Chapter 141

Chapter 141

Wen Qiao was too lazy to bother with the cultivators around Min Jishu who were looking at her with ill intent, but naturally, there would be someone who couldn't stand her indifference.

A flurry of sparks flew out, and the cultivators near Min Jishu felt the power of the strange fire contained within them. They hastily retreated as they watched the sparks land on the ground. The weeds that came into contact with the sparks instantly turned black and were reduced to mere ashes.

It was truly strange fire!

The expressions of the cultivators around Min Jishu immediately turned sour.

One of the cultivators glared at Duan Haoyan and said coldly, "What do you mean by this?"

Duan Haoyan had an arrogant and provocative demeanor, and he said disdainfully, "If you want something from us, you should act like it. Don't think we're afraid of you!"

"Tang Shaolin is right," Tang Shaolin said with a smile. "Min Jie is our sister, and we won't allow anyone to bully her."

The other members of the Tang group echoed his words. They didn't think these people could walk away without acknowledging their disrespect. If they had the skills, they shouldn't follow them.

"Duan?" The cultivator frowned, then suddenly realized something and asked, "Are you Ming Yang Duan's son from Central Continent?"

The Duan family of Central Continent possessed strange fire, and it was said that all the sons of the Duan family were experts in handling fire.

Duan Haoyan looked at them with contempt, his face exuding arrogance and defiance.

Few could tolerate such arrogance and wished to beat him up, but after learning his identity, they hesitated. After all, that strange fire wasn't something to be trifled with.

Their gazes fell on the others, speculating about their identities. Their expressions improved considerably.

If they were just a group of wandering cultivators, this group might not have been convinced, but if they were from the prestigious sects of Central Continent, it was a different matter.

Wen Qiao and the Tang group now understood the origins of this group. They were cultivators from Inner Sea Region, which explained why they seemed unfamiliar.

Someone like Min Jishu, with his cultivation in the late stage of the Primordial Spirit Realm and extraordinary bearing, if he were a cultivator from Central Continent, they wouldn't have failed to hear of his name. But if he hailed from Inner Sea Region, it made sense. Cultivators from Inner Sea Region were known for their xenophobia, and they knew very little about the various forces within the region.

Min Jishu wore a smile on his face, tinged with a faint air of detachment. However, due to his good looks, those who saw him easily overlooked that distant expression.

Seeing the atmosphere ease, Min Jishu said, "Miss Min, where are we headed next?"

Wen Qiao glanced at him and said calmly, "Are all of you coming with us?" Her gaze shifted to the group of Inner Sea Region cultivators.

Min Jishu turned to look at them but did not make any decisions for them.

Upon seeing this, the Inner Sea Region cultivators hurriedly nodded, seemingly taking their cues from Min Jishu. Wherever he went, they would follow.

"Let's go together then."

Min Jishu spoke first and started walking ahead. The other Inner Sea Region cultivators quickly followed.

Wen Qiao led the way once again, with Duan Haoyan and Min Jishu following closely behind. Next were the disciples of the Tang family and the Inner Sea Region cultivators. They maintained clear boundaries, each side secretly on guard against the other.

Duan Haoyan and Min Jishu seemed oblivious to the undercurrents behind them. Min Jishu's gaze remained fixed on Wen Qiao ahead, while Duan Haoyan was a self-assured and arrogant individual. Apart from Wen Qiao, he had never submitted to anyone in his life. Even though he had the lowest cultivation here, he didn't lower his stance in the slightest, acting as he pleased. His mental fortitude was indeed remarkable.

Wen Qiao could feel the gaze on her back. She furrowed her brows slightly but soon had no time to pay attention to him.

This was because the Yellow Crystal Ant told her that her husband might be nearby.

Wen Qiao's eyes lit up, and she hastened her pace, focused solely on finding him. She had no time for trivial matters.

Wen Qiao ran forward.

The others, not understanding the reason, followed her lead.

