Bao Gu controlled the flying sword and slowly descended towards the lush forest below her feet, while activating the concealment jade bracelet on her wrist.
Once the jade bracelet was activated, a faint light enveloped her surroundings, with the color of the light instantly blending in with the environment, creating a camouflage that could deceive the eyes.
After landing on the ground, she heard Yu Mi ask, “So, what are your plans next?”
She turned to look at Yu Mi, only to see Yu Mi looking at her with a mischievous smile, as if saying, “Don’t think I don’t know you have some bad intentions and tricks up your sleeve!”
Bao Gu replied, “Senior sister, my plan is to find a secluded and safe place to cultivate. The spiritual energy here is rich, and the spiritual energy in the air is not much different from when we used the Spirit Gathering Formation in Xuan Yue Ancient City. The distribution of the five elements’ spiritual energy is even, suitable for my cultivation. As for rare treasures, I believe that the rare treasures from the ancient ruins have long been collected by various sects since the beginning of their appearance in this world. Even if there are any left, they must be in extremely difficult and hard-to-find places.”
Lu Wen thought for a moment and asked Bao Gu, “Are you planning to stay here to avoid trouble?”
Bao Gu nodded, “Yes.”
Lu Wen exclaimed, “You should know that there are many powerful monsters here. In this month, they have been suppressed by the rules of the ancient ruins’ small world and the joint efforts of various sects to set up a large array. Once the entrance to the ancient ruins is closed, those monsters will no longer be restricted by the rules of the small world and will swarm out to sweep through the unexplored areas of the ancient ruins, targeting the immortal cultivators who have not left. Since the opening of the ancient ruins until now, no one has been able to survive until the next opening!”
He chuckled and said, “I thought how dare you all kill people recklessly, it turns out you have this idea. Have you ever thought that if this method works, someone would have stayed here for decades or even hundreds of years to achieve great success?”
He then thought again, his father praised Bao Gu as a clever person, how could she come up with such a foolish idea?
Is there something strange going on?
Bao Gu said, “I have a treasure to protect my Nascent Soul realm, and I also have a sword passed down by my ancestor to protect myself. I don’t think the monsters in the ancient ruins, no matter how powerful, can match up against the Void Tearing stage’s Spirit Communication Sword, right? If there were, this place would have long become the monsters’ den, and immortal cultivators wouldn’t be able to come and go here!”
Lu Wen was shocked and exclaimed, “You can use the sword left by the ancestor of the Xuan Tian Sect?”
Bao Gu said, “Although I can’t use it, I can feel its movements.”
If the Xuan Tian Sword was in a dormant state, how could her top-grade flying sword be kicked out of her dantian several times and not fit in?
When she cultivated, she also faintly felt the sword energy of the Xuan Tian Sword stirring, but her strength was weak, making it difficult to control and guide!
She didn’t lack treasures now, but she lacked the ability to use the treasures she had acquired.
Lu Wen took a deep breath, suppressing his astonishment and shock, thinking to himself, “No wonder my father repeatedly warned me to befriend Bao Gu and not to covet the valuable treasures on her.”
After some thought, he said, “Bao Gu, you need to be careful. If you two don’t leave, I’m afraid the various sects of the immortal cultivation world will join forces to come in and search for you both.”
Bao Gu said, “I’m afraid that will have to wait until five years later.”
Lu Wen said, “It may not necessarily be so.”
He smiled and said, “In that case, I will take my junior sister to find our own opportunities and not disturb you two in your cultivation!”
Although his father asked him to befriend Bao Gu, he did not ask him to accompany them at the risk of his life.
Most importantly, he felt that Bao Gu and Yu Mi seemed to have some plans that they didn’t want him to know about.
Such matters could only be safe if he stayed away.
Bao Gu bid farewell with clasped hands, watching them fly far away before turning to Yu Mi standing beside her, blinking her eyes and saying with a smile, “Senior sister, let’s go.”
Yu Mi activated the concealment treasure and led Bao Gu to fly low among the dense mountain forests.
Bao Gu followed by Yu Mi’s side, her eyes circling around, pursing her lips into a smile.
Suddenly, she leaped onto Yu Mi’s flying sword, stowing away her own flying sword.
The pressure from Bao Gu on the flying sword under Yu Mi’s feet caused it to suddenly sink down, and it took several shakes for Yu Mi to stabilize her posture, turning her head impatiently and asking, “What are you doing? Don’t you have your own flying sword?”
