The Fire Spirit Stone

Although Ji Wushuang had helped Dao Yi Peak recover the lost array inheritance, she herself had gained a significant advantage.

It is important to note that the Seventy-Two Star-Slaying Immortal Array was designed to protect the Tianyuan Fruit. Once the Tianyuan Fruit begins to recover and starts to sprout, any trace of impurity or contamination during its early budding stage would lead to its decay.

Therefore, only the owner of the Tianyuan Fruit—Ji Wushuang—was permitted to enter and exit the array and its protective seals freely.

Not even the Sect Master of Yunlan Sect, the Peak Master of Zilin Peak, or the Peak Master of Dao Yi Peak were allowed entry.

This conclusion was reached after extensive discussions between the Senior Grandmaster Shi Lei and the Nine Gates Taoist.

The Nine Gates Taoist, a master of formations, had been the one to lead the experts of Dao Yi Peak in setting up the Seventy-Two Star-Slaying Immortal Array.

As the supreme authority in Dao Yi Peak, the Nine Gates Taoist's word was final, and no one dared to object.

Ji Wushuang was not one to be overly greedy. Although Dao Yi Peak had expended time, effort, and valuable resources to set up the formation for her, she did not feel right in accepting their contribution points.

However, when her refusal reached Chen Qingxian's ears, it took on a different tone.

Little Wushuang was willing to accept Hongfu Peak's contribution points but not those of Dao Yi Peak—what did this mean?!

Could it be that the contribution points from Hongfu Peak were particularly enticing?

Or perhaps, was Ji Wushuang considering Hongfu Peak as her own, while disregarding Dao Yi Peak?

Chen Qingxian's heart tightened with a sense of envy. He too wanted to be one of Ji Wushuang's "people."

Had he known earlier, he would have shamelessly approached her when the Nine Gates Taoist was still present.

Now, with the Taoist gone, how could he possibly get closer to Ji Wushuang?

"Little Wushuang," Chen Qingxian began.

"Mm?"

"Do you know any other formations?"

Ji Wushuang nodded. Although she had never specialized in setting formations, she had frequently observed them and even dismantled a few. Perhaps she could offer some assistance to Dao Yi Peak, as a gesture of thanks for their help.

"How about this," she suggested. "Chen Peak Master, transcribe the incomplete formations, seals, and scrolls from Dao Yi Peak, and I will help perfect them. However, after I refine them, I cannot guarantee the results..."

Chen Qingxian's eyes lit up. "Really? You can do that?"

"Yes."

"Wonderful, wonderful! I will have someone assist you in improving them."

Ji Wushuang was about to decline when she suddenly remembered that Lian Yuan seemed to be from Dao Yi Peak. After a brief moment of thought, she said, "Let Lian Yuan handle it."

Lian Yuan was the foolish disciple of her Second Master, and perhaps it would serve him well to improve his rapport with Ji Wushuang.

Chen Qingxian slapped his forehead. "Yes, yes, of course, let Lian Yuan handle it."

Lian Yuan was a junior of Lian Xing, and in a way, he could be considered one of their own. By sending Lian Yuan to Ji Wushuang, Dao Yi Peak might also become a closer ally.

If only he had thought of this earlier, he would not have had to endure the constant boasting of Zhan Fan!

"Ah, I'll go fetch him right away!"

Chen Qingxian, unable to contain his excitement, sped off as fast as the wind, leaving Ji Wushuang behind in contemplation.

Ji Wushuang, having released her mount—the White Crane—to forage for food, entered the array alone. She began planting the Tianyuan Fruit and waiting for Chen Peak Master to return with Lian Yuan.

Once inside the array, the small black cat leapt from Ji Wushuang's arms and began patrolling the area. "With this Locking Spirit Seal, I can definitely feel it—it's a 'Life Aperture', meow. How did you know there was a 'Life Aperture' here, Little Wushuang?"

"Mm, it was intuition."

"Intuition?"

"Yes." Ji Wushuang explained, "I grew up in the Divine Tomb. When I was on the brink of death, my masters used the primordial energy of the Divine Tomb to temper my body. Perhaps that's related?"

The little black cat tilted its head. Though it was a descendant of Bai Ze, it had not reached its full potential and was far from omniscient.

It did not know what the primordial energy of the Divine Tomb was, but it guessed it was something similar to "life force," which explained why Ji Wushuang could now sense life force.

