Chapter 1266: Xinyi Bearing Wine
Chapter 1266: Chapter 1266: Xinyi Bearing Wine
After crossing ten mountains and nine rivers, Jiu Xiaojiu finally found the place described by the Patrol Mountain Demon.
Here stood countless tree-hole warehouses. The Night Owl Clan had lived here for generations, responsible for guarding the material reserves of Xuanxiao Palace.
Sensing Jiu Xiaojiu’s intrusion, a patrolling Night Owl clan imp immediately flew over, landed on the ground, leveled the weapon in his hand, and asked in a deep voice.
"Password!"
"What password?" Jiu Xiaojiu froze.
"If you do not know the password, then your identity is unknown. You are not allowed to enter the Thousand Trees Treasury. Leave at once!" the Night Owl imp said with no room for refusal.
"Wait, I was directed here by the Patrol Mountain Demon. I came to request an audience with your leader..." Jiu Xiaojiu explained.
"Leave at once!"
"But..."
"Leave at once!"
...
Jiu Xiaojiu was unable to enter the Thousand Trees Treasury.
Staring at the tightly shut main gate of the Thousand Trees Treasury, and at the cold, merciless guards around the gate, Jiu Xiaojiu immediately felt she had been cheated.
That Patrol Mountain Demon clearly said she could find brewing materials here. Could he actually have tricked her? She could not even get past the front gate; where was she supposed to find any materials!
Or perhaps that little demon had simply forgotten to mention that this place was heavily guarded and a password was required to get in and out...
"Should I hide my presence and sneak in to look for materials? My cultivation may only be at the Truth-Transcending Cultivation Level, but if I use the methods Grandfather Fish Master taught me, ordinary people absolutely won’t notice my infiltration..."
Jiu Xiaojiu was just starting to scheme when she suddenly saw, in the distance, a Demon riding the Immortal Clouds toward her.
It was a female Demon wearing wooden armor on the outside and an apricot-yellow robe beneath. With Jiu Xiaojiu’s eyesight, she could not see through this woman’s cultivation in the slightest.
"It’s because her cultivation far surpasses mine. At the very least she’s in the Shattered Thought Realm, maybe even higher..." Jiu Xiaojiu thought to herself.
The wooden-armored female Demon descended before the Thousand Trees Treasury’s main gate. As soon as she landed, the guards came forward to greet her respectfully. "We respectfully welcome Senior Xinyi!"
"So this senior is called Xinyi..." Jiu Xiaojiu thought.
"No need for courtesy. I came today because I want to take some materials, if that is permissible." As Xinyi Nv spoke, she turned her head and glanced toward Jiu Xiaojiu in the distance, then withdrew her gaze.
She did not seem to mind Jiu Xiaojiu’s peeking at all.
Who was Xinyi Nv?
She was the one who, when Ning Fan exterminated billions of Locust Demons, saved that female general of the Golden Flame Chariot.
Her true body was an ancient variant of Xinyi wood.
Her cultivation was at the Immortal Emperor Realm of the Eternal Six Tribulations.
Little Jiu Xiaojiu, at a mere Crossing Truth Realm level, naturally could not see through the depth of her cultivation.
On the other side, when the guards heard that Xinyi Nv wanted to take immortal materials from the Thousand Trees Treasury, their faces immediately showed embarrassment.
"This... We are only responsible for guarding the treasury. Whether Senior can take materials is not for us to decide; it must be determined by the leader, my lord."
"Then I will go see your leader." Xinyi Nv said.
"That is for the best. There is only one matter we must report to Senior. To enter the Thousand Trees Treasury, one must give the password. This is a rule set by Lady Luoluo. We hope Senior will not make things difficult for us..."
"Don’t worry, I naturally know the password. ’I urge Heaven to bestow compassion, Heaven in return gifts me True Lord Ning’, is that it?" Xinyi Nv said.
"Incorrect, incorrect, that was last month’s password. The new password for this month is ’Sun, moon, and stars, mere grains of sand, not worth even half a point of Senior’s greatness.’"
"...I actually didn’t know the password had been changed. In that case, I’m afraid I’m not qualified to enter this place anymore." Xinyi Nv said in disappointment.
"It’s no matter. Although Senior did not say the correct password, when you spoke of Senior Ning, the admiration in your eyes was absolutely genuine. Since that is so, even if the password is wrong, you may still enter."
