The Carefree Little Immortal [Complete] - 9

In the second chapter of the fourth episode, "Giant Bamboo Valley,"

Xiao Xuan looked around and saw two oval-shaped objects lying in a corner of the giant nest. They were entirely blue-green, surrounded by green grass and leaves; if Shui Ruo hadn't had sharp eyes, she would have easily missed them. The two walked over and looked closer. Xiao Xuan said, "They look like two eggs… but how can they be so big?" Suddenly, he and Shui Ruo exclaimed in unison, "I know!"

"This nest is the nest of that giant phoenix!" Shui Ruo said.

"And these two eggs must have been laid by that big bird!" Xiao Xuan said.

Shui Ruo continued, "That giant phoenix has been bathed in the light of the precious mirror for thousands of years, which is why it has developed seven-colored flames and become extraordinary."

Xiao Xuan nodded, "Therefore, it cannot tolerate anyone touching the rainbow emitted by the precious mirror, which is why it relentlessly pursued me just now."

The two exchanged a glance, suddenly breaking out in a cold sweat. Shui Ruo gasped, "Because it is already dead, we were able to ascend Tai Bi safely."

"Luckily! Lucky!" Xiao Xuan wiped his sweat.

Both were relieved when Shui Ruo suddenly exclaimed, "Oh dear, what about these two eggs? They haven't even hatched yet and they won't have a mother!"

"Won't they be without a father?" Xiao Xuan looked around anxiously.

Shui Ruo said, "I once heard my second senior sister talk about the nature of the Luan birds. They are similar to mandarin ducks, with the male and female being extremely affectionate and inseparable. After reaching adulthood, they always pair up. However, because of this, they are extremely jealous. Male Luan birds often harbor hostility towards or even kill their own offspring. Therefore, once a female Luan bird becomes pregnant, she will immediately drive the male away to prevent any unforeseen events."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Xuan felt relieved and shook his head, saying, "Are there really parents like that in the world? Those two little ones are in a terrible situation. Their father is gone, and their mother is gone too. How can they hatch? Poor thing!"

Shui Ruo stared at the two giant eggs, speechless for a long time, her eyes... Suddenly, she turned around, her face beaming with excitement, and said, "Why don't we take them back and then figure out a way to hatch them!"

Xiao Xuan thought for a moment, then blinked and said, "Okay, let's be their parents."

Shui Ruo was overjoyed and nodded vigorously, replying, "Yes!" But then she saw the boy's mischievous grin and suddenly realized she had been tricked, letting him take advantage of her for nothing. Her cheeks flushed red, and she gritted her teeth in embarrassment, letting out a coquettish cry: "You...you bad boy!"

Xiao Xuan leaned closer, staring at her, and said with a grin, "You promised this yourself, so you can't go back on your word later."

"Dream on!" Shui Ruo shouted.

Seeing her blushing face and alluring charm, Xiao Xuan's heart fluttered, and he pounced on her again, embracing her and kissing her passionately.

"Let me go!" the girl feigned annoyance.

Xiao Xuan leaned close to her ear and whispered softly, "Shall we learn from their parents?"

Shui Ruo was startled and asked, "What?"

"We not only want to adopt their babies, but also have our own..."

Shui Ruo's ears tingled, and she didn't react for a moment, asking in a daze, "Our own what?"

"Our own babies," Xiao Xuan said, breathing hot air. Shui Ruo's heart skipped a beat, and her body suddenly went numb again.

"I heard Aunt Luo from town say that doing that will result in a child," Xiao Xuan said as he touched her, his two devilish hands roaming and exploring the girl's body again.

Aunt Luo was a general store owner in a small town at the foot of Qiancui Mountain. That day, in order to coax Xiao Xuan to buy her newly arrived erotic toys, she had been showering him with sweet talk.

"Why would Aunt Luo tell him this?" Shui Ruo was dazed, her mind filled with mush, unable to think of anything.

"Aunt Luo said that as long as you follow the instructions page by page in that book, you can have a child. Unfortunately, you tore it up without saying a word..." Xiao Xuan kissed her smooth, snowy neck, one hand secretly slipping down and into her delicate flower.

"So...that wicked book was given to you by her!" Shui Ruo suddenly realized, her whole body burning, yet her delicate body felt as if all her bones had been drained away, limp and completely at the man's mercy. "

However, I still remember the contents of that book. From now on, we'll follow it one by one..." Before Xiao Xuan could finish speaking, he saw the jade-like woman lose her balance and suddenly slide down. He quickly hooked his arm around her and placed her against the edge of his enormous nest.

Shui Ruo's face flushed crimson, afraid that her lover would continue to say those shameful things. She quickly wrapped her arms around his neck and raised her cherry lips to entice him to kiss her. Seeing this, Xiao Xuan hurriedly lowered his lips to receive her kiss, but suddenly felt his hand slip inside her flower. His fingers, which had been playing inside her tender vulva, were now wet, warm, and sticky. His desire flared instantly, as if doused with oil. He pressed against the jade-like woman, parting her legs, and thrust his member forward. "

Why again?" Shui Ruo's heart fluttered with panic, yet she still craved the previous pleasure, and half-heartedly yielded to her lover.

Both were young and full of life, their hearts in perfect harmony. Having tasted the new flavor, they were inseparable, their love intense and passionate. They made love again in the giant nest, this time with even more intense passion and sweet pleasure.

Xiao Xuan teased her relentlessly, seeing her starry eyes half-closed in a misty haze, feeling a surge of intoxication. His heart softened, and he thrust

his member deeper, secretly seeking that enchanting nest. Shui Ruo felt as if ants were crawling through her body, her entire being aching and numb. Unable to bear it any longer, she bent over, her thighs twitching, almost forced to the edge of the giant nest.

Seeing her delicate and supple body, twisted in an unusually alluring way, Xiao Xuan's lust burned even brighter, his probing becoming more urgent. He was exceptionally tall and strong, and already experienced, so this time he quickly found the secret place. However, the treasure was called "Shy Flower, Closed Moon," naturally hidden and difficult to find. The fleshy walls of the opening were thick and tightly blocking the way. So, he thrust his hips, pressing and lifting forcefully, instantly prying open the flower's core, his entire glans plunging into the jade-like woman's hidden, tender nest. Shui Ruo cried out softly, her arms and legs tightly wrapped around the man.

Xiao Xuan was extremely aroused, thrusting in and out meticulously. At first, his movements were slow, but later he couldn't control himself, the amplitude gradually increasing, his glans occasionally slipping out of the tender nest. But he had already remembered the path, and his technique was becoming more skillful; with a little more effort, he would be able to find the treasure.

Shui Ruo's body was tense and twisting, and her tender inner flower was trembling and pounding wildly. Not only had the nest been taken over by the domineering big guy, which arched it high, but it was also being squeezed and rubbed back and forth repeatedly, making it swollen like an erection. Suddenly, the flower eye quietly opened, and the juices flowed like silkworms.

Xiao Xuan did not know that she had already lost her clitoris, and continued to work diligently without stopping. He noticed that the beauty's waist was twisting violently and her hips were incredibly beautiful, so he hooked his arm to look at her. This forced Shui Ruo to bend one of her pink legs, and her pink knee was right against his waist. He felt extremely lewd and suddenly remembered a scene in a pornographic book he had read, something about boating on a lotus pond, which was very tempting. So he turned the girl over and made her lie on the edge of the nest, and thrust into her from behind. It was indeed a unique pleasure.

Here, dozens of feet above the ground, Shui Ruojiao lay atop a cluster of branches and leaves, looking down. Her heart trembled, and she whimpered, "No... I don't want this..."

Xiao Xuan, however, found it novel and interesting, and his thrusts were strong and firm. He asked, panting, "Isn't this good?"

"I can't see you," the beauty murmured softly, her neck and ears flushed.

"It's right here, don't be afraid, my darling," Xiao Xuan coaxed gently, smiling as he pulled the girl closer, pressing his entire body against her from behind, his thrusts still swift and powerful, repeatedly entering and exiting her tender, plump opening. Shui Ruojiao was still flustered, whispering, "Then call me." Her skin was already fair and tender, now covered in a thin layer of fragrant sweat, and set against the backdrop of the surrounding green branches and leaves, it was even more smooth and alluring.

Xiao Xuan lowered his head, his lips close to her ear, softly calling "Shui'er, Shui'er" over and over. He reached around to her front, grasping her pert breasts and kneading them vigorously, squeezing out the cherry-red nipples into odd, crooked shapes. Shui Ruo's

initial panic subsided, and she looked again, seeing the water's surface smooth as a mirror, reflecting the surrounding green trees and white clouds in the sky. The blue and green hues were perfectly balanced, a dreamlike and ethereal scene. A breeze occasionally stirred, creating shimmering waves that gently washed over her, seemingly seeping into her heart. Just as she was becoming completely captivated, she suddenly felt the man's strength increase, a sudden surge of pleasure and ecstasy, and she couldn't help but moan.

Looking from behind, Xiao Xuan saw the jade-like woman's shapely buttocks, arched to their limit, with wisps of dew occasionally flying from her secluded valley, splashing onto his abdomen. Suddenly, his veins surged, and he thrust his hips forward with fierce energy, repeatedly penetrating her, kneading and pulling her tender labia, creating a scene of lewd pleasure and increasing debauchery.

The entire giant nest was constructed from the intertwined branches and leaves of the Tai Bi tree, the leaves as large as lotus leaves, smooth and soft like silk. Lying within it was more comfortable than lying on a bed or a brocade quilt. Shui Ruo lay on the edge of the nest, gazing blankly at the dreamlike beauty below, her delicate body rising and falling, sometimes still, sometimes limp, with the man's thrusts behind her, experiencing ecstasy and bliss. Her soft moans rose higher and higher, their melodies incredibly alluring. Suddenly, she realized something, feeling shy, and hurriedly bit her cherry lips to stop herself.

Xiao Xuan, enjoying the sensation, was unwilling to give up. So he cupped her breasts with his hands, thrusting his hips harder, becoming even more vigorous and forceful. The more Shui Ruo tried to hold back, the more intense the pleasure became. Coupled with her extreme impatience, she suddenly ejaculated again, followed by continuous small leaks. With her lover's constant stirring, her vulva was already a mess of white fluid and greasy paste, inside and out.

Xiao Xuan, having gone too far, suddenly felt his own essence surging. Seeing her still biting her lip to hold back, he pleaded softly in ecstasy, "Shui'er, call out! I love to hear it."

Upon hearing this, Shui Ruo's heart melted, her teeth parted, and her soft, hoarse voice flowed out like water. Finally, she let herself fall into that sweet and frenzied sea of desire.

Xiao Xuan thrust with all his might, each thrust reaching the very tip of her head, each penetration to the very root. Suddenly, his penis swelled several circumferences, burning like fire, a change reminiscent of previous times. In his haste, he lost sight of her hidden treasure nest, searching everywhere but unable to find it. He pleaded with his beloved, "I want it there."

Shui Ruo, warmed by his fiery dragon, felt as if she were melting into butter, her mind hazy and indistinct. She unconsciously swayed her hips, shifting and adjusting, obediently offering her inner treasure nest.

Xiao Xuan suddenly felt a tingling sensation at the tip of his penis, the coronal sulcus tightening, and he thrust into her tender flower nest again. Overjoyed, he groaned, "This is it!"

His desire intensified, and he became even more insatiable, pleading in a trembling voice, "I want... I want... hold me tight."

Shui Ruo understood, but her climax was imminent. She was both afraid and excited. Suddenly, she steeled herself, grabbed her lover's waist, gritted her teeth, and leaned back, her buttocks swaying and bobbing, utterly alluring. "Shui'er..." Xiao Xuan groaned, his body throbbing as if about to burst. He recalled his former spoiled senior sister, who

used to tease him daily, now so obedient, and he was utterly captivated. Shui Ruo exerted herself to the utmost, flattering him relentlessly, ignoring the tingling pain, offering her most beautiful and tender parts to her lover. Because she loved him, she would use every trick in the book, be alluring and seductive to him, wondering if he knew?

The fiery embrace, the tight contraction, quickly pushed Xiao Xuan to the extreme of ecstasy. Unable to hold back any longer, waves of hot semen shot out, like sprays and torrents.

Shui Ruo felt as if hot oil had been poured into her vagina, suddenly reaching the pinnacle of pleasure. With a sharp cry, she reached the peak of joy with her lover, her eyes trembling, her juices flowing freely, a breathtaking, earth-shattering experience.

Xiao Xuan's entire body tensed, gripping her waist and pulling back forcefully. His erect penis, like a pillar, penetrated her flower, grinding and shooting against the streams of hot, sticky vaginal fluid.

Shui Ruo's body convulsed like a shrimp. At first, she tried to hold onto her lover's waist, but her arms went limp in an instant, and she could no longer hold on.

She went limp and trembled like a leaf, falling away in a state of blissful ecstasy. The two were intertwined, their souls drifting in and out of consciousness. Suddenly, Shui Ruo seemed to remember something and said weakly, "You bad boy, hurry up and get my clothes! If some bird or wild beast takes them, I'll die!"

Xiao Xuan was satisfied this time and readily agreed. He immediately got up, dressed, straightened his clothes, and, with renewed vigor, leaped out of the giant nest and landed.

He landed on Tai Bi, skimmed across the water, found Shui Ruo's clothes and boots on the shore, tucked them under his arms, and ran back to Tai Bi.

Not long after, Xiao Xuan returned to the nest, only to find Shui Ruo already asleep, looking extremely sweet and charming. He couldn't bear to wake her, so he gently covered her with his clothes and sat down to wait quietly.

Shui Ruo was already beautiful as a flower, but now, with the rainbow shining on her, she was even more radiant and captivating. Xiao Xuan stared intently, reminiscing about the previous blissful encounter, feeling a mix of reality and illusion. He then recalled his days on Xiaoyao Peak, and upon reflection, realized that his charming senior sister's teasing and playful antics seemed to harbor hidden feelings, though he had been oblivious at the time. He slapped his forehead, chuckling foolishly, his heart filled with tender affection.

Lost in his reverie for a long time, Xiao Xuan remembered the precious mirror and turned to look at it. This time, he examined it closely, seeing the dazzling, colorful gems adorning its edges. He didn't recognize most of them, but he identified one as resembling the legendary Golden Essence, an excellent spirit-gathering substance. He swallowed hard, gazing at it wistfully, thinking, "This mirror is filled with rare treasures, but alas, I cannot touch it. What a pity..." Lost in

thought, he suddenly heard a sound from the sky, like a large bird swooping down. As he took flight, his heart tightened: "Could it be the two little ones' father returning?" He quickly looked up, following the sound, and saw a strange creature flying past not far from Tai Bi. It had wings and a tail, resembling a phoenix, but it didn't seem alive at all. Its entire body was grayish-white, with sharp, angular edges all over. He was greatly surprised: "What is that?"

He stared intently, and then saw a green shadow on the back of the strange bird, which looked like a human figure. He became even more curious and wanted to take a closer look, but the strange bird had already gradually disappeared into the distance. This man had always loved strange and unusual things, and he couldn't help but feel an itch to get closer. He turned around and saw that the girl was sleeping soundly. He thought, "It seems that Shui'er won't wake up for a while. Why don't I hurry over and find out what's going on before coming back?"