After circling the entire valley, the little black cat raised its furry paw and pointed toward the eastern corner.

There, in the seemingly ordinary grassland, Ji Wushuang could perceive a faint, ethereal glow.

"That's it, the core of the Yunlan Sect's 'Life Aperture', meow. Do you want to plant the Tianyuan Fruit there?"

"No need," Ji Wushuang replied. "We're just borrowing the life force, not absorbing it. Once the Tianyuan Fruit matures, it should be able to replenish the land, benefiting both the Sect and the fruit."

The little black cat, Bai Ye, was quite pleased with Ji Wushuang's decision.

"Let's begin then. First, place the spiritual soil, and then plant the Tianyuan Fruit seed. It should sprout in about a hundred years."

"A hundred years?" Ji Wushuang nearly tripped over her own feet.

"Yes, a hundred years."

"..."

Ji Wushuang's lips twitched. By the time it sprouts, she would probably already be "a hundred years older."

The little Bai Ye, realizing Ji Wushuang's situation, hesitated for a moment before suggesting, "Well... actually, we could try using some spiritual spring water to hasten the process."

"You make it sound easy," Ji Wushuang sighed. "Spiritual springs are treasures nurtured by the heavens, not something you can find just anywhere. Where am I supposed to get spiritual spring water?"

"There's a spiritual spring at Yunlan Sect, a particularly potent one," Bai Ye explained. "I was actually drawn here by its aura, though it's been intermittent, so I wasn't quite sure where it was. Eventually, I happened to encounter you."

Drawn by the aura of a spiritual spring?

A sudden thought flashed through Ji Wushuang's mind...

She remembered when she had struck Mo Lanyi with a sword, sending her into a state of near death. Not only had Mo Lanyi vanished instantly, but she had also somehow recovered almost immediately.

Ji Wushuang had suspected that Mo Lanyi possessed a high-level space that could store living beings. Moreover, there must have been a powerful treasure inside that helped to restore life force.

Perhaps that was the spiritual spring Bai Ye was referring to!

Considering the heavens' favor toward Mo Lanyi, Ji Wushuang suspected that the spiritual spring Bai Ye sensed was most likely linked to Mo Lanyi.

"Mm, we'll deal with the spiritual spring later. For now, let's focus on planting."

"Okay, meow."

While Ji Wushuang finished planting the Tianyuan Fruit, she found herself growing bored. Suddenly, she recalled that she had two treasures on hand.

One was the Fire Spirit Stone she had won for being the top in her preliminary tests, which contained the essence of fire.

The other was Master Lu's gem pendant.

Ji Wushuang took both treasures out and placed them before the little black cat, asking, "Bai Ye, what's inside this gem?"

"Oh, it's a kind of spiritual insect called Spring Light, locked inside the gem."

"Spiritual insect?"

"Yes, with this little creature, all spiritual plants will flourish, because its waste is excellent fertilizer."

"I see..." Ji Wushuang murmured. "So, there are so many twists and turns to raising spiritual plants. A sword cultivator like me never knew any of this." She sighed, "What about this Fire Spirit Stone? What kind of fire essence does it contain?"

Bai Ye's furry face twitched with irritation. "You think I'm omnipotent? Of course, you'll have to open it yourself, meow!"

"You don't know?"

"Nope."

"Then what use are you?"

"???"

"Is that how you speak to your elders?"

After a brief exchange, Bai Ye grabbed the Fire Spirit Stone in its mouth and with a sharp bite, cracked it open.

As it chewed, the little cat smugly declared, "Well, now we'll find out!"

Ji Wushuang, staring at the scene, wondered how one could ever get back at a small animal.

Just as the two of them exchanged a stare, an intensely hot and overwhelming aura surged out from the Fire Spirit Stone, singeing Bai Ye's whiskers.

"Meow! It's burning! It's burning me! What is this?!"

Ji Wushuang hurriedly stepped forward to save the little cat, pulling the Fire Spirit Stone away while retreating several steps to avoid disturbing the Tianyuan Fruit she had just planted.

The Fire Spirit Stone became so hot that even Ji Wushuang, with her extraordinary constitution, struggled to bear it.

As the C shattered, a feather-light piece of flame-like material drifted out, landing gently in Ji Wushuang's palm...