Chapter 339: Chapter 339 Qinglian is Ours
On Qingfeng’s grassy knoll, Chen Pingping changed into a new set of clothes, his face etched with solemnity. After pacing back and forth a few times, he turned to Jiang Ni’er and asked, "Did you see it?"
COUGH! COUGH!
Jiang Ni’er’s face flushed red as she whispered, "I saw it."
"Saw what?" he asked.
"It’s big... and a bit dark!" she said awkwardly, forcing out the words.
Chen Pingping was bewildered.
Seeing her like this, Chen Pingping recalled the earlier situation. His expression darkened, and he rapped her on the head. "I was asking if you saw that world falling down!"
OUCH! OUCH!
That hurts!
Jiang Ni’er looked aggrieved. "You didn’t say that before."
Chen Pingping chuckled in exasperation. "Well, I’m saying it now."
After a moment’s thought, Jiang Ni’er said, "It seems like your Master did it."
Oh?
Chen Pingping was surprised.
She continued, "I saw your Master. He couldn’t control the Undying Furnace, then he stumbled into Soup Valley. After that, I don’t know what happened, but this place fell from the Nine Heavens."
Soup Valley? Master?
Chen Pingping’s mouth fell slightly open, utterly astounded. The heavens had collapsed, and it was his own Master’s doing?
In that case, Master must be in the depths of Soup Valley, right?
"Let’s go and take a look!" Chen Pingping declared.
"Wait a minute..." Jiang Ni’er said. "That place is terrifying, not an ordinary Life Prohibited Zone."
HMM.
Chen Pingping nodded. "You’re right. We need to plan this carefully."
"No, that’s not it!" Jiang Ni’er shook her head. "I mean, there’s a powerful being in that place."
"How powerful?"
"Powerful enough to annihilate the entire Heaven Martial."
Chen Pingping was speechless.
The Heaven Insight Body was inherently connected to the Heavenly Fortune Tao; she could see things far more accurately than any predictions derived from the Tao, even more precisely than the Heavenly Book or insight abilities. Therefore, Chen Pingping believed her. Since that was the case, they needed to consider their options carefully.
Chen Pingping turned his gaze towards the Emperor Spirit. Its massive body trembled, an expression of utter terror on its face.
Seeing this, Chen Pingping couldn’t contain his annoyance. He stormed over and rapped it on the head, saying fiercely, "You’re so big, yet you’re scared of a dog!"
WHIMPER! WHIMPER!
The Emperor Spirit felt wronged. What’s wrong with being afraid of dogs? Why can’t I be afraid of dogs? Besides, that little black dog isn’t an ordinary dog.
System Prompt: Emperor Spirit’s approval rating increased to 5%. Reward: one hundred years of cultivation, thirty Tier 7 Spiritual Medicines, fifty Tier 7 Spirit Pills, and ten thousand top-grade Spirit Stones.
Chen Pingping was dumbfounded.
My goodness, a beating actually increases its approval? Can such good fortune be real?
As he looked at the Emperor Spirit, his eyes started to gleam with a hint of fervor, and he rubbed his hands together eagerly.
AROO! AROO! AROO!
The Emperor Spirit howled miserably, its large body curling up in a corner, trembling all over.
System Prompt: Emperor Spirit’s approval rating increased to 6%. Reward: fifty years of cultivation...
System Prompt: Host’s realm has advanced to Emperor Tao Seventh Heaven.
After about ten minutes of this, the approval rating plateaued. Chen Pingping finally stopped, a smile playing on his lips as he watched the Emperor Spirit cowering pathetically. He was tempted to chop it up and make soup.
"Buddy, you’re supposed to be a Spiritual Beast! You once followed a Great Emperor! Can’t you show some backbone?"
Chen Pingping, frustrated by its untapped potential, said, "You should follow me."
System Prompt: Emperor Spirit’s approval rating increased to 7%. Reward: fifty years of cultivation...
OHO!
Chen Pingping raised an eyebrow, as if he had discovered a new continent. He then added, "The Purple Gold Divine Clan is finished. They are destined to decline and become mere dust in the annals of history. Besides, you can’t go back now even if you wanted to, so you have no choice but to follow me."