Once he made up his mind, he leaped out of the giant nest and swam swiftly down Tai Bi. After skimming across the water and landing on the shore, the strange bird was nowhere to be seen. He immediately gathered his inner energy and used his sect's land flight technique to chase after the direction in which the strange bird had flown.

Xiao Xuan chased after the strange bird for a long time but couldn't find it. Anxious, he leaped up and climbed to the top of a giant bamboo canopy. His view widened, and he saw the bird again. It had descended and was flying low over the bamboo forest. He was delighted: "No wonder I couldn't see it..." Then he wondered, "Why is it flying so low? Is it afraid of being seen?" Just

as he was about to rush over, he suddenly heard a strange noise ahead. He saw streaks of green shoot up from the bamboo forest, darting towards the strange bird. Before he could see clearly, the bird struggled and plummeted into the bamboo forest.

Xiao Xuan was startled: "What kind of powerful monster is this? This Giant Bamboo Valley is truly eerie."

Naturally curious, though he was afraid, he couldn't rest until he saw what was happening. After a moment's hesitation, he crept down into the bamboo forest, carefully feeling his way along the ground.

As they drew closer, they heard a cacophony of flapping wings, interspersed with strange "crackling" and "clucking" sounds, like rubber bands twisting on wooden axles. Xiao Xuan grew increasingly curious and peeked out from behind a giant bamboo stalk. Upon closer inspection, he finally understood: the green shadows were falcon-shaped birds made of bamboo branches and strips, attacking the large, greyish-white bird from before. The large bird resembled a phoenix, but appeared to be made of wood. A girl in green sat atop it, swaying precariously like a drifting catkin in a storm.

Xiao Xuan was astonished, muttering to himself, "How can there be so many mechanical monsters? And they're fighting here again?"

The wooden phoenix, though large, was alone, while the bamboo falcons numbered more than ten, each with sharp beaks and claws, moving with lightning speed. They had already pecked and scratched the wooden phoenix, leaving it covered in wounds and splinters. The girl in green on its back was struggling to defend herself, seemingly trying to retrieve something from her bosom, but to no avail.

The girl was about fourteen or fifteen years old. Her hair was styled in a neat bun, her narrow-sleeved skirt flowed, and her slender waist was bound with a plain brocade belt, from which hung a small pouch embroidered with bamboo and a short sword in what appeared to be a decorative bamboo sheath. She had bright eyes and white teeth, and her face was as white as snow; she was extremely beautiful.

Seeing the perilous situation, Xiao Xuan couldn't help but feel a chill for her: "Who is this girl? Should we help her?"

Just as he was hesitating, he saw the girl struggle to pull something out of her bosom—a purple talisman. But then, a sudden change occurred. The wooden phoenix he was sitting on snapped in two with a "crack," throwing him to the ground.

Bamboo falcons immediately swooped down, their beaks sharp as blades, ready to pierce the girl with countless wounds.

Xiao Xuan was shocked and had no time to think. He leaped out from behind the bamboo, his sleeve flicking out, and the eight-clawed fire dragon whip, glowing with faint crimson flames, whistled and spun rapidly, instantly knocking away two bamboo falcons. Taking advantage of the opening, he reached out and hooked his arm around the girl's waist, escaping the encirclement in a flash.

Those bamboo falcons seemed to possess intelligence; the rest turned around and pursued them relentlessly.

Xiao Xuan fought and retreated, one arm protecting the girl while the other swung his Flaming Dragon Whip with incredible speed, striking down the attacking bamboo falcons into bursts of fire. The girl in green, initially wary, her fingers poised to unleash a purple talisman, gradually relaxed upon seeing Xiao Xuan's effortless offense and defense.

Seeing that the bamboo falcons, though fierce and swift, seemed to be his weakness, Xiao Xuan grew increasingly courageous. With each lash, a falcon shattered into flames. He inadvertently caught a glimpse of the girl in his arms looking up at him, and a surge of pride filled him. His attacks became even more fluid and elegant. The

number of bamboo falcons rapidly dwindled, and the battle seemed to be ending. Xiao Xuan stopped abruptly and calmly withdrew his whip.

"Watch out behind you!" the girl suddenly cried out. The last bamboo falcon silently attacked from behind, its sharp beak piercing Xiao Xuan's back.

Without turning his head, Xiao Xuan flicked his wrist, and a burst of flame erupted behind him. As the bamboo falcon that had attacked him burned and fell to the ground, he had already sheathed his whip and was smiling at the girl.

The girl was also looking at him, her eyes bright and clear, her lips parted in a sweet smile, "Thank you, brother."

Xiao Xuan opened his mouth, but couldn't speak for a moment. It turned out that his sudden attack had greatly depleted his true energy, and in order to maintain his calm and composed appearance, he had used the remaining true energy to sustain himself.

"Don't talk, rest for a while," the girl said with a smile.

Xiao Xuan's face flushed red as his strength was exposed, and he gasped, "Please...excuse me, miss..."

"My name is Eyan," the girl said.

"Ayan?" Xiao Xuan finally caught his breath.

"No," the girl shook her head, correcting with a smile, "It's E'yan."

In the third chapter of the fourth episode of the Giant Bamboo Valley legend
, E'yan looked at Xiao Xuan. Her eyebrows were delicate and her eyes beautiful, quite alluring, yet she exuded a refreshing aura, pure as dew, sweet as spring water.

"What a strange girl..." Xiao Xuan stared blankly, suddenly noticing a stain on her cheek, likely from the dust she had accumulated when she fell. Because her skin was so white, the stain was incredibly unsightly. He quickly took out a handkerchief from his sleeve and gently wiped it for her.

E'yan was startled, but her expression quickly returned to normal, and she simply let him wipe her.

"Women's skin is so wondrous. They're all white, yet they're all different!" Shui Ruo was white with a hint of pink, Fei Luo was white as milk, Yao Yao was white as snow, but this girl was white as ice, her skin almost transparent... Xiao Xuan's thoughts wandered, his gaze meeting the girl's. He suddenly realized his abruptness and quickly withdrew the handkerchief.

"Oh, right, I still don't know your name, brother." E'yan straightened up casually, then suddenly snatched the handkerchief from his hand, using it to wipe the fine sweat from her forehead.

"My name is Cui Xiaoxuan," Xiaoxuan replied, unsure what to do with his hands without the handkerchief.

"Cui Xiaoxuan..." E'yan softly repeated, then suddenly asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for bamboo," Xiaoxuan answered.

"Looking for bamboo? The treasure bottle bamboo?" E'yan stared at him and continued to ask.

Xiaoxuan nodded, about to speak, but she interrupted him again: "What do you need the treasure bottle bamboo for?"

Xiaoxuan then briefly explained the whole story, feeling for some reason that he didn't need to hide anything from this girl.

"I see. The treasure bottle bamboo has the power to ward off evil, it's indeed good for fighting skeletons, but..." E'yan pondered.

"But what?" Xiaoxuan asked.

Eyan said, "But the Treasure Bottle Bamboo is extremely rare, and I'm afraid the people in this valley won't give it to you."

"There's no need to worry about that. Young Master He from the Demon-Slaying Fortress is also with us this time. He says he's quite familiar with the young master of this valley, so getting the bamboo shouldn't be a problem," Xiao Xuan said.

Eyan raised her eyebrows and said lightly, "Is that so?"

Xiao Xuan looked at the bamboo falcons that were still burning on the ground and finally had a chance to ask, "What are these little monsters? Why did they attack you, young lady?"

"They're called 'Knife Falcons,' one of the mechanical guards in the Giant Bamboo Valley. I haven't been here for a long time, and I didn't expect there to be more traps here, so I fell into an ambush," Eyan answered halfway.

"Such a powerful mechanism!" Xiao Xuan exclaimed in amazement. He was fond of mechanisms and asked excitedly, "Are there any other mechanical monsters in this valley?"

E'yan snorted coldly and said, "Powerful my foot! The Falcon is just the simplest of all the mechanical guards in Giant Bamboo Valley. Although it is fast, its combat power is weak. If my mount hadn't been made of inferior materials and caught me off guard, how could such a low-level mechanical guard have done anything to me!"

"Did you make this phoenix, young lady?" Xiao Xuan walked to the wooden phoenix that had broken in two and bent down to examine it. He saw that the inside was intricately connected by axles and hooks, with an extremely complex structure and an unusually exquisite and ingenious design. He had a good understanding of mechanisms and immediately saw some of the tricks of the trade. He was greatly surprised and turned to look at the girl with disbelief: "Did you really make it?"

"You don't believe me?" E'yan glared at him.

"I didn't expect you to be a master of mechanisms!" Xiao Xuan quickly changed his tone, although he still didn't quite believe it.

Eyan, without any modesty, said, "Those falcons are made of treasure bamboo, far stronger and harder than my phoenix made of mulberry wood. Otherwise, how could they be a match for my mount?"

"I see..." Xiao Xuan looked at the wooden phoenix again, increasingly amazed and alarmed by its appearance. He murmured, "It's badly damaged; I'm afraid it won't be repaired anytime soon."

Eyan said, "Why repair it? Once I get it back..." She suddenly paused, then continued, "Once I have better materials, I'll make an even better one."

Xiao Xuan was stunned. "Not repairing it? You're just going to throw away something so good?"

"Yes, there's something more important to do today," Eyan said thoughtfully.

"Then...then..." Xiao Xuan hesitated.

"Brother Xuan, why are you hesitating?" Eyan looked at him curiously.

"Then... I wonder if you could give it to me, young lady? Maybe I can fix it, and then..."

"You want it? Then take it." E'yan readily agreed, "You helped me just now, it's no trouble at all!"

"Really?" Xiao Xuan was overjoyed, thinking that coming to Giant Bamboo Valley with Shui Ruo was definitely the right decision. Not only did he get a thousand-year-old phoenix corpse full of treasures, but he also obtained an ingeniously crafted mechanical phoenix. Although it was severely damaged, as long as he could take it back to study, he would definitely learn a lot from it.

E'yan had already wiped away her sweat. She glanced at the handkerchief in her hand, her eyes darting around, and suddenly said, "However..."

"However what?" Xiao Xuan's heart tightened, thinking that she was going to back out.

"However, I can't just give it to you for free. You have to exchange it for something." E'yan's lips curved into a smile, looking playful.

"Thank goodness," Xiao Xuan thought to himself, relieved. He quickly asked, "What do you want to change to?"

The girl tilted her head and pondered, glancing at him with a sly look.

Xiao Xuan's heart tightened again. He fumbled around in his pockets, desperately trying to think of something that could win her over.

"How about this..." E'yan shook the handkerchief in her hand and smiled, "This will do. It's so hot today, I forgot to bring a handkerchief."

"Change to this?" Xiao Xuan thought he had misheard.

"You don't want to? Then forget it." E'yan

looked like she was ready to give up. "I'm willing! Deal!" Xiao Xuan was so pleased with himself that he quickly expressed his opinion, afraid that the girl would change her mind. He blurted out, "Let's pinky swear."

On Xiaoyao Peak, he and Shui Ruo had pinky sweared countless times, it had become a habit.

Pinky swear? A grown man doing this? E'yan was taken aback. She smiled and raised a delicate hand, extending her slender pinky finger.

The two hooked their little fingers together, and Xiao Xuan pulled back and forth a few times, chanting, "Pinky promise, never to change for a hundred years!"

E'yan let him do as he pleased, staring blankly at him, seemingly forgetting even to laugh. After

chanting, Xiao Xuan released his fingers and quickly recited an incantation, storing the broken wooden phoenix into his magic pouch. He then let out a long sigh of relief, satisfied, and asked, "Where are you going, Miss?"

At this moment, he only hoped to return to Tai Bi to find Shui Ruo, and once He Tianpeng obtained the treasure bamboo, he would immediately rush back to Ze Yang, then hide in his house to happily display his abundant harvest.

E'yan, however, seemed lost in thought, asking instead of answering, "Brother Xuan, you like mechanical arts, don't you?"

"Yes, I like them very much," Xiao Xuan replied absentmindedly. Just how many mechanical secrets did that wooden phoenix contain? How many rare materials could be decomposed from the thousand-year-old phoenix corpse? Wow, wow, wow, I never thought I'd strike it rich as soon as I came down the mountain!

"So, you must have heard of the Tiger Spider Chariot, right?" E'yan asked.

Xiao Xuan's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately said, "You mean the invincible Tiger Spider Chariot in the Fengtian Marquis's army?"

E'yan nodded.

"Of course I've heard of it. Legend has it that they are terrifying in appearance and incredibly powerful. Once they appear on the battlefield, they can cause the enemy army to collapse instantly. For more than ten years, they have helped the Fengtian Marquis conquer all directions, and their fame has shaken the world. They are the ultimate mechanical masterpieces!" Xiao Xuan said excitedly, but he didn't understand why she suddenly brought this up.

"Then do you know the origin of the Tiger Spider Chariot?" E'yan asked.

"I don't know. It is said that their origin is extremely confidential..." Xiao Xuan said. His knowledge of the Tiger Spider Chariot came almost entirely from his knowledgeable second senior sister, Li Mengtang. As for Cheng Shuoruo, the daughter of the Fengtian Marquis, she knew nothing about it.

E'yan said calmly, "The Tiger Spider Chariot originated here."

"What?" Xiao Xuan's body trembled.

E'yan continued, "The main material used to make the Tiger Spider Chariot is the incredibly strong Treasure Bottle Bamboo. The craftsmanship and mechanical engineering of Giant Bamboo Valley are unparalleled in the world. The original form of the Tiger Spider Chariot was actually a mechanical war beast called 'Terror Foot' used to guard key locations in the valley. Later, it was modified into its current chariot form for battlefield use." "

Really? How do you know all this?" Xiao Xuan asked in surprise.

"Don't believe me? Do you want me to take you to see it?" E'yan looked at him with a sidelong glance.

Xiao Xuan was about to agree, but hesitated, remembering that Shui Ruo was still in Tai Bi's giant nest.

"Don't want to go? Then forget it." E'yan said decisively.

"Is it far from here?" Xiao Xuan was extremely fond of mechanical arts, and the Tiger Spider Chariot, such a rare mechanical masterpiece, was extremely tempting to him.

"It's not far, but it might be dangerous… Forget it, I think you'd better not go." E'yan advised kindly.

"Wait, you said it's dangerous?" Xiao Xuan's interest grew even stronger; adventure was one of his greatest passions.

"Yeah, it might be very dangerous," E'yan blinked.

"Let's go! Let's go see." Xiao Xuan finally couldn't resist the temptation.

"Really? To tell you the truth, it's very, very dangerous there." E'yan looked at him, her smile turning into that of a little fox.

"The more dangerous it is, the more I, Cui Xiaosheng of Qiancui Mountain, will go!" Xiao Xuan's mind was made up, his heroic spirit soaring.

"Alright, follow me." E'yan said and left without hesitation. Before her words were even finished, she had already leaped out, her feet seemingly carrying the wind, displaying an excellent land-based flying technique.

