Chapter 92

The crisis of the Jade Petrification Disease was thus resolved.

But the Demon Subduing Division’s work was far from over.

They still needed to gather information on where the Mountain Lord had come from, when it had possessed Yu Youcai, how many years it had operated in this place, and what shady deeds it had been up to—all these details had to be collected one by one.

After displaying feats bordering on the immortal and dragging everyone back from the edge of death, Zou Lian’s credibility among these people had soared to an unprecedented height.

However, Senior Sister was no good at dealing with people, so the task of questioning them for clues fell entirely to the Little Snake Demon.

“Don’t rush—one at a time!”

Compared to the cold and imposing Demon Subduing Division Lord, the alluring yet approachable Little Snake was far easier for everyone to confide in.

With their full cooperation, the clues about the Mountain Lord gradually came together.

Yu Youcai himself had been nothing more than an ordinary merchant on the Xiling Plains some ten or twenty years ago, dealing in jade with nothing particularly noteworthy about him.

The change had likely begun around a dozen years prior, after a business trip abroad to sell jade.

Following that deal, it was as if he had divine assistance. He snapped up several mines that seemed utterly ordinary on the surface but were actually priceless, at rock-bottom prices. From there, his wealth snowballed uncontrollably, elevating him to one of the Xiling Plains’ major merchants.

With money and influence at his disposal, many things could be swept under the rug without a whisper.

Every so often, someone would vanish from the mines or the Mine Mountain—sometimes a worker, sometimes an unrelated passerby. But in this godforsaken wilderness without even official oversight, such incidents were easily hushed up.

The area was riddled with barren hills; if people wandered off, disappearances were all too plausible. Yet looking back now, the frequency was suspiciously high.

The Jade People that Zou Lian and Yin Luan had encountered were most likely transformed from these very missing souls.

As for why it turned them…

“I once heard it muttering to itself,” one person recalled. “‘Humans are sly creatures. Only stones obey forever.'”

To petrify people merely for failing to obey completely—such cruelty was beyond depraved.

A being like that could become an Immortal?

“This is indeed peculiar,” Zou Lian said. “For an Immortal to fall so far… If its power had been just a fraction stronger, even I might not have prevailed against it.”

And even at a fraction of its strength, Senior Sister had nearly capsized. That was the yawning chasm between Immortals and mortals—even an Innate Expert like her was no exception.

If a Fallen God arrived with its full power intact and its mind clear, it was anyone’s guess whether the entire Demon Subduing Division could subdue it.

The Little Snake Demon recalled something the Divine Dragon had said earlier too.

“The Immortals of today are nothing like those from the old days…”

In other words, the Mountain Lord’s case might not be isolated. There could be trouble brewing within the ranks of the Immortals as a whole.

Of course, gods were gods and mortals were mortals. For the time being, their worlds had little overlap, and whatever woes afflicted the heavens were beyond mortal concern.

“This bears looking into… cough cough…”

Halfway through her words, Zou Lian suddenly coughed twice.

“Senior Sister, you…”

The Little Snake Demon’s eyes went wide.

Innate Experts brimmed with vigorous qi and blood; they didn’t succumb to mere colds. For her to cough like this—could it be…

“Don’t overreact,” Zou Lian said, struggling to keep a straight face. “It’s just some internal injuries.”

“Was it my bump that hurt you, Senior Sister?” The Little Snake Demon clutched her head, shouting guiltily. “Don’t worry—even if you’re left disabled, I’ll care for you for life! I swear you won’t go hungry!”

“Worry about feeding yourself first…” Zou Lian’s mouth twitched. “It has nothing to do with you. It’s damage from when the Mountain Lord hijacked my body. I can mend it myself. Cough cough… cough.”

Senior Sister’s coughs were stifled, as if she refused to show any weakness before the others.

But injuries had a mind of their own.

“After I rest for a couple of days, then…”

Zou Lian didn’t finish the sentence. She toppled backward, eyes fluttering shut as she slipped into unconsciousness.

“Senior—Sister!”

