Bao Gu let out a light laugh and shouted, “Yes, I was wrong, we were wrong! We were wrong not to seek a way out and should have ended ourselves on the spot. We shouldn’t have destroyed that skeleton ghost and the evil spirit of the dragon shadow inside. I shouldn’t have scared away that great dragon demon. I should have let the skeleton ghost inhabit the ancient ruins, nourished by the blood and souls of the young talents from the cultivation world who enter every five years, allowing those demons to grow stronger. When they finally emerge, they would have bathed Xuan Yue Ancient City in blood and flattened the cultivation world! I’m just a small cultivator at the first stage of Foundation Establishment. Whether it’s the great dragon demon, the skeleton ghost, or the evil spirit of the dragon shadow, what does it matter to me if they come out and cause trouble? I could have just left and gone far away to cultivate. Wouldn’t it be safe to go to a place where no one knows I have a treasure? What does the life and death of Xuan Yue Ancient City have to do with Xuantian Sect? The spiritual veins of Xuantian Sect have long dried up. Wouldn’t it be better to move the entire sect and rebuild the mountain gate elsewhere? Why should we continue to be oppressed by you?”
She looked at everyone present with tears in her eyes and said, “Before I entered the cultivation world, I imagined it to be a place where everyone had a sense of justice and cared for the common people, just like my senior sister, who bravely protected the lives of others, single-handedly exterminating the earth fire toad that plagued Qing Shan County for three years. But how many of you are more profit-driven than merchants and less principled than petty people? Even mortal merchants follow business ethics and have a sense of morality and conscience, distributing porridge and doing good deeds on the first and fifteenth of each month. Even bandits have a code of conduct, only robbing and not killing if there’s no resistance. How many cultivation sects and cultivators have perished in the ancient ruins? You all know about the Corpse City, where countless lives were lost. Today, so many senior cultivators, Nascent Soul stage, and Transformation stage great cultivators surround me, wanting to hold a small Foundation Establishment stage cultivator who has been cultivating for less than a year responsible. Bao Gu is impressed, impressed by your faces thicker than the walls of Xuan Yue Ancient City!”
Jun Gongzi said leisurely, “Bao Gu, we just want you to explain the reason for the disappearance of the ancient ruins. Why are you so angry, scolding all the cultivators of Xuan Yue Ancient City?”
Bao Gu shouted angrily, “I’m angry! I escaped with my life, scared away that great dragon demon, thinking I had saved so many lives and made a great contribution. But in the end, hmph! Heartbroken!”
She finished speaking and ignored everyone else, pulling Yu Mi’s sleeve and said, “Senior sister, let’s go back.”
The voice of the Soul Chasing Pavilion Master floated out from her carriage, saying, “So many people bullying a little girl, it’s really shameless. Jade Shura, personally lead people to escort Bao Gu back to Xuantian Sect, and only leave after confirming Bao Gu’s safety.”
Jade Shura responded, “Yes!”
Someone from the Beast Taming Valley shouted, “Since when did the Soul Chasing Pavilion become so righteous!”
The Soul Chasing Pavilion Master said, “My Soul Chasing Pavilion has always been based on trust and integrity, not stealing, robbing, or looting, earning through business and the curved blades in our hands. Bao Gu’s business is now my Soul Chasing Pavilion’s business. Anyone who touches her touches my entire Soul Chasing Pavilion!”
Bao Gu suppressed her emotions, slowed her voice, and cupped her fists in salute to the Soul Chasing Pavilion Master, saying, “Thank you, Pavilion Master!”
The Soul Chasing Pavilion Master’s cheerful voice came, “No need to be polite. Bao Gu, if you have any more business, just come to the Soul Chasing Pavilion. No matter who you want to kill, the Soul Chasing Pavilion will take the job. I know you can afford the price!”
The last sentence was particularly emphasized, with a thick smile.
Bao Gu was immediately depressed upon hearing this, thinking, “Are you slaughtering pigs?”
She understood that the Soul Chasing Pavilion Master was backing her up and protecting her.
She was a bit puzzled as to why the Soul Chasing Pavilion Master would help her so much.
Zi Tianjun said, “Everyone, Bao Gu has already explained everything that happened on this trip, including the conflict with the Ning family and the Immortal Sect. You can verify the truth with the disciples of Jianming Villa and Snow Palace. No one wants such things to happen, but now that it has come to this, I hope everyone will make plans and take precautions.”
After saying this, he cupped his fists in farewell and led Bao Gu and Yu Mi away.
Jade Shura called out, “Bao Gu, wait for me!”
She jumped out of her master’s carriage and caught up with Bao Gu, holding her arm and saying, “I’ll go to Xuantian Sect with you and protect you.”
Yu Mi turned her head and coldly glanced at Jade Shura, saying coldly, “If you’re going to protect her, you don’t need to hold her arm, right?”
Bao Gu responded, “Exactly!”
