Chapter 21: The sound of magical attacks resounded, purifying the ten directions—it was the Three Pure Ones…
Lin Jianyu opened his eyes and saw an ice arrow gleaming with silver light floating in front of him.
At this moment, the ice arrow was less than two inches from her head, and it would only take less than a second to pierce through it. She could even feel the chilling aura emanating from the arrow.
Before she could dodge, the arrow shattered into ice shards right before her eyes. The ice shards didn't hurt her, but they brought a slight chill to her body.
It's quite enjoyable in this sweltering summer heat.
Of course, this is on the premise that the arrow wasn't initially aimed at her head, and that no more blue-glowing water arrows were being shot towards them from the darkness.
It was obvious that some cultivators, or rather, the Mountain and Sea Clan, were taking advantage of their rest to launch a sneak attack on them.
It was also quite obvious that the opponent's sneak attack was unsuccessful.
The water arrows fired by the enemy froze into ice upon reaching them, then shattered into ice shards, only bringing them coolness without causing harm.
It was clearly not Yun Dan or any of the others who could do this, but Lu Jiao.
In fact, Yun Dan and the others were also quite confused.
Although they regained consciousness immediately, it was still difficult for them to avoid the arrows, especially for those with lower cultivation levels like Zhu Liu.
After seeing that they were all alright, Lin Jianyu moved behind Lu Jiao as quickly as possible, using him as a shield.
With an attack of this magnitude, Yun Dan and the others were clearly overwhelmed and could only be safe by hiding behind Lu Jiao. However, she felt a little cold, though she wasn't sure if it was just her imagination.
She subconsciously moved closer to Lu Jiao, and it felt even colder.
Very well, it's Lu Jiao who's cold, not the arrows shot at them.
As if realizing that the hidden arrows could not harm them, the arrows shot at them stopped not long afterward, and the surroundings returned to their previous silence, but it seemed to have a few more eerie elements than before.
"Has the person left?" she asked Lu Jiao.
Lu Jiao did not answer her.
Soon, another bell rang. The sound was crisp and pleasant at first, but gradually it became domineering, like a sharp weapon hitting her skull, causing her a splitting headache.
"Holy crap, why did it change to magic attacks?" She covered her ears with her hands, but it was no use. The sound seemed to be coming from inside her ears, and each blow hurt so much that she wanted to roll on the ground.
Yun Dan and the others weren't much better off; they all sat down to meditate on the spot.
Upon seeing this, Lin Jianyu also sat down to meditate.
Although she didn't know the meaning behind doing so, Yun Dan and the others must have their reasons for doing it.
As it turned out, meditation was useless, at least for her. She was still in pain, so much so that she couldn't sit up and collapsed onto Lu Jiao beside her. The world instantly became quiet, and the pain disappeared.
She jolted, sat up straight, and the world suddenly became noisy again, startling her so much that she immediately slumped back onto Lu Jiao, and the world became quiet again.
Lu Jiao: "..."
"Don't lean on me."
He spoke, and Lin Jianyu didn't dare to cling to him, so she grabbed his arm instead.
The world remained quiet, and Lu Jiao did not make her let go of his hand, thank goodness.
With her headache gone, she began to observe her surroundings, but found nothing but grass and trees.
Seeing Zhu Liu not far from her, his forehead covered in sweat and his whole body swaying as if he was about to collapse, she called out to him, "Junior Brother, if you can't hold on, come over and grab the big boss's arm, and your voice will immediately disappear."
Zhu Liu was indeed about to give up. Hearing her words, he struggled to his feet and walked towards them, enduring the headache. When he reached Lu Jiao's other side, he looked at his arm but dared not grab it.
"What are you doing?" Lin Jianyu asked, puzzled, when he didn't grab Lu Jiao's arm.
"I dare not grab him." He was afraid that if he grabbed him, Lu Jiao would send him flying. "I'll grab you." After saying that, he ran directly to grab Lin Jianyu's arm.
"What's the point of arresting me?" She doesn't have any divine protection like Lu Jiao.
“It worked,” Zhu Liu said. “The sound is gone.” He relaxed and sat down beside her. “That sound was terrifying.”
“Yes.” Lin Jianyu nodded in agreement. Seeing Zhu Jin running towards them, she said to him, “Try grabbing Junior Brother’s arm first. If that doesn’t work, then grab mine.”
Zhu Jin did as he was told. As soon as he grabbed Zhu Liu's arm, the world fell silent. He breathed a sigh of relief and said, "The boss is still the strongest."
"Of course." Lin Jianyu raised her head slightly, looking proud. Anyone who didn't know better would think that the big shot Zhu Jin was talking about was her. Oh no, she then turned to Yun Dan and Xuan Zhan, who were still struggling, and said, "Senior Brother Yun Dan, Senior Brother Xuan Zhan, come over here quickly."