Those Inner Sea Region cultivators didn't believe that Wen Qiao could really lead the way. They scoffed inwardly, thinking how could a cultivator at the Primordial Void Realm have the ability to solve the maze-like jungle? These people from Central Continent must have arrived here by sheer luck.

After some time, Min Jishu finally noticed something peculiar.

Wen Qiao wasn't blindly running forward. Every time she reached a certain spot, she would slow down, then casually dart off to the side, passing through dense forests. Ahead, the scenery suddenly opened up, and she continued running forward.

Min Jishu's eyes darkened as he gained insight.

Although this Miss Min's cultivation wasn't particularly high, she seemed to possess an ability to discern spiritual plants. She could choose the correct path based on subtle changes in the surrounding spiritual plants. Although this guess was incredible, the old-established sects and families of Central Continent had many hidden strengths. Who knew what trump cards they might have? It wasn't surprising.

Not only Min Jishu, but some of the quicker-witted individuals present also realized this.

Only a few were hopelessly dull and still thought Wen Qiao was wandering aimlessly. Unfortunately, their companions discovered that there was hope of leaving, so they couldn't maintain their previous mocking attitude. They wished Wen Qiao would lead them out of this place immediately and no longer doubted her, behaving obediently.

Min Jishu sensed the change in those people and his eyes flickered. A faint blue light flashed deep within his dark eyes.

They passed through another dense forest, and ahead, the branches and leaves were lush, the light dim. Only specks of light filtered through from a great depth, and vague sounds of unusual movements could be heard.

Listening carefully, it sounded like the sounds of cultivators fighting.

Everyone's hearts skipped a beat, and their faces filled with wild joy.

The presence of sounds indicated that there were cultivators nearby, suggesting that the exclusivity of the jungle maze no longer posed a significant threat to them.

Wen Qiao pushed aside the thick foliage and leaped forward.

Breaking through the intertwined branches and leaves, she burst out with a splash.

Bright light immediately pierced her eyes. Her gaze swept over the scene before her, and when she saw the situation clearly, she exclaimed in delight, "Husband!"

Duan Haoyan, Min Jishu, and the others following closely behind also heard Wen Qiao's call.

Duan Haoyan subconsciously curled his lips.

Min Jishu was somewhat stunned, not expecting that a girl in her early twenties was already married. In the eyes of cultivators pursuing the endless Dao, this was far too early. The cultivation world differed from mortals, advocating late marriage and late childbearing. There were those who only considered lifelong matters after hundreds or even thousands of years. Suddenly encountering someone who got married in their teens naturally drew attention.

Duan Haoyan and Min Jishu followed Wen Qiao out of the dense forest and found that ahead was a spacious valley.

This valley was already very familiar to them, for under Wen Qiao's guidance, they had traversed such terrain countless times. This also proved that the environment of this jungle was repetitive, giving the illusion that they were merely moving in circles.

However, there was something different about this place. A vast expanse of Iron Thorn Vines covered the entire valley, their pitch-black vines as hard as iron, adorned with thorns like steel, making them seem quite formidable at first glance.

What was even more terrifying was that these Iron Thorn Vines could move. They rustled and crawled, a thorny vine lashing out towards them.

Wen Qiao's figure soared into the air, her slender waist twisting as she deftly avoided the vine, swiftly darting forward.

Due to her evasion, the Iron Thorn Vine swung towards Duan Haoyan and Min Jishu who were behind her. The two simultaneously acted, one throwing a fireball imbued with exotic flames, while the other flung his sleeves open, releasing a series of ice-blue scale-like objects that struck the vine with a clatter.

In an instant, a large section of the Iron Thorn Vine was burned by the fire, and the remaining part had its iron thorns shaved off by the ice-blue scales.

Following that, the Tangtuan group and the Inner Sea cultivators also rushed out.

With their arrival, the Iron Thorn Vines that spread across the entire valley seemed to come alive, lunging at them with their fangs bared and claws extended. The group hastily defended themselves, chopping the vines down.

