The Journey of Immortal Cultivation-Chapter 395 - 234 Breakthrough
Ning Xiaoxian had no desire to chat with her and smiled, "If your Miss likes it so much, why doesn’t she come and negotiate herself?"
The Maid’s face turned red with anger, "My Miss’s status is such that, how dare you suggest that she..." She didn’t finish her words when she suddenly noticed that her Miss was already standing by her side, which gave her quite a scare.
Ning Xiaoxian sat, while the Miss stood upright and haughtily looked down, "Your bird, how much are you willing to sell it for?"
Huh, isn’t this the very woman who ambushed her with a sword in the bath just now? Ning Xiaoxian cracked a peanut, the corners of her mouth lifting in a smile, totally forgetting that it was she who first shot a dagger at the other.
"My bird is not for sale at any price. However—" She purposely drew out her tone, and seeing the slight change on the Miss’s face, continued, "If it takes a liking to you and is willing to go with you, then I have no objection." Saying this, she reached out and gently stroked the back of the White Bird, and Qi Zai obligingly lowered its head to rub against her fingers.
This adorable action caused a collective light gasp from the ladies upstairs. Women’s resistance to cute animals is very low, so after a moment, the Miss loftily said, "A deal it is." Then she took out a small red fruit from her bosom.
A round, lantern-like little red fruit. Changtian only glanced at it once before reporting, "A fifty-year-old Red Flame Fruit, it’s an ingredient for the Heart Protecting Pill, and we happen to need this particular one for our garden. Qi Zai, accept it."
Wow, Red Flame Fruit, eh? This Miss really is from a wealthy family, using such an extraordinary fruit the moment she makes a move.
Qi Zai hopped into her palm, examining and sniffing the red fruit, then after a moment of consideration as though struggling internally, the Miss, seeing its reaction, couldn’t help but hold her breath in suspense.
After a few seconds, Qi Zai seemed to have made a significant decision, finally taking the Vermilion Fruit into its mouth and with a tilt of its neck, swallowed it down.
"A good bird chooses a tree to perch on." The Miss gave Ning Xiaoxian a provocative look. She snorted lightly through her nose and returned to her seat.
However, as soon as she settled down and had the Maid pour a bowl of wine for the White Bird, it just looked at it and didn’t drink. She was about to reach out to pet the White Bird, which gave a light chirp and took flight. It moved so quickly she didn’t even catch a glimpse of the bird’s figure, and her attempt to pet it missed its mark. The Miss looked up in surprise to see the little bird fly two circles around the hostelry’s beams at lightning speed, then gently and gracefully return to perch on Ning Xiaoxian’s shoulder.
Just then holding up her wine cup, Ning Xiaoxian offered a distant salute, "A good bird chooses a tree to perch on. Qi Zai, aren’t you going to thank the Miss for her hospitality?"
Ning Xiaoxian repeated to the Miss the very words she’d said just ten seconds before.
The White Bird chirped twice, as if mocking the woman who returned empty-handed. The Miss couldn’t bear it any longer, she stood up abruptly, and angrily exclaimed, "You fraud, give me back my Spirit Fruit!"
Ning Xiaoxian was taken aback, "It’s not like I ate your fruit, how can I return it?" Her words amused several patrons in the inn, causing them to chuckle aloud. Then they saw the Miss sweep her gaze over, sharp as swords, and they quickly stifled their laughter.
The Miss narrowed her eyes and said, "Did you set a trap for me, causing this bird to con me out of my fruit?" There was a faint killing aura in her words. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺
"Miss, I am here enjoying myself feeding the bird wine, it was you who approached on your own accord, wasn’t it?" Ning Xiaoxian spoke leisurely, "Besides, how was I to know what you would feed it with?"
She sighed, "You have to accept the loss in a bet, my dear. My Qi Zai clearly expressed a dislike for following you, why insist on it?"
But the Miss was not incited to rage again, instead, her expression turned cold as she spoke word by word, "Fine, you’ve brought this on yourself, I..." Before she could finish, a distant rumbling resounded, like the heavens were splitting and the earth was cracking, shaking the flooring under everyone’s feet, almost toppling them.
The patrons upstairs changed their expressions, preparing to flee for their lives. Thankfully, the ground only shook that once and then fell silent again.
The Maid standing by urgently said, "Miss, we must hurry, that... that thing has come out early!"
The Miss’s face also turned pale, and she said to Ning Xiaoxian, "I’ll settle with you later!"
After all, her heart was set on that ’thing’, she only glanced at the White Bird once more, stamped her foot, and then, along with the Maid, they both mounted a Magic Artifact and flew up before everyone’s eyes, heading quickly towards the direction of the sound.
Wow, Immortal ladies indeed. The patrons’ eyes widened, watching the direction where the two Immortal sisters disappeared, then turned to Ning Xiaoxian. This young lady had offended an Immortal; they wondered how she would deal with the fallout. She looked sweet and charming, and the gazes upon her were mostly sympathetic.
