Despite the mocking gazes from everyone around her, Meng Shuying's expression remained calm and untroubled. Even the foul stench of the blue-green substance underfoot didn't cause her to frown.
With effort, she flipped the beast's corpse over and began carefully searching for the core with her spiritual sword.
Given the beast's massive size, finding its core wasn't easy.
Suddenly, a gentle, familiar voice carried on the wind, dispersing the foul odor.
"The core of a reptilian beast is in its heart."
Meng Shuying paused for a moment, then her eyes lit up as she realized she wasn't hearing things.
"Senior Sister..." she whispered, "Is that you?"
So, it was her Senior Sister who saved her from the beast earlier.
Once again, her Senior Sister had come to her rescue.
"Yes, it's me." Knowing she had been discovered, Su Luo Wei no longer hid herself, speaking softly by Meng Shuying's side. "Quickly retrieve the core and leave. This swamp is not as safe as it seems."
Meng Shuying nodded slightly, pretending to search the beast's corpse for a while longer before finally jumping onto the beast's chest and extracting a green core.
Her ease in finding the core deprived the onlookers of the amusement they had hoped for. When she handed over the core, Jiang Ye wrinkled her nose in disgust and deliberately said, "What is that smell? You're reeking."
A disciple standing nearby chimed in, "It must be the beast's blood. Ugh, it stinks!"
The group stepped back, their expressions full of disdain.
Meng Shuying lifted her sleeve and sniffed it, confirming the foul smell. It likely came from the beast's blood that had stained her sleeve during the search.
She said nothing, but deliberately stepped closer to Jiang Ye.
It wasn't that she wanted to irritate Jiang Ye; she simply figured that since Jiang Ye was a Golden Core cultivator, Su Luo Wei, who was hiding herself, would likely stay far away from her. By staying close to Jiang Ye, she could ensure she didn't inadvertently trouble her Senior Sister.
After crossing the swamp, they reached another area within Shifang Blessed Land, unmarked on the map. Unable to determine the direction, Jiang Ye randomly chose a path forward.
After walking for some time, they sensed a distant fluctuation of spiritual energy. After some hesitation, Jiang Ye led the group toward it.
Soon, they witnessed a scene in the distance. At the edge of the swamp, there was a hill where a serpent-like beast covered in sharp, cold purple scales lay coiled. The serpent's gaze was fixed upward.
Above the serpent, a golden hawk-like beast circled, both beasts exuding powerful auras, likely at the Golden Core stage.
"Two Golden Core beasts!" Jiang Ye's face turned pale.
If it were just one beast, she might have managed with the help of the other disciples and some effort. But with two Golden Core beasts, they stood no chance.
As tempted as she was by the beasts' cores, Jiang Ye dared not confront them directly. After a moment's hesitation, she stomped her foot and led the Qionghua disciples away in the opposite direction.
Meng Shuying cast a longing glance back, seeing the hawk screech and dive at the serpent. The serpent sprang up to meet the hawk's attack.
The ensuing battle shook the earth and filled the air with smoke. Thankfully, the area was stabilized by formations, so they could avoid the battle by keeping their distance.
After walking a bit further, as the sky darkened, they came upon a massive tree that blocked out the sky.
A giant tree suddenly appearing in the wasteland was eerie, but Jiang Ye saw nothing amiss and decided they would rest there for the night, continuing their journey in the morning.
As the campfire was lit, the last traces of sunlight disappeared from the sky. The group sat around the fire, leaving Meng Shuying alone at a distance.
Although cultivators had already entered the fasting stage, they still needed to recover their spiritual energy. However, the spiritual energy in Shifang Blessed Land was surprisingly thin, even less abundant than in the mortal world.
Taking advantage of this rare opportunity to rest, some disciples pulled out spirit stones to begin meditating and recovering their energy.
Yet the pervasive sense of danger in the land made it difficult to focus. Holding the beast's core, Jiang Ye hesitated for a while before gathering everyone and organizing them into three groups to take turns keeping watch.
Whether intentionally or not, Jiang Ye grouped Meng Shuying with herself.
Also in their group was a female disciple named You Wen, who had earlier asked about the Nine-Turn Spiritual Herb. You Wen and Jiang Ye were on good terms, often seen together at Qionghua Peak.
Meng Shuying never trusted the disciples of Qionghua Peak and didn't let her guard down, even with others on watch.
Though she didn't know exactly where Su Luo Wei was, she had a feeling her Senior Sister wasn't far.
Noticing no one paying attention to her, Meng Shuying picked up a stick and began absentmindedly drawing in the dirt.
After a few random lines, she started writing: "Senior Sister, are you here?"
After a long moment, a word appeared beneath hers.
Yes.
The elegant script was in the clear, delicate style Meng Shuying had seen countless times, now deeply etched in her heart.
A deep sense of peace washed over her.
Her Senior Sister was still with her—how wonderful.
Meng Shuying brushed the dirt smooth with her foot and wrote again: "Senior Sister, you can rest. I'll take the watch."