Yun Dan and Xuan Zhan didn't hesitate. Seeing that they were all acting as if nothing had happened, they got up and walked over to them. Soon, the group sat down in a row.
Without the disturbance of the bell, Xuanzhan said to them, "The bell rings loudly, purifying the ten directions; it is the Three Purities Bell."
"What is the Sanqing Bell?" Lin Jianyu asked.
“It’s the Emperor Bell,” Zhu Liu said.
"Do you think I know what the Emperor Bell is?" Lin Jianyu asked coldly.
"You fake Taoist priest, you don't even know what the Emperor Bell is," Zhu Liu said disdainfully.
"So, what exactly is the Imperial Bell?"
"A kind of ritual implement."
Saying it is the same as not saying it at all.
Do you know where the attackers are?
“Four people are coming from the nine o’clock direction,” Xuanzhan said.
Upon hearing this, Lin Jianyu immediately looked towards the nine o'clock direction and indeed saw two ghostly figures flying towards them.
She was about to ask Xuan Zhan, "Aren't there four people?" when she saw Xuan Zhan draw his copper coin sword and stand up.
The bell hadn't even stopped ringing when he released his grip on Yun Dan's arm, and he was immediately attacked by the bell. Fortunately, his cultivation was still decent, and the bell's damage to him was not as great as the damage it had caused to Lin Jianyu and the others.
Yun Dan also took out a talisman, but he did not let go of Zhu Jin's arm.
Upon seeing this, Lin Jianyu asked Zhu Jin and Zhu Liu, "Aren't you two going to help?"
"The bell hasn't stopped ringing yet, so we can't help you." Both of them are melee fighters, unlike Yun Dan who can manipulate talismans.
Lin Jianyu held onto Lu Jiao's arm tightly, unaware that the bell hadn't stopped ringing. It seemed there was still someone hiding in the shadows ringing the bell. Where was the fourth person?
Just as she finished thinking that, several water arrows shot towards them from the nine o'clock direction.
It's clear that the fourth person is also remote.
The water arrows didn't harm them; just like before, they froze into ice a few feet away and then shattered into ice shards, only bringing them a slight chill.
However, the two melee fighters were not weak. One wielded a magic sword, and the other held a master's knife. Every move was aimed at Xuan Zhan's vital points. Even with Yun Dan's talisman assisting him, he still had a hard time fighting them.
“They are cultivators from Wuxu Mountain,” Zhu Jin said.
"Why are the cultivators from Wuxu Mountain attacking us?" Lin Jianyu asked.
"They're probably here for the big shots," Zhu Jin guessed.
Lin Jianyu probably came for Lu Jiao, because he was the only pure-blooded sea creature among them, and cultivators generally don't attack mixed-bloods.
"Did you hear that? They're after you! Help my Senior Brother Xuanzhan, stop watching the show."
Upon hearing this, Lu Jiao said nothing, only giving her a faint glance. But that one glance was enough to startle her so much that she loosened her grip on his arm, only to quickly clench it again.
There's no way around it; Lu Jiao is indeed terrifying, but the ringtone is even more damaging.
"Please, please help my Senior Brother Xuanzhan, he's injured." As she spoke, Xuanzhan's arm was accidentally slashed by the female cultivator wielding the master's sword.
Lu Jiao remained silent, but the water arrows that had been fired at them, after freezing into ice, did not shatter into ice shards. Instead, they turned and headed towards the cultivators who were attacking them.
Soon, two sounds of sharp blades piercing flesh rang out.
The sound came from a distance. At the same time, the bell stopped ringing, and the water arrows aimed at them also stopped. Clearly, the two cultivators who were attacking from a distance had been hit by the arrows.
The two melee cultivators managed to dodge the arrows aimed at them, but the arrows seemed to have a mind of their own, turning around and shooting back at them immediately after they were dodged.
The two melee cultivators clearly hadn't expected the arrow to turn back. The male cultivator wielding the magic sword had his shoulder pierced through by the arrow, while the female cultivator holding the master's knife barely dodged it again. However, she only avoided the arrow, not the copper coins that Xuan Zhan shot at her, and two copper coins hit each of her legs.
The pain in her leg caused her to lose her balance and fall to the ground. The arrow that had been aimed at her grazed her cheek and landed on the ground after she fell.
An indescribable chill spread from the wound on her cheek, chilling her to the bone and rendering her unable to move. She lay motionless on the ground like a statue. The male cultivator who had been shot through the shoulder by an arrow was in the same situation; his wound, which had been shot through both sides, was even covered with a layer of ice.
