The Water-Repelling Lion-Kirin Beast
Jin'er and Yin'er happily went off to scavenge, while Shi Yue took the Jade Slips from the shelves and examined them one by one.
More than half an hour later, Shi Yue lowered the Jade Slip from his brow. A thoughtful look crossed his face.
He had read through all the Jade Slips and could confirm that the Qinglan Sect had definitely possessed a Dao Soldier Tree.
As for why there wasn't one here, he could think of three possibilities. First, when the Qinglan Sect cultivators left, they had used their immense powers to take the Dao Soldier Tree with them. Second, it was still hidden somewhere here. Third, it wasn't in this place at all.
Shi Yue considered it carefully. The second possibility seemed the most likely.
He made a round of the five Stone Rooms and inspected them closely, but found nothing.
"Shi brat, there's no need to be so disheartened. The Dao Soldier Tree is so important that it would be perfectly normal for the Qinglan Sect to have taken it with them when they retreated. Come to think of it, that young woman who sold you the Spirit Beans might have had ancestors from the Qinglan Sect. Otherwise, where would she have gotten them?"
"Who knows? No one can say for sure."
When Jin'er and Yin'er returned, Shi Yue confirmed that they hadn't missed anything, then retraced their route.
Back on the surface, Shi Yue formed a Hand Seal and beckoned toward the bamboo grove.
Eight streaks of silver light shot up from the ground around the grove, turning into eight Silver Talismans that landed in Shi Yue's hand. They were the Eight Gates Warning Talismans.
He put the talismans away, summoned Black Phoenix, and climbed onto her back.
With a clear