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墨書 Inktalez
Qi Xiao taught her the names of some commonly used medicinal herbs. Although the young girl could not read, she was quite sharp and often remembered them after Qi Xiao repeated them just once or twice.
Initially, Qi Xiao only intended to go over a few common herbs with her, but two hours later, he had not only covered all the herb names but also explained some basic pharmacology and the properties of certain herbs.
Before long, the sky began to darken. Qi Xiao gave her several dozen low-grade spirit stones, instructing her to purchase some basic tools and also buy some food.
This was the first time Ying Chun had seen so many spirit stones. She stammered for a moment, unable to believe her eyes.
"Are these really for me?"
Seeing Qi Xiao nod, she swallowed hard. The immortal she was following seemed quite wealthy.
Qi Xiao reminded her a few times to stay safe, keep her wealth hidden, and not to open the door if strangers came looking for her.
Though Ying Chun was young, she had grown up in the streets and was even more astute than Qi Xiao had anticipated in this regard.
After thinking for a moment, Qi Xiao took out a communication jade talisman and handed it to her. It had already been infused with spiritual energy; once Ying Chun dripped her blood on it to form a contract, she could use it with just a thought.
Ying Chun bit her finger and let a drop of blood fall. As the jade talisman glowed brightly for an instant, she realized that this was indeed a contract. She carefully tucked the talisman into her clothes as if it were an invaluable treasure.
This was a magical item that only immortals could use; she now possessed one herself!
Feeling delighted, Ying Chun touched the jade talisman in her pocket. After teaching her how to use it, Qi Xiao took his leave.
When he returned to the inn, Ji Linglong was already back.
"What have you discovered?"
"There is indeed a large floating population here at Baiyun Palace, but I’m still not sure about the specifics. I plan to find someone to go in and take a look."
Ji Linglong smiled smugly and said, "It seems your progress isn't as fast as mine. You haven't found a way in yet, but I have."
"What do you mean?"
It turned out that when Ji Linglong went outside the city to Xunjiang to prepare for entry into the water, she encountered several loose cultivators who were also preparing to dive in, one of whom was a disciple of Baiyun Palace.
They had all heard some rumors about Xunjiang and decided to come together to check it out. Ji Linglong intentionally befriended the Baiyun Palace disciple, who, seeing her admiration for Baiyun Palace, smiled proudly and privately revealed a way in.
It turned out that these disciples of Baiyun Palace didn’t stay there for long each time they came and went; thus, some of them had secretly started renting out their disciple jade tokens.
In Baiyun Palace, aside from the herbs, talismans, and spells that required spirit stones for exchange, there were also some free lectures on scriptures. Some cultivators, not wanting to bother with the selection process for disciples, sought to exchange resources or occasionally attend the free lectures. They would choose to rent a disciple's jade token.
He mentioned that this practice had been ongoing for many years. As long as one did not engage in any outrageous behavior that would attract the attention of the sect elders or the Law Enforcement Hall, it would be absolutely fine.
Qi Xiao raised an eyebrow. Had Baiyun Palace really not noticed this over the years?
Ji Linglong scoffed softly. This was an unspoken understanding within the outer sect; how could Baiyun Palace possibly be unaware? Perhaps they had chosen not to intervene since nothing significant had occurred in recent years.
"Well, I've said so much. Are you going or not?"
"Since there's this opportunity, why not go? However, it would be safer to change our appearances this time."
Ji Linglong did not argue further.
Speaking of underwater matters, Ji Linglong's expression turned somewhat peculiar. Instead of addressing it directly, she began to recount past folklore.
It turned out that a thousand years ago, when the realms of humans and immortals were interconnected and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth was abundant, there was said to be a true dragon in the Xun River. The local people revered it as the Xun Water Dragon Lord, considering it the guardian deity of the riverside territory.
Ji Linglong lowered her voice. "Have you heard of the Dragon King marrying a bride?"
This might be a legend in other places, but not here. A thousand years ago, Jiangling would select the most beautiful young girl each year to serve as a bride. After dressing her up, she would be placed on a bamboo raft and sent drifting down the river. If she sank, it was said that it meant the Dragon King’s shrimp soldiers and crab generals had come to claim her.
Qi Xiao's expression was strange. Even if demon cultivators were highly intelligent, they wouldn’t truly take a human as a bride. How could a dragon marry a human? Could their aesthetics even align?
He couldn't help but ask, "Is this really about selecting a bride or offering a sacrificial tribute?"
Ji Linglong pouted. "Who knows? That's just how the locals say it; even cultivators believe so."
"I had the same doubts back then," she continued. "As a result, several cultivators nearly raised their fists to fight me. They insisted that the dragon god was benevolent and kind-hearted and wouldn't allow me to insult him like that. I had no choice but to retract my words."
"You mentioned this was a thousand years ago; I haven't heard of any dragon gods around now."
"If there were still dragon gods today, I fear the entire cultivation world would treat them like ancestors and worship them without end. It’s impossible for them to remain obscure."
"Even if there were dragon gods, they must have long since disappeared."
Ji Linglong nodded in agreement.
They had originally thought the same, but in recent years, every time the wedding day approached, the river would surge violently, flooding both banks. Some people now believed that the Dragon God at the riverbed was still alive and was expressing its dissatisfaction because no one had offered it a bride.
This theory had its supporters, but naturally, there were skeptics as well. A month ago, on another wedding day, the river had erupted once more. Many cultivators who didn’t believe in legends formed groups to venture into the water, but most of them never returned.
These events caught the attention of nearby cultivators, who flocked to Xunjiang. Like the locals, they didn’t believe in the Dragon God and thought that the river's turmoil was due to other hidden opportunities beneath. So, taking advantage of a calm moment, another group ventured into the water. This time, nine out of ten did not come back.
Qi Xiao frowned. “Didn’t you go down to take a look?”
Ji Linglong scratched her head, feeling irritated at the mention of it. For some reason, while on land everything seemed fine, once they entered the water, it was pitch black and visibility was zero. After two previous experiences, who would dare to be reckless again?
So they only stayed in the water for a short while before coming back up, planning to find some illuminating treasures for their next attempt.
The river was foul-smelling and filled with unknown debris. After returning, Ji Linglong took three baths and used ten cleansing talismans on herself. Yet, she couldn’t shake off a lingering sense of odor that seemed to cling to her body.
It felt as if the smell was hidden in her fingernails and hair, present everywhere yet faintly elusive. When she tried to sniff it out closely, it would vanish completely in an instant.
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