Xiao Xuan hurriedly followed, closely trailing behind. He saw the girl's slender figure ahead, her flowing robes making it seem as if she were about to fly away on the wind. He thought to himself, "Such graceful movements... She is skilled in mechanisms and knows a lot about this valley, yet she seems to want to hide her whereabouts. I wonder who she is?"

Thinking of this, a doubt suddenly arose: "Why is she so eager to take me to see that tiger spider chariot... Is it just because I helped her earlier?"

The two of them rushed forward, one after the other, and in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, they had already covered a long distance. Xiao Xuan looked back and could no longer see the towering Tai Bi that reached into the clouds. He was still worried about Shui Ruo, who was still sleeping soundly in the giant nest. Just as he was hesitating, he suddenly heard E Yan in front of him call out, "Quickly

, climb the tree!" Xiao Xuan saw her body suddenly leap up and fly towards a giant bamboo. He quickly stopped running and followed her up. Just as he was about to ask a question, a cold, smooth hand grabbed his wrist and pulled him into the dense foliage.

"Don't move, there's a patrol." E'yan whispered in his ear.

"What patrol?" Xiao Xuan asked in a low voice, but saw E'yan put a finger to her lips, signaling him not to speak.

At this moment, a clicking sound came from below, and a group of people slowly approached. Xiao Xuan looked down through the gaps in the branches and leaves and was immediately dumbfounded. It turned out that this group of people were all mechanical monsters. Although they were humanoid, each of them had a head but no face, and their limbs were segmented. Their bodies were green, as if they were made of bamboo tubes and bamboo strips. They all held spears that were over ten feet long, which also looked to be made of bamboo.

He opened his eyes wide, scrutinizing the various structures of the monsters. Seeing their ingenious interfaces and flexible joints, he was greatly astonished: "The mechanical craftsmanship of Giant Bamboo Valley is truly superb."

In a short while, the entire group of mechanical monsters had passed. The two waited quietly for a while, until the clattering sounds they made were completely gone, before E'yan spoke: "Alright, they're gone."

Xiao Xuan eagerly asked, "And what are these things?"

"They're called spearmen, a type of mechanical guard in Giant Bamboo Valley. They mainly patrol and guard various parts of the valley, and they are the most numerous," E'yan replied.

"They can be made to look so much like humans..." Xiao Xuan murmured. "They seem quite agile, but I wonder how durable they are?"

E'yan said, "Don't underestimate them. Although these pawns move unsteadily and can't fly like the falcons, their combat power is superior. They are also made of precious bamboo, impervious to swords and axes, and unaffected by water and fire."

Xiao Xuan thought of the falcons that had whipped him into balls of fire and smiled slightly: "Unaffected by water and fire?"

Seeing this, E'yan immediately understood his disdain and suddenly asked, "Brother Xuan, may I ask, is the cultivation technique you practice fire-based?"

"Yes." Xiao Xuan didn't react for a moment.

"The five elements have mutual generation and restraint. I wonder what fire restrains?" E'yan continued to ask.

"Fire naturally restrains wood. Why are you suddenly asking this..." Xiao Xuan suddenly realized: "You mean, the cultivation technique I practice happens to restrain those wooden mechanisms?"

E'yan nodded.

"So that's how it is..." Xiao Xuan immediately became smug: "So, all the mechanical monsters in this valley are afraid of me!"

"Don't get cocky." E'yan frowned and spat lightly: "The Treasure Bottle Bamboo is not afraid of fire, but not only is your cultivation technique fire-based, but you also have a good weapon. I wonder what that flaming whip is called?"

Xiao Xuan's face flushed, and he quickly composed himself: "It's called the Eight-Clawed Flame Dragon Whip." "

The Eight-Clawed Flame Dragon Whip..." E'yan shrugged slightly: "Is it made of an eight-clawed flame dragon?"

"Exactly, my master said it was made from an eight-clawed flame dragon tendon and three hundred and sixty flame dragon scales." Xiao Xuan was secretly proud, but this time he dared not show it at all.

"No wonder those falcons were so easily defeated..." E'yan turned her gaze and suddenly asked, "Brother A'xuan, may I ask who your master is?"

"My master is Cui Caiting, the famous and powerful Ruyi Fairy. Because of her white hair, the people of Qiancui Mountain also call her the White-Haired Goddess, and countless people worship her," Xiao Xuan said proudly.

"So you're her disciple, then you're a member of the Xuan Sect..." E'yan seemed to ponder.

"You've heard of my master too?" Xiao Xuan became even more smug.

E'yan, however, said calmly, "By the way, speaking of Qiancui Mountain, have you ever heard of a strange person named Yuan Zizai?"

"Aha!" Xiao Xuan exclaimed immediately upon hearing this, "I've not only heard of him, but I'm also very close to him."

"Close?"

"There are eight carefree saints on Thousand Green Mountain. He's ranked second, and I'm ranked eighth. He's my sworn brother." Xiao Xuan said proudly.

E'yan's eyes widened.

"Don't believe me?" Xiao Xuan patted the magic pouch at his waist and said, "This treasure is called 'Ruyi,' and it can hold a whole garden of fruits and vegetables. He gave it to me the night before I went down the mountain."

E'yan suddenly shouted, "Well! You're a disciple of the immortals, yet you've become sworn brothers with a monkey spirit. Aren't you afraid of being kicked out of the sect by your master?"

Xiao Xuan asked in surprise, "How do you know that my second brother Yuan is... is... you also know him?"

"Answer me first," E'yan said.

Xiao Xuan said, "What's there to be afraid of? There are plenty of mountain spirits and water monsters who call me brother. As long as the people in the sect don't know, that's fine."

"You... aren't you afraid of demons?" E'yan stared at him.

Xiao Xuan, who had never bothered to distinguish between immortals and demons, said dismissively, "Why be afraid? Many of them are quite interesting. As long as they're not evil, I don't care what kind they originally were."

Ao Yan's lips curved into a sweet, charming smile, her captivating beauty blooming like a snow lotus on an icy peak.

Xiao Xuan stared, momentarily stunned.

"What?" the girl asked.

"So you look this beautiful when you smile..." Xiao Xuan blurted out.

"Huh! Am I not beautiful when I don't smile?" Ao Yan feigned anger, but her smile grew even more radiant and captivating.

The two were now very close. Xiao Xuan inhaled the faint fragrance and was suddenly overcome with emotion, his face burning and ears burning. He quickly averted his attention and asked again, "Do you know my Second Brother Yuan?"

"No, I don't know him. I only saw him a few years ago when I went to the Free and Unfettered Gathering with my master. On Happy Island, he used his unique skills to defeat several powerful demon masters and seize the sixth altar of the Happy Spring Essence from the Gathering..." E'yan replied.

Xiao Xuan was surprised. "He had such an experience? I've never heard him mention it before?"

"Perhaps he didn't want to show off? At the gathering, he seemed unassuming, but his skills were truly remarkable. The demon masters who challenged him were all completely bewildered by his defeat. Moreover, my master said that he hadn't actually used his full strength, so I remember him quite well," E'yan recalled.

The Joyful Gathering is a grand event held every seven years in the demon realm. Initiated by the demon queen, the most powerful being in the demon realm, she is said to have been angered by the fact that no demons were ever invited to the Queen Mother of the West's Peach Banquet in Heaven. One day, in a fit of rage, she held her own grand celebration on Joyful Island, home to the Joyful Spring, one of the nineteen spiritual veins. She invited countless mountain spirits and sea monsters to drink the Joyful Wine brewed from the spring.

As one of the nineteen spiritual veins, the Joyful Spring possesses extraordinary effects. It is said that those who drink from it can not only prolong their lives but also greatly enhance their spiritual power. The wine brewed from it is said to bring unparalleled joy and dispel all worries.

Therefore, the Joyful Spring is also known as the Spiritual Spring, the Forget-Worries Spring, the Dust-Free Spring, and the Heart-Cleansing Spring. Although currently possessed by the demon realm, it is constantly coveted and threatened by other realms, leading to ongoing conflicts and battles. One particularly fierce battle with the demon realm shook the entire world.

Besides revelry and drinking, each year's Free and Unfettered Gathering naturally includes many other entertainment activities. Since most demons and monsters in the demon realm are brave, fierce, and competitive, martial arts competitions are an indispensable part of every gathering. This highlight determines the top ten winners each year, whose prizes are ten jars of the essence of the Spring of Joy, personally brewed by the Little Demon Queen, and the supreme glory of the demon realm.

Unexpectedly, Yuan Zizai had participated in the Free and Unfettered Gathering and even won a jar of the coveted Marrow of the Joyful Spring. Xiao Xuan rubbed his hands together excitedly, thinking to himself, "I wonder if he's finished that jar of wine yet? I often make pills to accompany his wine, but he keeps the treasure hidden away for himself. Hmph! When we return to Thousand Green Mountain, I'll definitely invite Sister Peach Blossom and Hei Wuba to hold a trial and force him to hand over the wine so we can all drink it!"

Seeing him sometimes gritting his teeth and sometimes smiling broadly, E Yan glared at him and said, "What's wrong? Are you surprised that you have such a remarkable sworn brother?"

"You...you've been to Joyful Island?" Xiao Xuan suddenly remembered that his second senior sister, Li Mengshang, had said that only spirits could be invited to the Free and Unfettered Gathering. Could this beautiful girl in front of him actually be a demon...? E

Yan said, "I went with my master."

"Your master? I wonder who this master is?" Xiao Xuan thought to himself, at least her master was a spirit from the demon realm.

E'yan didn't reveal his name, only saying, "My master is called Lingxiao Shi. As for you righteous immortals, perhaps you have another name for him."

Xiao Xuan was greatly surprised and stammered, "So your master is... is..."

"A great demon, is he?" E'yan raised her eyebrows, her face showing annoyance.

It turned out that Lingxiao Shi was also known as the Demon Saint, a grandmaster of the demon realm, with outstanding talent and knowledge of the arts of the Three Islands and Ten Continents, and the hundred schools of divination. He was most skilled in making and using talismans, and created the Reverse Six Harmonies Talisman Dao. His reputation in using talismans even surpassed that of the Xuan Sect's famous scholar Zhaixingzi. He acted strangely and ruthlessly, not only slaughtering countless demons in the battle between the demon and monster realms for Happy Island, but also killing gods and Buddhas. He was a great demon feared by both gods and demons.

Xiao Xuan quickly suppressed his surprise, coughed twice to buy time, and hurriedly thought of how to speak.

"Why are you coughing like an old man at such a young age!" E'yan glared at him.

Xiao Xuan was even more embarrassed, finally managing to squeeze out a topic: "Your master also went to the Free and Unfettered Tournament, then... with his... his divine powers, he must have won the first pot of the Spring of Joy Essence that year?"

E'yan's expression softened upon hearing his respectful tone: "My master doesn't participate in the competition, and he's participated in the Free and Unfettered Tournament more than once."

"More than once?"

E'yan said, "Although I've only gone with my master once, he has already participated in many Free and Unfettered Tournaments, because he is someone the Little Demon Queen greatly respects, and he is always invited to be a judge at the tournament."

Xiao Xuan was startled, giving a thumbs up and praising, "Amazing! Amazing!" He was even more suspicious: "She's that great demon's disciple, so what is she doing in this Giant Bamboo Valley?"

"That goes without saying." E'yan smiled radiantly.

"I heard that the Little Demon Queen is also... a remarkable person?" Xiao Xuan suddenly blurted out a question out of the blue.

Legend has it that the Little Demon Queen is exceptionally talented and beautiful, not only one of the few Holy Venerables in the Demon Realm, but also the most beautiful woman in the Demon Realm.

Xiao Xuan recalled drinking on Thousand Green Mountain one day, when General Flying Sky, Commander of the Sea Disturbance, and Black Tyrant spoke of the Little Demon Queen to him. Besides their awe, they all drooled.

"Of course she's amazing! She's the most beautiful and captivating woman in the world!" E'yan gazed into the distance, her expression a mixture of envy, admiration, and sigh.

"Even you say so, it seems those legends are true..." Xiao Xuan said absentmindedly, imagining the Little Demon Queen's face and demeanor, his heart pounding with longing. He secretly regretted, "It's a pity that only mountain spirits and sea monsters can participate in the Free and Unfettered Gathering. Otherwise, I would definitely find a way to participate once and see the Little Demon Queen's unparalleled beauty with my own eyes."

Episode 4 Giant Bamboo Valley, Chapter 4 Birds of a Feather
"Let's go, if we stay here too long, another patrol will come soon," E'yan said.

The two leaped off the giant bamboo and continued their journey, carefully avoiding several patrols of spearmen along the way.

Seeing that they were getting further and further away from Tai Bi, Xiao Xuan became even more worried about Shui Ruo, who was still in the giant nest, and couldn't help but ask, "Didn't you say it wasn't far? Why aren't we there yet?"

"Almost there, just ahead," E Yan replied, her feet never stopping, still moving with incredible speed.

Suddenly, Xiao Xuan noticed that the bamboo around them was quite different from the others; each section of the branches was curved, like many bottles stacked together. He exclaimed in delight, "Could these be the Treasure Bottle Bamboo?"

"Yes, you haven't seen it before?" E'yan replied.

Xiao Xuan ran and looked around, seeing the treasure bottle bamboo forest stretching into the distance, and exclaimed, "Wow, there's so much! But some people talk about how rare it is."

"Of course it's rare. Although there's a lot here, it's a unique place in the world." E'yan suddenly stopped.

Xiao Xuan quickly stopped as well and asked in a low voice, "Is there another patrol team?"

E'yan raised her hand to indicate silence and stared intently ahead.

Xiao Xuan followed her gaze but didn't see anything unusual. Just as he was wondering, he suddenly saw the crown of a treasure bottle bamboo tree not far away slowly tilt and then fall into the bamboo forest. He asked in surprise, "Why did that bamboo fall down?"

"Someone is harvesting bamboo!" E'yan said in surprise, "But this area hasn't been designated as a logging area yet. They shouldn't be harvesting bamboo here..."

"What logging area? Are there so many rules for cutting a few bamboo stalks?" Xiao Xuan was even more puzzled.

"You don't understand. Don't be fooled by the fact that this treasure bamboo grows everywhere in the valley; every single one has to be registered in a ledger." E'yan pondered for a moment, then beckoned, "Let's go take a look."

The two crept over quietly, the sound of sawing wood gradually reaching their ears. When they got closer, they heard voices, so they hid behind a bamboo stalk and peeked out.

"Hmph, so they're bamboo thieves." E'yan said softly.

"How did you know?" Xiao Xuan peeked over and saw several monsters, each more than two people tall, shaped like mantises, entirely green, and seemingly made of bamboo. Each of their arms had a sharp saw several feet long, which was diligently sawing several treasure bamboo stalks.

"Just a few mantis craftsmen, hiding in this remote place to collect bamboo, it would be strange if they weren't thieves." E'yan said.

"Are these monsters called mantis craftsmen?" Xiao Xuan was very interested, seeing the monsters working in pairs, sawing back and forth with lightning speed.

"Yes, they are mechanical craftsmen specially used for logging. They can not only chop and saw, but also move things. Each one is incredibly strong. Of course, they are also formidable warriors when used in battle in times of crisis."

Xiao Xuan listened with great interest and casually asked, "How do you know so much about the Giant Bamboo Valley?"

