Chapter 43: Robbing the Robbers, Reaping a Windfall

The three little beast brothers were stunned. Even with themselves, it wasn’t enough—why did their master want more beasts? Thinking of Su Li’s formidable strength and her fervor for new followers, none dared voice any objection.

The Ice Jiao was covered in horrifying wounds, so Shen Luo unhesitatingly produced several bottles of pills, including a sixth-grade healing pill, and placed them before him.

His tone was earnest and sincere: “Yu Jiao, your injuries are still severe. Rest in the spirit beast pouch for now. It’s dangerous outside—when it’s truly safe, you can come out again.”

The Blue Yu Jiao paused, surprised. It was the first time he’d heard of a master sheltering a beast because of danger. Perhaps this contract wasn’t so bad after all?

After a moment, he said, “Master, my core is damaged. Ordinary pills can’t cure me. But there’s a rare flower in this secret realm called the Two-Faced Five-Petaled Shadow Aster. Its fruit would help me greatly. The trouble is, those demon flowers are difficult to overcome.”

Su Li scoffed.

Before the Blue Yu Jiao could react, darkness swept over him; suddenly, a towering pile of Shadow Aster fruits appeared before him.

Dizzy, he heard his new master ask, “A hundred—is that enough?”

Su Li narrowed her eyes, feeling a bit sorry for the Ice Jiao’s ignorance. So, with a magnanimous air, she declared, “From now on, whenever you want more, just tell Ah Hua.”

The Green Bird perked up its ears. “Who’s Ah Hua?”

Su Li replied, “The king of the Two-Faced Five-Petaled Shadow Asters—the first mutant spirit plant I tamed.”

The Green Bird and Blue Yu Jiao were bewildered.

She didn’t even spare spirit plants—truly a fierce leader!

Suddenly, the aura shield rippled.

Tiger Soul announced, “Four people and a beast crashed down from above.”

Everyone: …

Just as they were about to leave, Blue Yu Jiao spoke up, “Master, move the Golden Horn Coffin—there are treasures underneath.”

More than just treasures—it was practically a demon cultivator’s treasure vault!

Peering closely, they saw tens of thousands of low-grade spirit stones, plenty of mid-grade ones, and even over ten thousand high-grade spirit stones, not to mention countless excellent spirit herbs. They’d struck it rich!

Shen Luo’s lips twitched, and Su Li was greatly satisfied. She said to Blue Yu Jiao, “Not bad. In the future, remember to hand over any treasures you find.”

Tiger Soul seized the chance, “Like that drop of White Tiger essence blood.”

Blue Yu Jiao’s eyes widened, nearly bulging out.

“Indeed,” Su Li said. “Yu Jiao, that drop of White Tiger essence is extremely beneficial to Tiger Soul, but I won’t forcibly seize your treasure.” She turned to Tiger Soul, “Why don’t you offer something in exchange?”

Blue Yu Jiao held his breath, glaring indignantly at the beast coveting his treasure.

Tiger Soul pondered for a while, then tossed over a plum-green porcelain bottle, which rolled across the ground. The bottle was enveloped in fierce chill, freezing everything it touched.

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The three little beasts stared wide-eyed.

“There—the heart of the Snow Lotus that bloomed for ten thousand years in the Divine Realm,” Tiger Soul said.

A moment of silence.

Without a word, Blue Yu Jiao quickly stashed it away, then threw something back to Tiger Soul. Afraid he’d regret it, he zipped into the spirit beast pouch at once.

Tiger Soul was still basking in his self-satisfied superiority when he realized the ferocious little beast and the plump Green Bird were staring at him intently.

The Green Bird giggled, “Brother Tiger, you gave Yu Jiao a gift—shouldn’t you share one with us too?”

Su Li rubbed the silly bird’s head, pleased with her youngest’s tact. “The bird’s right. You shouldn’t play favorites.”

Tiger Soul had no response.

The four beasts joyfully divided the treasures. Meanwhile, Shen Luo split all the spirit stones in two and said to Gu Hongshang, “These are yours.”

Gu Hongshang was astonished. “I get some too?” Under his urging gaze, she muddledly stored them in her ring, still feeling it unreal.

Shen Luo said, “I’ll keep the spirit herbs for now. Once I refine them into pills, I’ll share some with you.”

Gu Hongshang was visibly shaken. “You can refine pills?”

Shen Luo shook his head, frank as ever, “Not yet, but I will someday.”

Gu Hongshang recalled how Ke Rongzi wanted to take him as a disciple, suddenly enlightened. If anyone else was so confident, she’d doubt them, but for this young man, she couldn’t help but believe he would become an outstanding pill master.

After thoroughly looting the place, they began the climb back.

Outside the barrier, the world was still collapsing, chaos everywhere. The group was awed by the destruction.

Shen Luo suddenly asked Tiger Soul, “Where are the people who fell just now?”

Tiger Soul replied, “Southeast.”

In the crater, Ke Rongzi and his companions lay bloodied and motionless—a shocking sight.

Shen Luo hurriedly stuffed all remaining healing and focus pills into their mouths. With a handful of pills, their breathing finally steadied.

He glanced at the now-empty bottles and sighed.

Gu Hongshang and the beasts looked over.

Shen Luo lamented, “These pills are used up too quickly. I must learn pill refinement soon, or even Maotuan won’t have top-grade focus pills to munch on.”

Su Li’s eyes glimmered with a smile, her tail tip swaying in approval.

Gu Hongshang’s expression became complex. She thought: If I want to stay with them in the future, I must adapt quickly. Once she realized that being a pill master so the beasts always had snacks wasn’t so hard to accept, she made peace with it.

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After a while, she asked, “Which way should we go?”

The underground river split into two directions, life or death uncertain.

Suddenly, Shen Luo felt weight on his left shoulder. Turning, he saw the furry beast settle there.

Feeling steadier, he said, “Left.”

Everyone climbed onto Tiger Soul’s back, which swept up Ke Rongzi and the others with its tail, then sped along the left branch of the river.

After some distance—

The Green Bird asked, “Leader, how did you know to go this way?”

Su Li’s eyes showed a hint of confusion.

The Green Bird continued, “Then why did you jump onto Master’s left shoulder just now?”

Su Li gave him a look reserved for idiots and replied offhandedly, “After so much crawling, I was tired.”

Tiger Soul trembled, overhearing the exchange between the two beasts.

Perhaps thanks to the heap of top-grade pills, Ke Rongzi and the others soon regained consciousness.

They gazed at Shen Luo and Gu Hongshang, amazed that the two had fallen from such heights without a scratch.

Then they realized they were atop a giant White Tiger soul and were struck speechless.

Especially Ke Rongzi, who asked in astonishment, “Ah Luo, isn’t this the White Tiger that saved me?”

Shen Luo apologized, “Sorry, Uncle Ke, I lied before. It’s true—you were picked up by my two beasts.”

Ke Rongzi looked at the white beast.

Su Li lazily glanced at him, chin lifted, as if to say: Aren’t you going to kneel and thank me?

Ke Rongzi frowned deeply.

Was this beast truly enlightened?

After this brief episode, all awkwardness vanished. He patted the boy’s shoulder and said, “You did the right thing.” At their first meeting, a little caution was normal.

Shen Luo quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

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