Lighting Lanterns in the Mountains and Seas

Chapter 888 752: Step by Step Golden Lotus

The creature said, "Our Qilin clan naturally resides in Yingze Mountain."

"Yingze Mountain?" Shi Chun and Zhu Xiangxin spoke in unison, looking at each other with a questioning gaze in their eyes.

With just one glance, both understood — neither had heard of it.

Shi Chun asked again, "Where is Yingze Mountain?"

The creature said in surprise, "You don't know Yingze Mountain? It's in Infinite Land, Yingze Mountain of Infinite Land."

Zhu Xiangxin whispered to Shi Chun, "What kind of nonsense is this creature spouting?"

Seeing the creature speak so earnestly, Shi Chun was skeptical, recalling a past event regarding searching for 'Golden Que Mountain' in Dazhi City according to Jin Zhan's last words.

If what this creature said is true, it means this creature and Jin Zhan lived in the same era, and the places mentioned by it have probably undergone vast changes over time, having vanished long ago in the river of history.

Perhaps now it's been renamed, but no matter how the name changes, there indeed hasn't been any talk of the existence of the Qilin clan in the Cultivation World.

Did they all die out? Shi Chun suddenly thought of this possibility.

It seems it's the only possibility, otherwise such a race couldn't possibly be as if nonexistent in the Cultivation World.

Powers capable of exterminating the Qilin clan...

Upon thinking of this, Shi Chun suddenly thought of a question, not knowing the strength of the Qilin clan, especially the guy in front of him, and immediately asked, "What is your cultivation level?"

Speaking of this, the creature lowered its head and turned it sideways, big eyes flickering, seeming a bit shy, then after a long pause, stammered, "I haven't cultivated, don't know how to cultivate, I was young when I left home, and my family hadn't started teaching how to cultivate, only taught the basics for body foundation. Over the years, I've stuck to Body Refinement. Fortunately, there are plenty of Spirit Grass here to assist in Body Refinement. I want to cultivate, but I haven't met anyone to ask for guidance. Even if someone were available, my Qilin clan is different from ordinary races, likely no one knows how our clan should cultivate."

"..." This time Shi Chun looked at it truly as if looking at a monster, if the other wasn't lying, wouldn't that mean it's specifically been doing Body Refinement here for tens of thousands of years?

Doubts in his heart, he probed further, "How old were you when you left? Your family hadn't taught you cultivation methods yet?"

The creature scratched its hoof and said, "Three years old."

Alright, Shi Chun was speechless again, for humans, a three-year-old child, forget Body Refinement, probably only knows how to drink milk and nothing else, this creature knowing any Body Refinement is already quite impressive.

No wonder the knife can't cut through.

Because of this, Shi Chun looked at the mask on Zhu Xiangxin's face, and then raised his hand to touch the mask on his own face, fortunately without exposure, otherwise silencing this creature wouldn't be easy.

The key is he doesn't dare make too much commotion, afraid of attracting other Demon Path beings.

Therefore, generously said, "Forget it, considering you're a Qilin, I'll let you go. Remember, don't mention us to anyone, or we won't spare you!"

Though who knows if it's the legendary Qilin, it's just an excuse to leave.

"Thank you, Great Immortal, thank you, Great Immortal, I definitely won't mention this to anyone, you can trust my reputation," the creature nodded repeatedly in thanks.

Shi Chun turned and made a gesture to Zhu Xiangxin, then they swiftly left.

Before leaving, Zhu Xiangxin checked the tree outside again, truly not wanting to miss even one Immortal Fruit.

Coincidentally, the creature in the cave approached again, and Zhu Xiangxin asked, upon finding nothing, "According to records, each 'Jade Marrow Fruit' should yield one hundred and eight fruits, why are there only a few dozen left?"

The creature said, "I don't know what this fruit is called either, only found out from your names. I only feel this tree is unusual, but it turns out helpful for my Body Refinement, so I drove the original owner away and guarded this place myself. Every fruit I've counted countless times, hoping every day, indeed one hundred and eight without a doubt. When the fruit ripened, I ate seven in one go, later found eating too many at once is a waste, unlike eating more for better effects, then switched to eating one after a while. Not sure how many years, feels like about one a year, then gifted a few to three to five old friends who visited, then recently due to a mutation, couldn't withstand the body vaporizing, picked another to eat, overall should now have forty-one fruits left."

Zhu Xiangxin nodded slightly at Shi Chun, signaling alignment.

Shi Chun asked further, "You have friends here?"

The creature said, "Trapped here, it's boring without making some friends, all heroes of the Black and White Land."

Shi Chun: "All beasts, right?"

The creature: "I want to meet people, but there's none here."

Zhu Xiangxin inserted to Shi Chun, "This should be enough for healing, I'd like to gather some other things."

Meaning, aren't we not rushing to leave?

Shi Chun understood the other's interest in those Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, but he wasn't that interested. Having found something that could heal wounds, he was even more reluctant to stay. Healing Li Hongjiu's injuries was his current priority.

Besides, staying here for too long could possibly lead to an encounter with the Demon Path.

