Little White Fish, Where Was She?

Ji Xueruo stared blankly at You Su's unmoving back. Everything seemed to freeze at that moment, even the blood gushing from her pierced abdomen congealed in mid-air.

With a "crack," a jet-black crack appeared in the pristine white world, and then the crack grew larger and larger, rapidly spreading throughout the entire space.

The illusion collapsed at that moment, and a cold wind rushed in violently from the cracks. Ji Xueruo murmured to herself:

"It's a success..."

The wound on her abdomen healed rapidly and visibly, and the power she possessed—the kind that could easily suppress mountains and seas—that belonged to the Half-step Void Glimpse Realm vanished in an instant, like a balloon suddenly punctured.

As the world collapsed, the underground world behind the illusion finally revealed its true form; it turned out they had been living in that magnificent Underground Divine Palace all along.

In the dark world, the two enormous eyes of the Tibetan land are the only source of light. Tens of thousands of dark green eyes constantly form and decompose on its surface, like disgusting bubbles rising from a viscous oil field.

This Divine Beast, formed from dragon bones, was now rotten beyond recognition, looking like a monstrous creature of irregular shape made of filth.

The palace was almost entirely filled with tough, slender tentacles, each covered in a viscous liquid. At the ends of the tentacles were clusters of smaller, twisting, pulsating tendrils, like His nerve endings.

These tentacles attach to the back of their prey's neck with their pointed suckers, injecting the illusions carefully created by the Tibetan soil into their brains, making you endlessly sink into it, and unknowingly becoming a source of nourishment for Him.

You Su and Ji Xueruo also had a tentacle hanging from the back of their heads. At this moment, the tentacle wriggled, suspending them high up, placing them directly in front of Zang Tu's enormous eyeball.

The illusion He had meticulously prepared for a thousand years was shattered by two ants who were only at the Spirit Platform Middle Stage. He stared at them, his emerald pupils casting a ghastly green light upon them, as if he wanted to memorize their appearance.

Zangtu didn't even use any force; he simply hung them gently and looked at them. The resentment and pain that had accumulated and brewed for thousands of years in his eyes were almost suffocating the two of them.

Ji Xueruo frowned in pain. Perhaps even the most bloodthirsty demons in the human world combined couldn't match the intensity of Zang Tu's hatred. This hatred was like a fine wine brewed for a thousand years; if an ordinary person were to drink even a fraction of it, they would become Zang Tu's most loyal slave.

"Close your eyes!"

You Su shouted, waking Ji Xueruo from her daze.

Ji Xueruo shaken, as the gentle and handsome face of the young man appeared in her mind. She lay in his arms, and he smiled like the bright moon in her embrace. This smile made her forget the evil in Zang Tu's eyes and free her from the quagmire of hatred.

Is it because he's blind...?

Ji Xueruo found it hard to believe. They were clearly the same age, so why was his willpower so strong that it could withstand the accumulated strength of the Tibetan soil over thousands of years?

The only explanation is that he was blind and couldn't see Zangtu's extraordinary eyes.

But only the Tibetan, whose millions of compound eyes shone simultaneously, knew—in the boy's pitch-black eyes lay a pain even more unforgettable than His own...

Therefore, His spiritual pollution had no effect on the blind man at all.

Zang Tu seemed unwilling to give up and decided to continue to corrupt You Su's mind with words. Suddenly, a voice appeared in You Su's Sea of Consciousness.

The sound was ancient and deep, like the chanting of Sanskrit from a thousand years ago.

"The source of sin has grasped the sword of purification... Turbid Dragon, Empty Nightmare! Don't think you can survive to the end by hiding in unknown secrets! You... are about to die too! Hahaha..."

The Tibetan monk laughed heartily, as if a thousand years of gloom had been swept away. But the next moment, his unrestrained laughter came to an abrupt end!

The dark, grand palace was suddenly illuminated as bright as day; the blinding white light was like a sharp sword, ready to shatter all evil.