Bao Gu laughed, “I feel safe following behind senior sister!”
Yu Mi glared at Bao Gu askance, scolding, “Stop flattering me!”
She seriously suspected that Bao Gu had ulterior motives towards her.
She really wanted to kick Bao Gu off the flying sword, but considering the danger of the place, it was not the time to deal with Bao Gu.
She asked, “Are you really planning to find a secluded and safe place to cultivate?”
Bao Gu leaped off the flying sword and landed on the ground, smiling at Yu Mi.
Yu Mi was caught off guard by Bao Gu’s sudden move, quickly making an abrupt stop in the air and circling back to hover above Bao Gu’s head, looking at Bao Gu displeasedly, and saying, “Bao Gu, what are you up to now?”
Bao Gu stomped on the ground, looked around, picked up a newly sprouted medicinal seedling along with the soil underneath, and held the thriving little medicinal seedling in her hand, asking Yu Mi, “Senior sister, how do you think the quality of the soil here is?”
Yu Mi gave a light scold and said, “Isn’t this nonsense?”
Her heart moved and she asked, “Could it be that you are interested in the spiritual soil here?”
With a look of astonishment, she examined Bao Gu from head to toe, almost saying, “Do you want the soil on the ground too? Are you out of your mind?”
Bao Gu was unimpressed by Yu Mi’s reaction and asked with a smile, “Senior Sister, do you see any difference between the soil in my hand and the soil in Lingyun Peak’s medicinal field?”
Yu Mi took the soil from Bao Gu’s hand, pinched it open, carefully identified it, and said, “There is more spiritual energy in the soil, and the color of the soil is darker…”
As she spoke, she sniffed it and probed with her divine sense, saying, “Perhaps it’s because of the rich spiritual energy here, the soil here is more fertile than the soil outside. The quality of the medicinal herbs and fruits grown in this soil is quite high. Are you thinking of moving some of this soil to fill the medicinal field in Lingyun Peak? The soil is good, but once it’s away from this place and without the nourishment of the spiritual veins, it will become just like ordinary soil outside in less than two years.”
Bao Gu said, “What if I turn the spirit stones into water for irrigation?”
Yu Mi rolled her eyes at Bao Gu and said, “You must be crazy! Using spirit stones to turn into water for cultivation, it’s more cost-effective to keep those spirit stones and purchase rare spiritual treasures and medicines from outside!”
Bao Gu was not crazy, so she certainly wouldn’t use spirit stones to turn into water for cultivating spiritual herbs.
She said, “Senior Sister, I just want to replant the medicinal field that was emptied by the Duobao Spirit Monkey with spiritual herbs, and also add some things to my extra-large storage bag.”
Yu Mi said with a slightly moved expression, “Bao Gu, the current situation in Xuan Tian Sect is unstable, and even the medicinal field in Lingyun Peak may not be safe. When you become powerful in the future, why worry about not being able to create a medicinal field?”
Bao Gu exclaimed, “So I decided to first plant the medicinal field into my extra-large storage bag. Senior Sister, haven’t you noticed that my extra-large storage bag is not empty as imagined? If it were truly empty, those three outer disciples of Taiyin Sect would have suffocated inside after so many days. Why were they able to breathe and not die?”
Yu Mi’s heart stirred and she said, “Are you suggesting…”
Bao Gu continued, “Not only those three outer disciples of Taiyin Sect, even those whole plants that I put in, in a living state, stacked next to the spirit stones in my storage bag are still alive, and even two plants that originally had flower buds have bloomed. Although my extra-large storage bag looks empty, its rules and order are intact, capable of supporting life and reproduction in a small world! The only thing it lacks is mountains, rivers, land, and soil for living beings to thrive. If the soil from the ancient ruins is moved to the outside world, the nourishing spiritual energy in the soil will dissipate within two years in the depleted spiritual world. But what if I move them into my extra-large storage bag? It’s the same small world, similar rules and order. I think the depletion of spiritual energy in the soil will be much slower, right? If I bury some rare plants with spirit stones for nourishment, do you think my future small world will be inferior to the ancient ruins?”
Yu Mi looked at Bao Gu in shock, full of amazement!
She realized that Bao Gu was planning to create her own ancient ruins!
Bao Gu had only reached the ninth level of Qi Refinement, not even stepping into the Foundation Building stage!
