Star-Violet Condensed Bloom

Jiang Lu raised an eyebrow as she looked at the Black Mystic Iron in Yue Mengting's hand.

Was this the reward for doing a good deed?

A pie falling from the sky?

"For me?"

Jiang Lu asked tentatively.

Yue Mengting nodded. "You're my benefactor. You must have come here in search of Black Mystic Iron. Though this isn't enough to repay the debt of saving my life, if there's a chance later, I'll repay you."

Jiang Lu looked into her sparkling eyes and accepted the Black Mystic Iron.

Then the corners of her lips curled up.

"Sure, I'll take it. Saving someone means seeing it through—I'll take you out."

With that, she stored the Black Mystic Iron in her space.

Several wind blades shot from her hand toward the Majianci, instantly clearing a path through the vines wide enough for two people to leave.

She held out her hand and pulled Yue Mengting over.

Yue Mengting looked at the hand extended before her. Light filtering through the gaps between the leaves fell right onto Jiang Lu.

It formed a thin halo around her, as though a supreme god had descended.

Jiang Lu's face suddenly blurred, impossible to see clearly, carrying a sacred radiance.

Yue Mengting froze, her heartbeat speeding up. What was this feeling? Something was wrong with her heart!

Was she sick? Her face flushed, and she lowered her head slightly.

Her hand moved of its own accord into Jiang Lu's palm. Then Jiang Lu took her hand, crossed the Majianci, and ran outside.

She followed behind her, her mind blank for a moment. She had gotten out just like that?

"Alright, we're even now. Let's part ways here."

Jiang Lu brought her to a safe place and spoke to her.

Only then did Yue Mengting come back to her senses. Her gaze gradually cleared, and she clasped her left hand over her right, looking at Jiang Lu somewhat bashfully.

"Um, Benefactor, you still haven't told me your name."

Jiang Lu thought about it. She really did need a name while outside. Thinking of something, she said softly,

"My name is Jiang Ye."

Jiang Ye, Yue Mengting murmured under her breath. It really suited her benefactor's temperament.

The three beasts in her pouch peered through the gap, watching Jiang Lu lie with a straight face, utterly astonished.

They had thought their master was the dull, honest sort!

But on second thought, an honest person would never do the things their master did. They had a feeling their lives would definitely be exciting from now on.

"Stinky bird, do you think Master has some hidden trait or something?"

Cangchen waggled his brows at Chi Li.

Chi Li nodded. That was hard to say. She had always felt their master hid the same wicked streak they possessed. Perhaps it was only being suppressed now because her strength was too low.

"Jiang Ye, then... until we meet again."

Yue Mengting had wanted to say more, but suddenly felt the bracelet on her wrist flashing with light. Her clansmen must be looking for her.

She tugged a jade pendant from her waist.

"This is the Clan Jade Token that represents my identity in the clan. If we meet again in the future and there's anything I can help with, I definitely will. If you run into trouble with my clansmen, taking this out can save your life."

After saying that, she stuffed the Clan Jade Token into Jiang Lu's hand and hurried off in one direction.

Jiang Lu nodded. She accepted this favor.

A life-saving means from a hidden lineage was still very useful.

The Medicine King Pavilion's principle was to make friends rather than enemies.

She wholeheartedly agreed.

"You three, no more slacking off."

Jiang Lu grabbed the three little ones from the cloth pouch and said in a deliberately fierce tone.

"Chirp?"

Cutie looked utterly confused, its eyes brimming with tears as it stared at Jiang Lu.

Jiang Lu: ...

She had told herself that being unable to communicate was no good!

It would be great if she could contract it. Then she would be the first to know whenever there was any treasure.

But no one had ever been able to contract a Treasure-Seeking Mouse. As darlings of the Heavenly Dao, they naturally possessed certain peculiar traits.

What was more, she had no contract slots left in her hands! She sighed inwardly, but once she dealt with these two and freed up a slot, she could give it a try.

Chi Li and Cangchen felt a chill run down their backs, and a bad premonition flashed through them.

"Understood, Master!"

Chi Li immediately replied.

Having been beaten to it by Chi Li, Cangchen pursed his lips and hurriedly answered as well,

"Mhm, Master."

Then they headed into the distance. They were going to find the demon beasts' nests and beat them until they were scattered like fallen flowers and flowing water!

Jiang Lu: ?

Wasn't training supposed to be something other than fighting?—

Then Cutie immediately followed as well. It leaped from Jiang Lu's hand and vanished from her sight in just a few bounds.

Jiang Lu's eyes widened. This was the first time she had seen how fast a Treasure-Seeking Mouse could run. If she had not kept her eyes on it the entire time, she truly would not have noticed it.

And the Treasure-Seeking Mouse had no aura at all. Even a great expert would find it difficult to detect.

After walking some distance, it looked back to see whether Jiang Lu had followed.

Seeing this, Jiang Lu's heart softened.

Cutie was still the most obedient!

Wuwuwu~

It was just too adorable!

Once it saw Jiang Lu follow, it immediately ran ahead again and quickly caught up with Cangchen and Chi Li.

As Jiang Lu approached, she saw the two spirit beasts confronting a gigantic python before them.

The python's thick scales gleamed with a pitch-black luster.

It coiled on the ground, its body as thick as a wooden pillar. Curved venomous fangs glinting with cold light hid within its jaws, its vertical pupils were icy, and its forked tongue flickered. A faint, fishy poisonous mist lingered around its body, making its fierce savagery overwhelming.

Its eyes were fixed dead on the two spirit beasts before it.

It was a Level Three Netherfang Python!

Jiang Lu's heart skipped a beat. This was not something a weak little Qi Refinement cultivator like her could handle. Somewhat helplessly, she looked at the two spirit beasts standing nearby with defiant expressions. These two really knew how to find trouble for her!

A Netherfang Python could reach Level Six at most. The two venomous fangs in its mouth could spray poison, and if cultivators lacked specially made antidote pills, they would be poisoned to death within half a shichen.

They must have entered its territory.

But...

Jiang Lu was puzzled. This was the outer region, where there should normally only be first- and second-tier demon beasts. Why was there a third-tier demon beast here?

"Chirp—"

At Cutie's cry, Jiang Lu followed the direction of its pointing paw.

Behind the Netherfang Python, a spirit plant half a meter tall emitted a faint glow. The veins on its leaves were wrapped in violet light.

Layer upon layer of violet powder had fallen around the light.

It was the Star-Violet Condensed Bloom!

After consuming it, a Netherfang Python could shed its scales and advance into a flood dragon; if cultivators refined it, it could stabilize their divine souls and ward off the baleful miasma released by the python race.

No wonder there was a third-tier demon beast here. So this thing was the reason.

But!

It belonged to her now!

Jiang Lu scooped Cutie into her arms. "We'll circle around from behind and pick it later!"

Then she raised her head to look at the Star-Violet Condensed Bloom. Although it had not matured, Linglong and Lingxi would surely have a way to plant it.

For some inexplicable reason, Jiang Lu had complete faith in those two's abilities.

The Netherfang Python's body kept sliding forward.

Two tiny spirit beasts actually dared to dream of fighting it. They were simply courting death!

Then it sprayed two streams of venom from its mouth toward Chi Li and Cangchen.

The two beasts swiftly retreated to either side, then a column of water and a column of fire shot toward the Netherfang Python.

Hiss—

When they struck its scales, they produced bursts of tearing sounds.

Jiang Lu looked up and saw the scales on its body crack and fall away under the attacks of water and fire, revealing the flesh beneath.