A tall man, his feet treading on the waves, appeared beside You Su. He was the source of the white light! With a grim expression, he severed the tentacles on the back of You Su's head with a single water blade strike.

Ji Xueruo was rescued by a female fairy standing on a green lotus flower. Behind her was also a Magic Array that continuously emitted white light that could dispel evil.

As Little White Fish said, You Su and Ji Xueruo's mission is to break the illusion of the Hidden Land and rescue those trapped within it. Directly killing this thousand-year-old monster is not a task they can accomplish.

The first to awaken were the two family heads of Jade Ring Pool who had been missing for a long time— Venerable Chengtao and Venerable Cuihe.

The two Venerable Ones You Su and Ji Xueruo in their arms, while behind them, the people hanging from the hundreds of tentacles all opened their eyes at the same time, their eyes filled with boundless rage.

This divine Divine Beast, whose body had decayed for a thousand years, chose to become an evil spirit Dream Master Type. However, its most powerful illusionary techniques have been broken, and without its ability to bewitch people, it will face its final judgment.

What happened next had nothing to do with the two juniors at the Spirit Platform Middle Stage...

Ji Xueruo took one last look at the sleeping You Su. The young man's profile was smooth and beautiful. She finally felt at ease and closed her eyes wearily...

A lake breeze swept by, You Su's thick eyelashes to tremble. He slowly opened his eyes, the world in his vision blurry, yet less gloomy.

Two soft, delicate voices rang out at the same time:

"Young Master You! You're awake!"

Yu Meng and Yu Long simultaneously grabbed You Su's left and right hands, excitedly pressing their bulging lapels against them.

The two young maids were dressed in fine silks and satins, one in blue and the other in emerald green, which complemented each other perfectly. Their beautiful, identical faces were pale with weakness, and their long-dried tears welled up again as if a dam had been broken.

You Su's head was spinning, and the heavy images in his memory played back one by one before he slowly remembered what had happened.

Those fierce battles all took place within the illusion; his physical body was actually unharmed, but the exhaustion of his Divine Sense left him completely powerless.

The girls' mournful cries pulled him back to reality. He tried to pull his hand away, but the girls' soft embrace pressed down firmly, as if afraid he would fall back into the abyss of unconsciousness.

You Su had no choice but to give up; she figured she might as well save her energy for talking.

"Don't cry..."

Yu Long cried even harder, but Yu Meng, the older sister, was more sensible. After crying for a while, she told her younger sister to hold back her tears so as not to disturb the Young Master You, who had saved their entire Jade Ring Pool.

The crying gradually subsided.

"I've been unconscious... cough cough... for several days?" You Su murmured.

"It has been more than three days, Young Master You."

Yu Meng thoughtfully poured a cup of tea, while Yu Long helped the paralyzed You Su sit up a little and lean her against her soft, fragrant body.

You Su drinking the tea that Yu Meng fed him and having his pillow changed, You Su felt more comfortable and his speech became clearer.

Rather than dwelling on these taboos between men and women, You Su was clearly more interested in knowing what had happened in the past three days:

"Tell me... how is Jade Ring Pool now?"

Yu Meng wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and smiled slightly:

"Jade Ring Pool is much better now, all the bad guys have been brought to justice! This is all thanks to Young Master You! My sister and I were kept in the dark for so long... Fortunately, Young Master You saved us and restored peace and order to Jade Ring Pool!"

Yu Long nodded emphatically in agreement, causing the new 'pillow' to tremble slightly.

You Su pondered for a moment before speaking softly:

"Tell me what happened these past three days..."

"Young Master You shattered the evil Water God's illusion, freeing those who had been tricked into it by Venerable Shenxi and others. Led by the head and second head of our Jade Ring Pool, with many elders as the backbone, the resistance force swiftly killed this insidious evil spirit, releasing the fishermen and cultivators who had disappeared over the years."

"Knowing his plan had failed, Venerable Shenxi attempted to escape, but was discovered by the Yu Die Saintess. The Yu Die Saintess sacrificed her life to delay him for a moment, allowing the head of the family and the second head of the family to capture him. After more than two days of purges, those who worshipped evil spirits were all imprisoned or executed, Jade Ring Pool finally ushered in the light!"

