Ancient Vine Forest.
After using the [Rock Flying Technique] to knock back who knows how many monsters, Xue Jian almost gritted her teeth to powder. "Brother Tian, I was wrong. I'm not good enough."
Since obtaining the [Earth Concealment] technique, she has been diligently studying it on her journey.
The [Green Wave Crimson Dew Slash] she obtained in Deyang City complemented her cultivated earth elemental power and was perfectly suited to her physique. Within just a few days of acquiring it, she had already reached the Qi Flowing Through the Body, making it impossible for even a fly to land or a feather to be added, thus helping her Tang Sect internal skills reach their highest level.
So, after the black-haired Long Kui mocked her for what happened the night before, she confidently assured Jing Tian that she could handle the monsters in the Ancient Vine Forest all by herself.
And now.
"It's good that you know you were wrong," Long Kui with black hair said sarcastically.
"Squeak, squeak," Hua Ying said gruffly.
"Hua Ying, how could you—" Xuejian was so angry that the two snow-capped mountains in front of her Xue Jian and fell. "It's just that I didn't use you as a hidden weapon."
She strode into the sword light shield released by Jing Tian, roughly grabbing Hua Ying, who was almost the size of a potato, and yelled, "Come here!"
Hua Ying revealed an expression of enjoyment; she seemed to prefer Xue Jian to be a little rough.
"That's insane, I can't stand it anymore!" a voice came from above.
A dark shadow jumped down from the tree; it was a giant monkey.
"Even if you worship someone as your master, you still have to respect yourself. I never listen to the boss's orders. If he tells me to eat an apple, I insist on eating a banana."
"Squeak." Hua Ying turned around disdainfully, presenting her rear end to the giant monkey.
"The scent of the Earth Spirit Pearl? Is it with you?" Zi Xuan frowned slightly. Since being with Jing Tian, her dormant spiritual energy had become active. Although her Core Elixir had not yet dispersed, she had already recovered some of her strength and sensed things.
"I'm an honest man, I don't do things in secret. It's not just that bead, I took everything in the village!" The giant monkey puffed out his chest, as if he had been praised. He took a step forward, and his body suddenly shrank, turning into a small monkey less than a foot tall.
This little monkey is wearing a headband, a dark red top, and a belt; it's incredibly cute.
Right now, he looked somewhat exasperated. "Oh dear, I'm so angry! How did you suddenly turn back to your old self!"
"So cute." Xue Jian couldn't help but chuckle. "You talk like you're acting, it's so funny!"
"Perhaps you subconsciously believe that true majesty isn't determined by physical appearance, and that you look very imposing like this," Jing Tian teased.
He knew that it was Zi Xuan who had inadvertently revealed the spiritual power of Mother Earth Nuwa, causing the monkey named Jing Jing to subconsciously show its most authentic and comfortable form.
"Really?" The little monkey pulled out a mirror from somewhere. "This great king is indeed majestic!"
"You're carrying the Earth Spirit Pearl with you too?" Xue Jian asked.
"No way!" The little monkey's face scrunched up. "That old vine monster stole the treasure! I've been wanting to steal it back, but that old vine monster is a rat, he can dig holes! I don't know which hole he hid the treasure in. Ugh! That inanimate monster."
"Where is that old monster Vine?" Long Kui asked. She always prioritized her brother, and she could sense that Jing Tian was quite interested in the [Earth Spirit Pearl].
"Are you going to find him?" The little monkey then seriously looked at the four of them.
Long Kui is the crystallization of the divine tree. It is the transformation of the ancient goddess Kui Yu, who was born from the Fruit of the Divine Tree, and her longing for Fei Peng. She has been cultivating in the Demonic Sword for thousands of years.
Xue Jian was created by Xi Yao, one of the Three Great Xuannü of the Divine Realm, using the Fruit of the Divine Tree.
Zi Xuan's divine power, bestowed by Nuwa, has already manifested itself.
Jing Tian's spiritual power had already obtained the Pangu's Marrow, and the manifested sword light had not yet subsided.
Upon seeing this, the little monkey, though unaware of the four people's origins, immediately shrank its neck and hid behind a tree, saying, "You... you wouldn't be here to capture me, would you?"
Xue Jian found it amusing. "Why would we capture you? To keep you as a pet? You're so small, you must be hard to raise. Besides, if we take you around, won't we look like traveling performers?"
"What's so hard about raising me!" The little monkey jumped out from behind the tree again, puffing up its cheeks. "My boss is Li Han Kong. I inherited all his martial arts skills, you know the Dragon Claw Hand Stealing Technique? I know it too!"
"Li Han Kong? That's a figure from three hundred years ago." Xue Jian exclaimed in surprise, "You little monkey are already three hundred years old? But Li Han Kong was a chivalrous thief who specialized in punishing those rich and heartless people, converting the stolen goods into silver and grain, and distributing them to the poor."
