The Dove Usurps the Magpie's Nest
More than an hour later, Hu Rui returned.
Bai Jinge, who had been in high spirits, suddenly became serious.
"Elder Hu, have you retrieved everything I asked for?"
"I've brought everything, Miss Bai, please check it." Hu Rui said, handing Bai Jinge a Storage Bag and Bai Jinge's identity token.
Bai Jinge nodded after inspecting the Storage Bag.
"Good, everything you need is there. If anything is missing, we'll add it later."
Her words seemed somewhat disjointed and incoherent.
However, she clearly wasn't going to explain, and continued...
"Let's go to Bamboo-Hidden Ravine."
"Why go to Bamboo-Hidden Ravine?" Hu Rui asked.
"Extreme Yin has just rented the Grotto-Heaven and Blessed Land of Bamboo-Hidden Ravine, but Bamboo-Hidden Ravine has been vacant for many years and needs to be renovated," Bai Jinge said.
Hu Rui immediately understood what those spiritual items she had obtained from the sect were for.
The way she looked at Song Wen again was no longer wary, but rather filled with disgust, as if she were looking at a gigolo who didn't work for anything.
Hu Rui raised her hand and pointed towards the sky.
A shuttle-shaped spaceship immediately appeared in the air.
Song Wen's eyes narrowed slightly.
He recognized the spaceship as the White Rainbow Sky-Patrolling Boat, renowned for its speed, far surpassing that of the Lingxu Dao Immortal.
Back then, Song Wen and Bai Jinge traveled from Azure Purity City to Great Granary City twice, both times using this type of spaceship.
However, Azure Purity City usually uses this ship to transport passengers in order to earn Immortal Spirit Stones. Unexpectedly, Hu Rui actually possesses a White Rainbow Sky-Patrolling Boat.
"It's quite a long way to Bamboo-Hidden Ravine, so let's take this boat," Hu Rui said.
Without any hesitation, Bai Jinge took to the air and flew towards the White Rainbow Sky-Patrolling Boat, not forgetting to call out to Song Wen.
"Extreme Yin, board the ship immediately."
Bai Jinge showed no politeness towards Hu Rui, only an arrogant and self-righteous attitude; but Song Wen was different.
He cupped his hands in thanks and said, "Thank you for your help, Elder Hu. With this boat, our journey will be greatly shortened."
Hu Rui said, "This boat Non-Self. It was bestowed upon me by the sect leader after he appointed me as the young lady's bodyguard, for her daily use."
"Why aren't you boarding the ship yet?" Bai Jinge's urging voice came from the spaceship.
The two then took off and boarded the spaceship.
The White Rainbow Sky-Patrolling Boat pierced the sky and sped away.
Bamboo-Hidden Ravine is located among towering mountains, but its terrain is relatively flat, with only a few scattered Small Earthen Slope, making it a basin.
The basin is about 30,000 li in length and width, rich in Spiritual Qi, and also mixed with a considerable amount of immortal Immortal Spiritual Qi.
However, there were no high-level Demon Beast or rare Spirit Plant in the basin.
The spaceship slowly glided across the basin, like a beast king surveying its territory.
Song Wen and his two companions stood on the deck, looking down at the earth.
"It seems that what Pan Ming said is true; someone has taken over this place. Otherwise, with the Immortal Spiritual Qi here, even if it cannot nurture immortal-level Demon Beast, it should still gather a large number of high-level Demon Beast," Bai Jinge said.
Song Wen nodded in deep agreement.
Bai Jinge added, "Elder Hu, I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you again later to kill those who have usurped our territory. Don't let them escape. Otherwise, if Extreme Yin stays here for a long time, it could cause considerable trouble in the future."
"Yes, Miss Bai."
Although Hu Rui readily agreed, there was a hint of disdain in her voice.
Of course, this 'disdain' was not directed at Bai Jinge, but at Song Wen, who 'reaps without sowing'.
Song Wen then realized that Bai Jinge had become especially clingy since they met again, wanting to be with him all the time and spend alone with him.
