Mouth Holding a Pearl

You Su sheathed his sword.

The pale blue bloodstains on the Ink Pine Sword dripped to the ground, seeping into the damp, dark soil.

The centipede-like evil spirit was curled up, its hundreds of limbs still twitching, and its foul-smelling slime emitted a putrid odor and made a "sizzling" sound before turning into a puddle of pus.

After making sure it was dead, You Su looked away and instead looked around. In the ambiguous shadows in the distance, there was a faint rustling sound, as if countless fine scales were moving along the ground.

"They couldn't hide it any longer..."

He muttered to himself, using his palm to gently push away the bloodstains on the sword's edge. He was trying to feel the release of his Mystic Qi, so he didn't miss any opportunity to experience it.

You Su had long suspected that the lurking evil spirits were like hyenas that had smelled blood. After the lion left, they were gathering from all corners of the abyss to fight over the carrion that the lion had rejected.

The few we just killed were merely the first drop of water before the tide.

He turned and sped toward the spirit liquid pool, his toes creating ripples as he touched the ground. The Ruyi Wind-Controlling Technique was, in a sense, a way of releasing Mystic Qi, albeit a brief burst rather than a sustained output, but it at least gave You Su some experience.

The milky-white pool of mysterious liquid gleamed softly in the darkness, like a pearl embedded in decaying soil.

Bai Ze was curled up in the pool, his twin ponytails floating on the surface, the ends of which were adorned with sparkling beads made from small seashells that You Su had casually picked up from the sand. These were originally just little toys to amuse children, but Bai Ze treasured them dearly.

Upon seeing You Su return, she suddenly straightened up, water droplets sliding down her collarbone and spreading out in ripples on her chest.

"My brother's sword light is brighter than the aurora borealis on my mountain!"

She clapped and cheered, the splashing water wetting her eyelashes. "I could see it from way over there!"

You Su chuckled softly upon hearing this. He reached out and ruffled the girl's wet hair, then leaned against the edge of the pool to rest.

"Flattery doesn't bring rewards."

"Who wants candy? I genuinely think you're amazing! Can you teach me too?" Bai Ze also leaned against You Su's elbow, looking up at You Su's chin with bright, sparkling eyes.

"Teach you?" Upon hearing this, You Su subconsciously turned his head to look at the girl, but then abruptly looked away because of the flirtatious look that Bai Ze inadvertently revealed. "You're not suited to learning swordsmanship. Give up on that idea as soon as possible."

"Why should I?!" Bai Ze Qi Ingestion.

"There's no basis for it. Your brother comprehended sword intent at eighteen, Way of the Sword prodigy that comes along only once in a century. If I say you have no talent, then you have no talent."

You Su wasn't a show-off, but he was still an eighteen or nineteen-year-old boy. He wouldn't do anything to show off in front of others, but he wouldn't miss the chance to flaunt his achievements in front of his relatives and friends.

Especially after learning that he would break through to the Feather Transformation Realm at the age of nineteen, this sense of pride intensified, after all, this was an unprecedented feat. However, this pride was not to the point of being arrogant; it was simply the kind of ambition that a young person should have.

"You're talking nonsense! Which sect are you from? What's your master's name? I'm going to tell your master, and let your master decide!" Bai Ze said angrily.

Even if I told you, you wouldn't know.

How do you know if I know or not if you don't tell me?

You Su raised an eyebrow, recalling that Ganlong Venerable had lived with Bai Ze for a period of time, and perhaps he might have heard of some of his names.

"Guan Chujun, have you heard of him?"

Bai Ze frowned, seemingly deep in thought, then shook his head. "Never heard of him. Who is he?"

You Su had expected this, and he thought to himself that he had never heard of the name "Master". He found it hard to believe that such an unknown cultivator could be his Mistress's wife's senior brother.

"That's not important. Have you ever heard of the Lotus Sword Venerable?"

"I've heard of it!"

You Su became interested, "Ganlong Venerable tell you this?"

"You know all this?"

"Besides me, there are only two other people you can talk to. The Archimedes Venerable only teaches you nonsense, so naturally, only that wicked woman is left."

"You've got some skills, haven't you?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Bai Ze received a solid thud on the head.

She rubbed her forehead, which was hidden by her wispy bangs, and said fiercely, "You hit me even when I praised you!"