"I can help you unlock the Tao imprints within you, though I don’t have the means right now..."
Making empty promises, huh! It’s a man’s inborn talent. As long as the promise is tempting enough, the little girl—COUGH, COUGH—I mean, the Emperor Spirit will follow.
He prattled on for an hour, and the approval rating increased to 8%.
Not bad!
However, the slow progress bored Chen Pingping. He decided to try and conquer the Emperor Spirit with his overwhelming personal charm.
"If you choose to follow me, I’ll find you a female Spiritual Beast in the future."
"If Hei dares to bully you, I’ll beat it up..."
WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!
Hei, on the lawn, turned and barked loudly at the Emperor Spirit.
The Emperor Spirit shivered.
Chen Pingping’s face darkened. "Get lost," he scolded Hei.
System Prompt: Emperor Spirit’s approval rating increased to 9%. Reward: fifty years of cultivation...
Chen Pingping was baffled, then he grinned. Another new discovery!
"Emperor Spirit, do you dare to charge forward and beat up Hei?" Chen Pingping goaded. "Go on, don’t be afraid! I’ve got your back."
The Emperor Spirit remained silent.
Fine!
Chen Pingping, resigned, decided to give up. After several hours of effort, the approval rating had only increased to 9%. It was barely acceptable but ultimately too slow. He wanted to break through to the Lord realm now so he could enter Soup Valley and help his Master out of this predicament.
"Ni’er, get ready. We’re setting off tomorrow," Chen Pingping called out.
"Oh, okay!" Jiang Ni’er’s voice came from inside the house.
「In Soup Valley.」
Zi Ji had chased the Sky Swallowing Python for a long time but to no avail. It couldn’t be helped; the python was too fast, and this was its habitat. Shaking off Zi Ji was quite easy for it.
With no other choice, she could only return to her original spot to wait for Chen Shixian. However, after a long wait and no sign of him, she led Lao Huang deeper into the valley.
It’s strange. I could see those people the last time I was here, but now they’re gone? Zi Ji wondered. She then asked Lao Huang, "Do you know where they are, Old Yellow?"
MOO!
It bellowed, clearly displeased.
Zi Ji blinked and chuckled. "Don’t be so petty! Lao Huang, Lao Niu... isn’t it all the same?"
Whether it was luck or divine favor, as the girl and the ox walked on, they came upon a dried-up lakebed. Strangely, in the middle of it grew a vibrant, verdant Qinglian, brimming with life. The Qinglian was only half a meter tall, but it was enveloped in a radiant glow, looking truly extraordinary.
Zi Ji’s eyes brightened. Believing the Qinglian might be a Spiritual Medicine, she hurriedly stepped forward to pluck it.
Just then, a young man emerged from the woods, shouting, "Miss, please wait a moment!"
Hmm?
Zi Ji looked up, her hand pausing mid-air. "What’s wrong?" she asked curiously.
"I placed this Qinglian here," the young man said breathlessly, sweat beading on his forehead. He had clearly just rushed over. As he spoke, he moved closer to the Qinglian.
Lao Huang shook its sturdy body, eyeing him with displeasure.
Zi Ji laughed. "You? You placed it here?"
The young man nodded. "Yes."
Zi Ji chuckled. "But there was no one in this area just now, only a few large creatures. And you look like you just ran over, didn’t you?"
Wu Mo raised an eyebrow and said nonchalantly, "Large creatures? Those were Ancient Ferocious Beasts. I just drove them away. Therefore, this Qinglian should rightfully be mine."
Oh, really?
Zi Ji’s smile grew even wider.
Just as she was about to retort, several more people emerged from behind Wu Mo. Their eyes landed on the Qinglian, and their gazes grew fervent. Noticing Zi Ji about to pluck the Qinglian, their expressions turned grim.
One woman stepped forward and said coldly, "This Qinglian is ours. You can leave now."
「Not far away.」
Atop a high mountain, the people from Fairy Valley witnessed this scene. A sense of foreboding washed over them. This is going to be bad.