Loophole in the strange illness?

Splash—splash—

Where am I?

Wu Wang forced his eyes open with some effort. The first thing he saw was a vast blue sky dotted with a few white clouds. He vaguely spotted a peculiar-looking bird circling at a low altitude.

His whole body ached, and his head throbbed. This was the consequence of overusing his Spiritual Sense. Moreover, this time, when the senior had teleported him, for some reason, he had endured immense tearing forces, as if being squeezed through a seamless wall.

"Senior..."

Wu Wang tried to get up, enduring the headache, but his vision went black, and his senses plunged into darkness. Images flashed before his eyes one after another.

Traveling with Senior Shennong, I wandered the Western Plains for half a day. Senior Shennong actually dragged me along to gather and identify herbs, which Wu Wang found quite exasperating.

He was an artifact refiner; he had no interest in alchemy.

As they gathered herbs and chatted, the two arrived at the border between the Western Plains and Zhongshan, their destination.

Kunlun Hill.

But as soon as they reached the boundary of Kunlun Hill, they gazed upon the legendary Kunlun Secret Realm, saw the Nine Heavens Gate towering between heaven and earth, and the guardian divine beast, 'Kaiming,' standing before it.

At the same time, several incredibly powerful auras suddenly appeared from the east, west, north, and south.

Wu Wang had felt this level of pressure before.

—It was when he was in the Northern Plains, fighting Granny Yin and Wang Lin. Wu Wang had felt it when a drop of Qiong Qi's essence blood dispersed.

Gods!

And gods with extraordinary power!

A figure flew out from the Heavenly Gate, standing proudly above the clouds. Its body was like a tiger's, its claws sharp, it had a human face, and nine tails on its back. Its majestic form radiated light, and even the Kaiming beast had to lower its head in greeting upon its appearance.

A god, Lu Wu.

Simultaneously, several figures appeared from other directions.

A deity with a human face and a horse's body came from the north. It had tiger stripes, two bird wings on its back, and gusts of green wind swirled around it, permeating heaven and earth, as if sealing the northern sky.

A god, Ying Zhao.

Then another heavenly god appeared, with eight legs and two heads, resembling two divine oxen fused together. It was enveloped in a dense aura of malevolence. Its eight legs transformed into giant hands, each holding a weapon.

The last figure to appear, at first glance, looked human. But upon closer inspection, its face was like a leopard's, with a leopard's tail behind it, pointed ears, and sharp claws.

A god, Chang Cheng.

The four powerful gods vaguely blocked Shennong Shi and Wu Wang, each emitting a potent pressure. Wu Wang stayed closer to Shennong Shi; if he had stood further away, he would have likely been knocked unconscious.

Shennong chuckled, "How is it, are you scared?"

Wu Wang immediately put on an ugly smile.

Remaining silent was his last act of defiance.

If he had spoken, his voice would have undoubtedly trembled; it was his body's instinctive reaction.

He was just a small cultivator who had only entered the Core Formation Realm through anointing. How could he possibly warrant the attention of four powerful gods!

"Don't worry, they don't take orders from the Heavenly Emperor," Shennong Shi transmitted, "But it looks like a fierce battle is unavoidable. I will send you to an island. Wait for me there. If it's quick, it will be a few days; if it's slow, it will be a few years. I will find you then."

With that, Shennong Shi placed his hand on Wu Wang's shoulder and gently pushed. The surrounding space instantly collapsed.

Before Wu Wang could say anything more, as he was pushed forward, he suddenly turned around. He pointed his left hand at Shennong Shi, and a crystal ball exploded before him, his Spiritual Sense almost instantly drained.

Star Invocation Technique · Starlight Blessing.

This Star Invocation Technique was quite common in the Western Plains and not considered high-level. Its effect was to augment the target's stamina, enhancing their strength and speed.

The stronger the target's power, the more Spiritual Sense the priest consumed for themselves.

Wu Wang had used all his strength, but he could only add a faint trace of starlight to Shennong Shi. Still...

I should have helped Senior.

The collapsing space was quickly filled. Wu Wang vaguely felt like he had been falling for a long time this time, before finally crashing onto a shallow beach, feeling the soft sand and the cool seawater.

