Celestial Herb of Ascension was rather ridiculous, so he took out another berry.
"How about two berries for one stalk of the herb?" Chu Liang asked gently, patiently trying to persuade the little girl.
The little girl swept her gaze over the two berries, but she didn't do anything else.
"I'll say a number..." Chu Liang took out two large boxes and slammed them onto the ground. "There are more than twenty berries in total in these two boxes. Is that enough to exchange for one stalk of the herb?"
The little girl finally showed signs of hesitation.
She had eaten this herb many times. It wasn't that delicious, but she noticed that her strength would increase significantly after eating it. As for the fruit, today was her first time eating it. It didn't contain a lot of spiritual energy, but it was delicious... Additionally, some of the berries had a special scent that she found extremely enticing.
However, if she were to say these things to Chu Liang, he would definitely rescind his offer. This was because the Golden Vein Berries only contained dragon breath and qi suffused with blood.
Apart from the vicious beasts that saw dragons as prey, no one else would crave dragon breath. As for the blood-stained qi, the Golden Vein Berries only contained a trace of it. The biggest source of blood-stained qi was, of course, living creatures.
If the little girl were to get addicted to the taste of blood-stained qi, it would likely open a door to disaster...
Seeing the little girl's hesitation, Chu Liang thought there was room for negotiation, so he raised the stakes and took out two more boxes of Golden Vein Berries!
"This is the last of my stock. Take it or leave it! Just tell me, yes or no!" Chu Liang said through gritted his teeth. "These Golden Vein Berries have a sweet taste. They nourish your qi and blood as well as your yin qi and skin. They are essential fruits if you stay at home or go traveling!"
The little girl hesitated for a while.
Then she opened her mouth and attempted to speak. "Ah, mm, ah, mm."
She slowly uttered one word in a stiff tone, "Yes..."
Right then, Chu Liang realized that this little girl wasn't mute; it was just that no one had spoken to her before!
After all, language needed to be learned. Even if she were a genius, she wouldn't know a single word if no one had ever spoken to her.
Could it be that she has been living ever since she was born? Is this her home?
Chu Liang's gaze fell on the small crystal coffin. It was unlikely that an Eminent One at the Heavenly Origin Realm had prepared such a small coffin for themself... Just thinking about it gave him goosebumps.
Regardless, when the little girl handed over the Celestial Herb of Ascension, he accepted it anyway and left the Golden Vein Berries for her.
Chu Liang said hastily, "It's late. I should head home. I had a great time with you today. Well, goodbye until we meet again."
Then he turned around, wanting to leave quickly.
However, before he could step through the entrance of the crystal palace, he heard a deafening rumble. In an instant, the world around him turned upside down; what was above him switched places with what was below him. He was hit by a torrential rush of water that gushed in from midair!
This water was incredibly salty. It was seawater!
...
In the night sky above the Immortals' Marsh...
An elderly man in long robes was riding a Spotted Golden Deer. He cut a huge slit in the sky, and a cascade of brilliant golden light poured down from it, enveloping the Immortals' Marsh. It looked as if a bowl of gold powder had been overturned, leaving its contents to fall onto the marsh.
At this moment, a wisp of cloud swiftly arrived at the Immortals' Marsh, revealing someone's face that looked like dark waters. This person wore a grave expression that was filled with killing intent. He was Wang Xuanling, the Mount Shu Sect's grand peak master.
Seeing Wang Xuanling arrive, the elder riding the deer cupped his hands together in respect and bowed. "Grand Peak Master Wang, I'm surprised that the Mount Shu Sect sent you here. It seems that your sect gives great importance to the task of exterminating the Cataclysmic Ba."
"Elder Sun," Wang Xuanling greeted, cupping his hands and bowing as well. Then he continued, "It's because my disciple is in the Immortals' Marsh. I am worried about his safety, so I came to see how he's doing."
"Your disciple wouldn't happen to be Xu Ziyang, would it?" Elder Sun asked.
