Jiaojiao, I Can't Eat Any More Dirt

Breakfast was a special blood-nourishing meal that Yu Jiaojiao had the chef prepare for Shuhang to make up for the blood loss he had experienced yesterday.

After breakfast, Shuhang and Yu Jiaojiao began their morning exercise.

The day begins in the morning.

Shuhang reviewed all the techniques he had mastered and felt that his physique had improved slightly.

"Have you set off yet?" Yu Jiaojiao asked.

Song Shuhang finished his practice and exhaled a breath of fresh air. "Alright, let's set off now! How do we get there? Is it close?"

If 'Three Lives Global Express' is in the Jiangnan Region, is it by car or on foot?

"Hold on tight, I'll take you there," Yu Jiaojiao said with a smile. With that, she lightly leaped and landed on Song Shuhang's shoulder.

"Are we going to Sword Flight?" Song Shuhang asked. And how was he going to hold onto Yu Jiaojiao? By holding her entirely in his palm?

Yu Jiaojiao shook her head and said, "No, Three Lives Global Express doesn't exist in the sky."

As they spoke, Yu Jiaojiao grabbed Song Shuhang's ear with her little paws, the spot she felt most comfortable with. Then she said, "Get ready, we're coming!"

"Which way?" Song Shuhang asked. They weren't in the air, and he needed to hold onto Yu Jiaojiao. Where exactly was 'Three Lives Global Express'?

Just as he was pondering this, suddenly, with a 'bang!', Song Shuhang saw a large cloud of white mist appear before his eyes, enveloping him and Yu Jiaojiao.

Immediately afterwards, the white mist merged into their bodies, and within about two breaths, it assimilated their bodies into a state of 'mist'. This state was somewhat like a soul state.

Not only his body, but also his clothes, his Inch-Shrinking Bag, and other belongings were all assimilated.

At this moment, Yu Jiaojiao called out, "Earth-Escaping Technique!"

The next moment, Shuhang saw the ground beneath his feet seem to melt, and he and Yu Jiaojiao fell into the mud.

The earth seemed to transform into an ocean in an instant, and he and Yu Jiaojiao swam in the soil—moreover, he could vaguely see things ten meters away from the ground, though it was a hazy, dreamlike view.

Is this the 'Earth Escape Art'? It can actually turn the earth around him into liquid—no, it's not that the earth turns into liquid, but rather that his and Yu Jiaojiao's bodies have undergone changes.

Song Shuhang immediately realized that, to their current bodies, the earth was like a liquid, allowing them to submerge themselves.

Shuhang originally thought that the 'Earth Escape Art' would allow cultivators to move quickly underground like earthworms. I admit defeat!

Through the misty vision, he could see some creatures in the earth: earthworms, various strange insects, and the roots of some plants. However, he didn't see any rocks, because rocks also fall under the scope of ' Earth Escape Art, a technique that allows one to see through things).

At that moment, Shuhang felt an urge to learn this magical spell!

[However, since they're using Earth Escape Art is a type of magic or technique), does that mean the 'Three Lives Global Express' branch in the Jiangnan District is located underground?]

After all, it's a courier company for cultivators, and its customers are also cultivators, so it can't openly appear in front of ordinary people. The underground is a good hiding place, which is understandable.

While he was pondering this, Shuhang suddenly felt a pain in his ear. For some reason, Yu Jiaojiao gripped his ear tightly.

Song Shuhang dared not turn his head to look at Yu Jiaojiao, because if he did, Yu Jiaojiao, who was holding his ear, would be shaken off—if Yu Jiaojiao, he would not be able to maintain the state of 'Earth Escape Art,' and wouldn't he be stuck in the ground?

So, he used Secret Voice Transmission technique to ask, "Jiaojiao, what happened? Why are you pinching me so hard?"

Yu Jiaojiao quickly replied, "It's okay, it's just that when I was accelerating my ground escape just now, a man-made building suddenly appeared in front of me, which startled me. Then I braked suddenly and involuntarily exerted some force on my hands."

Within Song Shuhang's field of vision, he could not see any trace of the 'building'. Clearly, Yu Jiaojiao's field of vision was far greater than Song Shuhang's when she was in 'Earth Escape state)'.

"What kind of building is it?" Song Shuhang asked.

