Half a day later, at the Royal Court of the Bear Hug clan.
Within Wu Wang's great tent, an illusory, colorful radiance streamed about. Ji Mo sat upon a seven-colored Lotus Platform in meditation, urgently working to eradicate his concealed injuries to avoid affecting his future path as an immortal.
As the host, Wu Wang continued to savor the rare peace that followed the not-so-intense battle, engrossed in a whimsical tome borrowed from Ji Mo.
The book was akin to a geographical record of the Human Domain. It was not one of those specialized records that Ji Mo exclusively used, but a very normal, very formal type of geographical record that documented mountains, rivers, cities, and Sects.
This left Wu Wang quite disappointed, and his estimation of Ji Mo's discerning taste dropped by one star.
He had assumed that the books Ji Mo carried would all be something interesting...
The previous conversation with his mother still echoed in Wu Wang's heart. He had asked her why she wanted him to save Fairy Ling. The rationale she gave was somewhat far-fetched: maintaining good relations between their clan and the Human Domain by owing the latter a favor.
Based on what Wu Wang knew about his mother, things were definitely not that simple. But his mother had not elaborated, and he could not press her further.
What bad intentions could his mother possibly harbor? She was merely aiming to better protect the Northern Wilderness, her family, and their clan.
Lin Suqing, carrying an incense burner, came gracefully forward and set the burner on the desk in front of Wu Wang, her expression hesitant.
Wu Wang asked in a low voice, "Is she still washing?"
"Yes," Lin Suqing nodded lightly, her eyes filled with worry. "If this continues, won't Fairy Ling run into some trouble?"
Wu Wang said, "What trouble could a major cultivator in the Jumping God Realm possibly have?"
At most, she might get a little chapped skin.
Subsequently, Wu Wang's eyes were filled with emotion, suddenly feeling a kindred sympathy with that Fairy Ling.
"Have someone prepare some calming fruits for Fairy Ling," Wu Wang said warmly, "and let several musicians play some soothing music outside her tent. It's imperative that Fairy Ling feels the peace of being at home."
"Okay!"
Lin Suqing agreed with a nod, blinking at Wu Wang as if to ask, You still say you're not interested in her?
Wu Wang could only purse his lips, shrug, and shake his head.
If it were with other women, like with an older auntie, developing a delightful relationship would only involve overcoming his strange illness. But developing an unconventional relationship with Ling Xiaolan reminded Wu Wang of a classic novel he had studied in school during his previous life.
A Man in a Case—and a double whammy at that!
The Bear Hug clan's lineage would surely be doomed.
Wu Wang's arrangements appeared to have some effect. Shortly after Lin Suqing left, Ling Xiaolan showed up outside the tent.
She seemed to have forgotten her veil. Her long hair was simply pulled up, and she was dressed in a loose white dress. The swaying of her dress's hem revealed curves that unsettled the mind.
In his previous life, people often said beauty lies in the bones, not in the skin, and Ling Xiaolan's looks seemed to perfectly interpret this saying. Perhaps her almond-shaped eyes, delicate nose, and thin lips didn't achieve perfection, but together, these features harmonized beautifully. A small red mole by the corner of her mouth added a bit more grace to her appearance.
"Young Master of the Bear clan!"
Ling Xiaolan clenched her fists tightly, standing two zhang away. Her tense stance made the guards on either side step forward slightly, while Lin Suqing, who had followed her, was also somewhat alarmed.
Wu Wang set aside the book in his hand and asked formally, "Fairy Ling, what guidance do you have?"
"Much..."
Her lips trembled slightly, and she took a light breath. Her gaze shifted away as her right hand braced against her left arm. After several attempts, she finally managed a faint, "Thank you."
As soon as she had spoken, she left behind two phantom images and had already exited the grand tent, leaving Wu Wang as puzzled as a monk who is unable to touch his own head.
Could it be that she was actually shy?
Ji Mo, who was meditating to the side, opened an eye and asked in a low voice, "Did Fairy Ling just thank someone?"
"Is there anything abnormal about that?" Wu Wang said, puzzled. "I saved you all, isn't it right to thank me?"
Ji Mo immediately forced an unsightly smile. "Thank you, Brother Xiong, for your help. Fairy Ling rarely thanks anyone and seldom asks for help from others."
"Brother Ji, you are too polite. I see."
Wu Wang winked at Lin Suqing and asked with concern, "Suqing, how is Fairy Ling's injury on her back?"
"Young Master, Fairy Ling's injuries are no longer serious," Lin Suqing said. "The Alchemy Dao of the Human Domain is incredibly profound. The healing pills Fairy Ling used were of the finest quality, and not even a scar will remain. If only the injured warriors of our clan had such pills, how wonderful that would be."
Ji Mo said immediately, "It's inevitable for the Northern Wilderness clan to get injured in fights with ferocious beasts. When I get back home, I will immediately send over a batch of healing Treasure Elixirs as a gift of thanks to Brother Xiong!"
