Chapter 105: Chapter 103: The Peculiar Primordial Longevity Pearl

Song Ciwan activated the Fetal Transformation Technique, switching to her Xin Mian persona.

This time, however, she left the Big White Goose at home, having infused it with an Iron Feather Talisman and equipped it with an Exorcism Talisman and an Armor Talisman.

She also left it plenty of soybean pulp and insects.

Most of these insects had come from the Xu Family Beast Garden, many of which were highly venomous.

Later, cultivated within the Five Poison Jar, the insects fought and devoured one another. Song Ciwan had also tossed in Spirit Medicines like Strengthening Pills and Qi Circulation Pills. The insects absorbed ample Energy, reproducing after their battles and acts of Devouring. Two or three generations had been bred since then.

The Big White Goose started by eating the first generation of insects. After gradually adapting, its poison resistance grew stronger and stronger. Now, ordinary poisonous insects couldn’t harm it. It seemed to have an iron stomach, capable of digesting all sorts of toxins.

Before leaving, Song Ciwan gently stroked the goose’s back and said, "Big White, you have to watch the house. You can eat the insects, but you can’t let them escape. If any of them get out, you must catch them and eat them, understand?"

The Big White Goose raised its long neck, honking, "GAA GAA," as if to say that with it watching the house, Wanwan had nothing to worry about.

Song Ciwan laughed and ruffled the goose’s head again before changing into her traveling gear and heading out.

Arriving at Wangjiang Mountain, Song Ciwan didn’t queue up to rent a cave residence but instead went straight to the bounty board area.

She stood at the edge of the crowd, carefully examining the various quests scrolling across the large bounty screen. The quest from Princess Chunshui of Bright Moon Square was still listed prominently, and no one had solved it yet.

The bounty, however, had risen from one hundred to a staggering two hundred Primordial Pearls!

Her brow twitched slightly. Just as she was about to look at the other quests, she suddenly heard a pleasantly surprised voice from behind her: "Brother Xin, it’s been a long time. You’ve—you’ve finally come today!"

Before Song Ciwan could even react, a surging wave of emotions followed the voice.

[Collected by the Heaven and Earth Scale: Human desires. The surprise, joy, and worry of a Qi Transformation Stage Cultivator. Two catties, three taels. Ready for sale.]

Even Song Ciwan was startled. She turned around and saw a familiar face—it was Xie Yunxiang!

Xie Yunxiang’s face was filled with joy. The moment Song Ciwan turned, he clasped his hands in greeting and said, "Brother Xin, have you been busy lately? Have you come today to rent a cave residence or to look at these bounty quests?"

He was incredibly enthusiastic, and a second wave of intense emotion washed over her.

[Human desires. The joy, worry, and joy of a Qi Transformation Stage Cultivator. Two catties, six taels. Ready for sale.]

Song Ciwan: "..."

’These surging emotions collected by the Heaven and Earth Scale weren’t just Xie Yunxiang’s feelings; they were my Cultivation!’

Song Ciwan was genuinely touched. Knowing he was likely seeking a favor, she decided not to beat around the bush. "I’ve been in Cultivation for a few days. After so much stillness, I felt like moving. I don’t have a clear goal, just wandering around and looking."

Xie Yunxiang was instantly delighted. "Since you have nothing planned, Brother Xin, how about joining me for a short walk?"

Song Ciwan nodded in agreement. Xie Yunxiang hurried over to hand off his duties to someone else, then led Song Ciwan out of the Stewards’ Hall.

People came and went at the foot of Wangjiang Mountain, making it lively but not overly crowded.

Song Ciwan and Xie Yunxiang walked along a small path at the foot of the mountain. Xie Yunxiang suppressed his excitement, first making a few moments of small talk with Song Ciwan before eagerly bringing up Illusory Nether City.

Recently, his sixteenth aunt had pressured him to get married nearly ten times, almost once a day. The constant nagging nearly drove Xie Yunxiang out of his mind.

Even Mrs. Xie personally rejecting her was no use. Sixteenth Aunt was truly putting all her effort into matchmaking that "fine, powerfully built woman" for Xie Yunxiang.

’Xie Yunxiang truly hadn’t expected to receive such a "blessing" in his middle age.’

He couldn’t handle it, and so he had been looking forward to seeing his good brother "Xin Mian" with increasing desperation.

Song Ciwan asked in confusion, "Illusory Nether City? Where is that?"

Xie Yunxiang quickly explained, "In the Great Zhou World, every County potentially has a corresponding Illusory Nether City."

He recited in a leisurely tone, "Illusory Nether City, the limit of Human experience, the Abyss of the world. Confined by the mortal realm, yet separate from it."

After reciting it, he went on to explain the origins of Illusory Nether City in detail.

"It seems that in this world, for everything that is created, an opposing force is inevitably born alongside it."

"For example, there is Vitality. The Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi nourishes all things, like sunlight and rain for plants, the sky for birds, or rivers for fish..."

"These things are both indispensable and positive."

"In contrast, there are other things in this world that are inherently negative—they are turbid and chaotic. They do not nourish; they only destroy!"

"Nether Qi, for instance, is one such thing."

"Nether Qi is the opposite of Vitality."

"Wherever Vitality is exceptionally abundant, a Netherworld Spring will inevitably form alongside it."

"The Netherworld Spring, in turn, absorbs all the world’s negative emotions—greed, anger, ignorance, hatred, malice, desire—and eventually gathers and ferments them, creating a huge disaster."

Xie Yunxiang said, "Illusory Nether City doesn’t exist in our world, but in a chaotic space that corresponds to it. The city constrains the eruption of the Netherworld Spring, trapping all the chaotic terror it absorbs within its walls."

"Look at the world we live in. Although there are all kinds of suffering and hardship, it is, at least, the Mortal World."

"Illusory Nether City, however, is a world of bizarre Demons. And the bizarre Demons in Illusory Nether City are different from those in the Mortal World."

"But if someone under fifty years old with abundant Life Force enters it and slays the bizarre monsters in Illusory Nether City, there is a chance to obtain a Primordial Longevity Pearl. This item has the miraculous effect of increasing one’s Lifespan. A single Village Level bizarre monster’s Primordial Longevity Pearl can extend a person’s life by one year!"

As he spoke of this, Xie Yunxiang’s expression grew slightly excited.

As Song Ciwan listened, her own heart skipped a beat.

Xie Yunxiang continued, "Primordial Longevity Pearls are extremely valuable. You could take one to any merchant, and a single one would fetch at least a thousand Primordial Pearls!" 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

At this point, his emotions surged once more.

The Heaven and Earth Scale actually collected another burst of his energy: [Human desires. The joy, worry, and obsession of a Qi Transformation Stage Cultivator. One catty, eight taels. Ready for sale.]

’Song Ciwan was stunned by Xie Yunxiang’s "generosity." When I came to Wangjiang Mountain today, my original intention really wasn’t to fleece him...’

’But who could blame me when Xie Yunxiang was being so generous!’

Having explained this much, Xie Yunxiang finally revealed his ultimate goal. "Brother Xin, it’s not just about the Primordial Longevity Pearls. There are many other unique resources in Illusory Nether City that can’t be found in the outside world, things that are exclusive to the city."

"Brother Xin, in three days, this year’s Illusory Nether City opening day will arrive. I have three entry slots for Illusory Nether City. I was wondering if Brother Xin would be interested in Traveling to Illusory Nether City with me?"

’Three more days...’

’Three days from now would be the thirtieth of the last month—New Year’s Eve!’