Wolf Cub A Qiu, Lantern-Burning Daoist

"Master, Yibao may really have become the spirit of a Merit Supreme Treasure!"

Wu Chu nodded slightly to show he understood, while wondering whether this meant he had gained the Heavenly Dao's recognition and was no longer an undocumented outsider.

No wonder Xiao Yi had evolved into Yibao, the spirit of a Spirit Treasure. She had originally been an intelligent program, and only with the blessing of Merit had she become manifest.

"Little sister, I really wasn't deceiving you. I truly am just an Ordinary person." Wu Chu looked at her with utter sincerity. "If you don't believe me, just look into my sincere eyes..."

The lake breeze carried a hint of moisture. As her hair fluttered softly, the little girl silently stared into Wu Chu's eyes, thoroughly bewildered.

"By the way, how heavy is your Spirit Prime Sword?"

"How heavy? I don't know either!"

Wu Chu froze for a moment. He felt that it was not that she did not know, but that she did not know how to describe weight. With a sigh, he said, "This will have to wait for now."

As he spoke, he walked to the lakeside and scooped up water to wash his face.

"Yueling, have you eaten?"

Yueling shook her head. "I'm not hungry!"

"Wait for me a moment. I need to use the toilet."

Wu Chu headed toward the flower field as he spoke, but Yueling followed right behind him.

"Don't follow me. I'll be right back after using the toilet."

Wu Chu waved Yueling off and stopped her outside the flower field. Then he entered the field, dug a hole, and began creating a scene of human tragedy.

By then, Yibao had already returned to the phone.

The foul stench drifted out of the flower field with the wind, making Yueling turn away and retch. Covering her delicate nose, she floated into the air, her pretty brows curving like silkworms.

Wu Chu stared blankly at the tiny figure hovering in the air.

In midair, Yueling blinked her big, glossy eyes and saw Wu Chu squatting naked in the flower field. She hurriedly covered her eyes with her little hands and turned around.

"Senior A Chu, I didn't mean to."

"..."

After dealing with his personal business, Wu Chu buried the hole again. While disposing of the evidence, he also eliminated the source of the smell.

He washed his hands by the lake, went to the pool to drink a few mouthfuls of spring water, then returned before the wooden cabin and began chewing on a fruit. "Want one?"

The little girl shook her head slightly. Wu Chu asked again, "Yueling, do you know what this is?"

The little girl nodded. "This is Purple Jade Mountain's treasure, the Purple Jade Spirit Crabapple. But these are merely Ordinary Purple Jade Spirit Crabapples. The true Purple Jade Spirit Crabapple ripens only once every ten thousand years, bearing forty-nine fruits each time. Every fruit bears Purple Jade spirit-patterns. One Purple Jade Spirit-Pattern Apple can equal eighteen thousand years of arduous cultivation. Unfortunately, now..."

The little girl looked at the towering tree beside them, its crown gone, then shook her head with a soft sigh.

As the two chatted, Yibao appeared on Wu Chu's shoulder again. This time, Wu Chu had not called for her; she came out on her own.

Looking at the bare giant tree, Wu Chu inwardly lamented as well. If he could eat one, would he not become immortal immediately? Of course, he might also explode to death.

Still, such an incredible Spirit Root did not seem very famous in the Primordial World! Could it be because its foundation had been damaged in this battle?

"Did Yueling used to live here on Purple Jade Mountain?" Wu Chu asked again.

The little girl nodded. "Mm. I have been in Transformation Form for less than half a year. I had wanted to become Purple Jade Daoist's disciple, but I was afraid I was too foolish and never dared say it. Who would have thought..."

Wu Chu understood the little sprite's predicament. Her Daoist attire was probably something she had learned from Purple Jade Daoist as well.

At last, Wu Chu asked, "Then what did Yueling transform from?"

Hearing this, the little girl merely stared at him with wide eyes and said nothing.

Wu Chu felt somewhat awkward. "Is it a taboo?"

The little girl tilted her head. "Senior A Chu doesn't know? Questions like that are taboos to all living beings! If Senior A Chu encounters other beings in the future, it would be best not to ask that."

"Alright! Sorry! I was only curious. Ignorance is no crime, right?"

Wu Chu said awkwardly. After a light cough, he asked again, "Other than you, are there any other beings in Transformation Form on Purple Jade Mountain?"

The little girl shook her head. "Not yet! Purple Jade Daoist was the first being on Purple Jade Mountain to take Transformation Form. This Purple Jade Spirit Crabapple tree is his Companion Spirit Root. A hundred years ago, I was fortunate enough to eat a Purple Jade Spirit-Pattern Apple. That was why I was fortunate enough to become the first being besides Purple Jade Daoist to take Transformation Form on Purple Jade Mountain during these past hundred years."

"Then aside from Purple Jade Daoist, have you seen any other beings?"

The little girl shook her head. Wu Chu thought to himself: No wonder she dressed like a Daoist. She must have learned it all from Purple Jade Daoist!

After thinking for a moment, Wu Chu asked again, "Little Yueling, how do you cultivate? Do you have any cultivation methods? Is that taboo too?"

