Chapter 184: Escape Plan
Chapter 184: Chapter 184: Escape Plan
By the end of the year.
Yu Menghan came to Immortal Peach Mountain to visit Li Ping for the final treatment of her Spirit Beast, the Seven-Color Illusory Light Butterfly.
Upon seeing Li Ping, Yu Menghan grinned and took out the Celestial Profound Crystal that sealed the Seven-Color Illusory Light Butterfly, placing it on the table. "Fellow Daoist Li, I’ll have to trouble you."
Li Ping looked down, nodded slightly, and said calmly, "Given the Seven-Color Illusory Light Butterfly’s current condition, you don’t actually need to use the Celestial Profound Crystal to seal its life force anymore, Fairy."
After so many years of treatment, the Seven-Color Illusory Light Butterfly’s injuries had almost completely healed. It could be perfectly active and lively even without the Celestial Profound Crystal.
"Heh heh." Yu Menghan just chuckled but said nothing more.
Li Ping guessed she was likely just being overly cautious out of concern and didn’t dare take any risks. Shaking his head inwardly, he placed a hand on the Celestial Profound Crystal.
He then began to infuse his Nourishing Life Skill Power into it to feed the Seven-Color Illusory Light Butterfly. Wisps of Nourishing Life Skill Power entered the butterfly’s body and were rapidly absorbed.
At the same time, a feeling of dependence and joy emanated from the Celestial Profound Crystal.
Unwittingly, this rare insect of heaven and earth had grown accustomed to Li Ping’s aura and, due to his meticulous care, had come to see him as someone dear.
This was a phenomenon Li Ping had only recently discovered. After absorbing so much of his Nourishing Life Skill Power, the Seven-Color Illusory Light Butterfly seemed to have been molded into his shape.
Recalling how Xiao Yunzhi had deliberately intercepted him to offer her thanks when he returned from Jixia, Li Ping mused, ’This Wetland Water Nourishing Skill Cultivation Technique might not be as simple as I thought.’
He strongly suspected that Xiao Yunzhi might have been molded into his shape as well.
Of course, he hadn’t treated Xiao Yunzhi many times, and her injuries weren’t as severe as the Seven-Color Illusory Light Butterfly’s. Besides, Xiao Yunzhi was human and could control her emotions. Therefore, her symptoms weren’t as pronounced.
At most, she had developed a heartfelt fondness for Li Ping and saw him as a trustworthy person.
WHOOSH!
A moment later, Li Ping, covered in sweat, withdrew his palm and let out a long, ’strained’ breath.
After this final treatment, the Seven-Color Illusory Light Butterfly had been completely revived. Even within the seal of the Celestial Profound Crystal, it seemed poised to spread its wings and fly.
Seeing this, Yu Menghan’s face lit up with joy.
Through the connection with her Lifebound Spirit Beast, she could sense that the Seven-Color Illusory Light Butterfly had returned to its peak condition.
CRACK~
With a wave of her hand, she broke the Celestial Profound Crystal’s seal from the outside. Freed from its restraints, the Seven-Color Illusory Light Butterfly immediately struggled out of the crystal.
As if it had forgotten how to fly after being sealed in the Celestial Profound Crystal for so long, the Seven-Color Illusory Light Butterfly stood on the table, its wings vibrating slightly, but it didn’t take off immediately.
Yu Menghan watched the Spirit Butterfly on the table with great anticipation. She saw it flutter into the air like a falling leaf, but the next moment—her expression froze.
Her Lifebound Spirit Beast didn’t fly into her arms as she had expected. Instead, it traced a beautiful arc through the air and landed on Li Ping’s shoulder.
FLUTTER~
The Seven-Color Illusory Light Butterfly gently flapped its pair of splendid, membrane-like wings. A multicolored radiance scattered from them, enveloping Li Ping and making him feel as if he were in a dreamlike world, his very soul becoming more comfortable and relaxed.
As its wings fluttered, it seemed to be seeking praise from Li Ping, as if to say, "This little bug is amazing, right?"
