Chapter 29 He wanted to kiss her; his gaze lingered on her red lips, so close to his own.
The moment she spoke, Zhong Jiuli had already leaped onto the tree trunk and asked with concern, "What's wrong? What happened?"
"Little guy, why are you screaming like a ghost right after you woke up from meditation? Did you go into a state of demonic possession last night?" Liu Xianyue's voice came from under the tree.
Bai also had a mournful face, her little face full of heartache. She said with great distress, "I killed that Sima family member yesterday, but I forgot to check his storage bag."
It's all her fault for killing someone for the first time yesterday; her emotions were too turbulent, and she even forgot about something as important as touching the corpse. Bai Ye now feels like he missed out on a fortune, and the heartache is indescribable.
That man was clearly a very wealthy young master from a prominent family; he must have had far more valuable items in his storage bag than the man with the mustache, yet she missed out on him.
What a pity, what a real pity!
She was secretly feeling down when Zhong Jiuli pinched her cheek in annoyance, her tone a mix of disdain and indulgence: "You've only been hanging out with Liu Xianyue for a few days, and you've already become so greedy?"
Liu Xianyue protested loudly upon hearing this, "Zhong Jiuli, don't try to pin all the blame on me. Your little tiger is obviously no good. Does she need to learn from me?"
Bai chuckled awkwardly. It was indeed not Liu Xianyue's fault; after all, she was naturally adept at looting corpses and picking up bargains.
"Forget it!" Bai waved his hand dismissively. "The body has probably already been taken by someone else. There's no use being heartbroken now."
As she spoke, she casually grabbed Zhong Jiuli's wrist and pulled her down to the ground.
As soon as he landed, Bai Ye's gaze was drawn to the heavy sword under the tree.
The heavy sword, which was originally unsheathed, now has a scabbard. The scabbard is also black, looks like wood, but has a faint metallic luster. Several simple patterns are engraved on the scabbard, which is simple, elegant and very beautiful.
The hilt was thoughtfully wrapped with dark red silk, adding a touch of brightness to the otherwise jet-black heavy sword.
Bai also picked up the heavy sword, hugged it to his chest, and turned to look at Zhong Jiuli with a face full of surprise, "Did you make this for me?"
"Well, nothing much happened last night. I noticed your sword was without a sheath, so I forged one for you," Zhong Jiuli said casually, making no mention of how she had been busy all night with it, or how many materials she had obtained from Liu Xianyue.
Feeling a little uncomfortable under Bai Ye's bright gaze, she changed the subject, saying, "Oh, by the way, I noticed there's a '藏' (cang, meaning hidden) engraved on your sword. Perhaps it was engraved by the previous owner!"
Upon hearing this, Bai drew her heavy sword to examine it. Sure enough, she saw a large, ancient character engraved in intaglio below the hilt, but she didn't recognize it as the character "藏" (Cang).
Although Bai Shu taught her to read and write, the handwriting was clearly much older, carrying an ancient and desolate feel, which was outside the scope of her studies.
"So your name is Cangjian?" Bai Ye muttered softly. "But I don't really like spinning windmills. You're all black, so how about we call you Xiao Hei?"
"Pfft..." Upon hearing her words, Liu Xianyue burst into laughter.
Zhong Jiuli found it somewhat amusing; why did this little guy like the name "Xiao Hei" so much?
Seeing them laughing heartily, Bai suddenly remembered the name she had made up on the spot. Somewhat embarrassed, she slung the heavy sword over her shoulder and said with a forced smile, "Then let's call him Big Black. I'm Little Black, and he's Big Black!"
"Pfft, hahaha... You're Little Black, and your sword is Big Black, so is it bigger than you? If this sword has a spirit, it should let you call it 'sister'." Liu Xianyue said, laughing.
"Hey, hey, hey, Liu Xianyue, that's enough! What's so funny about this?" Bai didn't understand either. It's just a name, why is it being laughed at like this?
Seeing her face turn red, Zhong Jiuli came to her rescue: "A name is just a label. It's not strange to call it anything as long as you like."
"Mm." Bai nodded emphatically. She also felt that a name was just a label, as long as it was easy to pronounce.
"Shall we go pick some spirit fruits, Zhong Jiuli?"
