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Ning Ning felt a bit guilty for receiving such praise, so she shared a few more classic, unbreakable couplets with her, similar to "Smoke locks the pond and willows" or "Touring the West Lake carrying a tin pot; the tin pot fell into the West Lake; alas, the tin pot!" The female spirit clicked her tongue in amazement, her eyes widening like copper bells: "The scholars of your hometown, little friend, are truly god-like beings!"

Ning Ning was even happier than if she had been the one praised, nodding repeatedly in agreement: "Of course! The people where I'm from are all very kind, and everyone is super, super amazing!"

Shi Zhongling, satisfied with having collected so many opening lines, returned to the giant boulder and vanished in an instant. Ning Ning lowered her head to inspect the glowing white Heaven Heart Grass, failing to notice the strange look in the young girl's eyes beside her.

Yun Duanyue's gaze dimmed, and she subconsciously tightened her grip on the hem of her skirt.

Her only purpose in coming to the Xiaochong Mountain Secret Realm was to obtain the Heaven Heart Grass. It had taken great effort to ask every spirit beast in the mountains that understood human speech before she finally arrived here.

She had never expected that Shi Zhongling's method of testing people would be composing couplets—something she was completely unskilled at—nor had she anticipated that the Heaven Heart Grass would be snatched up by someone else first.

It was simply that her skills were inferior.

But...

The girl in the blue dress bit her lower lip, suppressing her racing heart, and spoke in a voice so faint it was almost inaudible: "Miss, the Heaven Heart Grass—"

Before she could finish, she saw a small, glowing white hand suddenly extended in front of her.

Held in that hand and offered to her were two crystal-clear, translucent...

Heaven Heart Grass leaves.

Even the usually expressionless Yun Duanyue couldn't help but have her pupils shrink.

Is she... actually offering to give away half of the Heaven Heart Grass?

In Yun Duanyue's experience, such a thing was pure fantasy.

Every cultivator she had ever known fought tooth and nail for resources, even stooping to heinous acts and stealing others' opportunities. The Heaven Heart Grass was a priceless treasure that couldn't be bought, yet they were total strangers, and the sword cultivator before her actually...

Actually gave it to her without a moment's hesitation?

"I heard your conversation with that senior."

The stranger she had never met looked at her with sincere eyes—bright, almond-shaped eyes like black grapes, pure and devoid of any impurity: "I hope your family member is safe and sound."

It was actually because of that conversation.

But even Shi Zhongling had said that she had heard such excuses countless times and no longer believed them. This girl seemed like a smart person; how could she have no doubts at all?

"I heard that you don't usually talk to people. If you were willing to speak up and ask for it, the situation must be urgent."

Ning Ning noticed the doubt in her heart and grinned: "Even if you were lying, I wouldn't be losing anything. I've already obtained the Heaven Heart Grass, and one or two leaves are enough. If I had doubted you and delayed your family member's life, that would be the truly terrible outcome."

The Heaven Heart Grass in front of her moved a little closer.

Yun Duanyue fought back the urge for her eyes to turn red. With trembling fingertips, she took it, and using almost all the courage in her body, she whispered: "Thank you."

No one would ever know how agonizing these past few days had been for her.

Although she was hailed as the most rare musical genius to appear at Liuming Mountain in a century, Yun Duanyue's childhood was actually a miserable mess.

As the daughter of a concubine in a prominent clan, and cursed with a psychological condition that made her afraid to speak to others, she was ignored by her father. Her mother treated her as nothing more than a useless tool. Only her grandmother was willing to treat her like a normal person, teaching her granddaughter how to read, play the zither, and do needlework.

Now that her grandmother was critically ill, only the Heaven Heart Grass could extend her life. She had come full of anticipation, but the moment she saw Ning Ning holding the Heaven Heart Grass, all her hope had been crushed into despair.

Yet now, two small leaves appeared in the palm of her hand.

It felt like a dream.

A surge of heat welled up in her eyes. Yun Duanyue lowered her head and took a soft breath. "I will certainly repay this life-saving grace tenfold."

She was about to bow in thanks when Ning Ning grabbed her shoulders to stop her. "No, no need! You doing that just makes me feel awkward... Besides, I didn't help you to get any kind of reward."

Yun Duanyue shot a lightning-fast glance at her, her trembling eyelashes fluttering like the wings of a black butterfly. Her eyes were slightly red, and her cheeks were flushed with a faint pink. She didn't respond further, and the surroundings fell into silence.

However, this silence didn't last long before it was abruptly shattered by a frantic, youthful voice: "Give me back my sword!"

Then came another, even more unbridled shout: "You little devils, taste my Armstrong Cyclone Jet Armstrong Cannon! Da-da, da-da-da!"

This incredibly familiar voice, these incredibly familiar lines.

Ning Ning felt a sense of suffocation.

"Sorry, it seems to be someone I know. I'll go check it out."

After hurriedly explaining to Yun Duanyue, she squeezed through a gap to the other side of the massive rock, where the view suddenly opened up, and she came face-to-face with a pair of bloodshot eyes.

He Zhizhou's hair was a mess. He was holding two sheathed longswords like a rifle, "firing" them wildly. Behind him followed a panting youth whom Ning Ning vaguely recognized; he seemed to be from the Wanjian Sect, named Xu Ye.

She was startled and tentatively called out, "He Zhizhou!"

The handsome youth froze, then suddenly smiled at her very affectionately. "Commander of the Second Battalion, you're here! Quickly, bring up my Italian artillery!"

Ning Ning: ?

"This guy—this guy is poisoned!"

Xu Ye, who was trailing behind him, stopped to catch his breath. "We were transported into the jungle together. Senior Brother He casually picked some white mushrooms under a tree and ate them, and then he suddenly ended up like this."

After catching his breath, he pointed fiercely at He Zhizhou. "Give my sword back!"

"Pointing a gun at me?"

Unexpectedly, the other party ignored him, instead offering a wicked, charming smile. "I bet there are no bullets in your gun."

Ning Ning was dumbfounded. "Yan, Yan Shuangying?"

"Correct!"

He Zhizhou waved his hand, his spirit soaring to the heavens. "Li Yunlong, charge with me! Tonight, we'll wipe out these little devils and head to Jinggang Mountain to rendezvous with the Red Army!"

Help! This poisoning is way too deep!