Chapter 22 Slapping Zhong Jiuli in the Face: You're Such an Annoying Woman

The ferocious beast, whose body was comparable in size to a small mountain, was forced to kneel on the deck by her single hand.

Two sharp horns, each over ten feet long, pierced deeply into the deck on its forehead, while its massive body was raised high, its two thick hind legs kicking wildly in the air, yet it could never break free from Zhong Jiuli's seemingly effortless suppression.

Bai also saw it clearly: Zhong Jiuli didn't even use her spiritual power, just her physical strength, and she easily subdued the ferocious beast.

"Roar!" The ferocious beast's eyes were bloodshot, and it let out a low roar, whether out of fear or pleading for mercy, it was unclear.

"Shut up!" Zhong Jiuli scoffed lightly, pressing her palm down again.

The entire spirit boat suddenly sank downwards, and the ferocious beast's head was forced into the deck, leaving only half of its body hanging outside the spirit boat. Its mountain-like body twitched for a few breaths before ceasing its struggle.

Bai's eyes lit up when he saw it.

Despite the enormous size difference between the human and the ferocious beast, the massive beast was completely overwhelmed and unable to retaliate. Zhong Jiuli was holding someone in her arms, using only one hand.

This is simply... the ultimate expression of violent aesthetics!

However, there was one person whose ideas were completely different from Bai Ye's.

“Zhong Jiuli!!! My spirit boat!!! My top-grade spirit boat!!!” Liu Xianyue’s voice trembled.

She regretted it. Why did she let this woman take action?

Zhong Jiuli looked up at Liu Xianyue, whose face was full of heartache, and said, "Deduct it from my share of the profits."

"Ugh, I'm so angry!" Liu Xianyue went berserk, like a monkey whose banana had been stolen, pounding her chest and stamping her feet.

Bai whispered in Zhong Jiuli's ear, "Isn't she the owner of Wanxiang Pavilion? Why is she so greedy for money?"

“Because this is her way.” Zhong Jiuli condensed a cloud of water in her palm and slowly washed her hands.

"Just like you asked me before why those cultivators would knowingly venture into this secret realm even though they knew they would die, that's their way of life."

"Some seek immortality, some seek wealth, and some seek power; all are forms of obsession."

Bai also called her: "Zhong Jiuli".

"Um?"

"You used to...were you a teacher? No, did you used to give lectures all the time? Like, the kind of lectures given by sects or something?" Bai didn't know how to describe it, and his words were somewhat incoherent, but Zhong Jiuli understood.

She chuckled and replied, "I have, but I haven't talked about it in a long time."

Bai nodded and said, "No wonder, you're practically lecturing me all the time, even scarier than the head teacher."

Zhong Jiuli paused slightly, glanced down at Bai Ye whose little head was resting on her shoulder, and asked casually, "Do you think I'm scary?"

"No, no, you're not scary." Bai waved her little hand and said, "You do have the feeling of a strict teacher. I'm praising you. You're just like a responsible and good teacher."

"I must not be a good teacher. Are you hungry?"

"Although you're terrible at changing the subject, I am indeed a bit hungry." Bai Ye finished speaking and peered into the cabin. "Is there any food on this ship?"

“Yes.” Zhong Jiuli carried her into the cabin.

Liu Xianyue was left alone on the deck, bewildered by the wind. After a long while, she stormed into the cabin, fuming, and roared at the two people eating, "How could you eat that, Zhong Jiuli, you heartless woman!"

Zhong Jiuli held up her jade chopsticks and placed a piece of spirit fish meat on Bai Ye's plate. Without looking up, she said, "Liu Xianyue, stop fooling around. The materials from that ninth-tier ferocious beast are enough for you to buy two new top-grade spirit boats."

"You're going to give it to me?" Liu Xianyue's expression changed instantly, all her previous grief and indignation vanished. She plopped down on the stool and grabbed a spirit fruit, stuffing it into her mouth.

She chewed on the spiritual fruit, her eyes crinkling into crescent moons with laughter, her cheeks puffed out like a little hamster as she ate and muttered, "Ugh...you should have said so earlier! Zhong Jiuli, you're such an annoying woman, making me stand on the deck in the cold wind for so long."

Bai swallowed the food in his mouth, amused as he watched Liu Xianyue's expression change. Once they got to know each other, he realized she was actually a very cute girl!