"And you," Xue Jian mocked, "You probably spend your days stealing chickens and dogs in the village, idling around, right? Luckily you met us. If it were someone else, like Xu Changqing from the neighboring Shu Mountain, he kills any demon he sees. If you met him, you'd be dead!"
"I—" The little monkey was a little guilty. He loved to steal chickens from Granny Jiang's house in Anning Village. "I left some fruit and herbs, and I didn't touch the dog."
"Oh, you really did steal a chicken!" Xue Jian exclaimed in surprise.
"Let me tell you about that Ancient Vine Demon. Come with me," the little monkey said, ignoring Xue Jian and making a move to lead the way. "That guy has thousands of years of cultivation. His vines can stretch for miles and are more flexible than an arm. Only I, Jing Jing, can fight him."
"Your name is Jing Jing?" Xue Jian teased.
The little monkey turned his head, keenly sensing that Jing Tian was the one in charge among the four. "Sir, you should control your wife. I am a monkey with a master, and a male monkey at that. How can you call a man by his name?"
Xue Jian blushed, glanced triumphantly at Long Kui, and then at Zi Xuan.
"You little monkey." Jing Tian couldn't help but reach out and pat the little monkey's head. He understood Bodhi Patriarch's feelings when he saw Sun Wukong.
The little monkey squinted his eyes instinctively, but the next moment, he quickly backed away. "Why are you like my boss? Don't touch my head, or I won't grow tall. I'm leading the way for you!"
However, this did not stop Jing Tian from committing heinous acts.
"Brother, Xiaokui wants to touch it too." Long Kui reached out her hand.
"I want one too," Xue Jian said.
"Then I will too," Zi Xuan hesitated and reached out her hand.
"Why are you all like this?"
After a short while, the little monkey was completely at everyone's mercy, until Hua Ying quietly flew up to his head and squeaked.
"Why are you here too!" The little monkey immediately shook its head in protest.
Playing and frolicking along the way, before they knew it, the group had crossed several stone turtle-shaped traps and a suspension bridge, arriving at the end of the road.
Ahead was a thick layer of vines, and in the center was a high platform where an old man with a withered face stood.
"Hey, old man, move aside! King Jingjing's friend is going to find the Jing Jing Ancient Vine Demon." The little monkey stood at the head of the group, acting as if he were the leader.
"He's not Ancient Vine Demon." Xue Jian said sullenly, retracting the rock that had solidified above her head.
"Of course," the old man snorted, "Children just don't know any better. I am the Ancient Vine Immortal, an immortal! The Ancient Vine Demon is a demon! A demon is a demon, and an immortal is an immortal. They are completely different! Little monkey, for the sake of our three hundred years as neighbors, I will let you pass alone."
"You old monster, I could have made it by myself!" the little monkey grinned. "You really are asking for trouble!"
"You little monkey—" The Ancient Vine Immortal was wondering why this little monkey, who usually called him Master Ancient Vine, was so brave today, but then he saw Jing Tian take a step forward and draw his sword half a foot from its sheath.
I want to die, I want to die.
Even just one glance was enough for him to see his own death.
Damn it, it turns out he's just a monkey relying on his master's power.
"Ahem, I mean, you little monkey are too distant with me, you don't understand me at all, how could I not let Jing Jing, your friend, go over?"
"Come, everyone, please!"
With a wave of his hand, the vines blocking the way immediately disappeared, revealing a wide passage.
The sword was sheathed.
Jing Jing turned around, put her hands on her hips, and looked smug, as if to say, "Now you know how Divine Aura I, King Jing Jing, am."
Xue Jian patted her head and said, "You little monkey, do you really think you're so great? It was Brother Tian who stood up for you."
Jing Jing made a face, turned around and ran ahead to continue leading the way.
"This Ancient Vine Immortal also carries the scent of the Earth Spirit Pearl." After walking a distance, Zi Xuan said, "For a tree spirit like him who has already cultivated into an immortal, even if the Earth Spirit Pearl is not in his possession, as long as it is nearby, he can still seize its power."
"That old monster!" Jing Jing the monkey exclaimed, his face contorted in pain. "He must have told the Ancient Vine Demon!"
Xue Jian took the opportunity to pat her head again, "You little monkey, Sister Zi Xuan said that as long as you are nearby, you can seize power. You are also his neighbor, so he has no reason to tell the Ancient Vine Demon."
Hua Ying let out two dark squeaks. She desperately needed to win back Xue Jian's attention from this little monkey.
"No, there's a reason." Jing Tian looked at the towering tree in front of him. "This tree was transformed from the branches of the Ancient Vine Immortal. His main body became an immortal, but part of his body still retains his demon form. This is cultivating both immortality and demonhood."
Moreover, he already knew which system this [Earth Spirit Pearl] came from—the one that imprisoned Nu Ba.
"No wonder this Ancient Vine Demon can't talk!" Jing Jing suddenly realized. "So the old monster vine is putting on a show with me! Making Jing Jing of me, King Jingjing!"