"So that’s how it is..." Xinyi Nv nodded, relieved.
"They can do that?!" Off in the distance, Jiu Xiaojiu had no idea where to even start吐槽.
"In that case, we will open the gate for Senior at once." the guard said respectfully.
"I’ll trouble you then. Oh, right, can that wine Demon enter with me?" Xinyi Nv beckoned toward Jiu Xiaojiu in the distance.
Jiu Xiaojiu was stunned. Although she did not understand why, she still happily trotted over to Xinyi Nv’s side. If she could enter this place without lifting a finger, she naturally wouldn’t bother with any risky sneaking.
The guards naturally did not dare to make things too difficult for Xinyi Nv.
Thus, under Xinyi Nv’s lead, Jiu Xiaojiu slipped through the Thousand Trees Treasury’s main gate.
"Many thanks, Senior, for bringing me inside." Jiu Xiaojiu said in thanks.
"There’s no need to thank me. I’m helping you because you are Senior Ning’s junior. Of course I would show you a bit of extra favor." Xinyi Nv explained.
"Senior, you’re mistaken. I’m not that guy’s junior at all..." Jiu Xiaojiu waved her hands repeatedly in denial.
"If you are not Senior Ning’s junior, then why do you have the Mark of Rain he planted on your body? This mark can fool others, and can even fool you yourself, but it absolutely cannot fool those above the Shattered Thought Realm. No—rather, this mark is something Senior Ning deliberately displayed for us to see, to tell us we must not attack you. It is a kind of implicit protection. Having such an elder looking after you, you’re very fortunate." Xinyi Nv looked at Jiu Xiaojiu with open envy.
"What what what! That guy actually planted his mark inside me without my knowledge? And through it all, I didn’t notice a thing?" Jiu Xiaojiu jumped in fright.
The more she thought about it, the more terrified she felt!
The more she thought about it, the more her teeth chattered!
She—she—she had actually been branded by Ning Fan!
What kind of mark was this!
This was a mark that could monitor her and hunt her down anytime, anywhere!
She was done for, done for!
From now on she would have to be extremely careful in all her actions, and must not show even the slightest dissatisfaction toward that guy, or she would definitely suffer his retaliation!
"You seem very frightened?" Xinyi Nv asked in confusion.
"No, not at all..."
Xinyi Nv nodded and said no more. The two women walked in silence until they reached the tree-hole where the Night Owl Clan leader resided, and stated their purpose.
Upon hearing that Xinyi Nv wanted to take immortal materials from this place, the Night Owl leader was briefly stunned, then rejected her request.
In terms of cultivation, the Night Owl leader was only at the early stage of the Shattered Thought Realm, far from Xinyi Nv’s level.
But he relied on the fact that he had been personally appointed by Ancestor Luoluo as the guardian of the Thousand Trees Treasury, and was sure Xinyi Nv wouldn’t dare cause trouble here, so he wasn’t particularly afraid of her.
So what if the other side was an Immortal Emperor?
She wasn’t even a native Demon of Xuanxiao Palace!
He was the guardian of Xuanxiao Palace. How could he possibly give his own palace’s resources away to another palace for no reason?
If he really did that, then disaster would truly fall on his head. Afterwards, he would surely be harshly punished by Ancestor Luoluo...
"Leader, is there truly no way to make an exception?" Xinyi Nv asked calmly.
"Ay, to tell you the truth, Ancestor Luoluo has given strict orders: the resources of this palace are not to be given to Demons of other palaces. I must ask Senior Xinyi not to make things difficult for this junior..." the Night Owl leader said, putting on a troubled expression.
"Leader, don’t be in such a rush to refuse. Look a bit more carefully—what’s so unusual about this young friend beside me?" Xinyi Nv said with deep meaning.
"Heh, just a little Crossing Truth Realm Demon, what could be special about her..." The Night Owl leader swept his spirit sense across Jiu Xiaojiu.
At first, his expression was full of contempt.
Then he seemed to sense something, his face changed drastically. He stood up from his seat on the spot, hurriedly stepped forward, and cupped his fists apologetically to Xinyi Nv and Jiu Xiaojiu.
"I was rude, I was rude! So you two are actually close to Senior Ning. I’ve been terribly neglectful, please forgive me!"
"Ancestor Luoluo has given an order: if any of Senior Ning’s people come here, all their requests must be granted."
