Chapter Seventy-Nine: The Girl in the White Dress

Although the paralyzing venom seemed tempting, he lacked more than a dozen aged poisonous herbs and flowers at the moment, so he could only look on with longing. For now, he could only focus on cultivating and improving his realm.

The small town was tranquil; the night passed uneventfully, and soon dawn arrived.

Chu Xin’er’s injury, though not damaging her tendons or bones, would have required at least ten days of rest for an ordinary person. But she was different—after all, she was a cultivator of the Thirteenth Heaven, and had taken several healing pills. After a night of meditation, her wounds were almost completely healed.

This place was not entirely safe. Now that her cultivation was at its peak, Chu Xin’er left the inn and continued circling toward the southern mountain range.

Her plan was simple: the sooner she left the mountain where Huang Yipeng died, the sooner she could clear herself of suspicion.

Thus, over the next few days, Chu Xin’er didn’t stop searching for rogue cultivators for Xiao Wenzi to feed upon. Thanks to Huang Bing’s preconceived notions, who was constantly seeking suspicious Foundation Establishment cultivators, she managed to reach the edge of the southern mountain range without danger.

With several days passing without Huang Bing pursuing or interrogating her, Chu Xin’er believed she was finally safe, and relaxed considerably.

Though she had come to the southern mountain range to lay low, she couldn’t let the opportunity pass without accomplishing something. She decided to pause and restore her cultivation, then venture deeper into the mountains.

First, she wanted to seek materials for refining the Foundation Establishment Pill. Though she had acquired most of the spiritual flowers and herbs required, one set of materials likely wouldn’t be enough to ensure a smooth breakthrough. To be safe, she needed to gather at least two sets.

Additionally, she lacked the poisonous herbs and flowers Xiao Wen had requested. She would try to find them, and also search for a rogue cultivator for him to feed on.

After nearly being captured by Huang Yipeng and subsequently rescued by Xiao Wen, Chu Xin’er was moved and became even more attentive to Xiao Wenzi’s advancement.

Deep in the southern mountain range were high-level demon beasts, but Chu Xin’er was no fool. She avoided provoking them, only harvesting spiritual herbs near the nests of lesser beasts, so she was rarely in real danger.

Boom, boom—

A giant berserk ape was ambushed by Xiao Wenzi, whose attack pierced its eyes. Wracked with pain, the beast flailed its arms, sending trees and rocks flying, but the mosquito, no bigger than a thumb, had already dodged away.

Blood spurted as the sharp Vajra Sword sliced through the ape’s neck. Its dark head was sent flying, while its massive body crashed to the ground.

Less than third-level, the demon beast had no inner core, but its pelt and hands were valuable materials, which could be exchanged for spirit stones at the market.

After picking the spiritual herb, Chu Xin’er cut off all the sellable parts of the ape and stored them in her pouch.

The cultivator and demon mosquito worked in perfect harmony; so long as they didn’t encounter beasts of too high a level, they could always prevail. If things went poorly, they could toss a few talismans and escape.

Thus, Xiao Wenzi and Chu Xin’er spent half a month training in the southern mountain range, following a route similar to the geese’s flight path, deliberately avoiding the territories of powerful demon beasts.

Unbeknownst to them, they had already left a thousand miles of forest behind, and the small town of Kaoshan appeared ahead.

Passing through Kaoshan once more, en route to Nanshan City, Xiao Wenzi couldn’t help but recall the time, after killing that villain, when he had been forced to flee.

He felt some emotion, but did not mention it to Chu Xin’er.

This time, passing through Nanshan City was merely to sell the demon beast materials and look for needed spiritual herbs and poisonous plants. He always remained hidden in the beast pouch, so who could ever know?

“Welcome, Senior Sister! Please, come in!”

There were only a few immortal sects in Tiannan County, with Greenleaf Sect being the most powerful.

Thus, when Chu Xin’er produced her disciple badge, the young gatekeeper of Falling Feather Sect not only waived any fees, but courteously admitted her.

Entering the Nanshan City market, the process of selling demon beast materials went smoothly.

However, the remaining main and auxiliary ingredients for the Foundation Establishment Pill were rare, and none of the city’s shops stocked them. Even the poisonous herbs Xiao Wenzi needed could only be found in one instance, still leaving three or four short for his cultivation.

With no other choice, Chu Xin’er left Nanshan City, intending to return to the sect and gauge Uncle Huang Bing’s attitude.

If he harbored no suspicion, she could confidently exchange her surplus spiritual herbs for sect contributions, then purchase some Watercloud Pills to enter seclusion, cultivating until she reached perfection at the Thirteenth Heaven, before venturing out to search for the remaining Foundation Establishment Pill ingredients.

If he became suspicious, she would seize an opportunity to leave, never returning to Greenleaf Sect, and seek her fortune farther afield.

Before heading back to the sect, however, Chu Xin’er planned to find some minor cultivators for Xiao Wenzi to feed on, lingering outside Nanshan City for a day.

Soon after she transformed into a streak of light and entered the southern mountain range, two young cultivators lying pale-faced in the woods let out piercing screams.

The pair, both at the sixth level of Qi Refinement, looked at the large bumps on their faces and bodies, and after their cries, recalled the demon mosquito incident that had plagued Nanshan City a year prior.

Soon enough, rumors spread that the demon mosquito had resurfaced, now serving as the ferocious black-clad witch’s spiritual pet, and the news circulated throughout Nanshan City.

Yang Fan, the city lord, and Manager Xu both frowned upon hearing it, especially Yang Fan, who had spent much time investigating and lay in wait in the southern mountains, now filled with frustration.

A day later, Chu Xin’er’s figure appeared outside Tiannan City. After a long journey, feeling somewhat weary, she planned to rest in the city before returning to the sect.

Tiannan City was a mundane town; even if Chu Xin’er did not suppress her aura, no one could discern her cultivation. They merely sensed an ethereal quality about her.

Suddenly, just as she was about to seek an inn, a commotion arose on the street ahead.

At the end of the avenue, a lavishly dressed young ruffian, his hat askew, blocked a maiden’s path with a leering smile. Over a dozen liveried servants stood by his side.

“Get lost! I’m not someone you can easily provoke. If you don’t leave now, I’ll be forced to act…”

The girl in the white dress was about the same age as Chu Xin’er, sixteen or seventeen, in the prime of youth, remarkably beautiful, but with a fiery temperament. As she spoke, she raised her jade hand as if to strike.

But the young ruffian was undaunted, grinning as he replied,

“My, such a feisty beauty! But I like that. Why keep your distance, sweetheart? Follow me, and you’ll enjoy the finest food and drink…”

As he spoke, he reached out to touch her face.

Smack—

Unable to endure being publicly harassed, the girl in white delivered a slap that sent the young ruffian stumbling backward. Fortunately, a quick-witted servant rushed forward to catch him; otherwise, he would have suffered a far greater embarrassment.