The little girl shook her head. "That is not taboo. But we do not really have any cultivation methods. We are born able to absorb and exhale the spiritual energy of Heaven and Earth, and comprehend the wondrous principles of Heaven and Earth's laws..."

Alright!

Those damned Innate Beings!

They truly were beings favored by Heaven.

Forget it. This world was so dangerous, and he was so weak and helpless. He had better obediently stay on Purple Jade Mountain. At least there was no shortage of food here for now.

Besides, with his lifespan, a hundred years would probably pass in the blink of an eye...

But then again, his physique should have improved. He would probably live more than a hundred years. Yet compared to other living beings, even that was only the time it took to snap one's fingers.

I'm so sorry for disgracing all the predecessors who transmigrated before me!

With that thought, Wu Chu no longer felt conflicted.

As for cultivation methods, he had not experienced anything like that in last night's dream. He had no idea how Purple Jade Daoist or that Azure Dragon cultivated.

Wu Chu shook his head and asked, "Yueling, can you teach me your language? Constantly communicating through divine sense is not ideal. If outsiders come..."

"Sure! But Senior A Chu, you really don't understand cultivation?"

"Don't call me Senior! I'm just a perfectly Ordinary human..."

"Human? What kind of beings are humans?"

Wu Chu was a curious sort, and Yueling was no exception.

Humans truly had not appeared in this world yet.

I really did arrive too early!

Wu Chu chewed on the Purple Jade Spirit Crabapple as he thought, becoming even less inclined to leave this place.

Awoo, awoo...

The little wolf cub called out to Wu Chu, as though saying it wanted some food too.

"Senior A Chu..."

"Just call me A Chu."

"Alright, Senior A Chu. This little wolf cub says it is hungry."

Wu Chu slapped his forehead, stood while holding the fruit, and said, "Yueling, do you know where this little wolf cub's parents are? Are there wolf packs on Purple Jade Mountain?"

"Yes! Not far from here. But they ran away over ten days ago. This little wolf cub probably fell behind and failed to escape!"

As Yueling spoke, she picked up a foxtail grass stalk and teased the little wolf cub.

Wu Chu looked at the little wolf cub hopping along behind them, waving its tiny paws as it tried to catch the foxtail grass. He shook his head. "Poor little fellow. You can live with me from now on!"

"Senior A Chu, the little wolf cub says it is willing!"

"Oh? That's great. I'll give it a name! Hmm, Little Gray. You'll be called Little Gray from now on. How about it? Sounds nice, right?"

Awoo...

"Did it agree?" Wu Chu asked.

Yueling covered her mouth and laughed. "It says it refuses. Its mother already gave it a name. It is called A Qiu. Senior A Chu can call it A Qiu."

"Achoo?!"

The little sprite Yibao covered her mouth and giggled.

However, Wu Chu did not find it funny. If transliterated, it did not actually sound like "achoo."

So he glared at Yibao, making her retreat sulkily into the phone.

When he reached the half of the giant shrimp, the fire had long since gone out. But since it was always daytime outside, the shrimp meat was still somewhat warm.

Wu Chu pried off some shrimp meat with a wooden chip and fed it to the little wolf cub. Then he went to gather some deadwood and lit another fire atop the ashes of the old campfire.

More than half an hour later, the fragrance of shrimp meat drifted through the forest once more.

Awoo...

The little wolf cub called toward the bushes not far behind them.

"Who is it?" Yueling turned and shouted.

Wu Chu looked over and saw a figure emerge from the bushes.

He was slender and gaunt-faced, with his hair tied in a Daoist topknot. He looked quite young, and he smiled warmly as he gave them a respectful salute.

"This poor Daoist is Lantern-Burning. I have been traveling through the Primordial World and happened to pass through this precious land. Seeing that the Mountain Protection Array outside had been damaged, I came to investigate. May I ask how I should address you, fellow Daoist? Are you the master of this place?"

Wu Chu looked toward Yueling, who was transmitting a translation to him through divine sense.

Lantern-Burning?

Lantern-Burning Daoist?!

That detestable old fellow from Investiture of the Gods?

He had not expected the first famous figure from the Primordial World he encountered to be him!

Wu Chu looked oddly at this black-hearted man who killed for treasures without blinking, thinking: Had this fellow set his sights on some Spirit Treasure in Purple Jade Mountain?

Lantern-Burning Daoist likewise looked at Wu Chu strangely. His clothes were bizarre, his hair was not tied in a Daoist topknot, and he could not even speak the Primordial Language, needing someone else to relay his words. How peculiar!

He looked again at Wu Chu's pocket and thought: That is the aura of a Merit Supreme Treasure! I wonder which great senior it belongs to, to have such peculiar tastes in clothing!

Wu Chu stood, cupped his hands in return, gave a light cough, and said solemnly, "This mountain recluse calls himself Never Leaves. Fellow Daoist Lantern-Burning may call me Mountain Recluse Who Never Leaves. I can be considered half the master of Purple Jade Mountain. Did Fellow Daoist Lantern-Burning perhaps sense that some treasure here is destined for you? If so, Fellow Daoist, feel free to take it! This mountain recluse will have no objections."

Lantern-Burning Daoist: "..."

Was that true?