"It looks like a subway station... With the development of technology, it's becoming increasingly difficult for us cultivators to find a quiet place to cultivate. We Sea Clan are a little better off, but human cultivators are having a real headache. In the past, cultivators could simply retreat to the deep mountains and forests and not have to worry about being disturbed. But now, there are fewer and fewer deep mountains and forests where we can retreat, and even underground, in the sky, and underwater, there are traces of humans. Many powerful cultivation sects have simply opened up their own alternate dimensions and moved their entire sect and Spirit Vein inside," Yu Jiaojiao said.

Song Shuhang chuckled dryly a few times.

"By the way, try not to talk to me from now on. I need to concentrate on maintaining the 'Earth Escape Art.' I didn't expect that using Earth Escape Art on one person would be more tiring than using Sword Flight with ten people. I can't be distracted," Yu Jiaojiao said.

"No problem!" Song Shuhang quickly shut his mouth, not daring to say anything more—what if he got stuck in the soil? For his own safety, he absolutely shouldn't disturb Yu Jiaojiao at this time.

The Earth Escape is a type of escape technique) continued.

Song Shuhang only felt the surrounding environment changing rapidly, but because there were no reference points, he didn't know how far he and Yu Jiaojiao had Earth Escape.

Just then, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his ear again.

"Jiaojiao, is there another obstacle?" Song Shuhang asked subconsciously.

However, Yu Jiaojiao did not answer immediately.

Song Shuhang noticed some changes happening around him—the surrounding soil was moving.

When he first activated the Earth Escape Art, he thought the ground beneath his feet was liquefying—but in fact, that was his illusion; the change wasn't in the ground, but in their bodies.

Now, Song Shuhang was certain that the surrounding soil was liquid—was it mud?

Yu Jiaojiao and his body continued to move swiftly through the layer of what appeared to be mud.

But navigating through the mud was even more exhausting for Yu Jiaojiao. She was currently gritting her teeth and sprinting forward, and didn't have time to answer Song Shuhang immediately.

After traveling some distance, Yu Jiaojiao's reply finally came, "I can't go on anymore, this journey has been so exhausting, I can't keep going."

"What?!" Song Shuhang's eyes widened—Sis, can't I just call you my dear sister? Don't scare me! I don't want to choke on the ground!

"Grit your teeth, there's an underground river in the distance, let's rush there and rest for a bit!" Yu Jiaojiao said.

Song Shuhang: "..."

Then, Yu Jiaojiao dashed forward at top speed.

About twenty seconds later.

Yu Jiaojiao, carrying Song Shuhang, leaped forward and successfully jumped into an underground river!

Plop! Water splashed up in the dark river.

"Hahaha, I'm saved!" Yu Jiaojiao giggled, then plunged into the water and swam around once. Like a fish entering the ocean, she felt exhilarated.

But Song Shuhang, who was standing next to her, was deathly pale.

Yu Jiaojiao asked, "Shuhang, what's wrong?"

"Jiaojiao, how far are we from the finish line?" Song Shuhang asked bitterly.

"There are still two-thirds of the way to go," Yu Jiaojiao replied after a moment's thought.

"I think I can't go on." Song Shuhang sighed softly, touching his stomach. "I can't eat anymore."

"Huh?" Yu Jiaojiao blinked her small eyes and asked in confusion.

"Soil, I mean... I can't eat any more soil!" Song Shuhang said, sticking his finger into his mouth, trying to induce vomiting.

Yu Jiaojiao was immediately extremely embarrassed.

Just now, in the last twenty seconds of Yu Jiaojiao's accelerated sprint, Song Shuhang was horrified to discover that the 'Earth Escape Art' had malfunctioned.

The 'mist' state around his mouth was weakening. Although it was still 'mist' and could barely maintain the 'Earth Escape' effect, something unexpected happened during the 'Earth Escape' process—the muddy water around Shuhang suddenly poured into his mouth!

Song Shuhang swallowed a mouthful of muddy water.

He quickly closed his mouth—but at that moment, the 'fogging' at his nostrils also weakened.

The muddy water was actually trying to get right into his nostrils!

Song Shuhang quickly covered his nose and mouth with his hands; he didn't want to become a cultivator who drowned in mud while using 'earth escape'.

After covering his nose and mouth, the muddy water finally stopped flowing into them.

Song Shuhang secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

But just as he breathed a sigh of relief, something even more terrifying happened—the mud appeared directly inside his stomach!

It was as if the mud possessed spatial magic, passing through his belly and appearing inside his stomach.

Song Shuhang couldn't understand the principle at all!

The 'Earth Escape Art' effect at his mouth and nose has worn off, so why is the soil appearing directly inside his stomach? That doesn't make sense!

