172 - Douluo: Martial Spirit Blue Silver Grass

Chapter 172: The Daily Life of Reincarnated as a Malevolent Senior Sister As Fu Ling had said, there were no small animals living on Anyang Island. Yu Ping wanted to replenish his energy, but there were only two methods available to him: sucking the blood of small demons, or transforming himself into a sprout and burying into the soil. Having served as master and servant with Qing Tong for many years, their bond was naturally deep. As he looked at the fresh, bleeding wound on Qing Tong's palm, Yu Ping couldn't help but swallow, but ultimately couldn't bring himself to reveal the truth that there were no rabbits on the island to catch. "You go catch some rabbits, get several of them, they’ll need them too." "Them" referred to Jiu Ying and Fu Ling. Upon hearing Yu Ping’s words, Qing Tong was visibly pleased. Though a servant, he had a clearer perspective than Yu Ping. Jiu Ying and Fu Ling, having ensured their safe disembarkation, could naturally also guide them safely back to land. Qing Tong could never forget how the terrifying Si family member had treated him and Yu Ping on the ship. If they wanted to return alive, it was crucial to establish a good relationship with Jiu Ying and Fu Ling. "Master, please stay here and wait for me. Don’t wander off alone. The island is so vast, I'm afraid I won't be able to find you if you disappear." Qing Tong touched his head, his voice filled with concern. Yu Ping recognized his worry and nodded with a smile. "Do I look like someone who just runs around recklessly?" Qing Tong chuckled upon hearing this, finally feeling at ease. Soon, a small white dove flew up from the tall trees and vanished into the high skies above this dense forest. Only after losing sight of the little demon's figure did Yu Ping find a clear, moist area, silently dig a small hole, and covertly bury himself. He assumed no one noticed his disappearance, unaware that Jiu Ying and Fu Ling had already observed everything clearly. Just as he fell into slumber, the two of them arrived at the front of the hole where he was buried. "Sister, he has achieved a demon form. If he no longer consumes blood in the future, can he restore his pure spirit form?" Upon hearing this, Jiu Ying frowned and shook her head after a moment of thought. "Transitioning from spirit to demon is easy, but returning from demon to spirit is nearly impossible. Even if he stops consuming blood, he can only maintain this demon form." Having become a demon, no return to a pure spirit form was possible. Jiu Ying gazed down at the ground, her thoughts dwelling on a speculation she held, finally reaching a firm decision. "No matter what, we cannot let him return to the demon clan." Though Ping Tian was still confined in the mysterious fire god altar, she had to first cut off the demon clan elders' intentions of restoring his powers. Fu Ling was momentarily stunned upon hearing this, her brows tightening in response. "What if he refuses to come with us?" Jiu Ying’s lashes fluttered slightly, her expression as cold as ever. "Then we must reveal to him that his true form is the celestial grass Tianya." Fu Ling bit her lip, still worried he wouldn’t acquiesce. "And if he still refuses?" Upon hearing her question, Jiu Ying turned her head, her beautiful eyes fixated intensely on the young girl beside her, devoid of any warmth. "Then we will have no choice but to—eliminate him." Unaware that there were no small animals on the island, Qing Tong had transformed into a dove and scoured much of the small island, yet couldn’t find a single rabbit. Concerned for Yu Ping, he initially intended to rush back, but encountered Si Ding Yun and his group midway. Caught between curiosity and fear of being caught by Si Ding Yun, he hesitated for a moment before deciding to leave. By the time he returned, three whole hours had passed, and night was falling. Yu Ping had buried himself in the soil for two hours; once he emerged, not only had his energy returned, but he looked much healthier. Unaware of Yu Ping's recent burial in the earth, Qing Tong, worried about his master’s hunger, once again cut his own wrist and offered a bowl of blood. Strangely, this time, the mere smell of blood made Yu Ping feel nauseous. "My lord, are you still feeling unwell?" "Take this bowl of blood away, now!" As a celestial grass, touched by pure soil, how could he tolerate tainted blood? Fu Ling watched this unfold from nearby, unable to suppress a soft sigh. Jiu Ying, hearing her sigh, immediately guessed her concerns and offered a low reassurance. "Don't worry, he will most likely come with us." Rejuvenated, both physically and mentally, after a night of rest, they set out the next day to retrieve the Dragon Heart Grass. Qing Tong, knowing that staying close to the two of them was the safest course, spent quite some time persuading the straightforward Yu Ping to join them in their quest. "My lord, they are our saviors, and we have yet to repay their kindness. How could we leave them just like that?" Indeed, Yu Ping was simple at heart. Though he disliked humans, he understood the importance of gratitude. Seeing Jiu Ying and Fu Ling depart, he couldn't help but follow them from a distance. The location of the Dragon Heart Grass wasn’t hard to find, nestled within a small spring cave. Unfortunately, the entrance was too small for a normal person to fit through. After circling the mountaintop, Jiu Ying and Fu Ling still couldn’t find another way into the spring cave. Qing Tong, intuiting their intentions, shifted into his dove form and flew up. Sure enough, he soon discovered a crevice at the top of the cliff covered in moss and vines that led into the spring cave. Elated, he was about to share the good news with the others when a slender, black hook suddenly emerged from the crevice, swiftly stripping the feathers from his right wing. In an instant, he transformed from a white-feathered dove into a bald one. The air was soon filled with scattered dove feathers, quickly attracting the attention of the three. Looking up, Yu Ping saw Qing Tong plummeting down, exposed on one side. "Qing Tong, why did you become a dove and fly around