Lin Jianyu pulled Zhu Liu to the side of the female cultivator who was lying on the ground and asked Xuan Zhan, "Why is she not moving? Could she have fainted from the fall?"
"I'm not dizzy, my eyes are still open," Zhu Liu said, using her as a shield.
"It must have been the big shot's arrow that immobilized her. Didn't you see that the other one is also motionless?" Yun Dan gestured with his chin towards the male cultivator whose shoulder had been pierced by an arrow, indicating that they should see for themselves.
Lin Jianyu and Zhu Liu looked over at the male cultivator, and indeed, he was completely still, like a statue.
"You're awesome, boss." Zhu Liu said.
Lin Jianyu approached the female cultivator and touched the arrow that had been shot to the ground. He was immediately chilled to the bone.
"This arrow doesn't look like ordinary ice."
"It's obvious that this isn't ordinary ice." Could ordinary ice freeze a person to the ground, unable to move, just by making a small cut?
Lin Jianyu thought about it and agreed. She looked at Xuan Zhan and Zhu Jin, who had somehow walked into the shadows, and asked, "Where are they going?"
"We should go and capture those two cultivators hiding in the shadows," Zhu Liu said.
If he hadn't said that, Lin Jianyu would have almost forgotten that there were two other cultivators hiding in the shadows.
"Grab them, and then what?"
"Then, let's see how the big boss plans to deal with them."
"What are you going to do with them?" Lin Jianyu asked Lu Jiao.
"Kill him." Lu Jiao didn't even raise his head, as if he were talking about what to eat tonight, his tone flat and emotionless.
Lin Jianyu wouldn't mind killing the other party, after all, the other party hadn't shown any mercy when killing them, but...
“We live in a society governed by the rule of law, and murder is illegal.” From childhood, she was taught that murder is illegal. Even if the other party tries to kill them first, they cannot kill the other party in return after subduing them; otherwise, it would be excessive self-defense.
"Your laws can't bind me," Lu Jiao said dismissively.
"Even the law knows this." Zhu Liu was increasingly incredulous that Lu Jiao had only just woken up from his slumber.
Lin Jianyu was also somewhat surprised, but she did not doubt that Lu Jiao had just woken up from his deep sleep. Firstly, because she had seen Lu Jiao wake up from his deep sleep with her own eyes, and secondly, when Lu Jiao spoke his first words to her, he was obviously unfamiliar with their language. She was just surprised by how quickly he learned the language.
In less than three days, he had become proficient in their human language and could speak it without any difficulty.
"The law can't restrain you, but you can do it yourself. I can tell you don't want to kill anyone." If he wanted to kill, these four people would already be dead.
"Are you pleading for them?" Lu Jiao asked, "looking at" her.
"Of course not, who would plead for someone who wanted to kill them?" She hadn't forgotten the arrow that had been less than two feet from her head. "I just don't want to break the law."
"Foolish." Lu Jiao withdrew his gaze from her and muttered a curse under his breath.
Lin Jianyu: "..."
Why resort to personal attacks?
"Don't think you know me well." It wasn't that Lu Jiao didn't want to kill, but he wasn't interested in killing a few mixed-race people, just like he wasn't interested in Yun Dan and the others. The only person he was interested in was Lin Jianyu, that bastard, and the only person he wanted to kill was her.
If Lin Jianyu knew what he was thinking, she would definitely feel honored and thank his whole family.
"How do you usually handle this kind of situation?" Lin Jianyu asked Zhuliu.
Those who follow the flow generally do not fight with cultivators, and even when they do, they do not usually.
"I don't know, you'll have to ask Senior Brother Xuanzhan, he's more experienced."
"Oh." Lin Jianyu subconsciously looked in the direction of nine o'clock. "Why haven't Senior Brother Xuanzhan and the others returned yet? Could they have been ambushed?"
"No, it's just a bit far away, it will take time," said Yun Dan.
Sure enough, a few minutes later, Lin Jianyu saw Xuanzhan and Zhujin carrying people towards them.
"It's freezing, like carrying an ice sculpture." Zhu Jin put the person off his shoulder and said while shivering. After speaking, he handed Lin Jianyu something that looked like a bell, "This is the Emperor Bell."
Lin Jianyu took it and shook it twice; the sound was crisp.
"Why doesn't my shaking give me a headache?"
"Because you didn't use spiritual power to shake it, nor did you recite the incantation," Zhu Jin said.
"Do we need the incantation?" Lin Jianyu didn't ask him what the incantation was, but instead focused her gaze on the person Xuan Zhan had carried back and asked, "Where's his bow?"
“His bow must have been conjured from water as well; we didn’t see it when we arrived,” Xuanzhan said.
