Chapter 172: I’m Not a Child
The Ten Thousand Mountains of the Southern Region were indeed farther than they had anticipated.
With Nan Xiaoxiang being a mortal, their journey was slow, taking them almost half a month to reach the edge of the mountain range.
The climate had become hot and humid, and the surrounding mountains were desolate, with few signs of human habitation.
Finding the Wu Xuan Cave in this vast wilderness would take a Grand Clarity Realm expert a long time.
Fortunately, they had Nan Xiaoxiang as their guide.
The dense forest was dark and humid, the undergrowth reaching almost waist-high.
Chen Yin and his companions trekked through the jungle, seemingly without end.
“Are you sure this is the right way?” Qingying finally asked, unable to contain her doubts.
“This place doesn’t look like it’s inhabited, let alone home to a cultivation sect.”
“The Wu Xuan Cave has always lived in seclusion, surrounded by miasma. This jungle is their natural barrier.”
Nan Xiaoxiang wiped the sweat from her brow, her breath slightly ragged. “Even if their enemies manage to find them, crossing the Ten Thousand Mountains would be an ordeal.”
Chen Yin noticed that Luo Luo had been unusually quiet and listless. “What’s wrong?” he asked softly.
“I-I don’t know… I feel a little dizzy…”
Luo Luo leaned against him, her eyes unfocused.
“Although we haven’t reached the areas with dense miasma yet, the lingering traces are still dangerous.”
Nan Xiaoxiang walked over to her and placed a hand on her forehead.
“Hmm… you’ve been slightly affected by the miasma.”
“It’s alright, I have some antidote pills.”
Luo Luo took the pill and immediately felt better.
“Even cultivators can’t withstand this miasma. How are you unaffected, being a mortal?” Chen Yin couldn’t help but ask.
Nan Xiaoxiang just stared at him silently.
…Right. She had survived the Yama’s Valley. Her resistance to toxins must be incredibly high.
She gave antidote pills to Qingying and Luo Luo, but when she offered one to Chen Yin, he shook his head.
“I don’t need it.”
“Why?” Nan Xiaoxiang frowned. “Even Supreme Clarity Realm cultivators can be affected by prolonged exposure.”
Chen Yin just shrugged, indicating that he was fine.
And he was.
Even without the regenerative abilities of the “Forgotten Everlasting Heart Sutra,” he seemed immune to the miasma.
He suspected it was because of his blue spiritual energy.
“So stubborn. Don’t come begging for an antidote when you start feeling dizzy.”
Nan Xiaoxiang turned and continued walking, her gaze fixed ahead.
They continued their journey, crossing countless mountains.
The miasma grew denser, almost like a thick fog, obscuring their vision.
Chen Yin didn’t know how Nan Xiaoxiang could navigate in such conditions.
He even wondered if she was leading them into a trap.
But as dusk approached, the miasma finally thinned, revealing a hidden village nestled deep within the mountains.
It was a large village, sprawling across several mountain peaks, but it seemed sparsely populated.
Chen Yin reached the village entrance and saw a young girl squatting beside a wooden hut, picking herbs.
She was about sixteen or seventeen, with bright eyes and rosy lips, her unique attire setting her apart from the people of the Central Plains. She looked like a forest sprite.
“Excuse me, Miss, is this the Wu Xuan Cave?” Chen Yin asked politely.
The girl turned around, her clear, bright eyes curiously scanning the group.
“Who are you? How did you find this place?”
“I am Chen Yin of Mount Yu. I have a request for the Grand Witch of the Wu Xuan Cave.” Chen Yin bowed slightly.
“But the Grand Witch is in seclusion. She’s not seeing anyone.”
Lian’er bit her finger nervously, looking at them with wide, innocent eyes.
Chen Yin exchanged a look with Nan Xiaoxiang, then said, “How long will she be in seclusion? Can we wait for her?”
“I don’t know… Sometimes it’s a day or two, sometimes half a year.”
Lian’er blinked. “But the Grand Witch said that if you insist on waiting, you’ll have to provide for yourselves. The Wu Xuan Cave doesn’t offer hospitality.”
Chen Yin paused, a strange expression on his face.
…What kind of cultivation sect was so stingy that they wouldn’t even offer food to their guests?
As if sensing his confusion, Nan Xiaoxiang explained, “The Wu Xuan Cave is reclusive and rarely interacts with the outside world. The Ten Thousand Mountains are a harsh environment, unsuitable for farming. The food in the Wu Xuan Cave is mostly provided by their followers in the Southern Region. But the population here is sparse, so food is scarce.”
“Wow, how do you know so much, Sister?”
Lian’er looked at her with surprise. “Do you also live in the Ten Thousand Mountains?”
Nan Xiaoxiang didn’t answer, her eyes clouding with a hint of sadness.
Chen Yin took out a loaf of bread from the System Shop.
“Lian’er, do you know what this is?”
Lian’er stared at the bread, her finger in her mouth, then shook her head.
“It’s something delicious. Try it.”
Lian’er hesitated for a moment, then tore off a piece and ate it. Her eyes lit up.
“Mmm! It’s so good! Even softer than steamed buns!”
Chen Yin pulled out a large bag of bread and offered it to her with a smile.
“A small gift, please accept it. Share it with your friends in the village.”
“And please inform the Grand Witch that we have an urgent matter to discuss with her.”
Lian’er happily accepted the bag of bread, then frowned slightly.
“But the Grand Witch scolded me before she went into seclusion. She said she wasn’t seeing anyone, no matter who it was…”
She pouted, her eyebrows furrowed in a cute, childish expression.
Finally, she shook her head. “I don’t dare disturb her, but I’ll inform you when she comes out of seclusion.”
“The houses on the outskirts of the village are empty. You can stay there.”
With that, she skipped away, clutching the bag of bread.
After she left, Nan Xiaoxiang glanced at Chen Yin sideways.
“You seem to have a lot of things that appeal to children.”
“You flatter me.” Chen Yin grinned. “If you want some, you can beg me.”
“…No, thank you.”
“Really? We’ve been traveling all day. Aren’t you hungry?”
“I appreciate your concern, Young Master Chen,” Nan Xiaoxiang said stubbornly, “but I’m not—”
A loud rumbling sound came from her stomach.
Nan Xiaoxiang closed her eyes tightly, her face burning with embarrassment.
At that moment, she wanted to die.
After a long silence, she opened her eyes and said calmly, “Go ahead and laugh.”
Chen Yin, struggling to contain his laughter, handed her a loaf of bread.
“Sometimes, it’s not so bad to be treated like a child.”
Nan Xiaoxiang took the bread and stared at it for a long time.
Just as Chen Yin was about to leave, he heard a soft whisper.
“…I’m not a child.” Her voice was unexpectedly filled with a hint of resentment.
She had spoken so softly that if Chen Yin’s hearing wasn’t so acute, he would have missed it.
Seeing him turn around, Nan Xiaoxiang quickly regained her composure.
“Let’s go. It’s getting late. Let’s find a place to stay.”
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