I Hope the World Will Be at Peace... Sorry, I Was Joking!
Seeing the Miss Jiudeng swaying as she returned to the temple, Song Shuhang hurriedly jogged after her.
He had absolutely no idea what Jiudeng would do next. Perhaps the next moment, Jiu Deng would suddenly take him to the most sacred place on Heavenly Island, seal his memories, and send him off the Heavenly Island...
In any case, he had absolutely no intention of guessing what this Miss Jiudeng would do next.
Back at the temple, Jiudeng sat back in her original spot and quietly released the array binding the Enlightenment Stone and Onion Lady. Then, out of sheer boredom, she poked Onion Lady with her finger.
Onion Lady: "..."
Seeing that Miss Jiudeng didn't say anything more, Song Shuhang thought for a moment, then shrank back to the corner and squatted down to continue reading his book.
After poking Onion Lady for a while, Jiudeng finally calmed herself down—just thinking about her embarrassing bunny dance made her want to die.
After regaining her composure, Miss Jiudeng took out her little notebook again and drew lines in it.
1: Cook a dish and watch him eat it bite by bite. (Underlined)
2: Accompany him on a small but significant risk. (Underlined)
3: Save him once. (Underlined)
4: We read many books together. (Underlined)
5: Dance for him amidst a sea of flowers and verdant hills. (Underlined)
6:...
Just like last time, after she underlined the fifth point, the content of the sixth point was revealed, breaking the spell's cover.
6: Fulfill one of his wishes, which is neither too big nor too small.
A young girl's heart, is this what a young girl's heart is like?
Cooking for your ideal "him," traveling (or going on adventures) with him, saving his life to increase your affection for him, reading with him, and dancing for him—these can all be understood as girlish sentiments.
But what does it mean to fulfill one of his wishes?
"I'm not a wishing machine... Why did I write this down in the first place?" The Miss Jiudeng racked her brains, but couldn't remember why she had written that wish in the first place.
"Did I really write this myself?" She rubbed her temples.
The sixth point alone is already something as terrifying as a 'wishing machine,' so what other horrifying things did Girls' Generation write next?
Fortunately... after the sixth wish, only one wish remained in the Things Jiudeng Wants to Do: wish number 7. Soon, all seven of her girlhood wishes could be fulfilled.
After closing the little notebook, Miss Jiudeng forced a smile and looked at Song Shuhang.
Just as Song Shuhang finished reading a thin book of scriptures, he sensed Jiudeng's gaze and looked up at her.
"Here, take this." The Miss Jiudeng reached out and tossed a box steadily toward Song Shuhang.
Song Shuhang reached out and took the box. He opened it and saw that it contained the shed skin of the One-Inch Finger Snake.
With this snakeskin, once he leaves Heavenly Island, he only needs to ask the seniors who know how to refine weapons for a little help to make a 'Shrinking Bag'.
"Thank you," Song Shuhang said with a smile, carefully putting the box away.
This little box is also a treasure; it can touch the skin of One-Inch Finger Snake without shrinking it. This is a favor from the Miss Jiudeng.
"By the way, Shuhang, do you have any wishes?" Jiudeng rested her chin on her hand and blinked.
"A wish?" Song Shuhang put down the scripture and pondered. After a moment, he asked, "What kind of wish? A material one? A wish related to things? Or something else?"
"Anything is fine, you can tell me about anything," Jiudeng said with a gentle smile.
"For example, the hope for world peace?" Song Shuhang replied—he himself didn't know why his mouth twitched and the answer just slipped out.
The veins on the forehead of the Miss Jiudeng were faintly bulging. Because she was a beautiful bald head, the bulging veins were very obvious. Song Shuhang noticed her 'angry veins' at a glance.
"Wait, Miss Jiudeng, I was just joking! I saw the atmosphere was so good, I couldn't help but make a joke!" Song Shuhang quickly tried to cover it up.
Lately... I often find myself blurting out some reckless things without thinking. Is it really because I'm so influenced by the Mad Saber Senior Three Waves?
When I get back this time, I must remember to block Mad Blade Senior Three Waves for a while. This kind of reckless behavior is contagious, and incredibly so!
The veins of anger on Miss Jiudeng's forehead subsided slightly.
"Well, actually I have quite a few wishes. For example, regarding goals, I hope to become stronger quickly and have the ability to stand on my own as soon as possible," Song Shuhang replied thoughtfully.
Only when he possesses the strength to stand on his own will he be able to provide a good life for his family and not worry about them being harmed by enemy cultivators because of his identity as a cultivator. Only by becoming stronger can he better help his friends. For example, when Soft Feather went to her friend's cultivation family, Song Shuhang was completely unable to help because his strength was too low.
"The path of cultivation is one step at a time. Physical strength, power level, and mental cultivation—each requires steady improvement. You must never rush it, or you'll leave hidden dangers," the Miss Jiudeng explained earnestly, her hands clasped together.
Song Shuhang's wish is a wish that every cultivator longs for, but it is the one that cannot be rushed.
