The little fox completely ignored Yan Zhao now, jumping down from her arms and crouching on another chair.
It turned its head away, swung its fluffy big tail back to wrap up its tiny body, and pointed its bottom at Yan Zhao.
Yan Zhao was also angry with it.
The little fox ignored the person, and the person ignored the little fox.
Yan Zhao turned her anger into appetite, sweeping away the food on the table like a whirlwind.
Bi Lan kindly asked, “Junior Sister Yan, is your hand alright?”
As she spoke, she took out a bottle of Trauma Medicine.
Yan Zhao had a large pork elbow in her mouth. She looked up upon hearing this: “Huh?”
With her mouth full, she showed her hand to Bi Lan. The spot where the fox had bitten had two bruised marks, but the bruises were visibly fading at a rapid pace.
“Junior Sister’s wounds heal really fast,” Bi Lan mused thoughtfully.
As they spoke, several groups of cultivators trickled into the Spirit Dining Hall entrance, each finding an empty seat. With people talking, the atmosphere became lively.
“We’ve really arrived at a good time! I heard Senior Yao Shenzi will come out of seclusion soon. Not only will there be a banquet to entertain immortals from all paths, but he’s also willing to auction off half of the Yang Marrow Pill!”
“Your news is outdated. Let me tell you all something that will drop your jaws!”
The crowd responded, “Hurry up and tell us, stop keeping us in suspense!”
With everyone’s attention focused on him, the man said proudly, “I’ll have you know, that unorthodox little ancestor of the Xuanyuan Clan is currently at the Relay Station, definitely here to participate in the Medicine Ceremony! I saw her with my own eyes yesterday!”
Upon hearing this, the crowd first fell silent, then bursts of mocking laughter erupted. “Stop bragging, you really can’t get ivory from a dog’s mouth! Everyone knows Xuanyuan Mu and the Medicine God Sect are at odds like fire and water. How could she possibly come to the Medicine Ceremony?”
The questioned man was defiant. “Hmph! Don’t believe me, you’ll see when the time comes!”
Clatter.
The chopsticks in Bi Lan’s hand fell, splashing soup onto her face, cold and chilling.
Yan Zhao heard the noise and looked up at her.
Bi Lan returned to her senses and quickly picked up the chopsticks that had rolled onto the floor.
Her mind was dazed, and she even forgot to use the Dust-Cleansing Spell. She continued eating with the dirty chopsticks that had fallen on the ground.
Yan Zhao blinked, not noticing anything amiss, and buried her head back down.
On the chair beside the table, the little fox’s ears twitched. It tilted its head slightly, glancing at the distraught Bi Lan.
Deep in thought.
Bi Lan kept her head very low, eating but tasting nothing.
·
In front of the Medicine God Sect’s mountain gate, a man and a woman walked slowly over.
The azure-robed young master was debonair and graceful, while the woman dressed like a scholar beside him appeared somewhat languid.
Bai Jin played with Tushan Yu’s fan in her hand. Feeling hot from the walk, she gently fanned herself, enjoying the waves of cool breeze.
At the mountain gate, two Mountain Guard Disciples proactively came forward to greet them. “Do the two of you have a visiting card?”
Tushan Yu flipped his wrist, and a dark gold invitation appeared in his palm. “Tushan Yu of Qingqiu, here on behalf of my father to attend the Medicine Ceremony. This is my clan sister, Bai Jin.”
“So it is Young Master Tushan and Miss Bai!” The Mountain Guard Disciples didn’t dare be negligent. One of them led the way, escorting Tushan Yu and Bai Jin past the mountain gate.
On the way, Bai Jin looked around. After observing for a moment, she sent a Voice Transmission to Tushan Yu. “The spiritual aura of this Spirit Mountain is insufficient, far inferior to our Qingqiu.”
Tushan Yu also answered via Voice Transmission. “Within the Tianchen Realm, sects so proficient in medicinal and alchemical principles are rare. Naturally, its spiritual charm cannot compare to Qingqiu. However, Senior Yao Shenzi once came to Qingqiu to study medicine under my maternal grandmother. After completing his studies, he returned to Tianchen to establish his sect. This lineage can also be considered to have a connection with our Qingqiu.”
