Wanting It All

Facing adversity and defying the heavens is the only way to transcend myriad tribulations and ascend.

The Child of Destiny is favored by the Heavenly Dao, so she will defy the heavens.

"True Lord, I choose the third wooden box."

After reloading the save file once more, Bai Lan decisively chose the Azure Dragon Spear Art, that Earth-tier divine ability.

"So decisive?" Ji Feng, standing nearby, raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you afraid it's empty?"

"True Lord Lingxiao and Martial Uncle Ji are both honorable individuals who keep their promises. Since they promised a generous gift to a junior, they naturally wouldn't deceive me," Bai Lan said, giving both of them a compliment.

Ji Feng shook his head and chuckled lightly, "Sharp-tongued."

Lingxiao, however, nodded, his expression proud. "Yes, you are correct. I am indeed an honorable person who keeps my promises. Little girl, what you say is much more pleasant to hear than your Martial Uncle's."

Ji Feng, inexplicably dragged into the comparison, exclaimed, "Master, do you even hear what you're saying? I'm still here!"

"This old man knows you're here, why are you shouting? Hmph, little girl, this old man is in a good mood today. I'll give you all three wooden boxes, no need to struggle with choosing," Lingxiao said, waving his sleeve. The three wooden boxes landed neatly in Bai Lan's hands.

Looking down at the three neatly arranged wooden boxes in her hands, Bai Lan's mind went blank for a moment.

So...

They were all given to her?

Why did she waste brain cells earlier, repeatedly reloading the save file to carefully consider her choice?

"Thank you, True Lord! You are truly the best Core Formation True Lord in the entire Azure Sect!" Bai Lan smiled brightly, decisively giving him a compliment.

Being able to have them all, she was naturally delighted.

Carrying the three wooden boxes out of the Law Enforcement Hall, Bai Lan felt refreshed and believed the trip was worthwhile.

After fighting Long Aotian, she was actually scouted by the Law Enforcement Hall's HR.

Although the employment conditions were a bit harsh... it wasn't impossible to complete them.

She'd find a lucky Foundation Establishment stage demonic cultivator to borrow a head from later.

Just based on the value of these three wooden boxes, Bai Lan's favorability towards True Lord Lingxiao had already maxed out.

Rich! Generous!

Is this the type from the game where if you increase favorability too much, you'll go bankrupt from Spirit Stones!

"Martial Nephew, please wait." Ji Feng's voice came from behind her.

Bai Lan turned around. "Martial Uncle, is something the matter?"

Ji Feng raised his eyebrows. "It's nothing major, I just wanted to ask Martial Nephew for a small favor."

"Martial Uncle, please speak freely. Martial Nephew will listen respectfully."

With the coldest expression, speaking the most polite words, Ji Feng smiled at the sight and took out a map.

"Martial Nephew, do you know that in half a month, the Nine Yin Secret Realm will open?" Ji Feng held up the map. "It's a secret realm that only Qi Refining disciples can enter. It's fraught with danger, but there are also many opportunities. Some say they obtained supreme inheritances within. Whether it's true or false, it's yet to be known."

Bai Lan's expression grew serious.

She certainly knew about this secret realm, even intimately familiar with it.

There's a saying:

When Long Aotian enters a secret realm, all his teammates die, and all his harem members survive.

There's also a saying:

When Bai Ling enters a secret realm, it's always full of danger but constant opportunities. All the danger is for the teammates, and all the opportunities are for Bai Ling.

There's also a certain chance of triggering events where someone sacrifices themselves to save others, such as the female supporting characters taking a knife for Bai Ling, or the harem members taking a knife for Long Aotian, and other melodramatic events.

In the Nine Yin Secret Realm, both Bai Ling and Long Aotian gained many opportunities.

Therefore, she naturally had to go.

But she couldn't reveal her intentions directly. She wanted to hear what Ji Feng wanted first.

"So, Martial Uncle wants to..."

