"Achoo!"
Yao Ranran rubbed her nose.
Why did it feel chilly even in broad daylight?
She tilted her head to look at the sky, then glanced down at her storage pouch.
"Ohhh…" She suddenly understood.
"It's not the air that's cold… it's my heart!"
She had the lowest-grade storage pouch in the cultivation world, a mere three-cubic model. Even after being here for nearly half a year, she had never managed to fill even a corner of it.
Pouring out her pitiful possessions and taking the deep sea pearl that lit her courtyard, she shut all the doors and windows, plunging the room into darkness before opening her little blacksmith workshop.
In the past few days, Xiao Rong had only seen faint, strange red light leaking from the cracks in her windows, and hadn't seen her step outside once.
-
The rooster's crow echoed over the village.
The morning sun rose, the rain mist faded, revealing curling smoke from chimneys and two bright-feathered roosters strutting along the rooftops.
Several young men, shouldering hoes, stepped into the fields to plant tender green seedlings.
Grandma Wang, Grandma Zhang, and a few old men set up their small stools under the shade of the trees, chatting and laughing.
A village that had been silent for a hundred years was coming back to life. Villagers who had long been away began trickling back, dragging their carts behind them.
Three days later.
Yao Ranran examined the finished product in her hand and shook her head.
[Deep Sea Snowfire Pearl: Calms the mind, heals wounds and regenerates flesh, repels evil and demons, and can break small formations.]
"Except for breaking small formations, the other effects aren't much use to me. But they'd suit Xiao Rong.
I didn't expect combining Snow Spirit Water, Heavenly Fire Liquid, and a deep sea pearl would create this. It enhances the pearl's original effect and adds a formation-breaking property.
I can have Xiao Rong carry it on him. When we enter the secret realm, it'll give him an extra layer of safety." She picked up a black-edged staff beside her, its top inlaid with a black bead.
This was the Demonbane Staff, forged from demon stone, Blood Eye Pearl, Yin Eye Pearl… and a branch from the banyan tree. The staff contained a mixture of sinister demonic energies.
If someone with insufficient cultivation was struck, the demonic qi would invade and cloud their mind. Losing control mid-battle was as good as handing your life to the enemy.
"This one can come along too. After we're done with the secret realm, I'll sell it together with the Deep Sea Snowfire Pearl."
She remembered something from the original novel.
Though Eastern Wilderness was barren, every hundred years, a rich secret realm would randomly open.
In the book, to emphasize the original Yao Ranran's burning desire for revenge, she didn't participate in this secret realm at all.
But the transmigrated "Little Fairy" Yao Ranran wasn't about to miss a golden opportunity falling from the sky. Especially since the secret realm's location this time was just outside Shiyan City.
There was still time for her to make it. That was why she had shut herself away to refine these two treasures. Treasures were important, but so was keeping her life.
"One last thing to do."
Yao Ranran stored the two treasures away and headed down the mountain on foot.
She caught a demon bat and released it toward the county town.
Yanlong County
Baibao Pavilion
Shopkeeper Sun eyed the demon bat that had flown right into his shop. A greedy smile tugged at his lips.
"Foolish creature, wandered into the wrong place."
He pounced and caught it. His grin hadn't even widened before a clear, melodious voice spoke right by his ear, sending a chill down his spine.
"Shopkeeper Sun, I have some news about a secret realm I'd like to sell. Would Baibao Pavilion be interested? We're old partners. The price is very fair."
Shopkeeper Sun shuddered and released the bat, pressing himself back against the wall.
"…The art of transmitting sound through objects! Her cultivation must be at least at the Golden Core stage. I have to tell the young miss and the Sect Master at once!"
Meanwhile, Yao Ranran rested her chin in her hand, thoughtful. "That bat's a bit dim. It swallowed the sound transmission talisman, but it should still get the message across."
At sunset, Xiao Rong was still happily playing in the village.
When he finally felt a bit sleepy, he reluctantly returned to Gu Ling Mountain.
Yao Ranran emerged from her day-long cultivation in the black clouds of evil thoughts, deciding it was time to head back up the mountain.
They met right at the path.
"Xiao Rong," she called, "I used the three treasures Sect Master Zhou gave me to refine a Deep Sea Snowfire Pearl. Keep it on you. In a few days, you're coming with me into the Eastern Wilderness secret realm."
Xiao Rong's gaze went to the pearl. Sleepiness vanished instantly. "Is… is this really for me?"
"For now. After we leave the Eastern Wilderness secret realm, you'll have to give it back. I'm going to trade it for spirit stones."
Her tone was merciless.
The tears welling in Xiao Rong's eyes dried up in an instant. He felt as if he had fallen into an icy pit."Your heart is colder than stone! Who gives something and then takes it back?"
"You're not a person," Yao Ranran said plainly.
The words hit him like a bolt of lightning. His mind went blank.
Right.
He wasn't human.
Yao Ranran waved a hand in front of his eyes. His gaze was unfocused, as if lost in a trance.
"You alright?"
Her heart skipped. Had she just hurt him?
But Xiao Rong only swayed his head left and right like a wooden puppet.
She exhaled in relief. "Good, good. Here, have a Deep Sea Snowfire Pearl."
She pressed the pearl into his hand.
"It's not even a gift…" he muttered bitterly.
"You want this pearl that badly?" she asked seriously.
Xiao Rong nodded, eyes bright with hope.
Would she agree?
So tense!
"Compared to the treasures you might get from the Eastern Wilderness secret realm, do you still like this pearl more?"
Xiao Rong nodded vigorously.
"Hmm… If you like it that much…" She trailed off.
His eyes widened.
"Then trade for it. Give me your share of the secret realm's spoils, the proceeds from selling magic tools for the next hundred years, and all spirit stones you earn from a century of work."
Yao Ranran patted his head with faux sympathy. "Child, my great motherland once taught me something — you can't get something for nothing."
"So. Work hard, young man."
Xiao Rong stood frozen like a stone statue.
The moon was round that night.
But his heart was very, very cold.
Five days later.
Sect Master Zhou sent someone to deliver spirit stones to Jiang Shengxiang's house. When Yao Ranran got the news, she sent the still-wilted Xiao Rong to fetch them.
She intended to give him a ten percent share.
Xiao Rong suddenly looked up at her, pitiful, trying to stir even a shred of human sympathy. "Boss, I don't want the spirit stone share this time. Could you give me the Deep Sea Snowfire Pearl instead?"
Yao Ranran paused in thought.
Fearing she would refuse again, Xiao Rong hurried to add, "I know you took a loss in this deal, but I still have strength! You can order me around however you want in the future. I'll even let you use part of my true body for refining tools!"