"Could there be some hidden cave or place beneath the ground?" one of the Immortal Cultivators wondered out loud. He used his divine senses to inspect the surroundings and shook his head, and said, "Nothing. There are no signs of any life."
"But there are traces of soul force energy in the soil. Also, it's very pure energy," said another Immortal Cultivator.
"I'll take a look."
An elder stepped forward and bent down to inspect the ground. He gently rubbed his fingers on the soil and could feel the pure soul force energy lingering in the soil. As he was about to examine the soil more closely, a hand suddenly popped up from beneath the soil.
The old man was shocked by this sudden movement and taken aback. He hastily stepped backward and intuitively grabbed the sword around his waist. But before he could draw his weapon, he saw a shiny, bald head coming out from the soil.
Observing in the shadows, Mo Ye saw the bald head that surfaced, together with a face that he was much familiar with. The light in his eyes flickered.
"This little monk again!" he thought.
As Mo Ye watched the little monk climb out from the soil and brush the dirt off his robes, doubtful thoughts passed through his mind. "The little monk was supposed to have already left the forest. What is he doing here in the depth of the forest? Why was he buried in the soil?"
The few Immortal Cultivators were shocked when they saw a little monk climb out from the soil. One of them asked, "Who are you? How are you emerging from beneath the soil?"
"Caw! Caw!"
Blackie also followed behind Tang Ning and emerged from the soil, fluttering its wings. After shaking off the dirt from his body, he suddenly noticed the presence of the Immortal Cultivators. He immediately shut his mouth and instinctively perched on Tang Ning's head, staring hard at the Immortal Cultivators with his black, beady eyes.
"A crow?" one of the Immortal Cultivators frowned as he eyed the crow, feeling apparently unhappy of the crow's appearance.
Tang Ning brushed the dirt off her body and took the opportunity to assess the situation. She let out a soft sigh and looked up at the Immortal Cultivators. They were neither flustered nor anxious, and instead appeared to be rather calm and at ease. [a]
"And who might you be? How does it concern you where I came out from?"
The Immortal Cultivators were a little taken aback by Tang Ning's sudden dismissive tone. They couldn't help but take a closer look at the little monk in front of them.
The little monk looked no older than 13 or 14 years in age, wearing a grey, tattered robe stained with blood, as he held a piece of charred black bamboo in his hand. But the most eye-catching thing about the little monk was undoubtedly his shiny, bald head.
However, it was not the shiny, bald head that stole the attention of the Immortal Cultivators, but their focus was the little monk's aura. The little monk's natural aura was overwhelming, even overpowering those of the Immortal Cultivators.
Could it be that the little monk had a higher level of cultivation than the Immortal Cultivators?
Several Immortal Cultivators silently attempted to detect the little monk's cultivation level. When they were unable to penetrate the little monk's aura or detect his level of cultivation, their hearts felt startled. Thus, they withdrew their senses and intentions of assessing the little monk.
Nevertheless, there was no denying that only someone at the level of an Immortal Cultivator or above would be able to venture this far into the forest. Seeing the monk all alone, could it be that the little monk is indeed more powerful than them?
If that was the case, then the little monk is truly a prodigy.
Although Mo Ye did not show it, he was just as shocked as those Immortal Cultivators. No one knew about the little monk's cultivation better than him.
But now who could explain Mo Ye, how this confident and collected little monk he is looking at now, could possibly be the same little monk who once held out his bowl and asked him for alms?
[a]I think this sentence shud be abt Tang Ning n not abt other cultivators.