"Chirp chirp!"
The little mountain hawk expressed its great displeasure and was not easily appeased.
Xu Yi did not indulge it. "If you don't get up, I'm leaving."
"Chirp!" The little mountain hawk rolled over and stood up from the ground with practiced ease. Its small eyes, fixed on Xu Yi, were filled with indignant condemnation.
In the end, Xu Yi successfully regained the little mountain hawk's forgiveness at the cost of two pieces of demonic beast meat.
"Senior, I never expected to meet you again. Thank you for saving my life."
While the little mountain hawk was engrossed in eating the meat, Wei Qingshan and Wei Jiu approached Xu Yi gratefully.
"Saving your life?" Xu Yi narrowed her eyes and said with sudden realization, "You've already consumed those Replenishing Pills. You don't need to thank me; it's the pills that were fated to be with you."
The Replenishing Pills that Wei Qingshan had purchased were refined by Xu Yi before she set out. A total of three pills had been produced from a single batch of spiritual items.
Xu Yi had casually placed one of them on her stall on a whim. She hadn't expected that this particular pill would be chosen by the pair before her. Therefore, it was their luck that had saved them.
"May I know your esteemed name? If I, Wei Qingshan, can safely exit this Giant's Realm, I will personally come to express my gratitude." Wei Qingshan said with sincerity.
Wei Qingshan? Could she be from the Wei family?
"No need," Xu Yi said, patting the little mountain hawk beside her. "Stop eating. We need to travel."
The little mountain hawk ferociously swallowed the last bite of demonic beast meat and wobbled along behind Xu Yi.
However, after just two steps, the little mountain hawk's gait became unsteady.
It stopped and shook its head vigorously. Then, it continued forward, but after only a few steps, it fell to the ground with a thud.
Xu Yi turned back helplessly. "What is it now?"
The little mountain hawk remained motionless.
Sensing something was wrong, Xu Yi walked over and flipped the little mountain hawk onto its back. She saw that its eyes were closed, and it was sound asleep. No matter how loudly she called, it wouldn't wake up.
"Senior, your mount just consumed the Heavenly Sun Flower. It should be digesting the medicinal power of the flower now," Wei Qingshan quickly stepped forward to explain to Xu Yi.
"And how long will it sleep?" Xu Yi frowned.
"This..." Wei Qingshan looked at the little mountain hawk's size and estimated, "It will likely sleep for at least three months."
"Three months?" Xu Yi's frown deepened.
She still needed to fight other demonic beasts. She couldn't stay here to look after the little mountain hawk, nor could she bring it with her.
However, this little mountain hawk's current strength was below the Foundation Establishment stage. Leaving it here would be a death sentence.
Xu Yi, having witnessed its birth, couldn't bear to truly abandon it.
For a moment, she was caught in a dilemma.
"Senior is concerned about how to care for your mount?" Wei Qingshan smiled faintly. "If you are willing to trust me, I can help you look after it until you return to pick it up."
Xu Yi was taken aback. "You're willing to help me care for it? Why?"
Wei Qingshan replied, "Naturally, it's to repay your life-saving grace. If I can also form a connection with you, that would be even better."
Wei Qingshan spoke very directly.
Three months of time to repay a debt of gratitude was, in her opinion, extremely worthwhile.
Moreover, she felt that the senior was mysterious and of extraordinary origin, and she wanted to befriend her and build a good relationship. She and Wei Jiu were restricted by their cultivation levels and could only operate in the vicinity. They had already thoroughly investigated the area and were confident they could take good care of the little mountain hawk.
Xu Yi considered it. Three months was neither too long nor too short. Entrusting the little mountain hawk to the two of them should not cause any problems.
However, she was still a little uneasy. She took out two jade talismans and gave them to the pair. "If you encounter danger, crush this talisman."
Wei Qingshan and Wei Jiu carefully accepted them and watched Xu Yi leave.
"Miss, what should we do now?"
Wei Jiu looked at the sleeping little mountain hawk, a hint of distress in his eyes.
"From now on, we will act separately. One person will stay by its side, and the other will search for the whereabouts of the Shadowless Slug."
"Alright."
Wei Jiu had never disobeyed Wei Qingshan. He nodded, a faint smile hidden in his eyes.
...
"Cough! Again!"
Xu Yi wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and once again charged forward, holding her Chastisement Ruler.
The Azure-Eyed White Lion let out a sky-shattering roar. Invisible sound waves spread out and approached Xu Yi with lightning speed.
Xu Yi formed a hand seal, erected a defensive shield, and madly drew spiritual energy, injecting it into the Chastisement Ruler as she gathered power for a downward strike.
A black ruler light shot out, gradually expanding in the air. It broke through the sonic waves and, by the time it reached the Azure-Eyed White Lion, it was almost the same size as the beast.
"Roar!"
The Azure-Eyed White Lion gathered spiritual energy in its right paw, leaped into the air, and swiped at the ruler light.
Its claws, flashing with a chilling gleam, emanated a terrifying pressure.
*Boom!*
The collision was earth-shattering. Violent waves of energy surged outwards like a tide.
Xu Yi's defensive shield only lasted for a moment before it was shattered by the surge of energy.
Her body was forced backward, crashing through dozens of trees before finally stopping.
Embedded in a tree trunk, Xu Yi's face was pale, and her expression was weak.
This Azure-Eyed White Lion was a gifted species among lions, born with Nascent Soul cultivation.
The one she was fighting had even reached the peak of the late Soul Splitting stage, just half a step away from fully entering the Integration stage.
Fighting it solely with spiritual energy was still a bit of a stretch for her.
Fortunately, the golden light energy within her could quickly repair her injuries, leaving her without any worries.
Xu Yi did not wish to move. She simply cast a barrier around herself and began to recover and adjust within the tree trunk.
Three days passed.
Xu Yi awoke and felt a slight increase in her spiritual energy. She grinned.
At this pace, within five years, she should be able to break through to the Integration stage and fulfill the century-old pact.
The Dean had said she could ask for one condition.
What should she ask for?
Spirit stones? Spirit pills? Magic treasures?
It seemed she didn't need any of these at the moment.
Xu Yi stroked her chin, unconsciously lost in thought.
However, not long after, she was jolted back from her ethereal musings. Her intuition told her that something capable of threatening her was approaching.
Xu Yi extended her spiritual sense. Apart from the leaves rustling in the wind, there was no other movement.
Yet, she clearly sensed the existence of something else.
What could it be?
Xu Yi held her breath and released her spiritual sea, preparing to sense again.
Hmm?
Her brow twitched. Her defensive shield seemed to have been touched.
She focused her gaze. There was nothing above the defensive shield.
An illusion?
No, Xu Yi looked directly at the defensive shield beneath her feet. A faint, crystalline sheen of water had appeared on it, and this watery sheen was slowly spreading upwards.
With a thought, Xu Yi realized that this thing was invisible and traceless, leaving behind traces wherever it passed. These characteristics combined perfectly matched one thing – the highly prized Shadowless Slug of the Wei family.
When you’ve searched high and low for something, and it appears without effort.
She had never intended to seek out the Shadowless Slug. She hadn’t expected it to deliver itself to her.
Letting go of a ready-made meal was not Xu Yi’s style.
Xu Yi's lips curved upwards. She took out a bundle of rope from her storage ring, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.