This time, Su Luo Wei responded quickly, and the next moment, Meng Shuying saw more words appear in the dirt.
"I'll take the first half of the night, you take the second."
The writing was firm, leaving no room for argument.
Meng Shuying thought for a moment, then added a simple "okay" at the end of the line.
Having traveled all day without time to meditate, Meng Shuying immediately took out a spirit stone and began quietly absorbing its energy.
She knew that in this secret realm, failing to maintain her peak condition could end up dragging her Senior Sister down in times of danger.
The disciple on watch added a few dry branches to the fire, which crackled and sent sparks into the air.
The flickering flames cast a warm glow over Meng Shuying, enveloping her in a halo of light and drawing a long shadow beside her.
Su Luo Wei sat by her side, her shadow overlapping with Meng Shuying's.
The night was quiet, with only the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind.
Aside from these small sounds, there was nothing—no birds, no insects.
In the middle of the night, a piercing hawk's cry suddenly echoed from afar. The sound was so sharp and loud that it sent chills down everyone's spine.
Jiang Ye jolted awake and ordered Meng Shuying, "Those two beasts should have finished fighting by now. Go and check, and bring back the beast cores."
You Wen, also awakened by the cry, sneaked a glance at Meng Shuying, a faint smirk playing on her lips.
Earlier, when they passed by the beasts, the tension between them was palpable.
The snake and the hawk were natural enemies, and with both having reached the Golden Core stage, their intelligence had started to awaken.
Once they started fighting, it was bound to be a battle to the death.
Judging by the final hawk's cry, the serpent had likely won the battle.
Jiang Ye wanted the beast cores, but she knew that an injured beast was more dangerous and unpredictable. If she approached recklessly, she risked provoking a fierce response.
So she decided to send Meng Shuying ahead to scout.
As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, Meng Shuying was no match for a Golden Core beast, making her appear as nothing more than prey to the serpent. This would make the beast less wary.
If they were lucky, the serpent would be gravely injured, and Meng Shuying could retrieve both cores.
If they were unlucky and the serpent caught Meng Shuying—
Well, that would be her misfortune.
Jiang Ye's thoughts were calculated, but she spoke as if her intentions were noble, "You were the only one who rested while the others took their watch. The place where the beasts fought isn't too far. Be quick."
Meng Shuying stood up, her dark, deep eyes meeting Jiang Ye's for a long moment before she nodded slowly.
She understood that Jiang Ye's order was no good and that a trap likely awaited her.
But she had her own plans.
Seeing Meng Shuying agree without protest, Jiang Ye was puzzled but couldn't resist the temptation of the beast cores. She pretended to be concerned but was actually threatening, "Make sure you come back quickly. Shifang Blessed Land is full of dangers. Without the map, you won't make it out on your own."
Meng Shuying didn't have a storage ring or any spatial artifact, so even if she obtained the cores, she wouldn't be able to hide them and would have to hand them over.
Otherwise, she'd be left to die alone in Shifang Blessed Land.
Jiang Ye knew that her junior sister wasn't foolish.
Meng Shuying's gaze swept over the other disciples, noting that none of them spoke up for her. Her face remained calm as she simply replied, "Understood."
Her tone was steady, but the Qionghua disciples avoided making eye contact with her.
Everyone knew that Jiang Ye didn't like Meng Shuying and was deliberately targeting her.
But Jiang Ye was their only Golden Core cultivator. Whatever she wanted to do, the others would pretend not to notice.
This was life on Qionghua Peak.
No one cared if they were the snowflake that caused an avalanche.
After walking some distance, Meng Shuying gradually slowed her pace.
The surroundings were silent, with only a lone moon hanging in the sky, illuminating the ground below.
She looked around, confirming she was alone before softly calling, "Senior Sister, are you still here?"
Su Luo Wei had been following her quietly and, hearing Meng Shuying call out, released her invisibility spell.
Seeing her Senior Sister, Meng Shuying's eyes softened, though she still asked, "Why did you follow me, Senior Sister?"
Su Luo Wei knew why she asked but didn't reveal it, vaguely answering, "I'm interested in the Golden Core beast's core."
Meng Shuying's eyes brightened with determination. "If you want the core, Senior Sister, I'll find a way to get it for you. But be careful; the serpent is naturally wary. Stay away from it."
Su Luo Wei nodded in agreement.
The two walked along a winding path for some time before they began to notice signs of a battle. Meng Shuying knelt down, running her hand over some scorched grass, puzzled. "Why are there burn marks here?"
Su Luo Wei squinted at the distant hill, where the serpent's massive form was barely visible. The hawk, however, was nowhere to be seen.
"The hawk was a Golden Flame Eagle, a fire-attribute beast. That's why there are signs of burning here."
"Senior Sister, you're amazing," Meng Shuying praised sincerely.
Su Luo Wei gave her a sideways glance, replying calmly, "You've fallen behind in your studies. This is all recorded in The Bestiary."
Meng Shuying: When will Senior Sister give me private lessons? (Bites handkerchief)