"Martial Uncle needs a medicinal herb that can only be found in ancient secret realms. If Martial Nephew is interested in this secret realm, we can strike a deal."

"Is this what Martial Uncle calls a small matter, a small favor?" Bai Lan said slowly. "This ancient secret realm is so dangerous and terrifying. Countless sect disciples have died in it over the years. Martial Nephew is currently only at the third level of Qi Refining. How dare I venture into danger?"

This old fox Ji Feng speaks too dishonestly.

He only mentioned the secret realm but not the degree of danger, trying to trick her into taking risks.

"Martial Nephew, you defeated an inner sect prodigy while being an outer sect handyman. You are no ordinary person! Martial Uncle believes in you!" Ji Feng patted Bai Ling's shoulder, acting like a good Martial Uncle in the cultivation world.

"Long Aotian is just a fourth-level Qi Refining nobody, not worth fearing. But more than half of the people entering the Nine Yin Secret Realm with us are cultivators at the late stage of Qi Refining, aren't they?" Bai Lan didn't believe his nonsense.

Far away on the inner peak, Long Aotian sneezed three times in a row.

Ji Feng continued to try and persuade her. "Eh~ That's not right. Fighting against a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator with early-stage Qi Refining cultivation, isn't that also a form of cross-level combat? Before taking the head of a Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator, Martial Nephew can practice with this first."

"It's not that Martial Nephew is unwilling to help, it's just... it's still lacking a bit." Bai Lan made a gesture with her hand.

Ji Feng: "...Tsk, I thought Martial Nephew was a warm-hearted and helpful good person. I didn't expect you to be someone who only acts if there's a profit."

"I thought Uncle-Master was a generous and kind Uncle-Master, but I didn't expect him to be a ruthless person who tries to get something for nothing," Bai Lan said with a look of regret.

Ji Feng let out a light snort. "Good things will naturally not be lacking. As long as Martial Nephew Bai brings the spirit grass, Uncle-Master will definitely not treat you unfairly."

This little girl is really...

At first, on the dueling stage, when that Long Aotian mentioned using spirit stones to gamble on battles, this little girl's eyes lit up.

Later, when navigating the maze, it was only after hearing the word "generous gifts" that she became motivated.

"If you find that spirit grass, I can give you one of the pills refined from it," Ji Feng explained the benefits to Bai Lan.

A pill refined from an ancient spirit grass? It must be something good!

Bai Lan nodded decisively. "Deal."

Ji Feng handed over the map in his hand. "This is a simple map drawn from memory by disciples who entered the Nine Yin Secret Realm in previous years. Martial Nephew Bai can have it. The location of the spirit grass has already been marked on it."

Bai Lan took the map and glanced at it briefly before nodding. "Don't worry, Uncle-Master, I will do my best to find it."

"Come back alive. If you die in the secret realm, Uncle-Master's Youth Preserving Pill won't be able to be refined."

Bai Lan's expression stiffened.

Youth Preserving Pill?

"You're trying to refine the Youth Preserving Pill!?"

Ji Feng looked confused. "Is there a problem?"

She had thought it was some ancient pill recipe that enhanced cultivation, broke through realms, or strengthened blood and qi.

Turns out it's just the Youth Preserving Pill?

A pill that, apart from beautifying and preserving youth, has no other use?

In the cultivation world, those with high cultivation don't have appearance anxiety because cultivation makes one beautiful.

And those with low cultivation have even less reason for appearance anxiety, because before worrying about their looks, they should be worried about how long they can survive in the cultivation world.

So, rather than spending effort taking pills, it's better to cultivate to Core Formation as soon as possible. At that point, one can stay young forever without needing to take pills.

...No, that's not right. Although the Youth Preserving Pill is useless to her, it doesn't mean others don't like it. A pill that can preserve youth should be worth quite a few spirit stones, right?

"So, Uncle-Master, do you have the recipe for the Youth Preserving Pill?"

Fish versus a fishing net, she'd rather choose the fishing net.