Yu Meng clenched her fists, appearing very excited.

The evil party was only a small part after all. Celestial servants like them were only able to exist consciously to maintain the basic operation of the Jade Ring Pool. It wasn't until this huge conspiracy was thwarted that they realized how big a dark cloud was hanging over their heads.

"The Yu Die Saintess... is she dead?"

You Su felt somewhat melancholy; the strong and intelligent girl had left a deep impression on him. At first, he deliberately flattered her, but he only let go of his resentment after Yu Die sacrificed her life. And when Yu Die saved them in front of Venerable Shenxi, he finally took this mortal girl seriously for the first time.

He had thought that the girl could return to a normal life after the Jade Ring Pool was purified, but he never expected that she would die on the eve of dawn.

Yu Meng Yu Long also looked somber. They could be said to have grown up with the Saintess. Although they were mistress and servant, they were as close as sisters and had long since shed tears for her.

Just then, the doors of the Qinglan Hall were pushed open, and a refined middle-aged man in a dark blue robe walked in.

He possessed a gentle demeanor, and upon seeing him, Yu Meng and Yu Long immediately rose to their feet, bowed respectfully, and called out in a formal voice:

"Everyone, Lord."

The visitor was none other than the patriarch of Jade Ring Pool, Venerable Chengtao.

You Su remembered that it was Venerable Chengtao who saved him at the last moment. He wanted to get up and pay his respects, but a gentle force pressed down on his body.

"Venerable Chengtao," You Su could only greet him apologetically while lying down.

Venerable Chengtao simply smiled and walked towards You Su's bedside, at which point the two maids discreetly withdrew.

Venerable Chengtao placed his hand on You Su's shoulder, and warm Mystic Qi was continuously poured into You Su's body.

You Su was somewhat taken aback and was about to express his gratitude when Venerable Chengtao interrupted him first:

"It is the mission of every Saintess to protect this great swamp on which we depend for survival, and the Yu Die Saintess has accomplished this. Although she is mortal, it does not diminish her greatness, and she will be remembered in the hearts of everyone in Jade Ring Pool."

Upon hearing this, You Su nodded silently. If Venerable Shenxi was not eliminated, he would be a great hidden danger. Yet this girl, who was powerless to even kill a chicken, had managed to stop a Void Glimpse Venerable. The Yu Die Saintess was undoubtedly extraordinary.

"Sometimes, when you stay on the mountaintop for too long, you tend to underestimate the power of mortals. But in reality, those who don't rely on Mystic Qi possess power far greater than we imagine," Venerable Chengtao sighed. "In fact, besides you and Miss Ji, there was another person who saw through the Water God's illusion, and he was just an old man with no cultivation."

Knowing the mystery of that illusion, You Su asked curiously, "Who is this person?"

Venerable Chengtao smiled calmly, his tone respectful. "This old man has quite a connection with you; he is Old Yu, the fisherman on Jade Ring Lake."

You Su was quite surprised, never expecting that she actually knew this old man. Shouldn't Old Yu be waiting for his granddaughter outside Jade Ring Lake?

"Was Old Yu also caught up in the illusion?"

"Yes... He broke through the illusion of the Tibetan land with his mortal body in order to find his granddaughter. He is a person worthy of admiration."

You Su nodded in agreement, expressing his deepest admiration for Old Yu without reservation.

"Mortals are not necessarily inferior to immortals."

"Young Master You is absolutely right. Without him, relying solely on you and Miss Ji, I'm afraid we wouldn't have awakened so quickly," Venerable Chengtao praised sincerely.

As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his hand and bowed deeply to You Su. You Su was unable to stop him and could only try to dissuade him verbally:

"Your Excellency, please do not do this."

"Young Master You has saved Jade Ring Pool from dire straits; you are a great benefactor to Jade Ring Pool and deserve my deepest respect."