Liu Xianyue had no interest in going with them to pick spirit fruits. She waved her hand at the two of them and said, "You two go ahead. I'll explore this valley. Maybe I can find some inheritance left by some powerful predecessors."
"Then be careful," Zhong Jiuli cautioned.
Liu Xianyue twirled a strand of long hair with her fingertip and said with a coquettish smile, "Zhong Jiuli, you're worried about me? If you're worried about me, then come with me. Let your little tiger go pick the spirit fruit by himself. Anyway, we explored the valley yesterday, and it's very safe."
Hearing her say that, Bai quickly reached out and grabbed Zhong Jiuli's wrist.
Zhong Jiuli raised her hand and patted it lightly, then said to Liu Xianyue, "Xiaobai doesn't know where the spirit fruit is. It's better if I take her with me. You go by yourself."
Bai also winked smugly at Liu Xianyue, which made her so angry that she turned and left.
"You..." Zhong Jiuli shook her head helplessly and led her into the woods.
The mountains and forests are shrouded in mist and filled with spiritual energy. Ancient trees reach for the sky and the morning light shines through the gaps in the branches and leaves, casting hazy, colorful beams of light in the thin mist.
The two walked through the woods one after the other. Bai looked at the graceful figure in front of him, his gaze unconsciously falling on her hands hanging at her sides.
That hand was fair and slender, with distinct knuckles and a faint pink tinge at the fingertips. It swayed gently with each step, and even though it was just a hand, it was incredibly beautiful.
It's a pity they won't let us hold hands!
As soon as they entered the woods, Zhong Jiuli pulled her wrist back.
Bai was also somewhat disappointed. Wasn't he still staying up all night yesterday to forge a sword sheath for her? Why weren't they holding hands today?
Am I not cute anymore? Zhong Jiuli used to love hugging her.
"Ahem... Zhong Jiuli, the fog is quite thick in this forest!" Bai also began to hint.
Zhong Jiuli turned to look at her and said, "Then you'd better stay close. If you get lost, I'll have to come looking for you."
Bai also gave a somewhat disappointed "Oh," then quickly took two steps to catch up with her and walked side by side.
She stood quite close to him, and as they walked, the hems of their clothes brushed against each other lightly with each step, their shoulders occasionally touching before they casually separated.
As they walked, Zhong Jiuli suddenly stopped, turned his head and stared at her for a while, then reached out and grasped her wrist that was hanging by her side.
"Do you want to hold hands?" Zhong Jiuli raised an eyebrow and asked with a smile.
Bai Ye's ears suddenly burned, and her heart pounded wildly. Zhong Jiuli's sudden direct approach caught her off guard.
"I didn't say that," Bai said awkwardly, turning her face away and stubbornly retorting.
Zhong Jiuli nodded knowingly and said in a coaxing tone, "I forgot. You're still a child. You should be used to being led by your mother. Is it because you're not used to walking alone in this mountain forest?"
After she finished speaking, she deliberately shook their clasped hands, "Is this how your mother held your hands?"
Upon hearing her words, Bai's eyes widened instantly, and all her romantic thoughts vanished at that moment.
"Forget it, the mountain road is difficult to walk, I'd better not hold your hand." Bai lowered his head, pulled his arm back, and walked forward on his own.
LOL, what kind of fog could block the divine sense of a Foundation Establishment cultivator? She wouldn't get lost at all! She didn't really want to date Zhong Jiuli either! Who transmigrates to a cultivation world and still wants to date?
The protagonist is either diligently cultivating or on the path of diligently cultivating, and then he should be dominating everyone!
One thought after another popped into Bai Ye's mind, and his steps quickened.
[Hey kid, it's kind of funny how you're so upset. I'll play you a recording.]
Xiao Wang cheekily played back the recording of his previous conversation with Bai Ye.
"Can I not have a wife? Can I not have a wife..." This sentence kept playing in Bai Ye's mind.
"If you keep doing this, you'll lose me, you know that?" Bai said through gritted teeth.
[Hehe, I was just teasing you, okay? Don't be angry, I've turned off the recording.]
Before Bai could say anything, he suddenly felt a tightness on the back of his neck.
Zhong Jiuli darted to catch up with the person, her slender fingers precisely pinching the back of her collar, just like when she was a child, grabbing her by the back of her neck and pulling her back.
"Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore." Zhong Jiuli softened his voice, his fingertips gently scratching the back of her neck, like stroking her hair.
"Why is our young hero so easily teased? Hmm?"
The last syllable rose slightly, like a small hook, making Bai tremble all over. The mischievous hand was also gently stroking the skin on the back of her neck, the force just right, between itchiness and pain.
Bai felt a tingling sensation shoot from her tailbone straight to the top of her head. She turned around abruptly, leaned forward slightly, and her nose almost touched Zhong Jiuli's forehead. "Zhong Jiuli, take a good look. I'm not a child anymore!"
"Do you think there are children this tall and big?" Bai Ye's voice was low, and his usually bright and clear amber eyes now had a hint of aggression.
Zhong Jiuli looked up, her gaze sweeping over the clear outline of the person in front of her. She smiled and nodded, saying, "Yes, he's definitely not the same little guy as before. He's a head taller than me now."
Her tone was full of doting: "Our little black hero is already an adult who can venture into secret realms on his own."
Bai's gaze lingered on the red lips so close to hers for a long time, but in the end, he took a step back as if deflated, "Fine, think what you want."
After saying that, she turned and left, somewhat disheartened.
[Hey kid, I thought you wanted to kiss her.]
"I'm a little... hesitant," Bai said timidly.
【You mean a lot of little bits? I advise you not to. If she gets angry, she might just hit you and you'll be in pieces. Even I might not be able to piece you back together.】
"Shut up." Bai unilaterally cut off his chat with Xiao Wang.
Zhong Jiuli's gaze narrowed slightly as it fell upon the tall figure ahead. The boy, carrying a heavy sword, walked forward dejectedly, like a puppy abandoned by its owner.
Even the red ribbon binding her hair no longer fluttered as it used to, but instead swayed gently among her hair as she walked.
A smile appeared in her eyes. She lightly touched the ground with her toes and took two steps at a time to catch up with her and walk side by side.
The valley is filled with extremely rich spiritual energy. Even ordinary fruits and vegetables grown here are nourished by this spiritual energy, resulting in sweet, plump, and delicious fruits.
The two wandered around the mountains and forests all day, picking many spiritual fruits.
It wasn't until the sun set and dusk fell that Bai Ye and Zhong Jiuli returned to the forest they had been in.
Liu Xianyue had just returned, and her face was full of smiles, clearly indicating that she had gained a lot.
She spotted the two of them and greeted them with a smile, "Zhong Jiuli, you're finally back! I thought you were lost."
“Little White likes to eat these spiritual fruits, so we picked more,” Zhong Jiuli replied.
Liu Xianyue glanced at them, unable to suppress the smile on her lips: "Today I found a medicinal herb field, and the spiritual herbs there are at least ten thousand years old."
"Where? Where? Anything else?" Bai asked, his eyes sparkling.
Liu Xianyue chuckled and held out her hand, gesturing for her to look at the storage ring on her hand. "They're all in my storage ring, little one. Want some?"
Bai's eyes lit up upon hearing this, and he nodded vigorously.
"Dream on!" Liu Xianyue withdrew her hand, clutching her storage ring, and said with a pained expression, "Your sister Zhong has spent so many good things on you after collecting them from me, and you still want these little bit of spiritual medicine from me?"
Bai shook his head and said, "I can tell you're not one to share! Don't you know? Good things should be shared with good friends."
"You shared half of the elixir with me, and I'm happy. Then, Zhong Jiuli won't need to get anything from you, so you're happy, she's happy, and we get three times the happiness this way. Isn't that a great deal? Don't you think?"
"Nonsense!" Liu Xianyue scoffed and pretended to twist her ear.
Bai quickly hid behind Zhong Jiuli.
Zhong Jiuli helplessly stopped Liu Xianyue, who was about to pounce on her. The three of them burst into laughter, their joyful sounds echoing through the forest and startling the birds that were perched in the woods, causing them to flap their wings and take flight.
......
The valley was tranquil and the environment serene; a few days passed in the blink of an eye.
In the past few days, Bai has spent his nights either meditating and cultivating, sparring with Liu Xianyue, or practicing some minor techniques commonly used in the cultivation world.
In just a few days, his cultivation progressed extremely rapidly, almost by leaps and bounds.