That fall alone almost made him vomit blood.

His Spiritual Sense had been severely depleted in a short period, and his body had undergone an extremely long-distance spatial teleportation. This led to Wu Wang's current inability to open his eyes.

Faintly, as Wu Wang was sent to this place, he also heard a few conversations.

A deep, resonant voice asked:

"What is the meaning of this, Your Majesty, the Human Emperor? If you brought your disciple, why go to such great lengths to send him away?"

Shennong Shi chuckled lightly and said calmly:

"I merely brought him to broaden his horizons, to let him experience facing you all firsthand early on. It can be considered a form of encouragement for him."

Dazed, Wu Wang couldn't help but worry about the Human Emperor in the Human Domain.

Could the old senior defeat those gods?

After all, he's quite old. His power was passed down from the elder Human Emperor Suiren Shi, and he also put some of his energy into developing the medical path. His strength is likely eighty percent of that of the elder Human Emperors Suiren Shi and Fuxi Shi.

Before, he even said things that were clearly forbidden, like 'I can leave unharmed' and 'I'll come find you in a few days at the latest.'

No, he had to do something.

Although the senior was fond of tricking juniors, was a bit black-hearted, didn't hold back when he struck, and was a bit of a player, thinking about it carefully, he had indeed looked out for him a lot.

If nothing else, the Flame Emperor Token was one path to solving his strange illness. At the very least, it gave him a glimmer of hope when he had no clue where to start.

As a man of this generation, how could he let his senior go alone?

He definitely had to!

Going back was impossible. Finding some reinforcements in the Human Domain was still feasible.

Wu Wang forced his eyes open and saw the faint golden light screen in the sky. The necklace on his chest was also slightly warm, and wisps of warm energy diffused from the Flame Emperor Token in his spiritual platform. He only trembled slightly all over before tilting his head and falling unconscious again.

In a daze...

"Jin Wei, Jin Wei."

Who?

Who was speaking?

The voice was somewhat sharp and piercing, yet quite pleasant, like the clear cry of a lark, making one feel quite comfortable. Moreover, Wu Wang found that his spirit had unexpectedly recovered somewhat.

His lips were pulled apart by two cold claws, but he felt no pain as if they were cut.

Just as Wu Wang thought he was about to be pecked by birds as a corpse, a stream of sweet, clear liquid flowed over his tongue and into his throat.

The numbness rapidly receded, and the crack in his skull, which had been about to split open, gradually stabilized.

"Jin Wei, Jin Wei."

The calls sounded in his ears again.

Before long, Wu Wang felt his lips being fiddled with a few more times, and a bird's beak pecked in again. A slightly warm liquid flowed into Wu Wang's mouth and quickly disappeared down his throat.

This reminded Wu Wang of his previous life, after being exhausted from extreme survival training, when the attending nurse had given him nutrient solution...

A short while later, an indescribable heat spread through his body, as if he had fallen into a bonfire.

His limbs felt inexhaustible strength, even giving him the illusion that he could crush stones with his bare hands.

Wu Wang's fingers trembled slightly, his body twitched uncontrollably for a while, and a faint purple crescent moon mark flashed on his forehead. He suddenly opened his eyes.

Puff! Puff!

The black bird he had seen before flapped its wings and took off in a hurry.

Wu Wang subconsciously stared at the bird, looking at its beak, which was like jade, and its pale golden claws. He sat up directly, and several pills flew out from his sleeve, which he swallowed, saying:

"Thank you, fellow Daoist."

He barely managed to extend his Spiritual Sense outside his body, immediately activating the pills to heal his injuries and restore his Spiritual Sense.

The bird circled halfway around and landed on a nearby reef, tilting its head to examine Wu Wang. Its crystal-clear beak let out two tentative, soft calls:

"Jin Wei, Jin Wei."

Wu Wang opened his eyes, also captivated by the spirituality in the bird's eyes. He also found the bird to be very beautiful, an unusual species he hadn't seen in the Western Plains.

He smiled, "Did you save me?"

The bird tilted its head slightly, appearing rather proud, and its wings were placed on its hips.

