Chapter 641: Liang Yici on the Precipice
Chapter 641: Chapter 641: Liang Yici on the Precipice
In a short amount of time, all the beasts of prey throughout the mountain range knew that Shen Ningning was looking for someone.
They grew agitated and excited.
This was because legends about the young girl had long circulated throughout the Taiyu Mountain Range.
The animals that had survived since the great drought had all received her blessings.
When the drought first began, the forests withered away layer by layer, springs and streams ran dry, and the stinking corpses of animals could be seen everywhere.
But ever since Shen Ningning appeared, everything had changed.
With a simple point of her finger, a dried-up spring would gush with clear water once more. Wherever the water flowed, life returned.
With the return of water, the trees grew lush and green again, and wild fruits grew everywhere.
The herbivores, creatures like fawns, monkeys, and squirrels, were the first to receive her grace.
Next, Shen Ningning scattered fresh meat throughout the woods, helping the beasts of prey establish their territories, thrive, and multiply.
It was no exaggeration to say that she had single-handedly sustained the entire Taiyu Mountain Range.
The little monkeys revered Shen Ningning as their Monkey King. On the principle of working for their king, they spread Shen Ningning’s name throughout the forest, making sure all the other animals remembered it.
Some local woodcutters figured out the pattern and would call out the blessed girl’s name when they went up the mountain to chop wood.
Upon hearing Shen Ningning’s name, even the most ferocious beasts would consciously retreat, not harming a single human soul.
Having drunk the Spiritual Spring Water, many animals whose intelligence had been awakened secretly awaited a chance to repay Shen Ningning.
Finally, when they heard Shen Ningning was looking for someone, they all spontaneously came to help.
Shen Ningning rode the Black Wolf King, galloping ahead to clear a path.
Trailing behind her, Second Master Xie and Fang Qingdai could see numerous animals standing on both sides of the path, watching.
Just a moment ago, when they passed a fork in the road, a black bear was waiting there specifically for them. Upon seeing Shen Ningning, it even stood up and pointed in a direction.
Fang Qingdai had never seen such a spectacle and was utterly astonished.
Shen Ningning, in contrast, seemed to understand its meaning perfectly. She nodded and said hastily, "Thank you! Once we find her, come to my house for a reward!"
In the trees to the side, a group of small squirrels chased after them, squeaking.
Fang Qingdai didn’t know what they were saying, but Shen Ningning, up ahead, understood clearly.
She would turn her head from time to time to warn Second Master Xie and the others.
"There’s a swamp ahead, we have to go around!"
A moment later, Fang Qingdai did indeed spot a patch of brown swamp, glimpsed through the dense woods beside them. It looked just like an ordinary puddle.
If Shen Ningning hadn’t warned them, they would have been done for if they had fallen in.
Not only that, but the group of squirrels ran extremely fast, chittering warnings all along the way.
They even helped plan shortcuts for them in advance.
This continued until the Black Wolf King at the front gradually slowed to a halt. It paced near the edge of a cliff, lowering its head to sniff the ground as if searching for something.
Shen Ningning jumped off its back, frowning as she scanned her surroundings.
It was now dusk. The brilliant orange sun hung in the distance, about to sink below the horizon.
But after looking around, there was no sign of Liang Yici at all—only the silent, swaying trees in the wind.
"Liang Yici!" Shen Ningning shouted.
Fang Qingdai and Second Master Xie quickly dismounted and began calling Liang Yici’s name.
Xu Jingxi went to check the nearby woods.
Fang Qingdai’s voice was already tinged with the sound of sobbing as she called out.
"Ningning, did we take a wrong turn? Why is no one here?" As a mother, her heart was beginning to fill with fear.
The cliff was right beside them, and she didn’t dare to imagine what would happen. If Liang Yici had jumped from here, she felt she would fall apart.
Shen Ningning furrowed her delicate brows. "The squirrels said it was right here."
It wasn’t just them who couldn’t find her; the small animals that had gathered around were also sniffing everywhere, searching, occasionally chittering as if whispering to each other.
The Black Wolf King followed the scent straight ahead.
Its head was down, not watching the path ahead. Shen Ningning turned back to see the Black Wolf King pacing at the very edge of the cliff, and her heart tightened.
"Wolf Father! Be careful, the soil at the cliff’s edge is too loose! Don’t fall!"
However, the Black Wolf King suddenly looked down over the cliff, tilted its head back, and let out a howl.
Startled, Shen Ningning rushed over. "Is she down the cliff?"
Fang Qingdai’s face went deathly pale. She bolted forward, and if Second Master Xie hadn’t restrained her in time, she likely would have stepped right off the cliff in her emotional distress.
At that moment, Shen Ningning and the others lay prone at the edge of the cliff, peering down.
Wind from the bottom of the gorge swept up, chilling the cold sweat on their foreheads.
Shen Ningning focused her gaze and pointed to a tree branch jutting out from the cliff face. "There!"
Fang Qingdai and Second Master Xie looked over, and sure enough, it was Liang Yici.
Her entire body was draped over the branch, her limbs hanging limp as if she had fainted.
The little monkeys said that another animal had seen her get bitten by a snake. She was likely poisoned and had staggered in this direction.
She probably fainted from exhaustion. It was truly a stroke of luck that she was caught by the branch.
The only problem, however, was that Liang Yici was too far away from them, well beyond their reach.
Even if someone were to be lowered down to grab her, they wouldn’t be able to reach.
Shen Ningning frowned, pondering a solution. But beside her, Second Master Xie had already collected himself. His expression tense, he began to remove his outer robe.
Fang Qingdai asked in alarm, "What are you doing?"
"Tie a rope around my waist and lower me down to save her," Second Master Xie said, his tone decisive and calm.
He took off his belt and looked around, but there was no usable rope to be found.
Fang Qingdai grabbed his hand, on the verge of tears from anxiety. "Absolutely not! It’s too risky! If you don’t get a firm grip, not only will she fall, but you’ll be in danger too."
Shen Ningning, crouching by the cliff’s edge, was also in a bind.
’I have everything... except a pair of wings.’
’What should I do? Second Uncle’s idea is really the only way, but it’s too dangerous.’
’If he falls, it’s into a bottomless abyss.’
Second Master Xie looked at Fang Qingdai’s tear-filled eyes. "She is my daughter. I will save her even if it means being crushed to pieces. Besides, do you have a better idea?"
Tears streamed down Fang Qingdai’s face as she slowly released her grip on his hand.
"Then I’ll go," she choked out. "I’m a bit lighter than you. There’s less chance of the rope fraying."
"No!" Second Master Xie refused without a second thought.
Shen Ningning thought for a moment, then abruptly stood up and blew a whistle.
The little monkeys rushed over. Shen Ningning gave them a couple of instructions, and they immediately dashed into the forest to search.
Second Master Xie asked, "Ningning, what did you send them to do?"
"Second Uncle, I think your idea is good, but a belt isn’t safe. I sent the little monkeys to find vines. When I was little, I saw villagers weave vines into a sedan chair. It was ugly, but it was very sturdy and almost impossible to break."
’If we’re going to rescue her, we have to make sure it’s safe before we act.’
Second Master Xie didn’t object. A short while later, the little monkeys, working together, dragged long vines out of the forest.
Fang Qingdai and Shen Ningning helped twist the vines into a single rope, finally tying it around Second Master Xie’s waist.
Shen Ningning tied the other end of the vine rope to a large tree nearby.
"This should be fine now. Second Uncle, you must be careful."