Brilliant streaks of rainbow-colored light shot across the sky.
A flying boat, several zhang in length, descended rapidly into the valley of Duanya Mountain.
A massive handprint fell, accompanied by multiple beams of flowing light.
The three great families of the Central Domain — the Yuchi, Ye, and Xing — had all dispatched people to arrive at this place.
But by now, Yao Ranran and her group had already used the violet dragon, the supreme spirit vein, to teleport away. The dense violet qi that had leaked out due to the emergence of the supreme spirit vein dissipated with their departure, returning the land to silence.
Duanya Mountain reverted to its former barren state.
Xing Rui cradled the barely-breathing body of Yu Zhenyan, his rage surging to the heavens.
"Who dared harm my Zhenyan? Whoever it is, the Xing family will make him pay in blood!"
High above in the skies—
The flying boat bearing the Yu family's crest was still speeding toward the mountain.
Yu Weifeng stood anxiously at the bow, and when he heard Xing Rui's furious roar from afar, his legs gave out and he collapsed.
"The supreme spirit vein… is gone?"
The first thought that flashed through his mind was that Xing Rui had failed to capture the one who seized the supreme spirit vein. That could only explain such words.
"Then which force has taken the supreme spirit vein? My Yan'er… my Yan'er cannot have suffered in vain!"
Yu Weifeng's eyes filled with grief, yet deep in his gaze flickered a hidden trace of fear. It was fortunate the supreme spirit vein had not fallen into Xing Rui's hands. If the Xing family grew stronger, then the Yu family would never escape Xing Rui's control for the rest of their days.
Having already lost the deal with the Beiming Holy Palace, Yu Weifeng had once again fallen into disgrace within his clan, back to his cowardly position. He both desired the supreme spirit vein and yet dreaded the Xing family seizing it.
"If the Xing family did not get it, then which family did?"
Yu Weifeng suddenly sprang to his feet, his face tense. "Quick! Land this flying boat inside Duanya Mountain immediately!"
Eastern Wilderness, Gu Ling Mountain.
"Senior Disciple, Physician Zhou, Brother Meng, we've arrived."
This time, Yao Ranran did not feel distressed over the spirit stones expended for the teleportation. Because at her side was a supreme spirit vein, one that could continuously produce supreme-grade spirit stones!
According to Nie Rong, in ancient times, a single supreme spirit stone could be exchanged for ten thousand ordinary ones.
But in this age, supreme spirit stones had become rarer and rarer, gradually vanishing from the stage of currency, instead regarded as treasures of heaven and earth. A single supreme spirit stone could be directly absorbed for cultivation, its pure spiritual essence capable of enhancing a cultivator's strength.
And more than that, it had another immensely valuable effect. During battle, when one's spiritual power was exhausted, a supreme spirit stone could instantly restore it!
For cultivators at Golden Core and above, ordinary pills could not restore qi swiftly. Spiritual herbs from heaven and earth had long been overharvested, and finding materials that could quickly restore spiritual power was near impossible, not to mention the constraints of growth years.
Compared to all of that, nothing was as convenient as a supreme spirit stone.
Yao Ranran's gaze softened as she looked at the violet dragon, gently stroking its head.
"Good child, to help you hatch supreme spirit stones more quickly, I'll get you some fine things to eat."
"Rooaaar!" The violet dragon lay at her feet with contentment, face full of enjoyment as she caressed its head.
"Master, where… where have we arrived—Gu Ling Mountain?!"
Nie Rong's eyes widened as he stared blankly at the familiar Lone Star Peak across the way. No matter how fast the flying boat was, it could not have crossed from the Central Domain to the Eastern Wilderness in mere moments.
"What the… Gu Ling Mountain?"
Zhou Lili, who stepped out next, was equally dumbfounded.
Meng Xiangxiang looked around in puzzlement. "What kind of place is Gu Ling Mountain?"
He had never heard of it before. In his imagination, the place where the Fairy Sister lived ought to be filled with immortal aura, wrapped in clouds and mist.
But now…
As Meng Xiangxiang took in the scene around him, he froze.
Had he stumbled into some demon cultivators' cave?
Yao Ranran stroked the violet dragon's head, then leapt down from the flying boat.
"Yes, this is Gu Ling Mountain. You all can go home now."
Right now, her only thought was to let the supreme spirit vein hatch supreme spirit stones. Without waiting for Nie Rong and the others, she immediately put the flying boat away.
"Ahh!" Nie Rong and Zhou Lili, caught off guard, tumbled to the ground.
Meng Xiangxiang hurriedly helped them up.
Yao Ranran stuck out her tongue apologetically.
Anyway, cultivators wouldn't die from one fall. Without hesitation, she carried the supreme spirit vein into the Taoist temple.
As soon as the temple gates opened, a plump, rainbow-feathered chicken flew at her face.
Smack!
Yao Ranran slapped the strange object aside.
"Cluck cluck cluck! Master, how could you hit me?" A childish voice, full of grievance, echoed in her mind.
Startled, Yao Ranran looked carefully at the "chicken" she had just slapped. After a moment, she frowned. "Xiao Rong and the others, while I was away, what in the world did they feed you?"
How had it gotten so fat it looked like a ball?
The phoenix looked at her pitifully. "Master, finally you're back! It was Tang Xiangyin, she forced me to eat her cooking. Your beloved Da Huang nearly died from the poison!"
Yao Ranran's brows furrowed. She noticed the small house to the left of the temple had a hole blown in its roof. It looked exactly like grandma Zhang's kitchen after an explosion.
"Has Xiang Yin gotten rich recently?"
To dare cook inside the Taoist temple, even blowing up the roof—was this a sign she planned to singlehandedly renovate the temple?
"Woo woo woo, no, she hasn't gotten rich. The one who did was that middle-aged man, Sect Master Zhou! To please Xiao Rong and the others, he gave them plenty of treasures!"
The phoenix looked both mournful and envious.
Yao Ranran cast a glance toward the direction of Biliu Sect and instantly understood.
Zhou Shengqian had broken through to Golden Core, his strength had risen, so taking out such treasures was not hard for him.
"Master… why is there a dragon by your side?!" The phoenix, after its initial grumbling, suddenly noticed the violet dragon peeking in and its eyes widened in shock.
"Come in." Yao Ranran lovingly stroked the dragon's head. "This is the treasure I found outside. From now on, it will live with me here in Gu Ling Mountain."
The phoenix's beak fell open.
The aura of this violet dragon made it salivate. It could sense that if it swallowed this dragon, it could surely ascend to the Spirit Realm, perhaps even the Immortal Realm.
"Rooaaar!" The violet dragon, as if sensing the phoenix's greed, roared at it angrily.
Yao Ranran soothed its agitation. "It is Da Huang, no need to be afraid."
The phoenix swallowed hard, and the greed in its eyes vanished. This violet dragon seemed far from ordinary. Why was its master doting on it so much? When had it ever received such treatment?
"Hmph." The violet dragon gave a very human-like snort, nuzzling Yao Ranran's delicate hand with satisfaction.
"What the— a chicken!"
Zhou Lili, following Yao Ranran in, stared in shock at the plump bird.
Since when did Gu Ling Mountain raise chickens?
"Impossible for chickens to survive here in Gu Ling Mountain!" Nie Rong snapped back instinctively when he heard her words.
But when he reached the doorway and saw it clearly, his pupils shrank, his legs nearly giving out.
"What chicken— that's a phoenix!"
Meng Xiangxiang felt a jolt like lightning through his body. "A phoenix… there's even a phoenix here?"
===
Poor Da Huang, it because you didn't produce money as much as the dragon obviously.