Why did I think she was a bad woman when we first met? Bai thought to himself, it was probably because she had such a strong presence, that domineering aura that made people feel scared.

In reality, they are all good people. Zhong Jiuli is a good person, and her friend Liu Xianyue is also a good person. It seems that there aren't that many bad people in the cultivation world, or rather, are all young and beautiful women good people?

After finishing their meal, the three of them went back to their rooms to rest.

The towering pillar of light seemed close at hand, but in reality it was tens of thousands of miles away. Even with the extremely fast speed of the top-grade spirit boat, it took four or five days to finally get close to the location of the secret realm.

Along the way, because the corpse of that ferocious beast was hanging on the spirit boat, no other foolish monsters came looking for death.

When the spirit boat truly approached the pillar of light, Bai realized just how enormous it was. The pillar of light, stretching to the heavens and the earth, was more than ten thousand miles long; it seemed to pierce through the entire sky.

Bai also looked up at this vast pillar of light, and upon closer inspection, he could see that the colorful rays flowing around the edge of the pillar were actually constantly changing.

The rosy clouds sometimes transformed into a golden-winged roc spreading its wings, and sometimes into a fiery phoenix burning with flames. They attacked each other or intertwined and played. Every turn and movement of these lifelike creatures contained profound laws and principles.

Bai had seen all sorts of creatures in the illusion before, and he could see them all here. These creatures kept circling around the pillar of light. Those who hadn't seen it with their own eyes could not imagine how shocking it was; it was a vastness that could not be described in words.

"This is absolutely spectacular," Bai thought to himself.

Xiao Wang also thought it was spectacular.

"The cultivation world is so dazzling!" Bai Ye said again.

[Xiao Wang agrees!]

"Are you the straight man?"

【Xiao Wang could be.】

"Fine, just mute yourself, I'll see it myself."

Bai ignored Xiao Wang and instead looked around. Dozens of spirit boats hovered silently around them, their colorful flags fluttering in the cold wind. Figures thronged aboard the boats, clearly having been waiting for some time.

As she looked around, the cultivators on the surrounding spirit boats were also looking at them.

As soon as the uniquely designed spirit boat arrived, all eyes turned to it. However, no one dared to release their divine sense to investigate. In the cultivation world, casually using one's divine sense to probe another's territory could easily lead to enmity or even death.

Everyone understands this principle, not to mention that there was a ninth-tier ferocious beast's corpse hanging on that ship.

In this delicate atmosphere, another spirit boat flew in from afar.

Bai turned her head and looked over. When she saw that familiar, flamboyant figure, she stood on tiptoe and waved vigorously, "Li Chengfeng!"

The spirit boat belonging to the Heavenly Sword Sect immediately changed direction and flew towards Bai Ye's location.

Li Chengfeng lightly touched the ground with his toes, and with a somersault, landed on the beast's raised hind paw. His white clothes fluttered and his red hair ribbon swayed in the air, making him look incredibly dashing.

She looked down at the ferocious beast at her feet and whistled in a flippant manner, "Wow, whose handiwork is this? Quite brutal, isn't it?"

Bai also gestured towards the cabin and said in a low voice, "Zhong Jiuli."

Li Chengfeng's smile froze instantly. She stiffly turned her head and met Zhong Jiuli's gaze.

"Hahaha..." Li Chengfeng chuckled dryly, turning his head to look at Bai Ye as if it were a natural gesture, and said in that rhythmic tone, "What I mean is, this technique is really swift and decisive, it's clearly a one-hit kill... The greatest truths are the simplest, truly the greatest truths are the simplest!"

"You're such a sycophant, Li Chengfeng!" Bai also complained.

Li Chengfeng jumped off the ferocious beast and landed next to Bai Ye, pretending to pinch her cheek.

Bai quickly stepped aside, crossing his arms in front of his chest as a gesture of refusal, "Li Chengfeng, don't touch girls inappropriately, it makes you look like a hooligan."

"Hey, you little tiger, you're not cute at all after you transform." Li Chengfeng muttered, and his figure flashed and he appeared directly in front of Bai Ye.

Seeing this, Bai quickly dodged, shouting as she ran, "Are my friends here?"

“No, they are newcomers. This place is dangerous, how could they come?” Li Chengfeng replied.