Oh, by the way, cultivation is actually something beyond science.

But this isn't 'cultivation' at all! The 'Earth Escape Art- escape technique' on his stomach hasn't been dispelled! Why should this muddy water appear directly inside his stomach?

Could it be that, aside from his mouth, the 'Earth Escape Art's' misting effect disappeared in some part of his body that he himself wasn't even aware of?

Regardless of the reason, Song Shuhang got a belly full of muddy water.

Later, after Yu Jiaojiao led him through the muddy area, soil began to appear directly on Song Shuhang's stomach.

Holy shit!

In the end, Song Shuhang's stomach was full of mud.

Now, Song Shuhang has erased the idea of learning the 'Earth Escape Art' from his mind—even if he wants to learn it in the future, he must do so under the premise of having a guarantee.

The taste of a belly full of mud was so sour and refreshing.

After five minutes of struggling, with the help of Yu Jiaojiao's water magic, Song Shuhang finally managed to get rid of the mud in his belly.

At this moment, he finally understood the suffering of ordinary people during times of war in ancient times. How hungry must one be to eat dirt!

"Shuhang, should we continue?" Yu Jiaojiao asked, feeling particularly embarrassed—she had overestimated her 'Earth Escape Art' skills.

The main reason is that she is a hybrid of a water-type fish and Flood Dragon, and is proficient in water-based Daoist arts.

And don't forget, in the Five Elements... Earth overcomes Water!

Yu Jiaojiao's ability to learn the 'Earth Escape Art' is already a bonus from her 'Flood Dragon Bloodline'.

Now, for her to lead another person to 'escape', it is indeed beyond her ability.

"Keep going! We've already covered a third of the distance, we can't give up now!" Song Shuhang said through gritted teeth.

Yu Jiaojiao: "But what if I can't hold on? You'll be eating a bellyful of dirt again."

"That's easy," Song Shuhang suggested. "Jiaojiao, let's divide the rest of the journey into four sections. Every quarter of the way, we'll find a place to stop and rest. If we can't find a place to rest, we'll blast a hole ourselves while your 'Earth Escape Art Technique' is still active!"

"Okay, let's do it that way." Yu Jiaojiao nodded.

After resting for another five minutes, Yu Jiaojiao and Song Shuhang once again used their "Earth Escape" (a type of teleportation technique)!

******************************

One hour later.

Song Shuhang and Yu Jiaojiao finally arrived at the entrance to their destination—a tall passageway.

When Yu Jiaojiao uttered the words "We've arrived," Shuhang's eyes welled up with tears.

Led by Jiaojiao, the two entered the passage and headed to the branch of 'Three Lives Global Express' in the Jiangnan District.

The two quickly reached the end of the passage.

But what appeared before them was not a branch of 'Three Lives Global Express', but a huge circular void.

There wasn't a single person inside!

"Where is Three Lives Global Express?" Yu Jiaojiao was dumbfounded. Her father had brought her here when she was a child, and this was definitely the place!

Song Shuhang stared at the huge void. Clearly, this was indeed the underground branch of 'Three Lives Global Express', but now, the entire branch had vanished.

"Could it be that the branch of Three Lives Global Express here has been destroyed?" Yu Jiaojiao stared at the huge empty space in front of her, filled with doubt.

"There are no signs of a battle." Song Shuhang searched the hollow, and soon he saw a faint light in a corner of the huge circular hollow. "Jiaojiao, there seems to be something there!"

"Let's go take a look," Yu Jiaojiao said.

The two quickly ran to the faint light.

There, two small formations were engraved.

"The formation on the left is a 'Spirit-Gathering Formation,' and the other formation is incomprehensible. It seems to be a fire-type formation, perhaps used for lighting?" Yu Jiaojiao said.

For lighting?

The entire branch of Three Lives Global Express has vanished, leaving behind only a lighting array here. Could there be something beneath it?

Song Shuhang reached out and felt around below the illumination array.

"There's something here!" He quickly swept away the dust under the lighting array.

Soon, Song Shuhang removed a metal plate-like object.

Dear 'Three Lives Global Express' customers: Due to business expansion, our underground branch in the Jiangnan Region has been relocated to the Paradise Road Prosperous Building on LeYuan Road in the Jiangnan Region. Please move to the 30th floor of the Prosperous Building if needed. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Thank you to all our customers for your continued care and support of 'Three Lives Global Express'!

Wishing all our customers a happy holiday and all the best!

May 1, 2009.

Yu Jiaojiao: "..."

Song Shuhang: "..."