The Venerable Chengtao actually addressed a junior by his real name shows his sincerity. He raised his head, his expression one of deep remorse.

"Fifty years ago, Venerable Cuihe, Venerable Shenxi, and I entered the pool to investigate the mystery of the fading spiritual energy of Jade Ring Pool. By a twist of fate, we encountered the Water God hidden deep at the bottom of the lake. Looking back now, it seems He invited us. We originally intended to kill Him, but we didn't expect that Shenxi had already become His follower. He couldn't defeat us, but He could cooperate with the Hidden Soil to make us sink into illusions. From then on, Jade Ring Pool His sole power, gradually turning it into a place rife with undercurrents. Fortunately, the appearance of Young Master You and Miss Ji prevented Jade Ring Pool from completely becoming a breeding ground for evil. So you not only saved Jade Ring Pool, but also this entire continent."

"It's not that bad, it was just luck," You Su said modestly.

"Young Master You, please do not be modest. You and Miss Ji are truly outstanding individuals. Cuihe and I are not only at the Void Glimpse Realm but also members of the Evil Warding Department. Even we could not escape this evil illusion, yet you did. Without the Water God's offerings, the Spiritual Qi of Jade Ring Pool may be greatly diminished, but I can assure you, Young Master You, that you will always be honored guests of Jade Ring Lake, and Jade Ring Pool will repay your kindness without reservation."

Venerable Chengtao spoke sincerely, without any airs of a venerable one.

Unable to refuse such hospitality, You Su no longer declined, after all, he hadn't yet obtained the Lotus Root Heart he so desperately wanted.

"What are Venerable Chengtao's plans next?"

Venerable Chengtao was also a clever man, and he immediately understood what You Su was asking. He sighed softly:

"As one of the Spiritual Life Blessed Land, the occurrence of such a thing in Jade Ring Pool is truly appalling. However, Jade Ring Pool will not evade responsibility! I will inform the world of this matter, personally relinquish the title of Spiritual Life Blessed Land, and seek help from the headquarters of the Evil Warding Department of the Divine Mountain to completely purge the entire Jade Ring Pool! We are not children of evil spirits; we will protect our homeland, even if it will no longer be as miraculous as before. After everything is settled, I will take turns with Venerable Cuihe to the border of the Central Yuan Continent, where we will slay evil for fifty years to atone for our sins. Young Master You, do you have any suggestions regarding my approach?"

Venerable Chengtao was extremely humble; as the head of his clan, he showed no arrogance whatsoever in front of You Su.

"Your Excellency is too kind. Your willingness to make this matter public already demonstrates great courage, and You Su. I believe that under your leadership, Jade Ring Pool will one day return to the ranks of Spiritual Life Blessed Land." You Su's words were truly from the bottom of his heart.

Venerable Chengtao smiled contentedly, "Yutao will do his best. Then I won't disturb Young Master You's rest any longer. I have prepared the Lotus Root Heart you requested. Young Master You and Miss Ji can rest and recuperate at Jade Ring Pool."

You Su nodded. If Jade Ring Pool's kindness had seemed unreal to him before, this kindness now felt like You Su gentle breeze.

Venerable Chengtao withdrew outside the door, leaving You Su alone in the Qinglan Hall to meditate.

A refreshing lake breeze blew by, and You Su, perhaps because he had been living in fear for so long, found himself unable to completely relax.

A malevolent spirit that had lain dormant for a thousand years, a Divine Beast filled with hatred—had its conspiracy come to an end just like that?

Despite having gone through numerous hardships, looking back, You Su still feels a sense of unreality.

Did he really accomplish all this with a body only at the Spirit Platform Middle Stage?

So... where did the Little White Fish go?

An extra chapter will be added tomorrow, and the final twist will bring this episode to a close, allowing me to return to my peak with ease.

Just a quick reminder: my protagonist isn't a time traveler; he's just an original inhabitant with fragments of memories from his past life. I've never written that he's a time traveler. So please don't judge his behavior and mindset based on his two lifetimes or his time-traveling mentality. Thanks.