"Stay still, or I'll throw you down," Lan Ling said, clearly displeased.
Xu Qingning was already heavy as a log, and her constant squirming on Lan Ling's back only made her burden worse. If it weren't for Su Xi, she would have chopped Xu Qingning up for firewood.
"Do you want to die?" Xu Qingning, annoyed by Lan Ling's threat, wanted to lash out.
"Even if you want to make a move, consider if you can," Lan Ling was unfazed by Xu Qingning's threat and even arrogantly snapped a branch off her body.
Xu Qingning's brows furrowed in pain, but she was utterly helpless. Her entire body had stiffened, leaving her unable to fight back, let alone use her spiritual energy.
Su Xi ignored the bickering pair, her sole focus on finding the treasure Lan Ling had mentioned as quickly as possible. Following Lan Ling through the peach blossom forest for a long time, she felt a sense of apprehension as she watched the blossoms flutter down.
The path they had taken seemed identical to what she had seen before, as if they were retracing their steps instead of searching for treasure. Was there still great danger ahead?
Lan Ling noticed the change in Su Xi's expression and hastily defended herself, "Don't misunderstand me. This path truly leads to the secret realm." She continued, "Although there are many loops here, look closely. These peach blossoms have changed; they are not the same as before." She was worried that if Su Xi misunderstood, she might eliminate her prematurely. For her own safety, she wouldn't reveal her true intentions so soon.
Upon hearing Lan Ling's explanation, Su Xi began to scrutinize her surroundings again, wanting to confirm if it was true. After careful observation, Su Xi was convinced that everything was as Lan Ling had said. While the peach blossoms on the path were strikingly similar, there were subtle differences. The number of petals on each peach blossom tree seemed to vary. The further they walked, the more petals there were.
Eventually, the number of peach blossom petals began to increase, starting from just one and now reaching over ten. Just as Su Xi was contemplating seeing even more petals, she suddenly realized she had walked out of the peach blossom forest, and there were no more peach trees in sight.
With the peach trees gone, a patch of dark earth suddenly appeared before them. The ground was barren, and the soil emitted a foul stench that made Su Xi frown. In all her years, she had never smelled anything so putrid. The smell was eerily similar to the scent of the蛊虫 (gǔchóng - poisonous insects) in the illusion.
"It smells so good," Xu Qingning, still clinging to Lan Ling, suddenly exclaimed. She took deep breaths, as if savoring the fragrant aroma.
Xu Qingning's behavior left Su Xi speechless and incredulous, wondering how such words could come from her. Had she turned into an idiot in such a short time?
Noticing Su Xi's gaze, as if she were looking at an idiot, Xu Qingning asked in confusion, "Did I say something wrong?"
Su Xi shook her head, saying insincerely, "No, I think you're spot on." Arguing with her on this minor point was unnecessary. Her priority was finding the treasure.
With a decision made, Su Xi looked at Lan Ling, awaiting her response. Now that they had exited the peach blossom forest, could she finally tell her where the treasure was?
Lan Ling, sensing Su Xi's gaze, spoke before being asked, "This is called the Nine Nether Land. It is filled with many corpses. Nurtured by the corpses over a long period, this land has become so foul-smelling."
"Foul-smelling?" Xu Qingning rubbed her nose with a helpless expression, claiming that all she smelled was a pleasant aroma. Was Lan Ling spouting nonsense again, trying to trick her?
Lan Ling retorted to Xu Qingning's doubt, "You smell fragrance because you've turned into a tree, so you deeply love this land. We normal people find this smell putrid." The land naturally held a strong allure for trees, which is why they were so captivated by the foul odor, finding it fragrant rather than offensive.
Hearing Lan Ling's explanation, Xu Qingning's expression grew even more resentful. If Su Xi had helped her sooner, she wouldn't be in this state. She was certain Su Xi had deliberately sought revenge, causing her to become this half-human, half-ghost state. She vowed to get revenge.
Su Xi paid no attention to Lan Ling's expression and turned to her, "Where is the treasure you mentioned?" This place clearly wasn't where a treasure would normally be found. Was Lan Ling truly deceiving her to save her own life?
Lan Ling, sensing the doubt in Su Xi's voice, pointed to a spot not far ahead and said, "Because this land has gathered too many lingering spirits, it has nurtured the Silver Soul Wood."
Silver Soul Wood? Hearing Lan Ling's words, information about the Silver Soul Wood instantly flooded Su Xi's mind. Silver Soul Wood was not a worldly material and possessed a maddening characteristic: it had a special ability to stabilize the soul. This stabilization not only nurtured the soul but could also gradually transform a fragmented soul into a complete one. Many powerful cultivators suffered soul damage during their tribulations, which could affect their future achievements. However, with the nourishment of Silver Soul Wood, damaged souls could be repaired. Sadly, such a treasure for soul repair was rare and difficult to find, often causing bloodshed and only attainable by the truly powerful. Due to its scarcity, it was difficult to appraise.
The formation conditions for Silver Soul Wood were extremely harsh, making it a rare sight in this world, unseen for hundreds of thousands of years. Therefore, many had only heard legends of it, with no one having witnessed it. Tian Gang Zhenren's soul needed repair, and this kind of treasure would be the best choice. If they could obtain Silver Soul Wood, it would be perfect.
"Are you telling the truth?" Su Xi looked at Lan Ling, awaiting further explanation. If Lan Ling's words were true, just the Silver Soul Wood alone was worth the trip. Obtaining it would make the journey worthwhile.
Upon hearing Lan Ling's words, resentment flickered in Xu Qingning's eyes. Why reveal this secret to Su Xi? Her original intention in bringing Su Xi here was not only to shift the blame onto her but also for this Silver Soul Wood. The collection of Silver Soul Wood required the blood of forty-nine cultivators to be poured upon it to achieve its final form. However, she had accidentally caused the death of one person earlier while trying to enter the formation. That's why she brought Su Xi, intending for Su Xi to fill the void of the last person. She never expected to become a wooden person before Su Xi could be used as a sacrifice.
Yet, Xu Qingning wasn't worried. As long as she could obtain the Silver Soul Wood, she could then parasitize her soul within it. In time, not only would she fully recover, but she would also have no barriers in her cultivation thanks to the nourishment of the Silver Soul Wood. However, Xu Qingning suddenly began to worry if Su Xi might already know this secret. But she quickly dismissed the thought. She had carried out that matter very discreetly, ensuring no one else could detect it. The moment Su Xi touched the Silver Soul Wood, her soul would be extracted. Then, this treasure would be hers.
After hearing Lan Ling's words, Su Xi felt a flicker of anticipation. However, despite her excitement, she remained cautious. She understood that good things don't just fall from the sky for no reason.