The mantis craftsmen seemed tireless, and the long saws attached to their arms were exceptionally sharp. However, even so, a Treasure Bottle Bamboo that had been sawed down to only a tiny bit of connection continued to be cut, showing an astonishing hardness and vitality.

Xiao Xuan didn't hear a reply, turned to look, and saw the girl's cherry lips tightly pressed together, her pretty face frozen in shock. He was startled and hurriedly asked, "What's wrong?"

E'yan only replied, "Nothing."

Suddenly, someone shouted, "This won't do! We've been working on this for most of the day, but we haven't even collected ten roots. At this rate, we probably won't finish in three days!"

Xiao Xuan's heart skipped a beat, realizing the voice was very familiar. He saw two people approaching side by side, one of whom was He Tianpeng. He then realized, "So it's that guy's voice!"

The other person with him was also a young man, wearing a silk crown and a silk scarf, dressed very elegantly. He said, "Brother He, don't worry, there's no other way. The situation seems quite tense these past few months. Our valley has to hand over a large amount of materials and various finished products. People from the realm are frequently coming to check, and the old man is also very strict." "They treat their own people like thieves."

He Tianpeng frowned and said, "This bamboo is really too hard, and it's not easy to harvest. Can't you get a few more mantis craftsmen to help?"

The man shook his head and said, "There's really no way. Before the old man left, he gave an order that no one is allowed to use the mantis craftsmen in the valley without his permission. I managed to get these few secretly with great difficulty. If they find out later, I'll be in big trouble."

Xiao Xuan saw that his face was pale and his voice was weak and soft, and couldn't help but frown: "Why is this guy so sickly? Who is he?"

He Tianpeng stared at the man and said, "I'm not trying to make things difficult for you, but I've already made a promise in front of everyone. If I don't get the bamboo back this time, I'll have to change my surname. Think of another way."

The man just shook his head, looking very troubled.

"That's right, didn't the old man already leave the valley? What are you worried about?" He Tianpeng said.

The man sighed, "There's a steward named Mao in the valley. That guy is even more annoying than the old man; he completely ignores me."

He Tianpeng's voice suddenly rose, his face contorted with anger, "I don't believe that you, as the young master of this valley, can be controlled by a mere servant like him!"

Xiao Xuan was slightly surprised, thinking to himself, "So this man is the young master of Giant Bamboo Valley! How can he be so pathetic? Letting this He fellow boss him around."

The young master of Giant Bamboo Valley said with a bitter face, "As you know, that Mao fellow is not..." "Ordinary servants? He's someone the old man brought from the border; his methods are incredibly ruthless."

He Tianpeng stared at him, then suddenly lowered his voice and said coldly, "Liu Changqing, don't try to play these tricks on me. That night you were drinking in my fortress and secretly slept with my Xiao Qiang'er. Do you think I didn't know?"

Liu Changqing's expression changed, and he hurriedly forced a smile, "I deserve to die! I deserve to die! It's all because I drank too much that night. Otherwise, even if I had a hundred lives, I wouldn't dare to touch you, brother." "A single finger of my beloved concubine!"

Xiao Xuan was taken aback, then flew into a rage: "So that fellow surnamed He already has wives and concubines, yet he still dares to set his sights on Shui'er."

He Tianpeng said coldly: "You don't dare? I see you're quite bold. What did you say to her that night? You said what you would do if she followed you?"

Liu Changqing took a step back, his face turning pale, and said: "Brother, spare me! Those were all drunken ramblings, they can't be taken seriously..."

He Tianpeng's expression softened again, and he pondered: "Well..." "...Actually, I understand, brother, you've had too much to drink..."

Liu Changqing hurriedly said, "Brother, you're so generous, I'll think of a way right away!"

He Tianpeng leaned closer and coaxed, using both soft and hard tactics: "That's right, um... when you leave the valley next time, I'll find you a few more beautiful women. If it's inconvenient for you to bring them back to the valley, then I'll help you build a beautiful garden outside, a golden house to hide your beauties, how about that?"

Liu Changqing said, "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare..." His expression was uncertain, he seemed hesitant.

He Tianpeng observed his expression and said again, "If you really like them, how about I also give you my little Qiang'er, brother?"

Xiao Xuan was shocked, and cursed inwardly, "This guy actually wants to give away his concubine? He just gives away his own woman like that, what a beast!"

Liu Changqing was overjoyed, and said in a trembling voice, "This... this..." His eyes darted around, trying to discern whether what he said was true or false. He Tianpeng said gently

, "Women, no matter how beautiful, are just clothes. How can they compare to the brotherly affection between us! I only hope that you will take care of me in the future and sell more of the good things from the valley to my Demon-Slaying Fortress." "Of course, of course!" Liu Changqing smiled broadly and patted his chest, saying, "I will remember your great kindness, brother!" He Tianpeng said in a low voice, "Speaking of which, my little Qiang'er is really quite alluring. That waist, that charm... haha, which man could resist her!" "Yes, that night... tsk tsk tsk..." Liu Changqing replied, completely infatuated. The two looked at each other knowingly and burst into laughter, their laughter extremely lewd. Xiao Xuan felt his face burning and his ears burning as they listened to their increasingly indecent talk. Suddenly, he heard a soft "Hey," and only then did he remember that there was a girl next to him. Eyan whispered, "Is that guy your friend who came with you?" Xiao Xuan turned his head and saw her staring at him with a look of "birds of a feather flock together" on her face . He quickly distanced himself to prove his innocence: "No, no! Not a friend. I don't know him at all." Eyan smiled at him, her gaze slowly moving from his face to his already red ears. Xiao Xuan said anxiously, "That guy boasted that he could get his hands on the Treasure Bottle Bamboo, so we came along to check it out." "You guys? Who else is there?" Eyan asked.

"And water... my third senior sister," Xiao Xuan answered.

"Oh, then why haven't I seen her?" the girl immediately asked.

"She's still here..." Xiao Xuan stammered, his face burning even hotter.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" E Yan smiled, her bright eyes full of curiosity.

Just then, Liu Changqing said, "I'm going all out today! Here's what I'll do: I'll go back to Giant Bamboo Fortress now and see if I can get a few more mantis craftsmen to try and harvest enough bamboo before nightfall." He Tianpeng

was overjoyed and about to speak when a thunderous shout suddenly rang out: "Who's stealing bamboo? Are you tired of living?!"

A gust of wind suddenly rose, and a monster darted out from the dense bamboo forest like lightning. It was shaped like a spider, as big as a cart, with tiger stripes all over its body and long hook-like feet. A person sat on it, with a broad face, white beard, and sharp eyes like lightning. He wore bamboo armor, carried a long spear on his back, and had a shimmering, emerald-green bell hanging from his waist.

Liu Changqing and He Tianpeng's expressions changed simultaneously. Then, a patrol of gunmen rushed out of the forest and surrounded the two of them and the four mantis craftsmen in the blink of an eye.

"Manager Mao, it's me!" Liu Changqing hurriedly called out.

"So it's the young master." Steward Mao quickly scanned the surroundings but didn't dismount. He simply said in a low voice, "May I ask what brings you here, young master?"

Knowing he couldn't hide it any longer, Liu Changqing coughed twice and said, "Young Master He of Dangmo Fortress came to our valley to ask for some bamboo to repel the evil army. Since the quantity is small and the matter is urgent, I took the liberty of bringing him here to gather bamboo first. I was just about to send someone to inform you, Steward Mao, when the old steward arrived."

Steward Mao said expressionlessly, "Before the Valley Master left, he ordered that no one was allowed to gather bamboo without permission. Doesn't the young master know this?"

"This..." Liu Changqing said awkwardly, "Because the matter is urgent and my father is not here, I had no choice but to gather some first. I will explain to my father in person later."

"No." Steward Mao agreed decisively.

Liu Changqing's face paled slightly. He said, "This matter is indeed urgent. I beg you, Steward, to be lenient. As for my father, I will naturally take responsibility then."

"Please forgive this old servant for being unable to agree. Since the Valley Master has entrusted all matters of the Valley to this old servant, this old servant would rather die than disobey the Valley Master's orders." Although Steward Mao addressed Liu Changqing as "old servant," his words left no room for negotiation.

He Tianpeng saw that the situation was not good, and a fierce glint flashed in his eyes. However, upon seeing the terrifying mount that Steward Mao was riding, he quickly suppressed his thoughts of resistance.

Xiao Xuan's gaze had already been drawn to the huge spider-like monster. He asked in a low voice, "Is Steward Mao's mount the Tiger Spider Chariot?"

"Yes, but not the type that was previously supplied to Marquis Fengtian." E Yan replied softly.

Xiao Xuan asked curiously, "Are there many kinds of Tiger Spider Chariots? What about the one supplied to the Marquis of Fengtian?"

"There are four kinds in total. The one supplied to the Marquis of Fengtian was specially made to meet the needs of the battlefield. It is much larger than this one, and can carry four to six people. It can also carry more weapons."

Xiao Xuan clicked his tongue, admiring the mechanical craftsmanship of Giant Bamboo Valley.

"Men! Count the bamboo that has been harvested and put it in the register, then seal it all in place." Steward Mao shouted. He glanced at Liu and He with a sharp look and said coldly, "We will decide what to do today when the Valley Master returns. But if anyone violates this rule again, don't blame me for being merciless!"

The soldiers rushed forward and, in a flurry of activity, sealed the harvested treasure bamboo with chains and seals.

"This old servant takes his leave." Steward Mao bowed slightly to Liu Changqing, turned around, and steered his Tiger Spider Chariot

. Suddenly, he took out a jade-green bell from his waist, shook it a few times as if performing a magic spell, and four mantis craftsmen gathered together, swaying and following him in a line. "How could this be! What kind of treasure is that bell?" Xiao Xuan was dumbfounded.

"That bell is called the Wood-Binding Token. It is said to be made from a spiritual branch from Tai Bi Mountain. No matter what restrictions or spells were placed on it before, all the bamboo and wooden mechanisms in this valley are ultimately controlled by it. It is one of the three treasures that guard Giant Bamboo Valley," E Yan replied.

In a short while, Steward Mao and his party had all left.

He Tianpeng was clearly furious, and suddenly burst into a tirade: "What kind of old man is this! Does he even respect you, his young master?"

Liu Changqing gritted his teeth and said, "One day, I will make sure this old servant is reduced to ashes!"

He Tianpeng's face turned ashen: "What are we going to do now?"

Liu Changqing spread his hands and sighed: "There's really no way. If he complains to the old man, I'll be in for a world of trouble."

He Tianpeng stared at him coldly, his expression shifting between anger and uncertainty.

Liu Changqing smiled bitterly: "You saw it all, it's not that I'm unwilling to try... Sigh, how about this, Brother He, please go back first, and after things calm down a bit, I'll find a chance to help you get the bamboo."

He Tianpeng knew there was no way out, and turned and left.

Liu Changqing watched him leave, his smile freezing on his face.

He suddenly said coldly, "How dare you yell at this young master! Don't you know death? Once I become the Valley Master, it will be the end of your Demon-Slaying Fortress!" He spoke fiercely for a moment before turning away in another direction.

Xiao Xuan let out a long sigh, as if trying to sweep something away, and said angrily, "Brothers like this are more like birds of a feather!"

E'yan said charmingly, "Can't stand it? But there are plenty of people like that."

Xiao Xuan suddenly remembered that He Tianpeng was probably going to Tai Bi to find Shui Ruo, and his expression changed.

"What's wrong?" E'yan asked.

"I have to go back," Xiao Xuan said. After hearing their previous conversation, he couldn't bear to leave Shui Ruo alone with He Tianpeng.

Eyan opened her eyes wide and glared at him, scolding, "You saw something you wanted to see, and now you're leaving!"

"That guy surnamed He must be going to find my third senior sister right now, it's very dangerous!" Xiao Xuan said with a pale face.

"There are other kinds of tiger spider chariots and many traps ahead, don't you want to go see them?" Eyan asked anxiously.

Xiao Xuan was itching to see them, but he rubbed his hands and said, "I'll have to wait until next time..."

"Next time? When will we meet again?" Eyan said

, biting her lip. Xiao Xuan was stunned. Seeing the reluctance in the girl's eyes, a strange feeling suddenly welled up in his heart.

"Is your third senior sister a child? Why are you so worried about her?" Eyan stared at him.

"Although my third senior sister is very skilled, that guy surnamed He is really insidious. No, no, I have to go back quickly!" The more Xiao Xuan thought about it, the more uneasy he felt, and he turned to leave.

"Wait." Eyan grabbed his sleeve.

"What?" Xiao Xuan turned around.

The girl was speechless, but her hands still clung tightly to him.

"What's wrong?" Xiao Xuan asked anxiously.

E'yan's dark eyes darted around, and she suddenly said, "Do you want the Treasure Vase Bamboo?"

"Huh?" Xiao Xuan was taken aback.

E'yan said, "Didn't you come here to find the Treasure Vase Bamboo? That guy surnamed He couldn't get it, are you willing to go back empty-handed?"

Xiao Xuan said, "If even that guy surnamed He can't get it, what can I do?"

"You...you come with me to a place, and I'll think of a way for you," E'yan said.

"You have a way?" Xiao Xuan asked in surprise.

"Yes," E'yan replied, looking confident.

"What's your way?"

"We'll find out then, I'm not lying."

"Where are you going? Why do you insist that I come with you?" Xiao Xuan became wary.

"I'm afraid of getting bored. It's better to have someone to talk to on the road." Two faint blushes suddenly appeared on the girl's snowy cheeks.

"Just for that?" Xiao Xuan was not convinced.

E'yan's face seemed to turn even redder, and she blinked and said, "Well, let me tell you the truth. It's too dangerous there, and I'm too scared to go alone."

"Hmph, finally confessed!" Xiao Xuan thought to himself, staring at her and saying, "You said you would take me to see the Tiger Spider Chariot, but you were actually trying to coax me into becoming your helper, weren't you?"

"No...no..." E'yan pleaded, then suddenly softened into a coquettish and pitiful expression, "I really have no choice...so are you willing to help me or not?"

Xiao Xuan couldn't stand seeing girls like this, and said, "Where are we going? If it's dangerous, why do you still insist on going?"

"I need to retrieve something, something from my family." E'yan gazed into the distance.

Seeing that she seemed unwilling to speak openly, Xiao Xuan stopped asking and simply asked, "Where are you going?"

E'yan exclaimed in surprise, "You promised to accompany me... to help me?"

"If you want me to help you next time, don't try to sweet-talk me again." Xiao Xuan had already decided to help her; as for whether this girl could really help him get the Treasure Bottle Bamboo, he figured it was mostly just a lie.

"Yes, yes, you'll still help me in the future, right?" The girl smiled brightly.

"However, I have to go pick up my third senior sister first." Xiao Xuan answered irrelevantly, his mind still preoccupied with Shui Ruo.

"Huh?" E'yan was taken aback.

"That guy is so despicable and shameless; I can't let my third senior sister be alone with him. "

E'yan remained silent, her smile completely gone.

Xiao Xuan continued, "Besides, my third senior sister is very skilled; she can help you too."

"Alright." E'yan said helplessly.