Wu Wang almost burst out laughing. He fumbled in his sleeve, took out a carefully collected spiritual fruit from his Yin-Yang Ring, wrapped it in magic power, and pushed it towards the bird.

Unexpectedly...

The bird didn't even glance at it. It spread its wings and flapped a few times, with a touch of elegance, and flew away directly.

Gazing in the direction of the bird's departure, there was a waterside cliff. On the edge of the cliff stood a tree emitting faint green light, which was particularly conspicuous.

He sat on a slightly elevated area of a beach, with dense bushes behind him and an endless sea in front of him.

Now that he had calmed down a little, Wu Wang also felt a bit of doubt in his heart...

Why did Senior Shennong insist on taking him to Kunlun Hill to broaden his horizons? There seemed to be some deeper meaning to this.

Uh, the senior wasn't just bluffing with him, was he?

Wu Wang suddenly understood the key point.

[Senior Shennong going to Kunlun Hill to find an immortal herb for longevity is like going to do business. He himself is at the end of his lifespan, and the Human Domain has no successor to the Human Emperor. Under these dual predicaments, the longevity immortal herb becomes a necessity.

From what Senior Shennong let slip, that special immortal herb was controlled by the Heavenly Emperor long ago. Besides the Heavenly Palace, it could only be found in Kunlun Hill.

And the actual controller of Kunlun Hill is that Queen Mother of the West, famous throughout the Nine Plains.

Senior Shennong bringing him along is actually telling the Queen Mother of the West:

'Look, I actually have a successor, so you can't blackmail me. The immortal herb will be cheaper.']

Wu Wang couldn't help but look up and sigh, silently shedding two lines of tears. He couldn't help but tremble at the corners of his mouth and give the sky the middle finger.

He had been tricked by the old man again!

Even before he was sent away, he had done his best to cast a Star Invocation Technique blessing on Senior Shennong!

He had thought, 'I should have been able to help the old senior!'

Old ginger is spicier, old socks are more fragrant. The Great Wilderness's aged cured meat lived up to its reputation. The Classic of Herbs clearly spelled out 'trickery' between its lines.

"Hiss—"

He sucked in a sharp breath. The tearing pain in his forehead returned, and the dull ache throughout his body resurfaced.

This was the first time he had overdrawn his Spiritual Sense. Although he had taken a pill, he would still need some time to recover with rest.

Speaking of which, why did the old senior want me to come here?

"Jin Wei, Jin Wei?"

The bird's cry came again. The chirping seemed to possess some kind of magic, causing Wu Wang's headache to quickly subside.

Wu Wang turned his head and saw the elegant flying bird flap its wings, flying from the tree that emanated a healthy glow. It then carried a small, light-red fruit the size of a grape in its beak.

It circled in the air for a moment before landing on Wu Wang's arm. It precisely dropped the fruit into Wu Wang's palm and then fluttered its wings, returning to the reef.

Its pale golden claws were like works of art, perfectly sized and shaped.

Wu Wang hesitated slightly. The spiritual fruit appeared harmless, but it was common knowledge in the Northern Plains not to eat random things in the wild.

Recalling the feeling when he had passed out earlier, Wu Wang smiled. He brought the thumb-sized fruit to his lips, adjusted his grip, and left a neat bite mark on its very tip.

The fruit directly transformed into a warm stream of liquid that flowed into Wu Wang's throat. His body felt hot again, filled with strength.

There was even a fire burning in his lower abdomen.

Wu Wang turned his body to the side. The bird, looking puzzled, hopped onto Wu Wang's shoulder.

"Thank you."

Faint, light-white patterns could be seen on the bird's forehead. It used its claws to signal him to stay still.

Wu Wang stared at the bird and tried a gesture, asking softly, "Can you understand me?"

The bird blinked its bird eyes: "Jin Wei."

"Jin? Wei?"

Wu Wang was a little confused. He stared at the bird for a while, and then a lightbulb suddenly lit up behind his head.

Got it, bird language.

It was the same principle as talking to cats and dogs. If you meet a cat, meow; if you meet a dog, bark. If you encounter a group of "yingying" creatures, you probably need to "yingying" to fit in.

There are those skilled in bird language in the Northern Plains.