“Senior Sister, Senior Sister!”
Bao Gu called out several times, grabbed Yu Mi’s arm and shook it several times to bring her back from her shock.
She exclaimed, “Senior Sister, are you out of your mind?”
Yu Mi took a deep breath, calmed her emotions, and said, “Bao Gu, I finally understand why Taiyin Sect went to such great lengths to target you! If I were an old member of Taiyin Sect, even if I had to give up my dignity, I would still want to eliminate you.”
She finished speaking and smiled, “Tell me, how do you plan to create your own ancient ruins?”
Bao Gu rolled her eyes at Yu Mi and said, “Senior Sister, this is a brand new small world, isn’t it? Where is it ancient? Where is it ruins?”
Upon hearing this, Yu Mi quickly begged for forgiveness, “Okay, okay, I misspoke, Senior Sister! So, Bao Gu, how do you plan to create your small world?”
The words about how to divide the spoils in the future were swallowed back!
For the future of this small world that could rival the ancient ruins, she felt she needed to win over Bao Gu’s heart and make Bao Gu wholeheartedly follow her.
Bao Gu happily stomped on the ground, raised her chin, and said, “Senior Sister, don’t you see that everything here is ready-made? Why not just move it in directly?”
Suddenly, as if remembering something, she exclaimed, “Oh, right, Duobao Spirit Monkey passed me a peerless technique, do you want to learn it?”
Yu Mi’s eyes lit up, she smiled and looked at Bao Gu, saying, “What do you think?”
Bao Gu promptly passed on the “Move Mountains and Shift Oceans” technique that Duobao Spirit Monkey had passed to her.
After hearing the technique, Yu Mi exclaimed in surprise, “Isn’t this one of the monkey’s signature skills?”
Its ability to steal is based on this skill, right?
She actually taught it to Bao Gu without reservation!
And Bao Gu passed it on to her without reservation!
If she mastered this skill, on a small scale, she would be a master thief in the future, and on a large scale, if she cultivated it to perfection, moving mountains and shifting oceans would be just a snap of her fingers…
Anyone who saw her in the future would be trembling in awe!
Bao Gu exclaimed, “Yes!”
Yu Mi was so excited that she wanted to grab Bao Gu’s arm and shout, “Junior Sister, from now on, Senior Sister will follow you wholeheartedly.”
Bao Gu saw Yu Mi’s excitement, her face turning red, and quickly said, “Senior Sister, don’t get too excited yet, try to see what power you can unleash now.”
After pondering for a moment, Yu Mi said, “No rush, let me practice first.”
Bao Gu nodded quickly and said, “Yes, let’s practice. Senior Sister, do you want to find a more secluded place to practice? I’m afraid that someone with ill intentions might see us.”
Yu Mi chuckled and said, “You go around nearby on your flying sword and see if there are any cultivators around here.”
Upon hearing this, Bao Gu realized that her Senior Sister had used her ruthless methods at the entrance of the ancient ruins to deter all cultivators from entering.
She smiled and said, “Senior Sister, you should first master this technique of moving mountains and seas. My cultivation is weak, and I still rely on you.”
Yu Mi’s heart stirred at Bao Gu’s words.
She turned to look at Bao Gu and said, “I thought you were generous and kind to Senior Sister, but it seems like you taught me this technique just to make me do the heavy lifting for you?”
Bao Gu shrugged and said, “Senior Sister, look at my limited ability. If I were to move mountains and seas bit by bit, when would I finish? You, Senior Sister, are different, a mid-level Golden Core expert, with strength far surpassing mine. Even at my best, I can only move objects the size of a few meters, while you…”
“Enough!”
Yu Mi interrupted, saying, “Senior Sister, let’s be clear about this. How do we split the future small world?”
After hesitating for a moment, Bao Gu said, “Senior Sister, I have taught you an extraordinary technique, so you are not at a loss in this deal!”
Her eyes flickered, and she bit her lip, then looked at Yu Mi with a determined gaze and said, “But if Senior Sister wants, I can give the entire small world to you, what’s the harm?”
Yu Mi was startled by the deep meaning hidden in Bao Gu’s bright and emotional eyes, her heart pounding.
She quickly avoided Bao Gu’s gaze and said, “Forget it! No work, no gain!”
She thought about how she had unknowingly gained many benefits from Bao Gu during these days, feeling even more embarrassed and awkward.