She pulled her arm out of Jade Shura’s embrace, put away her flying sword, and jumped onto Yu Mi’s flying sword, holding Yu Mi’s arm.
Yu Mi coldly glanced at Bao Gu but did not shake off her hand.
Zi Tianjun, Bao Gu, Yu Mi, and Jade Shura stepped onto the teleportation array of Xuan Yue Ancient City and directly teleported to Xuantian Sect.
Zi Tianjun, upon exiting the teleportation array and seeing that Jade Shura had no intention of leaving, summoned a disciple to lead Jade Shura to settle down at Lingyun Peak.
Bao Gu asked, “Master, has Little Martial Aunt’s injury healed?”
Zi Tianjun said, “The injury is quite severe, but fortunately, the demon saint intervened and saved her life. You two, come with me.”
He led the two into the main hall.
At this time, the main hall was empty, not even a servant was present.
Zi Tianjun looked at Bao Gu and Yu Mi with a solemn expression.
Bao Gu, seeing Zi Tianjun’s unfriendly expression, sighed lightly and said, “Master, this trip to the ancient ruins was a big loss.”
Zi Tianjun said, “Out of four hundred people, less than forty came out. The fact that you two returned safely is already a blessing. We can’t ask for too much.”
He then changed the subject, “I noticed that the attitude of the young pavilion master of the Soul Chasing Pavilion towards Bao Gu is unusual. Do you know…”
Bao Gu was surprised and slightly opened her mouth, asking, “Jade Shura is the young pavilion master?”
She slapped her forehead and exclaimed, “Oh, I really didn’t see that coming. The young pavilion master of the second-ranked power in Xuan Yue Ancient City is only at the Golden Core stage, and Jade Shura is such a…”
She really didn’t see any sign of Jade Shura being a young pavilion master.
Look at the demeanor of the young master of the first-ranked power, Jun Family, and the arrogance of the two young masters and young ladies of the Ning family, and the rampant arrogance of the chief disciple of the Immortal Sect, Han Yu.
Jade Shura still takes jobs and risks her life for a few hundred spirit stones.
This is simply…
Zi Tianjun asked, “What? You didn’t know her identity?”
Bao Gu said, “How would I know? When she first appeared in front of me, I didn’t even know who she was. She came to me for a job and even captured a cultivator to be her witness…”
She briefly recounted her first encounter with Jade Shura to her master.
Zi Tianjun was speechless after hearing this.
He said, “Forget it, just get along well. In the cultivation world, having more friends is better than having more enemies.”
He then changed the subject again, “Bao Gu, your cultivation level is too low, and you have the most difficult five spiritual roots. You need to focus on your cultivation and not waste time on trivial matters.”
Bao Gu quickly responded, “Yes!”
Zi Tianjun continued, “You have inherited the Xuantian Sword from your ancestor and are on the path of cultivating all five elements. Our sect lacks cultivation methods, so you will have to comprehend it yourself on your cultivation journey. But if you encounter difficulties in your cultivation, you can come to me.”
Bao Gu responded, “Yes, thank you, Master.”
Yu Mi took out two jade bottles containing dragon marrow from her storage bag and handed them over.
Each jade bottle contained a drop of dragon marrow.
She said, “Master, we didn’t gain much from this trip, but fortunately, we managed to obtain a few drops of dragon marrow from the dragon’s ribs, so this trip wasn’t in vain.”
Zi Tianjun, who had heard about the experiences of the two sisters outside the ancient ruins, thought that their safe return was already a gain.
He didn’t expect Yu Mi and Bao Gu to have any gains, let alone such a precious dragon marrow.
He was so shocked that he jumped up and exclaimed, “Is it really dragon marrow?”
He quickly took the jade bottles from Yu Mi, opened the stoppers, and confirmed that it was indeed dragon marrow.
He then carefully sealed them and put them away, repeatedly saying, “Good, good, good!”
He was so moved that he didn’t know what to say.
Bao Gu curiously looked at Zi Tianjun, thinking, “It’s just two drops of dragon marrow, not some elixir that can make you an immortal immediately. Why is Master so excited?”
Zi Tianjun also realized his loss of composure and explained, “Your Little Martial Aunt is saved.”
Bao Gu’s face changed upon hearing this.
It seemed that her Little Martial Aunt’s injury was more serious than she had imagined.
Yu Mi quickly asked, “Master, how badly is Little Martial Aunt injured?”
Zi Tianjun said, “Her inner core is shattered, her dantian and meridians are all injured, and her cultivation is completely wasted. With this dragon marrow as the main medicine, she should be able to recover.”
Bao Gu quickly said, “Master, please take me to see Little Martial Aunt.”
Zi Tianjun said, “Your Little Martial Aunt is currently at the water pool halfway up Lingyun Peak, being taken care of by the demon saint. You can go.”
Yu Mi said, “Master, you should keep these two drops of dragon marrow for yourself. We will take our leave now.”
After saying this, she pulled Bao Gu and left the main hall, heading straight for the water pool at Lingyun Peak.