Add your emotions, release goodwill with your expression. The syllables don't matter, imitate the other party's calls...

Taking a deep breath, Wu Wang sat down and tried to move his legs. With a sense of rhythm, he tentatively called out:

"Jin Wei, Jin Wei? Jin Wei Jin Wei?"

The bird: ...

Poof!

The bird flew to the side, and a puff of green smoke suddenly exploded around it. Before Wu Wang could react, a slender and graceful silhouette emerged from the smoke.

Sand, shade.

Smoke, human form.

A jade foot stepped out of the green smoke, unstained by dust, unburdened by convention. Its tender skin reflected the setting sun, possessing an almost transparent, crystalline texture.

Above the jade foot was a light, thin, pale green short skirt. Due to the forward stride, the hem of the skirt had not yet fully fallen, causing Wu Wang's gaze to involuntarily shift before he quickly looked away towards the mist.

She walked out of the green mist like this.

Her black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, and the pale green short skirt clung to her exquisite figure.

Her bright eyes emitted a faint, light-blue glow. Her nose was small, her thin lips delicate, and her eyelashes curved slightly. Her somewhat thin face held a hint of helplessness.

And an undeniable look of disdain.

Wu Wang: ...

Tsk, not almond eyes.

But these eyes were indescribably beautiful, not a bit more or less.

She pursed her lips, frowned slightly, and snorted at Wu Wang.

Then, with a light flick of her delicate hand, wisps of green smoke appeared out of thin air, condensing into three complex characters.

She then took half a step back, her graceful figure turning lightly. Rings jingled, her long hair flew, and she transformed back into the black-feathered bird, fluttering its wings as it landed back on the reef.

Wu Wang frowned slightly, his gaze still clear. With a thought, he deliberately showed a look of shock.

He opened his mouth, his eyes full of admiration, only managing to utter a sound of "This, this," while gesturing with his hands towards the girl's figure from before.

Then, as if quickly coming to his senses, he stared intently at the phantom images of the three characters, trying to decipher them.

These were ancient human characters, complex in form with many strokes. They vaguely resembled simple paintings, but each stroke was quite clear. The overall form was slender and elongated.

He looked at it from all angles, carefully identifying it, and after much deliberation, quickly deciphered its combined meaning:

"SPEAK HUMAN."

Speak!

"A deity?"

Wu Wang asked tentatively.

The flying bird instantly transformed back into human form with a poof and spoke directly to Wu Wang in a slightly hoarse voice, with an odd intonation:

"Human."

A human, who could turn into a bird, and was this beautiful...

No!

Wait, wait a moment!

Wu Wang's lips trembled, and he jumped up excitedly. Had this bird been on his shoulder just now? He hadn't fainted?!

"What about my strange illness? No, miss, could you please transform into a flying bird and land on my shoulder? I, I have something I want to verify."

The flying bird tilted its head in confusion, a hint of wariness appearing in its small eyes, but after Wu Wang's repeated invitations, it still fluttered its wings and landed on Wu Wang's shoulder.

It landed firmly!

He hadn't, fainted, or, fallen asleep!

Wu Wang's voice couldn't help but tremble slightly. He hadn't been this nervous or shaken even when facing powerful Innate Gods alongside Shennong Shi.

Could it be!

Could it be that he had found a loophole in the Innate Gods' curses?!

"Miss, could you, could you please transform back into your human form? This is very important to me!"

"Jin Wei?"

The flying bird blinked, then lightly leaped up, exploding into a puff of green smoke. Its smooth foot stepped onto Wu Wang's shoulder, while the other foot hovered slightly.

The sensation... a soft sensation...

Wu Wang clenched his fists tightly, unable to resist looking up, wanting to see the girl's face clearly, but forgetting that his current perspective was a bit... improper.

The girl froze, then realized what had happened. A blush spread across her fair neck, quickly creeping up to her cheeks.

Bang!

With a muffled thud, Wu Wang's figure was sent flying high into the air, landing in the sea, but his face was filled with excitement.

The girl, using the force of her push-off to fly away, transformed back into a bird and rushed towards the Divine Tree, chirping "Jin Wei, Jin Wei" incessantly. Soon, she returned, holding a gleaming short knife in her bird claws.