Yu Mi was not one to avoid things.
Since she had sensed that Bao Gu had some thoughts beyond the scope of sisterhood towards her, she couldn’t act as if nothing had happened.
After some thought, she straightforwardly asked, “Bao Gu, do you have other intentions towards me?”
Bao Gu thought seriously for a moment and asked, “What do you mean by ‘other intentions,’ Senior Sister?”
Yu Mi stared at Bao Gu and said, “Stop pretending to be naive! No one is nice to someone for no reason, especially in this cutthroat world of cultivation!”
Bao Gu asked, “Then why are you nice to me again, Senior Sister?”
Yu Mi hesitated for a moment and said, “I am not nice to you.”
She paused and continued, “Bao Gu, if I am indeed nice to you, it is only for my own benefit.”
Bao Gu said, “Senior Sister, if you help me for your own benefit, why did you risk your life to protect me in a critical moment?”
Yu Mi replied, “As you said before, I only suffered some injuries that will heal in a few days, but if those injuries were on you, you would die. You are a merchant, don’t you understand the cost-effectiveness of this deal?”
Bao Gu asked again, “Then why not just accept my goodwill and pretend not to notice?”
Yu Mi said, “I don’t like owing favors to others.”
Bao Gu said, “As fellow disciples from the same sect, we rely on each other for our lives. What debts do we owe each other?”
Yu Mi blew her bangs on her forehead forcefully and exclaimed, “Don’t divert the topic so far. I’m asking if you have feelings for me beyond being fellow disciples. Even if we rely on each other for our lives, we wouldn’t easily give away the future world that can rival the ancient relics, nor would Dao companions act this way.”
She stared into Bao Gu’s eyes and asked word by word, “Why are you so good to me?”
After pondering for a moment, Bao Gu spoke frankly, “Senior sister, do you remember the first time we met?”
Yu Mi nodded.
Bao Gu continued, “When Qing Shan County was in chaos with demons during the Three-Year Drought, countless people were starving. The day I saw you, my family had run out of food, and I was at my wit’s end. If it weren’t for you appearing, I might have become a pile of bones by the roadside long ago. You descended from the sky with a radiant glow, wielding a flying sword, like a banished immortal coming to the world, which amazed me. You exterminated the demons, killed the big demon, and saved the entire Qing Shan County. You guided me in cultivating immortality, leading me onto a path I had never dared to imagine before. This path is filled with killings and hardships, but it is also a new and vast world, a world beyond the mundane, a world that even the emperors of past dynasties could not reach. Along this journey, you have always protected me, even risking your life to shield me several times, senior sister…”
Her voice trailed off, and she blushed involuntarily.
Yu Mi asked, “Is it gratitude?”
Bao Gu shook her head, softly calling out, “Senior sister,” and said, “After spending so much time with you, I have come to understand you to some extent, experiencing so many life and death trials together…”
Yu Mi raised her hand to stop her, saying, “Enough, don’t say anymore!”
Lost in thought, Bao Gu said, “Senior sister, actually, saying so much…”
Turning to look at Bao Gu, who seemed hesitant to speak, Yu Mi’s heart skipped a beat as she asked, “What else do you want to say?”
Recalling the moments spent with Yu Mi, Bao Gu chuckled and said, “I don’t know when it started, but I began to see your shadow in my heart. I enjoy being by your side. Perhaps it’s because you protect me, take care of me, and make me feel safe and instinctively reliant. After so long together, you have gradually entered my heart!”
She pointed to her chest and said with a smile, “There is now another person here, another figure, so…”
Yu Mi’s heart trembled, furrowing her brows she asked, “Bao Gu, how old are you this year?”
She had sensed Bao Gu’s feelings for her, but she hadn’t expected Bao Gu to express her feelings so directly.
She had underestimated this little girl, Bao Gu.
Bao Gu replied, “Fourteen.”
Yu Mi exclaimed, “You even know you’re fourteen this year! You haven’t fully grown up yet, and you already have so many thoughts. Why don’t you focus these thoughts on cultivation? What’s the use of you liking me?”
Taken aback by Yu Mi’s question, Bao Gu was stunned for a while before hesitantly asking, “Fourteen is already the age to marry in the mortal world. What’s wrong with having someone in mind?”