"Came out early?" She murmured, not paying attention to the looks from others.
"It seems some Treasure has come into the world ahead of schedule." Qi Zai bent a claw, scratching its head as if it were a little puppy, and then transmitted, "Among the Various Immortal Sects and Demon Sects, there are experts capable of divining the rough time and location of a Treasure’s emergence. This master and servant pair are probably rushing to claim it."
"When does a treasure emerge that causes the heavens to collapse and the earth to crack?" she asked with the earnest curiosity of a seeker.
"...You should be asking, what treasure doesn’t?" Qi Zai said sullenly, "Any treasure coveted by the various sects and clans causes a huge commotion upon its emergence."
She never knew that these treasures, after being buried for thousands of years, could cause such turmoil upon their re-emergence. Could it be that the treasures have a spirit, resentful of being buried for too long in loneliness? But that was none of her business. As for the treasures everyone fought over, it wasn’t that she wasn’t interested; it was just that her strength was too weak compared to the various Immortal Sects, so it was best not to vie with others for them.
She consoled herself, there was no rush. As long as she quietly completed this westward journey and released Changtian, she could snatch any treasure she took a liking to then!
After eating, Ning Xiaoxian leisurely strolled around the town before returning to the inn, buying many local specialties and tossing them into her storage bag, then stepped into the God Demon Prison.
Now, she could already last nearly half an hour in the Demon Transformation Spring and gradually started to feel that the spring water was not so bone-chillingly cold.
Changtian made her take an elixir. Half an hour later, when he fished this frozen popsicle out of the spring, her hair tips were frozen, but this time he did not use his Divine Power to warm her. Because today, the aura inside her was different than usual.
The Divine Power within the Demon Spring rampaged through her body; she strenuously restrained the Power of the Giant Snake that was running wild, driving it into her Demon Core.
When the last wisp of Divine Power obediently settled down, the Demon Core suddenly emitted a faint gold light, followed by pale blue Divine Power that escaped from within the core and raced at high speed through the meridians of her entire body—one, two, three Circulations... until it passed through thirty-six Circulations. She was indifferent to the warm feeling throughout her body, focusing solely on mindful observation and calming her mind, seemingly entering a realm without joy or sorrow.
After an indeterminate amount of time, a soft "pop" sounded from within her inner core, as if something invisible had been shattered. Ning Xiaoxian knew that she had made a breakthrough, advancing from the Late-stage Transformation to the early stage of the Great Success Stage.
Powerful strength filled her body, and she felt as though she could do anything. Of course, she understood that this was just an illusion. Yet, from now on, after leaving the Demon Spring, she no longer needed to rely on Changtian’s Divine Power to warm herself. As her own power grew stronger, the harm the Demon Spring did to her diminished.
"Not bad, your breakthrough was faster than I anticipated!" Changtian rarely praised her, a satisfied smile spreading across his eyes, a dashing charm like the sun breaking through clouds. She couldn’t help but be moved and lightly kissed his lips like a dragonfly skimming water before giggling and trying to sneak away.
This action triggered a chain reaction, him capturing her in a reflexive swoop and pinning her down for a deep kiss on the Black Stone Chair, until both were gasping for breath before they let go.
She had been flying long distances for ten days, scarcely entering the God Demon Prison, and now the two of them hugging and whispering sweet nothings felt an irresistible surge of emotion. She coughed to divert her attention and said, "In ancient times, have you ever eaten a Chongming Bird?"
He hummed absentmindedly.
"What’s the taste like? Is it delicious?" She was simply making small talk.
"Swallowed it whole, couldn’t taste anything," he finally caught her hand, twisting it behind her back and securing it.
Then, she could ask no more.
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That night, she slept soundly in the soft bed. The inn actually used great quality duck-down quilts, and she had already bought two the previous day during her shopping spree to stuff into the small wooden cabin in the God Demon Prison. Changtian shook his head and said, "I’ve never seen a cultivator like you who never forgets to indulge in food, drink, and pleasure."
The next morning, she carefully rinsed her mouth with green salt and changed into a fresh set of clothes, then stepped out spirited and refreshed: "Let’s go, next stop, departure."
Tu Jin had already rejoined them last night and was now in the God Demon Prison. Qi Zai had transformed back into the Chongming Bird, its flapping wings stirring up sand and stones as it majestically took to the sky.
However, no one noticed that the direction they were heading was precisely where the treasure had caused the heavens to collapse and the earth to crack yesterday.
Not long after Qi Zai took flight, a huge rumbling noise suddenly came from ahead, even louder than yesterday’s, as if it could even disperse the clouds in the sky. At the moment, she idly wondered what the ground in the city must be like now until she suddenly realized that the direction Qi Zai was flying was apparently precisely where all the sects were competing fiercely for!
Indeed, the fog ahead revealed silhouettes of people, and quite a number of them.
Sensing trouble, Ning Xiaoxian quickly instructed Qi Zai, who immediately reversed direction and flew southward. (To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation tickets and Monthly Tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)