Li Ping looked up and noticed Yu Menghan’s stiff expression.
’From his perspective, how was what the Seven-Color Illusory Light Butterfly just did any different from getting cucked right in front of her?’
He coughed twice to break the awkwardness. "Ahem, Fairy Yu, you may not be aware, but this is a normal situation. I have been treating your Spirit Beast for many years and saved it from the brink of death. It remembers my aura and has unwittingly grown dependent on me, which is why it flew over to my side."
The reason for Yu Menghan’s stiff expression was her worry that Li Ping had done something underhanded during the treatment, causing a problem with the Seven-Color Illusory Light Butterfly.
Hearing Li Ping’s explanation, her expression softened slightly. "I see."
Seeing that she still seemed unsettled, Li Ping added with a smile, "Fairy, you can try calling to it now. I’m sure you can still command it. Once you take it back to your residence and slowly nurture your bond, things will return to normal."
Yu Menghan nodded and called out to the Seven-Color Illusory Light Butterfly in her mind through their Lifebound Spirit Contract.
Sure enough, though reluctant, upon hearing its master’s call, the Seven-Color Illusory Light Butterfly regretfully flew away from Li Ping. It approached Yu Menghan, circling her slowly and scattering a layer of seven-colored light.
Under that radiance, she looked like a celestial fairy descended to the mortal world, exuding perfection and beauty from head to toe.
In that moment, Yu Menghan’s beauty was unlike anything Li Ping had ever seen; she could be called the number one beauty of the Western Wilderness.
However, Li Ping knew this wasn’t Yu Menghan’s actual appearance. While she was indeed beautiful, she wasn’t so devastatingly so. The Seven-Color Illusory Light Butterfly was just applying a beauty filter to her.
Only then did Li Ping realize the Seven-Color Illusory Light Butterfly possessed such an ability. No wonder Yu Menghan was willing to save it at any cost.
What Female Cultivator could resist such a temptation?
...
After playing with the Seven-Color Illusory Light Butterfly for a while, Yu Menghan contentedly returned it to her Spirit Beast Pouch.
Perhaps feeling it would be rude to leave immediately after her Spirit Beast was healed, which would be a slight to Li Ping, Yu Menghan did not depart right away. Instead, she sat in the pavilion and began to chat idly with him.
They mainly discussed the recent turmoil in the Western Wilderness.
Through Yu Menghan’s information channels, Li Ping learned that the Daoist Guardian Alliance was at a disadvantage, caught between the attacks of the Tuluo People and the four great Demon Dao Sects.
The Yan and Liang Kingdoms in the Northern Realm were faring better. With support from the Cultivation Sects of the Western and Central Realms, and because they were well-prepared, the Tuluo People’s surprise attack had failed.
After several major battles, the defensive line was firmly held within the borders of the Yan and Liang Kingdoms. Although both sides had suffered considerable losses among their cultivators, the situation would likely remain a stalemate without external intervention.
However, the situation on the eastern front was extremely unfavorable for the Daoist Guardian Alliance.
Under the powerful offensive of the four Demon Dao Sects, the Daoist Guardian Alliance was in constant retreat. They had not only lost the Yuan Kingdom, but the front lines had also been pushed back to Donghua Mountain.
The Qi Kingdom was engulfed in the flames of war, and many Cultivation Clans had been wiped out, unable to evacuate in time.
Now, the Daoist Guardian Alliance could only rely on the Donghua Mountain’s Protection Array to mount a desperate defense, unable to organize any effective counterattacks.
Of course, as long as Donghua Mountain had not been conquered and the Academy Palace had not been eliminated, the four Demon Dao Sects wouldn’t dare to venture deep into the Western Wilderness for fear of having their retreat cut off. At most, small groups of Demon Cultivators would cross the Qi Kingdom’s border to plunder the Central Realm of the Western Wilderness.
As for Fenglan Immortal City, located in a remote backwater, it had become a haven far from the battlefield.