"Whatever immortal materials you two need, feel free to take them!"
...
In the end, Jiu Xiaojiu took away a large amount of brewing materials from the Thousand Trees Treasury.
But she wasn’t happy—instead, she was a little depressed.
She felt... like she’d just been used!
Treated like a mere tool!
"Senior Xinyi, did you already know that as long as I tagged along, the Night Owl leader would definitely give you what you wanted?" Jiu Xiaojiu said with a hint of grievance.
"I did consider that with you following me, the Night Owl leader would be easier to talk to. I didn’t expect him to be ten times, a hundred times more accommodating than I imagined. Senior Ning’s prestige actually frightens the masses to such a degree—it truly makes one yearn for it." Xinyi Nv said.
"Senior, your cultivation far surpasses mine, yet you trick and use a little junior like me. Is that good, is that not bad..." Jiu Xiaojiu’s resentment deepened.
"The Art of War says: ’Those skilled in war seek victory through the situation, not by blaming men; thus they can select men and make use of the situation.’ As someone who walks the army path, I naturally understand this principle. It’s nothing strange." Xinyi Nv said calmly.
"You’re actually an army cultivator, Senior? That branch is pretty rare." Jiu Xiaojiu had her interest piqued by Xinyi Nv’s words.
The annoyance of being treated like a tool was instantly thrown beyond the ninth heaven.
"Whether army cultivation or Dao cultivation, though the things we do are different, the Dao we seek ultimately leads to the same destination." Xinyi Nv said.
"Such profound words... To say, Senior, you look like the wooden, slow type, but I didn’t expect you to be so deep and scheming. Really unexpected." Jiu Xiaojiu said.
"War is the art of deception. Without schemes, you can’t walk the path of military strategy. Deceptive as it is, as long as one doesn’t lose one’s true heart, one can be considered a true army cultivator. Compared to that, what surprises me more is this: normal people, when helped by a stranger, should first consider the other party’s motives. Yet you don’t seem to realize that my bringing you into the treasury was to make it mutually beneficial... I actually thought you knew." Xinyi Nv looked at Jiu Xiaojiu with an "I’m very surprised" gaze.
"..." The resentment grew even deeper!
"Although I did plan for mutual benefit, I also had the intention of saving your life. After all, you’re a junior of Senior Ning’s line. It’s impossible for me to watch you die." Xinyi Nv explained.
"Save me? Did I run into danger? Why would you say that, Senior?" Jiu Xiaojiu was puzzled.
"If I hadn’t brought you into the treasury with me, were you planning to sneak into this place?" Xinyi Nv asked.
"Eh? Was my intention that obvious?" Jiu Xiaojiu was startled.
"Yes, it was written all over your face. Do you know that the Thousand Trees Treasury here hides a killing formation, personally set up by Ancestor Luoluo? You may have some tricks, but there’s no way you could slip past that killing formation. Once it’s triggered, the consequences would be unimaginable... In that case, by taking you with me, it wouldn’t just be mutual benefit, it’d be a benefit to three parties."
"...Is this place really that terrifying?" Jiu Xiaojiu felt a wave of lingering fear.
"Otherwise, what did you think made that Night Owl leader look down on me? Because the killing formation here is so troublesome that even someone of our Immortal Emperor level would find it hard to withstand, let alone you." Xinyi Nv said.
"Eh, eh, eh? Senior, you’re actually an Immortal Emperor! I actually chatted as an equal with an Immortal Emperor powerhouse for so long?" All her resentment vanished! She even felt a bit smug!
"Thank you for saving my life, Senior!" At the very least, Jiu Xiaojiu knew to show some basic gratitude.
"No need to thank me. I already said this was originally a mutually beneficial matter. Speaking on a general, universal level, you don’t need to thank me."
"Oh." Jiu Xiaojiu gazed at Xinyi Nv with worship.
Although she sometimes couldn’t quite understand this Senior’s words, she always felt this Senior was really amazing.
As a female cultivator, if in this life she could become an empress like this Senior, it would truly be a life without regrets!
"By the way, have you gathered all your materials for brewing wine?" Xinyi Nv asked.
"...No." Jiu Xiaojiu said.
"Earlier, when you were taking immortal materials in the Thousand Trees Treasury, you looked troubled. So it was really because you couldn’t gather everything." Xinyi Nv said.
