Han Lingsha, being well-versed in traps and mechanisms, had navigated countless ancient tombs on her own without encountering major dangers. However, ever since meeting Yun Tianhe, it seemed her vigilance had diminished, possibly due to the constant frustration he caused her. When Yun Tianhe pointed out the instability beneath her feet, instead of stepping back cautiously, she jumped a few times on the spot to prove that nothing was wrong.
Her defiance triggered the trap.
Ordinarily, her light frame wouldn't have been enough to activate it. But her impulsive stomping broke through the threshold. If it had been the cautious, solitary Han Lingsha of the past, she would never have acted so recklessly. Perhaps Yun Tianhe's carefree influence had rubbed off on her.
"Find the entrance to the lower level. I'll go down and check on her," Daniel said to Yun Tianhe and Liu Mengli, before leaping into the pit without hesitation. Liu Mengli opened her mouth to protest, but he was already gone.
As Daniel landed, he was immediately greeted by Han Lingsha's indignant shout: "Yun Tianhe, I'm not done with you!"
"You okay?" Daniel asked, walking toward her. He found Han Lingsha sitting on a patch of muddy ground, looking thoroughly disheveled. Offering her his hand, he helped her to her feet.
Han Lingsha wasn't seriously injured—her only wound was a scrape on her arm, likely from brushing against the rough walls as she fell. For someone as experienced as Han Lingsha, this level of injury was negligible. However, what truly upset her was the mud.
She was covered in thick, slimy muck, and the stench clung to her. For a young woman as prideful as Han Lingsha, this was far worse than sustaining a serious wound. She would have much preferred physical pain over this humiliation.
"This is infuriating," she muttered through gritted teeth, her brows furrowed in frustration.
Soon, Yun Tianhe and Liu Mengli arrived. Yun Tianhe, visibly concerned, rushed forward. "Lingsha, are you hurt?" he asked, his tone filled with genuine worry.
"What do you think?" Han Lingsha retorted, glaring at him.
"I'll take a look," Liu Mengli interjected, stepping forward to inspect Han Lingsha's arm. She pulled out a crystal vial, sprinkling some fragrant powder onto the wound. The calming scent masked the odor of the mud, visibly improving Han Lingsha's mood.
Once she finished treating the wound, Liu Mengli said, "Miss Han, given your current state, perhaps it's best if you return to the surface."
"It's fine. It's just a bit of mud. We've come this far—let's finish the job before heading back," Han Lingsha replied, shaking off some of the mud.
"It's just mud! What's the big deal? Even wild boars bathe in mud!" Yun Tianhe chimed in innocently, nodding as if he had just shared a profound truth.
"Yun Tianhe, you—" Han Lingsha's face darkened with anger.
"Yun Gongzi…" Liu Mengli, startled by Yun Tianhe's remark, turned to him in shock.
Faced with both women's reactions, Yun Tianhe scratched his head in confusion. "What? It's true—wild boars do bathe in mud."
"Yun Gongzi," Liu Mengli said gently after a moment, "you shouldn't say such things to a lady."
"Forget it. Explaining this to him is pointless. Let's just focus on finishing the investigation," Han Lingsha said with a huff, turning to move deeper into the cave.
"Wait. You should clean yourself up first," Daniel said, stepping forward. With a flick of his wrist, a large orb of water materialized in his hand—a simple application of water-element magic.
"Ah, thank you," Han Lingsha said, dipping her hands into the water sphere and using it to wash off the mud. Though she couldn't clean herself completely, it was enough to remove the worst of the mess. Thanks to Liu Mengli's fragrant powder, any lingering smell was masked.
The group pressed onward, descending deeper into the cave. By the time they reached the seventh level, they still hadn't encountered any living yaoguai. Oddly, the cave wasn't as dark as one might expect. Bioluminescent plants growing along the walls emitted a faint glow, illuminating their surroundings.
Despite encountering multiple traps along the way, none of them triggered another mishap. Han Lingsha's earlier embarrassment had made everyone extra cautious. Still, she couldn't help but feel humiliated—someone who prided herself on her expertise in traps had been caught by such a simple mechanism.