Yet, seeing the woman showing such anticipation in her eyes for the first time, and considering those tens of thousands of corpses might not be completely searched anyway, he ultimately relented, "I'll give you half a two-hour block."

Zhu Xiangxin nodded excitedly, then took to the air, flying towards another Immortal Mountain.

Shi Chun naturally followed along.

As soon as he landed on the Immortal Mountain, he couldn't help but turn his head to see the creature striding through the void, hovering in mid-air beside him as if walking on solid ground, looking like a dog trailing behind a person.

The point wasn't how much it looked like a dog, but rather that he didn't sense any mana or demonic power fluctuations from it.

Seeing that it had been noticed, the creature voluntarily approached and asked Shi Chun, "Is she gathering Spirit Grass?"

Shi Chun glanced at it, his meaning clear: what's it to you?

The creature, however, acted as if it were an old acquaintance, saying, "If it's about gathering herbs, I can help!"

Shi Chun looked down at its hooves and then at its mouth, his disdainful look clearly meant, without mana, are you going to dig them up with your hooves or bite them with your mouth?

The creature explained smoothly, "In this Black and White Land, to be blunt, when it comes to gathering herbs, I just need to say the word. Once the ones flying in the sky and running on the ground start moving, you can gather as much as you want. Just tell me what you need, much better than searching slowly like you are now."

Hearing this, Zhu Xiangxin, who was squatting and sorting herbs, stood up and turned to ask, "Is this true?"

The creature snorted and puffed up its chest, "It's as true as it can get. Pulling out all the Spirit Grass in the entire Black and White Land would just be a matter of a word from me."

Zhu Xiangxin exclaimed happily, "Oh, then I'll have to see it with my own eyes."

The creature bragged, "Alright, let the two Great Immortals witness the grand scene of countless birds and beasts bearing grass as tribute..."

Hearing this, Shi Chun suddenly panicked, realizing Zhu Xiangxin was being rash. If such a commotion was truly made, how could they gather herbs? It would surely attract the Demon Path.

But before he could open his mouth, he saw the creature, wagging its tail and turning around, suddenly freezing with an awkward expression on its face that was hard to miss, leaving Shi Chun puzzled.

Zhu Xiangxin asked, "What's the matter, can't do it?"

The creature had no choice but to turn back around, forcing a smile and said, "It's not that it can't be done, it's just that I forgot something. Your previous Divine Skills were too powerful. While I'm fine, most of the flying birds and beasts have been greatly depleted, and quite a few even died because of it. To have them gather herbs now seems ill-timed. We have to wait until they recover, and then it's not too late to let them move."

In matters like this, Zhu Xiangxin was persistent and asked, "How long do we have to wait?"

"..." The creature was stumped, realizing it was cornered; a moment of silence later, it conceded and lowered its head, "I don't know either."

Zhu Xiangxin sneered, deciding not to waste any more time and went back to gathering herbs on their own.

Shi Chun felt relieved, then examined the creature and asked, "How do you manage to float in the air without external force or internal energy?"

Speaking of its advantage, the creature perked up again, "No big deal, just an Innate Divine Ability of the Qilin clan, allowing me to gallop in the air, walk through fire and water, cut through mountains, and travel through heaven and earth. Without these abilities, those birds and beasts wouldn't heed me."

Shi Chun wasn't sure if it was boasting or not, but since he was keeping watch over Zhu Xiangxin, might as well idle around. He teased, "So you're saying, you're the boss of those birds and beasts?"

While speaking, he expended his vitality again, activating the Right Eye Superpower after a break, to observe its floating stance. The result was discovering that the creature was showcasing the phenomenon of 'Step by Step Golden Lotus,' with each step leaving a cracked golden pattern beneath its hooves.

When the hoof moved, the crack that looked like a flower would close and vanish, and a new supporting golden crack appeared beneath its new step, akin to the feeling of cracking thin ice or creating lotuses with every step, truly remarkable.

Shi Chun marveled in his heart, could this really be the legendary Divine Beast Qilin?

Even though this Qilin was quite dark and not very refined, judging from various signs, he was somewhat convinced, about seventy to eighty percent.

The creature chuckled, "Not really, not really, the Qilin family has manners. I've been taught since young, we can be free in the mountains, or wild beyond the mountains, just not to claim dominance. But, they have to respect me; offend me, and there's no place amongst heaven and earth they can escape to. Otherwise, how else would I be able to monopolize the Divine Tree where the Jade Marrow Fruit grows?"

Shi Chun nodded in agreement, "Good manners, being free on your own is fine, so why are you following us?"

With the Immortal Fruit he guarded being taken, yet he was still here helping gather Spirit Grass, how could such a convenient good deal exist, as if treating him, Master of the East Nine Plain, like a fool?

"..." The creature couldn't hold back a smile, circling its four hooves in the air as if hesitating over how to express itself. After a while, it tried to approach again, "Great Immortal, since you could come in, you should be able to leave, right? I... I kinda miss home."

Shi Chun chuckled upon hearing this, realizing it was all for this reason, though it made sense. However, he bluntly stated, "Why should I take you out?"