"Senior, your eyes are as bright as torches!" Jiu Xiaojiu said.
"How many kinds of materials are you still missing?" Xinyi Nv asked.
"A lot." Jiu Xiaojiu said.
"Then follow me. I also need to go to other places to search for materials. Maybe you can find what you want in those places as well." Xinyi Nv said.
"Thank you, Sen... wait, Senior, are you planning to use me again!" Jiu Xiaojiu said.
"Speaking on a general, universal level, this is a mutually beneficial matter." Xinyi Nv said.
"Forget it, this North Pole Palace seems dangerous everywhere. If I stick with Senior, at least I won’t die a muddle-headed death..." Jiu Xiaojiu muttered.
And so, life-loving and afraid-of-death Jiu Xiaojiu agreed to continue serving as a tool.
"Say, Senior, why are you searching for immortal materials everywhere?" Jiu Xiaojiu asked.
"My goal is the same as yours." Xinyi Nv said.
"Eh? Senior knows my goal?" Jiu Xiaojiu asked.
"I do. You’re doing this for Senior Ning, right? I want to give Senior Ning a treasure, and you, I suppose, want to brew wine to give to Senior Ning. Our goals are the same."
Our goals are both to repay Senior Ning’s great kindness and virtue! — That was Xinyi Nv’s thinking.
"So Senior and I share the same suffering..." Jiu Xiaojiu said with deep feeling.
Our goals are both to compensate Ning Fan, so we won’t get hunted down by him for payback later! — That was Jiu Xiaojiu’s thinking.
The two women left Xuanxiao Palace all the way, entering the Third Palace, Juzi Palace, then the Fourth Palace, Xianglou Palace, the Fifth Palace, Daliang Palace, the...
With Jiu Xiaojiu as a living banner, wherever the two went, they were treated as honored guests by the local masters, and all their requests were granted without exception.
Just like that, the two of them made a circuit through The Eleven Polar Palaces of the North Pole Palace, with only the last Star Era Palace still unvisited.
After searching all the way, Xinyi Nv had already gathered all the materials she needed, but Jiu Xiaojiu was still missing one last ingredient.
"What a pity. After going to so many places, we still didn’t find the last material." Jiu Xiaojiu was greatly disappointed.
"What is the last thing you need?" Xinyi Nv asked.
"Heavenly Dao Purple Qi. This thing is too rare. Not finding it isn’t surprising." Jiu Xiaojiu said.
"...If the last thing you need is Heavenly Dao Purple Qi, I know where there’s some."
"Where?"
"That palace we haven’t gone to yet."
The First Palace of the North Pole Palace, Star Era Palace!
"Eh? Didn’t you say, Senior, that Star Era Palace is especially dangerous, that even someone like you, an Immortal Emperor, doesn’t dare to step in lightly?" Jiu Xiaojiu asked.
"It is indeed very dangerous. Unless they’re native-born Star Demons, usually only Masters with Quasi-Saint Cultivation dare go deep inside. An Immortal Emperor who ventures deep would face nine deaths and one life." Xinyi Nv said.
"It’s actually that dangerous... then we..." Very cowardly and afraid-of-death Jiu Xiaojiu really didn’t want to risk going to Star Era Palace.
But what she wanted even more was to brew fine wine, gift it to Ning Fan, settle cause and effect with him, and while she was at it exchange for something from Ning Fan to give to Grandfather Fish Master.
"If it’s only searching the outer perimeter of Star Era Palace for Heavenly Dao Purple Qi, I don’t mind accompanying you." Xinyi Nv said.
"Senior is willing to go with me? But haven’t you already gathered everything you need? There’s no longer any need to team up with me, is there? Is there some special reason you have to take such a huge risk?" Jiu Xiaojiu asked in confusion.
"Speaking purely in general terms, I indeed have no reason to keep helping you. However, a certain Senior once taught me something with his own actions... that you can’t just sit back and watch when a fool is walking to her death. If I don’t go with you, you’d head there alone, wouldn’t you?"
"Senior, you’re just too handsome!" Jiu Xiaojiu said, deeply moved.
"The Senior who taught me that is the truly handsome one..." On Xinyi Nv’s cold face, a hint of longing appeared.
She was the Senior that Jiu Xiaojiu looked up to.
But Ning Fan was the Senior that she herself looked up to.
...
Thus, the two women made their way all the way to Star Era Palace.