Wu Wang laughed. "We can exchange them for mineral resources, benefiting each other. But let's not publicize this matter."
Ji Mo nodded solemnly and then, with a look of emotion, praised, "This journey to the Northern Wilderness and meeting a contemporary hero like Brother Xiong is truly fulfilling."
"Not looking for Barbarian Waist anymore?"
"That's a different matter, a different matter."
The two exchanged glances and then laughed heartily, their laughter filled with implications that Lin Suqing did not understand.
Ji Mo and Ling Xiaolan stayed in the Bear Hug clan's Royal Court for three days and two nights. As soon as the search party dispatched by Wu Wang came back empty-handed, they immediately took their leave.
To help them conceal their tracks, Wu Wang made arrangements for the two to hide in the Bear Hug clan's market-bound carts and had also coordinated with a merchant fleet traveling south. They would drift at sea for a few days before switching to their own flying magic treasures to return to the Human Domain.
Before leaving, Wu Wang and Ji Mo hugged each other tightly, each giving the other several hearty pats on the back. Ling Xiaolan bowed to Wu Wang and coolly stated that she owed Wu Wang three favors, which she would definitely repay in the future. Not that Wu Wang took it to heart.
「However, half a day after they boarded the ship, as night fell.」
At the back deck of the large ship, Ji Mo stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the stars in the north, when he suddenly spoke up, "Teacher, do you think Brother Xiong is capable of shouldering such great responsibilities?"
The air rippled slightly, and a grey figure strolled forward, appearing out of thin air beside Ji Mo. This was a middle-aged scholar dressed in a grey robe and wearing a square hat. He was pale-faced and always gave off a sickly vibe. Materializing with a Jade Talisman in hand, his voice lacked vigor as he spoke.
He said slowly, "The Young Master of the Bear Hug clan will likely become an important figure in the future; there's no one in the Northern Wilderness who can match him. That is an unexpected delight from this trip to the Northern Wilderness. Regrettably, when he received the power bestowed by the Star God, his lifespan had already been completely locked in. A few hundred years will pass by in a flash, so there's no talk of him taking on a heavy burden.
"This man's cunning surpasses even you and me. The ferocious beast from the Ten Evils Hall and the body of Nephew Yin that we were seeking have all been detained by the Bear Hug clan. Wang Lin was annihilated by the Praying Star Technique to such a degree that not even dregs remained. Obviously, this was the intended act of the Bear Hug clan's Young Master.
"It will be difficult for me to report back this time."
"Teacher," Ji Mo frowned slightly, "what about my companions..."
"This is the trial. The content of this trial is to find out the spies from the Ten Evils Hall and survive under the hands of Nephew Yin, who has already defected to the Ten Evils Hall. Even if Fairy Ling unfortunately perishes in the Northern Wilderness, that's a loss we must bear."
The middle-aged scholar sighed, "I have not helped you either; you relied on your own abilities to deal with this. The rules have always been as such. I have already collected their bodies and will send them back to their respective Sects."
Ji Mo wanted to say something but hesitated; finally, he just let out a light sigh.
"Interacting with Brother Xiong truly refreshes one's heart and mind; should there be a chance to meet him again, we shall drink and chat merrily. By the way, will Teacher report Brother Xiong's matter to the Elders within the Sect?"
"The message via Jade Talisman has already been sent back," the middle-aged scholar said indifferently. "Seventeen years old, such a powerful Divine Thought. Even if his mother taught him intensively, someone of ordinary talent would hardly reach this extent. What decision is made specifically still depends on the Elders. Perhaps a senior may step in to help him break free from the shackles of lifespan, but who can say for certain?
"Alright, it's not appropriate for me to show myself too much. We haven't left the Northern Wilderness yet. That Lord Cang Xue possesses unfathomable divine skills, and I always feel somewhat uneasy in my spiritual mind."
Ji Mo turned around and bowed deeply with hands clasped in front of him. The grey-robed scholar stepped back half a step, his surroundings rippling softly before he disappeared into thin air.
When Ji Mo looked up, he caught sight of Ling Xiaolan standing not far away with a sword in her arms. Ji Mo couldn't help but smile awkwardly.
"Fairy Ling..."
Ling Xiaolan huffed coldly, took out her bamboo hat, and put it on slowly, saying indifferently, "Brother Ji, if you face Young Master Xiong from the Northern Wilderness again in the future, won't you truly feel guilty? He sincerely treated you well and saved both our lives."
Ji Mo rubbed his nose, smiling. "My interactions with Brother Xiong have always been open and aboveboard. Although I had a probing heart, wasn't Brother Xiong the same? It may well be that, at this moment, Brother Xiong is borrowing the power of Lord Cang Xue to observe both you and me through his Crystal Ball."
「Meanwhile, within Wu Wang's great tent.」
Wu Wang sat alone on an animal skin chair, gazing at the Crystal Ball before him, and he couldn't help but look around suspiciously.
Good grief, I almost thought the Great Wilderness had cameras too.