He had guessed it from seeing Wang Xuanling's grim expression. Aside from Xu Ziyang, the famous prodigy of the Mount Shu Sect, Elder Sun didn't think there would be anyone else who could make Wang Xuanling so anxious.
"That's correct," Wang Xuanling answered with a nod.
"I just opened the Vault of Heaven earlier and used my sect's treasure, the Divine Mirror of the Eight Trigrams, to contain the Immortals' Marsh and everything within it. So, all of the Ba are trapped here. However, we have yet to find traces of the Cataclysmic Ba. Grand Peak Master Wang, if you're worried about the safety of your disciple, it would be best for you to make haste and search for your disciple personally," Elder Sun advised.
The Divine Mirror of the Eight Trigrams was the third best legendary artifact in the world, so it couldn't be taken out of Elder Sun's sect, the Fog-Hidden Mountain of Immortals, whenever someone wished to do so. However, Elder Sun was able to use the divine power of the Divine Mirror of the Eight Trigrams by going through the Vault of Heaven.
"I'm intending to do precisely that. When the Eminent Ones from the Divine Nine arrive later, please inform them of my whereabouts, Elder Sun," Wang Xuanling requested.
He left it at that and set off swiftly.
Clouds gathered around Wang Xuanling as he flew through the sky and sent his divine sense sweeping through the Immortals' Marsh, leaving no grain of sand or blade of grass untouched.
For a seventh-realm Eminent One, using their divine sense to scan a specific area like this was almost as effective as using Heavenly Sight and Hearing.
Just a moment later, Wang Xuanling spotted Xu Ziyang by a lake. Wang Xuanling's tense expression finally relaxed a little.
Seeing Wang Xuanling, Xu Ziyang immediately bowed respectfully in greeting. "Esteemed Teacher!"
Xu Ziyang looked rather miserable. His clothes were torn, and there were bloodstains on his cheeks and several large wounds on his body.
"The Immortals' Marsh is in a turbulent state. Since you're well enough to move, why haven't you left?" Wang Xuanling asked with a solemn expression.
He'd spoken sternly, but it was obviously out of concern.
"Esteemed Teacher, I came here to accompany and protect my juniors. However, one of my junior brothers has gone missing, so I'm searching for him," Xu Ziyang answered.
"I see," Wang Xuanling replied and nodded slightly, acknowledging his disciple's sense of responsibility. Then he asked, "Which junior brother?"
"Chu Liang from Silver Sword Peak."
Wang Xuanling looked surprised. "Huh?"
Chu Liang was the only child of Silver Sword Peak—Di Nufeng's sole disciple. When someone had stolen a few sword coins from Chu Liang, Di Nufeng had gone with him to Cloud Horizon Peak and sought revenge for him. This matter was already known all over Mount Shu. There were suspicions that they'd scammed compensation from the peak master of Cloud Horizon Peak, but what was certain was that Di Nufeng was fiercely protective of her disciple.
If Chu Liang were to die...
Wang Xuanling was terrified by the mere thought of it.
He waved his sleeves and uttered without the slightest hesitation, "Search! I'll search with you! We'll search through the night!"
When Chu Liang let out that impulsive shout, he felt nervous and quite uneasy.
His suspicions about the little girl had been confirmed the moment he saw her swim through the water like a fish. It was clear that she wasn't an ordinary little girl at all.
Moreover, she had returned to this crystal palace inside the fish's belly with such ease and familiarity and then casually pulled out the Celestial Herb of Ascension to eat it raw. Even Yun Chaoxian would be able to tell that the little girl was an extraordinary being, let alone Chu Liang.
Regardless, the herb she was about to eat was the Celestial Herb of Ascension, the spirit plant that was necessary for the formation of an ultimate-tier Golden Core. This was a ray of hope that was seen only once in a hundred years. It was right in front of Chu Liang, yet the little girl was about to eat it like it was lettuce... She didn't even bother dipping it in some sauce first.
The heart of any cultivator would ache upon seeing this sight. It was a pure and utter waste of the treasure of nature.