This was a piece of history Bai Jin had never heard before. Her interest piqued, she asked, “So, Yao Shenzi and the Fox Emperor are fellow students under the same master? Whose Alchemy is better, Yao Shenzi’s or the Fox Emperor’s?”
Tushan Yu shook his head. “Those two have fought for thousands of years, never deciding a victor. Unfortunately, three hundred years ago, my Father Emperor was wounded by the Tianqing Arrow Devil. After that, he never opened his furnace again. If Senior Yao Shenzi emerges from seclusion this time and successfully refines the Yang Marrow Pill, he will have edged out Father Emperor by a slight margin.”
Bai Jin felt quite emotional and muttered, “Can Uncle’s injury truly not be healed?”
“We are here today precisely for this matter.” Tushan Yu let out a long sigh. “Hopefully, the Yang Marrow Pill can improve Father Emperor’s condition.”
Led by the Medicine God Sect’s guiding disciple, the two arrived before an elegant courtyard.
The courtyard gate opened. Inside, an old man was sitting under a tree, sorting medicinal herbs. Hearing the sound, he turned his head and smiled. “See who’s here?”
Tushan Yu and Bai Jin entered the courtyard and clasped their fists to this man. “Elder Wu, you look well after all this time.”
Elder Wu swept his sleeve, and the herbs on the stone table were all collected into a Universe Pouch. He then beckoned, and two chairs flew out from the house, landing steadily beside the table.
Next, he brought out a tea set, led Spiritual Qi to condense water, poured it into the teapot, and lit a fire to heat it.
“You two, please sit. Come and try the new tea our Medicine God Sect harvested this spring.”
Tushan Yu cupped his fist. “We humbly accept your generous offer.”
The two sat down at the table. Before long, the water boiled. Elder Wu took the boiling water to brew the tea. As the boiling water hit the tender green buds, a sweet fragrance instantly filled the air.
Seeing this, Tushan Yu repeatedly praised, “Such fragrant tea.”
Elder Wu said, not without pride, “This is the Tiantu Snow Bud Tea special to our Medicine God Sect. Drinking it clears the liver, brightens the eyes, and reduces internal heat. It’s most suitable for this season. Little Master Tushan, would you care to try it?”
Tushan Yu politely and gently gave thanks, then lifted the teacup.
At that moment, voices came from outside the courtyard. Elder Wu nodded to Tushan Yu and Bai Jin, then rose to answer the door.
What Bai Jin disliked most about the Mortal Realm was that set of formalities between people, countless tedious rites and etiquette.
The little foxes of Qingqiu all liked to be free and unrestrained. After sitting at the table for a while, she couldn’t stay put any longer. Taking advantage of a disciple outside relaying a message and Elder Wu’s temporary absence, she secretly shot Tushan Yu a look.
Tushan Yu was helpless and reminded her, “Just stay nearby. Don’t wander off.”
Bai Jin’s face lit up with joy. Before Tushan Yu’s words even faded, she whooshed away in a flash.
·
Nine out of ten dishes on the table went into Yan Zhao’s stomach.
Having rarely eaten her fill, Yan Zhao exhaled comfortably, lazily letting out a satisfied burp.
Seeing that Yan Zhao had finished her meal, Bi Lan quickly put down her chopsticks and said to Yan Zhao, “Junior Sister Yan, let’s set off.”
She had given her Immortal Profound Token to Yan Zhao, so she needed to find a new one for herself.
Within the Three Realms, besides the various large and small sects, there were also some independent factions. As long as they were under the jurisdiction of the Immortal Alliance, they might possibly hold an Immortal Profound Token.
The process of searching for the token was time-consuming and labor-intensive. Three years would pass in the blink of an eye, leaving Bi Lan few opportunities.
Yan Zhao had no objections. Ignoring the little fox’s struggles, she scooped it up into her arms.
The two left the Spirit Dining Hall, following the path they came from to the Relay Station gate and emerging into the bustling street outside.
Just then, a familiar figure passed through the crowd, disappearing with a flash.
Bi Lan suddenly stopped in her tracks, her expression one of shock.
Because she stopped so abruptly, Yan Zhao bumped headfirst into her back. Forced to halt, she frowned. “Why aren’t you walking?”
Bi Lan returned to her senses and turned to Yan Zhao. “Junior Sister Yan, wait here a moment. I’ll be right back!”
Her words hadn’t finished before she was already sprinting away.
