Refining the Mountains and Rivers

Chapter 401 – Fruitless Inquiry

The jade slip’s recorded information stated that the magic devouring demon spider possessed an incredibly hard outer body, and its weakest point was the space around its eyes. This monster beast was always careful in defending itself and would only expose its weak point when eating food. Qin Yu feigned being poisoned and falling down in order to lure the magic devouring demon spider to attack him and try to eat him. As he thought, just after his punch connected, the magic devouring demon spider cried out in pain. It spat a mouthful of green blood and its body swayed as it tried to run away.

How could Qin Yu give it a chance to escape? With a loud shout, his feet struck the ground and he instantly approached the spider’s side. He lifted a hand, punching the magic devouring demon spider between the eyes once more. With a loud crack, the magic devouring demon spider’s skull shattered and its eyes burst apart, green blood flowing out.

With a shrill scream, the spider completely went crazy. Perhaps because it knew that it wouldn’t be able to escape today, it decided to take revenge for its inevitable death. Its giant rear end violently blew apart and endless white goo splashed out. As this goo came into contact with the air, it rapidly condensed and wrapped around Qin Yu. At the same time, several claws from the magic devouring demon spider’s stomach wildly tore out.

Qin Yu’s pupils shrank. He didn’t draw back but instead moved forward. The magic devouring demon spider could feel him approaching. It opened its jaws and ruthlessly bit down once more. Qin Yu flickered to the side, avoiding the attack and grabbing the spider’s throat.

Kacha –

The magic devouring demon spider’s body froze. The wildly slashing claws at its stomach also fell limp. action

Demon Body combat technique – Choking Finger.

A 30% chance of disregarding defense, its attribute of breaking apart any defense had erupted, instantly killed the monster beast!

Qin Yu’s eyes flashed and he punched out twice more, breaking apart the magic devouring demon spider’s head. He reached into the thick sticky goo within its skull and plucked out a fist-sized irregularly-shaped stone.

With a thought, a current of water appeared, washing his hand and stone clean. As he looked at the clear purple stone in his hand, he smiled in satisfaction.

Because the magic devouring demon spider’s own strength was limited, when it swallowed powerful life forms as food, it was simply unable to completely absorb all of their energy. These remnants would gather in its brain, condensing into a ‘spirit stone’.

This ‘spirit stone’ contained a massive amount of wild and varying strengths. It was completely unusable for a cultivator, but it was an excellent treasure to raise spirit beasts. It was even rumored that it could force spirit beasts to ascend to the next level.

The ‘spirit stone’ was covered in purple spots, a sign that it contained an incredibly potent strength within it. Qin Yu thought back to his Purpleback Bluewing Ants that he had obtained in the land of exiles and how they hadn’t grown or been cultivated further since they had evolved into Yinyang Twin Ants. They were still growing and breeding within his imperial spirit bag.

After entering the Land of Divinity and Demons, there were geniuses everywhere with countless powerhouses abound. Lucky chances and dangers existed in layers and layers. If he could cultivate the Yinyang Twin Ants even further, then he would have more methods to fight his enemies.

He turned his hand and put away the ‘spirit stone’. Then, he punched apart several spider webs. As he felt the strangely bitter feeling in his body, he frowned.

The poisons of the magic devouring demon spider were truly terrifying. Even his large success King step Demon Body was beginning to corrode. If he hadn’t used an opportunistic method to kill the magic devouring demon spider, he really had no idea how things would have ended today.

Bang –

A radiant divine light erupted. After the reinforced spider web cage was torn apart with difficulty, a pale Shui Yuanling stumbled out. She looked around, fear and gratitude in her eyes. She turned and bowed to Qin Yu, “Thank you for helping me fellow daoist. If it weren’t for you, I fear today would have been my end.”

Qin Yu’s eyes flashed. “Poison is everywhere in the air here. Let’s leave this place first.”

Shui Yuanling nodded. A light glowed around her body, but just as she flew up the light scattered and she landed on the ground. She staggered a bit and bitterly smiled, “I’m afraid that fellow daoist will have to lead me out.”

Qin Yu nodded. With several steps he arrived by her side. Then, with a quick, “My apologies,” he picked her up. A delicate fragrance wafted into his senses, causing Qin Yu’s heart to quicken a little. He quickly restrained these thoughts and led the woman outside, leaving through the same path he had opened to enter.