Lin Jianyu understood. This person could produce water, but he was overestimating himself and trying to show off his skills in front of Guan Yu.
The two men were wounded by arrows in their wrists and abdomens, respectively, and both wounds were covered with a layer of ice.
"Is there any hope for this?" Lin Jianyu poked one of the wounds with her hand; it was frozen stiff.
"I don't know." Xuan Zhan and the others had never encountered this situation before.
"The boss said he wants to kill them. What are your thoughts on that?" Lin Jianyu asked.
"Does it matter what we think?" They say it as if they have the right to speak.
Lin Jianyu: "..."
Lin Jianyu rephrased the question: "If it were you, how would you deal with them?"
Zhu Jin thought for a moment and said, "The people of Wuxu Mountain have always been protective of their own, and they are also stubborn. If they don't eliminate the root of the problem, we might end up being the ones who are eliminated later. But now we live in a society governed by law, and murder is a crime. So, of course we should have a good meal first, and then let them fend for themselves!"
"Aren't you afraid that they might survive and bring back people from Wuxu Mountain to retaliate against us?" Lin Jianyu asked.
"What's there to be afraid of? The people of Wuxu Mountain are tough, but we people of Gouqu Mountain aren't pushovers either," Zhu Jin said. "Do you know what our sect's motto is?"
Lin Jianyu: "..."
What a clever way to shift the blame!
It's just unknown whether the people of Gouqu Mountain will join forces with the people of Wuxu Mountain to kill them in the future.
Does our sect have a set of principles?
"Of course, the motto of our sect is to take life and death lightly, and to fight if you disagree."
"That's not what you said when you abandoned me and ran away," Lin Jianyu accused.
"When did we abandon you and run away?" Zhu Jin asked, puzzled.
"When I first saw the big shot," Lin Jianyu said, bringing up old grievances, "Don't say you didn't run away, I saw it with both eyes."
"We're just trying to survive," Zhu Jin said. "Besides, we're not resentful. The moment we saw the boss, we were completely convinced." They weren't afraid to die, but they wouldn't throw their lives away in vain.
Lin Jianyu said "Fuck".
In the end, Lu Jiao did not kill the four cultivators from Wuxu Mountain; he simply absorbed their spiritual energy and let them go.
Those four cultivators, though stubborn as they were, did not knowingly throw their lives away knowing they were outmatched.
After their restraints were removed, they left, but the look in their eyes as they left made Lin Jianyu feel that this matter was not over.
"The way they looked at me when they left was a little scary," Lin Jianyu said, toying with the master's knife in his hand. "This knife is nice, this sword looks good too, and this Three Purities Bell, does anyone here know the incantation for the Three Purities Bell?"
“I can’t,” Zhu Liu said.
"I didn't ask you." Lin Jianyu looked at Yun Dan and Xuan Zhan.
Yun Dan shook his head: "I don't know either."
“The Three Pure Ones Bell is different from ordinary magical artifacts,” Xuanzhan said. “Even if you know the incantation, you may not be able to control it.”
"Then this thing is useless!" Lin Jianyu said with a look of disgust.
“It’s still useful,” Zhu Liu said. “At least the other side can no longer use it to attack us.”
Lin Jianyu thought about it and agreed. She handed him the Sanqing Bell and said, "Here, you're welcome."
“I don’t want this.” Zhu Liu didn’t take it. “I want that magic sword.”
"You're dreaming." Lin Jianyu himself also liked that magic sword.
"Master's sword will do too," Zhu Liu said, settling for second best.
"Even the Master's Blade won't do." Lin Jianyu also liked the Master's Blade. "Don't you already have the peach wood sword?"
"You also said it's a peach wood sword." Can a peach wood sword compare to a magic sword? "A peach wood sword is only advantageous when dealing with the undead. Otherwise, it's useless. A magic sword is different. A magic sword can slay demons, eliminate evil, and sever greed and anger."
“That sounds good,” Lin Jianyu said. “Then I definitely can’t give it to you.”
Zhu Liu: "..."
I should have known better than to say that.
"Then give me the Master's Blade." The Master's Blade is actually more powerful than the Magic Sword, but he prefers the Magic Sword in terms of appearance. The Master's Blade is too delicate and more suitable for girls.
"No, I want both the Master's Blade and the Magic Sword." Lin Jianyu held the Master's Blade in one hand and the Magic Sword in the other, pointing with her foot at the Three Pure Bells that she had thrown on the ground. "The Three Pure Bells are yours, take it or leave it."
"You're too greedy," Zhu Liu said angrily.
“Greed is human nature,” Lin Jianyu said. “If you were in my shoes, and you could have it all, would you share some with me?”
"Of course not," Zhu Liu replied without hesitation.