Looking back at the Crystal Ball, it showed Ling Xiaolan walking away with the bamboo hat. Apparently, the two had parted on less than friendly terms.
Wu Wang thought to himself, Mom, it's enough.
The necklace at his chest flickered softly, and the scene within the Crystal Ball quickly dispersed.
"The Human Domain is just this complicated," Cang Xue's gentle voice slowly rose. "Do you still want to go?"
Wu Wang fell silent for a while before softly responding.
Cang Xue's voice was gentle. "If you leave the Northern Wilderness, Mom won't be able to watch over you all the time... I know you're clever, but there are not many people as pure as Suqing in this world.
"The beings of the world are in turmoil, struggling for existence.
"The Divine Spirits sit high above, indifferent to the sorrows and joys of the mortal world. Those who rely on Divine Spirits are mostly cruel and numb."
"Mom, the Northern Wilderness is like a warm bed; Praying Star Technique feels like an old dream."
Wu Wang said in a deliberately light-hearted tone, "I still wish to go out and see the world, to have my share of experiences in the Great Wilderness. Mom, rest assured. For your sake and Dad's, and for the sake of the clan, I will cherish my life. If you and Dad have no other offspring, I will surely return before I turn one hundred and eighty to take up the great responsibility of the clan. If necessary, even abandoning the cultivation realm I have achieved would be fine. But Mom, I truly want to go out and see the world. I'm not willing to see the end of my life's journey at the age of seventeen."
"You," Cang Xue chided lightly, "with that tongue of yours, I don't know how many women's divine souls you're going to bewitch in the future."
Wu Wang's face turned a shade redder, and he hastily changed the subject. A thought occurred to him, and he shared the dream he had earlier with his mother in every detail.
This time, Wu Wang clearly noticed a change in his mother's emotions; she seemed much more somber.
Cang Xue did not respond to any of Wu Wang's questions about the dream, saying only, "Leaving the Northern Wilderness to make your way might not be a bad thing for you."
Wu Wang's eyes widened.
Mother, please be clear. Your son is good at reading between the lines, and that statement sounds quite significant.
Eh?
Does Mother mean that my strange illness might have a chance of being cured if I leave the Northern Wilderness?
Wu Wang immediately jumped up in excitement, but before he could ask more, he found that his mother had cut off the connection...
Ah, Mother indeed knows something.
...
After Ji Mo and Ling Xiaolan left, Wu Wang's yearning for the Human Domain suddenly grew much stronger.
The five-year deadline was approaching, and he had pretty much prepared everything he needed. Once out of the Northern Wilderness, although the power of the Praying Star Technique would diminish, he would still have a means to protect himself.
Lin Suqing's master, Zuo Dong, was now staying temporarily with the Bear Hug clan. After all, Zuo Dong couldn't return without the Cloud Boat, and his cultivation was insufficient to cross the East Sea or West Sea. He would need to drift at sea for three and a half years. It was most proper to wait for Lin Suqing's 'sentence to be over' and return to the Human Domain together.
Having gained an elder of the Golden Core stage in the clan, Wu Wang certainly wouldn't let this opportunity pass. After offering a few Fairy Happy Fish and several jars of fine wine, Wu Wang gained many insights into cultivation. He discarded the dregs and kept the essence, obtaining... roughly three or four sentences that were useful to him.
The harvest was substantial, he thought earnestly.
As the five-year deadline he set for himself drew near, Wu Wang's heart became even more serene, and he checked the various treasures he had prepared.
The six top-quality Storage magic treasures that Lin Suqing had slowly exchanged over the years were already stuffed full.
He chose some precious minerals from the Northern Wilderness that were in high demand and of high value in the Human Domain. These filled two Storage Bags, roughly the volume of four or five carts.
He took two bags of Crystal Balls that stored the Star Thunder Technique. These were painstakingly made by the chief Priest of his clan upon Wu Wang's request and were worth even more than those minerals.
While tallying these items, Lin Suqing quietly voiced her doubts, "Young Master, are you planning to blow up an Immortal Sect?"
"Hmm?" Wu Wang was momentarily taken aback by the question, and he responded, "Are these enough to level an Immortal Sect's mountain gate?"
"Certainly enough for a medium-sized Immortal Sect."
So Wu Wang ordered the clan's Priests to hastily produce a few hundred more.
As the Young Master of a Large Family Clan crossing the sea to the Human Domain, he had to provide a plausible reason to avoid causing unease and panic within the clan. Wu Wang had been preparing for this for several years, and the Star God Cult became his most powerful tool.
「Soon, a rumor spread among the various clans of the Northern Wilderness:」
The Northern Wilderness has long been the most peaceful place in the north of the Great Wilderness. Alas, the Nine Wildernesses of the Great Wilderness are plagued by endless wars. The resentment of living beings accumulates continuously and will soon become a disaster for the Northern Wilderness.
The Star God has prophesied that there will be an Envoy chosen by the Star God to seek out the True Scripture of the Star God within the Great Wilderness to save the world.
This Envoy shall be known as: the 'Northern Wilderness Pilgrim'.