"Disrespectful to one's elder brother deserves a beating." You Su blew on two knuckles, as if blowing away smoke from a pipe. "What do you know about the Lotus Sword Venerable?"

"I asked her about famous figures from all over the country, trying to find the legendary sage who was born with me. She said she was very powerful, that she was a pillar of the cultivators in the Central Yuan Continent, and that her future achievements would probably be no less than hers." Bai Ze stroked his delicate chin.

You Su frowned slightly, as what Bai Ze said largely matched his Mistress's impression of that Ganlong Venerable.

But the face she revealed during that confrontation was truly terrifying and chilling. Was it the secret surrounding Bai Ze that forced her to distort her true nature, or was she simply pretending all along?

"Could it be that you are a disciple of the Lotus Sword Venerable?!" Bai Ze's cherry lips parted slightly, looking utterly dumbfounded at You Su's prestigious background.

"Hmm." You Su did not deny it.

"No wonder you're so powerful... But if the Lotus Sword Venerable is a woman, then who is your Mistress?" Bai Ze then asked, "Can the spouses of you humans be of the same sex?"

You Su's heart tightened suddenly. Everyone knew that the Lotus Sword Venerable was his master, but only two or three people knew that she was actually his master's Mistress. How could this little beast, far away in the deep mountains of Bei'ao, know this secret?

He couldn't help but become serious. "How did you know I had a Mistress?!"

"You said it yourself," Bai Ze said innocently.

"I said that? When did I say that to you?" You Su frowned.

"Yes, you kept calling out 'Mistress's wife, Master's Mistress' while you were asleep."

Upon hearing this, You Su's expression immediately became interesting. He was unaware that he had a habit of talking in his sleep. "The time when I was unconscious and soaking in the pool?"

Bai Ze nodded quickly. You Su thought for a moment and came to the answer. Perhaps he was too tired when he was unconscious, which is why he fell into a deep dream and unconsciously spoke in his sleep, calling out the name of the person he met in his dream.

"Who is your Mistress? Why do you keep calling her that?" Bai Ze frowned, his beautiful eyebrows furrowed with curiosity.

Unfortunately, not all questions will be answered. You Su's feelings for his Mistress were something he dared not reveal to Bai Ze or even his closest junior sister.

"I grew up without parents, and my Mistress raised me. I am now burdened with a worldwide infamy, and I fear that it will implicate her. I feel ashamed whenever I think about this." You Su was not lying.

Seeing his True Intention expression, Bai Ze was half convinced. But if he really felt so guilty, why did he have such a meaningful smile while he was asleep?

"It's okay! I know you're a good person! I'll go out and explain for you!" Bai Ze clenched her fist, making a solemn vow.

You Su smiled wryly, "You yourself are barely able to protect yourself."

"I'm not afraid of her because my brother is here!"

Bai Ze snorted softly, then grabbed You Su's wrist, which was pinned to the edge of the pool, and exuded cool Mystic Qi from his fingertips. "Brother, come down and soak in the water too! You must be tired after slaying so many evil spirits!"

"No need." You Su withdrew his hand. "Since I have already reached the Water Condensation Perfection, Xuan Liquid is not even icing on the cake for me. The concentration of Mystic Qi in this area is exceptionally high, which is enough for me to recover my negligible losses."

"Didn't you want the whole family to be free from hunger?"

"I've prepared their portions too," You Su said with a smile.

When it came to establishing a connection between the deep seabed and the shore, You Su initially only approached it tentatively, never expecting that the kinship established by God would be so terrifying.

Apart from Brother He, who seemed slightly resistant to his transmission of power, Junior Sister, Xue Ruo, Senior Sister, and even the Little Dog Qianhua all accepted his transmission. Senior Sister even tried to regurgitate it back into him. Most of the Mystic Qi he absorbed was fed to the greedy Qianhua Venerable. After all, she was at the Void Glimpse Realm, and her need for Mystic Qi far exceeded that of those at the lower realms. Moreover, she naturally wanted to recoup what she had lost from You Su, with interest.

"But you—"

You Su's gaze swept over the old wound on her shoulder, where the scar was no longer visible. "Be a good girl and cultivate diligently to restore the beast core to its original state. This treasure is rare; don't miss this opportunity."

Bai Ze's fingertips curled into her palms. She suddenly stood up, and Xuan Liquid cascaded down her shoulders, forming a silver waterfall on the icy steps.

