Spirit herbs could only come from the three thousand small worlds of the lower realms.
Li Jiushu probed with his divine sense and saw through the spirit herb’s disguise at a glance.
Was someone trying to use this spirit herb to exchange for his flower?
Li Jiushu tried again, but he still couldn’t take the spirit herb out.
Li Jiushu: “…”
Although this spirit herb was useless to him, the difference between not needing something and being unable to take it out were two entirely different matters.
The wealth he guarded consisted of rare treasures; even the flowers and plants grown in his space were not just random roadside weeds.
Although that particular flower was merely a Tumie flower grown for its beauty, its effect could cause one’s mind to wander and lose focus. Moreover, if used in the lower realms, its power would double.
Li Jiushu was not the type of person to suffer a loss. Those who made him suffer a loss were either dead or had been forced to compensate him several times over. Naturally, he would not submissively swallow this slight today.
With a flick of his wrist, a surge of immortal power carrying destruction struck toward the Xingluo Stone.
However, his devastating immortal power was like a clay ox entering the sea—it vanished without leaving even a single ripple.
Li Jiushu laughed out of sheer frustration. He looked up at the Divine Tree, flicked his sleeves, and exited the space.
On the other side, Ye Wan had just told Suisui to put that stalk of Luminous Grass into the stone space. In the next second, she felt a powerful, hidden gaze sweep past them at high speed.
Fortunately, she had been decisive enough, and fortunately, Suisui’s stone space truly could isolate divine sense.
Ye Wan was no longer in a hurry. She quietly whispered to Suisui that she must not take out the purple flower or the Luminous Grass.
Seeing her mother so serious, Suisui also tightened her little face and nodded, promising she would definitely keep them hidden.
Ye Wan then sat back down as if nothing had happened and continued roasting the rabbit. Since Suisui’s stone space could block divine sense, she didn’t have to worry about anyone discovering that the “Luminous Grass” was on her person.
“Mother, it smells so good! Such a cute bunny must be delicious.”
Suisui leaned forward and used her little hands to fan the aroma toward her nose. Her mouth was about to turn into a waterfall!
Ye Wan brushed a thin layer of sauce onto the roast rabbit. Under the roasting of the charcoal fire, the oils mixed with the sauce dripped through the gaps in the grill, making a sizzling sound as the fragrance in the air grew even richer.
Because she had a child and considered the inevitability of camping in the wild after stepping into the cultivation world, Ye Wan had everything stored in her storage bag—including pots, pans, bowls, firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, tea, and so on.
During the years since she transmigrated, she might have been a “salty fish,” but that didn’t mean she did nothing. At the very least, she had learned how to process poultry and wild game. To raise her child delicately, she had tinkered with everything, and her culinary skills were quite decent.
“Wait a little longer. Let it cool down first. Mother will wash your hands for you.”
Once the rabbit was roasted, Ye Wan propped it to the side to cool. She took out a water skin to wash Suisui’s hands and used a wet cloth to wipe the “little tabby cat” marks off the girl’s face. By the time she had cleaned up the dirty little cub, the roast rabbit had cooled down enough.
Ye Wan tore off a rabbit leg and gave it to the little glutton, who was drooling. “Try it. If it’s still hot, blow on it.”
Suisui took it and gave it a huge “Awoo” bite. As she ate, she nodded her little head in affirmation of her mother’s skills. Her freshly cleaned face was immediately stained by the sauce, turning her back into a little tabby cat.
Ye Wan also tore off a leg to eat. Under the catalysis of the fire, the honey on the roast rabbit had formed a delicious layer of caramelized skin. It was crispy upon entry, with a hint of charred sweetness, while the meat inside was firm. The secret seasoning made from wild herbs had seeped into every layer, making one crave the next bite immediately after the first.
The mother and daughter were full after one leg each. Ye Wan took out a plate and placed the leftovers on it. “Suisui, put the roast rabbit inside the big rock.”
She wanted to test if Suisui’s stone space could preserve food. If it could, she would never have to worry about Suisui going hungry again.
Suisui shook her head rapidly. “No, no! That’s Little Suisui’s home. Don’t put meat in there.”
“Then in the future, do you want to eat fragrant, hot meat and sweet pastries, or do you want to hug Little Suisui while drinking the northwest wind?”
“I want meat and pastries!”
The little foodie Suisui didn’t hesitate for a moment. She pushed the flowers and grass on the stone to one side and tucked the roast rabbit inside.
Li Jiushu returned to the space and instinctively scanned the Xingluo Stone. When he saw the roast rabbit—a roast rabbit missing two legs, no less—appearing on the Xingluo Stone, he fell silent.
He had originally thought the Divine Tree was playing a prank out of whim, but now it seemed that might not be the case.