Now, if she were to fight the Sima family again, she certainly wouldn't need Zhong Jiuli's help; she should be able to kill them with her sword.
During the day, she and Zhong Jiuli would gather spiritual herbs and plants throughout the secluded valley and explore the valley itself.
Except for that pond, I've already been to all the other places.
This secluded valley is truly peculiar; even if they keep going in one direction, they will unknowingly circle back.
In other words, they seem to have gotten trapped without even realizing it.
Bai had once led the two in using the Void Escape Technique, but as soon as they entered the void and reached the edge of the valley, they were blocked by an invisible restriction.
This really baffled her. There was nothing strange about when she came in that day; she just fell in without any trouble. But now she couldn't get out.
Although Bai also thought this place was nice and wanted to live in seclusion here, that would have been voluntary, not because he was trapped like he is now.
This inevitably made her a little anxious. What if she was trapped in this broken valley for a hundred or eighty years? When she was finally able to get out, would her mother still be there?
Even though she had lived with Bai Shu for more than ten years, his appearance had not changed. He must have some cultivation, but it was definitely not high. Otherwise, they would not have been bullied by the Jackal Tribe.
She was deep in thought, a half-eaten bone dangling from her mouth, crunching loudly as she chewed it.
"What are you thinking about? You can't even concentrate on eating?" Zhong Jiuli reached out and pulled the bone, which had been gnawed clean, out of her mouth.
Bai also came to his senses and looked at the two of them, saying, "I think we still need to explore that pool."
“Then let’s go.” Zhong Jiuli made her decision; she couldn’t be trapped in this place forever.
Liu Xianyue had no reason to object, and having made her decision, the three of them immediately prepared to set off.
They erased all traces of their past life there and began to venture deeper into the pool.
They tried to fly over from the air, but they couldn't get close. The closer they got, the more inexplicable pressure they felt.
The oppressive aura was extremely terrifying. Even Zhong Jiuli and Liu Xianyue had a feeling that if they forced their way close, they would be crushed into dust by that aura.
Therefore, this time they chose to walk on the ground.
Bai, carrying a heavy sword, walked at the front, humming a tuneless little melody, occasionally tossing a bright red spirit fruit into his mouth, his posture relaxed and leisurely.
The pool appeared to be only four or five miles away from them, and at their pace, the three of them could reach it in less than half an hour.
However, they walked for a long time, from dusk till dawn, and then from dawn till dusk again, but they did not get close.
At night, Zhong Jiuli lit the campfire again, took out a large piece of spirit beast meat and put it on the fire to roast. She focused intently on the heat and sprinkled spices on the meat from time to time.
This is for Bai Ye; the child is still growing and can't go hungry.
Before long, the air was filled with the aroma of roasted meat. Bai couldn't wait to take the roasted meat, holding the golden and glistening spirit beast meat in both hands and gnawing on it with his mouth full of oil.
Zhong Jiuli and Liu Xianyue weren't particularly interested in the barbecue; they held wine glasses and occasionally clinked them together, quite content.
Although the group wanted to leave, they were not in a hurry.
Just then, a whooshing sound came from overhead. The three of them looked up almost simultaneously and saw a dark shadow plummeting like a shooting star.
Bai Ye, with his sharp eyes, immediately recognized that the person's clothes were those of a disciple of Hundred Flowers Valley.
Previously, Hua Jinhe, the eldest disciple of Hundred Flowers Valley, had spoken up to help from outside the secret realm, so Bai had taken a few more glances at the time.
She didn't care about eating the roasted meat at this moment. She leaped up, carrying the remaining half of the roasted meat in one hand and catching the Hundred Flowers Valley disciple with the other.
The two spun several times in the air, dissipating the momentum of their descent, before slowly falling back to the ground.
Zhong Jiuli and Liu Xianyue immediately surrounded the man and observed his condition.
The disciple from Hundred Flowers Valley was covered in blood, his clothes stained with blood, and even his cheeks were stained with blood. At this moment, his breath was weak, and he was extremely weak.
Liu Xianyue was unusually generous and took out a healing pill to feed her.
The pill transformed into pure medicinal power as soon as it entered her mouth, flowing throughout her body. The disciple's unfocused eyes began to focus, and after seeing the three people surrounding her, she excitedly tugged at Bai Ye's sleeve and said, "Those people are looking for you."
