"Senior Brother! What is this blue spiritual flower? I've never seen it before," Chen Jinshu asked, noticing the covetous gleam in Du Yi's eyes.
The dark blue spiritual flower had massive petals, growing deeper in hue toward the center. Its stem and leaves were a deep green, and it stood firmly in the middle of a small pond.
"This is a Nether Dusk Blossom. It suppresses inner demons and greatly aids in breakthroughs. More importantly, it can massively boost a cultivator's spiritual sense," Du Yi explained, already calculating how he might seize it for himself.
Chen Jinshu thought the name sounded familiar—she seemed to recall hearing it mentioned once in her master's medicinal garden. Her master had cultivated some as well, though those had paler colors. Yet the rich, ghostly blue of this one left a deep impression on her.
"So that's what it is!"
"Junior Sister, this flower—I…" Du Yi started awkwardly, but Chen Jinshu interrupted before he could finish.
She had no intention of robbing him of something he wanted. Besides, while rare to ordinary cultivators, her master had this flower growing already. If she wanted it, she could always ask for some.
This trip to the Incense-Burning Cavern had been discovered by her two senior brothers. Chen Jinshu, having the lowest cultivation among them, wasn't one to overstep her bounds.
"Don't worry, Senior Brother. This flower is yours. After all, you discovered it first. I just want part of that demonic beast's body. The iridescent silk of that rainbow spider is quite beautiful."
"Thank you, Junior Sister!" Du Yi was grateful but still felt slightly guilty. However, he really needed it—he was aiming to break through to Foundation Establishment after returning to the sect.
This flower would be a tremendous boost.
Jiang Daoyu soon joined them, and the three began strategizing how to defeat the Rainbow Venom Spider without damaging the blue blossom.
Chen Jinshu moved to the side, drawing her Lüqi Zither, while her two senior brothers dashed toward the spider. Without provoking it, how could they draw out the monster hiding behind?
As the two approached, several rainbow-colored silk threads suddenly shot toward them.
Swish, swish!
The silken threads pierced through the air. They dodged swiftly, the threads slamming into the pond, sending up sprays of water.
Ding ding ding…
Suddenly, an enchanting zither melody echoed around them. White spirit butterflies appeared in the air, increasing in number. Flowers sprouted from the ground. The space seemed bound by some spell. The once-frenzied Rainbow Spiders froze in place, their eyes losing focus, rendered motionless by some influence.
Whoosh!
Vines surged from the water and wrapped around both spiders. Two figures dashed in from either side, blades flashing. Green venom splattered on the ground, sizzling as it corroded the earth.
"Junior Sister! Thanks for the timely assist!"
"No need for thanks, Senior Brothers. You lured them out, allowing me to control from behind. That saved me the risk of a frontal attack."
"Great! Let's quickly collect the spiritual flowers and materials around here. As agreed, the Nether Dusk Blossom goes to Junior Brother Du. We each take one spider corpse. As for the rest of the vines and herbs, we'll take what we need," Jiang Daoyu said.
"Got it!"
Chen Jinshu stored the larger Rainbow Spider carcass before her.
A while later, after circling the area several more times, the trio found nothing else of value and headed back the way they came. Eventually, they chose another cavern located diagonally across from the central area.
Soon, they arrived at a narrow cave overgrown with vines.
At its center, a milky-white spiritual spring flowed. Floating in its waters was a Plainheart Lotus, known for mending damaged souls. The trio was delighted and quickly began to harvest it—when suddenly, the vines on the cave walls sprang to life, lashing out to entangle them.
Chen Jinshu reacted instantly, drawing her Azure Frost Sword to fend them off.
"These vines aren't ordinary! The spring's spiritual energy must've nourished them into semi-sentience. Now they're attacking us for taking what they guard!" she exclaimed.
"This spring has no rightful owner. And these petty vines think to keep it for themselves?" Du Yi's expression darkened. His spiritual sword whirled into a flurry of shimmering strikes, slicing through the vines.
But the vines seemed endless, regenerating faster than they could be cut.
"Junior Sister! Take the spring's energy! Without it, the vines will lose their source of strength!" Du Yi shouted.
Chen Jinshu rushed to the spring and collected all the overflowing spiritual water into a bottle, grabbing the exposed Plainheart Lotus on the way. The moment the spring vanished, the vines wilted and fell limp. Wary of further danger, they immediately left the cave.
On the way out, Chen Jinshu asked if she could keep the Plainheart Lotus. The residual soul stored in her Qingluan Resonance Pendant needed such an item for restoration. Her two senior brothers had no objection—they didn't need it.
They soon made their way to another cavern across the way. It turned out to be a grand cave mansion, with man-made stone pillars and tables, indicating someone had once lived here—though now it was abandoned for unknown reasons.
"Let's split up and search. We'll divide the finds later," Du Yi said, noting the multiple rooms.
"Agreed!" Chen Jinshu and Jiang Daoyu replied.
As she wandered, Chen Jinshu was drawn to murals on the stone walls. They were exaggerated, yet hauntingly lifelike—as if these scenes had actually happened.
"Could these depict the former owner's past?"
Eventually, she stopped before a mural on a dedicated display wall. It showed an elderly man in a raincloak, fishing in a cold river. Not a single fish appeared, yet Chen Jinshu could faintly discern the shadow of a dragon in the water.
"Am I seeing things?" She rubbed her eyes.
Just then, the old fisherman in the mural suddenly turned and gave her a strange smile."Young friend, would you trade three years of your lifespan… for a Dragon Fishing Rod?"
Chen Jinshu froze. Had she been possessed by illusion?
No. The old man in the painting moved.
"Lifespan? Dragon Fishing Rod?" The words sounded absurd, laughable.
"I refuse," she said coldly.
She had never trusted in illusory things and only believed in herself. Already, several talismans to ward off evil were in her hand. She guessed the man in the painting was a residual soul, hoping to trade her lifespan for a few more days of clinging to existence.
Just as she prepared to strike—
The old man burst into a peal of eerie laughter.