"Let's go!" Xiao Xuan, remembering that Shui Ruo was still sleeping naked in Tai Bi's giant nest, grew even more anxious and turned to run.

E Yan followed silently behind, looking absent-minded.

Xiao Xuan ran quickly, constantly looking around.

After a short while, the girl behind him suddenly shouted, "Hey, where are you going? Why did you turn back here again!"

"Have I been here before?" Xiao Xuan stopped abruptly, only then realizing he was disoriented.

"Are you confused?" E Yan smiled.

Xiao Xuan blushed and said, "Do you know where Tai Bi is?"

"Yes," E Yan replied.

"Take me there quickly!" Xiao Xuan said urgently.

"Oh." E Yan pouted, seemingly very dissatisfied with his attitude, slowly turned around, and reluctantly ran in one direction.

"Can you hurry up?" Xiao Xuan couldn't help but urge her.

"Don't you watch where you're going? What if you fall?" the girl retorted, slowing her pace even further.

"How could you run so fast just now?" Xiao Xuan was burning with anxiety.

E'yan remained silent,

then suddenly sped up in a fit of pique. Xiao Xuan hurriedly chased after her, but in the blink of an eye, she was far behind. A chill ran down his spine, and he immediately channeled his inner energy, barely managing to catch up. Just as he was wondering what was happening, he suddenly saw the girl in front of him lurch forward with a cry of "Ouch!"

Xiao Xuan rushed over and quickly helped her up. "Are you hurt?"

E'yan sat up with a pained expression, clutching her foot and groaning softly.

"Where are you hurt?"

"I twisted my ankle!" the girl cried.

"Is it bad?"

"It hurts so much."

"This way, right? Let me take a look." Xiao Xuan, who cultivated in the mountains, had some knowledge of the sect's medical skills in addition to Taoist magic and martial arts. He lifted the hem of her skirt to check her socks, but as soon as his fingers touched them, the girl cried out "Ouch!" He was startled and prayed in his heart, "Please don't let it break now!"

Seeing his clumsy hands, E'yan hurriedly called out, "What are you doing?"

"Taking off my socks, how can I check otherwise?" Xiao Xuan gently removed her boots, held her feet without saying a word, and then slowly rolled off her socks.

E'yan stared at him, her eyes fixed on the man's focused expression, and suddenly her face flushed and her heart skipped a beat.

The snow stockings were finally removed, revealing a beautiful, delicate foot, clear and translucent like ice. Xiao Xuan held it in his hands, feeling its warm, soft texture, which made his palms tingle slightly. His heart pounded wildly. After a while, he remembered what he was supposed to do and quickly touched the instep with his finger, holding his breath as he asked, "Where does it hurt?"

"Right here," E'yan replied immediately, her voice trembling slightly.

Xiao Xuan's fingertip touched the instep, where the skin was thin as a membrane with faint veins visible. Apart from its exquisite beauty and irresistible allure, there was no redness or swelling. He was stunned.

"What...what are you looking at!" Seeing him standing there like a dumbfounded goose, the girl couldn't help but blush and scold him.

"It doesn't seem like anything?" Xiao Xuan mumbled.

"How can it not hurt! It hurts so much! Do you even know how to treat someone?" E'yan scolded him sharply.

Xiao Xuan's forehead was sweating, thinking, "If only Second Senior Sister were here, she could just casually cast the lowest level of healing spell and any fracture or crack would heal instantly."

E Yan's foot, held by him for so long, felt incredibly warm and comfortable, but then a tingling sensation suddenly struck, making her panic. She quickly pulled her foot back and covered it with her skirt.

"What's wrong?" Xiao Xuan asked, completely bewildered.

"I don't need you to heal me! You don't seem like a professional," E Yan said.

Xiao Xuan blushed and said, "I can't tell anything right now, but I have some healing medicine from my sect on me. It's extremely effective for fractures and cracks. I'll apply it to you first, and then I'll treat you properly later."

"No way! Who would dare to treat you haphazardly!" E Yan tightly covered the hem of her skirt, fumbling inside to put her boots and socks back on.

Xiao Xuan, worried about Shui Ruo, cried out anxiously, "What should we do? How could you be so careless, of all times..."

"You! How heartless of you! I was just trying to lead the way for you, that's why I wasn't watching my step, and now you're blaming me!" the girl said coquettishly, her eyes reddening and on the verge of tears.

"No... I'm not blaming you, not at all, really not at all, it's all my fault!" Xiao Xuan was at a loss, quickly apologizing and comforting her.

E Yan looked at him with tears in her eyes, biting her cherry lips, a hint of a smile on her lips.

Xiao Xuan's mind raced, and he said, "How about... you rest here for a while, and I'll go get my third senior sister."

"No, no! If you leave me here, and I can't walk, what if some monster or wild beast comes?" E Yan immediately objected.

This wasn't an exaggeration; Xiao Xuan had only been in the valley for half a day, but he already knew the dangers all too well.

"Besides, what if you get lost again if you don't take me with you?" the girl added.

Xiao Xuan was so anxious he was scratching his head and cheeks.

E'yan's eyes darted around, and she suddenly said, "Hey, I've thought of a way, do you want to hear it?"

(Episode 4, Giant Bamboo Valley, Chapter 5, Ten Thousand Spider Ridge)
"What way? Tell me quickly!" Xiao Xuan cried, as if grasping at a straw.

"It's... you carry me on your back," the girl said, looking at him.

"Carry you on my back?"

"Since I can't be cured in a short time, what will you do if you don't carry me?" E'yan said, a faint blush returning to her face, which had already regained its normal color.

"That's right, how come I didn't think of such a simple way!" Xiao Xuan slapped his thigh, immediately helped the girl up and carried her on his back, anxiously saying, "Quick, look, which way to Tai Bi?"

"If I'm not mistaken, it should be this way." E Yan pointed in a direction.

Xiao Xuan took off running, as fast as an arrow.

"Be careful, if you fall and can't move, then there's really nothing we can do." E Yan said cheerfully on his back.

Xiao Xuan didn't say anything, only focused on running, feeling the girl's body soft and yielding as she leaned against him, making his back numb and his heart flutter.

"Hey, it's only been a short while, your third senior sister won't be killed right away, will she?" E Yan said irritably.

Xiao Xuan said, "You don't know, my third senior sister seems shrewd, but she's actually very easy to coax."

"Easy to coax? Do you often coax her?" E Yan said with a grin.

Xiao Xuan's ears turned red.

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

Xiao Xuan suddenly felt a gentle breeze; it was the girl blowing on his ear from behind.

"Your ears are so red, aren't they hot?" E'yan giggled, unusually audacious.

"Stop fooling around, hurry up and find your way," Xiao Xuan snapped, feeling his ear getting hotter with each breath, making him uneasy.

"You're in such a hurry for your third senior sister, you must really like her, right?" E'yan suddenly asked.

Xiao Xuan hummed and hawed, his face burning.

"You must be," the girl laughed, suddenly biting his ear hard.

Xiao Xuan winced in pain and yelled, "What are you doing!"

But E'yan stopped talking and teasing, simply lowering her face and quietly resting her head on his shoulder.

Xiao Xuan was bewildered but had no time to think about it. He continued his rapid pace and soon spotted Tai Bi. He ran to the water's edge, put the girl down, and said, "Wait here, I'm going up to find my third senior sister."

E Yan exclaimed in shock, "What! Your senior sister is up on Tai Bi?"

Xiao Xuan nodded and was about to leap out.

"Wait!" E Yan cried out, "You can't go! There's a thousand-year-old spirit phoenix on top!"

"It's alright," Xiao Xuan replied with a smile, leaping onto the water and heading towards Tai Bi in the center of the bay.

"Are you crazy? Come back!" E Yan shouted.

"Don't run around, wait for me!" Xiao Xuan's voice came from afar as he swam up the massive, tower-like trunk of Tai Bi.

"Idiot!" E'yan's beautiful face turned deathly pale as she stared dumbfounded at the man disappearing into the dense foliage of Tai Bi. Suddenly, she stamped her foot, swiftly pulling two purple talismans, each shimmering with tiny specks of light, from her left sleeve. She held them between her right index, middle, and index fingers, then leaped, skimming the water's surface towards Tai Bi.

Xiao Xuan quickly reached the giant nest, lightly touching the leaves with his feet, and darted into the nest like a hawk. Landing, he was utterly terrified. Not only was Shui Ruo nowhere to be seen, but the two giant azure eggs were also gone.

"Shui'er, where are you?" Xiao Xuan shouted, his mind racing with possibilities: Had Shui Ruo left on her own? Or had she encountered the suddenly returning Gong Luan? Or had He Tianpeng come up and, seeing her naked body, had taken advantage of her?

The more he thought about it, the more alarmed he became, cold sweat pouring down his back. Suddenly, he heard a noise behind him and exclaimed in surprise, "Shui'er, are you kidding me?" He turned around quickly, only to find E'yan standing there, and he was stunned.

"What's wrong?" E'yan looked around warily, her right hand tightly gripping two talismans.

"My senior sister is missing!" Xiao Xuan cried, his face contorted with grief.

"Don't panic, there's no sign of disorder here, nothing seems to have happened," E'yan said. At this moment, she was calm and composed, showing none of her previous fragility.

Xiao Xuan calmed down a little, then suddenly remembered something and looked at her, saying, "How did you get up here? Your foot isn't..."

"Ouch..." E'yan quickly bent over, clutching her foot, groaning in pain, "I...I...I was afraid something might have happened to you, so I rushed up here."

Xiao Xuan quickly stepped forward to support her, feeling a surge of gratitude.

E'yan's gaze lingered on the strange mirror emitting a rainbow, and she asked in surprise, "What is that?"

"I don't know, my senior sister guessed it's an ancient artifact called Seven Flames... what's that mirror again?" Xiao Xuan replied.

"Seven Flames Mystic Rainbow Mirror!" E'yan blurted out, her starry eyes shining.

Xiao Xuan said, "Yes, yes, that's the name, have you heard of it too?"

"I've heard of it, but I don't know much about it... How did you dare to come up here? Didn't you encounter any danger?" E'yan asked, clearly wondering how they managed to avoid the thousand-year-old spirit phoenix.

"This..." Xiao Xuan blushed and mumbled, "We found this Tai Bi tree truly magical, so we came up to take a look, but we didn't encounter anything."

E'yan straightened up, seemingly about to walk towards the mirror.

"Don't go over there, that mirror is too hot to touch." Xiao Xuan hurriedly said.

"Oh... could it be that it has some kind of protective barrier or restriction?" E'yan pondered for a moment.

Xiao Xuan was worried about Shui Ruo and was eager to search for her. He said to the girl, "Go look elsewhere, I'll carry you down."

"Okay," E Yan replied, but her eyes were fixed on the strange mirror, as if she was very reluctant to leave.

Xiao Xuan carried her on his back, climbed out of the nest, and leaped among the branches and leaves, landing one after another. In no time, he was on the water's surface, then skimmed across the water and returned to the shore.

He ran along the shore around Tai Bi, looking around all the way, but he couldn't find the jade beauty anywhere. He asked anxiously, "Where did she go?"

E Yan said irritably, "What's the use of running around like a headless fly? Use your brain."

Xiao Xuan thought she made sense, so he racked his brains. Various ideas flashed through his mind, but none of them were useful. He became even more anxious and impatient.

Looking at him from the side, E'yan saw his brows furrowed and sweat pouring down his face. She felt a mix of amusement and exasperation, and suddenly said, "Hey, why don't you just beg me? I'll help you find your sweetheart."

"You have a way?" Xiao Xuan asked excitedly.

"You admit it? She's your sweetheart..." the girl said with a grin.

"Tell me quickly!" Xiao Xuan cried.

"I won't help you unless you beg me," E'yan said gently from his back.

"Good girl, good sister, please, please help me! I will remember your great kindness forever!" Xiao Xuan blurted out smoothly.

"No, that's so heartless and insincere," E'yan replied.

Xiao Xuan said urgently, "Stop it! Have you forgotten how I helped you just now?"

"Hey! Now you're settling accounts? So you helped me with ulterior motives!" E'yan seemed annoyed.

This was truly incomprehensible. Xiao Xuan, his heart pounding, could only soften his voice: "Grandma, what exactly do you want?"

"Well then," the beautiful girl said, her eyes fixed on him, "you'll owe me a favor. As for the future…" She said, each word distinct, "I want you to repay me when and how, and you can't make excuses or deny it then."

Wasn't this just taking advantage of him? Xiao Xuan had no choice: "Alright, tell me quickly."

"Did you remember?" the girl asked again, seemingly unconvinced.

"I remember," Xiao Xuan nodded, but in his heart he thought, "Once we leave this Giant Bamboo Valley, where will you find me?"

E'yan smiled broadly, took out a talisman from her sleeve, and chanted an incantation. Suddenly, a flash of white light shot upwards like an arrow, followed by a loud "boom," exploding into a large burst of extremely bright light in the air. The light spread out in layers, forming a giant umbrella shape, with white light falling like snowflakes at the edges, making the surroundings shine like silver, an incredibly magnificent and dazzling sight.

"What kind of talisman is this?" Xiao Xuan's mouth dropped open; he had never seen such a talisman before.

"This talisman is called 'Snow Fireworks,' isn't it beautiful? I made it," E'yan said proudly.

Xiao Xuan stared blankly at the sky and asked again, "It's beautiful, but can it help us find people?"

E'yan chuckled, "Silly girl! How could it know how to find people? It's used for lighting at night or in dark places. Of course, it can also be used to play around and pass the time when you're bored." "

Lighting? What does that have to do with finding my senior sister..." Xiao Xuan was halfway through her sentence when she suddenly realized that if Shui Ruo were nearby, the strange phenomenon in front of her would undoubtedly attract her.

The bright light was almost tangible, and even as she spoke, it remained suspended high in the sky, only its brightness had diminished slightly.

Xiao Xuan was almost obsessed with the various materials and couldn't help but ask, "How can such a small talisman emit such a bright light and last for so long? I wonder what materials it's made of?"

"There are many ingredients, including Earth Breath Grass, Vermilion Wood Fruit, Cunning Jujube, Fireweed..." E'yan counted on her fingers, "Ah, I won't go on, there are more than forty kinds of materials in total, among which the indispensable and rarest one is Snow Dragon Bone."

"Ah, Snow Dragon Bone? Do you have a Snow Dragon? Where did you get it?" Xiao Xuan asked in a row.

Legend has it that Snow Dragons are born in extremely cold places and only exist in the Outer Sea. Their whole body is a rare treasure, but they are fierce and cunning, and extremely difficult to catch.

"I caught it after guarding a large glacier in the northernmost part of Xuanzhou for three days and three nights." E'yan's pride grew.

"Xuanzhou? You've actually been to such a remote place?" Xiao Xuan found it hard to believe.

Episode 4 Giant Bamboo Valley, Chapter 5 Ten Thousand Spider Ridge.
"What's the solution? Tell me quickly!" Xiao Xuan cried out as if grasping at a straw.

"It's... you carry me on your back," the girl said, looking at him.

"Carry you on my back?"

"Since I can't be healed in a short time, what will you do if you don't carry me?" E'yan said, a faint blush returning to her face, which had already returned to normal.