"See!" Lin Jianyu shrugged at him, nearly dropping the master's knife and magic sword in his hands.
Zhu Liu: "..."
I'm so angry I could cry!
"Don't cry." Lin Jianyu saw that his eyes were red and remembered that he was prone to crying and would never stop once he started crying since he was a child. She quickly stopped him. "It's just a magic artifact! Don't worry, with the big boss here, magic artifacts will keep coming to your door. You might even complain that you have too many magic artifacts."
"So, you just won't share with me, is that it?" Zhu Liu asked.
Lin Jianyu nodded.
Then, Zhuliu cried.
Lin Jianyu: "..."
I lost to him.
"You can borrow it for a few days. You can return it to me when I get a new magic weapon." Lin Jianyu reluctantly handed him the master's sword.
Zhu Liu didn't take it, and tearfully pointed at the magic sword, saying, "I want that one."
"You're still being picky!" Lin Jianyu was so angry that her teeth itched. Seeing his tears falling non-stop, she shoved the magic sword into his hands with some annoyance. "Here, here, stop crying. A grown man doing such effeminate things."
"Alright!" Zhu Liu took the magic sword and immediately burst into laughter through his tears.
Lin Jianyu: "..."
Damn it, I've been tricked!
However, that magic sword was quite heavy, unlike her master's Whale Rise and Whale Fall, which looked heavy but were very light in her hand. She might as well give it to him! Anyway, she wouldn't need it for the time being.
Yeah, forcing myself to comfort myself.
After daybreak, the group set off again.
Because they had to take a detour, Lu Jiao changed to Zhu Jin walking in front, while Lin Jianyu remained behind Lu Jiao, as she felt that the position behind Lu Jiao was the safest.
"There's a town not far ahead. My second senior brother, junior brother, and I will go to town to replenish our supplies. You guys rest here for a bit, and we'll come back to meet you after we've bought what we need," Zhu Jin said, looking at the map.
“I want to go too,” Lin Jianyu said, raising her hand.
"Forget about you, your stamina isn't good enough. We'll go and come back quickly. You can stay here and cultivate to recover your strength," Zhu Jin said.
"Will you really come back?" Lin Jianyu asked with a look of doubt.
What are you doubting?
“Exactly, what are you doubting?” Zhu Liu chimed in. “Even if we don’t care about your life or death, we won’t ignore Fifth Senior Brother. After all, Fifth Senior Brother is innocent, while you deserve to die.”
Lin Jianyu: "..."
Lin Jianyu dragged his tired body to his feet and rubbed him on the ground.
Zhu Jin and the others packed up quickly and set off. Lin Jianyu did not follow, but stayed behind to absorb spiritual energy. Xuan Zhan guarded her side, while Lu Jiao sat and pretended to doze off.
Time passed quickly, and before long, it got dark.
Xuan Zhan gathered some firewood and lit it. Lin Jianyu was still cultivating, and Lu Jiao remained motionless, as if he were truly asleep.
Another hour passed, and Lin Jianyu opened her eyes. Her first words were, "I'm hungry! Why haven't Senior Brother Yun Dan and the others returned yet? Did they really abandon us and run away?"
“No.” Xuan Zhan shook his head. “From here to the nearby towns, it would take them two hours to travel back and forth.”
"It must be the junior brother who held us back," Lin Jianyu said. "We should have let you go."
“I will stay and protect you,” Xuanzhan said.
"I have a powerful protector, nothing will happen." Lin Jianyu said, glancing at Lu Jiao, who ignored her completely, assuming he was asleep. "Is the powerful protector asleep?"
"I don't know." Lu Jiao's eyes were covered with a red cloth, and Xuan Zhan couldn't tell if he was asleep or not, but he felt that he probably wasn't. "What are you doing?"
"Let me see if he's asleep." Lin Jianyu shook the hand she had extended in front of Lu Jiao. "He's not reacting at all, he must be asleep."
Just as Xuan Zhan was about to tell her not to court death, he heard Lu Jiao say, "What kind of reaction do you want from me? Do you want me to chop off your hand?"
Upon hearing that her hand was to be chopped off, Lin Jianyu immediately put his hand behind his back and, like a lackey, said obsequiously, "Boss, you're awake. Are you hungry? Do you want me to cook you some instant noodles?"
"No need." Lu Jiao was already tired of the smell of instant noodles. "Don't bother me."
"Okay." Lin Jianyu obediently replied, and then went to make her own instant noodles. Halfway through, she realized that there was no water.
She glanced at the empty pot, then at Lu Jiao who was motionless, and hesitated whether to eat it dry or risk her life and ask Lu Jiao to conjure some water for her.