With Jiu Xiaojiu, the one bearing the Mark of Rain, traveling with her, the Star Demons of Star Era Palace, who always kept their noses in the air, did not dare stop the two women from entering this palace.
Star Era Palace was the core of the Northern Constellation Palaces. The environment here was utterly different from the other eleven palaces. Here, there was no ground, nor was there a sky; all around was only Hundun void. Within that Hundun, countless streams of purple qi and yellow qi were surging.
The purple qi was called Heavenly Dao Purple Qi, the form of the Heavenly Dao before it had taken shape.
The yellow qi was called Earth Pillar Qi, the form of the earth pillars before they had taken shape.
The two qi, purple and yellow, were incomparably violent, their wild nature hard to tame. If anyone approached, boundless purple and yellow qi would surge forth, incomparably perilous.
If it were only this level of danger, Xinyi Nv would not have been so wary.
But back then, in order to repel the Sealing Demon Peak Group Demons, Duo Wen Old Demon detonated Star Era Palace’s Transforming Thunder Pool, releasing the Origin Thunder Sea within.
That was the true horror!
That was something that could gravely injure even the Great Demons of Sealing Demon Peak!
The Origin Thunder Sea was colorless and formless, and without any aura!
It was extremely difficult to sense where, within the illusory Hundun of Star Era Palace, Origin Lightning was dispersing.
You could hardly know when and where an invisible sea of lightning would come crashing down upon you.
It was said that only at the moment of death could one see just how beautiful and resplendent the Origin Lightning that struck them truly was...
"So this is Star Era Palace? Nature’s spiritual energy is actually disordered to this degree!" Jiu Xiaojiu stared in shock at the Hundun void before her.
She had never seen such a chaotic, disordered place!
The spiritual energy was disordered!
The flow of time and space alike was disordered!
Not far ahead, Heavenly Dao Purple Qi she needed was clearly drifting there, yet she did not dare reach out to take it!
The hair on her body stood on end!
She did not dare move recklessly!
It was as if some invisible peril were menacing her, as if the instant she stretched out her hand, she would... die.
"It’s right that you’re not randomly reaching out. Three steps ahead of you lies a wisp of Origin Lightning leaking out. If you step forward, you’ll die in an instant. Of course, since you have the Mark of Rain in your body, even if you fall here, that mark should still protect a thread of your Demon Soul from extinction and grant you a chance to reshape yourself. In that respect alone, Senior Ning truly treats you very well." Xinyi Nv said.
"The mark in my body is actually that useful..." Jiu Xiaojiu’s gaze turned somewhat blank.
She had originally thought Ning Fan planted the mark in her in order to hunt her down later and settle scores, but from the looks of it, that might not be the case...
Had she misunderstood Ning Fan?
Was that man perhaps not as bad as he seemed on the surface...
"Right, Senior, didn’t you say earlier that the Origin Thunder Sea dispersing here was invisible? How can you see that there’s Origin Lightning leaking out three steps ahead?" Jiu Xiaojiu asked in puzzlement.
"Although the Thunder Sea here is invisible, one can infer the layout of the Origin Lightning by observing the flow of spiritual energy." Xinyi Nv explained.
"Trying to deduce that from the chaotic flow of spiritual energy must be very difficult, right." Jiu Xiaojiu said.
"Mm, very difficult. We of the army are most skilled in the Dao of battle arrays and military momentum; what we cultivate is nothing more than formations and momentum. Yet even I can only calculate the layout of the lightning field within ten steps around us. Any farther, and it’s impossible; and each calculation costs an enormous amount of time and Heart Spirit. You must stay by my side. Here, you cannot take a single step at random, remember that."
"Oh." Jiu Xiaojiu replied.
"We’ll only move around the outer reaches of Star Era Palace and not go deeper. It’s just a pity that most of the Heavenly Dao Purple Qi in the outer perimeter has already been tainted by Origin Lightning and cannot be harvested. To pick out a single wisp that can be taken from among thousands of tainted streams of purple qi requires endless calculations..." Xinyi Nv said.
And so, the two women advanced through the outer regions of Star Era Palace at a speed countless times slower than a crawling turtle.
From time to time, chaotic purple qi and yellow qi would lash out, all of which were scattered by Xinyi Nv.
Two hours later, the two women had advanced about a hundred steps. Xinyi Nv now had three additional minor injuries on her body, while Jiu Xiaojiu was safe and sound.