"Are you complaining that I've been soaking for too long?"

Wet hair clung to her porcelain-white back, and her fluffy, snowy tail unconsciously swept across the water's surface, splashing up a string of water droplets.

You Su abruptly turned her head away, a faint blush creeping up her ears. "Put your clothes on properly!"

"What's there to wear?" Bai Ze stomped her foot in a huff, leaving spiderweb-like cracks on the ice. "Anyway, we'll just have to take them off and soak in them later!"

She naturally left the spirit liquid pool during this time, but each time You Su quickly brought her back.

Even so, she obediently picked up the ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) by the pool and wrapped it around herself. The pink gauze, stained with the black liquid, revealed glimpses of her skin underneath, making her even more alluring than when she was naked.

You Su took out a new dress from her Universe Bag, picked it up with her sword sheath and threw it over. "Change into something clean, that one is so worn out I can't even get it clean anymore."

Bai Ze caught the robe and suddenly chuckled, "Brother's ears are so red!"

Upon hearing this, You Su turned away as if to hide her ears.

The girl tilted her head again as she tied her clothes, her fingertips deliberately lingering on her waist. "I don't know how to put it on, can you help me?"

You Su was a lazy girl who didn't want to do things herself, so she asked him for help. Ink Pine Sword immediately drew half an inch from its sheath with a "clang" and threatened her with family discipline.

Bai Ze immediately fell silent, one hand wrapped in his loose outer robe, the other covering his aching, delicate area as he shrank into the corner of the pool.

During the time she was learning martial arts from You Su, she often misbehaved, like a mischievous kitten that couldn't shake its nature, and she was punished by the family several times.

From initially punishing with a sword, to now seemingly taking matters into one's own hands and carrying out executions without any apparent separation, it has become the norm...

You Su cross-legged with her back to her, her sword resting across her knees.

"Get dressed, stretch for a bit, then go back to soaking." You Su acted like a strict patriarch.

"No, I can tell you're anxious. I don't want to be a burden to you."

Bai Ze changed into a new ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress). This was no longer the pink that Ji Lingruo wore, but her favorite bamboo green color. You Su first caught a glimpse of the girl, he was slightly dazed, as if he were seeing his junior sister as a child.

"Why should I be in a hurry?" You Su asked, raising an eyebrow.

"How would I know?" Bai Ze raised an eyebrow and asked.

You Su was speechless when asked, and it would be a lie to say that he wasn't anxious.

He had no idea how many days had passed since he fell into the dark, sunless seabed. He still had many unfinished business, and was completely unaware of the changes happening outside. How could he not feel anxious? Moreover, he had a one-month appointment with Qianhua Venerable. If he couldn't meet her at the Qianhua Pavilion in time, wouldn't he miss his senior sister again...?

However, these reasons are secondary. He sighed softly and said in a deep voice:

"It's not that I'm complaining about you soaking for too long, it's just that those hidden evil spirits have gradually returned to normal. This precious pearl is like the bright moon in the night, naturally attracting countless evil spirits like moths to a flame. The longer you soak, the harder it will be for you to escape. That's why I'm asking you to be patient and absorb it as soon as possible. This opportunity is hard to come by, why would I rush you to leave? Move around a bit and then hurry back to cultivate. I won't let any evil spirits come near you until you've fully recovered."

You Su spoke earnestly and patiently, which moved Bai Ze deeply. He then realized that the reason You Su wouldn't come down to soak with him wasn't just because he no longer needed him, but also because someone always had to step in to shield him from trouble.

"It was so dangerous... I'm not going to soak anymore, let's get out of here quickly." Bai Ze quickly came over and took You Su's hand, holding it tightly as if still shaken.

You Su felt rather helpless. "Once this opportunity is gone, it's gone forever. You're so greedy, don't waste this fortuitous opportunity that's been handed to you. If you really want to lighten my burden, then go and cultivate honestly. When you're back to your peak, I'll hide behind you."

"Then why don't we just move the store?" Bai Ze replied matter-of-factly.

"You think this is like that old woman's sweet potato stall in Shuo City, something you can just push away?" You Su chuckled, recalling the amusing incident when Bai Ze tried to take the old woman and her stall with him when he left Shuo City. He added, "This pearl is at least twenty meters tall. Even if you transformed into a beast, you probably couldn't carry it. Besides, it's too conspicuous, making it difficult for us to conceal ourselves and travel light."

