Li Yan's heart was quickly filled with understanding. How could another sect's secret art be taught to an outsider? Although the Thousand Luo Ancient Ape was powerful, it required the knowledge to control it. Without the control method, the Thousand Luo Ancient Ape would be just an ordinary Magical Treasure in his hands, not an absolute asset. It was better to appear magnanimous.
"The Thousand Luo Ancient Ape involves the core secret techniques of my Wood Flow Sect , so of course, it cannot remain in your hands. Besides, I saved you in return earlier and told you many secrets known only to Nascent Soul cultivators. There are no longer any ties between us. However, considering that Bai Rou from my sect once sought your help, I will not let you have worked for nothing," Shuang Qingqing said softly as she glanced at the sky.
In truth, her request for the Thousand Luo Ancient Ape was not only to retrieve a sect treasure but primarily because she desperately needed it herself. Her Purple-Winged Ice Phoenix was severely damaged. Only after she found a suitable Physical Body for Body Seizure could she find the right materials to re-refine the Purple-Winged Ice Phoenix. Fortunately, the Amethyst Beast Demonic Core , which had been refined into the core of the formation within the Purple-Winged Ice Phoenix's body, was undamaged. In the future, she would just need to spend more time finding other refining materials. After that, a long period of nurturing would be required for it to possibly recover fully. During this time, it was unacceptable for her to be without a suitable Magical Treasure for protection.
There was another reason that compelled Shuang Qingqing to take the Thousand Luo Ancient Ape from Li Yan. She was currently just a wisp of a Remnant Soul. If she truly encountered a Nascent Soul cultivator on her way back, with her Purple-Winged Ice Phoenix so severely damaged, she would have no power to resist. The outcome would be unpredictable. No matter what, she had to rely on the Thousand Luo Ancient Ape.
Although Li Yan had already prepared himself for the loss of the Thousand Luo Ancient Ape, his heart leaped with joy when he suddenly heard Shuang Qingqing say she would not let him have worked for nothing.
After a moment of thought, as Li Yan stood with his hands hanging respectfully, Shuang Qingqing waved her jade-like hand, and a verdant object appeared two feet in front of him.
Li Yan focused his gaze on it. It was a long, narrow, emerald-green willow leaf, less than half the length of his index finger. Its color was as clear as if washed by water, with both ends pointed and the middle slightly concave. The green veins on it were clearly visible. It floated two feet away from him, bobbing up and down as if attached to an invisible willow branch in the wind. A faint fluctuation of Spirit Power and a trace of heart-soothing coolness slowly emanated from it. It seemed like an ordinary Spirit Artifact, but Li Yan knew that an item taken out by a Nascent Soul cultivator could hardly be a common product.
Li Yan did not reach out to take it from the air. Instead, he looked respectfully at the purple-robed young woman floating in the air under the moon.
Seeing that Li Yan did not immediately take the willow leaf but looked at her with a respectful expression, waiting for her to continue, Shuang Qingqing couldn't help but think more highly of his mind-nature. She had noticed that when she said she wouldn't let him work for nothing, although there was a hint of surprise on the boy's face, there wasn't much elation.
She knew that few could remain so calm when presented with a gift from a Nascent Soul cultivator.
"This treasure is called the 'Cloud-Piercing Willow'. It is something I chanced upon during my travels on the Verdant Continent years ago. When not using the Purple-Winged Ice Phoenix, it is indeed very suitable for me. It is a Flying Magical Treasure. With your cultivation to control it, its speed naturally cannot compare to that of a Nascent Soul stage cultivator. However, I have never seen a Golden Core stage cultivator who could catch up to it relying solely on their own flight. Even for a Pseudo-Nascent Soul cultivator, it would be extremely difficult.
"I had originally planned to leave this for the sect, but after leaving the Thousand Luo Ancient Ape behind, I kept this item with me, intending to gift it to a disciple in the future. Although taking the Thousand Luo Ancient Ape from you this time is justifiable, considering Bai Rou's initial aim was to use your strength to uncover the secrets within it, it seems she has now achieved her goal. Therefore, simply taking the Thousand Luo Ancient Ape is ultimately somewhat inappropriate. When I took out Spirit Stones from your Storage Pouch earlier, I didn't see any flying-type Magical Treasures. So, I will give this to you. I have already erased the Divine Sense Imprint within it; you just need to drip your Essence Blood and re-refine it to use it.