Four hours later, the two women advanced another seventy steps. Xinyi Nv gained four more minor injuries, while Jiu Xiaojiu remained unharmed.
Six hours later, the two women advanced another fifty steps, and Xinyi Nv added one serious injury.
At that moment, Jiu Xiaojiu felt guilt and self-reproach.
How could she not see that Senior Xinyi’s Heart Spirit was already greatly damaged at this point, clearly the result of over-calculation. And with the assaults of purple and yellow qi growing ever more frequent, Senior Xinyi was already finding it difficult to withstand them.
If Xinyi Nv were alone, she would not have been forced to the brink of collapse after moving only this distance.
But who told Xinyi Nv to bring along such a burden into this place?
With one extra person, danger did not merely add up; it multiplied geometrically.
Trying to simultaneously calculate a safe route for two people was also countless times more difficult.
"I’m sorry..." Jiu Xiaojiu said.
"Shh, don’t speak. Do you hear something strange?" Xinyi Nv asked.
"Do I? No, I don’t hear anything."
"Is it just my imagination... Never mind. According to my calculations, if we move five more steps in this direction, there will be a wisp of immaculate purple qi that we can harvest. Once we obtain it, we’ll withdraw from here."
"Thank you."
"...You’re welcome."
One step, two steps, three steps, four steps, five steps.
The two women finally arrived before a wisp of immaculate purple qi.
Before Jiu Xiaojiu could harvest the purple qi, an abrupt change erupted!
Invisible wind pressure suddenly swept out from deeper within Star Era Palace.
That wind pressure blew the already chaotic Heavenly Dao Purple Qi into an even greater frenzy!
The entire configuration of the purple qi changed drastically!
"Don’t reach out! The layout of the purple qi has changed! Someone doesn’t want us taking the purple qi here, so they’ve altered the configuration of this place!" Xinyi Nv cried out in shock.
Just who was it that could accomplish something so terrifying!
Bzzz bzzz bzzz, bzzz bzzz bzzz!
After the pressure of the wind, an endless, ear-piercing droning sound rang out from the depths of the Star Era Palace.
That was... the sound of Great Dao Resonance surpassing the Second Step realms!
"There’s something terrifying in the depths of the Star Era Palace! It’s that thing that won’t allow us to casually take the purple qi here!" Xinyi Nv seemed to sense something, her pretty face turning frosty.
"How terrifying are we talking? More terrifying than Ning Fan?" Jiu Xiaojiu shrank back and said.
"What kind of comparison is that..." Xinyi Nv looked puzzled.
Because in her eyes, Ning Fan wasn’t scary at all; on the contrary, he was extremely amiable and worthy of respect.
It was the something in the depths of the Star Era Palace... whose terror had gone beyond what she could comprehend.
Bzzz bzzz bzzz bzzz, bzzz bzzz bzzz bzzz!
The sound of Great Dao Resonance intensified!
As if urging them on, as if driving them away!
"That thing seems to want us to leave quickly..." Xinyi Nv said with an ugly expression.
"Can we even do that..." Jiu Xiaojiu almost wanted to cry.
She really shouldn’t have come to this place, even less should she have dragged Senior Xinyi into danger with her!
"It’s difficult... that thing flew into a rage and completely disrupted the layout of this place. The route you and I used to enter can no longer be used to leave the same way. We must recalculate a path of retreat, and that is absolutely not something that can be done in a short time..." Xinyi Nv said.
"...Then what do we do now?"
"I don’t know... no, that’s bad, it’s coming!"
Under Xinyi Nv’s terrified gaze, a streak of black light came tearing over from the deepest reaches of the Star Era Palace, rampaging in a straight line toward them!
Fearing neither the Origin Thunder hidden all around!
Nor the violent, chaotic purple-yellow qi!
It came charging along the straightest line between two points, its momentum utterly unstoppable! Even the Origin Thunder Sea that could scare off an Ancient Great Demon was smashed into a complete mess by this thing!
Just... what kind of arrogant and horrifying existence was hidden here!
Xinyi Nv watched the direction that thing was approaching from as though facing a mortal enemy. Closer! Closer still! The closer it came, the calmer her expression became. With life and death right before her, she grew indifferent; the only thing on her mind was not her own life, but how to send Jiu Xiaojiu safely out of here.