Before she could even decide what to do, a pot of water suddenly appeared in the pan.
It's obvious that Lu Jiao changed her.
Her eyes lit up, and she smiled at Lu Jiao, saying, "Thank you, boss."
"Shut up!" Lu Jiao said impatiently.
"Okay," Lin Jianyu replied softly, then continued fiddling with her instant noodles.
Xuanzhan's fire was burning brightly, and the water in the pot boiled in no time. Lin Jianyu put in the remaining three packets of instant noodles, waited for two minutes, and then picked up a bowl and chopsticks to serve the noodles. As she served, she called out to Xuanzhan, "Senior Brother Xuanzhan, serve yourself."
“Okay.” Xuan Zhan didn’t stand on ceremony with her and also took a bowl to serve noodles.
After serving a bowl of noodles, Lin Jianyu didn't eat it herself, but instead handed it to Lu Jiao: "Boss, here you go."
Lu Jiao didn't take it, saying, "I won't eat it."
"Then I'll eat it myself." Lin Jianyu didn't force him and picked up her chopsticks to eat.
Seeing her impatient look, Lu Jiao suddenly changed his mind and took the bowl away.
"Didn't you say you weren't going to eat?" Lin Jianyu muttered to herself, but didn't pay much attention to her actions and went to get herself another bowl.
The three packs of instant noodles weren't much; they each ate a bowl and finished them off. Lin Jianyu cleaned the bottom of the bowl, and they were barely half full, just enough to save room for the food Yun Dan and the others brought back—perfect!
Yun Dan and his group returned half an hour later, each carrying large and small bags, looking just like refugees fleeing famine.
"I'm exhausted!" Zhu Liu slumped to the ground, opened a bottle of soda, and gulped down half of it.
Upon seeing this, Lin Jianyu exclaimed with delight, "The ultimate comfort drink! Give me one too!"
"Take it yourself," Zhu Liu said, letting out a burp.
Lin Jianyu took a bottle and flew to Lu Jiao's place before even opening it.
Lin Jianyu: "..."
Honestly, she's used to it.
I just don't understand why he always tries to snatch things from her hands when there are still some left.
Without thinking too much, she took another bottle, opened it, took a sip, and then let out a satisfied sigh.
At the same time, Lu Jiao opened the bottle cap and took a sip. After drinking, he frowned, took another sip, and frowned again... This continued until the entire bottle was finished.
Even after finishing the drink, his brow was still furrowed.
Lin Jianyu didn't finish the whole bottle. She took out the snacks that Zhu Jin and the others had bought, intending to eat them while drinking.
After getting the snacks, remembering Lu Jiao's personality, she took the initiative to give him a bag. Seeing that he had finished a whole bottle of soda, she casually asked, "Don't you burp after drinking that?"
"Why are you hiccuping?" Lu Jiao asked, puzzled.
"Because there's air in it!" Lin Jianyu said.
"Angry?" Lu Jiao was still puzzled.
“It’s carbon dioxide,” Lin Jianyu said.
"Carbon dioxide?" Lu Jiao frowned; clearly, he didn't know what carbon dioxide was either.
Lin Jianyu looked at him, his brows furrowed slightly in confusion, and inexplicably felt a fondness for him at that moment, because his face held a clarity untouched by the pollution of knowledge.
It seems he doesn't know everything.
He doesn't understand anything about chemistry, at least not in general.
“Carbon dioxide is a carbon oxide compound, and it is also a…” Lin Jianyu went on and on, giving him a whole bunch of science lessons.
"Oh." Lu Jiao pretended to understand. "Anything else?"
"Yes," Lin Jianyu said, handing him the half-empty bottle he had finished drinking. "I have half a bottle here."
Lu Jiao didn't take it, saying with a look of disgust, "No."
Lin Jianyu knew he wouldn't want the fish anyway, so he generously gave it away.
"Here, take this bottle." Xuan Zhan handed his unopened bottle to Lu Jiao.
The drinks were heavy, so Zhu Jin and the others didn't buy many, just four bottles. The three of them each drank one, and the last one was for him. He didn't really like drinking them, but Lu Jiao wanted one, so he gave it to him.
Lu Jiao didn't stand on ceremony with him. After taking the drink, she opened it, took a sip, and then frowned.
"You also like to drink sugary drinks?" Lin Jianyu asked casually while eating snacks.
"I don't like it," Lu Jiao said, taking another sip before frowning.
"You don't like it, yet you drink a second bottle?" Lin Jianyu thought to himself.
"Don't just drink beverages, eat some snacks, this is delicious."
Lu Jiao opened the Want Want rice cracker she was given, took a bite, and found it sweet and tasted alright.