After hearing Chu Liang's shout, the little girl turned around to face him. She gazed at him strangely with her teeth bared. It was a rather disgruntled expression like that of someone protecting her food from getting stolen.
The little girl cast a sideways glance at the Gold Ba corpses outside and then shot a rather fierce look at Chu Liang, making his heart race in fear. It seemed that the little girl had killed the Gold Ba outside because they had come to steal her food.
Chu Liang immediately put on a friendly smile and waved his hands as if to show he meant no harm. "I want to eat that too. How about we make a trade?"
The little girl stood still as she held onto the Celestial Herb of Ascension.
Chu Liang took out a Golden Vein Berry from his pocket and offered it to the little girl. "You ate this fruit earlier. It's delicious, isn't it? Let's exchange."
The little girl remained motionless.
Even Chu Liang thought that exchanging one Golden Vein Berry for the Celestial Herb of Ascension was rather ridiculous, so he took out another berry.
"How about two berries for one stalk of the herb?" Chu Liang asked gently, patiently trying to persuade the little girl.
The little girl swept her gaze over the two berries, but she didn't do anything else.
"I'll say a number..." Chu Liang took out two large boxes and slammed them onto the ground. "There are more than twenty berries in total in these two boxes. Is that enough to exchange for one stalk of the herb?"
The little girl finally showed signs of hesitation.
She had eaten this herb many times. It wasn't that delicious, but she noticed that her strength would increase significantly after eating it. As for the fruit, today was her first time eating it. It didn't contain a lot of spiritual energy, but it was delicious... Additionally, some of the berries had a special scent that she found extremely enticing.
However, if she were to say these things to Chu Liang, he would definitely rescind his offer. This was because the Golden Vein Berries only contained dragon breath and qi suffused with blood.
Apart from the vicious beasts that saw dragons as prey, no one else would crave dragon breath. As for the blood-stained qi, the Golden Vein Berries only contained a trace of it. The biggest source of blood-stained qi was, of course, living creatures.
If the little girl were to get addicted to the taste of blood-stained qi, it would likely open a door to disaster...
Seeing the little girl's hesitation, Chu Liang thought there was room for negotiation, so he raised the stakes and took out two more boxes of Golden Vein Berries!
"This is the last of my stock. Take it or leave it! Just tell me, yes or no!" Chu Liang said through gritted his teeth. "These Golden Vein Berries have a sweet taste. They nourish your qi and blood as well as your yin qi and skin. They are essential fruits if you stay at home or go traveling!"
The little girl hesitated for a while.
Then she opened her mouth and attempted to speak. "Ah, mm, ah, mm."
She slowly uttered one word in a stiff tone, "Yes..."
Right then, Chu Liang realized that this little girl wasn't mute; it was just that no one had spoken to her before!
After all, language needed to be learned. Even if she were a genius, she wouldn't know a single word if no one had ever spoken to her.
Could it be that she has been living ever since she was born? Is this her home?
Chu Liang's gaze fell on the small crystal coffin. It was unlikely that an Eminent One at the Heavenly Origin Realm had prepared such a small coffin for themself... Just thinking about it gave him goosebumps.
Regardless, when the little girl handed over the Celestial Herb of Ascension, he accepted it anyway and left the Golden Vein Berries for her.
Chu Liang said hastily, "It's late. I should head home. I had a great time with you today. Well, goodbye until we meet again."
Then he turned around, wanting to leave quickly.
However, before he could step through the entrance of the crystal palace, he heard a deafening rumble. In an instant, the world around him turned upside down; what was above him switched places with what was below him. He was hit by a torrential rush of water that gushed in from midair!
This water was incredibly salty. It was seawater!
...
In the night sky above the Immortals' Marsh...
An elderly man in long robes was riding a Spotted Golden Deer. He cut a huge slit in the sky, and a cascade of brilliant golden light poured down from it, enveloping the Immortals' Marsh. It looked as if a bowl of gold powder had been overturned, leaving its contents to fall onto the marsh.
