"Snow frog, snow lotus, thousand-year-old ginseng, cordyceps, natural bezoar, saffron, lingzhi, and whatever else you want to get."

Song Nanli's face turned visibly pale. "You're going to ruin my life? You might as well kill me."

But no matter how much he complained about being poor and played the victim, Ruan Xianxian wouldn't budge. He even cursed in the street, but this guy's curses were even dirtier than his...

I want to say no, you don't have it and neither does she.

In short, when Song Nan left, she was weaker than she had been after five consecutive surgeries.

"Well then, the task of finding the ancient tree and extracting the essence of heaven and earth is entrusted to you."

At the same time, ask the system, "Can you inject the spiritual spring into the tree's heart to create the illusion that I'm extracting it bit by bit? And then fake a serious illness for me."

Ideally, it should appear as if the illness is terminal, beyond the reach of medicine, and undetectable even by pulse-taking instruments.

365: [The former is fine; you can buy a fake illness pill in the store to fake illness, and you can choose how the symptoms appear after taking it.]

I just checked, and it seems you can even fake a pregnancy!

Ruan Xianxian: [Me, a virgin, pregnant? You're kidding me!]

A virgin? She looks more like a virgin great white shark... The system didn't dare say it.

He demonstrated the process of extracting the essence of heaven and earth in front of Institute 507, firmly attaching the title of possessing wood-type superpowers to himself.

Then another serious illness occurs...

That's settled. Even if the news leaks out and she's threatened or intimidated by someone, the facts are there: no matter how much you squeeze her dry, she won't be able to produce a second portion of the essence of heaven and earth in a short time.

Watching Song Nanli's indignant departure, Ruan Xianxian called out to him, "By the way, who told you I have the ability to extract the essence of heaven and earth?"

Could it be Old Zhao? He's such a chatterbox! Should we just kill him?

Song Nanli stopped in her tracks, a barely perceptible smile playing on her lips. "People of the Daoist sect have a natural sense of what is about to happen to them."

When Master Zhao asked my senior brother to come down the mountain, I sensed that following him would lead to a profound opportunity that would have a significant impact on my future.

"Considering the essence of heaven and earth that Old Zhao sent from Changbai Mountain and Huang Er's condition, is it really that difficult to find you?"

Seeing the guy's slightly open mouth and unexpected expression, Song Nanli finally felt the satisfaction of winning back a round.

He turned back and gave Ruan Xianxian a Taoist salute, saying, "Comrade Ruan, you are very kind. On behalf of that person and the people who have been protected by that person, I thank you for your help."

This kind of rhetoric that combines ancient and modern elements made Ruan Xianxian feel extremely uncomfortable!

He tilted his head and thought for a moment. Judging from her appearance, Ruan Xianxian was the kind of person who was very thoughtful and guarded. In order not to be suspected by this guy, she kept him in her heart at all times.

He pondered for a moment, "I will write today's agreement into a vow, which will be presented to the Heavenly Court and the Underworld, and will be reported to the Nine Heavens. All the gods and Buddhas will bear witness. If I break this vow, I will die and my soul will perish."

Imagine the shock Ruan Xianxian felt when a Taoist doctor in a white coat stood in front of her and delivered this rambling, scholarly speech...

But she also knew how important the oath involving death and the annihilation of one's cultivation was to the Xuanmen (Taoist sect).

The person in front of him was not an ordinary person who could make vows casually. For Taoists who believe in the afterlife and cultivate this life, breaking the vow made to the Three Pure Ones was equivalent to an ordinary person committing treason.

Whatever fate befalls them in the future, it will be their just deserts.

Although she felt it was a bit serious to have to submit a pledge of righteousness for such a small matter, Ruan Xianxian certainly wouldn't refuse since it involved her own life.

After feigning refusal for a few moments, Song Nanli stared at her face and suddenly smiled—a faint smile, yet one that held a chilling undertone.

"You are very good. I hope you never get sick in this life, and if you do get sick, I hope you don't end up in my hands. Otherwise, I will definitely let you taste why Chinese medicine is so bitter."

Ruan Xianxian touched her nose and watched his angry departure, knowing that her outrageous demands had truly taken a toll on this Taoist doctor.

So, when Ruan Xianxian was served a plate of bear paws at dinner, she had no appetite and her mind was preoccupied with whether the spiritual spring could cure that person.

People in later generations may not understand, but for those living in the present, few would not admire and believe in that person, and sincerely wish that person good health and a long life.

She was eating her meal listlessly when she suddenly heard a cry of alarm. The soldiers gathered around the stone stove stood up one after another, their horrified gazes fixed on the sky...

There, a flock of red birds with their tail feathers fluttered down from the horizon.

Someone stammered, "Phoenix? Phoenix?"

Mu Xia shook her head firmly, "It's a red-bellied pheasant, a bird that resembles the phoenix in the Classic of Mountains and Seas."

The soldier's shocked expression quickly turned into indifference. Ruan Xianxian glanced at Mu Xia and said, "It's just a bird, why call it a golden pheasant? It lowers the class by several degrees."

No one paid her any attention. Everyone looked up at the flocks of golden pheasants flying into the sky, and the colorful birds circling overhead. Only Ruan Xianxian slapped her forehead and thought of something…

Did Song Nanli say that Old Li was performing a ritual to help the princess pass on in the main tomb?

It seems she missed out on a golden age...

However, the orderly formation of birds circling and flying overhead is also quite unique.

Just when she thought it was over, a buzzing sound came from the forest, followed by the dense sound of countless wings flapping as if about to take flight.

The egret, its neck tucked into an "S" shape, followed closely behind, its wings beating slowly and gracefully, its legs stretched out behind its tail, circling the mountaintop three times before flying away.

Next, magpies, sparrows, and swallows appeared one after another.

In this ancient and mysterious mountain forest, the afterglow of the setting sun shines through the dense branches, as if draping a dreamlike red veil over the birds that take flight.

Two red-crowned cranes, like the most elegant dancers, slowly descended from the sky in graceful spirals, their white feathers shimmering with golden light in the afterglow.

The red top of its head is like a dazzling ruby, exceptionally eye-catching.

Spreading its broad wings, it traced graceful arcs across the mountaintop, one circle, two circles, three circles...

After three laps, it was like the end of a grand performance, with everyone's eyes filled with a sense of nostalgia and reluctance.

As if in response or farewell, they let out a long cry as they completed their final circle, the sound clear and melodious.

Then, it slowly flew into the distance and gradually disappeared into the sky painted with the afterglow of the setting sun.

Don't blame me for being uncultured; all I can say is "fuck!"

“Magnificent, isn’t it?” Song Nanli, who had somehow appeared behind Ruan Xianxian, murmured, “Senior brother used the highest-level ancient ritual of ‘Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix’ to pray for the princess’s soul.”

"Wait, what's that?" Ruan Xianxian pointed to the huge black shadow that swept across the sky.

The dark figure was incredibly fast, almost instantly sweeping across the mountaintop, so fast that it was difficult for the naked eye to catch it.

As Ruan Xianxian exclaimed in surprise, several voices followed in quick succession, "Black Phoenix, it's a black phoenix, I'm absolutely not mistaken this time."

"How did this thing get out?" Song Nanli's expression changed drastically, and he took off running in the direction the black phoenix had left.

"Oh no! Senior brother has caused trouble!"