The two exchanged questions and sparred, exchanging dozens of moves in the blink of an eye. Li Chengfeng was increasingly surprised as the fight progressed; this little guy had made such great progress in just over half a year.

You have to understand that Li Chengfeng is known as an invincible sword cultivator in the same realm, yet she is still having some difficulty catching this brat. Although she did not use her full strength, it is enough to show how fast this brat's movements are.

"Senior Sister!" A voice called out from the spirit boat next door, interrupting the duel between the two.

Li Chengfeng stopped what he was doing, turned around, and asked, "What's wrong, Second Junior Sister?"

The second junior sister rolled her eyes and said helplessly, "Look outside that secret realm, aren't all the people there trying to comprehend the Dao?"

Bai Ye and Li Chengfeng peered down together. Outside the pillar of light, hundreds of cultivators sat cross-legged in various places, their bodies radiating spiritual light, like tiny stars scattered around.

“Let’s go too.” Li Chengfeng waved his hand, picked up Bai, and flew towards the pillar of light.

Bai felt a sudden tightening around her waist, and she was lifted into the air. She really wanted to curse him. Why did he have to take her with him when he could have gone by himself? Unfortunately, Li Chengfeng didn't give her a chance to refuse.

When they were still several hundred feet away from the pillar of light, Li Chengfeng stopped. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and murmured, "Such a powerful pressure."

Bai glanced at Li Chengfeng's slightly pale face, and then secretly looked at the cultivators around him. He found that everyone's face was pale, and some even had blood seeping from their seven orifices. Even so, no one left.

The radiant glow seemed to exert a strong pressure on everyone. Bai secretly circulated his spiritual energy, and his cultivation technique flowed without any hindrance. In fact, the concentration of spiritual energy here was more than a hundred times higher than that outside. Logically, shouldn't cultivation here be faster?

However, Bai was also very perceptive, and she immediately put on a face that looked like she was in pain as well.

Seeing her face scrunched up like a little bun, Li Chengfeng asked with concern, "Will you be able to stand it here?"

Bai shook his head, deliberately making his voice weaker, "It's okay, I can handle it."

Li Chengfeng looked at her with some skepticism and said with concern, "If you can't take it anymore, just tell me and I'll take you back."

After saying that, she sat down cross-legged, looked up at the illusory image of the azure dragon flying in the air, and her gaze gradually became infatuated.

She murmured, "These illusions are all imprints left by ancient beings. Many of these races have long been annihilated in the long river of time, their bloodlines severed and their heritage dissipated... If you and I can understand even a fraction of them and comprehend a supernatural power, it will be an immense opportunity."

Bai also turned her head to look at her and found that the trajectory of the Azure Dragon was reflected in Li Chengfeng's pupils. He seemed to be completely immersed in it, and even his breathing slowed down to almost nothing. His fingers, which were resting on his knees, unconsciously traced lines, as if he were copying those mysterious runes.

She also sat down cross-legged, glancing into the depths of the pillar of light. She couldn't feel any pressure, but she felt as if something deep within the pillar of light was calling to her, making her unconsciously want to get closer.

Unbeknownst to her, Bai Ye's vision gradually blurred, and the towering pillar of light in front of her rippled outwards like water, engulfing her.

When their vision cleared again, the surrounding cultivators, Li Chengfeng, and the pillar of light had all disappeared.

She was standing on a lush green lawn.

Bai looked around. It resembled a canyon, surrounded by towering peaks that seemed to reach into the clouds. In the distance lay a vast, azure lake, its surface smooth as a mirror, reflecting the drifting clouds. Cranes circled and danced in the sky, and the grass beneath her feet was a vibrant, translucent green, each blade of grass as clear as jade, shimmering with a faint, ethereal light. A gentle breeze carried the rich fragrance of flowers and an almost overwhelming, intoxicating aura.

Around her were several white tiger cubs, each about her size, running and playing happily, creating a warm and peaceful scene.

Bai lowered her head, and sure enough, she transformed back into a white tiger. The tiger cubs around her seemed completely unsurprised by her sudden appearance.

At the very front, a graceful white tiger sat dignifiedly, and Bai didn't know why he saw elegance in a tiger.

The white tiger's smooth fur was like the finest silk, every hair shimmering with light, its muscle lines perfectly smooth, like a masterpiece meticulously sculpted by a god.

