Black lines crept across Xi Yue's forehead. She had nearly forgotten that she was still dressed as a man. No wonder the girl was so terrified.
However, she had no intention of explaining. A mischievous urge welled up inside her, and she stepped forward, reached out, and gently lifted the girl's chin, forcing her to meet her gaze.
Neither spoke. Their eyes simply locked.
Only after a long while did she let go. The girl before her was already on the verge of breaking down, her eyes gleaming with grim resolve, as though she would drag Xi Yue down to their deaths together at any moment.
Clearly, she still needed to know when to stop. Any more of this, and she really would break the girl.
She ordered several humanoid creatures to block the entrance to the Hundred Herb Garden and not let so much as a fly inside, or she would tear off their arms or legs.
Deep within the divine garden, a blaze of holy light rose, dazzlingly intense. It surged toward the heavens like golden waves, trailing wisps of auspicious radiance.
"The Immortality Spring!" Xi Yue could not help exclaiming softly.
"The Immortality Spring?" The God-Striking Stone's large eyes rolled about, its voice equally excited.
Before them lay a divine pool, small enough to measure only a zhang on each side. Dense golden patterns covered its interior, and blazing radiance filled the air, so brilliant that it seemed to engulf heaven and earth.
The field here was far too powerful to withstand. Even pure-blooded creatures would struggle to take a single step, and one careless move could split their flesh apart.
Within the pool, dazzling golden patterns were covered in golden symbols. It resembled a blazing golden sun, its boundless radiance flooding heaven and earth like a sacred pure land.
"What a pity. It's dried up. This was once an Immortal Spring Eye." Xi Yue sighed, then stepped into the pool. Although the field imposed some restrictions on her, its overall effect was slight.
The spring water had long since dried up, leaving only mud and sand once nourished by the Immortality Spring. They were translucent and glittered with golden light, as though releasing powerful, undying divine energy, dazzling beyond compare.
"Wahaha! This is all good stuff! We've struck it rich!" With a strange cry, the God-Striking Stone plunged straight into the mud and sand, opened its great mouth, and began gobbling them down.
Xi Yue did not remain idle either. She took out a dagger and began digging, pouring everything into her storage as readily as tipping out a sack of beans.
"Huh? Why is there a little dragon here too?" The God-Striking Stone stopped and curiously examined the little golden dragon lying on the ground, barely more than a foot long.
"Move aside. I'll handle this." Xi Yue kicked the God-Striking Stone away and stepped closer.
The little dragon awoke from its slumber and opened its eyes, its gaze fierce. It opened its mouth to bite.
It had never imagined that its entire home would disappear while it slept through its transformation.
"What are you snapping at? In you go!" Xi Yue dodged its bite, summoned a golden divine furnace, and swept out with a kick.
With a clang, the little golden dragon landed squarely inside the divine furnace, its head ringing. Before it could react, the lid closed, leaving it nowhere to hide.
Xi Yue clapped the dust from her hands, delighted. This golden dragon had taken shape from the Immortality Spring-a genuine immortal spring. It might even become an immortal someday.
There had once been many Immortal Spring Eyes in the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, but all had vanished during the war of the Immortal Ancient era. They were now almost impossible to find anywhere in the world.
"What a pity about that spring basin. That old tree carved it into a coffin." Xi Yue did not dare call the Pu Demon King by name. After all, he had not truly died; a wisp of his remnant spirit still lingered.
In the distance, a little White Tiger ran over, holding a dazzling divine flower in his hands.
"Oh? You really managed to corner it."
Xi Yue held the spirit-connecting flower and examined it. Its five leaves spread outward, each translucent, as though carved from ice crystals, with a gentle, sacred spiritual glow flowing over them.
"That's a spirit-connecting flower!" The God-Striking Stone rolled over, its mouth wide open and making clicking sounds:
"This is a sacred medicine, a rarity in this world with astounding medicinal effects! It's known as the Spirit-Connecting Divine Flower. It can awaken any primitive life-form that is still ignorant and on the verge of developing intelligence."
The God-Striking Stone's eyes shone. If she could find even something like this, it felt that following this mysterious "young man" would bring immense benefits.
"Hey, wait for me!"
Xi Yue headed outside. She had taken practically everything worthwhile here, leaving not even the soil behind. There was nothing left to linger over.
From this day onward, the Hundred Broken Mountains would no longer have a Hundred Herb Garden.
She put away the ferocious beasts, then dismissed the humanoid creatures who had guarded the entrance, letting them leave.
After all, they had indeed put in some effort, driving away people who arrived and sparing her some trouble.
Before leaving, Xi Yue even gave the purple-haired girl's cheek a casual squeeze, making her bare her teeth.
"Where are we going?" The God-Striking Stone rolled over, its eyes spinning. Although its precise expression was impossible to discern, it was surely wearing a thoroughly fawning look.
The feast it had just enjoyed had left it utterly satisfied. Now its body was involuntarily emitting precious radiance, on the verge of evolving.
It knew this mysterious "young man" still had plenty more in her possession, and it was craving another taste.
"There's still plenty of time. Let's wander around." Xi Yue stretched, a faint smile appearing on her face.
Only a few days had passed since she entered the Hundred Broken Mountains. There was still a long time before the mountains truly opened up.
As a small world jointly created by Primordial Supremes, it naturally had its own set of operating rules.
At first, the Hundred Broken Mountains were divided into numerous small regions, and reaching another region required crossing a golden passage.
In the end, the golden passages would gradually disappear, fully revealing the Hundred Broken Mountains. Some natives sealed within the small world would also emerge.
Only then would a true free-for-all begin, with mighty contenders vying for supremacy and fighting without end. Few would survive.
The natives had cultivated for many years. Once their restrictions were lifted, even beings at the level of kings and marquises would hunt down geniuses to advance their own cultivation.
This was also why generations of geniuses who entered the Hundred Broken Mountains suffered such heavy losses.
Simply put, this was a divine land filled with opportunities, yet also a burial ground drenched in blood. Fortune and skeletal remains existed side by side.
Although she had said they would wander around, Xi Yue still drifted, deliberately or otherwise, toward the center of the Hundred Broken Mountains. When the time came, this would become the main battlefield, with enough blood flowing to float shields.
"It's him! There's no mistake! He got the Immortality Spring!" Just then, a hostile voice rang out, thick with resentment.
Xi Yue turned her head and saw a dense crowd behind her. Some were humanoid, others beast-shaped, with gaping maws and fangs. Leading them were precisely the humanoid creatures she had let go earlier.
They were all pure-blooded ferocious beasts and their servants. Their eyes now gleamed with savagery and a trace of greed, as though they wanted to devour her.
Because
, the Immortality Spring's allure was simply too great. No one could remain unmoved. It was a legendary divine treasure that might allow their bloodlines to evolve once more!
She looked around but failed to find the purple-haired girl. A little disappointment stirred within her, though she soon let it go.
In truth, she had deliberately released those humanoid creatures, all for this very moment.
"Looks like I've found the ingredients for my mixed stew."
Xi Yue smiled faintly. Earlier, she had caught only a few beasts, not even enough to assemble the eight treasures. Now there were at least several dozen before her-more than enough for a pot of mixed stew.