Her master's spirit herb garden had restrictions in place anyway, so Lan Yue wasn't worried about this fellow running away. She simply opened the system.
"Running around so happily-you don't even know your mother doesn't want you anymore, do you?" Lan Yue sat on a rock, browsing the information the system provided and picking out the key points.
"She ran off with her lover ages ago! Those two transformed spirit plants have already flown off together, and now they're wandering the secret realm! They thought you were a burden, so they left you with my master!"
"My master only took you in because she's kindhearted. If another cultivator had found you, you'd have been boiled already! There wouldn't even be scraps left!"
This time, Lan Yue didn't enjoy the gossip silently. Instead, she deliberately spoke aloud about what she'd read in the system. After all, it was only a spirit plant; there was no need to hide anything.
Nor was she worried that this Rootless Fruit sapling wouldn't understand. The system had clearly stated that this fellow had already begun developing intelligence and was equivalent to a three- or four-year-old child.
Yet after a while, there was still no response from over there. Lan Yue was puzzled. Could the Rootless Fruit sapling not understand that she was talking about it?
She could only walk over curiously, keeping her footsteps as light as possible.
Before long, Lan Yue spotted the Rootless Fruit sapling inside its original hole.
At some point, the sapling had lain down at the very bottom. The leafy branches on either side looked like a small child's arms, folded together over its newly grown eyes as it cried its heart out.
Lan Yue: "..."
She'd thought that nine pounds of its ten-pound weight were pure defiance and that it couldn't understand human speech. Who knew it was secretly crying over here?
Lan Yue suddenly felt guilty, as though she'd bullied a little child. She could only clear her throat, walk up beside the hole, and speak softly.
"You don't have to be so upset. Look, you've got food and drink here. What could you possibly lack?"
"This spirit herb garden has the richest spiritual energy on all of Spirit Moon Peak. We can stay here with Master, feast on the good stuff, transform early, and reach the pinnacle of plant life. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
"Maybe you'll even have a beauty in each arm someday. What pleasures couldn't you enjoy? If you went back, your mother might dump you on someone else again. Would another cultivator necessarily treat you well? They might put you straight into a pot and boil you."
She would have been better off saying nothing. After Lan Yue painted that picture, the spirit plant in the hole cried even harder, so distraught that quite a few leaves fell from the top of its head.
Lan Yue's eyes lit up. She quietly picked up those leaves and tucked them into her Storage Ring.
Not only could a Rootless Fruit Tree's fruit be ground into powder, but its leaves could too. Their effects were the same, though she might need more leaves.
That was fine. This fellow was grieving anyway, and leaves were falling around it in heaps. There were more than enough!
Thus, when Yun Xi and Yuan Shuo came over, they found Lan Yue lying in a hole, picking up the spirit plant's fallen leaves while chuckling gleefully.
Looking at the small bald patch atop the spirit plant's head, Yun Xi's mouth twitched.
Meanwhile, when word of the ruins on Spirit-Denuded Island reached the other elders, they all erupted.
"What? Someone actually stole our sect's ruins, and the Greenstone Sect even colluded with them to secretly transport the things inside away! Outrageous! I'll head to Spirit-Denuded Island and stand guard right now. Let's see who dares!" The Fifth Elder was furious.
Those were ruins! Ruins were even harder to find than secret realms, because most contained inheritances.
The Southern Region had suffered devastating damage in earlier years, leaving many inheritances broken. Those preserved within ruins were the most complete, so most sects or rogue cultivators wouldn't reveal a discovery unless more people were needed to open the ruins.
Countless sects fought fiercely over newly discovered ruins. This was perfectly normal.
Now there were ruins near their own sect. How could they possibly hand them over? Anyone who dared pull tricks behind their backs would become an enemy until death!
"Make every disciple who heard about this keep their mouth shut. This absolutely cannot get out, or we'll beat the grass and startle the snake." Rather than immediately investigating, the Fifth Elder secretly sought those people out and warned every one of them.
The people who could hide near Spirit Moon Peak without being discovered were no weaklings. They were all elite disciples of the Southern Spirit Sect and naturally wouldn't harm the sect's interests. Every one of them thumped their chest in assurance.
Once everything was arranged, the Fifth Elder set off with the Second Elder, the Spirit Artifact Hall Master, and a group of disciples.
Li Bai wasn't allowed to go. Thoroughly frustrated, he turned and headed for Spirit Moon Peak.
Yet upon arriving, he discovered that Spirit Moon Peak was surprisingly lively. Not only were there two extra people, but there was even a spirit plant running around everywhere.
This spirit plant was rather unusual. Its roots underneath were particularly thin, though its large eyes were quite cute, bright and watery.
Then Li Bai turned for another look and suddenly noticed that the spirit plant's head seemed a little bald, as though someone had yanked out a handful.
"You're here too! Come look at our Spirit Moon Peak's spirit plant!" Lan Yue grabbed the newly intelligent Rootless Fruit Tree sapling and brought it over, looking delighted.
"What do you think of this child? Doesn't it have exceptional root bone and remarkable talent?" After collecting so many of its leaves yesterday, Lan Yue's affection now extended to their owner.
