Volume 10, Chapter 681 – Who Said Only the Living Can Be Bait

Qi Huang’s Divine Sense continued to extend forward. Moments later, she noticed the Yin energy ahead growing denser, with malevolent spirits crawling everywhere. She realized she had reached the edge of the Kapok Valley Treasure Land.

Qi Huang carefully sensed her surroundings. The Yin energy here was already comparable to that of the Pingshan Mass Burial Ground. For her current Divine Sense, it posed little restriction, but there wasn’t much of value in the vicinity either.

Controlling her Divine Sense to advance further, Qi Huang gradually felt an increasing resistance as the Yin energy thickened. After pushing forward several dozen more miles, her sight through Divine Sense became obscured, unable to discern anything further.

She weighed the situation carefully. If her true body were standing where her Divine Sense currently reached, she would only be able to probe a radius of several dozen miles at most. Judging from the size of the Kapok Valley Treasure Land, it was obvious this area was still just the outer edge.

‘The deeper I go, the smaller my Divine Sense detection range becomes. When I reach the central region… who knows how restricted my senses will be.’

Qi Huang’s expression grew solemn. This meant that if she wanted to find the Golden Fate Blossoms’ seeds, she would have to rely on bait.

“Seems I was too naïve. The rumors about the Kapok Valley Treasure Land weren’t exaggerated at all. Thankfully, the Immortal Alliance provided me with so many baits. Otherwise, this journey wouldn’t have gone so smoothly.”

Qi Huang thought to herself, feeling a bit relieved.

She withdrew her Divine Sense and quickly moved toward the Immortal Alliance’s team.

By dawn, the Immortal Alliance’s group reached a small town near the Kapok Valley Treasure Land to resupply. Since they were about to enter such a perilous area, thorough preparation was necessary.

Qi Huang seized the chance to return to her main body’s Sea of Consciousness. With her current speed, even without the Heaven-Deceiving Water masking her presence, someone like Zheng Chi wouldn’t be able to detect her.

The Immortal Alliance’s team lodged at an inn. Zheng Chi ordered part of the disciples to purchase supplies and another group to guard the more than twenty girls intended as bait. He didn’t want any accidents to occur.

The girls, having witnessed their loved ones being taken by these people, were restless like ants on a hot pan. But since they lacked the strength to escape, they could only stew in their helplessness.

The next morning, Zheng Chi led the team onward, escorting the girls as they continued toward their destination. After an hour, they reached the foot of a colossal “vine”. The stationed Immortal Alliance disciples rushed out to greet them, and the girls were finally allowed some air.

“My heavens! What a massive wall!”

Shen Yuan exclaimed in awe, staring at the gigantic structure.

“Yes! Is this… the Immortal Alliance’s defensive fortification? And look at the greenery, it’s been landscaped so beautifully! How much money must it have cost to build something like this?”

Ruan Lingyu also gazed upward in wonder.

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“That’s not landscaping at all! Look closely, the wall itself is actually a Giant Image Vine! The houses and fortresses are built atop its massive thorns, and the leaves and flowers at the top are growing directly from it!”

Yun Fei cried out after examining it carefully.

“My goodness, how can there be such a Giant Image Vine in this world?”

Shen Yuan studied it again and nearly fainted from shock.

“Those houses… they won’t fall and crush us, will they? That’s terrifying.”

The petite Miao Xiang asked nervously.

“Please, stop flattering yourself. With your height, even if a house fell, the taller ones would be crushed before it ever touched you.”

Su Qingying seized the chance to fire off a sarcastic remark.

Cheng Hongling, however, quietly observed the massive vine, her beautiful eyes filled with gravity. She could sense the pressure emanating from the vine, it was definitely more than just a “foundation”.

Qi Huang, hiding within her Sea of Consciousness, remained calm since she had already seen this the night before and was mentally prepared.

“A bunch of ignorant little girls…”

At that moment, Elder Kang, who had survived by a hair’s breadth, spoke up: “This is the Giant Image Vine, our Alliance Leader’s pet. It exists solely to guard the Kapok Valley Treasure Land.”

Previously, Elder Kang had his heart pierced by Qi Huang, but since his cultivation had reached the Divine Realm, as long as his brain wasn’t instantly destroyed, he had time to deploy a Doppelgänger to transfer his injuries. That was how he survived, though at the cost of losing one physical Doppelgänger body.

“A pet? How can a plant be a pet?”

Ruan Lingyu asked curiously.

“Its cultivation has already reached the early Heavenly Tribulation Realm. Not only is it sentient, but it can also transform into a humanoid form. Of course it qualifies as a pet.”

Elder Kang explained.

“Heavenly Tribulation Realm? Oh my heavens…”

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Several of the sisters gasped in unison.

“But even if it’s at the Heavenly Tribulation Realm, can it really guard the entire Kapok Valley Treasure Land? I’ve heard this place is the size of a medium-sized nation.”