“Those cultivators from Guzhou were hunting us down in the secret realm... Anyone who was alone was surrounded and killed by them. On the day we were outside the secret realm, disciples from sects who had opposed them were also ambushed and killed inside the secret realm.”
"They declared that if you do not show up, they will hunt you down to the end, and they will not let go of anyone who has had contact with you."
"Why do these people dare to be so domineering and kill so wantonly?" Bai said through gritted teeth, a flash of anger in his eyes.
Zhong Jiuli said to the Hundred Flowers Valley disciple, "Don't worry, meditate and regulate your breathing first. We'll handle the rest."
Upon hearing this, the disciple of Hundred Flowers Valley instantly relaxed her tense expression. She slowly closed her eyes, her spiritual energy flowing around her as she began to refine the medicinal power.
Zhong Jiuli's eyes flickered slightly, noticing that Bai Ye's expression was a bit off. She gave Liu Xianyue a wink, and Liu Xianyue understood, waving her hand at the two of them.
Bai was still in a daze when her wrist was suddenly grabbed and Zhong Jiuli led her away into the distance.
The night wind rustled through the forest, and the two walked in silence until, after walking several hundred meters, Zhong Jiuli led her to leap onto a boulder.
The night sky was vast, the silver moon was like a plate, and the moonlight was like water.
Zhong Jiuli looked up at Bai Ye. Her features were particularly distinct in the moonlight. Her thick eyelashes drooped, her brows were furrowed, and her small face was wrinkled like that of a little old lady.
She called softly, "Little White."
"Um?"
"what's on your mind?"
Bai looked up at the starry sky, his voice tinged with confusion, "I'm wondering, why can those people in Guzhou kill so recklessly?"
"I also wonder if the longer I live in this world, the more likely I will become a monk who treats human life as worthless."
Zhong Jiuli's calm voice sounded from beside him: "Let me answer your first question first. The Kunxu Continent is vast and boundless, with the Nine Provinces separated by millions of miles. And beyond the Nine Provinces, there are countless unknown dangers of life and death."
Bai also turned to look at her, as if he was a little puzzled, wondering why Teacher Zhong had started teaching again.
Zhong Jiuli said in a low voice, "Do you know why the Wilderness State is called the Wilderness State?"
Seeing Bai shake his head, she explained, "It wasn't originally called that. Tens of thousands of years ago, this place was called Lizhou, which is the Li of the Li Kingdom."
"Back then, Lizhou was a place where the Daoist tradition flourished and spiritual energy was abundant, unlike its current state of depleted spiritual energy." As she said this, Zhong Jiuli seemed to feel a little regretful, and her voice lowered.
In fact, she had never seen Lizhou at its peak, but such scenes did exist in her memory.
"Back then, Lizhou was truly blessed with great fortune. In each generation, there were peerless geniuses who emerged out of nowhere. Those with extraordinary talents often suppressed the contemporary geniuses as soon as they appeared, sweeping away the rest of the geniuses with overwhelming force."
"In the once-every-century Great War of the Nine Provinces, Lizhou once held the top spot for ten thousand years. At that time, a saying circulated: 'Heroes of the world are as numerous as carp crossing a river, each leading the way, but only when the genius of Lizhou appears does all the other stars pale in comparison.'"
Bai was also quite excited. He hadn't expected that the Wilderness State had such a glorious past. Could it be that the script he was given was actually about reviving the glorious past of Li State?
Zhong Jiuli's voice rang out again, "Until a sudden cataclysmic disaster struck, a battle that shook the heavens and the earth, almost completely extinguishing the lineage of the Desolate State, and causing all high-end combat forces to perish."
"From then on, the Wilderness State became the lowest of the Nine Provinces. Everyone knew that there were no strong people guarding this place, so... they could bully it at will."
Bai also gasped for breath, only then realizing that all that Zhong Jiuli had said before was actually just to set the stage for the last four words.
Why did the people of Guzhou dare to commit massacres in this place?
Because the desolate state was uninhabited.
A group of ants without protection, what's the harm in killing them?
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Author's Note: Bai Ye: The sky has fallen! I lost a hundred million! [Clown]
Zhong Jiuli: Don't you dare copy Boss Liu! [Hug]
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