"Look at that flower!" Yun Tianhe exclaimed, pointing ahead. At the center of the cavern was a massive flower, nearly five meters in diameter, with petals of vibrant red and white. The flower emitted a faint, magical glow.
As the group approached the flower, a timid, childlike voice echoed around them. "You're humans…"
Following the voice, they spotted a strange creature lurking in the flower's shadow. It resembled a cat, but its back was covered with green, leaf-like appendages.
"What an adorable kitty!" Han Lingsha said, stepping forward and crouching down, reaching out to pet the creature.
"Bad humans! You killed our parents!" the creature cried, its eyes brimming with tears.
"Your parents? Were they the monsters we saw outside?" Liu Mengli stepped forward, her voice soft and soothing as she knelt before the creature.
"Meow… Humans are all bad. You killed our parents," the creature whimpered, tears streaming down its face.
"Meow, stop crying! Don't let the humans see you weak!" another voice scolded. Four more creatures, identical to the first, emerged from beneath the flower.
"Meow, but I miss Mom and Dad…"
"I said, stop crying!"
"Who killed your parents?" Liu Mengli asked gently, her tone free of judgment.
"It was a human Sword Immortal," the first creature said, its tiny body trembling with anger. "He had a glowing sword. He killed our parents and everyone else. I will avenge them someday."
"Sword Immortal…" Liu Mengli sighed, her expression sorrowful. "It seems the news of the yaoguai attacks reached the Sword Immortal, and he came to eradicate them."
"Meow, it's all the humans' fault! They picked all the Li Xiang Grass, and the spirits had nothing to eat. That's why Mom and Dad decided to scare the humans away by attacking them," the creature explained.
"I see… That explains everything," Liu Mengli said softly. "When we return, I'll speak with the townsfolk and ask them to harvest the grass more sustainably. But what about you? It's too dangerous for you to stay here. The humans will come again."
"You're not going to kill us?" one of the creatures asked, its voice filled with surprise.
"Why would we kill you? You haven't hurt anyone," Yun Tianhe replied matter-of-factly.
"Meow… My name is Huai Mi. These are my brothers: Huai Hua, Huai Shi, Huai Jiao, and Huai Zhi. Maybe not all humans are bad. You're good people… but I'll still avenge my parents one day," Huai Mi said, turning to leave with its siblings.
"Wait," Daniel called out.
"Daniel, what are you doing?" Han Lingsha's voice was sharp, and her gaze held a warning. "They're just children. Don't even think about harming them."
"I'm not going to harm them," Daniel replied calmly. "I just want to offer some advice."
Stepping forward, he addressed the small creatures. "Listen carefully. I may be human, but I hold no prejudice against yaoguai. In my eyes, it's not about species—it's about morality. If you wish to seek vengeance against the Sword Immortal, that's your choice. But don't harm innocent humans in the process. And be careful who you trust. Most humans don't see things the way we do. If they find you, they won't hesitate to attack."
The creatures listened silently, then nodded. "Meow, we understand," Huai Mi said before leading its siblings away.
As the group turned to leave the cavern, one of the small creatures suddenly returned, carrying a small, earth-colored orb. It placed the orb on the ground before them.
"Our leader says you're good people. This is our only treasure. Please take it as thanks."
"This… this is the Earth Spirit Pearl!" Han Lingsha exclaimed, snatching up the orb with wide eyes.
"The Earth Spirit Pig? What's that? Can we eat it?" Yun Tianhe asked, tilting his head in confusion.
"Eat, eat, eat! This is the Earth Spirit Pearl, one of the five legendary pearls formed by the world's spiritual energy. It's an incredibly rare treasure," Han Lingsha explained, holding the orb up reverently.
"Ah, the Spirit Pearls… I almost forgot about these," Daniel thought, realizing the significance of the find. The Five Spirit Pearls were akin to the Infinity Stones of this world, each holding immense power.
"Could I hold onto this for now?" Daniel asked, knowing the pearl would greatly aid his cultivation.
After a brief discussion, Han Lingsha and Liu Mengli agreed.
"Looks like I'll be focusing on Earth-element
techniques for now," Daniel mused, already planning how to incorporate the pearl's power into his training. Though he had initially intended to specialize in fire, the pearl's presence made Earth the logical choice.
Perhaps someday, he might even collect all five Spirit Pearls.
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