"That's right, how could I not have thought of such a simple solution!" Xiao Xuan slapped his thigh, immediately helping the girl up and hoisting her onto his back, anxiously asking, "Quickly, look, which way do we go to Tai Bi?"

"If I'm not mistaken, it should be this way," E'yan pointed in a direction.

Xiao Xuan took off running, as fast as an arrow.

"Be careful, if you also fall and can't move, then there's really nothing we can do," E'yan said cheerfully on his back.

Xiao Xuan didn't speak, only focusing on running, feeling the girl's body soft and yielding as she leaned against him, making his back numb and his heart flutter with panic.

"Hey, it's only been a short while, your third senior sister won't be killed so quickly, will she?" E'yan said irritably.

Xiao Xuan said, "You don't know, my third senior sister seems shrewd, but she's actually very easy to coax."

"Easy to coax? You often coax her, don't you?" E'yan said with a grin.

Xiao Xuan's ears turned red.

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

Xiao Xuan suddenly felt a gentle breeze, it turned out that the girl was blowing on his ear from behind.

"Your ears are so red, aren't they hot?" E'yan giggled, unusually audacious.

"Stop fooling around, hurry up and find your way." Xiao Xuan said lightly, feeling his ears getting hotter and hotter with each breath, feeling uneasy.

"You're in such a hurry for your third senior sister, you must really like her, right?" E'yan suddenly asked.

Xiao Xuan hummed and hawed, now his face was burning.

"You must be." The girl laughed, and suddenly bit his ear hard.

Xiao Xuan winced in pain and angrily shouted, "What are you doing!"

But E'yan stopped talking and playing around, simply lowering her face and silently resting her head on his shoulder.

Xiao Xuan was bewildered but had no time to think it through, continuing his rapid pace. After a short while, he finally spotted Tai Bi. He ran to the water's edge, put the girl down, and said, "You wait here, I'm going up to find my third senior sister."

E'yan exclaimed in shock, "What! Your senior sister is up on Tai Bi?"

Xiao Xuan nodded and was about to leap out.

"Wait!" E'yan cried out, "You can't go! There's a thousand-year-old spirit phoenix on its head up there!"

"It's alright," Xiao Xuan replied with a smile, leaping onto the water and heading towards Tai Bi in the center of the bay.

"Are you crazy? Come back!" E'yan shouted.

"Don't run around, wait for me!" Xiao Xuan's voice came from afar, as he swam up the massive, tower-like trunk of Tai Bi.

"Idiot!" E'yan's beautiful face turned deathly pale as she stared dumbfounded at the man disappearing into the dense foliage of Tai Bi. Suddenly, she stamped her foot, swiftly pulling two purple talismans, each shimmering with tiny specks of light, from her left sleeve. She held them between her right index, middle, and index fingers, then leaped, skimming the water's surface towards Tai Bi.

Xiao Xuan quickly reached the giant nest, lightly touching the leaves with his feet, and darted into the nest like a hawk. Landing, he was utterly terrified. Not only was Shui Ruo nowhere to be seen, but the two giant azure eggs were also gone.

"Shui'er, where are you?" Xiao Xuan shouted, his mind racing with possibilities: Had Shui Ruo left on her own? Or had she encountered the suddenly returning Gong Luan? Or had He Tianpeng come up and, seeing her naked body, had taken advantage of her?

The more he thought about it, the more alarmed he became, cold sweat pouring down his back. Suddenly, he heard a noise behind him and exclaimed in surprise, "Shui'er, are you kidding me?" He turned around quickly, only to find E'yan standing there, and he was stunned.

"What's wrong?" E'yan looked around warily, her right hand tightly gripping two talismans.

"My senior sister is missing!" Xiao Xuan cried, his face contorted with grief.

"Don't panic, there's no sign of disorder here, nothing seems to have happened," E'yan said. At this moment, she was calm and composed, showing none of her previous fragility.

Xiao Xuan calmed down a little, then suddenly remembered something and looked at her, saying, "How did you get up here? Your foot isn't..."

"Ouch..." E'yan quickly bent over, clutching her foot, groaning in pain, "I...I...I was afraid something might have happened to you, so I rushed up here."

Xiao Xuan quickly stepped forward to support her, feeling a surge of gratitude.

E'yan's gaze lingered on the strange mirror emitting a rainbow, and she asked in surprise, "What is that?"

"I don't know, my senior sister guessed it's an ancient artifact called Seven Flames... what's that mirror again?" Xiao Xuan replied.

"Seven Flames Mystic Rainbow Mirror!" E'yan blurted out, her starry eyes shining.

Xiao Xuan said, "Yes, yes, that's the name, have you heard of it too?"

"I've heard of it, but I don't know much about it... How did you dare to come up here? Didn't you encounter any danger?" E'yan asked, clearly wondering how they managed to avoid the thousand-year-old spirit phoenix.

"This..." Xiao Xuan blushed and mumbled, "We found this Tai Bi tree truly magical, so we came up to take a look, but we didn't encounter anything."

E'yan straightened up, seemingly about to walk towards the mirror.

"Don't go over there, that mirror is too hot to touch." Xiao Xuan hurriedly said.

"Oh... could it be that it has some kind of protective barrier or restriction?" E'yan pondered for a moment.

Xiao Xuan was worried about Shui Ruo and was eager to search for her. He said to the girl, "Go look somewhere else. I'll carry you down."

"Mmm," E'yan replied, her eyes fixed on the strange mirror, seemingly reluctant to part.

Xiao Xuan carried her on his back, flipped her out of the nest, and leaped and bounded among the branches and leaves, landing one after another. In no time, she was on the water's surface, then skimmed across the water and returned to the shore.

He ran along the shore, circling Tai Bi, looking around anxiously, but couldn't find the beauty.

He asked impatiently, "Where did she go?" E'yan said irritably, "What's the use of running around like a headless fly? Use your brain!"

Xiao Xuan thought she made sense, and immediately racked his brains, various ideas flashing through his mind, but none of them were useful, making him even more anxious and impatient.

E'yan looked at him from the side and saw that his brows were furrowed and sweat was pouring down. She was both annoyed and amused, and suddenly said, "Hey, why don't you just beg me? I'll help you find your sweetheart."

"You have a way?" Xiao Xuan asked happily.

"You admit it? She's your sweetheart..." the girl said with a grin.

"Tell me what to do!" Xiao Xuan cried.

"I won't help unless you beg me," E Yan said softly from his back.

"Good girl, good sister, please help me! I will remember your great kindness forever!" Xiao Xuan blurted out smoothly.

"No, that's so heartless and insincere," E Yan replied.

Xiao Xuan said anxiously, "Stop it! Have you forgotten how I helped you just now?"

"Hey! Now you're settling accounts? So you helped me with ulterior motives!" E Yan seemed annoyed.

Truly unreasonable, Xiao Xuan's heart pounded, and he could only soften his voice: "Grandma, what do you want?"

"How about this, you owe me a favor, as for the future..." E Yan stared at him with her beautiful eyes, saying each word clearly, "I want you to repay me when and how, and you can't make excuses or deny it then." Was

n't this taking the opportunity to extort money from him? Xiao Xuan sighed helplessly, "Alright, tell me quickly."

"Did you remember?" the girl asked again, seemingly still concerned.

"I remembered," Xiao Xuan nodded, but in his heart he thought, "Once we leave this Giant Bamboo Valley, where will you find me?"

E'yan smiled broadly, took out a talisman from her sleeve, and chanted incantations. Suddenly, a flash of white light shot upwards like an arrow, followed by a loud "boom," exploding into a large burst of extremely bright light in the air. The light spread out layer by layer, forming a giant umbrella shape, with white light falling like snowflakes at the edges, illuminating the surroundings as if plated with silver—a magnificent and dazzling sight.

"What kind of talisman is this?" Xiao Xuan's mouth dropped open; he had never seen such a talisman before.

"This talisman is called 'Snow Fireworks,' isn't it beautiful? I made it," E'yan said smugly.

Xiao Xuan stared blankly at the sky and asked again, "It's beautiful, but can it help us find people?"

E'yan chuckled, "Silly girl! How could it know how to find people? It's used for lighting at night or in dark places. Of course, it can also be used to play around and pass the time when you're bored." "

Lighting? What does that have to do with finding my senior sister..." Xiao Xuan was halfway through her sentence when she suddenly realized that if Shui Ruo were nearby, the strange phenomenon in front of her would undoubtedly attract her.

The bright light was almost tangible, and even as she spoke, it remained suspended high in the sky, only its brightness had diminished slightly.

Xiao Xuan was almost obsessed with the various materials and couldn't help but ask, "How can such a small talisman emit such a bright light and last for so long? I wonder what materials it's made of?"

"There are many ingredients, including Earth Breath Grass, Vermilion Wood Fruit, Cunning Jujube, Fireweed..." E'yan counted on her fingers, "Ah, I won't go on, there are more than forty kinds of materials in total, among which the indispensable and rarest one is Snow Dragon Bone."

"Ah, Snow Dragon Bone? Do you have a Snow Dragon? Where did you get it?" Xiao Xuan asked in a row.

Legend has it that Snow Dragons are born in extremely cold places and only exist in the Outer Sea. Their whole body is a rare treasure, but they are fierce and cunning, and extremely difficult to catch.

"I caught it after guarding a large glacier in the northernmost part of Xuanzhou for three days and three nights." E'yan's pride grew.

"Xuanzhou? You've actually been to such a remote place?" Xiao Xuan found it hard to believe.

Xuanzhou is one of the three islands and ten continents of the Outer Sea. Legend has it that its scenery is like a dream, and its treasures are everywhere, but it is more than ten thousand miles away.

"As long as there are treasures, going there is not difficult at all," E'yan said.

Xiao Xuan thought of the various strange legends about Xuanzhou and couldn't help but feel envious. He murmured, "Is it beautiful there? I heard that there are many extremely rare materials there."

"Yes, it is very beautiful. I want to go again..." E'yan paused for a moment and whispered in his ear, "Brother Xuan, if you like it, when will I take you there?"

Xiao Xuan felt a slight tingling in his ears. He turned his head and saw the girl's beautiful face so close to his. Under the dreamlike light, she was even more beautiful and pure, like ice and snow. He couldn't help but feel a flutter in his heart. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly heard someone shout loudly, "Xiao Xuan, is that you?" It was a voice that sounded like Shui Ruo.

Xiao Xuan was overjoyed and immediately looked in the direction of the sound. He saw a figure running towards him in the distance, graceful and slender. It was indeed Shui Ruo. Overjoyed, he quickly called out, "Shui'er! I'm here!" Just as he was about to run over, he suddenly heard E Yan on his back whisper, "Quickly put me down."

Xiao Xuan put her down and rushed towards Shui Ruo.

Shui Ruo ran over, seemingly about to throw herself into his arms, but when she saw E Yan behind her, her steps slowed, and she hesitated.

At this moment, Xiao Xuan also saw He Tianpeng following behind her. His heart tightened, and he rushed forward to hold her hands, "Are you alright? Where did you go?"

"I was looking for you. I looked for you for ages and couldn't find you. I was so worried. Luckily, Young Master He came back in time." Shui Ruo said coquettishly.

Xiao Xuan glanced at He Tianpeng who had rushed over and blurted out, "That guy didn't... didn't do anything to you, did he?"

"What? What would he do to me!" Shui Ruo glared at him, but her eyes kept glancing at E Yan out of the corner of her eye.

Xiao Xuan was relieved and quickly introduced, "Her name is Eyan, I just met her." He then said to Eyan, "This is my third senior sister."

"Hello, sister." Eyan greeted her with a smile, her hands clasped together and placed below her belly, looking like a well-behaved girl.

"Alright." Shui Ruo nodded slightly, her expression rather reserved and aloof. She complained to Xiao Xuan, "Where did you go? You ran off without a word, and you've been gone for so long!"

"I'll tell you later." Xiao Xuan glanced at He Tianpeng, who was staring at E Yan. He was quite displeased, but smiled and said, "Now that Young Master He has returned, you must have obtained the Treasure Bottle Bamboo, right?"

He Tianpeng replied calmly, "It was really unfortunate this time. The master of the valley is not here. It is said that he will not return for ten days or half a month. We'll have to wait and see."

Xiao Xuan asked again, "Then where is the young master of this valley? Didn't you say that you had a good relationship with him? Is he not here either?"

A hint of doubt flashed across He Tianpeng's eyes. He paused for a moment before saying, "Yes, he is not here either."

Xiao Xuan stared at him and smiled, "So he's not here. I thought he couldn't make the decision."

He Tianpeng was taken aback, his heart filled with doubt and uncertainty, but his face remained calm. He suddenly turned to E Yan and said, "May I ask, young lady, are you from this valley?"

"Yes." E'yan actually nodded.

He Tianpeng seemed surprised and said coldly, "But I've been to this valley many times, how come I've never met you, Miss?"

"What's so strange about that? I'm not someone you can just run into whenever you want." E'yan replied with a smile, her beautiful eyes glancing at Xiao Xuan.

Xiao Xuan was slightly startled, then suddenly felt a sharp pain in his palm. It turned out that Shui Ruo had secretly pricked him with her fingernail. He turned his head and saw her staring at him with a half-smile on her face, and he was completely puzzled.

He Tianpeng said, "But I still find it strange. This Giant Bamboo Valley is a place of outstanding natural beauty; I'm afraid it's not a place for someone like you to stay."

"May I ask, Young Master He, who am I?" E'yan asked with a smile.

"Since you know my surname is He, then you must also know who I am. How dare you put on airs in front of me!" He Tianpeng's words became increasingly harsh.

Seeing that he was making things difficult for E'yan right away, Xiao Xuan was annoyed and suddenly shouted, "Young Master's surname is He?"

He Tianpeng was slightly taken aback and didn't react for a moment.

Shui Ruo also felt strange and looked at Xiao Xuan, saying, "Have you forgotten?"

Xiao Xuan asked in surprise, "How can he still have the surname He?"

"What? What else would he have the surname if not He?" Shui Ruo was even more puzzled.

"Then I don't know..." Xiao Xuan smiled slightly, "Before entering the valley, I heard someone boast that they would definitely obtain the Treasure Bottle Bamboo this time, or else they would change their surname. Did that person just spout nonsense like a fart?"

Shui Ruo was stunned for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter, quickly covering her mouth with her sleeve and glaring at him fiercely.

E Yan, however, giggled and laughed unrestrainedly.

He Tianpeng was dumbfounded, then furious, but speechless, his face turning pale and then red, looking quite disheveled.

Xiao Xuan walked up to him and said with a smile, "Brother, if you still want to be surnamed He, then don't offend people casually. This young lady in front of you might be able to help us get the Treasure Bottle Bamboo."

Shui Ruo looked at E Yan, greatly surprised.

"She can? I can't even get it, how can she?" He Tianpeng shouted.

"Didn't you hear me say 'maybe'? You may not believe me, but if you're willing to change your surname so readily, then you might as well continue to offend her." Xiao Xuan wasn't really confident about this.

E'yan glared at him angrily and said, "It's just a few bamboo stalks, what's the big deal! If you keep your promise, I will definitely do it."