Regardless, he prepared to transfer the items in his spatial treasury into an independent, controllable storage magical treasure. He would not give the Divine Tree another chance to be generous at his expense.
Li Jiushu turned to leave but was drawn back by a newly added item.
He flew forward and looked at the doll standing amidst a pile of messy flowers and grass on the Xingluo Stone.
The doll had its little hands behind its back, its body leaning slightly forward, and a naive, romantic smile on its face. It was lifelike and vivid.
Looking closely, the doll was woven with unique threads. It wore an exquisite green floral dress, and its two small hair buns were tied with green ribbons. Its face was chubby, with dark, round eyes, and even the tiny baby teeth showing in its smile were incredibly adorable. Just looking at it, one could imagine how spirited it would be if it were a real person.
Li Jiushu flicked a trace of divine sense into it. As expected, there was a trace of soul-breath within this doll.
The Xingluo Stone had the effect of nourishing souls. Given time, it was possible this doll could actually become a real person.
Li Jiushu stared at the doll for a long while, then looked up at the Divine Tree. For reasons unknown, he abandoned the idea of transferring his treasures and turned to leave the space.
Just as he stepped out of the space, a wisp of light-signal floated over. Li Jiushu tapped it with his finger; the point of light entered his ear, and a voice echoed in his mind.
“Come to the Ancestral Land.”
Li Jiushu waved his hand, and his figure vanished from the spot.
The Li family’s Ancestral Land was located in an independent domain behind the Li family mountains. Within the domain were towering celestial mountains, vast plains, lush greenery, and gurgling streams. It was essentially a small world of its own.
Inside the ancient and solemn main hall, ancient murals were carved onto the stone walls, depicting grand scenes of the Li family ancestors commanding the wind and clouds in the Immortal Realm, subduing demons and devils.
Li Jiushu appeared out of thin air and bowed slightly toward the meditating elder. “Ancestor.”
The Li family Ancestor opened his eyes. “Has the Divine Tree chosen a master yet?”
“Not yet,” Li Jiushu said.
The Li family Ancestor seemed not at all surprised. Or rather, at his status, even if he were surprised, he wouldn’t show it.
“Have there been any changes to the Divine Tree recently?”
“None.” Li Jiushu answered without hesitation, as if the changes that had occurred in the space before he arrived did not exist.
The Ancestor frowned. “Not even a tiny bit?”
Li Jiushu’s gaze shifted slightly. “Does Ancestor have some sort of intuition?”
The Ancestor avoided Li Jiushu’s gaze. “I see that the contract between you and the Divine Tree is nearing its end. I simply wanted to see if we could cater to its preferences so that it continues to choose a descendant of the Li family to contract with.”
“How can the Divine Tree’s choice of master be interfered with by human means? Has Ancestor forgotten how the Chi family was destroyed for trying to force a contract with a Divine Tree?” Li Jiushu reminded the old man not to do anything foolish.
The Divine Tree’s choice of a master for symbiosis was originally a contribution made for the balance of heaven and earth. The Heavenly Dao looked upon it with favor; it was not something humans could easily defy.
“Ever since the Divine Tree began choosing Li family disciples, it has always contracted with Li family descendants. If it abandons our Li family this time, you will have played a significant part in it,” the Ancestor said crossly.
This lad was far too stingy. He felt that if the Divine Tree didn’t choose the Li family, it was definitely because it felt this generation’s contractor had shamed the Divine Tree’s reputation.
The corners of Li Jiushu’s lips curled into a casual smile. He flicked his robe and sat gracefully at a stone table. With a gentle wave of his long hand, two cups of steaming celestial tea appeared before him.
Li Jiushu sent one cup to the Ancestor while taking a sip from the other. “This is celestial tea from the Divine Tree’s space. Drink it while you still can.”
The Li Ancestor: “…”
The Ancestor drained the tea in one gulp and pushed the empty cup back to Li Jiushu. “Refill it.”
Could celestial tea that this stingy junior took the trouble to grow be ordinary? Since it was “drink one cup and there’s one less,” then he would drink a few more cups to annoy this brat to death.
Li Jiushu: “…”
Li Jiushu shook his head slightly with a smile and poured another cup.
“If there are any changes to the Divine Tree, remember to inform me. Even if they are minuscule, they must not be ignored.” The Ancestor tucked away the cup after finishing the tea. A tea cup used by a “treasure-snatching expert” was naturally of the highest quality.
Li Jiushu stood up. “That was a set of tea cups I just ordered a while ago. If Ancestor likes them, I’ll bring you a set next time I come.”
The Li Ancestor: “…”
Wasn’t it just because I kept one of your cups the last time you came?
As soon as Li Jiushu left, the Ancestor immediately changed his expression. With a wave of his hand, a pile of ancient books and jade slips appeared on the stone table, and he buried his head in reading and searching.