Seeing that he had eaten, Lin Jianyu handed him a bag of Want Want Rice Crackers and Want Want Little Buns.
"And this too, this is delicious as well."
Lu Jiao took it, but didn't eat the next one right away. She waited until she finished the Want Want Rice Cracker in her hand before eating the next one.
Even when he's eating snacks, he eats with remarkable decorum, his every move composed and unhurried, unlike Lin Jianyu, who wolfs down his food.
This was after she had restrained herself. When Lin Jinshui first found her, her eating habits were truly indescribable, as if she hadn't eaten in half her life.
She ate very quickly, and didn't forget to feed Lu Jiao, until she was full before she stopped.
"She eats so much! Who can afford to feed her?" Zhu Liu shook his head as he looked at her eating habits.
"You actually said the boss can eat a lot!" Lin Jianyu always fed Lu Jiao a portion of whatever she ate, and Lu Jiao even drank an extra bottle of soda.
"That's not true, don't slander me." Zhu Liu quickly denied it, "I was talking about myself!"
"Promising."
After eating and drinking their fill and resting for a while, the group continued their journey.
Lin Jianyu was fine in the first half of the night, but he was completely listless in the second half.
"Didn't you just absorb spiritual energy? Why are you acting like this?"
“My body isn’t tired, it’s my mind that’s tired,” Lin Jianyu said. “Can’t we just have a normal human routine? Why do we have to travel at night?”
Most importantly, she was the only one in their group without night vision, so she was always on edge when walking at night, afraid that she might slip and fall flat on her face.
"Are you talking to the big boss?" Zhu Liu asked.
"Nonsense!" What's the point of talking to them? "Did you hear me?" Lin Jianyu poked Lu Jiao's back with her finger.
Lu Jiao heard it, but so what?
"I'll chop your finger off if you poke it again."
Lin Jianyu withdrew her finger and asked him, "Can't we have the normal human routine?"
“I’m not human,” Lu Jiao said.
“We’re not normal humans either.” This echoed the sentiment.
“Yes, that’s me!” Lin Jianyu said. “If you can’t think about yourselves, can’t you think about me for once?”
“We don’t even think about ourselves, how could we possibly think about you?” Zhu Liu said.
"Shut up!" Lin Jianyu wanted to hit him, but Yun Dan was standing between them, making it inconvenient to fight. "Big Boss..."
She wanted to try again, but before she could finish speaking, Lu Jiao interrupted her: "You're not a normal human being either, you're a bastard."
Lin Jianyu: "..."
So, hybrids aren't normal humans?
What is that?
She wanted to ask, but then she felt that if Lu Jiao wanted to tell her, he would have already done so.
After that day, the group traveled for two more days. Lin Jianyu, who hadn't slept for four whole days, was on the verge of breaking down.
She didn't feel sleepy because she felt refreshed after each break to absorb spiritual energy, but not sleeping for a long time left her feeling mentally exhausted.
But she was the only one who couldn't sleep, because when she needed to rest, she had to absorb spiritual energy to restore her strength.
"I can't go on, I need to sleep."
"Go to sleep, I'll channel some spiritual energy into you to restore your strength," Xuan Zhan said.
Lin Jianyu was so moved that she almost cried: "Senior Brother Xuanzhan, you still love me the most."
"Don't spoil her," Yun Dan said. "Among us, she has the lowest cultivation level."
“She’s just started cultivating, it’s normal for her to be unaccustomed to it. Take it slow,” Xuan Zhan said.
"That doesn't sound like something you'd say at all." It sounds more like something Lin Jinshui would say.
Lin Jinshui had been lazy since childhood and was not strict with his apprentices. Lin Jianyu was spoiled by him.
Xuan Zhan did not refute. He took Lin Jianyu's hand and channeled spiritual energy into her, letting her rest well.
After her physical exhaustion subsided, Lin Jianyu didn't waste a moment and fell asleep immediately, lying sprawled out on her back.
"She doesn't look like a little girl at all." Yun Dan covered her with a thin blanket, from head to toe.
There's some camaraderie among fellow students, but not much.
Lin Jianyu slept for a full four hours. When she woke up, the food was cold, but luckily it was summer, so it tasted even better cold.
"Has the weather changed?" Lin Jianyu wondered. The sun was high in the sky before she went to sleep, but now it was nowhere to be seen.
"No, the sun has just set," Yun Dan said casually.
"The sun has set? That means it's six or seven o'clock." She remembered that she went to sleep around two o'clock, so she slept for four hours? "You didn't even wake me up." Usually, they only rest for two or three hours at most.
"We called you, but you just didn't wake up." If it weren't for her even breathing and rosy complexion, Yun Dan would have suspected that she wasn't asleep, but rather fast asleep.