Jiu Xiaojiu had the Senior Ning’s Mark of Rain protecting her, so with that, she should at least be able to protect one wisp of Jiu Xiaojiu’s Demon Soul to escape safely...
Huh...
This increasingly close black shadow...
Seemed... a bit familiar.
In Xinyi Nv’s gradually dumbfounded gaze, the mysterious ferocious thing she had taken as a flood beast descended in front of them.
Something very familiar.
Xinyi Nv had just seen this thing not long ago.
This was... a pitch‑black Little Black Sphere.
"This is... what..." Jiu Xiaojiu was scared silly by the Little Black Sphere.
She had personally seen the Little Black Sphere coming all the way over, shattering countless purple-yellow qi, and even slamming the Origin Thunder into endless droning.
It was a sort of... arrival that was nearly indestructible, impossible to block!
That kind of momentum made one despair! Made one doubt whether there was anyone in this world who could stop this thing, subdue this thing!
Its ferocity and terror were ten thousand times, a million times worse than when Grandfather Fish Master killed!
"Don’t be afraid, we probably won’t be in danger." Xinyi Nv said calmly.
"What do you mean by that, Senior?" Jiu Xiaojiu asked, confused.
"Because... this is Ning Fan’s thing, so it shouldn’t harm us."
"Senior, don’t joke around. That guy Ning Fan... how could Senior Ning possibly have subdued such a terrifying magical treasure!" Jiu Xiaojiu expressed her disbelief.
She subconsciously wanted to use some disrespectful way to refer to Ning Fan.
But when she thought of the Mark of Rain protecting her body, she unconsciously changed the way she addressed him.
"...This isn’t a magical treasure; what it actually is, I don’t know either. It originally belonged to a Reincarnation Phase Locust Demon Quasi-Saint—or rather, it might be that the Locust Demon actually belonged to this black sphere. Afterwards, that Locust died, and this sphere was tamed by Ning Fan... In short, it shouldn’t harm us." Xinyi Nv said.
"Senior, you’re talking in such a jumble I don’t understand at all. Anyway, we’re safe now, right?" Jiu Xiaojiu said.
Spin spin, spin spin!
The black sphere revolved around the two women. Though it could not speak, Jiu Xiaojiu could faintly sense that this black sphere had humanlike thoughts. It seemed... to be condemning the two of them for recklessly taking the purple qi.
"Is it scolding us?" Jiu Xiaojiu asked.
"Maybe... I don’t really understand how it thinks, but Ning Fan seems to understand it very well. Senior’s methods really are profoundly deep." Xinyi Nv said admiringly.
Spin spin, spin spin!
The Little Black Sphere spun for quite a while and finally stopped circling the two women.
It seemed to have calmed down.
Or perhaps, it had finally sensed the aura of Ning Fan’s imprint from within Jiu Xiaojiu’s body.
Bzzz, bzzz.
Waves of black Great Dao fluctuations pulsed out from within the Little Black Sphere.
Under those Great Dao fluctuations, the chaotic purple-yellow qi and the invisible Origin Thunder began to scatter off into the distance.
In the Hundun void, a road paved with black Great Dao fluctuations appeared.
"It’s probably telling us to follow this road and head to the depths of the Star Era Palace." Xinyi Nv said.
"Are we really going? I’m kind of scared." Jiu Xiaojiu said weakly.
"I’m not scared. On the contrary, I’m very much looking forward to it." Xinyi Nv said.
"Eh? Looking forward to it? Did I hear that right? You’re looking forward to it? Looking forward to what?" Jiu Xiaojiu asked.
"Since this sphere is here, its master is likely here as well. What I’m looking forward to, naturally, is the chance to see Ning Fan in the depths of the Star Era Palace." Xinyi Nv said.
"Senior Ning will be here? I heard he’s been busy repairing a certain magical treasure lately, so he shouldn’t have the time to come here, right?" Jiu Xiaojiu said.
"Or perhaps, Senior came here precisely in order to repair that heavy treasure. Whether that’s true or not, we’ll know once we go." Xinyi Nv said.
"...But I still think it’d be better not to rashly go deeper. Eh? Senior, wait for me!"
Before Jiu Xiaojiu could stop her, Xinyi Nv had already followed the road laid by the Little Black Sphere, flying toward the depths of the Star Era Palace.
Helpless, Jiu Xiaojiu could only grit her teeth and go along with her...