She paused and continued, “Senior sister, I remember you telling me about the conflicts among fellow disciples and Dao companions in the cultivation world. I don’t want to experience conflicts with my Dao companion like that, nor do I want to go through life and death separations like Nanshan Yijian. I don’t want to form a Dao companion relationship.”
Yu Mi let out a long sigh and said, “As long as you understand.”
Bao Gu added, “I didn’t intend to become Dao companions with you. I just wanted to tell you that I’m happy to cultivate by your side, whether it’s for the sisterly bond of supporting, caring, and protecting each other, or for the joy and willingness in my heart. I’m willing to give you everything I have.”
Yu Mi snorted coldly and asked, “Aren’t you afraid I’ll sell you off?”
Bao Gu smiled and replied, “I’m not afraid. Senior sister wouldn’t do such a thing.”
“Oh?”
Yu Mi raised her eyebrows, her voice lingering melodiously as she said, “As long as someone offers the right price, it’s not necessarily…”
Bao Gu laughed heartily, “Sister, who do you think can afford to buy me at such a price?”
Yu Mi muttered softly, “Indeed, would a hen that lays golden eggs be willing to be sold?”
Her initial unease disappeared in an instant, replaced by a sense of joy that “this hen that lays golden eggs is mine.”
Bao Gu: “…”
She thought to herself, “Sister, do you have to be so straightforward?”
Yu Mi’s eyes flickered as she looked at Bao Gu and said, “Bao Gu, you taught me the technique of moving mountains and seas, and said so much to me. Are you trying to make me wholeheartedly help you as a laborer?”
Bao Gu half-squinted and smiled, “Sister, what’s mine is yours! You can also practice the technique of moving mountains and seas along the way. It’s a win-win situation, why not do it?”
Yu Mi clicked her tongue and said, “To make someone willingly work for you and be grateful! Hmph!”
Although she felt a bit deceived by Bao Gu, she also thought that using the technique of moving mountains and seas to move this ancient relic into Bao Gu’s huge storage bag was not a foolish thing to do.
Even if she was working as a laborer for Bao Gu, she was gaining a rare technique that others couldn’t obtain even if they begged for it!
This deal was not a loss!
Yu Mi immediately ignored Bao Gu, sat cross-legged, carefully pondered and comprehended this technique, and began to practice it.
Seeing her sister concentrating on meditating, focusing on comprehending and practicing the technique of moving mountains and seas, Bao Gu, feeling pleased, covered her mouth and chuckled.
She liked her sister and was willing to give her everything she had, but the feeling of making her sister willingly work for her and bullying her sister was just too good.
She squatted beside Yu Mi, watching her with increasing joy, laughing so much that her mouth widened.
She only got up and walked away from Yu Mi when she felt a change in her sister’s aura, as if she was about to use a technique, releasing a small celestial fox wandering around in the huge storage bag.
She thought to herself, “You think you can find my spiritual treasures in my huge storage bag? You must be dreaming!”
The small celestial fox landed and immediately looked around, sniffing and seeming to catch a whiff of something good.
Seeing the small celestial fox turning and rushing towards a certain direction, Bao Gu hurriedly called out, “Come back, are you afraid of missing out on your good stuff here?”
As she spoke, she took out a seventh-grade spiritual fruit and tossed it in her hand.
The small celestial fox that had rushed out immediately ran back, landing at Bao Gu’s feet, looking up at her, its big watery eyes fixed on the seventh-grade spiritual fruit.
Bao Gu said, “As for the fruit, I can give it to you. Later, you can also get more spiritual treasures, but you have to work for it.”
The small celestial fox nodded quickly, licking its lips eagerly.
Bao Gu continued, “Later, you will be responsible for finding the spiritual treasures here. The treasures you find can be saved to exchange for Monkey Wine.”
After saying that, she took out a gourd of Monkey Wine for the small celestial fox to sniff, making the fox drool.
She said, “If you don’t want to exchange it for Monkey Wine, you can just eat the spiritual treasures you find directly.”
The small celestial fox quickly raised a paw and pointed at the Monkey Wine, nodding vigorously.
Bao Gu chuckled and said, “It’s settled then. You find the spiritual treasures, and I will exchange them for Monkey Wine at the price of the treasures you find.”
The small celestial fox nodded eagerly, looking at Bao Gu with hopeful eyes.
Bao Gu took the seventh-grade spiritual fruit, gave the small celestial fox some fifth-grade Monkey Wine, and waited for Yu Mi to finish her practice and work.
