A sweep of divine sense washed over, and Lu Ziqian bowed respectfully. "Yes!"
A vast tide of blackened demon soldiers descended. Inside the village, Jiang Shengxiang caught sight of the flood pouring out of the flying boat and froze in awe.
"So this is the demon army brought by that scholar from the Lu family? With Xiānzhǔ watching over this village, my heart can finally be at ease."
He stroked his beard in relief, no longer in a rush to find Tang Xiangyin.
Outside the village.
Yao Ranran brushed her sleeve, sending the silver-wrapped soul threads back into the immortal array. Xiao Rong and Nie Rong walked up to her side.
"Boss, when did you replace this great array with an immortal array?"
Xiao Rong blinked curiously up at her.
Yao Ranran blinked back. "Just a few days ago. When I upgraded the Nine Lotus Ring, I upgraded this along with it."
"Master already converted the spirit array into an immortal array ahead of time… you must have predicted these Spirit Realm cultivators would come!"
Nie Rong's heart filled with reverence, his eyes brimming with admiration as he gazed at Yao Ranran.
Yao Ranran hesitated briefly. "I did prepare against them, but I did not expect them to arrive so soon."
In her estimation, these Spirit Realm cultivators should not have descended for a while yet. Reality, however, had hastened things.
Xiao Rong's face lit with awe, then suddenly he covered his eyes and wailed. "Boss, from the very beginning I knew you were powerful, but I never imagined you were this powerful. If I had known, I never would have signed that contract with you… now I'll have to follow you for a lifetime!"
"What would you follow me for? I don't even give you spirit stones to spend."
Yao Ranran tilted her head down at him, puzzled by his tears.
Xiao Rong pulled out an armful of spirit fruits, sniffling. "Boss is famous for being stingy! Those other people aren't stingy at all. They know I am Boss's most beloved little tree spirit, so they gave me loads of treasures!"
Yao Ranran nodded in understanding. "I see. In that case, I'll confiscate everything!"
In the blink of an eye, the spirit fruits vanished into Yao Ranran's storage ring.
Xiao Rong clawed at his now-empty arms, then plopped onto the ground bawling. "What kind of Eastern Wilderness Xiānzhǔ is this stingy?"
Yao Ranran's lips curved into a crescent, her eyes laughing. "Since ancient times, there has only been one Eastern Wilderness Xiānzhǔ, and that is me. None are more stingy than I, and none more generous either. From now on, everything others gift to you must be handed over!"
Listening to Xiao Rong's louder sobs, she chuckled and strolled away from the village entrance, heading toward Gu Ling Mountain.
"Did Boss really leave?" Xiao Rong asked through his whimpering, glancing at Nie Rong.
Nie Rong looked at the now-empty village gate. "She left. Not a soul remains."
The moment Xiao Rong heard this, his sobbing ceased.
"Good! I still have lots of spirit fruit hidden inside my Qiankun belly. You mustn't tell Boss!"
Happily, he dug out the fruits and devoured them, juice running down his face.
Nie Rong only smiled and shook his head.
Of course Master knew he was hiding spirit fruits. She probably left them for him on purpose.
…
A gust of crimson wind swept across the skies, halting at the peak of Lone Star Mountain.
"Fairy Ranran Xiānzhǔ, terrible news!"
Yao Ranran had intended to descend the mountain to capture Mu Xin's hidden avatar, but even from afar she heard Qin Lüsha's anxious cry.
"Qin Louzhu, why are you so flustered? What has happened?"
Qin Lüsha looked at Yao Ranran's serene and graceful face, and the weight in her heart lightened immediately.
"Xiānzhǔ, this subordinate heard you had just returned from the Western Sea. Were the Spirit Realm cultivators that descended there already slain by you?"
Yao Ranran paused. "What Spirit Realm cultivators? The Western Sea is as usual. Other than a single Tribulation-stage cultivator, there was no one descending."
Her answer left Qin Lüsha momentarily stunned.
"No Spirit Realm cultivators in the Western Sea? But the reports I received said that in the Central Domain, the Southern Region, and Bei Ming, the heavens darkened, ladders descended, and multiple Spirit Realm cultivators came down attempting to seize this world!"
"Even the Central Domain and Bei Ming? That is strange indeed. The Western Sea truly was untouched…"
Yao Ranran frowned. Could it be that the Upper Realm had simply forgotten about the Western Sea?
Qin Lüsha also felt it odd, but she quickly composed herself. "Xiānzhǔ, it is confirmed. The Central Domain and Bei Ming are invaded by Spirit Realm cultivators. The spies of our Suohong Tower stationed there risked rare communication talismans to deliver the message!"
"Rare communication talismans, eh? I hear those are costly to make, burning through both spirit stones and artifact refiners. Why not let me set up a small teleportation array in Longyin Village instead? In the future, we can use the array to go directly to the Central Domain."
Yao Ranran's thoughts flickered to the ancient blueprint she had obtained from the Western Sea Demon Abyss.
Qin Lüsha's eyes widened. "Xiānzhǔ, you know how to construct a teleportation array… one that can jump all the way to the Central Domain?"
"Yes, it should reach the Central Domain. My disciple said this design was left behind by an ancient great demon, capable of ultra-long-distance teleportation."
Yao Ranran's tone was casual, not realizing just how priceless this method was.
But Qin Lüsha's mind roared, overjoyed beyond measure.
"An ancient great demon's teleportation array! That is a method long extinct in this world. Xiānzhǔ, you are truly the blessing of our Eastern Wilderness!"
Seeing her overflowing excitement, Yao Ranran took a step back. "Qin Louzhu, don't be so happy yet. Business is business. Even if you hail me as Xiānzhǔ, you must gather all the materials for the array. And once it is built, anyone who uses it must pay me a fee."
She would never work for free.
Cultivators may live long lives, but only business guaranteed endless wealth.
Qin Lüsha laughed. "Of course, that is only proper. I was worried Xiānzhǔ might refuse our spirit stones!"
As long as she accepted their spirit stones, Suohong Tower and the Xiānzhǔ would remain tied together for life.
Looking at Qin Lüsha's delighted face, Yao Ranran shook her shoulders slightly.
Why did it feel like she was the one losing out?
"Xiānzhǔ, time is precious. This subordinate will immediately gather the materials for the teleportation array. Please remain in Gu Ling Mountain to rest. I will not allow anyone to disturb you!"
Qin Lüsha arrived like the wind and departed like lightning.
Yao Ranran stared blankly. "How impatient is she?"
At that moment, she realized her conditions had been set too low.
"Fortunately I never set the usage price. There's still room to raise the fee!"
She sighed in relief at the thought.
Just then, a gentle breeze brushed her cheek. A figure in flowing green robes appeared before her, An Xiaolin smiling faintly.
"Obedient disciple, are you wondering why no Spirit Realm cultivators descended upon the Western Sea?"
Yao Ranran blinked. "I was curious a moment ago. Now I think… if they cannot descend, it has nothing to do with me."
An Xiaolin faltered.
This disciple's change of heart was far too quick.
"The Western Sea did open, but at the instant the heavenly ladder appeared, you frightened it back."