A figure appeared silently and glanced at what the Li Ancestor was reading.
“Miscellaneous Matters Regarding Divine Tree Offshoots… The Feasibility of the Divine Tree and Humans Breeding the Next Generation…”
Hearing this voice that had returned, the Ancestor instinctively hid the items and said in exasperation, “You’re even using your divine powers on me now!”
“I just felt that you still had something you hadn’t told me, Ancestor.” Li Jiushu would never admit that he had seen through the old man’s odd behavior and had quietly doubled back to see what was going on.
“I have plenty of things I want to say to you. Do you listen?” the Ancestor snapped.
“I think you’ve lived too long and dare to think of anything. Breeding the next generation with a Divine Tree? How? By hugging the tree to breed?” Should he mention that the Divine Tree might have already chosen its next master, and they were in the lower realm?
The Ancestor’s gaze fell on him weirdly. “It’s not impossible.”
Li Jiushu’s mouth twitched. He turned and vanished from the hall, leaving only his voice echoing behind.
“Ancestor, if the Divine Tree no longer chooses a Li family disciple, the reason will definitely lie with you—for blaspheming the Divine Tree.”
The Li Ancestor: “…”
Facts proved that Suisui’s stone space could preserve food and block divine sense. Regrettably, it couldn’t take people in. If people could enter, Suisui’s safety would be even more guaranteed.
Ye Wan packed up the fire and turned around to see the little three-head-tall dumpling standing there with her hands on her hips, her mouth wide open, inhaling air.
She walked over. “Suisui, what are you doing?”
“Mother, I’m drinking the wind! You said just now that wind can be drunk. I want to know what the wind tastes like.”
Ye Wan: “…”
Sometimes she really didn’t want to admit that such a silly-cute cub was her own.
Ye Wan patted the child’s head. “How does it taste?”
Suisui took another big breath. “It’s chilly.”
“The wind blows all kinds of smells in all directions. For example, if you had just pooped over there, the wind would blow the smell of poop over here.” Ye Wan took her daughter’s hand and walked out of the forest.
Suisui covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes wide. “Mother is mean! I’m never drinking the wind again!”
Accompanied by the brilliant sunset on the horizon, Ye Wan led Suisui by her little hand as they slowly walked toward the city gate. There were many more people at the gate now than when they had entered earlier.
“I heard that two hours ago, Stop-Life Grass appeared in the city. The managers of various sect stations have reported it and called for reinforcements. Now, many seniors with high cultivation have arrived in the city.”
“Once the news spread, many people sent their children here. If they are lucky enough to catch the eye of a powerful expert and be taken as a disciple, they’ll save themselves years of detours.”
“The atmosphere in the city has changed completely. Everyone is looking for that mother and daughter who obtained the Stop-Life Grass.”
“How come I heard it wasn’t a mother and daughter? I heard the other party deliberately brought a child to confuse people. To be able to vanish on the spot, their cultivation must at least be at the Soul Transformation stage or above.”
“It’s also possible the person used a Teleportation Talisman.”
“A senior with high cultivation checked the scene; there were no traces of talisman usage.”
Ye Wan suddenly realized. It turned out that the “Luminous Grass” that had gotten them chased was actually Stop-Life Grass.
It was a good thing she had spent days and nights cramming knowledge about the cultivation world. The “Manual of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures” given by Doctor Kong had relevant records.
Stop-Life Grass, a Grade 9 spiritual plant, could change its form, making it difficult to capture or distinguish its authenticity. It could be used to refine pills that stopped the loss of longevity, with the duration ranging from ten to fifty years, depending on the alchemist and the age of the grass.
In fact, Stop-Life Grass was even more precious than Longevity Grass. This was because after taking a Longevity Pill refined from Longevity Grass, one could still take a Stop-Life Pill, essentially gaining two opportunities to extend one’s life. It was no wonder all the powerful figures had come to verify the news, regardless of whether it was true or false.
The cultivation resources here were divided from Grade 1 to 9. Suisui had pointed out a Grade 9 spiritual plant at random. Was it talent, or was Suisui’s Heavenly Dao Daddy intentionally looking after her?
Right now, there were many more cultivators at the city gate than when they had entered before. Their gazes swept over the people coming and going. Ye Wan could still feel powerful auras spying from the shadows.
Standard thinking assumed that whoever bought the Stop-Life Grass would only think of ways to escape the city, not walk into the trap by entering it. Combined with the fact that everyone guessed the child was just a distraction, the searchers paid less attention to mother-daughter pairs. Thus, Ye Wan and Suisui entered the city smoothly.
However, just as they entered the city, Ye Wan felt herself locked on by a powerful gaze. It was like a thorn in her back, making her hair stand on end.