Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Within half a day, Ning Yuzhou was able to stand and move around freely, albeit still somewhat weak. His current cultivation level was at the initial stage of the Essence Absorption Realm, the lowest rung for cultivators. It was a level that could be effortlessly crushed by anyone in the Scale Platform Hunting Valley. However, Qian Shou didn't dare underestimate him because of this; instead, he showed even more respect, his demeanor cautious and careful.

"Ning Yuzhou," he said. "Summon the Covert Scale Guards."

Qian Shou acknowledged the order and took out a token. He pressed a drop of blood from his fingertip onto it. This was a secret blood technique, the most effective and reliable method for establishing contact. It would allow them to swiftly recall the dispersed Covert Scale Guards from throughout the underground space.

The nearby Covert Scale Guards who were searching for Wen Qiao's body quickly returned, while those further away needed more time.

Next, Ning Yuzhou asked Qian Shou to fetch a blank talisman paper and a brush. Using the blood of demonic beasts collected in the Scale Platform Hunting Valley as ink, he began to draw on the blank paper. In just a short while, the portrait of a cultivator appeared on the paper.

"Find this person and bring them to me," Ning Yuzhou instructed, his voice gentle as usual but devoid of warmth.

Qian Shou took the paper and studied it. Although he was unsure why this individual had incurred his master's wrath, he didn't ask questions and simply selected ten Covert Scale Guards to carry out the task.

When the Covert Scale Guards had mostly returned, Ning Yuzhou said, "Let's set off."

Qianshuo's face clouded with concern. "Your Highness, your injuries have just healed. Wouldn't it be better to rest a bit more?" Moreover, now that the seal has been broken, the Spirit Qi in the Scale Platform Hunting Valley is abundant. It would be wise to seize this opportunity to swiftly advance your cultivation.

"Ning Yuzhou said, stroking his chest with a wistful expression. A profound pain seemed to grip his heart, one that he found hard to alleviate.

The image of the young girl who had risked her life for him resurfaced in his mind. He had never met such a foolish girl.

Despite his not having done anything significant for her, she had selflessly protected him at the brink of death, not even considering the cost. Her foolishness tugged at his heartstrings in a bittersweet way.

Qianshuo's brows twitched slightly.

This subterranean space was vast and labyrinthine, with interconnected caves that twisted and turned in ways that were more perplexing than any maze above ground. Finding someone here would be no easy task.

Furthermore, Wen Qiao was dead, and her body had been taken by a monster beast. Given their habits, her remains were likely already consumed as food. To monster beasts, cultivators were also a particularly delectable delicacy.

Qianshuo understood the situation, but seeing Ning Yuzhou's state, he dared not say more, for fear of provoking any reckless actions. In comparison, his persistence in searching for Wen Qiao's body was still tolerable.

With great tactfulness, Qianshuo cautiously said, "Your Highness, we've thoroughly explored this area. There are numerous underground caves and passages forming a vast space inhabited by many demonic beasts. Furthermore, this place used to be a demon cultivator's den within the Scale Platform Hunting Valley. In just seven days, the valley will close, and all of us who are still alive will be expelled..."

Each opening of the Scale Platform Hunting Valley presented a different environment. During its month-long availability, if any human managed to survive, they would be forcefully ejected as the valley closed.

By then, even if Ning Yuzhou wished to stay behind and search for Wen Qiao's remains, it would be impossible.

Ning Yuzhou didn't bother with further explanations and simply stated, "A'zuo should still be alive."

Qianshuo hesitated, thinking that Ning Yuzhou refused to accept Wen Qiao's death.

He had personally confirmed her demise; her life force was severed, leaving no chance of survival. If not for a sudden demonic beast snatching away Wen Qiao's corpse while they were off guard, he wouldn't be so vexed now.

Closing his eyes briefly, Ning Yuzhou opened them again, speaking calmly, "There's a drop of A'zuo's essence blood in my heart. I can sense where she is."

Qianshuo: ????

Ning Yuzhou offered no further clarification.

In the maze above, when that monster beast attacked them, Wen Qiao had shielded him, and in doing so, she sustained severe injuries. Her internal organs were bruised, her essence blood uncontrollably spurted out, and it happened to land on him, seeping into his chest and, by a stroke of fate, breaking through the seal within his body.

Ning Yuzhou's Primordial Spirit Root was not, as rumored, poisoned and damaged. Rather, it was bound by a seal that not only confined his root but also prevented him from absorbing the Vital Spirit Energy of heaven and earth for cultivation, rendering him akin to a good-for-nothing.

This seal will be lifted when he reaches the age of maturity.

With a year still to go until his coming-of-age ceremony, it was the blood that Wen Qiao had spilled into his chest that broke the seal that had bound him for nineteen long years.