Duan Haoyan and Min Jishu closely followed Wen Qiao, also getting a clear view of the three people on the other side of the valley. Those three, just like them, were surrounded by layers of Iron Thorn Vines.

After Duan Haoyan recognized who those three were, he couldn't help but be somewhat surprised.

How did these three end up together?

The Tangtuans behind also saw those three people and couldn't help but be overjoyed, shouting from afar, "Little Tangtuan, are you alright?"

Tang Yalin, trapped among the Iron Thorn Vines, was covered in blood, numbly swinging his sword to fend off the vines' attacks. When he heard the familiar voices, he was momentarily dazed. It wasn't until he saw the group of Tangtuans running over that he couldn't help but cry out in frustration, "Not good at all!"

"Oh, Little Tangtuan can still shout so loudly, seems like he's doing pretty well."

"Yeah, even with such bad luck, he managed to meet Young Master Ning. Clearly, Little Tangtuan is truly our family's lucky star."

"Little Tangtuan is indeed amazing!"

"Hold on, Little Tangtuan, we're coming!"

"Little Tangtuan..."

The group of Tangtuans chattered away, fending off the Iron Thorn Vines' attacks while darting over to them.

If it weren't for the surrounding Iron Thorn Vines constantly interfering, Tang Yalin would have certainly berated these Tangtuans. Not only did they steal his luck, but they also left him without any confidence in front of Ning Yuzhou and Shuilinyin. Now, they were even making light of the situation; it was enough to make him explode with anger.

After being obstructed several times, Wen Qiao found these Iron Thorn Vines to be too much of a hindrance. In a fit of rage, she threw out a segment of Stone Golden Python Walking Vine, sparing no expense as she poured the essence spirit power from all thirty-six of her spirit orifices into it, rapidly nurturing its growth.

In a moment, the segment of Stone Golden Python Walking Vine that had fallen below had transformed into a lush vine, its stone-golden tendrils coiling around the Iron Thorn Vines like a giant python. They writhed like snakes, entwining and suppressing each other.

With Wen Qiao at the center, every step she took forward, those stone-golden vines would spread several feet, blocking the Iron Thorn Vines' attacks for her.

Those behind her couldn't help but widen their eyes in surprise upon seeing this scene.

"What a powerful nurturing technique."

"Is this a Spirit Cultivator's Spirit Nurturing Art?"

"So, she's a Spirit Cultivator with a wood-attribute essence spirit root."

"..."

The Inner Sea cultivators thought they understood. Due to the Stone Golden Python Walking Vine's coverage and suppression, it blocked the Iron Thorn Vines, allowing them to advance smoothly.

Wen Qiao had already taken the opportunity to reach Ning Yuzhou, leaping down from mid-air and then hugging the man below.

"Husband!"

She wrapped her arms around his neck and softly called out.

Ning Yuzhou felt his heart soften at the sound of "Husband," his emotions stirred once again, tightly binding his heart. And the other end of those emotional threads was firmly tied to her.

Ning Yuzhou chuckled, noticing that the Stone Golden Python Walking Vine had already spread to this side, the surrounding Iron Thorn Vines entangled by it. He reached out to embrace the person in his arms, discovering that her spiritual energy was nearly depleted. He took out a Grade Earth Spirit Replenishment Pill and fed it to her.

Wen Qiao obediently opened her mouth to swallow it, still holding tightly onto him, her head rubbing against his chest.

"SSSIIIISSSS!"

Wen Tutu loudly called out, leaping onto Wen Qiao's head like the wind, spreading out its limbs and tightly embracing her. Then, with one claw, it swatted away the Yellow Crystal Ant nestled in her hair bun.

Scram, she's mine!

The Yellow Crystal Ant that was hit to the ground calmly turned around, crawling back onto Wen Qiao's body. It met the male Yellow Crystal Ant that had crawled over from Ning Yuzhou's waist pouch, antennae touching antennae.

Mm, the pair of male and female Yellow Crystal Ants had reunited as well.

Those who caught up from behind saw this scene, their expressions somewhat subtle.