Yun Fei questioned skeptically.

“Coincidentally, the vine’s body forms a complete loop around the Treasure Land. Anything below Heavenly Tribulation Realm wouldn’t dare cross it.”

Elder Kang’s tone grew increasingly proud, as if the vine were his own.

“It can wrap around the entire Kapok Valley Treasure Land? Just how enormous is this thing? No wonder it’s called the Giant Image Vine.”

The sisters’ mouths hung wider and wider with astonishment.

Seeing their stunned expressions, Elder Kang’s smugness only deepened, as though he were teasing children.

“What about experts above the Heavenly Tribulation Realm?”

Miao Xiang timidly asked, nibbling on her delicate fingertip.

Elder Kang’s expression stiffened, and he shot her a glare before replying: “It doesn’t matter. The Immortal Alliance has many powerful cultivators. No matter how strong they are, no one’s sneaking past us.”

“But still… using such a thick, long, thorn-covered vine as a pet is really strange. Is your Alliance Leader a man or a woman?”

Ruan Lingyu’s odd question suddenly echoed.

The surroundings immediately went silent. Both Immortal Alliance disciples and the bait girls exchanged ambiguous looks.

Her fellow sisters instinctively distanced themselves, afraid of being implicated. Even Cheng Hongling subtly shifted away, pretending she didn’t know Ruan Lingyu.

Qi Huang’s lips curled slightly upward. She hadn’t expected this senior sister’s imagination to be so… wild. She even managed to associate inappropriate thoughts with a thorny vine.

“What’s wrong?”

Ruan Lingyu blinked innocently, confusion written on her face.

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“My, I didn’t expect our usually righteous Senior Sister to have such dirty thoughts.”

Su Qingying mocked.

“What did I do?”

Ruan Lingyu remained baffled. After pondering for a moment, her cheeks suddenly flushed crimson. She hurriedly defended herself: “No, no, you’ve misunderstood! That’s not what I meant! I was talking about elemental attributes, the vine is wood-element, right? Most men have gold, fire, or earth constitutions. Isn’t it odd for him to keep a wood-element vine as a pet?”

“Oh, so that’s what you meant!”

Everyone immediately understood.

“Don’t bother explaining. Explaining just makes it sound guiltier.”

Su Qingying, relentless as ever, sneered.

“Our Alliance Leader is indeed a man, and he cultivates earth-element True Qi.”

Elder Kang stated proudly.

“What? That makes it even stranger! Doesn’t wood restrain earth? Why would he choose a pet whose attribute directly counters his own?”

Ruan Lingyu pressed curiously.

“Little girl, you’ve only heard that wood restrains earth, but do you know why?”

Elder Kang replied calmly.

“Uh…”

Ruan Lingyu was momentarily speechless; she truly didn’t know.

“Look around at the soil here, much of it has turned into yellow sand. That happens because trees drain nutrients from the earth, hence the saying wood restrains earth. But if you think about it the other way around, doesn’t that mean plants need earth to grow? It’s equally true to say earth nurtures wood. That’s why plants are the perfect pets for earth-element cultivators.”

“Oh! Elder Kang, you’re so knowledgeable! I’m impressed!”

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Ruan Lingyu exclaimed, and the others nodded in admiration.

“Kang Sheng, what are you babbling about over there? Are they your disciples? Stop meddling!”

Elder Zheng’s scolding voice cut in.

Elder Kang’s expression froze before he quietly shuffled away, subdued.

Next, the disciples guarding the Kapok Valley distributed identification tokens to everyone under Elder Zhao’s command, including the bait girls.

“Keep these safe. They’re your passes to enter and exit the Kapok Valley Treasure Land. Lose them, and I can’t guarantee you’ll make it back out.”

Elder Zheng warned. Of course, this reminder was meant for the disciples, the bait girls would be killed and dismembered once their usefulness ended.

Unaware of their fate, the girls carefully tucked their tokens away, clinging to the hope of surviving.

Qi Huang felt a pang of sympathy. As the saying goes, even ants cling to life, humans all the more so. That desperate will to live always struck a deep chord.

‘Since I need your help, I’ll make sure you all leave here alive.’

Qi Huang silently vowed, her resolve growing stronger.

Elder Zheng then led the team into the Kapok Valley Treasure Land. Everyone had heard the rumors about this place, so their nerves were taut, except for the Honghua Sect girls, who still giggled and chatted as though sightseeing.

As they ventured deeper, the Yin energy intensified, temperatures dropped, and eerie sounds echoed occasionally through the air.

The ordinary girls, frail and delicate, soon began trembling under the oppressive environment.

“Elder Zuo, we have ordinary girls with us. Shouldn’t you give them protective talismans? If something happens, how can they serve as bait?”

Tang Yuning spoke up first. Though spoiled and headstrong, she never lacked a sense of justice.

Elder Zheng slowly turned around, a sinister grin spreading across his face: “Who said the bait has to be alive?”