Chapter 509: Ah! Senior Sister Su!

Naturally, the speaker was Heng Xian; he carried a bucket and returned unharmed, as if everyone had just left ahead and he followed right after.

Wan Baolu, who had made the bet, couldn't help but swallow his saliva, his face dejected as he said: "How did you get back so fast?"

"Not as fast as you!"

Heng Xian walked up to everyone, slammed the water bucket onto the ground, and felt a foul stench rush over him; inside the bucket was a tooth as big as a winter melon, desiccated and yellow, with sticky blood still clinging to its root.

Everyone stepped back a few steps, staring at Heng Xian in shock—this guy actually pulled out the Forbidden Hag's tooth??

Su Ji frowned slightly: "Junior Brother! How did you manage that?"

Heng Xian rolled up his sleeve: "Of course, I jumped in while the Forbidden Hag opened its mouth to attack someone and pulled it out!"

Everyone imagined the scene and involuntarily shuddered.

Si Tu Nan Fei hesitated, then said: "But… what is this tooth used for…"

Dao Ye let out a breath and explained for Heng Xian: "The Forbidden Hag's tooth is extremely yin and lethal, born of the essence of demonic qi; it has no other use, but it works wonders for treating demonic injuries, and also strengthens tendons and bones, replenishing vital energy—it works wonders for the injuries of all our fellow disciples!"

Just now we were discussing how Heng Xian had toured the Hundred Classics; seeing this, he's not just versed in the Hundred Classics—he's practically a learned sage who has penetrated heaven and earth, having perused myriad canons!

Heng Xian clasped his hands: "Thank you, Dao Ye; Dao Ye, your discerning eye spots treasure!"

Dao Ye returned the salute: "No thanks needed, sir; this is only proper!"

Everyone was delighted, not feeling that Heng Xian and Dao Ye were boasting, and they all bowed to thank Heng Xian.

Next, everyone found a sheltered dip against a hill, set up a simple tent, covered the outside with plants to avoid detection, then, following the healing method, treated the disciples' injuries from each sect, crushing the Forbidden Hag's tooth, applying the root externally, decocting the blood into medicine, and using the tendons to pierce the bones……

Healing injuries and restoring vital energy is a lengthy process; according to Dao Ye, it takes at least ten days!

In other words, even if this Demon Realm contains countless heavenly and earthly treasures, we have no way to take part in them; moreover, if there is a closing time, we must leave before it shuts, likely wasting all our effort for nothing!

However, Su Ji, Si Tu Nan Fei, and a few others saw it clearly: life is paramount, everything else is fleeting.

Thus, all disciples of the fourteen sects healed their wounds inside the tent, while Heng Xian and three unharmed persons served as guards.

"Boom—"

In the evening, muffled thunder boomed, heavy rain poured down, the forest light grew dim, and turned a pale green.

"Just a moment ago we were worrying whether those from the Flower Pavilion would come after us, but this downpour has put us much more at ease!"

Under the old tree beside the tent, Heng Xian and two others sat cross‑lit, built a fire, and roasted a suckling pig they had brought from outside.

The suckling pig was brought by Sun Bufan, and the speaker was Sun Bufan.

"What do you mean, baldy?" Dao Ye feigned surprise.

Sun Bufan rolled his eyes: "Old geezer, quit looking down on me, Heng Xian has perused myriad canons; I at least have perused a thousand—we're scholars!"

"I think those from the Flower Pavilion won't be able to find us, and there are three reasons!"

Upon hearing this, Heng Xian and Dao Ye grew curious and said: "Please go on!"

Sun Bufan rolled up his sleeves, looking ready to undertake something big: "First! They were blocked by the Forbidden Hag, wasting much time, so they couldn't give chase in time and might lose the trail!"

"Second! Our reverse‑escape method makes it extremely hard to tell where we went, especially since this downpour has wiped out all traces!"

"Third! I don't think they'll insist on chasing us to the death; after all, there are still many places to explore here, and compared to this Demon Realm, we are utterly insignificant!"

Dao Ye slapped his palm hard: "Excellent, baldy! Your analysis is spot‑on, splendid!"

"Right?"

The two slapped their palms together.

Heng Xian looked at the rain and said: "So we also need to make a plan!"

Having just been approved, Sun Bufan got carried away, pulled out a small fan from somewhere and flicked it open: "I think we can do it in two steps: first, Heng Xian, you stand guard over them, since your cultivation is a bit higher!"

"Second, I and Old Gun will go out nearby to look around; if we find any treasures or spiritual materials, we'll snatch them and bring them back, turning two into three, three into five—how does that sound for splitting them?"

Dao Ye immediately nodded: "This method works!"

Heng Xian bluntly pointed out: "You two just want to go out for a stroll, making up excuses."

The two laughed heartily.

Heng Xian waved his hand: "Go ahead!"

Sun Bufan and Dao Ye rose, clasped their hands, each tore off a pig thigh, flickered, and vanished into the rain curtain.

Heng Xian glanced at the roasted suckling pig, tore off a foreleg, and ate while watching the rain curtain.

The rain in this world isn't special in itself; it's just that the air is saturated with thick demonic qi, which even the rain can't disperse, making the forest look lush and the scenery grim.

For a moment, between heaven and earth, aside from a faint groan of pain coming from somewhere near the tent, all that remained was the patter of rain.

Heng Xian took out the butterfly jade pendant that Ji Yaoyue had given him, and couldn't help thinking of Ji Yaoyue.

I wonder if her soul injury has healed?

Inside the Great Zhou Imperial Palace, on Zilan Mountain and within Zilan Palace, in that strange place, there is an old woman and a girl who looks almost exactly like her—what could it mean?

The Heavenly Hexagram, for the sake of its own cultivation, actually concealed itself from me???

I and Ji Yaoyue met as youths in Donglan City; over the years, even if Ji Yaoyue initially only wanted to play matchmaker, casually finding a man to satisfy the Great Zhou Ji clan's tradition, over these years to say she feels nothing would be false!

After thinking a while with no clue, he involuntarily looked again at the wheel‑reincarnation ancient seal engraved on the pendant.

This ancient seal was copied from HengWuQue, who lives in his family home in Donglan City and has a fate like a novel protagonist; needless to say, these days it has given him a huge amount of spiritual energy in return.

I wonder whether HengWuQue and the highly talented Heng Xun Er can grow up to protect the Heng family?

Lost in thought, the sleeves of his robe fluttered; Su Ji sat beside the fire, tore off another foreleg, and took a bite without hesitation.

Her face still showed a hint of flush and beads of sweat; evidently she had just endured considerable pain from her treatment.

Heng Xian exclaimed in surprise: "Your injury is already like this?"

"Of course not!" Su Ji elegantly ate the roasted suckling pig, saying, "The higher one's cultivation, the harder it is to restore vital energy; as Senior Sister I am at the Post‑Original Pill Realm, though I haven't reached the Fake Pill Realm, I still need twice their time—just that I'm hungry!"

Heng Xian chuckled: "Senior Sister is a person of feeling!"

Su Ji wiped her oily fingers, gave him a strange look, and said: "Of course, it's not just about eating; I'm doing this for you!"

Heng Xian exclaimed in surprise: "For me?"

Su Ji glanced around, her face blushed, she whispered: "The monk Yuantong and that senior aren't here; everyone else is also healing; the sky has also darkened; now it's just the two of us— isn't this perfect for doing that thing?"

"Ah? Senior Sister Su..." Heng Xian was taken aback.

(End of chapter)