However, Bai Jinge could have taken the opportunity to shake off Hu Rui and go to Bamboo-Hidden Ravine alone with Song Wen when he sent Hu Rui back to the sect to retrieve the spiritual item; but Bai Jinge did not do so.
It's likely that Bai Jinge had already decided to use Hu Rui to eliminate the rogue cultivator who had usurped the Rogue Cultivator.
After all, in her opinion, although Song Wen was Lingxu Dao Immortal, his strength was not that great. Only with Hu Rui as an assistant could Song Wen's safety be guaranteed.
As they ventured deeper into the basin, a misty white fog gradually appeared over the land ahead.
A white fog enveloped an area of approximately two thousand miles, obscuring the view within.
Clearly, this is the core of Bamboo-Hidden Ravine, protected by the "Grand Void Sealing Heaven Restriction Formation" to prevent unauthorized entry.
However, on a Small Earthen Slope to the west of the white mist, a group of people were standing. Leading them was a monk, with a fat head and big ears, a monastic scar on his head, and his robes were wide open, exposing his chest and breasts.
The Fat Monk Mid Lingxu Dao Immortal Stage. Behind him stood more than twenty people of varying cultivation levels, but twelve of them had already reached the Tribulation Transcendence stage.
The Fat Monk clasped his hands together, his face serene and compassionate, and looked up at the three people on the bow of the spaceship.
"Juezhao, three benefactors. This humble monk is Jue Zhao. May I ask which one of you is the Benefactor of Extreme Yin?"
Bai Jinge shouted, "Bald monk, how do you know the name 'Extreme Yin'?"
"This humble monk has his own methods, but it is inconvenient for him to tell you, benefactor," the Fat Monk said with a warm smile. "However, benefactor, your cultivation is only at the peak of the Tribulation Transcendence stage, yet you have acted so presumptuously before this humble monk, which is a great disrespect to Buddha. For your own life, benefactor, you would be best to be careful with your words and actions."
"You bald monk, how dare you threaten me!" Bai Jinge roared. "Elder Hu, kill them all, leave no one alive!"
"Don't act rashly," Song Wen said. "Look closely at the earthen slope beneath their feet; the soil shows signs of being disturbed. Also..."
Song Wen raised his hand and pointed to the north side of the earthen slope, where there was a spiritual field and a row of Small Courtyard, which were obviously built by the group of people in front of him.
"Those courtyards are strange too; I can't probe them with my Divine Sense. I'm afraid they've already set up formations, waiting for us to slip inside."
Hu Rui glanced at Song Wen with surprise, seemingly astonished that a mere 'male concubine' would have such discerning eyes.
"Extreme Yin's words make sense. They have most likely already set up a killing formation."
Bai Jinge gritted her teeth, her face filled with anger.
"They not only knew your name, 'Extreme Yin,' but also set up a killing formation in advance. It seems Pan Ming was right after all; someone within the sect tipped them off. If I find out who it is, I'll tear them to pieces."
Bai Jinge directly ruled out Pan Ming as a suspect, but Song Wen strongly agreed.
Pan Ming knew Bai Jinge's identity. If he had tipped them off, he would never have let the Fat Monk and the others wait here; he would have let them escape long ago.
For Rogue Cultivator to provoke the daughter of the Purple Star Immortal Sect's leader is tantamount to courting death.
Song Wen looked at the Fat Monk and spoke.
"Juezhao knows my name, he must know that I have already rented this blessed land. Why don't you leave sooner, but instead wait here? You must have something to do with it, why don't you just say so?"
"Hahaha... Extreme Yin is truly a remarkable person." The Fat Monk heartily. "Since you have spoken, I will not hold back. I would like to discuss with you the possibility of opening up the core area of Bamboo-Hidden Ravine so that we may enter. From now on, we will share this Grotto-Heaven and Blessed Land with you. What do you think?"
"Master wants to occupy Grotto-Heaven and Blessed Land? That's easy enough," Song Wen said. "The Purple Star Immortal Sect has many vacant blessed lands under its jurisdiction. Master can simply go to the External Affairs Hall and rent one. Why bother coming to my Bamboo-Hidden Ravine?"
The Fat Monk's expression immediately darkened.
"Master of Extreme Yin, are you refusing to agree?"