171 - Douluo: Martial Spirit Blue Silver Grass

Jiu Ying's arrival dramatically shifted the situation aboard the ship almost instantaneously. Si Ding Yun had never fought against Fu Ling, and thus held no particular fear of her. What truly terrified him was the move Jiu Ying had once used: the Nine Star Buddha Chant. He observed the woman in white standing before him, his expression continually shifting without offering a reply. It wasn't until Fu Ling summoned the small pigeon to her side that he finally spoke, his words tinged with a threatening tone. "This matter doesn't concern you. I advise the two of you to mind your own business." "Especially you, Fu Ling—Ping Tian was imprisoned in the Infernal Fire Altar because of your father. Even if you save this creature today, it will never be grateful to you." Indeed, as soon as his words fell, the white dove in Fu Ling's hand began to struggle incessantly. However, rather than hatred, its emotions could more accurately be described as fear. Compared to Si Ding Yun, it was evidently more afraid of Fu Ling. "Whether it harbors hate is its business; my decision to save is mine. I don't need you, senior, to teach me." Fu Ling knew Si Ding Yun's words were true, yet couldn't resist retorting. His face darkened slightly at her defiance, surprised that the young woman before him would be so ungrateful, repeatedly angering him. "Standing on the righteous path and opposing the Si family will do you no favors." Compared to his earlier words, this statement was far more threatening. Thinking of the people in Qingzhu Sect, Fu Ling bit her lip, anxious that her impulsiveness might bring trouble to her fellow clan members. But this time, she had the support of her beloved. "Opposing the Si family? Senior, you jest. Your journey to the Nether Sea is unknown to the Si family master, isn't it? Or perhaps, would you dare let the master find out?" Jiu Ying's mocking tone carried a clear implication. Si Ding Yun had secretly admired Han Yan for many years, with the two having frequent private interactions. Si Yi Guang had always disliked Si Qi, often suspecting him not to be his biological child. If he discovered Si Ding Yun was willing to venture into the Nether Sea for Si Qi to capture the Kun beast, he would likely suspect his wife's lover to be his own brother, leading to a possible fraternal rift. These words evidently struck a chord with Si Ding Yun's concerns. After a moment of contemplation, he turned and left. Once he retreated into the ship's cabin, the demon clan members exhaled in relief. Though the relationship between the human and demon clans was not cordial, Jiu Ying and Fu Ling had undoubtedly saved them this time. Abandoning past prejudices, they sincerely expressed their gratitude to the two. The little pigeon observed all this and finally settled down, obediently perching on Fu Ling's shoulder without further fuss. The Nether Sea had only one place to dock: An Yang Island. Jiu Ying and Fu Ling's goal was the Dragon Heart Grass on the island, not the Kun beast. Consequently, they parted ways upon reaching the island. To save themselves, the five from the demon clan had pledged on the ship to help Si Ding Yun capture the Kun beast, promising never to speak of the events that had transpired. The two groups thus went their separate ways. The ship journey lasted three days, during which Tian Ya remained hidden in Jiu Ying's sleeve. Once Si Ding Yun's party was confirmed gone, she buried the small green sprout in the earth. The little pigeon was oblivious to the fact that the green sprout was none other than the "Yu Ping" it frequently referred to. It was only when Fu Ling unearthed the soil the following day that it transformed into human form and rushed to Yu Ping's side, crying sorrowfully. Yu Ping, grievously injured by Si Ding Yun, had his life sustained by a wisp of Jiu Ying's spiritual essence, yet remained unconscious. The little pigeon had anticipated this and pulled out a dagger, slicing into its palm. Feeding Yu Ping with its own blood, it watched as the young man gradually regained some sense of awareness. "Master, you've finally awoken." Seeing its master regaining consciousness brought tears back to Xiao Yao's eyes. The youth lay on the ground, enveloped by a refreshing, earthy scent. With a sprout as a true form, the affection for soil was innate. He ignored Xiao Yao's calls, instead turning his face to rub against the moist dirt mound he lay upon. Witnessing his enchantment, the pigeon hesitated briefly before once again offering its bleeding palm to him, compelling him to consume its fresh blood. "Master, don't dirty yourself with these things; the masters will be upset." Jiu Ying watched this scene with both shock and dread. Heavenly sprouts were supreme spiritual entities of the upper realms, pure and pristine. Seeing Yu Ping survive by consuming blood explained his human form and pervasive demonic aura. Having drunk the blood, Yu Ping's mind cleared. Realizing his position in the mud, he disdainfully wiped his face with a sleeve. "Hurry and help me up!" Still as domineering as before boarding the ship. Xiao Yao quickly obliged, carefully helping him up. Such deference hinted at the youth's high status among the demon clan. Jiu Ying observed silently, unable to connect him with any known information. In this life, everything diverged from the past. Since being injured, Yu Ping had remained unconscious, unaware of his rescuer. He surveyed