Withered vines, old trees, and falling dusk. The Steamship carried its passengers along the ancient road, the west wind cutting their faces like knives.
Zhang Ming lit the stove in the heated cabin and called everyone inside to warm up.
He himself stayed on deck, personally scouting their surroundings.
"What would happen if we threw these willow branches away?" Stone Mama asked worriedly. "If we keep letting them drain us, the village kids will be sucked dry. You won't have the face to go back to the village then."
It was wrapped in Willow Tree branches like a rice dumpling. Even Little White was having its vitality drained and looked sickly.
Zhang Ming laughed. "Look at this damned place. It's practically ten thousand miles of barren graves. Only these strange willow trees can survive."
"Maybe we've only survived by exploiting a loophole, passing ourselves off as great willow trees."
"Just consider this little bit of vitality a toll. Stop complaining. It won't kill us."
Stone Mama might have been outrageously bold, but it wasn't stupid. It understood that too.
It cursed under its breath. "This is the Mountain-Bearing Divine Turtle's territory. How did something like this happen? I'm definitely going to mock it mercilessly. This is serious dereliction of duty."
"That Old Turtle can barely look after itself. It's almost at its limit. How could it manage everything?" Zhang Ming said helplessly. "We probably need fresh blood to make this world better."
"Zhong Shan and Blue-even if those two become Immortals and agree to come here, that's still only two people. I'm afraid it won't be enough..."
Stone Mama said, "Then why doesn't that almighty Flaming Sun come?"
"Because suppressing many Demon Gods is a road of no return. It's a hard life... If I had to step up, I