The Little Snake Demon cried out, then hurriedly hoisted her up and laid her on the bed.

~~~

Once one set foot on the path of cultivation, talent and diligence were both essential.

Zou Lian was undeniably talented.

One could tell from the great expectations her Master had placed on her, the wary glances of her senior brothers and sisters, and the worshipful looks in the eyes of her junior brothers and sisters.

“You will surely achieve great things someday!”

This was the phrase she had heard more than any other.

From childhood, she had pushed herself relentlessly, holding herself to the harshest standards.

The Demon Subduing Division had given her this life; she had to repay them with every shred of effort she possessed.

Over time, she became a “legend” within the Demon Subduing Division.

She scored perfectly on every evaluation, solved even the most baffling cases, earned countless commendations, and stood unrivaled among her peers.

So she could never show confusion or weakness in front of anyone.

This was her “persona”—one she absolutely had to maintain.

Her thoughts swirled chaotically in her mind. After what felt like an eternity, Zou Lian slowly opened her eyes.

A soft mattress cradled her body, thick quilts enveloped her, and warmth seeped through her limbs. With her Innate Qi unable to circulate properly in her Dantian to sustain her vitality, the sensation was pure bliss.

Had she passed out?

The injuries inflicted by Mountain Lord were worse than she’d anticipated… Or perhaps Yin Luan’s collision had added some unintended backlash.

Under normal circumstances, no amount of bumping from her would cause harm. But when her body was possessed and she couldn’t channel Innate Qi to shield her flesh, things were different.

Zou Lian hadn’t mentioned any of this to Little Snake Demon. After all, the girl had meant well, and in the end, she’d saved her life.

Lifting her head slightly, she spotted Little Snake Demon sprawled at the foot of the bed, arms pillowed beneath her cheek, a dopey grin plastered across her face as if lost in a pleasant dream.

“Senior Sister… hehe… Let me help you bathe… hehe…”

The dream’s subject matter left something to be desired.

Still, seeing her so full of energy eased Zou Lian’s worries.

In the fight against the Fallen God, Yin Luan had taken risks even greater than her own. That collision alone had jolted Little Snake Demon hard; she was lucky not to have suffered internal injuries from the impact.

Gazing at Yin Luan’s harmless, innocent expression, Zou Lian’s mind wandered once more.

It had begun as a fleeting impulse—a pursuit of that peculiar “feeling” stirring in her heart—that led her to cling to Du Xuan’s new friend. Yet she’d uncovered so many enigmas: the girl’s background, her power, her very personality, all shrouded in mystery.

Zou Lian finally understood why even Du Xuan, who shied away from close bonds, had befriended her.

There was something magnetic about her, a unique charm that radiated friendliness, gentleness, and warmth.

It was the one thing Zou Lian lacked most.

“Mmm… guh-luh-luh-luh…”

Little Snake Demon stirred awake with a lazy stretch, strange rumbling noises emanating from her throat.

Rubbing her eyes, she mumbled,

“Senior Sister, you’re awake?”

“How long was I out?”

Zou Lian asked.

“Not long. Just two days and two nights.”

Unconscious for two full days and nights in such a vulnerable state—if this had happened in the wilderness, the outcome would have been disastrous.

“Fine, then. Help me up…”

After two days of rest, Zou Lian could sense that much of her internal damage had mended.

Innate Experts surpassed mortals not only in power but in vitality as well; they could recover from shattered bones and severed tendons.

“No can do,” Little Snake Demon shook her head, pinning Zou Lian’s shoulders back down. “Senior Sister isn’t better yet. You need more rest!”

“…I am better.”

Zou Lian tried to rise again.

“Senior Sister’s fibbing.”

Little Snake pressed her down once more.

“I’m not.”

“Senior Sister’s still fibbing!”

After a brief struggle, Zou Lian yielded to Little Snake Demon’s superior strength and unyielding determination. The girl refused to budge and seemed uncannily able to discern truth from lie.

Senior Sister lay obediently in bed. Moments later, Yin Luan returned with a steaming bowl of meat porridge.

“Here, eat something hearty. It’ll do you good!”

“…You know I don’t really need food like this, right?”

Hadn’t they talked about it on the road? At her level, she was in a semi-fasting state—ordinary meals were optional at best and offered no real nourishment.

“That’s for normal times,” Little Snake Demon countered with impeccable logic. “Right now, Senior Sister’s weak. Every little bit helps!”

No reasoning with her.

It was this quirky, utterly lovable side of Yin Luan that drew Zou Lian in most.

Scooping up a spoonful of the steaming porridge, Yin Luan brought it to her lips and blew gently to cool it.

After blowing on it a few times, she opened her mouth, seemingly ready to eat it herself… Fortunately, halfway there, she suddenly remembered who the porridge was for and hurriedly held the spoon to Senior Sister’s lips.

“……”

If she wanted it so badly for herself, why force it on someone else?

Sipping the warm meat porridge, Zou Lian kept her gaze fixed on the Little Snake Demon without looking away.

“Not tasty?”

Yin Luan asked.

“No,” Senior Sister replied. “I’m just puzzled… We’ve only met a few times, so why go to such lengths to take care of me?”

As a member of the Demon Subduing Division, she was young but had witnessed plenty of the world’s cold indifference.

Suspicion, jealousy, hatred, greed, brutality… These human vices were the things she dealt with most often.

To her, care without any apparent reason was simply inconceivable.

“Um…”

The Little Snake Demon thought it over seriously before answering.

“If others are good to me, I’ll be good to them in return. Senior Sister saved me and Du Xuan from the Mystic Master back then—that’s more than enough to make us friends.”

“Is that so?”

Zou Lian fell silent for a moment, then asked again.

“If we didn’t know each other at all, you wouldn’t do this?”

“Not necessarily,” the Little Snake Demon said with a laugh. “I might still lend a hand… if I think it’s necessary.”

Inconceivable.

Pure, kind, with not a trace of human malice to be seen in her.

Could there really be such a “person” in this world?

Once the porridge was finished, beads of sweat dotted Zou Lian’s forehead, and her complexion seemed much improved.

“Senior Sister,” the Little Snake Demon said, rubbing her hands together. “You sweated a ton while you were sleeping—your clothes are soaked. Good thing we have a spare. Want me to help you change into it? Hehe…”

Little Snake’s eyes darted about mischievously, her intentions as plain as day—even a three-year-old could see through them.

Even without guessing, her earlier sleep-talking had made it all too clear…

“Sure,” Zou Lian said without hesitation. “Go ahead.”

“Think it over some more? I can close my eyes… Eh?!”

The Little Snake Demon jumped back in shock.

“Senior Sister, wh-what did you say?”

“I said go ahead,” Zou Lian replied. “A junior sister has helped me change clothes like this before.”

“Th-this…”

The chance was right there in front of her, yet the Little Snake Demon hesitated.

Something was wrong—completely wrong. How could Senior Sister be so open… Was the Mountain Lord’s influence on her body and soul still lingering?

Yin Luan crept forward cautiously, reached out, and touched Senior Sister’s forehead.

The temperature felt normal… But then again, old folk remedies like this probably did nothing for an Innate Expert.

“It’s not some heinous crime or breach of morals,” Zou Lian continued. “What’s there to be shy about? I trust your character.”

“B-but…”

The Little Snake Demon broke out in a cold sweat.

For Senior Sister to trust her like this was beyond anything she’d expected.

Those steady eyes of Zou Lian’s carried no flicker of doubt, as if to say, “I’m treating you like a friend too.” Yin Luan felt a wave of deep remorse.

She was too wicked! Always fantasizing about Senior Sister in her mind, imagining this and that—just because her chest was ample? Because she wasn’t only busty but also strikingly beautiful?

Senior Sister had been so good to her, patiently teaching her fist techniques without complaint, and here she was scheming to take advantage!

She was rotten through and through—a truly bad Snake!

“I’m sorry, Senior Sister,” Yin Luan said with sincere apology. “I won’t ever do anything like that again!”

With that, she bolted from the room in a flash.

Seeing this, the corners of Zou Lian’s mouth curved upward for the second time on this journey as she struggled to form that unfamiliar expression.

So naive, so easy to handle… She hoped the girl could shed that little bad habit someday.