Bao Gu followed Yu Mi to the water pool and saw a large white snake lying on a rock beside the pool, with a graceful demon saint in a luxurious white robe leaning against it.
The demon saint smiled and stroked the head of the large white snake, looking up at the two who had descended on their flying swords, saying, “You two came back just in time. Your Little Martial Aunt is throwing a tantrum.”
Yu Mi smiled and approached the transformed Zi Yunshu, saying, “Oh, Little Martial Aunt, you took the little dragon grass and still got turned back into your original form. Your injury…”
She had a look of schadenfreude, which made Zi Yunshu roll her eyes and hiss in anger.
The demon saint noticed Yu Mi’s strange attitude and, after a moment of thought, asked happily, “Could it be that you have a way to save Yunshu?”
Zi Yunshu immediately lifted her head, her snake eyes looking eagerly at Yu Mi, then shifting her gaze to Bao Gu, and finally to the stingy Duobao Spirit Monkey.
The Duobao Spirit Monkey sitting on Bao Gu’s shoulder let out a squeak, its eyes darting around but avoiding looking at Zi Yunshu.
Yu Mi took out two jade bottles and handed them to the demon saint, asking, “Is this enough?”
The demon saint opened the stoppers and looked inside, asking in surprise, “Dragon marrow?”
She couldn’t believe it and checked again, confirming that it was indeed dragon marrow, containing divine essence and powerful life energy that couldn’t be faked.
She said, “Didn’t you go to the ancient ruins? How did you obtain this dragon marrow? This dragon marrow must have come from a dragon with true dragon bloodline, and its strength must be at least at the level of a three-tribulation dragon, just one step away from transforming into a true dragon. Its strength must be at least at the Void Tearing stage of your cultivators, or even possibly at the Tribulation stage. How did you obtain it?”
With Bao Gu and Yu Mi’s cultivation levels, it was impossible for them to obtain dragon marrow from such a powerful dragon, yet they had brought back dragon marrow for Yunshu.
Yu Mi said, “We obtained it in the Corpse City of the ancient ruins.”
She then briefly recounted their experience in the Corpse City and had Bao Gu supplement the details about the great dragon demon, as Bao Gu had the most direct contact with it and knew it best.
The demon saint said, “I see.”
Yu Mi asked, “Does Little Martial Aunt know the origin of that great dragon demon?”
The demon saint shook her head and said, “My lifespan is not as long as the time when the ancient ruins appeared, so how would I know the origin of that dragon? I was just marveling at your luck and fortune!”
She patted Zi Yunshu’s head and said, “Alright, are you feeling better now?”
Zi Yunshu nodded her white snake head and rolled her eyes at the stingy Duobao Spirit Monkey.
Bao Gu sat beside Zi Yunshu and said, “Little Martial Aunt, you know Little Celestial Fox, right?”
Zi Yunshu nodded again, looking at Bao Gu in confusion.
Bao Gu said, “Little Celestial Fox found an immature little dragon grass…”
She paused, seeing the eager and hopeful look in Zi Yunshu’s eyes, and slowly said, “It swallowed it whole!”
Zi Yunshu was so angry that she wanted to open her mouth and swallow Bao Gu whole!
The little dragon grass was gone, so why mention it!
Bao Gu quickly said, “Little Martial Aunt, don’t be angry. I have something good to show you.”
She then opened her large storage bag and displayed the precious herbs she had collected from the dragon’s herb field in front of Zi Yunshu.
Not sensing any reaction from Zi Yunshu, she felt a bit strange and looked up, only to see tears in Zi Yunshu’s snake eyes.
Bao Gu said, “Little Martial Aunt, you’re saved. Are you touched?”
Zi Yunshu straightened up and used her tail to write a large “滚” (roll) on the grass beside her, then slid into the deep pool!
With tears in her eyes, Zi Yunshu roared in her heart, “You two little heartless ones are bullying me too much! I’m seriously injured and couldn’t go to the ancient ruins to get any benefits, and you two come back to make me jealous! If you don’t give me thirty percent of the treasures, I won’t forgive you. If thirty percent is too much, then twenty percent, or even ten percent.”
Thinking about bargaining made Zi Yunshu even more aggrieved.
Her cultivation was lost, and she couldn’t speak, so she had to write with her tail, which was slow and painful!
Seeing the demon saint following her, Zi Yunshu buried her head in the demon saint’s soft bosom and cried.
She didn’t want to be a big white snake.
Bao Gu, holding the water-repelling pearl given by the mountain guardian granny, went down to the pool.
She saw the demon saint holding the big white snake Little Martial Aunt and, feeling a bit embarrassed, rubbed her nose and said, “Little Martial Aunt, don’t cry. You’ll recover soon.”
She then looked eagerly at the demon saint and asked if she could learn alchemy from her.
The demon saint smiled and said, “If you can make Yunshu stop crying, I’ll teach you my alchemy skills!”