the surroundings, spotting a lush green forest, with a half-foot-wide cave at its heart, steadily cascading water. Jiu Ying and Fu Ling stood at the cave entrance, observing him. Humans he detested once again. Yu Ping's expression soured, his upbringing quickly reigniting a deep-seated abhorrence within him. "Why are they here too?" Such hostile words were undeniably infuriating. Xiao Yao, noting his poor attitude, tentatively explained. "Master, they saved us." "Without their help getting off the ship, we might already be dead at that man's hands." Yu Ping widened his eyes in disbelief at Xiao Yao, who only nodded affirmatively. "Master, shouldn't we thank them?" Clearly, Yu Ping had no desire to thank those he disliked. He remained silent for a long time, finally pulling Xiao Yao to a clean patch to sit quietly. The atmosphere grew tense. The four sat in two separate groups, Jiu Ying and Fu Ling at the cave entrance, Yu Ping and Xiao Yao beneath a nearby banana tree. This master-servant pair rarely traveled; their conversation lacked any protective spiritual veil. Thus, their dialogue carried effortlessly to Jiu Ying and Fu Ling's ears on the gentle breeze— "Master, I'm just relieved you're alright; otherwise, Qing Tong wouldn't know how to explain to the masters." "Hmph, had I known you were so useless, I wouldn't have brought you. Do you know who dared to treat me like that? Once we return, I'll have Uncle Jiao deal with him." "The individual seems to be from the Si family, sir. He might not be easy to handle. Furthermore, if the masters discover we sneaked into the Nether Sea, they'll surely punish us again. Perhaps we should keep this quiet." "......" Jiu Ying listened intently, an inkling forming in her mind. "Sister, could their 'Uncle Jiao' be one of the Four Elders of the demon clan, known as the Ferocious Jiao?" Fu Ling quickly grasped the key point and voiced her suspicion. Jiu Ying nodded silently, signaling Fu Ling to keep listening— "Although we didn’t taste Kun meat, we did learn of the master's true form. The trip hasn’t been in vain." "You're sure you weren't mistaken? My true form is... a green sprout?" "Qing Tong wouldn’t be mistaken; that girl indeed dug you from the soil. I was there when she buried the sprout, master truly is a green sprout." Dissatisfied with this revelation, the youth grew quiet, merely acknowledging with a mere "hmm" after some time. It seemed he himself remained unaware that his true essence was a celestial plant from the upper realms. The Demon Clan, the Heavenly Sprout, and Si Qi— Jiu Ying connected the dots and quickly formed a hypothesis. Ping Tian, being a demon dragon, would undoubtedly experience a clash between the Heavenly Sprout's energy and the demonic energy within him if he consumed it directly. Should her assumptions be correct, the Four Elders of the Demon Clan were feeding the Heavenly Sprout blood to forcibly cultivate it into a demon with the intention that, once Ping Tian returned to the human realm, he would consume it and rapidly restore his powers. Now that Si Qi faced mortality, Han Yan must have set her sights on the Heavenly Sprout, which is likely why she dispatched Si Ding Yun to the Nether Sea to ensure the Heavenly Sprout’s death aboard the bone ship. As for the claim that consuming Kun meat would reveal one’s true form, it was probably a fabricated tale to lure the Heavenly Sprout away from the Demon Clan. The situation was becoming clearer, save for one unresolved mystery— Why was a Heavenly Sprout present in the Demon Clan? Who brought it to the mortal realm? Jiu Ying was deep in thought when a faint rustling noise interrupted her contemplation. Upon raising her gaze, she noticed the youth, who had previously treated them with disdain, had come to the front of the cave. "I'm hungry. Qing Tong is going to hunt rabbits; do you want some?" Before she could respond, Fu Ling stood up and cheerfully offered a reminder. "The waters of the Nether Sea are tainted with the aura of decay and cannot be consumed. Besides some large demonic beasts, there are no rabbits to hunt on An Yang Island." After these words, the youth looked around, realizing there was indeed no trace of small animals in the dense forest. He acknowledged the truth of her words with some embarrassment, an unusual display of awkwardness crossing his face. "As a sprout by nature, if you’re hungry, you don’t necessarily need blood. Transforming into a sprout and planting yourself in the soil can naturally replenish your energy." Fu Ling smiled gently, pointing to the ground. Though well-meaning, Yu Ping had been taught by the Four Elders of the Demon Clan to avoid soil, so he couldn't accept this manner of sustenance. He shook his head, foregoing his usual temper, and even managed a "thank you." It was unclear if his gratitude was for being saved earlier or for Fu Ling’s sincere advice. Only after he left did Fu Ling return to her seat. "He's truly pitiable." Clearly a Heavenly Sprout destined for life in the earth, yet how deeply he rejected the very soil. A plant of pure and untainted origin from the upper realm, coerced into cultivating a demonic form. Jiu Ying moved her lips slightly, aligning with Fu Ling's sentiment. Yu Ping's plight was indeed pitiful, a mere reflection of the mundane sufferings of this world. Destiny holds many uncertainties; in this world, there's a multitude like him—unable to govern their own fate, traveling paths they were never meant to tread.