~~~

After a few more days of rest, Zou Lian made a full recovery.

At the same time, surprising good news arrived from The Mine.

“Spirit Jade?” Senior Sister’s brow arched. “You’re certain it’s ‘Spirit Jade’?”

“Jade stones with special powers,” the mine worker explained. “Has to be it… Though we can’t say for sure if it’s the real deal—it’s all hearsay from Old Black’s uncle’s daughter’s husband’s distant relative…”

In the neighboring Fire Valley Kingdom, not too far from here, a batch of jade stones with “miraculous effects” had surfaced not long ago. But they were swiftly snapped up, and word of it hadn’t spread far.

Unexpectedly, even the Mountain Lord—this immortal—found the Spirit Jade so difficult to track down, yet they had actually obtained a clue from a mortal’s mouth.

“I told you, strength in numbers!”

The Little Snake Demon rubbed her fists eagerly, raring to go.

There was still some time before the Summer Festival, so even if they made a trip abroad, they could make it back to Luo City in time. Besides, she had never visited other countries before and really ought to go out and see the world.

Hearing this news, Zou Lian’s brows furrowed involuntarily.

“Is there a problem, Senior Sister?”

Yin Luan asked curiously.

“The Demon Subduing Division is not permitted to leave the Great Zhou Kingdom without authorization,” she said thoughtfully. “I’m afraid I cannot accompany you to the Fire Valley Kingdom.”