Jade Shura wanted to rush over and cover Bao Gu’s mouth to stop her from shouting.
She screamed in her heart, “We’re lucky to be alive, and you’re still making a fuss. Aren’t you afraid that the Flood Dragon Demon will get angry and kill us all?”
Yu Mi, accustomed to such situations, remained calm.
She knew Bao Gu wouldn’t act so recklessly without confidence.
Silently, she returned the flying sword Bao Gu had left at the tower’s entrance.
When the force enveloping the three of them disappeared and they saw their surroundings, they were stunned.
Beneath their feet and all around were ancient herbs, some hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of years old!
The density of these herbs was even greater than the medicinal fields of a cultivation sect!
It was as if someone’s medicinal field had been left unattended for millennia, allowing the spiritual herbs to grow and reproduce freely.
Although many weeds competed for spiritual energy, the abundance of spiritual energy here far surpassed the outside world.
Even casually picking a plant would yield a priceless herb that couldn’t be found on the market.
In the entire cultivation world, who could find such ancient, unrefined treasures?
Jade Shura rubbed her eyes in disbelief!
Yu Mi looked at Bao Gu in shock.
Bao Gu glanced around, found no other dangers, and said, “Senior Sister, keep watch!”
She then used her mountain-moving and sea-shifting powers to gather the herbs, sweeping them into her prepared medicinal garden.
Realizing her garden wasn’t big enough, she even dug up the entire medicinal mountain.
Seeing Bao Gu’s thorough plundering, even more thorough than a Duobao Spirit Monkey, Jade Shura stomped her feet anxiously and shouted, “Bao Gu, leave some! If you take everything, the Flood Dragon Demon will turn against us!”
Despite her words, she quickly started picking herbs herself, fearing Bao Gu would take them all.
Bao Gu snorted, “I’m not afraid of him! Senior Sister, if he goes back on his word, activate the teleportation array to get us out, and I promise we’ll beat him to death.”
Jade Shura thought, “More like he’ll beat you to death.”
Yu Mi nodded slightly.
She felt something was off, as if they were being watched.
After a moment’s hesitation, she used her void-stealth technique to search the surroundings but found nothing unusual.
In less than half an hour, Bao Gu had stripped the dozens of acres of medicinal fields bare.
Jade Shura was dumbfounded and exclaimed, “Even more ruthless than a Duobao Spirit Monkey!”
Bao Gu chuckled, “Didn’t you pick quite a bit yourself?”
She summoned her divine flight, feeling refreshed, and said, “Let’s go! We can end the trial early and head back! Senior Sister, do you think I’ll see Master if I leave early? He said he’d pick me up, but didn’t say when.”
Yu Mi, hearing Bao Gu’s boasting, realized something was wrong and said calmly, “He treasures you so much, he’d come early to watch over you. You know how much trouble you cause. If he didn’t come, and you left early, other sects’ elders might catch you…”
Bao Gu quickly said, “Phooey, phooey, phooey, good luck and no misfortune!”
She stepped on her flying sword and ascended, asking Yu Mi, “Senior Sister, which way?”
After a moment’s hesitation, she added, “Senior Sister, I think the Flood Dragon Demon is quite unfair. Look at this medicinal field; it must have been casually cultivated by him long ago. Because no one discovered or harvested it for so many years, it has so many treasures. If we dig deeper, we might find the earth veins, where the real treasures are.”
Yu Mi scolded, “Leave some for others. If you keep being so reckless, you’ll bring disaster.”
Bao Gu shrugged and smiled sheepishly, “Lesson learned. I’ll listen to you, Senior Sister.”
She noticed they were flying in circles and said, “Senior Sister, we can’t get out. There seems to be a restriction. Could it be the Flood Dragon Demon is trapping us for taking too many herbs?”
Jade Shura was speechless and could only look at Bao Gu silently.
Bao Gu circled in the air again and suddenly noticed the restriction over the medicinal field had disappeared.
She squinted her eyes in displeasure and shouted, “Flood Dragon, you’re so unfair!”
The Flood Dragon’s hoarse voice echoed, “Get lost!”
