Ji Tianqing put on a puffed-up, angry expression, but secretly gave Qian Ye a meaningful glance. Qian Ye caught the hint and, with a bow, inquired, “May I ask how to address you, sir, and how long have you been here?”
This was an attempt to suss out more information. The elder, however, seemed unperturbed. While trimming the branches of a medicinal tree, he said, “I am Mr. Lu, and I have been here for fifty years.”
Qian Ye suppressed his astonishment and probed further, “Then this must be the Tiansun Grassland, right?”
The old man nodded, “Of course. Apart from the things in this herb garden, take whatever catches your fancy. However, some herbs require special methods to collect; if you are unsure, feel free to ask me.”
The trio hadn’t expected such an easygoing response, and found it hard to believe. The elder’s cultivation level was truly unfathomable; a mere glance from him made Qian Ye feel as if he were facing Luo Bingfeng, completely extinguishing any thoughts of forcibly taking what they wanted by force. Even if this elder wasn’t the guardian of the Tiansun Grassland, his presence alone would prevent them from touching anything here.
Ji Tianqing’s expression changed slowly, as if she had trouble believing her own eyes.
The elder cast a look at her, “But the little girl is not being entirely honest. Just how old is Ji Wentian that he could possibly have a granddaughter your age?”
Though the elder spoke casually, Ji Tianqing took his words seriously and responded earnestly, “I don’t have a father.”
“What?” The elder was taken aback.
“I refuse to acknowledge that man! He doesn’t deserve it!” Ji Tianqing gritted her teeth.
The elder chuckled and shook his head, “Alright, the little one has quite a fiery temper. But aren’t you mixing up the generations? Oh well, I’m too old to bother with such details. But looking at your inheritance, Ji Wentian must’ve taught you his ultimate Mountain-Opening Force. It seems he really favors you.”
Ji Tianqing snorted, “Is the Mountain-Opening Force really that impressive? I find it rather mediocre.”
“Ah, what does a child know? That old fellow may boast many secret techniques, but none can compare to the profound intent of the Mountain-Opening Force. A single gesture, and mountains crumble—a truly awe-inspiring might. In terms of profundity, perhaps only the few ultimate martial arts created by the Great Ancestor and the Martial Ancestor can surpass it. Back then, when the old man was deeply trapped in an emotional entanglement and was in a state of despair, he stumbled upon the Mountain-Opening Force, which helped him break through his predicament and achieve what he did later.”
Ji Tianqing’s eyes lit up, “Who was the person who entangled my grandfather back then? Was she beautiful?”
The elder sighed, exasperated, “A young girl like you should focus on improving herself, not on such trivial matters.”
After pestering for a while without getting an answer, Ji Tianqing pursed her lips, “I guess you don’t know either, huh?”
Embarrassed, the elder admitted, “It was a matter of his heartbreak. I was no match for him back then, so how could I press him for answers?”
At that moment, Qian Ye recalled the experience of obtaining the legacy of the North-Polar King in the underground cavern. Although he didn’t know who the woman was, he could empathize with her deep, ocean-like sorrow. He tugged at Ji Tianqing, saying, “Don’t ask anymore. This might not be a pleasant memory for him.”
Ji Tianqing stuck out her tongue and obediently kept quiet.
The elder glanced at Qian Ye and praised, “Well done.”
His gaze seemed to penetrate Qian Ye, but the moment his eyes met, Qian Ye activated his dark golden blood aura and the Dawn of Light, forming a double barrier. The Dawn of Light was on the outside, while the blood aura shielded him within, blocking the elder’s probing gaze.
For a moment, Qian Ye wasn’t sure whether the elder’s praise referred to his cultivation or his handling of Ji Tianqing. He was confident in the former, but felt he had never truly mastered the latter.
The elder plucked a fruit, green tinged with red, from the medicinal tree and handed it to Ji Tianqing, “For the sake of that old fellow, take this as a return of a favor. Eat it or give it away, it’s up to you.”
Ji Tianqing knew this was a rare treasure, and she carefully accepted it, giving it a sniff. Her expression changed suddenly, “White Fruit?”
She flipped her hand, revealing a white fruit, placing it beside the greenish-red one.
The elder was surprised, “How do you have the Sacred Fruit? It’s not easy to obtain. It only grows in the high-gravity zones at the end of the mountain range… Have you been to the high-gravity zones?”
Ji Tianqing replied honestly, “We just came from there.”
The elder raised an eyebrow, “How much gravity? Five or six times?”
“Ten times.”
The elder frowned, “You’re exaggerating! Even if you can withstand ten times gravity, the frigid night would still be too harsh for you.”