"Then it must be because you weren't shouting loud enough." Lin Jianyu refused to admit that he was sleeping too soundly.
"Indeed, it wasn't loud enough. It only startled a few birds, but didn't cause an earthquake," Yun said with a faint smile.
Lin Jianyu: "..."
That's an exaggeration!
“I also rang the Sanqing Bell in your ear for half an hour,” Zhu Liu said.
"Are you bored?" He actually shook it for half an hour.
“Yes!” Zhu Liu nodded.
After he finished lunch and took a nap, he woke up to find she was still asleep, so he was just sitting there doing nothing.
Lin Jianyu said "Fuck".
When will we set off again?
"After dinner," Yun Dan said.
Lin Jianyu, who was halfway through lunch: "..."
"Eat slowly, there's no dinner prepared for you."
"What are we having for dinner?" Lin Jianyu asked.
"Roasted rabbit meat and wild vegetable soup."
"I want to eat too."
"You just finished lunch and can't eat anymore."
"Who said that?" Lin Jianyu showed him with her actions that she could not only eat, but eat a lot.
Yun Dan, who possesses the bloodline of the Taotie, admits defeat.
After eating and drinking their fill, they set off again on their night journey.
Not long after they left, a group of cultivators arrived at the place where they had been staying.
The group of cultivators were mostly wearing Taoist robes. One of them squatted down to examine the fire that Lin Jianyu and the others had used and said, "It's still warm. They must have just left not long ago."
"Chase!" the leader commanded.
Several figures quickly disappeared into the darkness.
Unaware of this, Lin Jianyu and his companions were proceeding at a leisurely pace.
Zhu Jin was still leading the way, followed by Lu Jiao, Lin Jianyu, Yun Dan, Zhu Liu, and Xuan Zhan brought up the rear.
Suddenly, Lu Jiao, who was walking ahead of Lin Jianyu, stopped in his tracks.
"What's wrong?" Lin Jianyu asked, nearly bumping into his back.
"I smell bedbugs," Lu Jiao said, continuing to walk forward.
"The smell of bedbugs?" Lin Jianyu sniffed carefully, but couldn't smell anything except the scent of grass and soil. "Did you smell anything?" she asked Yun Dan and the others.
"No." Zhu Liu sniffed as well, but couldn't smell anything.
The same goes for Yun Dan and the others.
"Be careful." Although Xuan Zhan also couldn't smell anything, he trusted Lu Jiao's sense of smell. Since Lu Jiao said there was the smell of bedbugs, then either there were bedbugs he thought were nearby, or there were bedbugs he thought were approaching them.
Whether it's the former or the latter, they both need to be vigilant.
Yun Dan and the others thought so too, and Lin Jianyu even grabbed Lu Jiao's sleeve.
"What are you doing?" Lu Jiao frowned.
"I'm scared," Lin Jianyu said honestly.
"It's just a bug, what's there to be afraid of?" Lu Jiao tugged at his arm, trying to pull his sleeve out of her hand, but she was holding it too tightly, so he could only say again, "Let go."
He loosened his grip, and Lin Jianyu dared not hold on any longer, but was still afraid: "What exactly is this 'bedbug' you're talking about?"
“A dragon,” Lu Jiao said.
Calling a dragon a worm, Lin Jianyu can only say, no wonder he's a big shot.
"Do you have a grudge against the dragon?"
"No."
"You call him a bedbug." And you want to kill him.
"Do you have a problem with that?" Lu Jiao asked.
"No." Lin Jianyu had a problem with it but didn't dare to voice it, especially since she had no problem with it. "Are there any dragons around here?"
"No."
This answer was a bit unexpected for Lin Jianyu, but it didn't stop her from breathing a sigh of relief. Just as she was about to say something more, she heard Lu Jiao say again, "He's approaching us, along with a bunch of scum."
The arrival of a single dragon was already enough to frighten Lin Jianyu, but the presence of a bunch of scum also added to the fright.
"Could they be coming for us?"
"Yes." Lu Jiao caught a familiar scent among the group of scum; it was one of the four mixed-race individuals who had ambushed them a few days ago.
Lin Jianyu: "..."
"Should we run? Or avoid it?"
"Ignore them," Lu Jiao said. "Kill them when they come."
Lin Jianyu believed he had such ability, but...
"Remember to protect me."
"You're dreaming," Lu Jiao replied.
"Don't use foul language." Lin Jianyu was somewhat speechless.
"You're awesome!" Yun Dan, standing behind her, gave her a thumbs up. "You've corrupted even the big shots."
"I didn't teach him." He stole her skills and then used them on her; that's just unbelievable.
“They’re here,” Xuan Zhan, who was walking at the back, suddenly said.
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