Chapter 272

After getting out, it is highly likely that the couple will extort me. The magic treasures on my person—the Universe Bag, the Glazed Shield, the Bone Flute, and others—add up to over six hundred spirit stones, and it is even possible they could reach seven hundred. If that couple robs me of such valuable items, would they really feel at ease letting me go?

If it were me, I wouldn't feel at ease either!

Thinking of this, he hurriedly untied his Universe Bag, found an inconspicuous corner at the edge of the tree canopy, and hastily dug a small hole to bury it.

He sprinkled some dirt over it, covered it with a few old tree leaves, and stuck a small, withered branch next to it as a marker. Liu Xiaolou felt a little more at ease. This location was just right; it was under the protection of the tree demon, yet situated at the edge, which would prevent it from being discovered by others or dug up by birds and beasts, while also making it easy for him to retrieve later when he returned.

Of course, this was on the condition that the tree demon had no interest in the Universe Bag, so he turned back to bow to the tree demon again, imploring it not to swipe his belongings.

The Wan couple continued to hunt birds and beasts outside. The two were knowledgeable and knew that a small number would certainly not suffice; they had to gather at least a hundred.

That night, the couple had already captured all the birds and beasts in the vicinity, gathering over forty birds and more than thirty small beasts, among which five were small beasts possessing spiritual essence.

These five small beasts with spiritual essence did not have much potential for advancement and were far inferior to the Golden-Bearded Dragon Carp of the Su family on Mount Shenwu, so they were not worth the effort to raise. However, they could be used for a hearty meal or exchanged at the market for one or two spirit stones or several hundred taels of silver. Yet, compared to the array plate worth dozens of spirit stones, they were nothing. The couple had already packed them into woven crates, preparing to use them to save someone.

That night, the couple returned and sat far away on the outside, eating and drinking while chatting with Liu Xiaolou, trying to fish for all sorts of information about him.

"Brother Li Mu, when did you reach Foundation Establishment? What methods have you tried to escape? Why didn't they succeed?" Wan Shangu asked.

Madam Wan smiled and tossed over a roasted rabbit leg: "Brother Li Mu, you've been trapped under the tree for so long, you haven't had a proper meal, have you? Want to try my cooking?"

After Liu Xiaolou took the rabbit leg, he picked up a few fallen leaves and wrapped it up carefully: "Good stuff, many thanks, Madam, it smells so good... I'll store it away first. If I can't escape this time, I'll be counting on it to live a couple more days... Madam, could you give me some more? This junior would like to collect them..."

Madam Wan smiled but did not give him any more, changing the subject: "My husband just asked about your cultivation, care to share?"

Liu Xiaolou said: "This junior succeeded in Foundation Establishment two years ago and came here specifically for training. Because I haven't left the mountains much, my knowledge is insufficient, and I haven't even figured out the Wanshan. Just as the seniors said before, my courage was truly too great, I am ashamed..."

Wan Shangu asked: "May I ask where you are from, little friend?"

Liu Xiaolou replied: "This junior is a deacon of Luo Fushan."

The Wan couple exchanged a glance, and Wan Shangu said: "So you are from a famous major sect, excuse my lack of respect!"

Liu Xiaolou blushed and said: "Falling to this state, I have truly brought shame upon my sect."

Wan Shangu comforted him: "That's not necessarily the case. Ghost Banyan trees are rare; those who don't recognize this tree inevitably end up trapped here..."

Madam Wan pressed: "Little friend is a deacon of Luo Fushan? Your accent doesn't sound like someone from Lingnan. May I ask which Elder you followed to take up your post?"

Liu Xiaolou said: "This junior was originally a disciple of the Xiangnan Pai Sect. I was fortunate enough to catch the eye of Luo Fushan and was brought into the sect. I have always been diligent in my cultivation. The various Elders of the sect intended to promote this junior to an inner sect disciple and did not arrange any secular duties for me; I was just following Senior Brother Zhao to handle matters."

"Which Senior Brother Zhao?"

"Senior Brother Zhao Ru, who is responsible for guarding Jade Goose Peak. He is a very good person. If the two of you go to Luo Fushan in the future, this junior will ask Senior Brother Zhao to come forward and invite you two seniors to visit the mountain and see the scenery of Luo Fu."

"Luo Fushan, heh, easy to say, easy to say..."

"I must let you two seniors know that my Senior Brother Zhao has already been at Foundation Establishment for many years, and his combat strength far exceeds this junior's. At that time, he can discuss the Dao with you two seniors."

"Oh..."

"Forgive this junior's shallow knowledge, may I ask where you two seniors cultivate?"

"We couple are the cave masters of these Three Wanshan..."

They chatted until the hour of the Rat, and neither side wished to continue this mentally exhausting conversation, so they each sat cross-legged,

regulating their breathing and resting.

To be honest, if the couple were willing to spare his life after helping him escape, he would still be willing to hand over the array plate. Although this array plate had been refined three times and consumed a great deal of energy and spirit materials, and was his primary means of defeating enemies and winning, if he could trade it for his own life, Liu Xiaolou would have no complaints.

Alas...

Liu Xiaolou looked at the branch on the other side that served as a marker and sighed secretly.

The next day, the Wan couple continued to hunt birds and beasts in the surroundings. They went even further away today because the nearby area had been cleared out by them.

With the buffer time, Liu Xiaolou took the opportunity to dig up the buried Universe Bag and found that the tree demon indeed had no interest in such dead objects, which made him feel three parts more at ease.

He readjusted the burial method, making the hole a bit shallower, and tied a few withered branches tightly together. The other end of the branches was exposed above the soil, looking like weeds. When he came back to retrieve it, he only needed to slightly distract the tree demon and pull on the branches to quickly yank the Universe Bag out.

After setting everything up, he looked at the dozen or so large wooden cages the Wan couple had woven and watched the various restless birds and beasts inside. He thought to himself that he had been busy for nearly two years, yet the spirit leopard soul shadow refined from the bone flute could not be used, which was truly lamentable.

He began to think about how to deal with the couple if he could successfully escape, and for a time, all sorts of thoughts came flooding in.

Another day passed like this, and the birds and beasts captured by the Wan couple already exceeded one hundred, with five or six more spirit beasts among them.

To increase the possibility of a rescue, the couple continued to work for another day. On the third day, they raided a snake den a mile away and captured seventy or eighty Iron-Headed Snakes, seven or eight of which possessed spiritual essence.

Of course, these spirit snakes were also not worth much. If taken to the market to be sold, they would only add up to one or two spirit stones, or several hundred taels of silver.

With this, the total exceeded two hundred, and the three of them discussed that they could begin implementing the rescue plan.

Liu Xiaolou had long been waiting at the edge of the tree canopy. The Wan couple stood four or five zhang away on the outer perimeter, with a dozen large wooden cages piled at their feet. The three of them exchanged a glance and immediately took action.

The couple simultaneously threw all the wooden cages into the canopy range of the Ghost Banyan. Liu Xiaolou also acted immediately, his true qi spitting out from his palms, striking the opening mechanisms of each wooden cage at the same time as the couple, causing all the cages to open simultaneously in a very short time.

Twenty or so wooden cages opened in the air, and two hundred birds and beasts of all kinds fell from the cages, immediately scattering to flee for their lives.

The earth shook, and countless vines drilled out rapidly from the soil, coiling toward the birds and beasts fleeing in all directions.

Taking advantage of this moment, Liu Xiaolou leaped up, transformed into a ray of light, and rushed outward.

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