"However, I must remind you. I just said that while this treasure is fast, it does not mean a Golden Core cultivator cannot catch up. If the opponent also possesses a high-grade, or even a supreme-grade Flying Magical Treasure, you might lose all hope of escaping with this treasure."
Shuang Qingqing's expression shifted from coldness back to a smile, her eyes looking at Li Yan like water, causing his heart to beat a little faster.
Li Yan quickly averted his gaze from Shuang Qingqing and bowed his head. "Thank you, Senior, for the gift of this treasure!" After speaking, he reached out, and the dripping-green willow leaf floated toward him. He gently pinched the leaf between two fingers. He wasn't afraid that she had tampered with it. With Shuang Qingqing's cultivation, even as a mere wisp of a Remnant Soul, she was still the Remnant Soul of a Nascent Soul cultivator. To deal with him, she had no need for tricks or schemes; a direct kill would suffice. Even if she were to perform a Soul-Searching Art on him, he likely had no hope of escape.
The willow leaf was cool to the touch, its surface as smooth as silk. As it drew closer, a faint, delicate fragrance reached Li Yan's nose. He couldn't help but frown. As a Poison Cultivator, he had a natural aversion to fragrant or sweet smells emanating from unknown objects. Although he knew the other party had no need to go to such lengths to use any schemes against him, his mind instantly went on alert. But then, he seemed to remember something, and his heart settled. He had smelled a similar scent when he was close to Gong Chenying and Zhao Min. Though there were slight differences, Li Yan knew what it was.
"Hee hee hee, little one, have you never been around a woman before? Look at how vigilant you are. Does it smell good?" Just as Li Yan figured out the source of the fragrance on the willow leaf, a charming laugh rang out. This gave Li Yan the embarrassment of having his thoughts seen through. Pinching the leaf, he raised his head with a somewhat reddened face.
The moment Li Yan looked up, he saw a flash of purple light. Shuang Qingqing had vanished from the sky. Then, the dim eyes of the motionless Thousand Luo Ancient Ape on the sand dune opened once more, its body erupting in a brilliant green light. In the next moment, it shot into the sky.
"Little one, this matter is concluded. I trust you will not remember anything that happened here. Do not disappoint me, Sister. If I hear any rumors about me, I will be very angry. Even with the Malevolent Spirit Sect's protection, it will not go well for you.
"Also, if Bai Rou asks about the Thousand Luo Ancient Ape, just say you met a Golden Core elder from the previous generation of the Wood Flow Sect. If she has time, she can return to the sect to find me. You must not reveal my identity. Remember this, remember this…"
Shuang Qingqing's departure was abrupt, without any hesitation, almost sudden. How could an ordinary person fathom the eccentric temperament of a Nascent Soul cultivator? Li Yan stared blankly at the green light that vanished over the horizon in a flash. After a moment of clarity, he quickly bowed towards the direction where the green light disappeared.
"This junior will remember!" He didn't know if she could hear him, but as he straightened up, the green light on the horizon had already disappeared completely. Yet, a muttered voice seemed to echo in his ear, "It's still quite a distance to go. It seems I'll have to kill more people to find more Spirit Stones. It would be even better if there were Mid-grade Spirit Stones…"
This caused Li Yan, who was in the middle of straightening up, to stiffen.
…
Li Yan stood before a mountain cliff. This was a barren mountain. Although the vegetation was sparse, several hundred-zhang-tall peaks crisscrossed the area. Li Yan was standing on the mountainside of one such barren peak, his figure mostly obscured by a patch of grotesque rocks.
With a blank expression, Li Yan surveyed his surroundings. He then released his Divine Sense once more to scan the area. A moment later, he retracted it. He then formed a hand seal, and a dozen Wind Blade Arts slashed at the base of the cliff before him. Under his deliberate control, the dozen wind blades cut into the rock as if it were tofu, making little noise save for the rustling of falling debris.