He had grabbed onto Shui Yuanling’s wrist and a faint blush covered her beautiful face. She glanced up at Qin Yu and saw his calm and unchanging expression, and looked at him with a bit more appreciation. Because of the cultivation method she studied, her aura had always possessed a powerful temptation to the opposite sex. If Qin Yu stood so close to her he would definitely feel it. Yet, his expression didn’t change at all. This alone proved how strong his willpower was.

They quickly made their way out unimpeded. Qin Yu loosened her hand and took several steps back.

Shui Yuanling expressed her thanks once more. “There are some harvests I obtained in the Infinite Realm. I wonder if fellow daoist might have any need for them?”

Qin Yu waved his hand. “It’s a minor effort; there is no need to pay me back. But, there is something I would like to ask about, and I was hoping Miss Shui could tell me.”

Shui Yuanling nodded. “What would fellow daoist like to ask?”

Qin Yu’s eyes brightened. “I wonder if Miss Shui knows Ning Ling?”

Shui Yuanling’s heart skipped a beat but her complexion didn’t change at all. She struck a pose as if she were deep in thought and finally said, “I don’t.”

Qin Yu furrowed his eyebrows. “According to what I know, Ning Ling is a disciple of the Immortal Sect and is currently within the Infinite Realm. As a disciple of the Immortal Sect, how can Miss Shui not know of her?”

Shui Yuanling’s thoughts raced. “Fellow daoist may not know, but the Immortal Sect is just a name given to outsiders. There are actually different sects beneath this name. They are Lucid Nether Domain, Nineheaven Mirrormoon Palace, and Heart Mountain Buddhist Nation. These three great immortal path sects are not subordinate to each other and they each have numerous disciples. It’s normal if I don’t know this fellow daoist Ning Ling.”

Qin Yu didn’t doubt this, but he still felt disappointed. He nodded and said, “If that is the case, then I will be leaving now.”

“Hold on!” Shui Yuanling smiled, “May I ask for fellow daoist’s name? Although I don’t know Ning Ling, the three Immortal Sect factions have always been good friends and our disciples are always on good terms. Perhaps another one of my sect’s disciples might know of the person you are searching for. I might be able to help fellow daoist pass on a message.”

Qin Yu thought for a moment. “Then I’ll have to bother Miss Shui. My name is Qin Yu. If you can find Ning Ling, just tell her that I have arrived at the Land of Divinity and Demons and she can wait for me in peace.” He cupped his hands and bowed before turning and flying away.

As Shui Yuanling saw Qin Yu vanished into the distance, she could no longer maintain her calm. She frowned, a complex look on her face. Finally, she shook her head and sighed. She took out a pill and swallowed it. Then, her body dazzled with a brilliant light and she flew into the distance.

Four hours later, Shui Yuanling appeared in a makeshift camp; this was the place where the Immortal Sect disciples gathered.

“Senior-apprentice sister Shui!” A happy voice called out to her. Another Immortal Sect female appeared. Her perfect appearance caused the eyes of several Immortal Sect disciples to light up. But soon, they bowed their heads and no longer dared to look at her.

This female cultivator was Ning Ling!

Shui Yuanling stiffly smiled. “Junior-apprentice sister Ning Ling.”

Ning Ling said, “Senior-apprentice sister Shui was so late that I was about to report to senior-apprentice brother Wenren and ask him to send someone out to search for you. I see that senior-apprentice sister’s aura is quite weak; did you encounter some trouble?”

Shui Yuanling nodded. “I was not careful enough and was ambushed by a magic devouring demon spider. I had to expend a great deal of my strength before I was able to withdraw.” She smiled. “There are some matters that I must report to senior-apprentice brother Wenren. I will have to say my goodbyes first.”

Ning Ling glanced at Shui Yuanling as she quickly hurried away. She frowned, feeling that something was a bit strange with her today. Ever since she joined the Immortal Sect, she had to thank Shui Yuanling for looking after her and felt nothing but gratitude towards this warm-hearted senior-apprentice sister. Without thinking too much about it, she turned and flew back towards her dwelling.