She seemed to see Bai Ye and looked towards her.

Bai couldn't describe what kind of eyes they were. The golden pupils were filled with the wisdom and gentleness accumulated over the long years, yet they also contained endless pressure, as if one look at her would drown her in that golden ocean.

"Child, come here." The white tiger's gentle voice reached her mind.

As if its body had gained its own consciousness, it unconsciously took steps toward the white tiger at the front.

Just as she was about to get close, a cool, refreshing fragrance suddenly wafted over, and she felt a sudden tightness on her shoulder as someone grabbed her.

Her figure began to recede, and the scene before her vanished like bubbles.

"You!" A soft sigh came from above, the voice filled with both helplessness and affection.

Bai didn't even need to look up to know it was Zhong Jiuli; she always managed to pull her out of the water when she was drowning, and more than once.

Zhong Jiuli picked her up, pinched her little face and said softly, "I just didn't keep an eye on you for a moment, and you're going to venture into this secret realm all by yourself?"

Bai also looked at the pillar of light that was right in front of them. They were standing on the edge of the pillar of light, within reach.

"I just..."

"Shh..." Zhong Jiuli's slender white fingers touched her lips, the tips of her fingers carrying a faint fragrance. Bai pursed her lips uncomfortably. Although her body was still small, she couldn't be so unrestrained!

Seriously! Is this how you test cadres?

"What you see is for you to know, don't tell anyone, this is an opportunity that belongs only to you."

Bai nodded obediently, "Can't those people see us?"

She was referring to the cultivators who were comprehending the laws not far away.

Zhong Jiuli nodded, picked up Bai Ye, and returned to the spirit boat, instructing, "The secret realm's barrier is already on the verge of collapse. It will manifest itself within the next day or two at the latest. You stay here obediently, okay?"

"Okay," Bai replied.

She sat cross-legged on the deck, closed her eyes, and began to circulate the Great Creation Scripture. As the technique circulated, a vast amount of spiritual energy gathered towards her, gradually forming a visible vortex of spiritual energy around her. The points of light rushed to drill into her body.

A day passes in the blink of an eye.

Bai also awoke from his meditation. The moment he lifted his eyelids, a golden flame flashed faintly in the depths of his amber eyes, moving with incredible speed and disappearing in an instant.

She exhaled a breath of stale air, feeling the surging spiritual energy within her body. A hint of joy flashed in her eyes; she had already reached the sixth level of Qi Refining. Breaking through two realms in a single day, if she could cultivate here for a few more days, she would probably be able to break through to Foundation Establishment very soon.

Bai also saw that dozens more spirit boats had appeared around him. Most of these people were gathered outside the pillar of light, making the most of their time to comprehend the Dao.

Inside the cabin, Liu Xianyue and Zhong Jiuli sat facing each other. She looked at Bai Ye on the deck and said in a low voice, "Isn't this little guy's cultivation speed a bit too fast? Won't his foundation be unstable?"

Zhong Jiuli said, "Her foundation is extremely solid, so it's not a problem."

"You're really good to her," Liu Xianyue said sourly.

Zhong Jiuli glanced at her and changed the subject, saying, "Let's go out and take a look. The secret realm should be opening soon."

After saying that, she stood up and walked out. Liu Xianyue pouted and followed her out of the cabin. That damned woman, she always runs away as soon as she hears something she doesn't like to hear.

The two stepped out of the cabin and stood beside Bai Ye. Liu Xianyue glanced around and, noticing the extra spirit boats, said with some puzzlement, "Did the news spread so fast? How come even people from Guzhou have come?"

Zhong Jiuli glanced at the group of people and frowned, saying, "These self-proclaimed noble ancient families have always been arrogant. For them to go to such great lengths to come from afar, they must have some secrets that we don't know."

Liu Xianyue nodded in agreement, "These ancient families have a long history, and there must be many things we don't know about them."

The Kunxu Continent is divided into nine provinces, with the Central Province located at the center, hence its name. The Ancient Province, on the other hand, is the farthest from the Wilderness Province, with a distance of more than a million miles between them.

Even using a teleportation array, it would take several transfers to reach the Wilderness State.