At this moment, a wisp of cloud swiftly arrived at the Immortals' Marsh, revealing someone's face that looked like dark waters. This person wore a grave expression that was filled with killing intent. He was Wang Xuanling, the Mount Shu Sect's grand peak master.
Seeing Wang Xuanling arrive, the elder riding the deer cupped his hands together in respect and bowed. "Grand Peak Master Wang, I'm surprised that the Mount Shu Sect sent you here. It seems that your sect gives great importance to the task of exterminating the Cataclysmic Ba."
"Elder Sun," Wang Xuanling greeted, cupping his hands and bowing as well. Then he continued, "It's because my disciple is in the Immortals' Marsh. I am worried about his safety, so I came to see how he's doing."
"Your disciple wouldn't happen to be Xu Ziyang, would it?" Elder Sun asked.
He had guessed it from seeing Wang Xuanling's grim expression. Aside from Xu Ziyang, the famous prodigy of the Mount Shu Sect, Elder Sun didn't think there would be anyone else who could make Wang Xuanling so anxious.
"That's correct," Wang Xuanling answered with a nod.
"I just opened the Vault of Heaven earlier and used my sect's treasure, the Divine Mirror of the Eight Trigrams, to contain the Immortals' Marsh and everything within it. So, all of the Ba are trapped here. However, we have yet to find traces of the Cataclysmic Ba. Grand Peak Master Wang, if you're worried about the safety of your disciple, it would be best for you to make haste and search for your disciple personally," Elder Sun advised.
The Divine Mirror of the Eight Trigrams was the third best legendary artifact in the world, so it couldn't be taken out of Elder Sun's sect, the Fog-Hidden Mountain of Immortals, whenever someone wished to do so. However, Elder Sun was able to use the divine power of the Divine Mirror of the Eight Trigrams by going through the Vault of Heaven.
"I'm intending to do precisely that. When the Eminent Ones from the Divine Nine arrive later, please inform them of my whereabouts, Elder Sun," Wang Xuanling requested.
He left it at that and set off swiftly.
Clouds gathered around Wang Xuanling as he flew through the sky and sent his divine sense sweeping through the Immortals' Marsh, leaving no grain of sand or blade of grass untouched.
For a seventh-realm Eminent One, using their divine sense to scan a specific area like this was almost as effective as using Heavenly Sight and Hearing.
Just a moment later, Wang Xuanling spotted Xu Ziyang by a lake. Wang Xuanling's tense expression finally relaxed a little.
Seeing Wang Xuanling, Xu Ziyang immediately bowed respectfully in greeting. "Esteemed Teacher!"
Xu Ziyang looked rather miserable. His clothes were torn, and there were bloodstains on his cheeks and several large wounds on his body.
"The Immortals' Marsh is in a turbulent state. Since you're well enough to move, why haven't you left?" Wang Xuanling asked with a solemn expression.
He'd spoken sternly, but it was obviously out of concern.
"Esteemed Teacher, I came here to accompany and protect my juniors. However, one of my junior brothers has gone missing, so I'm searching for him," Xu Ziyang answered.
"I see," Wang Xuanling replied and nodded slightly, acknowledging his disciple's sense of responsibility. Then he asked, "Which junior brother?"
"Chu Liang from Silver Sword Peak."
Wang Xuanling looked surprised. "Huh?"
Chu Liang was the only child of Silver Sword Peak—Di Nufeng's sole disciple. When someone had stolen a few sword coins from Chu Liang, Di Nufeng had gone with him to Cloud Horizon Peak and sought revenge for him. This matter was already known all over Mount Shu. There were suspicions that they'd scammed compensation from the peak master of Cloud Horizon Peak, but what was certain was that Di Nufeng was fiercely protective of her disciple.
If Chu Liang were to die...
Wang Xuanling was terrified by the mere thought of it.
He waved his sleeves and uttered without the slightest hesitation, "Search! I'll search with you! We'll search through the night!"