“Is senior-apprentice brother Wenren inside? Shui Yuanling requests a meeting.” Outside the tent, Shui Yuanling respectfully spoke.

After several breaths of time, a warm voice responded, “Junior-apprentice sister Shui, please enter.”

The light covering the tent’s entrance disappeared. Shui Yuanling bowed and walked in. Wenren Dongyue was sitting down cross-legged, smiling as he looked up at her. His deep eyes were like the vast starry skies, making it so that one couldn’t help but drown in them.

Shui Yuanling’s face blushed red. She quickly bowed.

Wenren Dongyue smiled. “Junior-apprentice sister has arrived so late, has something happened?”

Shui Yuanling glanced around. She started to speak but hesitated.

Wenren Dongyue flicked his sleeve and the light at the entrance glowed once more. His smile didn’t change, “You may speak now.”

Shui Yuanling clenched her teeth and said, “When I was catching up to the battalion, I was ambushed by a magic devouring demon spider. But later a cultivator rescued me. His name was…Qin Yu.”

Wenren Dongyue furrowed his eyebrows. “Qin Yu…” As he thought about the chessboard of heaven and earth and how Ning Ling had acted after he heard this name, his smile dimmed a little. After several breaths of time he asked, “Is it the same person?”

Shui Yuanling said, “This person was also looking for junior-apprentice sister Ning Ling. He asked me, but I didn’t tell him.”

Wenren Dongyue’s expression returned to normal. “I’ve made things hard for junior-apprentice sister Shui.”

Shui Yuanling quickly bowed. “This Qin Yu is of unknown origin and junior-apprentice sister Ning Ling is incomparably important to my Immortal Sect. How can I let him casually approach her?”

This reply left Wenren Dongyue satisfied. His smile became even warmer. “Junior-apprentice sister Shui, do you know who this Qin Yu is?”

Shui Yuanling said, “Qin Yu asked me to pass junior-apprentice sister Ning Ling a message. He said to tell her that he had arrived in the Land of Divinity and Demons and that junior-apprentice sister Ning Ling could wait for him in peace.” She hesitated and then continued to say, “From what I have observed, this Qin Yu isn’t weak. He might have a way of finding the Immortal Sect.”

Wenren Dongyue smiled. “Thinking about it, he must be an old acquaintance of junior-apprentice sister Ning Ling’s from the land of exiles who was attracted by her beauty and elegance. To chase her this far, he really is a love-crazed fool. But with junior-apprentice sister Ning Ling’s current status, how can he possibly have the qualifications to become close to her? It’s nothing but a dead end.”

His hand flashed. “I’ve troubled junior-apprentice sister Shui. This is a blue water origin energy fruit, something I obtained in the Ninerealm Holy Land. It should be helpful to junior-apprentice sister’s future cultivation.”

Shui Yuanling was overjoyed. “Thank you senior-apprentice brother Wenren!” She received the fruit in both hands. As she smelled the rich water energy emanating from the fruit, all the guilt she felt towards Qin Yu thoroughly vanished.

Things were just like senior-apprentice brother Wenren said. With junior-apprentice sister Ning Ling’s current status, how could anyone just casually approach her? The reason she had informed her senior-apprentice brother was all because of her consideration for the sect; none of it was wrong.

Shui Yuanling received the blue water origin energy fruit, bowed, and excused herself. Soon, only Wenren Dongyue was left in the tent. He had a thoughtful look on his face. After a long time, his lips curled up in a smile.

This Qin Yu was just a random nobody from the land of exiles. Even if he managed to find a lucky chance and come to the Land of Divinity and Demons, even if he somehow managed to enter the Infinite Realm, how could this person come to him? Moreover, the Infinite Realm was about to close. As long as they returned to the Immortal Sect, he believed that with sufficient time, he could definitely move junior-apprentice sister Ning Ling. Of this, Wenren Dongyue was absolutely confident.

As for Qin Yu…it was best if he gave up. If he really came to the Immortal Sect to search for her, he had methods to make him return with nothing…or even cause him to suffer great losses.

As for murder, that was the worst plan of all. Junior-apprentice sister Ning Ling was extraordinary and had a high chance of standing upon the peak of the three immortal factions. If she ever discovered what he had done, things would not end well.