"I'm back. How is it?"
Liu Erlong carried Xiaoyu in her arms as she walked over, her eyes bright with curiosity.
"Look!"
As he spoke, Lu Yuan reached into his Soul Guidance Device and carefully pulled out the Blue Silver Emperor, already more than five feet tall, its radiant leaves glittering faintly in the light.
"Lu Yuan, I think you're mistreating the Blue Silver Emperor."
Xiao Wu's face darkened as she stood up abruptly. "We should transplant her near the Lake of Life. Keeping her sealed inside this thing… it's just wrong!"
Ever since seeing Lu Yuan stuff the Blue Silver Emperor into a wine jar, Xiao Wu had been itching to object. It felt fundamentally disrespectful to drag the plant away from the great forest—it was completely unacceptable!
"Ha—bang!"
Lu Yuan casually flicked Xiao Wu's forehead with a sharp snap, making her wince and cover the spot.
"Little rabbit, this is my private property. I'll handle it as I see fit. Without me, do you really think she could've grown this much?" His tone was full of easy confidence. "I've got plenty of fine wine brewed from immortal herbs to feed her. What does the Lake of Life have compared to that?"
The grin at the corner of his lips made his stance obvious: you want to fight me for her? Don't even think about it!
"Robber!" Xiao Wu glared, still holding her forehead. "You obviously stole her from Tang Hao, and now you dare call her your private property?"
But when she thought about it further, she couldn't argue completely. If Lu Yuan hadn't forcefully taken the Blue Silver Emperor away, perhaps she would still remain buried in darkness, endlessly suppressed, never again seeing the light of day—let alone grow so strong.
"Xiaoyu, you're getting more and more adorable."
A soft, familiar voice sounded, and Bai Chenxiang walked over with careful steps, her expression lighting up. "Big Sis… do you still remember me?"
"Of course I remember!" Liu Erlong broke into a smile. "But why are you here?"
She glanced around curiously. A whole group had arrived with Bai Chenxiang, yet Liu Erlong didn't recognize any of them. Her brows knitted slightly. Could this big entourage really be safe? Wouldn't their presence expose their location?
"This?" Lu Yuan chuckled, his slightly flushed cheeks making clear he'd been drinking again. "This is the construction crew I hired. You and Xiaoyu can't stay in that cave forever. We'll build a real house here!"
His tone was light and casual, but the idea was already long decided.
"Wow—"
Before anyone could react, the waters of the Lake of Life churned violently. A massive bull head rose from the surface, followed by a colossal body that just kept emerging…
In a matter of moments, a creature over twenty meters tall towered before them. Its aura alone pressed down on everyone like a suffocating mountain.
"Gu… gu…"
Nervous gulps echoed all around. Everyone froze, sweat gathering at their temples.
What on earth was this monster? Bigger than the Titan Giant Ape!? It was utterly terrifying!
Stunned, they looked at each other, not daring to breathe, as the full length of the enormous figure revealed itself.
Niu Gao's heart nearly stopped. His blank stare shifted toward Bai He, who was also trembling… until recognition dawned in his eyes.
"This… this should be the Azure Bull Python!" Bai He blurted. Back when the Min Clan was still affiliated with the Clear Sky Sect, he had read descriptions of this creature in the sect's archives. And this presence matched perfectly.
"I don't think we guessed wrong…" Niu Gao muttered, his face pale.
He looked hard at Lu Yuan, dread filling his chest. "Lu… Lu Yuan, this is your friend too, right?"
Dear heavens. His heart was about to leap right out of his throat. What kind of sinful luck was this? In the span of a few days, he had encountered not one but two peak soul beasts, both terrifying beyond imagination!
And he used to brag at taverns about wanting a hundred-thousand-year spirit ring… if either of these two so much as sneezed, he'd be sent to the afterlife!
"Lu Yuan, who are all these people?"
The voice reverberated deep and heavy. It was Daming, the Azure Bull Python himself, and his tone carried a faint edge of displeasure.
As a soul beast, he felt some degree of goodwill toward Lu Yuan for saving Xiao Wu and gifting Er Ming precious herbs. But he had no such courtesy for this sudden influx of human strangers.
"Big Brother, they're just here to build a house!" Er Ming quickly spoke up, explaining how they'd met in the forest and everything that had happened.
"I see…"
Daming's expression softened a little. "If you want to build a place here, I will allow it. But you must follow the rules of the soul beast domain. Otherwise… don't blame us for being impolite."