Shui Ruo tugged at Xiao Xuan's sleeve and asked nervously, "What did you promise her?"

"I promised to go to a place with her, and she would find a way to get me bamboo." Xiao Xuan replied.

"Where to?" Shui Ruo looked wary.

Xiao Xuan looked at E'yan.

E'yan said, "We'll know when we get there. If you're worried, you don't have to go." Xiao Xuan

hurriedly said, "I'll go, I'll go. I'm a man of my word."

Shui Ruo tugged at his sleeve again.

Xiao Xuan resolutely said, "The treasure bottle bamboo is of great importance, it's worth a try." Although his words were grand, he was actually a little reluctant to part with E'yan and wanted to help her.

Shui Ruo looked at He Tianpeng.

He Tianpeng hesitated for a while, seemingly unwilling to change his surname, and stared at E Yan, saying, "Lead the way, let me see your skills."

E Yan smiled and said, "With the young master of Dangmo Fortress here, how dare this humble woman resort to any tricks? Follow me." After saying that, she used her land-based flying technique to leap forward.

Xiao Xuan hurriedly followed, calling out, "How's your foot? Let me carry you."

"I'm fine." E Yan replied without turning her head, seemingly having some reservations, and ran even faster as if she were walking on air, quickly leaving him some distance behind.

The other two also gathered their energy and took steps, following closely behind.

As they sped along, Shui Ruo whispered, "Young Master He, is there something wrong with this girl?"

"Her…" He Tianpeng said calmly, "She's not one of my kind; she's either a spirit or a monster."

Xiao Xuan's heart skipped a beat, and he sneered, "How do you know? Don't spout nonsense!"

He Tianpeng laughed arrogantly, "Identifying demons and monsters is one of the unique skills of my Demon-Slaying Fortress; it has never been wrong in hundreds of years."

Xiao Xuan remained silent, already believing most of it. He remembered that E Yan had said her master was a demon saint, so he should have expected it.

Shui Ruo asked, "What is her intention?"

"We'll see how things go. With me here, I doubt she can do anything," He Tianpeng said coldly.

Xiao Xuan didn't believe E Yan would harm him at all, and scoffed, "Even spirits aren't necessarily bad people."

Shui Ruo smiled faintly, "Yes, just like your pig brothers and dog brothers on Thousand Green Mountain, they're all good people."

Xiao Xuan was shocked and stammered, "You... what did you say?"

"Like the bear spirit, the red dragon spirit, the flower snake spirit, and so on..." Shui Ruo slowly listed them.

"How... how do you know?" Xiao Xuan suddenly remembered that she always loved fighting monsters, and his voice trembled.

"Hmph, if you don't want people to know, don't do it in the first place!" Shui Ruo glared at him.

Xiao Xuan fell silent, not daring to ask any more questions.

Shui Ruo seemed about to say something more, but seeing He Tianpeng following closely to the side, she finally shut her mouth.

The terrain suddenly steepened, and bottle-shaped bamboo began to appear all around, initially blending in with the ordinary giant bamboo in the valley. Gradually, it formed groves, and then almost everything in sight was pure bottle bamboo, much denser than elsewhere, its tops blocking out the sun, its base narrow, dark, damp, and difficult to traverse.

"This place is very different from other places..." Shui Ruo noticed many spiderwebs hanging from the branches.

He Tianpeng frowned, constantly looking around, his expression growing increasingly grave.

"Ah, look over there!" Shui Ruo suddenly pointed and cried out.

Xiao Xuan and He Tianpeng looked in the direction she pointed and saw a spiderweb as large as a fishing net, hanging from a branch, almost touching the ground, covered with the shocking remains of some unknown animal.

Shui Ruo felt nauseous and said, "Such a huge web...the spider that wove it must be terrifyingly large!"

Xiao Xuan knew she was terrified of insects and snakes, so he worried about her and sped up to catch up with E Yan ahead.

Seeing him catch up, E Yan glanced at him and said, "Aren't you going to accompany your senior sister?"

Xiao Xuan asked, "This direction seems different from our previous one?"

"Yes, I changed my route because there are too many patrols over there, and it would be troublesome if we got discovered," E Yan replied.

"But this area seems a little...a little unsettling." Xiao Xuan looked around; the scenery here could only be described as eerie.

"Are you scared?" E Yan asked.

"I'm not afraid, but my third senior sister is a little afraid of insects and snakes."

"Didn't you say she's highly skilled?" E'yan said with a grin, "You... you must like her terribly, worrying about everything for her."

Xiao Xuan's face flushed slightly. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly heard Shui Ruo scream from behind. He hurriedly turned around and saw a huge, crimson spider, as big as a bear, pouncing on her from the side. It was too late to save her.

Shui Ruo's face paled. She quickly gathered her water spirit true energy and, in her panic, pulled and tugged, slightly tilting the red spider. She then retreated, but her hand landed on the spider web beside her, causing her to scream again.

The red spider sprang around and pounced like lightning, its long legs like hooks striking.

Shui Ruo reached for her waist, only to find it empty. She suddenly remembered that her Azure Wave Blade had been left on the island in the middle of the lake; she had no weapon left to use. Faced with the rapidly enlarging, terrifying spider, she was terrified, her body going limp. Just as she was about to close her eyes, a white shadow flashed—it was He Tianpeng blocking her way. With a flick of his right hand, a golden light shone, and something spread out like waves, instantly trapping the red spider—a shimmering golden net-like weapon.

The red spider hissed and struggled frantically, but the golden net tightened even more.

He Tianpeng put an arm around the half-frightened Shui Ruo and smiled, "Were you scared?"

Shui Ruo was still in shock when she saw Xiao Xuan and E Yan approaching. She realized she was being held in He Tianpeng's arms and quickly pushed them away, her cheeks flushed.

"Are you hurt?" Xiao Xuan asked anxiously.

Shui Ruo shook her head, but then raised her hand, covered in sticky cobwebs, and said with a mournful face, "My hand..."

Xiao Xuan hurriedly took out his handkerchief, but after fiddling with it for a while, he remembered he had given E Yan a wooden phoenix. He could only take the corner of his robe and gently wipe her delicate hand.

Shui Ruo felt nauseous and said, "No! It's so dirty!" But a sweet joy appeared in her eyes, and her beautiful eyes, glistening with tears, gazed at her lover.

The red spider was now silent, its enormous body compressed to the size of a watermelon, with only its long limbs occasionally twitching outside the web. He Tianpeng lifted the web to his face, examined it carefully for a moment, and suddenly exclaimed, "It's a fire spider! If a person is stung by it, their blood will boil and they will suffer excruciating pain."

Xiao Xuan and Shui Ruo were both startled upon hearing this.

E Yan smiled and said, "Young Master has good insight."

He Tianpeng turned to look at her, his gaze suddenly sharp: "What kind of place is this?"

E Yan still smiled: "Does Young Master know?"

He Tianpeng said coldly, "Fire spiders are extremely rare, found in only a few places. As far as I know, there is only one place in this Giant Bamboo Valley where they are found."

"What place?" E Yan asked, looking innocent and romantic.

He Tianpeng's face turned pale as he said, "Ten Thousand Spider Ridge!"

"So Young Master knows," E Yan said.

He Tianpeng shouted, "What are you doing bringing us here? It's a forbidden area leading from Wanzhu Ridge to Giant Bamboo Valley!"
(Episode 4, Giant Bamboo Valley, Chapter 6: The Enticement
) "I'm going to that forbidden area. If you're scared, you can still back out now," E'yan said with a smile, facing He Tianpeng, but glancing at Xiao Xuan out of the corner of her eye.

He Tianpeng stared at her and asked, "As far as I know, anyone who enters that forbidden area will be killed without exception by Giant Bamboo Valley. What are you going there for?"

"I can't tell you that," E'yan replied lightly, pausing before continuing, "However, the only place you can get the Treasure Bottle Bamboo you want right now is there."

He Tianpeng was stunned, and after a long while, he seemed to understand: "You want to go there to steal it?"

"Why would I need to steal it!" E'yan snorted.

He Tianpeng sneered, "Even if the people of Giant Bamboo Valley don't find out we're going to steal bamboo there, how many pieces of Treasure Bottle Bamboo, harder than iron, can we possibly cut down with just a few of us?"

Although Xiao Xuan disliked this man, he had to admit he was right. A rough calculation showed that to make arrows for nearly ten Mountain-Opening Crossbows, at least two or three hundred Treasure Bottle Bamboo would be needed. Without a single skilled mantis craftsman specializing in harvesting, it was virtually impossible for the four of them to complete such a massive workload.

"No need to worry about that," E'yan said leisurely. "Since I've already agreed, I have my own way. As long as we get there, I guarantee you'll get the required amount." He

Tianpeng looked at Shui Ruo.

Shui Ruo quietly tugged at Xiao Xuan's sleeve and whispered, "This journey is truly dangerous; perhaps we shouldn't go."

"If we don't go, there's no hope for the Treasure Bottle Bamboo," Xiao Xuan hesitated. He looked at E Yan, who was secretly watching him, her eyes filled with deep longing. His heart warmed, and he thought, "She must desperately need my help. Since that's the case, how can this humble saint back down?"

Shui Ruo glanced at the red spider caught in He Tianpeng's web and said timidly, "But there are such terrifying and disgusting things here, and my Azure Wave Blade is lost..."

"Don't worry about that. From this moment on, I will stay by your side every step of the way," Xiao Xuan promised.

Shui Ruo felt a sweet warmth in her heart and whispered, "Alright, if you want to get the bamboo so much, I... I'll go with you."

Xiao Xuan, feeling a gentle breeze, said to E Yan, "Let's continue. Everyone, be careful and don't go too fast."

E Yan's face lit up with joy, and she turned and ran off again.

He Tianpeng looked at Shui Ruo and asked, "Can you handle it?"

Seeing his concerned expression, Shui Ruo felt grateful and replied, "With you all here, I'm not afraid." After a slight pause, she added softly, "Thank you for saving me."

"Why are you being so polite?" He Tianpeng smiled slightly, casually putting the red spider in the web into his magic pouch at his waist, his movements extremely elegant.

Xiao Xuan, standing to the side, was green with rage. Remembering how He Tianpeng had just held Shui Ruo in his arms, he was filled with resentment, his teeth itching. If He Tianpeng hadn't actually saved Shui Ruo, he would have fought him.

He Tianpeng added, "This demon's behavior is unpredictable and must be guarded against. I'll go warn her." With that, he immediately caught up with E Yan and ran alongside her.

E'yan smiled and said, "What advice does the young master have for me?"

He Tianpeng raised the golden net in his hand and said calmly, "Do you know what this is?"

E'yan glanced at it and saw that the net's threads were as golden as gold, with faint talismanic images occasionally floating on them. She said, "So this is the famous Demon-Trapping Net?"

"It seems you are quite knowledgeable, but you've only guessed half right. This net is indeed the Demon-Trapping Net, but it is the king of Demon-Trapping Nets. It is inlaid with various great restrictions such as transforming demons, slaying demons, refining ghosts, and locking monsters. It is specially used to deal with demons and monsters. It is called the Vajra Demon-Trapping Net!" He Tianpeng said slowly.

"Sounds very powerful." E'yan stuck out her tongue.

He Tianpeng said coldly, "You'd better not try anything funny in front of me. Don't think I don't know what you are. You should know that catching demons and subduing monsters is just a daily routine for my Demon-Slaying Fortress!"

"I wouldn't dare." E'yan made a face.

He Tianpeng stared at her, then suddenly smiled with a hint of malice, "Any demon, once caught in this trap, can only obediently await its death. The suffering it endures can only be described as a living death." "

Is this ever going to end?" E'yan glanced at him, then giggled, "I advise you not to scare people. You'll regret it if you frighten them."

Her smile was strangely alluring, yet for some reason, it sent a chill down He Tianpeng's spine. But he refused to back down, coldly sneering, "Fine, I'd like to see how you'll regret it!"

E'yan said nothing more, her smile continuing as she continued walking forward.

At this moment, Xiao Xuan behind them was also silent, but his face was ashen.

"What's wrong?" Shui Ruo noticed.

Xiao Xuan kept his mouth tightly shut, his gaze fixed straight ahead.

Shui Ruo was puzzled and asked again, "What are you doing?"

"That guy is really awful!" Xiao Xuan finally couldn't help but exclaim.

"Huh?"

"I said that guy surnamed He is a despicable, shameless, and treacherous villain!" Xiao Xuan gritted his teeth. Shui

Ruo finally heard him clearly and said with a grin, "Huh, why do I smell something sour?"

Xiao Xuan's face turned red.

Shui Ruo stared at him, her smile growing wider, her face showing a hint of smugness, a hint of joy, and a hint of sweetness.

"Let me tell you, that guy is really no good!" Xiao Xuan almost wanted to tell her about He Tianpeng's conversation with Liu Changqing earlier, but then he thought, "If I win by complaining to that guy, how can that be considered my skill!"

Shui Ruo smiled wryly and said leisurely, "Sigh, now I understand what it means to make trouble for yourself when there is nothing wrong in the world."

"Didn't you notice? Just now he actually... he actually touched you inappropriately!" Xiao Xuan said angrily.

"What? He was just trying to save me!" Shui Ruo retorted.

Xiao Xuan said with a thick neck, "That guy was just taking advantage of the situation to take advantage of you!"

"You idiot!" Shui Ruo was getting a little impatient, her face flushed.

"Hmph!" Xiao Xuan got angrier the more he thought about it, and the angrier he got, the more stubborn he became: "And you, you were still being flattered and thanking them so much!"

"You...you...unreasonable!" Shui Ruo snapped: "I'm ignoring you!"

"Fine, ignore me then!" Xiao Xuan replied immediately, then regretted it.

The two of them stubbornly ran forward, speechless for a long time.

After a while, Xiao Xuan was almost about to give up when he suddenly saw Shui Ruo slowly approaching, almost touching him, and he quickly tilted his head back.

Shui Ruo looked at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of shyness and reproach, but she remained silent.

Xiao Xuan caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye, and his anger immediately subsided by more than half. He stammered, "What?"

"Even if others want what they want, I've already...already been with you...already been with you...that...that, aren't you reassured?" The girl's face was flushed, and her voice was almost inaudible.

Xiao Xuan felt as if he had been showered with sweetness, his heart filled with joy and his body relaxed, and he was momentarily intoxicated.

"Are you done yet?" Shui Ruo glared at him.

Xiao Xuan couldn't stop grinning, his feet moving lightly as if flying.

"It's my turn to ask you." Shui Ruo said.

"Ask what?"

"How did you meet that demon...that girl?" Shui Ruo asked, glancing at him

sideways. "It was in the forest, I returned to Tai Bi's nest and saw you sleeping, and suddenly I heard from the sky..." Xiao Xuan then briefly recounted his encounter with E Yan, knowing that she disliked demons, he concealed the fact that E Yan's master was a demon saint.

Upon hearing this, Shui Ruo frowned slightly and said, "I wonder who she really is? She seems so sinister..."

Xiao Xuan said, "Whether she's a mountain spirit or a water monster, she doesn't seem like a bad person."

Shui Ruo glared at him and snorted, "That's right, you're the best at judging people. You can tell at a glance that Young Master He is a bad guy, while that demon is a good person."