The Tangtuans surrounded the blood-soaked Tang Yalin, patting his head, face, and shoulders, saying with concern, "Little Tangtuan has suffered, your brothers love you."

"Little Tangtuan, it's great that you didn't die."

"Little Tangtuan, we're really happy that you're alive."

"Oh, Little Tangtuan, these injuries aren't light. Seems like your luck really isn't good."

"Little Tangtuan, don't envy others. In the future, your brothers will find you a cute and capable wife."

...

Tang Yalin waved away those hands in anger, cursing, "Scram, don't stab me in the back like this!"

Shuilinyin stood nearby, panting, her clothes disheveled, sweat and blood streaking down her cheeks. Her black hair stuck to the sides of her face in strands, making her complexion appear even paler, adding a touch of fragility to her aura.

She looked at Duan Haoyan, who had leaped down from above, a faint smile appearing on her face. She said, "Young Master Duan, what a coincidence."

Duan Haoyan snorted coldly. "No nonsense, heal your wounds quickly."

As he spoke, he approached her with an action that looked like a grab but was actually a supportive gesture, moving her to the side. Then he pulled out a spirit pill and stuffed it into her mouth, muttering, "You really look ugly like this!"

Shuilinyin said good-naturedly, "There's no helping it; when life and death are at stake, there's no time for vanity."

Duan Haoyan felt she misunderstood his words. He wasn't disgusted by her appearance; he wanted to explain but decided it wasn't necessary. So, he remained silent, guarding her while glaring at the group of cultivators from the Inner Sea.

The Inner Sea cultivators, seeing the joyful reunion, glanced at the Iron Thorns Vines suppressed by the Stone Golden Python Walking Vine around them and couldn't help but secretly sneer.

Although eager to leave, they didn't want to rush them and continued waiting.

Min Jishu stared at Wen Qiao and Ning Yuzhou, lost in thought.

Ning Yuzhou keenly sensed this gaze and turned to look. He saw a handsome male cultivator. Their eyes met, and instead of averting his gaze, the man gave him a polite, open smile.

Ning Yuzhou looked away, stroking the long hair of the person in his arms, saying joyfully, "I thought I'd be the one to find you first, but it turns out you came looking for me."

He didn't mention that Tang Yalin was essentially a magnet for bad luck, dragging misfortune upon anyone who was with him. Even Shuilinyin, so refined and elegant, had been forced to become a common woman covered in blood, severely damaging her image.

Wen Qiao finally released him, her cheeks slightly flushed, clearly aware that she had hugged him for too long, with many eyes watching.

She cleared her throat and said, "My luck was good; nothing held me back, and I had Little Ant to guide me, so I was faster. Are you alright, my husband?"

Recalling what she had seen on her way over, Wen Qiao became worried and hurriedly checked his body.

However, upon inspection, she found that he was injured. Although the injury wasn't severe, it was the first time he had been hurt since they arrived in the Central Continent.

Wen Qiao was heartbroken. Indeed, her husband was a weak alchemist who would get hurt without her protection.

"You should rest, my husband." Wen Qiao helped him sit on a branch of the Stone Golden Python Walking Vine that had extended toward them.

Ning Yuzhou smiled at her, letting her fuss over him as he swallowed a spirit pill and said, "It's nothing serious."

Wen Qiao remembered something and pulled out a piece of honeycomb to give him.

A rich, pure honey fragrance filled the air. Even Wen Tuantuan, lazily lying on Wen Qiao's head and reluctant to leave, couldn't resist stretching its head to stare at the honeycomb the size of a small finger. The Yellow Crystal Ant in the pouch also peeked out, looking like it wanted a taste.

Ning Yuzhou put the amber-colored honeycomb in his mouth.

The honeycomb melted into spiritual honey that slid down his throat, transforming into dense spiritual energy that flowed through his limbs and bones, converging into his spirit orifices and instantly replenishing most of the primordial spirit power within.

Ning Yuzhou's eyes flashed with surprise as he looked at Wen Qiao.