"Then just make it smaller, right?" Bai Ze said in his usual matter-of-fact tone.

You Su sensed something was wrong and asked incredulously, "You have a way to make it smaller?"

"No, it can shrink by itself." Bai Ze blinked innocently.

You Su asked incredulously, "Why have you never said that before?"

"You didn't ask," Bai Ze scratched his head and chuckled. "Actually, I was going to say something, but it's so comfortable soaking like this, I forgot, meow."

You Su was speechless. "How can it shrink?"

Bai Ze suddenly let out a soft hum, looking as if he was about to show off his skills.

She slowly walked into the jewel, her eyes suddenly glowing with an icy blue light. She formed a complex Method Formula with her fingertips, and instantly countless mysterious runes floated around her, swirling like stars. She lightly touched the ice with her toes, and as her skirt fluttered, snowflakes seemed to condense out of thin air, swirling and landing on her hair.

"Heavenly spirits, earthly spirits, may the pearl turn into a little star--" She chanted her self-composed incantation, her arms spreading out like butterfly wings, and a phantom moon condensed in her palms. Moon Essence poured down, enveloping the entire pearl, and the bright white halo became even more dazzling, as if it would illuminate this dark seabed as if it were daytime.

You Su stood by with his arms crossed, a slight twitch at the corner of his lips. This show of force seemed intimidating, but in reality, the fluctuations of his Mystic Qi were as weak as fireflies; it was clearly a bluff.

Sure enough, as the radiance faded, the pearl remained unmoved. Bai Ze chuckled and scratched his nose, then suddenly tapped a spot on the pearl's surface with his finger.

"Bite--"

A clear, crisp sound rang out, and the pearl shrank to the size of a fingernail, rolling into Bai Ze's palm. She triumphantly twirled the pearl, the icy crystals in her hair reflecting its brilliance, as if she were holding a handful of shattered snow and moonlight.

"That flower stand in front is unnecessary; it's too ostentatious."

Bai Ze was so shocked he almost dropped the pearl. "You figured that out?!"

You Su sighed and rubbed his forehead in exasperation. He took a half-step back and said, "Let's see how big it gets."

Bai Ze blinked and flicked his finger casually. The pearl spun in the air, instantly expanding back to its original size, with mysterious liquid gushing out from the cracks, as if it had never changed. You Su imitated her, tapping the pearl's surface, but the pearl remained unresponsive like a stubborn rock. Bai Ze chuckled to himself, "Brother has to chant the incantation like me."

You Su, of course, didn't believe it. He thought to himself how strange it was, wondering why Bai Ze could do it but he couldn't. Suddenly, as if he had thought of something, he asked:

"When you first came into contact with this precious pearl, did you probe it with your Mystic Qi?"

Bai Ze stopped laughing and said in surprise, "Yeah, yeah, and then it suddenly shrank. I thought I wasn't going to be able to save you, but then it grew bigger again!"

"No wonder... It turns out that this precious Tridacna had already quietly recognized its owner the moment you broke through its shell with an ice pick."

"Doesn't that mean I've been feeding my brother with my own Mystic Qi all along?"

You Su was speechless at Bai Ze's bizarre thought process and immediately flicked Bai Ze on the forehead.

"Take it and hurry, more and more evil spirits are gathering around. Once we reach a safe place, you can take the opportunity to recover."

"Brother, you're so silly. Can't I recover while walking like this?--" She suddenly put the pearl in her mouth, her tongue curling around the pearl and pressing it between her teeth.

Even after the crack on the pearl shrank, it still remained, and milky white nectar seeped out in strands. When held in the girl's mouth, it tasted like a sweet candy ball.

You Su's pupils contracted sharply, clearly realizing this as well. Seeing his expression, the girl slyly spat out a pearl, licking her lips with her pink tongue:

"Tell me when you want some, I won't be stingy."

Memories surge like a tide: the intertwined breaths within the clam shell, the soft touch of air exchanged, the crisp scent of pine and snow in Bai Ze's hair.

You Su's ears suddenly turned red, and he flicked her forehead with his finger. "Nobody wants to eat that!"

Unbeknownst to the two, a tiny whirlpool was forming in the mud and sand on the ground.