He turned to the gathered humans, his deep voice rolling like thunder. "First rule—no urinating in the Lake of Life, because I live here! Second rule—also no polluting the waters in any manner. Third—"
Everyone fell silent, their expressions twitching as Daming continued on and on.
"…Rule thirty-seven: no dumping bones into the lake after meals. Because I live here!"
The Azure Bull Python's lecture went on endlessly. The Lake of Life was his very dignity. He would not tolerate even the smallest violation.
"Respected King, don't worry!" Niu Gao hurriedly bowed with respect. "On behalf of my clan, I swear—we will never approach the Lake of Life, not even half a step!"
The fear in his voice was naked. Only a fool would dare test the patience of this terrifying beast.
"Then I'm satisfied."
With a final look, Daming dove smoothly back into the lake. The water surged violently from the displacement of his massive frame, waves rolling outward.
Only then did Niu Gao dare exhale, wiping at the sweat on his forehead as he muttered, "Living on the doorstep of these two kings… one wrong move and I'll die of fright."
He quickly turned to his clansmen. "Everyone, gather round! Niu Ben, take a team to log the forest for timber. The rest of you, you're with me—we'll quarry stone from the mountain!"
The construction work began immediately.
Two days later.
"Old Rhino, you need any help from us?"
Bai He drifted over lazily. The imperial clan had been working nonstop these two days, logging, sawing, moving stone. Meanwhile, his Min Clan had mostly lounged in the shade, doing little but resting. The awkwardness was starting to get to him.
"You?" Niu Gao gave him a glance. "If you really want to help, move that boulder over there."
He pointed to a giant rock more than seven meters tall. Even he would strain to shift it.
Bai He's face darkened. "Don't underestimate me!"
"You call that help?" Niu Gao snorted. "You old white bird, if you can't move that rock, then stop blocking the way and get lost."
The contempt in his words stung.
"Humph!" Bai He flapped his sleeves and flew away angrily.
Later, Bai He slunk toward Lu Yuan instead, plastering on a grin. "Lu Yuan, anything you need help with?"
Lu Yuan thought for a moment, then smiled faintly. "How about… keeping me company for a drink?"
He pulled out a jar of wine.
Bai He froze, face stiff. "Stop drinking, stop drinking! You're trying to get me drunk every day!"
He laughed awkwardly, realizing that if he really kept drinking like this, he'd turn into a bottomless pit.
"Then tell me, do you need the Min Clan for anything at all?" His eyes shone earnestly. Deep down, he really just hated being idle.
"Well, how about this." Lu Yuan rubbed his chin. "I need you to buy me some wine. Quite a lot of it."
"Wine?" Bai He blinked, a little relieved. "Absolutely, but… I don't really have any money."
"Don't worry. I do."
Lu Yuan casually pulled out a gleaming gold card from his Soul Guidance Device and handed it over. "Here's three million gold soul coins. Use all of it to buy the best wine you can find. Stock up both of my storage devices!"
Bai He's hand trembled as he accepted it.
"Three… three million?!" He almost lost his breath.
To Lu Yuan, it was just a bit of pocket change from Xiaoyu's full moon banquet. But to Bai He, it was a fortune beyond imagining. He could scarcely hold the card. To spend all of this on wine was… too extravagant!
If it were him, he'd use the money to resettle the Min Clan, rebuild homes and livelihoods. But then again… it wasn't his money.
Just as he was sighing inwardly, a graceful voice rang out.
"Lu Yuan, your Big Sis has treated you well all this time, hasn't she?"
Tang Yuehua walked gracefully into view, her smile tinged with elegance.
Lu Yuan tilted his head. Something felt different about her today. "Big Sis, what is it you need? Just tell me directly."
"Would you lend me some money?" Tang Yuehua glanced meaningfully at Bai He. "I want him to bring me back some daily necessities. Without them, it's a bit inconvenient for me here."
Her tone was calm, but there was truth in her words. For the foreseeable future, they would remain in the Great Star Dou Forest. Living primitively was acceptable for some, but as a noblewoman, she needed proper essentials. Right now she only had two sets of clothes gifted by Liu Erlong—it wasn't right to keep borrowing.
Lu Yuan nodded seriously. "That's nothing. I still have a million gold soul coins—take it and buy what you need. But…" He narrowed his eyes playfully. "If I lend it, you'll need to pay me back later. No escaping that."
"Of course." Tang Yuehua's smile curved slightly, full of grace. "When I return, I'll repay you in full—plus all the profits!"
Bai He, still holding the card for three million, went stiff. Another million, tossed out just like that?
He almost cried inside. He couldn't even scrape together a hundred gold soul coins, let alone millions.
Life… was utterly unfair.
--
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