Snap.
The Ancient Vine Immortal seemed to have overheard their conversation.
A round bead fell from the tree and landed right at Jing Tian's feet.
At the same time, a figure swept in with an evil wind, reaching out its claws to pounce on the round bead.
Snap—
Jing Tian kicked out, shattering the evil light protecting the figure and sending it flying backward, crashing into the ancient vine demon's body. The vines then bound the figure.
"Is this the guy who's been following us all along?" Xue Jian asked.
It was a burly man with incredibly Evil Qi eyes, a tall stature, and a full beard. He struggled, his body swelling as if he were about to transform into another form, but the vines not only bound his body, but also sealed off and extracted the dense Demonic Aura emanating from him.
"Yes, that's him, Luo Rulie, the Thunderclap Hall." Jing Tian then summoned the sphere back into his hand.
"You... you found me all along?" Luo Rulie gave up struggling. "Don't think you've won. The Lord will avenge me!"
"Hua Ying." Xue Jian's expression darkened, and she reached out her hand.
"Squeak!" Hua Ying's voice became cheerful, and she immediately flew into Xue Jian's hand.
"Heavenly Spirit Thousand Rifts!" Xue Jian each word clearly, and when she got to the word "ripples," Hua Ying had already been thrown at Luo Rulie's forehead.
Bang--
The seemingly endless giant tree trembled, and Luo Rulie's head exploded like a watermelon.
"Squeak!" Hua Ying flew back, extremely excited, as if urging Xue Jian to do it again.
"What kind of weird move is this?!" Jing Jing clutched her monkey head, experiencing phantom pain. "This name makes my skull shatter into a thousand pieces, doesn't it?!"
Although he is Monkey Demon, he also knows martial arts.
That move just now combined the hidden weapon techniques of the Tang Sect, channeling all his strength into it, while also containing the power of earth-based immortal arts.
The Five-Poison Beast then combined the external power with their own immortal power, unleashing this earth-shattering attack.
But compared to its power, this move is ridiculous.
Also, he was really lucky that he didn't lose his life.
"Hey, Sister Xue Jian, what grudge do you have against him?"
"He almost angered my grandfather to death, and he even wanted to take over our Tang Sect," Xue Jian said.
The little monkey breathed a sigh of relief.
"Is this the Earth Spirit Pearl?" Long Kui asked.
Jing Tian nodded.
"So, should we head to Mount Shu next?" Zi Xuan asked hesitantly.
She was afraid to see Changqing again.
Because her heart already belongs to another.
"Let's go tomorrow." Jing Tian took Zi Xuan's hand.
This wasn't just out of consideration for Zi Xuan's feelings.
He also needs to spend some time guiding the earth spirits and seeing old friends.
Late at night.
Zi Xuan and the others had already gone to sleep.
They left the Ancient Vine Forest together, returned all the stolen items to their rightful owners, Goblin to each of them, and Hua Ying also fell into a deep sleep.
Jing Tian sat cross-legged, with a precious pearl that shone with Amber Spiritual Light hanging above his head.
Inside the Earth Spirit Pearl.
Inside the main hall, a woman sat regally on the throne in the very center.
She exuded a delicate and frail air, like Xi Shi clutching her heart, and her furrowed brows seemed to hold a sorrow she could never shake off.
But then those eyes opened.
Everything has changed.
Her delicately arched eyebrows, seemingly furrowed yet not quite, exuded an unassailable air of authority, while her thin, cherry-petal-like lips were pressed into a line, revealing her fortitude and decisiveness.
But what's most striking are those eyes.
Their eyes were as deep and cold as a pool, as if they were about to burst forth with flames that could burn the entire world.
"Fei Peng?"
The cold voice began to show a hint of warmth.
"Long time no see, Nu Ba." Jing Tian, dressed in magnificent silver-white armor, appeared in the Yuda Hall.
"How long? It's been a thousand years, ten thousand years, or even longer." The woman sighed. "Fuxi has forgotten us. But I never expected that Xuanyuan would forget me too. It was he who used his divine power to mold me from the earth's fire, and it was he who gave me life."
"Given? No, that's just a catalyst," Fei Peng said. "Gods cannot create another god. They all use their own divine power to stimulate the spirituality of matter that would have given birth to a god."
"Yes, when did I become like Ao Xu?" Nu Ba sighed. "However, without Xuanyuan, perhaps I would never have had the chance to be born. Being forged into a powerful divine weapon in [Flame Wave] would have been my fate."
Ao Xu was one of the first generation of gods created by Fuxi using his own divine power. He was the elder of the divine realm's prison and was in charge of the laws of the divine realm.
He fanatically worshipped Fuxi, was proud of possessing the purest divine bloodline, and deeply despised the new gods formed from the Divine Tree Fruit.
But in reality, they are no different from the Neo-Gods.