“We were lucky. We found a few Sacred Fruits upon entering, and we managed to survive the first few nights with them. After that, we sped up and escaped.”
The elder questioned them further, then stroked his beard, “So, you came through the neutral ground’s passage. No wonder. The Empire must have seized a great advantage. However, you two must have been tricked by this young man, otherwise, you wouldn’t have ended up in the ten-times-gravity zone.”
He pointed at Qian Ye.
“Is that possible?” Ji Tianqing and Li Kuanglan both looked puzzled.
The elder explained, “A hundred years ago, both the Evernight and the Empire explored the neutral ground’s passages. Powerful experts tried to delve deep, though they couldn’t fully cross. Still, they understood the structure and mechanics. Simply put, the stronger the cultivator, the closer their landing point to the core. If several people enter close together, they’ll follow the path of the first and land near them. I assume this young man went first, followed by you two?”
Li Kuanglan and Ji Tianqing realized this was indeed the case.
The elder glanced at Qian Ye, “His physique is quite unique, somewhat different from us humans. He can survive in the ten-times-gravity zone, but you can’t. Good thing you made a quick decision and didn’t get lured in.”
Their faces fell. They suspected that Song Zining must have known the characteristics of the neutral ground’s passage and deliberately placed them near Qian Ye, putting them in a dilemma. Despite their efforts, they still fell into a trap before leaving the dangerous area.
Further speculation led them to believe that Song Zining had also manipulated Li Housheng, summoning Ji Tianqing to the neutral grounds with ill intentions.
They exchanged a glance, burying their anger deep. When it came to holding grudges, women were unmatched.
The elder pointed to the greenish-red fruit, “When I ventured into the eight-times-gravity zone, I could barely withstand the frigid night, so I raided a native’s den and took a branch. Over the years, I researched transplanting the Sacred Fruit and made some progress. This fruit has about forty percent of the Sacred Fruit’s efficacy.”
Forty percent was already impressive, given that the Sacred Fruit extended life. This meant the greenish-red fruit could also prolong life.
Seeing their expressions, the elder continued, “You don’t know the true value. The best part is that it can grow without relying on the frigid night’s power. Though the cultivation method is complicated, it can thrive in this region, providing two life-extending fruits every few years.”
Qian Ye thought this benefit wasn’t particularly remarkable. Ji Tianqing agreed, feeling less constrained, “The natives have plenty of Sacred Fruits. If we want them, we can just take them.”
The elder smiled, “Steal? You’re just lucky to say that.”
“Isn’t that true? The natives are troublesome but not difficult to handle.”
The elder countered, “Were they the four-armed ones?”
“Both female warriors and male warriors with four arms.”
“How did you find them?”
Ji Tianqing shrugged, “Not too bad. The white fog of the four-armed females was nasty, but that’s all. With time and space, I could handle five or six of them.”
“Five or six, not fifty or sixty. So, you think highly of them, eh?” The elder turned to Qian Ye, “What about you?”
Qian Ye thought for a moment, “I could handle one more.”
The elder chuckled, “Just one? Not bad, young and wise, leaving room for error. No wonder the Song clan values you.”
This statement was a bit baffling, as Qian Ye, though friendly with Song Zining, hadn’t received many favors from the Song clan.
The elder didn’t explain further, “If dealing with a few four-armed warriors is tough, how about a dozen male and female warriors with four arms each?”
They didn’t need to answer. The options were either to run or fight to the death. Together, they might have a chance.
Without waiting for a response, the elder asked, “What if you encounter a six-armed general?”
“Six-armed general?” The three were shocked. Four-armed warriors were already a challenge; a six-armed general would be even more formidable.
The elder explained, “Snatching a few Sacred Fruits is one thing, but if you go for the natives’ Sacred Tree, you might alert a six-armed general. As for how powerful they are, you can see for yourself.”
He opened his shirt, revealing a horrific scar on his chest, “This is the price I paid for stealing a branch. Back then, I lasted only five minutes against a six-armed general.”
Seeing the scar, Ji Tianqing gasped. The scar ran from his shoulder across his chest, gnarled and protruding, over a foot long. A fraction deeper, and it would’ve cleaved him in half.
The elder rebuttoned his shirt, smiling, “If you hadn’t run fast enough, you’d likely face a six-armed general now.”
The trio shuddered at the thought.
In the high-gravity zone, ancient trees in the forest began toppling one after another, creating a line that extended far, with a deafening sound.
In the dense woods, An Wen was dragging Bai Kongzhao, running for their lives, not daring to look back.
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