His figure was visible in the emptied medicinal field, using his barely recovered power to create a strong wind that sent the three of them towards the exit of the ancient ruins.
Bao Gu was blown forward at high speed, but her flying sword shielded her from the wind, preventing her from being disfigured.
She saw Lu Wendao leading a group in the air, seemingly searching for something, and shouted, “Lu Wendao, Hongchen, follow us, we’re leaving!”
Lu Wendao turned at Bao Gu’s shout and was shocked to see Bao Gu and her group tumbling in a strange wind.
He quickly called out, “What’s going on?”
Bao Gu suddenly remembered something and turned to Jade Shura, “Jade Shura, how many people from Soul Chasing Pavilion came in? Notify them to meet us at the exit.”
Jade Shura, understanding the gravity of the situation, quickly used a communication talisman to contact her fellow disciples, issuing a strict order for them to head to the exit immediately, or face severe consequences.
Lu Wendao and his group quickly caught up with Bao Gu, shouting, “Bao Gu, why are you running so fast? Oh, right, we discovered…”
Someone coughed lightly and called out, “Brother Lu!”
Bao Gu chuckled, “Lu Wendao, no matter what you discovered, it’s not as big as my discovery. I found a pagoda under the Corpse City, with a Flood Dragon sealed inside. When I escaped, it accidentally got free too. I just offended it again, and now it’s using this strange wind to kick me out… Hey, it flies really fast! But it’s a bit dizzying.”
Lu Wendao’s expression changed several times, then he grabbed Hongchen’s wrist tightly, shouting, “Hongchen, stay close to Senior Brother.”
He followed Bao Gu closely, thinking of using the array to reach the exit as quickly as possible, but the exit was sealed by Yu Mi.
Even if they reached it first, they couldn’t get out!
The group behind Lu Wendao also changed their expressions, then hurriedly contacted their fellow disciples, “The Firestorm Dragon is opening the exit, get out now, or you’ll miss the chance!”
They knew not everyone would believe Bao Gu had released a Flood Dragon Demon.
When Bao Gu’s group reached the exit, about thirty to forty cultivators had gathered there.
The weakest among them were at the ninth stage of Foundation Establishment, with only two or three at that level, including Bao Gu.
The rest were all at the Golden Core stage.
Everyone watched Yu Mi’s group nervously.
Bao Gu counted the people and muttered, “Not enough!”
She then looked towards the depths of the ancient ruins and shouted, “Flood Dragon, don’t think I don’t know how you were sealed there. Considering your generosity, let’s call it even! But I have a responsibility for releasing you, and I can’t cover it up. Take care of yourself!”
She then saw Yu Mi had removed the array flag sealing the exit and quickly grabbed her, rushing towards the exit.
The cultivators, seeing this, also rushed out, despite their reluctance.
They wanted to seek justice from their sect elders waiting outside.
Bao Gu, Yu Mi, and Jade Shura were the first to exit the ancient ruins.
Bao Gu, upon exiting, quickly scanned the surroundings and saw her master meditating nearby.
She breathed a sigh of relief and shouted, “That scared me!”
Then she cried out, “Master, save me!”
Tears streaming down her face, she ran towards Zi Tianjun.
Yu Mi: “…”
Jade Shura glanced at Bao Gu, ignored the questions from her fellow disciples, and rushed towards a luxurious carriage nearby, shouting, “Master…”
She looked like a child running home to cry to her mother after being bullied.
The elders of various sects stationed outside the exit opened their eyes and looked at the crowd pouring out, then stood up and surrounded them.
Usually, some disciples would come out early, having gained great opportunities, but having thirty to forty come out at once was unusual.
A cold, melodious female voice came from the luxurious carriage of Soul Chasing Pavilion, “What happened to cause such panic?”
Jade Shura bowed and entered the carriage, saying, “Master, we were chasing Nanyi in the ancient ruins and were led into the Corpse City…”
Her words caused an uproar.