Bai Ye, upon hearing this, curiously tiptoed to look in the direction Liu Xianyue had indicated. In the distance, there were indeed several unusual spirit boats. The spirit boats had a more ancient and grand design, exuding a solemn and dignified feeling, yet also a sense of deathly stillness.

Many figures dressed in black cloaks stood on the deck, giving off a mysterious and unpredictable feeling.

At the very front stood an elderly man with white hair, his hands clasped behind his back. Beside him stood several young men, all dressed in fine clothes and with dignified appearances. When they looked down at the cultivators below, they had a disdainful look on their faces, exuding arrogance.

The old man seemed to notice Bai Ye's gaze and suddenly turned to look at him. His eyes shone brightly, as if divine fire burned within them, and his sharp gaze was fixed directly on Bai Ye.

Bai also heard an old, cold snort explode in her mind, as if someone had dropped a high-yield nuclear bomb into her brain, making her brain splatter.

"Insolence!" Zhong Jiuli shouted softly. She supported Bai Ye with one hand, and a spiritual light emanated from her palm to protect her body. With the other hand, she raised her slender fingers and pressed them down in the void. A transparent ripple spread from her palm and blasted towards the spirit boat where the old man was.

The old man was not to be outdone, raising his hand and striking out several times in succession, one after another huge black palm print shooting out.

The two forces collided in mid-air, and a muffled thunderous roar exploded in the air. Immediately afterward, an invisible shockwave spread outward from the two forces, causing the spirit boats within a radius of a thousand feet to shake violently.

Before the effects of the first attack had even subsided, Zhong Jiuli's next strike had already arrived. A silver glint flicked from her fingertip, instantly traversing the entire battlefield and appearing before the old man.

The silver light transformed into a palm the size of a fan in front of the old man, slapping his old face repeatedly with a series of "slap" sounds.

The old man was sent flying backward by the slap, crashing straight into the cabin.

"How dare you! Who would dare to lay a hand on someone from my Sima family?" A young man in fine clothes shouted in the direction of Zhong Jiuli and the others.

As the young man's shout faded, many cultivators cursed and swore as they left the spirit boat.

The group, standing on their spiritual swords, flew out and hovered high in the sky, forming an encirclement around the two opposing sides like onlookers.

Those clever ones had already taken out their recording stones and were secretly recording the situation on the spot. This was all first-hand information, which they could sell for a good price later.

The old man who had been thrown into the cabin leaped out, his face full of anger as he looked toward where Zhong Jiuli and the others were. After recognizing who had attacked him, he stroked his beard and sneered with a forced smile, "I never thought that the so-called sect leader of the Sanqing Sect of Kunxu Holy Land would be such a shameless scoundrel who attacks people from behind?"

"She hit you in front of you, not from behind," Bai shouted.

Her sweet, childlike voice was incredibly penetrating, instantly reaching everyone's ears.

The numerous onlookers burst into laughter.

"You're courting death!" The young man in fine clothes who shouted angrily drew his longsword and unleashed a sword aura at Bai Ye.

Zhong Jiuli merely glanced at it casually, and the attack unleashed by the elegantly dressed young man vanished silently into thin air.

The young man in fine clothes wasn't stupid. He couldn't see through the woman's cultivation level at all, and after his first sword strike, he dared not make another move.

The old man, his cheeks swollen, shouted in a tone that was neither soft nor hard, "Sect Leader Zhong, are you going to start a war against my Ancient State?"

Before Zhong Jiuli could reply, Liu Xianyue stepped forward and shouted, "You old bastard, your Sima family can't represent the entire Guzhou. If you want to declare war, then declare war. Today, my Wanxiang Pavilion declares war on your Sima family. If you dare to hurt my child, I'll kill you."

Her words were imbued with spiritual power, and the sound reverberated like thunder. In particular, she used all her strength to utter the words "old scoundrel."

Wherever the sound waves passed, the clouds within a radius of tens of thousands of miles were shattered. The onlookers covered their ears, and those with weaker cultivation were even more shocked, their blood surging and blood seeping from the corners of their mouths. Some even activated the defensive formations on the spirit boat.

The echoes quickly reverberated through the mountains, and for a moment it seemed as if millions of people were shouting at the same time, the waves of voices rising one after another. The words "old scoundrel" sent chills down everyone's spines.

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Author's Note: Bai Ye: My wife looks so cool when she slaps me in the face! [Dog head with rose in mouth]