Yan Zhao stood at the entrance of the Relay Station, tilting her head in confusion.
The little fox watched Bi Lan’s receding figure and tilted its head in sync with Yan Zhao.
After Bi Lan left, Yan Zhao obediently waited in place.
The little fox was so sleepy it yawned another two times. Unable to endure, it burrowed into Yan Zhao’s arms and continued sleeping.
Yan Zhao was quite bored alone, standing and looking left, then right.
Suddenly, a strangely constructed mechanical frog jumped out from the bushes. A low-grade Demon Core was embedded in its back.
It hopped to Yan Zhao’s feet, then suddenly its limbs twitched, and it fell motionless to the ground.
Yan Zhao glanced at it.
Glanced again.
Bi Lan still hadn’t returned. Yan Zhao quickly crouched down, bending to pick it up.
The “frog” suddenly came back to life and whooshed away a great distance.
Yan Zhao: “Ah, the Demon Core ran away by itself.”
She quickly followed, chasing the frog far from the Relay Station and into a shadowy grove.
The frog hopped to the base of a tree and finally stopped.
Yan Zhao walked towards it.
Suddenly, two people jumped out from behind the tree.
One was tall and burly, stout as an ox. The other was thin and short, looking like a scrawny monkey in contrast to the ox beside him.
The two flanked Yan Zhao on the left and right, cutting off her retreat.
The scrawny monkey’s lips curled into a cold sneer, his eyes gleaming with cunning. “Hand over the Demon Cores if you know what’s good for you!”
The burly ox muffledly echoed, “Right, hand them over!”
Yan Zhao’s cultivation base wasn’t high, yet she was already somewhat famous. Rogue Cultivators at the Immortal Market said word-of-mouth that a girl carrying a Spirit Fox, herself a mortal, had exchanged over a hundred Demon Cores in Treasure Pavilion in one go, among which were no small number of Third Tier and Fourth Tier cores.
A hundred Demon Cores—to a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, that was an unrefusable fortune.
Yan Zhao frowned upon hearing this, her little face cold and icy. “You want to rob me of my Demon Cores?”
“So what if we rob you!” The scrawny monkey was arrogant, brandishing a Spirit Sword from who-knows-where, swaggering menacingly. “You’re just a mortal. If we don’t take the cores from you, someone else will. At least we brothers will spare your life!”
The ox nodded. “Right, hand them over!”
Whoosh—
A beam of Arrow Qi struck his head.
The ox’s head lolled to the side, and he collapsed on the spot.
The scrawny monkey was horrified. First frozen in shock, he quickly rushed to the ox’s side.
The ox’s forehead was slightly scraped. The injury wasn’t severe, but he was already unconscious.
The scrawny monkey was aghast. “You-you-you! What did you do!”
Before his words died, another blast of Arrow Qi came.
It struck him in the center of his forehead.
His body swayed, the back of his head knocking against the tree behind him. His eyes rolled back, and he fainted dead away.
Yan Zhao retracted her Sleeve Arrow. This thing was quite handy to use, but the power didn’t seem like much.
She walked up to the two little thieves, first picking up the frog from the ground. She pried the Demon Core off the frog’s back and casually tossed aside the remaining parts.
Then, Yan Zhao’s gaze turned to the two thieves.
After some effort, she fished out everything they had on them.
Unfortunately, these two didn’t have anything of value on their persons. Their Universe Pouches were also completely full of bizarrely shaped metals and ores.
The metals glittered, their use unknown.
Suddenly, a piece of cowhide paper slipped out from the chaotic collection of items, falling to the ground by Yan Zhao’s feet.
Yan Zhao crouched down and picked it up.
Unfolding it, she saw two portraits drawn on the cowhide paper.
Yan Zhao recognized few characters. She read word by word earnestly and recited aloud. “Second-Tier Bounty Mission… capture the criminals and deliver them to the Immortal Alliance Stronghold. Exchange for thirty Second-Tier Demon Cores, five Third-Tier Demon Cores, twenty-thousand Spirit Stones, and fifty Immortal Alliance Contribution points.”
After reading, she scrutinized the portraits in her hand more closely, finding them familiar.
As if she had seen them somewhere before.
So she lowered her head to compare.
The burly ox on the left was Zhang San, the scrawny monkey on the right was Li Si.
Yan Zhao: “Huh?”