This was Li Yan's first time carving out his own Cave Residence, and he seemed a bit unskilled. After half an incense stick of time, he looked at the large, haphazardly cut hole before him and shook his head helplessly. With a wave of his sleeve, the rubble and dirt from within the cave flew outwards.
To call it a Cave Residence was an overstatement; it was merely a slightly larger cavern. It was empty inside, and the walls were covered in deep and shallow gashes from his cutting, looking as if a dog had gnawed on them.
But Li Yan paid this no mind. He found a relatively flat spot and sat down cross-legged. With another wave of his great sleeve, seven or eight Formation Flags flew out, flashing with light as they landed in the corners of the cavern. A ripple of light shimmered, and the only entrance to the cave disappeared from sight. If someone were to look from the outside now, this barren mountain would look no different than before, still a craggy peak of grotesque rocks. Unless a cultivator came close for a careful inspection, it would be impossible to discover the formation Li Yan had laid.
After setting up the Protective Formation, Li Yan lowered his head in thought, then swiped his right hand over his left wrist. Another dozen or so Formation Flags flew out, disappearing into the cave walls in a flash. The entire Cave Residence trembled slightly before returning to normal. Only then did Li Yan nod in satisfaction.
He planned to stay here for a while. Having laid several layers of formations in succession finally put him at ease.
Seated cross-legged, Li Yan did not immediately begin cultivating but instead focused his gaze, deep in thought.
This mountain range was already ten thousand li away from the desert. Li Yan had taken less than two days to get here from the desert, all thanks to the Magical Treasure Shuang Qingqing had given him, the "Cloud-Piercing Willow." At this thought, Li Yan's Divine Sense stirred, and a small, dripping-green willow leaf appeared in his hand. Looking at the leaf, Li Yan's heart pounded with excitement. He had unexpectedly obtained this treasure. In just over a day, he had flown more than ten thousand li, something he could only have dreamed of before.
The "Cloud-Piercing Willow" could be powered by Spirit Stones or activated with Spirit Power. Thinking of that incredible speed, Li Yan felt that apart from the time he was carried by Shuang Qingqing's Thousand Luo Ancient Ape, only the flight led by Elder Peng and the others when entering and exiting the Secret Realm could match it. However, he sensed that the flying speed of Elder Peng's Silver-Fanged Dragon Rhino was still quite a bit faster than his "Cloud-Piercing Willow."
But Li Yan didn't feel dejected by this. Based on Shuang Qingqing's brief introduction of the "Cloud-Piercing Willow," he had detected a hint of satisfaction in her words regarding its speed. The current situation was due to two reasons: first, a good Magical Treasure required good Spirit Stones or powerful Spirit Power to drive it, and he was using low-grade Spirit Stones; second, he had not yet fully refined the "Cloud-Piercing Willow," and his control over it was still somewhat clumsy. If he were to control it with pure Spirit Power, given his current cultivation, he would likely be unable to unleash the "Cloud-Piercing Willow's" true speed. Only as his cultivation level continued to rise could he eventually reach the flying speed Shuang Qingqing had described.
'This item was actually obtained from the Verdant Continent. According to the records, that continent is a place inhabited by Spirit Plant Monsters. Humans and demonic beasts are their mortal enemies. I never thought Senior Shuang had traveled there and obtained the Thousand Luo Stone and this item. Verdant Continent? Shuang Qingqing? Why do they both have these two characters? Could it be…' Li Yan pondered for a moment before gently shaking his head. Because he had never seen a Spirit Plant Monster, he still couldn't connect Shuang Qingqing's wisp of a soul with a monster.
'Thinking about these things is meaningless. This Magical Treasure is what I ultimately obtained, and that's enough. This near-death experience in the desert has turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I finally have a Flying Magical Treasure of my own. If I were to encounter a cultivator like Ancestor Redfire again, I would still be unable to beat him, but my chances of escaping have at least increased by more than half.'
Li Yan's heart filled with joy for a moment. After playing with the "Cloud-Piercing Willow" for a while longer, he set it aside. Then, with a stir of his Divine Sense, a Folding Fan and a pure white, jade-like kerchief appeared in his hand.