"I know that, but it's precisely because it's so difficult to achieve that it's a wish," Song Shuhang said with a smile.
Jiudeng nodded silently.
"And then there's the matter of material things. Lately, I've been wanting something," Song Shuhang said, stroking his chin.
Jiudeng's eyes lit up. "Tell me about it?"
"It's a rare and precious herb called 'Dragonbone Withered Vine.' I have a fellow Daoist who has been injured. If we had Dragonbone Withered Vine, it could speed up her recovery." Song Shuhang thought of Su Clan’s Sixteen.
Since that day, when she sent herself over to play with Song Shuhang for half a day, and was then taken back to the Heavenly River Su Clan by Senior Su Clan’s Seven, there has been no further news of her.
When the seniors in the group inquired about Sixteen's condition, Senior Su Clan’s Seven only mentioned that 'Dragonbone Withered Vine' was needed to speed up Sixteen's recovery, without specifying the details of Sixteen's recovery.
"Dragonbone Vine? This thing is not common. Mainly because very few people have encountered the mythical beast 'dragon' in the last few hundred years," Jiudeng pondered.
This Dragonbone Withered Vine is a special spiritual material that grows on the bones of a 'dragon corpse'. The dragon corpse mentioned here is not a 'dinosaur', but a real 'dragon'.
However, dragons have their Dragon Tomb, and very few dragons die in the outside world. Moreover, dragon corpses do not decay for thousands of years, and it is not easy to wait for them to turn into Dragonbone. It is even more difficult for withered vines to grow on Dragonbone.
"It doesn't have to be Dragonbone. Even the 'Dragonbone Withered Vine' from Flood Dragon would be enough," Song Shuhang said with a smile.
Jiudeng's fingers began to tap on the table.
A moment later, she looked at Song Shuhang with a smile, "If it's just the Dragonbone Withered Vine from the Flood Dragon's bones, I know of a place on Heavenly Island where it exists."
Song Shuhang was slightly taken aback, then immediately sat up straight and looked at Jiudeng expectantly.
"However, obtaining the Dragonbone Withered Vine from that Flood Dragon's body is not an easy task," Jiudeng said, his fingers continuing to tap lightly on the table.
"Please enlighten me, Miss Jiudeng," Song Shuhang said earnestly, sitting up straight. He was seizing the opportunity; from Jiudeng's expression and conversation, he vaguely guessed that Miss Jiudeng wanted to give him something—although he might have to pay a price.
If the benefit is 'Dragonbone Withered Vine', Song Shuhang really couldn't refuse.
Suddenly, the Miss Jiudeng exclaimed, "The word 'point out' is so well used, I love it!"
Song Shuhang: "..."
"Ahem, take a rest for a while. I'll prepare myself, and then I'll take you to see one of the island's guardian spirit beasts. I remember it has a very old Flood Dragon skeleton in its possession, with withered Dragonbone Withered Vine growing on it. The Dragonbone Withered Vine Dragonbone Withered Vine from it. Be prepared to fail." The Miss Jiudeng stood up, patted her monk's robe, and smiled.
Song Shuhang a deep breath and replied, "As long as there's hope, I'm willing to give it a try."
"Alright, adjust your state. Perhaps that spirit beast senior will test your strength. I'll go change my clothes, please wait a moment." After saying that, the Miss Jiudeng waved her hand gently, sweeping the Enlightenment Stone and Onion Lady on the table back into Song Shuhang's hands.
She then got up and went to the back of the temple to change her clothes.
What kind of senior spirit beast would even the Miss Jiudeng have to change her clothes so solemnly before meeting?
When it comes to guardian spirit beasts, Song Shuhang immediately thinks of the four great guardian sacred beasts: Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise.
The thought that he might be going to meet this legendary, living beast filled him with a little excitement.
Also, Jiudeng just said she was going to change her clothes; does that mean she's going to change back into women's clothing?
************************
When Jiudeng reappeared, she was wearing a brand new... monk's robe. Oh, it had changed from gray to bluish-white.
"Let's go." The Miss Jiudeng smiled slightly, holding a golden monk's staff, and led the way out of the temple.
Song Shuhang put away the Enlightenment Stone and Onion Lady, and followed closely behind the Miss Jiudeng.
Without a mount or carriage, the two traveled on foot.
After walking for nearly half an hour, Song Shuhang saw a huge valley.
In the beautiful valley of Spirit Mountain, faint sounds of celestial music can be heard emanating from the valley, seemingly the sounds of a zither and lute, accompanied by the joyful singing of hundreds of birds.
What a paradise on earth!
The spirit beast residing in this fairyland seems to be a seasoned music lover. I wonder if it will test my musical abilities when it tests me later?
"Watch my steps, follow my footprints, and don't take a wrong step." At this moment, Jiudeng's voice came from ahead.
Song Shuhang nodded slightly and followed Jiudeng step by step towards the valley. Soon, he saw a huge Chinese Parasol Tree at the valley entrance...