recklessly?!" Unaware of what transpired, Yu Ping assumed that Qing Tong’s playfulness had provoked something he shouldn’t have. Though his words were reproachful, his feet were honest, sprinting toward Qing Tong with urgency. The surrounding demonic energy rippled, unnoticed by Jiu Ying, but Fu Ling, as a celestial cultivator, immediately realized there was a large demon lurking nearby. "Senior, I sense demonic energy." Perplexed, Jiu Ying furrowed her brows lightly, turning to look at Yu Ping and Qing Tong nearby. "Both of them are demons." Fu Ling shook her head, her expression tense, pulling her beloved towards the spring cave. "Not them, but inside here, I believe there must be a large demon beast." A demon on Anyang Island? It must have lived for hundreds or thousands of years. Jiu Ying’s lips tightened, finally realizing that retrieving the Dragon Heart Grass wouldn’t be as straightforward as she thought. While they spoke, Yu Ping, bringing Qing Tong along, had reached them. "Qing Tong mentioned a crevice at the top of the cliff where one could enter the spring cave, but there’s something vicious inside. Even lingering near that crevice, Qing Tong's arm was wounded like this." As his words ended, Yu Ping pushed Qing Tong’s right arm forward. Indeed, there was a deep gash on half his arm, exposing the underlying muscle. There was no doubt that the demon inside was ferociously terrifying. Having suffered the injury to help them, this time, without needing Jiu Ying’s reminder, Fu Ling took the initiative to offer medicine to the little dove. Initially, they thought entering the spring cave would be straightforward, fetching the Dragon Heart Grass with ease. No one anticipated the presence of a large demon. Even Jiu Ying found herself at a loss at that moment. The four returned to the vicinity of the cave entrance, the atmosphere considerably more harmonious this time. Having experienced the rejuvenating power of soil once already, Yu Ping made no effort to hide his fondness for earth this time. In front of Qing Tong, he transformed into a sprout and readily buried himself into the ground. Though a bird, Qing Tong understood that sprouting plants thrived better in soil. Torn for a while, he ultimately didn’t stop his master. It was evident, the master-servant duo shared a close relationship. During Yu Ping's latest burial, Jiu Ying took the opportunity to inquire Qing Tong about his origins. "Qing Tong, what is Yu Ping's true identity?" Having spent several days together, Qing Tong held a favorable impression of both Jiu Ying and Fu Ling. Initially worried upon discovering Fu Ling's identity, her attitude soon won Qing Tong over, changing his own stance as well. Especially after recently getting injured, and receiving such a precious medicine from the other party, Qing Tong was deeply grateful. Faced with Jiu Ying's inquiry at this moment, he hesitated, unsure whether to reveal what he knew. After all, Yu Ping's identity was often a mystery within the demon clan. How could he dare tell humans about things that even most demons were unaware of? He lifted his head, first looking at Fu Ling and then at Jiu Ying, but still lacked the courage to speak. Jiu Ying understood his predicament and didn't press further, instead stating a simple fact: "From the moment Yu Ping developed his demon form, he existed solely as food for Ping Tian, isn’t that right?" The weight of this secret was enormous, known only to the demon clan’s four elders and Qing Tong. As Yu Ping's caretaker, he realized from his first encounter that Yu Ping was destined to become a meal for Ping Tian. Stunned as to how Jiu Ying knew this secret, he forgot to respond altogether. It wasn’t until Jiu Ying spoke again that he finally snapped back to reality— "Do you know who the man on the ship earlier who tried to kill you is? His name is Si Ding Yun, the second uncle of Si Qi, and Han Yan’s admirer. Since you are privileged enough to feed Yu Ping, you should be aware of the true identity of this woman." "Si Qi is dying, and Han Yan wants to extend his life, so she can only have Si Ding Yun kill Yu Ping. Only by consuming Yu Ping can Si Qi have a chance at survival." "Yu Ping may have a difficult temperament, but he’s genuine with you. After all these years together, do you really wish to see him become someone else's meal?" Jiu Ying's words struck Qing Tong's heart like a heavy stone falling from the sky. Lowering his head, he fixed his gaze on the sprout buried in the damp soil, finally reaching a decision to reveal everything he knew. "I don't know much about Yu Ping's background. Ten years ago, when I first took human form, tribe members brought me to Yu Ping. There were hundreds of small demons newly formed like me. Back then, Yu Ping looked the same as now but had the intelligence of a three-year-old child. Out of hundreds, Yu Ping chose me, and I became his caretaker. Ten years passed this way. It was four years ago, in June, that Yu Ping first gained intelligence. I remember clearly, the weather was nice, but suddenly a few loud thunderclaps scared Yu Ping, and he awakened his consciousness." Gaining consciousness marked the true transformation into a demon, making him suitable to become Ping Tian’s sustenance. Jiu Ying felt a faint chaos in her thoughts, her heart inexplicably beating faster. "Do you remember what date it was in June?" Even though it happened four years ago, Qing Tong remembered clearly and nodded without hesitation. "I remember, it was June third, the hottest day in the valley. That day, the young master wanted ice. I had just gone to the kitchen, and when I returned, the young master had awakened his consciousness." Jiu Ying was utterly shocked upon hearing this; she couldn’t be mistaken— June third was also the day she underwent a tribulation and was reborn on Meihu Island. **Author's Note:** Daily updates are starting! Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or provided nourishing support from 2021-04-28 21:11:47 to 2021-04-28 23:32:54. Thank you for all the nourishing support, dear angels: 10 bottles from Methotrexate and Folate; Thank you all so much for your support. I will continue to work hard!