Li Bai fell silent for a moment before saying tactfully, "Honestly, it's a little bald..."
Lan Yue choked inwardly. "Stop talking. The child will start crying again."
Before she had even finished, the previously cheerful spirit plant looked as though lightning had struck it. It swung its two stubby legs furiously, raced over to a pool, and became utterly aggrieved upon seeing its reflection. It sprawled beside the pool and began crying.
Even Yun Xi coming over with powdered spirit stones to coax it was useless. It simply cried until the sky went dark and the earth grew dim.
"Stop crying. The more you cry, the balder you'll get." Helplessly, Lan Yue scooped up the little crybaby spirit plant.
The Rootless Fruit Tree sapling grew even sadder upon hearing that. To avoid going bald at such a tender age, it finally stopped with a few sniffles and buried itself in her arms.
Lan Yue: "..."
"By the way, did your master send you over this time too?" Lan Yue was no longer at all surprised by more people coming to Spirit Moon Peak.
Apparently, Spirit Moon Peak was a treasure land blessed with excellent feng shui, and her master was indeed powerful. Otherwise, why would everyone keep sending people here?
"What do you mean, my master sent me?" Li Bai was still puzzled. No wonder he'd been unable to find anyone these past two days. They'd all come to Spirit Moon Peak.
"Then you don't have any spirit stones?" The Sect Master and Elder Yuan had already sent plenty of spirit stones for the two who'd moved in earlier.
If no one had sent him over, didn't that mean there were no spirit stones?
Lan Yue felt rather disappointed at the thought.
"Forget it. We're friends, after all. Don't worry, the landlord won't charge you this time."
Li Bai, who had just caught on: "..."
"I heard our sect is getting a new secret realm!" Li Bai enthusiastically recounted what he'd heard.
Yet Yun Xi shot him a sympathetic look from beside them, leaving Li Bai baffled.
Seeing how unsurprised all three of them looked, he suddenly understood. The news about that secret realm must have come from Lan Yue. Hadn't he been showing off his axe before the master carpenter by coming here to boast?
So what exactly had happened? How had he missed out again?
Li Bai looked utterly indignant. He made up his mind: from now on, he would live on Spirit Moon Peak so he could hear the freshest gossip at every moment!
No wonder the Sect Master and Elder Yuan had sent these two fellows here. They must have planned it long ago!
Li Bai was overcome with regret.
Across from him, Yun Xi pretended nothing had happened, while Yuan Shuo looked even more innocent.
Only Lan Yue wore a mysterious expression.
[Lan Yue: Hahaha, Eldest Senior Brother, your sources aren't very reliable. They even turned ruins into a secret realm. Sure enough, three people can talk a tiger into existence!]
Across from her, Li Bai looked heartbroken. This wasn't a matter of unreliable sources. His master had personally told him that the sect would soon have a new secret realm.
So his master was even lying to him now!
Li Bai felt as though his little heart had fallen to the ground and shattered in two, the kind of break that couldn't be pieced back together.
[Lan Yue: So in this fanfiction, even the ruins were discovered by the sect ahead of time? That's pretty good. In the original story, those Greenstone Sect people not only stole the ruins but even turned around and accused the victims, setting up Southern Spirit Sect disciples during the Four-Region Grand Competition. They deserved a lesson long ago!]
[Lan Yue: They're just a bunch of sects wallowing in the same muck as the Demon Domain. Whenever trouble comes, they'll be the first to sell out their allies!]
[Lan Yue: Forget it. I won't think about this anymore. What rotten luck! If we run into them later, I'll definitely warn my senior brothers and sisters in secret.]
Lan Yue yawned and handed Li Bai a small shovel.
"Come on, let's dig!"
"Dig?" Li Bai had just been immersed in his anger toward the Greenstone Sect. Suddenly hearing about digging left him a little dazed.
"Yes, of course we're digging. We're building villas for Er Dan and the others!"
"What's a villa?"
"A very luxurious, very distinctive house!"
"Then do I get a house that luxurious?" Li Bai looked expectant. He was planning to stay here, after all.
Lan Yue looked thoughtful. "If you want to fight them for their houses, that's not impossible."
As long as he could beat them.
Li Bai: "..."
Forget it. He'd better build his own house rather than steal one and have a whole flock of spirit tortoises fly over to beat him up.
While they huffed and puffed as they dug, several more disciples flew away from outside Spirit Moon Peak. They were furious with the Greenstone Sect, and after hearing that it might be colluding with the Demon Domain, they hurried back to report it.
Lan Yue sensed the disturbance again and stared blankly at the distant forest.
[Lan Yue: Looks like I was mistaken again. It's my fault, too. Lately, I keep thinking the male lead will appear soon, so wherever I look, I feel like he might be hiding there.]
Lan Yue sighed inwardly. It seemed they had better not ask her to keep watch in the future. Otherwise, wouldn't the entire team be wiped out?
The male lead was actually about to appear?
Everyone nearby hurriedly pricked up their ears. Even the two who had flown halfway away stopped and secretly slipped back into hiding.
Before you continue