The cultivators following Bao Gu and Yu Mi shouted, “Master, the Firestorm Dragon Yu Mi, despite being at the mid-Golden Core stage, entered the ancient ruins and slaughtered disciples from various sects. The Taiyin Sect disciples were killed as soon as they entered, and the Ning siblings and Han Yu’s group from the Immortal Sect were all killed by them! She even hired Soul Chasing Pavilion to kill the Immortal Sect and Ning family members…”
“Master, Yu Mi is despicable. She used a Nascent Soul-level array to seal the exit and went on a killing spree…”
“Master, Senior Brother is gone… The Firestorm Dragon killed him for treasure…”
Yu Mi bowed to Zi Tianjun and said, “Greetings, Master.”
Zi Tianjun’s face darkened as he looked at Yu Mi, thinking, “So this is how you discreetly seek treasure!”
He then looked at the surrounding Nascent Soul and higher cultivators.
The elders of the Immortal Sect and Ning family, not finding their disciples among the crowd, rushed towards Zi Tianjun after hearing the cries of the other sects.
The Beast Taming Valley’s reception team, not seeing their disciples, also approached Zi Tianjun, demanding, “Yu Mi, where are our people…”
Suddenly, someone shouted, “The ancient ruins are closing!”
Everyone turned in shock to see the exit of the ancient ruins disappearing, followed by the treasure cauldron that held the ruins vanishing into the void.
The crowd’s expressions changed drastically, and some rushed to investigate.
A sharp cry rang out as the Duobao Spirit Monkey jumped onto Bao Gu’s shoulder, hugging her neck and chattering excitedly.
It then sniffed her and let out a piercing scream, pointing at the cultivators and chattering angrily, as if scolding them, then pounding its chest in regret for not entering the ruins.
Zi Tianjun’s face turned black as he looked at Bao Gu, asking, “What’s going on?”
Bao Gu took a deep breath and shouted, “Everyone, listen to me!”
The Immortal Sect cultivators charged at Bao Gu and Yu Mi, shouting, “What more do you have to say? Those who slaughter our disciples must die!”
Bao Gu immediately shouted, “Jade Shura, the Immortal Sect wants you dead!”
A cold voice came from the carriage, “Who dares touch my disciple?”
The voice was not loud but pierced the heart like a cold blade, filled with killing intent.
The Immortal Sect cultivators were undeterred, saying, “Soul Chasing Pavilion Master, are you interfering?”
The Soul Chasing Pavilion Master replied, “Until we understand why the ancient ruins disappeared, anyone who touches these three will face me!”
The Clear Wind Pavilion’s Master Lu also spoke, “Everyone, my son said there was a major change in the ancient ruins. Thanks to Bao Gu’s timely warning, they managed to escape. Let’s first find out why the ruins disappeared.”
Bao Gu agreed, “Exactly! Listen to me first!”
“Hmph, listen to you! Our Beast Taming Valley lost over a hundred lives, and you want us to listen?”
Bao Gu retorted, “Your people died in the Corpse City seeking treasure, what does that have to do with me?”
She was righteous and indignant, showing no guilt for killing the Beast Taming Valley disciples.
Zi Tianjun’s voice deepened, “Bao Gu, speak properly! Tell us about the ancient ruins’ disappearance.”
Bao Gu said, “It’s a long story, and I’m afraid someone might get impatient and kill me before I finish.”
Zi Tianjun said, “With such a big secret, who would dare kill you?”
The Soul Chasing Pavilion Master’s lazy voice came from the carriage, “Don’t worry, since Jade Shura took your job, Soul Chasing Pavilion will protect you. A Void Tearing-level ancient treasure is more than enough to keep you safe!”
Bao Gu was stunned, thinking, “Did Jade Shura give the tower to her master?”
She blinked, then realized Jade Shura not only gave the tower but also claimed it was her payment for Soul Chasing Pavilion’s protection!
Jade Shura was loyal!
A golden pagoda flew out of the Soul Chasing Pavilion Master’s carriage, expanding to its normal size and landing outside the ancient ruins.
The Soul Chasing Pavilion Master said, “If you want to know what happened in the ancient ruins, use your divine sense to probe this pagoda! Bao Gu found it under the Corpse City and gave it to Jade Shura as payment for protection.”
Zi Tianjun glanced at Bao Gu but said nothing.
