“Essence-Returning Fruit, Essence-Returning Fruit…” Lu Qiancha rubbed her aching temples and stared at the barren grassland before her, which she had practically plowed through from end to end.
She let out a long sigh. “You really know how to hide…”
This was the thirteenth day since she had left Juezhuang Baolin and ventured alone deep into Bei Juluzhou.
The area beneath her feet was precisely where the tattered sheepskin map had marked the possible location of the Essence-Returning Fruit—a three-hundred-li square expanse with a vast open view, almost an unobstructed panorama, save for a few distant, towering snow-capped peaks standing silently.
Five days. A full five days!
She had almost dug three feet into the ground, her spiritual awareness thoroughly probing every inch of meadow and exposed rock, even daring to explore icy crevices along the snowline cliffs, but the legendary spiritual fruit remained nowhere to be found.
The continuous projection of her Nascent Soul and the drain on her spiritual power had even this Divine Transformation Peak cultivator feeling a rare weariness.
By now, she had shed all pretense.
A vast wilderness stretching for thousands of miles, utterly devoid of people—what living being would be bothered enough to pay attention to a water-blue wolf-eared, tail-swaying ordinary wolf clan girl?
Not to mention linking her to the senior disciple from Tianquan Peak.
“Haah~~~woo—”
A drowsy yawn slipped uncontrollably from her lips, accompanied by tears welling at the corners of her eyes.
She shook her slightly heavy head, took a careful step, and her figure floated toward the nearest snowy mountain.
With a flick of slender fingers, the hard mountain wall silently parted, revealing a shallow cave just barely large enough to shelter her.
Sitting cross-legged, she began cultivating, struggling to gather her scattered thoughts and adjust her state to as close to perfect as possible.
The information had come from an ancient text, revealing that this region might harbor the Essence-Returning Fruit.
Searching directly was the most straightforward way to obtain the herb; if fate proved otherwise… Lu Qiancha decided to return to that demonkin town she had passed before and try her luck there.
Even if it meant spending all the spirit stones and treasures she had scrimped and saved over sixty years, exchanging them for a single Essence-Returning Fruit would be worthwhile.
If this path ended up blocked as well… A trace of helpless exhaustion flickered in Lu Qiancha’s eyes. Then she would have no choice but to temporarily retreat and seek other methods.
The cold, biting chill wrapped around her, and a brief period of rest finally loosened her tense mind somewhat.
What about Xuanmo Shigu…? Is she still safe?
Lu Qiancha thought again of the assassin she had slain a few days ago.
She took out the Soul Collecting Pearl, hoping to glimpse those fragmented memories once more, but the residual soul had long since dissipated.
Forget it, forget it, it’s not her concern.
This group had meticulous plans and had Qingfeng, the smiling tiger, as an insider. With Xuanmo Shigu’s straightforward nature… she would be easily tricked into a Formation Trap.
Xuanmo Shigu was powerful but lacked subtlety; her temper was too impatient, reckless whenever trouble arose.
It was just a pity about Shangguan Yunzhu.
After all these years cultivating in the sect, she still couldn’t escape the worldly struggle for power; and the one constantly fawning over her childhood friend was, of all people, the most insidious hidden chess piece…… Truly, the world was ironic.
Rumble——
Suddenly, a low thunderclap rolled through the heavy clouds above.
Hmm? Could it be about to rain?
Lu Qiancha’s delicate brow furrowed. Dampness and drizzle easily stirred dormant venomous insects and strange beasts from their lairs, adding trouble.
Well, she’d stay in the cave tonight anyway. The trial still had over ten days to go.
Boom!
At that moment, the mountain wall suddenly trembled. The frequency of the vibrations……
Lu Qiancha swiftly expanded her spiritual awareness and immediately sensed the abnormality in the clouds overhead.
The mist was swirling into a vortex, and at its eye, glaring lightning violently flickered and distorted, as if trying to tear the heavens and earth apart.
A celestial anomaly meant a demonkin was near! This place was no longer safe to linger!
Her thoughts raced as she summoned a protective shield beside her and without hesitation dashed out of the cave.
Her toes lightly touched the slick, half-melted snow-covered rock, fully activating the Cloud Sea Wandering Dragon Step. Like a streak of blue smoke, she swiftly glided toward a relatively safe plain far away!
But just as she descended, a thunderous roar came from above. A bright red figure shot out of the vortex, crashing down like a falling thunderbolt.
The figure landed exactly three zhang in front of Lu Qiancha, splashing a mound of mud.
Lu Qiancha quickly retreated, the strange magic cube already clutched tightly in her palm.
But then, as she saw the figure wrapped in a faint red glow clearly, her brow tightened slightly.
***
Was heaven taking pity on how easily she was digging up spiritual herbs? Intentionally adding difficulty to her task?
Or had she brought some curse upon herself by leaving home? Was this disaster fated in her life?
The red-clad figure before her was none other than Shangguan Yunzhu.
Only now, she was heavily injured. A deep, bone-exposing wound marred her left shoulder, blood trickling continuously down her jade-like arm.
Her right hand still gripped the broken sword, whose blade was cracked like a spiderweb.
She had at least a dozen wounds all over, though none were fatal.
Lu Qiancha furrowed her brow again. Her spiritual awareness spread out but detected no incoming pursuers.
Recalling the earlier commotion, it was clear Shangguan Yunzhu had used some treasure to escape, directly teleporting here.
At this moment, Shangguan Yunzhu also caught sight of Lu Qiancha not far off. She bent her head and coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood, shouting, “Little sister, run! There are bad…”
Before she could finish, Shangguan Yunzhu’s eyes weakened and closed, her aura collapsing completely. Her injuries overwhelmed her as she fainted onto the muddy grass.
Lu Qiancha’s lips twitched sharply at being called “little sister,” then sighed softly and muttered, “Forget it, I won’t mind. Since you still have some conscience left, I’ll save your life.”
With that, Lu Qiancha placed Shangguan Yunzhu’s broken sword into her storage pouch, then painstakingly bent down—dragging an unconscious adult woman with her petite wolf-girl frame was no easy feat.
“Tch… so heavy……”
Grumbling amidst labored breaths, Lu Qiancha bit her teeth and, half-dragging, half-pulling, painfully hauled the fainted Shangguan Yunzhu toward the refuge cave she had just uncovered in the snow-capped mountain. The muddy grass left a long, messy trail behind them.
“Cough! Cough, cough!”
Shangguan Yunzhu coughed twice, and sharp waves of pain rippled throughout her body.
Where… was this?
Shangguan Yunzhu sat up alertly, her eyes flashing a faint red radiance. The cave instantly brightened like daylight.
“Don’t move. I barely managed to give you the best medicine.”
A small paw covered in light blue fur and warm pads firmly pressed down on Shangguan Yunzhu’s uninjured shoulder, effortlessly pushing her back onto the temporary dry grass bed.
“…You saved me?”
Shangguan Yunzhu looked at the blue wolf-girl before her and asked.
“Or else? Do you see anyone else here?”
Lu Qiancha rolled her eyes at this, her impression of Shangguan Yunzhu deepening.
So foolish, even more than her junior sister.
Foolish enough to bubble over like a pot boiling on the stove.