He was unaware why Wen Qiao's essence blood could lift the seals within his body, but it also forged an inexplicable connection between him and Wen Qiao, allowing him to vaguely sense her location through this drop of essence blood.

Ning Yuzhou pressed his palm against his chest, sensing the warmth of that drop of essence blood within.

He knew that Qian Shou wouldn't deceive him; Wen Qiao had indeed been deceased at that moment. Yet, through this connection of essence blood, he could sense her presence somewhere within this realm.

This sensation was akin to the life-and-death blood bond they had forged, imprinted upon their beings.

Regardless, Ning Yuzhou was unwilling to give up on finding Wen Qiao. Even if she had perished, he would descend into the Netherworld to retrieve her soul.

As long as there was a sliver of hope, he wouldn't abandon that foolish girl.

****

Wen Qiao was aware that she had perished.

When she shielded Ning Yuzhou beneath her and bore the fatal blow from the beast, she felt life ebbing away swiftly – a sensation of impending death that was all too familiar to her.

She accepted it calmly, without any trace of resentment or regret, embracing her mortality with equanimity.

Bedridden for fifteen years, she had assumed that her existence would continue in this manner until the day she quietly breathed her last in the Jishui Courtyard of the Wen family. After her passing, apart from Lian Yue, no one else would mourn her loss; at best, they might occasionally recall the tragedy of First House's Wen Boying couple – their daughter, Wen Qiao, possessing an exceptional Primordial Spirit Root but unable to cultivate, a great loss to the Wens.

Despite the upheaval that occurred on the day of her coming-of-age ceremony, she knew that death could come at any moment.

As she had resolved when deciding to abandon all constraints and follow Ning Yuzhou to the Lintai Hunting Valley, she was prepared to face death at any time. Even if she were to meet her unfortunate end there, she wouldn't be disappointed or saddened – it was a choice she made willingly.

She was grateful for having protected Ning Yuzhou.

He was the kindest person she had encountered in her entire life, despite being an ordinary mortal who couldn't cultivate. She didn't wish for him to perish.

Compared to her, who was perpetually on the brink of death, Ning Yuzhou still had nearly a century of lifespan left. He shouldn't depart this world prematurely; he deserved to enjoy his life.

Rescuing Ning Yuzhou brought her immense joy, even if it meant sacrificing her own life.

Wen Qiao was aware that she had died, but it seemed she had come back to life. However, the manner of her revival was rather peculiar.

Unable to resist, Wen Qiao glanced at the rabbit crouching before her. Its gemstone-red eyes were greedily fixated on her, while its slightly parted lips dripped with an ambiguous translucent liquid that splashed onto her body.

Wen Qiao: "..." It wants to eat the bunny!

Wen Qiao had an illusion that she might be devoured by this enchanted rabbit at any moment.

As for why it hadn't eaten her yet, she speculated that it was probably due to her current form as a tiny sprout. She was too small and immature, barely enough to fill a tooth gap. Perhaps it was better to nurture her, allowing her to grow bigger before consuming her in one bite.

Yes, Wen Qiao had transformed into a tiny sapling rooted in the soil.

She had used her spiritual awareness to observe her present appearance – a two-inch-tall seedling, pure white in color, with two tender leaves. It was identical to the sprout in her palm.

Perhaps this was the true form of her inherited demonic bloodline from her non-human half, after awakening as a half-demon. When Wen Qiao had awakened as a half-demon, she had developed demonic bones. However, as a half-demon with human blood, she naturally lacked a complete demonic body.

This was common knowledge Wen Qiao had gleaned from delving into the heritage of the half-demons.

All creatures in heaven and earth possessed a spirit, and demons were one such form. Once they developed sentience, they could inherit a legacy, but the content of that inheritance varied based on their power level and bloodline strength – it was a kind of divine favor bestowed upon the demon race.

Some legacies were extremely simple, practically useless; others were abundant, benefiting the demon beasts throughout their lives.

Perhaps due to Wen Qiao's frail constitution since birth, after awakening as a half-demon, she remained undernourished, with a fragmented and ineffective inheritance. Each time, she had to exert great effort to uncover any truly useful information.

To this day, she still didn't know which specific demon bloodline she had awakened.

In the demon world, only pure demon cultivators could shift between their demonic and human forms. Half-demons mostly remained in human appearance, awakening to some demonic powers without obtaining a formidable demonic physique.

If not for Wen Qiao's death and subsequent liberation from her physical body, she wouldn't have obtained a demonic form either.

It was uncertain whether this was fortunate or not. While her new demonic form was now a tiny sprout, utterly useless, it had instead attracted the hungry gaze of a demon rabbit, eager to devour her whole.