Li Ping believed that, given the Immortal City’s location, if the war were to spread this far, it would likely mean the Righteous Dao of the Western Wilderness had been completely annihilated.
After a moment of thought, he asked, "Fairy Yu, I was wondering how your esteemed Commerce Association assesses the likely outcome of the war between the Daoist Guardian Alliance, the four Demon Dao Sects, and the Tuluo People?"
The Ying Sea Commerce Association had a mysterious background and was suspected to be from another Cultivation Realm, with Nascent Soul Cultivators holding the fort within.
Their intelligence should include an analysis and judgment of the war’s progression.
"The specific intelligence is confidential, so I’m afraid I cannot tell you, Fellow Daoist." Yu Menghan shook her head and looked at Li Ping. "But you can rest assured, Fellow Daoist Li. Without further outside interference, the war’s situation is unlikely to change drastically within the next forty or fifty years.
"After all, that array at Donghua Mountain is no ordinary thing. If not for the insufficient grade of its Spirit Vein, it could unleash Tier Four power. It won’t be broken so easily."
Hearing this, Li Ping couldn’t help but frown slightly.
In truth, the reason he asked for Yu Menghan’s opinion on the war was that he had been feeling a persistent sense of unease recently, as if danger were approaching. This premonition came from the Cultivation Technique he practiced, the Nine Tribulations True Spirit Scripture.
He had originally thought this hint of danger might stem from the Daoist Guardian Alliance being unable to hold out, leading to a complete collapse of the situation in the Western Wilderness.
But if Yu Menghan believed the war would remain at a stalemate, it meant the danger he sensed was not from that front.
’How strange. According to Yu Menghan’s assessment, Fenglan Immortal City should be quite safe,’ Li Ping thought, deeply puzzled.
After thinking for a moment, he asked again, "Fairy Yu, your Commerce Association must have a way to leave the Western Wilderness, right? I wonder if I might be able to use this channel? I’m willing to pay a high price."
Li Ping was worried that something bad would happen to him if he continued to stay in Fenglan Immortal City.
When faced with such things, his plan was to run first and ask questions later.
’If I can’t figure out where the problem is, then I can just pack up and leave, right?’
At this thought, the world suddenly felt much wider.
’Once I’m gone, the danger can’t possibly follow me to another Cultivation Realm, can it?’
...
"Oh? Fellow Daoist Li wants to leave the Western Wilderness?" Yu Menghan looked at Li Ping in surprise, then nodded slightly. "It is a wise choice for you to leave, Fellow Daoist Li. After all, there’s no telling how long the war in the Western Wilderness will last. Amidst years of chaos, even Foundation Establishment Cultivators can only drift with the tide. Not only does cultivation become more difficult and Core Formation Spiritual Objects harder to obtain, but one is also more likely to encounter danger."
Li Ping nodded. He didn’t need Core Formation Spiritual Objects, nor was he worried about cultivation difficulties; his main fear was encountering danger.
"Our Association naturally has channels to leave the Western Wilderness." Yu Menghan confirmed Li Ping’s suspicion, then broke into a grin. "However, such a secret channel will not be made available to outsiders, no matter how many Spirit Stones they offer.
"Unless... Fellow Daoist Li is willing to join our Association. Once you become one of us, you will naturally have the opportunity to use the Association’s resources. Leaving the Western Wilderness through our internal channels would not be difficult."
Li Ping looked up at Yu Menghan, who was revealing two small canine teeth in her smile, and instantly understood her intention. ’You wicked, snaggle-toothed girl! I just want to borrow your channel out of the Western Wilderness, but you’re after my body!’
After so many years of treatments, Yu Menghan had long since determined that Li Ping was a Physician of exceptionally high skill, with unique healing methods that might even rival some Tier Four Physicians.
Of course, she wanted to pull such a highly skilled Physician into her association.
After all, what is most valuable in the Cultivation Realm?
Talent!
By inviting such a useful talent into the association, she could also earn a large number of contribution points.
Though, given her wealth, she didn’t really care about the contribution points.