Xiao Xuan smiled obsequiously, not daring to utter a word.

"Just now, you carried her all the way here like that, didn't you?" A half-smile appeared on Shui Ruo's face again.

Xiao Xuan quickly explained, "She hurt her foot, and I was in a hurry to come back to find you."

"But how can she run so fast now? How come she doesn't look injured at all? Don't tell me she's completely healed." Shui Ruo sneered.

Xiao Xuan was speechless.

"Alright, great hero, tell me again how you bravely saved her." Shui Ruo said with a smile.

This time, Xiao Xuan finally learned his lesson and just mumbled vaguely.

The terrain grew steeper and the bamboo forest denser, with occasional sudden attacks from one or two fire spiders, significantly slowing the four's progress.

Xiao Xuan closely followed Shui Ruo, using his Eight-Clawed Flaming Dragon Whip to lash out the attacking fire spiders, turning them into real fire spiders, and then storing their corpses in his magic pouch.

Shui Ruo finally couldn't help but object: "Why collect so many of these disgusting things?"

Xiao Xuan replied, "Although we don't know what materials we can extract from them right now, they're so rare, collecting more is definitely a good thing. Look at that guy surnamed He, isn't he collecting them too?" He

Tianpeng's Vajra Demon-Trapping Net was indeed powerful; seemingly casually cast, it always resulted in fire spiders falling into its trap, and no matter how much they struggled, they ultimately couldn't escape their fate.

Xiao Xuan retrieved a fire spider that had been burned to a black char, took it from the tip of the whip, and put it in his pouch. He said sourly, "That guy's weapon may be ugly, but it's really good for collecting things."

Shui Ruo shivered and frowned deeply. "Do you really have to use your hands?"

Xiao Xuan clapped his hands and said with a grin, "What else can I do? If you're disgusted, then don't look. I'll find a place with water to wash myself clean later."

Shui Ruo turned her face away, and suddenly felt something flicker above her. She looked up and immediately let out a cry of surprise.

Xiao Xuan reacted quickly, and upon hearing the sound, he looked up and saw a giant spider hanging down from above, almost touching his head. He immediately flicked his wrist, and the Flaming Dragon Whip whistled upwards, striking the spider squarely. However, it only whipped up a trail of flames and did not ignite as the whip had previously.

The giant spider hissed and rolled in mid-air, its eight legs attacking in turn, hooking and snaking.

Seeing the perilous situation, Shui Ruo mustered her courage and swiftly swept her sleeve, using her water elemental energy to momentarily slow the giant spider's movement.

Though only for a split second, Xiao Xuan seized the opportunity, immediately unleashing a flurry of whip strikes, hitting each of the spider's legs and creating bursts of flame.

The giant spider's eight legs were all flung open, revealing a gaping wound. Xiao Xuan then lashed it hard across the abdomen with his whip, sending it crashing to the ground with a raucous hiss. Its long, sharp legs clawed and thrashed wildly, a truly horrifying sight.

Xiao Xuan channeled his inner energy into the whip, delivering several more powerful blows with lightning speed.

At this moment, He Tianpeng and E'yan arrived, intending to offer assistance, but the giant spider had already rolled backward, its struggles gradually ceasing.

"So amazing! Brother A'xuan is awesome!" E'yan clapped her hands and cheered, a purple talisman between her right fingers.

Xiao Xuan then realized that the giant spider before him was completely different from the fire spider he had seen before. Its body was covered in black and yellow stripes, and it was nearly twice the size of the fire spider. He exclaimed in surprise, "What kind of spider is this? It's so durable!"

E'yan smiled and said, "This is a tiger spider. Not only is it fierce and agile, but its shell is also incredibly strong. It's the most powerful type of spider in Ten Thousand Spider Ridge, and it's also the prototype for the terrifying legs and tiger spider chariots created by Giant Bamboo Valley."

He Tianpeng was shocked and exclaimed in surprise, "The tiger spider chariots were made by Giant Bamboo Valley?"

E'yan smiled and said, "Young Master, you're so familiar with Giant Bamboo Valley, how come you don't know?"

He Tianpeng stared at her coldly, seemingly lost in thought.

Hearing this, Xiao Xuan quickly put the tiger spider's corpse into his Ruyi Pouch, then looked around with lingering interest, saying, "So it's such a good thing. I should collect a few more."

"Let's go, there are plenty ahead, enough for you to collect," E'yan urged, continuing onward.

The four continued on their way, and as expected, besides the fire spiders they had encountered before, they began to be frequently attacked by tiger spiders, struggling to cope and slowing their pace considerably.

Xiao Xuan, worried that E'yan would suffer, caught up with them in a few steps, saying, "Don't walk too fast, come with us."

"Okay," E'yan responded softly, slowing her pace, her eyes filled with joy.

Along the way, He Tianpeng, wielding his treasure net, sped back and forth, seemingly wanting to impress Shui Ruo. Besides dealing with the sudden spider attacks, he also actively attacked spiders hiding nearby.

Seeing his extraordinary bravery, and how he had captured a terrifyingly large tiger spider in his net, Shui Ruo couldn't help but exclaim joyfully, "Could this be the Spider King? Amazing!"

Hearing this, He Tianpeng became even more energized, expanding his attack range even further, causing birds and beasts to scatter in all directions.

"What are you doing? This area is dangerous! Be careful not to attract a swarm of spiders!" E'yan shouted.

He Tianpeng smiled slightly, raising the precious net in his hand, "Don't worry, this divine weapon of mine is perfect for dealing with hordes of demons, and it will show its true power!"

As he spoke, he cast the net, casually tossing it into the bamboo clumps and grass, and each time he pulled it back, he would catch something. Just as he was feeling smug, a white shadow suddenly darted out from the bamboo clumps, barely dodging the Demon-Trapping Net, and flashed through the air like lightning, firmly attaching itself to the main stem of a treasure bottle bamboo.

Everyone was very surprised and looked closely. It was a strange spider about the size of a palm, its entire body crystal clear, white as cold jade, and its abdomen was transparent, with liquid seemingly sloshing inside.

Shui Ruo opened her eyes wide and asked in surprise, "What is this?"

He Tianpeng cast the net again, but the spider suddenly turned into a white light and leaped to another bamboo, as if toying with those who wanted to catch it, without escaping far.

"So fast!" Xiao Xuan was eager to try, and was about to go over with his whip when E Yan quietly tugged at his sleeve. Turning to look, he saw her shake her head slightly.

"What's wrong?" Xiao Xuan asked.

"Don't mess with it, it's dangerous," E Yan whispered.

At this moment, He Tianpeng seemed to have thought of something, his eyes fixed on the jade spider, his expression somewhat doubtful.

The spider remained motionless, its entire body radiating an almost eerie, captivating luster, contrasting beautifully with the lush green bamboo, like a masterpiece of nature.

Shui Ruo asked curiously, "Why aren't you catching it? This spider is so beautiful."

"It might be a brain-eating spider, capable of sucking brains from a distance," He Tianpeng said solemnly.

"Ah?" Shui Ruo was startled and said timidly, "Then don't touch it, let's go quickly." But

then she heard E Yan chuckle and say, "Don't pretend to know if you don't. What brain-eating spider? Brain-eating spiders are not like this. Although they are also white and transparent, their heads are unusually large. And this one looks like a wine spider without a doubt."

Xiao Xuan asked, "What kind of spider is a wine spider?" "

A wine spider is a rare species among spiders, the rarest in number. Legend has it that it is produced by the hybridization of different spider species. It is born nourished by the essence of water and the moon. It does not eat meat by nature, but only likes to collect the sap of various flowers and trees and store it in its belly like brewing wine. Therefore, people call it a wine spider." E Yan said in detail.

Upon hearing this, He Tianpeng felt much more at ease and said to himself with a self-deprecating laugh, "So it's not some kind of demon or evil creature. No wonder there's no record of it in the records of my Demon-Slaying Fortress."

"As a spider, yet it doesn't eat meat, isn't that just like a human monk? There are such strange little things in the world," Xiao Xuan laughed, but he didn't understand why E Yan had warned of danger earlier.

Shui Ruo immediately said, "What monk? That sounds awful. Wouldn't it be better to say it's like a bee?"

E Yan glanced at He Tianpeng and snorted, "How can the Wine Spider not be considered a demon? Its magic is truly incredible. Legend has it that if you use it as bait, along with talismans, you can lure all kinds of demons and monsters. No matter how clever and cunning they are, even if they are thousands of miles away, they will be confused and eager to gather around."

Upon hearing this, He Tianpeng's heart skipped a beat. He thought to himself, "It can lure all kinds of demons and monsters? Isn't this exactly what my Demon-Slaying Fortress has been dreaming of?"

E Yan continued, "I've also heard that because it often feeds on the sap of flowers and trees, using it in medicine can not only make you feel light and healthy, but it's also the best for nourishing your complexion."

Upon hearing the words "best for nourishing your complexion," Shui Ruo's beautiful eyes immediately sparkled.

"Hey, let's go. Let's not hurt such a cute little thing." E Yan turned to leave.

"Wait! Since it's a demon, and so rare, how can we let it slip by?" He Tianpeng's greed had already taken hold. He picked up the Demon-Trapping Net and crept slowly towards the wine spider.

"Hey! You...you really have the heart to hurt it?" E'yan cried out.

"Don't make a sound! Exorcising demons is the inescapable duty of our Demon-Slaying Fortress. Besides, our fortress needs to collect all the demons in the world as specimens, and we're currently lacking this one." He Tianpeng replied without turning his head, closing in to within a few feet of the wine spider. Suddenly, he cast the net, only to find himself missing again.

The wine spider seemed to sense the danger, leaping faster and faster, and began to flee into the depths of the bamboo forest.

He Tianpeng was not about to let it go. He gathered his true energy and strode after it.

The other three had no choice but to follow behind. This section of the terrain was extremely undulating, with dense undergrowth and rotten wood, making it even more treacherous and difficult to traverse. Xiao Xuan held the whip tightly, protecting the two women, not daring to slacken his efforts in the slightest.

He Tianpeng chased after her, casting his net as he went, but repeatedly missed. His anger flared, and he ran even faster, shouting, "You little beast, I don't believe you can escape today!"

Shui Ruo saw him running further and further away, his figure appearing and disappearing intermittently, while spiderwebs and shadowy figures swirled around them, creating an eerie and terrifying atmosphere. Fear gripped her, and she cried out, "Should we stop chasing? There seem to be a lot of bugs here!"

Xiao Xuan laughed, "Don't worry, I'm here."

"I'm afraid he'll suffer alone," Shui Ruo always said, her heart full of concern.

E Yan suddenly laughed, "Sister is right, we shouldn't get too close, that guy's in for it."

"What did you say?" Shui Ruo was startled.

"I'm not quite sure either, but he's definitely in trouble." Before E Yan finished speaking, a scream rang out—it was He Tianpeng's voice.

Shui Ruo's face paled, and she cried out urgently, "Something must have happened! Let's go help him!" Though frightened, she was the first to rush towards the source of the sound.

Xiao Xuan hurriedly followed, tightly protecting the beautiful woman.

"Your senior sister is quite loyal, isn't she?" E Yan said with a grin, another magic talisman appearing between her right fingers.

Xiao Xuan's face turned ashen. Loyalty was true, but it was far from good when it came to that despicable fellow surnamed He.

The three rushed to the source of the sound, but He Tianpeng was nowhere to be seen. Shui Ruo covered her mouth and shouted, "Young Master He, where are you?"

"I...I'm...here!" He Tianpeng's voice came, but it was muffled and unclear.

The three looked around when they suddenly heard E'yan say, "Look, there seems to be a pit ahead."

Xiao Xuan and Shui Ruo looked in the direction she pointed and indeed saw a small, dark pit among the rotting wood and grass. Shui Ruo ran towards it, but just as she reached it, her feet suddenly gave way and she sank into it, letting out a cry of alarm. Xiao Xuan, startled, immediately lashed out with his whip, wrapping it around Shui Ruo's slender waist. With a skillful thrust, he lifted the beautiful woman into the air and pulled her back, catching her securely in his arms.

Shui Ruo's face was deathly pale, and she trembled uncontrollably as she tightly clung to her lover's neck.

Xiao Xuan patted her back gently to comfort her, "It's alright, it's alright."

E'yan stared at the ground and said in a deep voice, "There's something strange about this ground."

At this moment, He Tianpeng's voice came again, "I fell down and can't move, help me quickly!"

E'yan slowly stepped forward, then suddenly leaped back like a hawk, saying, "It's hollow below."

Xiao Xuan said, "Let me see." He released Shui Ruo and lashed the ground in front of him with his whip. There was a crisp sound of branches breaking, and a large trench was actually carved out.

"What... what kind of place is this? Can't you hurry up!" He Tianpeng's voice came again.

"What's your rush? Who told you to act like a hero!" Xiao Xuan shouted, signaling the two women to step back. He mentally prepared a "stirring up the sea" technique, swung his Eight-Clawed Fiery Dragon Whip, and slashed the ground four times. Grass flew, trees broke, and dust was splashed up. A large piece of the ground was actually peeled off like skin.

To their astonishment, what they found was shocking: beneath the rotten wood and turf lay a colossal pit. As sunlight streamed in, they saw tall bamboo and timber clinging to the walls, their branches entwined with an unbelievably large spiderweb. He Tianpeng was trapped on it like an insect, his body, limbs, and head firmly stuck, unable to move.

"My God! How can there be such a huge spiderweb?" Xiao Xuan gasped.

He Tianpeng, realizing his predicament, turned deathly pale.

Shui Ruo, however, was limp and speechless for a long moment.

"It must be the nest of some spider king or queen," E Yan said.

"Help me!" He Tianpeng cried out again.

E'yan squatted down, propped her chin on her hands, and looked at him with a grin, saying with a smug expression, "Young Master, isn't your Demon-Trapping Net supposed to be used to deal with all the demons in the world? How come you've gotten caught in it yourself today?"

"What are you talking about! You guys need to think of a solution!" He Tianpeng said angrily.

"Hmm, this person wants someone to save him, but he has absolutely no manners. Maybe we should just leave him be," Xiao Xuan said slowly.

"You...you..." He Tianpeng's face turned from white to green with anger.

Suddenly, a stench so foul it made them want to vomit surged up. Something seemed to be moving where the sunlight hadn't reached, causing the entire giant web to sway. A moment later, a gigantic figure slowly emerged from the darkness. As it drew closer, the four finally saw clearly that it was a terrifying tiger spider, as large as a small mountain.

Everyone's faces paled. He Tianpeng was utterly terrified, his mouth agape for a long moment before he suddenly screamed, "Help me! Help me up!"

Shui Ruo, her face filled with anxiety, said in a trembling voice, "What do we do? We have to think of a way to help him!"

Xiao Xuan exclaimed, pointing at the giant spider, "Look at its head!"

The others looked and noticed something on the spider's head. Upon closer inspection, they were horrified to discover it was the jade-colored wine spider.

He Tianpeng couldn't move his head, only able to stare sideways. Suddenly, his eyes bulged as he cried out, "It's...that little beast! It...it...it was trying to lure me!"

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