He remained silent for a while, then stood and slowly walked away. His steps were remarkably light, revealing just how relaxed and cheerful he felt.
With the outsiders gone, Jiang Chan finally had the leisure to examine the Heavenly Gate secret realm properly. Now that she was certain only their group remained inside and that they could leave whenever they wanted, Jiang Chan’s miserly nature resurfaced.
Of course, Jiang Chan herself would never admit this. She insisted that Xiao Jin’s instincts were to blame. While she was busily gathering spirit herbs, Mo Yu suddenly sighed.
“That Tang Yubai really is heartless. Take a look at this.” Seeing Feng Qiwu turn toward her while Jiang Chan showed no reaction whatsoever, Mo Yu simply called her by name. “Jiang Chan, look at this!”
“What is it? Why are you making such a fuss?” Jiang Chan was exasperated. What was so interesting about Tang Yubai that Mo Yu had to call her over specifically?
“Come on, just look when I tell you to. It’s not going to hurt you.”
Whenever Mo Yu started wheedling, Jiang Chan was helpless to resist. She stopped what she was doing. “Alright, I’ll take a look.”
Mo Yu smiled in satisfaction. She lightly clapped her hands, sending a jade slip floating into the air. With a small movement of her fingers, she injected a stream of true essence into it.
The next moment, an image appeared in midair. Jiang Chan raised an eyebrow. Wasn’t this like the sound-recording stones of the cultivation world? How had Mo Yu’s jade slip managed to record images too?
Mo Yu looked as though she were showing off a treasure. Jiang Chan watched Tang Yubai’s actions in the recording carefully. At the sight of his vicious attack on Gu Miao’er, a rare smile curved her lips.
Tang Yubai had practically delivered evidence against himself into her hands. If she sent this jade slip to the higher-ups of the Yunshui Sect, could Tang Yubai still sit comfortably in his position as their prized disciple?
Just thinking about it made her impatient to act. Seeing Jiang Chan’s gaze linger on the jade slip, Mo Yu alertly put it away. “I worked incredibly hard to make this one. I’ll let you look at it, but don’t even think about getting me to give it to you!”
Mo Yu had made this herself? Who would have guessed she possessed such a skill? Jiang Chan smiled. “Give me the jade slip first. I have an important use for it. I’ll make it up to you afterward.”
Mo Yu sounded reluctant. “I only have this one!”
Jiang Chan smiled like the wolf trying to lure Little Red Riding Hood. “Come on. Since you’ve already made one, you’ll certainly be able to make more. This recording is very useful to me. Give me this jade slip for now, and I’ll cover all the materials you need to make more.”
Mo Yu took out the jade slip with a show of reluctance. But as soon as Jiang Chan accepted it, she broke into a broad grin. The slip was no use to her anyway. She might as well get something out of Jiang Chan in exchange.
That fellow was practically swimming in wealth, yet she was so stingy!
Jiang Chan was delighted, already considering how to deal with Tang Yubai later. She did not notice Mo Yu’s unusual reaction. Feng Qiwu, however, saw everything clearly from the side. She had not expected Mo Yu to be capable of such little schemes.
Still, Mo Yu probably devoted all her cunning to matching wits with Jiang Chan, Feng Qiwu thought. As for Tang Yubai’s ruthlessness, it stirred no particular reaction in her.
He was already a stranger to her. If she felt anything at all, it was simply that Tang Yubai was not someone worth associating with. He was rotten to the core.
When a woman loved you wholeheartedly, you could choose not to return her feelings or reject her. But to openly go everywhere with her while looking down on her, then take her life in the end?
Feng Qiwu could never condone that. She would be better off keeping as far away from Tang Yubai as possible.
Jiang Chan, Mo Yu, and Feng Qiwu spent more than a month in the Heavenly Gate secret realm before they had explored it thoroughly. It truly had belonged to a powerful ancient sect with a rich legacy. Even this one secret realm had been an eye-opening experience for Jiang Chan.
Unfortunately, they did not find the Soul-Nourishing Wood Qingyuan needed. However, Jiang Chan discovered a description of Soul-Nourishing Wood in a damaged manuscript, which even indicated a place where it might be found.
When they saw the words forest of magical beasts, Jiang Chan and Mo Yu exchanged bewildered looks. There was Soul-Nourishing Wood in the forest of magical beasts? They had spent so many years there, yet had never heard of it.
Whatever the case, after leaving the secret realm this time, they would have to visit the forest of magical beasts. They would not give up until they had turned the entire forest upside down!
Now that they had a clue about Soul-Nourishing Wood, Jiang Chan had no patience to remain in the secret realm. The three returned to the sect without stopping. This time, Jiang Chan and Mo Yu did not enter the Sword Sect. After escorting Feng Qiwu back, the two headed straight for the forest of magical beasts together.
They had been away from the forest of magical beasts for twenty or thirty years, but the moment they entered, Jiang Chan felt that everything was as it had been. It was the same forest, yet she felt a heartfelt closeness to it.
Perhaps Xiao Jin’s emotions were influencing her, causing her to develop an unconscious sense of belonging here. After making a circuit of their old home, Jiang Chan and Mo Yu headed directly for the innermost part of the forest of magical beasts.
A powerful figure lived there. If they wanted to search the forest of magical beasts, they needed to get on good terms with this figure first. Of course, after a bribe from Jiang Chan, the figure agreed to turn a blind eye.
After all, this figure also had business dealings with Jiang Chan.
With that tacit approval, the forest’s many spirit beasts dared not voice their anger. They could only let Jiang Chan and Mo Yu turn their homes upside down. Although Jiang Chan compensated them generously afterward, she still received plenty of dirty looks.
Hard work eventually paid off. At last, in an abandoned pit deep within the innermost reaches of the forest of magical beasts, Jiang Chan found a piece of dry, black wood. It was only about a hand long and extremely slender.
Had Qingyuan’s consciousness not suddenly stirred, Jiang Chan would never have associated something that looked like a dead branch with Soul-Nourishing Wood.
By then, twenty years had passed since they returned to the forest of magical beasts. In all that time, Jiang Chan and Mo Yu had barely set foot outside it. Jiang Chan had not even attended Feng Qiwu’s Nascent Soul ceremony.
With Soul-Nourishing Wood finally found, Jiang Chan did not linger in the forest of magical beasts. She and Mo Yu had angered practically everyone over the years. They had better leave quickly and let things cool down.
The day after finding the Soul-Nourishing Wood, Jiang Chan and Mo Yu packed their belongings and left the forest of magical beasts, heading straight for the Sword Sect. Just as they reached the sect gates, they spotted a female cultivator standing in front of the entrance.
Mo Yu called out casually, “Qiwu, that’s kind of you. You’ve come to welcome us yourself!”
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