Chapter 883: Extra Chapter 4: 120

While speaking, that pointed horn had already shot out to a length of about one meter.

The small hills below undulated.

It felt as if something wanted to burst out from below, but was stuck, unable to break free for a moment.

"It hasn't fully formed yet," Liu Junyan said. "I feel the strong undulations of earth vein spiritual energy; it grows by absorbing large amounts of surrounding earth vein spiritual energy. Once it fully forms, at least the earth vein spiritual energy within a hundred-mile radius will be completely depleted. As the earth vein dragon god, I cannot allow such a thing to happen."

Yes, if the earth vein spiritual energy is depleted, all living beings within the affected range will suffer.

If such a thing happens, the first to be held responsible will be Liu Junyan.

"This earth embryo forms by using an earth vein node as a carrier, continuously absorbing earth vein spiritual energy," Liu Junyan said quickly. "Forcibly killing it would inevitably damage the earth vein on a large scale, so after killing it I will stay here for a while to quickly repair the earth vein, minimizing casualties. Xiao Jiu, I'll entrust Jiuzhou Fu to you for now, until I return."

Saying this, Liu Junyan had already prepared to act.

Xiao Jiu moved, blocking Liu Junyan.

"Don't be impulsive!" Xiao Jiu shouted sternly. "Āyàn, you've read those files; haven't you realized by now what the true cause of death was for the earth vein dragon god back then?"

Liu Junyan did not answer Xiao Jiu's question.

He obviously had thought of it.

Over a thousand years ago, while everyone was immersed in the joy of the earth vein spiritual energy's revival, hidden dangers also arose.

The earth vein collapsed too suddenly; as the first person to be held responsible, the earth vein dragon god surely would have used the simplest, most brutal method to solve the problem immediately.

That method is exactly what Liu Junyan just said.

Taking advantage of the earth embryo not yet fully formed, kill it, then use one's own mana and spiritual power to repair the damaged earth vein lines.

One or two would be fine, but what about ten or eight?

Moreover, they couldn't possibly line up nicely to erupt one by one; what if they all erupted at once?

Even if you, the earth vein dragon god, were more capable, could you withstand such torment?

Back then, regardless of how the records describe it, the true cause of death for the earth vein dragon god was largely dying from exhaustion while repairing the earth vein lines.

Liu Junyan's current situation is much better than that of the earth vein dragon god back then, after all, those earth embryos hidden deep in the earth veins are still temporarily suppressed.

But even if they took the initiative to solve the problem, Liu Junyan isn't made of iron!

Leaving aside whether Xiao Jiu is reluctant and whether Liu Junyan can bear it, if this matter could only be resolved by Liu Junyan alone, then what's the point of appointing Xiao Jiu as the Earth Deity Maiden?

She's not just for show!

She is the Earth Deity Maiden; one of her duties is to guide the mountain and river earth vein spiritual energy to assist Liu Junyan in solving earth vein problems.

So, there is still a better way to resolve this.

Thinking this through, Xiao Jiu asked: "Āyàn, can you, within a certain time period, block certain earth vein lines within a range and control the flow of earth vein spiritual energy?"

"Yes," Liu Junyan said. "But at most only eight hours; after eight hours, the blocked earth vein lines still face depletion..."

Only eight hours.

Xiao Jiu also had no confidence in her heart.

But now there is no better method.

"Give it a try," Xiao Jiu said. "I will do my utmost to fully guide the earth vein spiritual energy condensed by the earth embryo within eight hours; if I still haven't completed it after that time, Liu Junyan, you must forcibly interrupt."

Forcible interruption means Xiao Jiu will suffer backlash.

However, eight hours of guidance means that even if the spiritual energy in the earth embryo isn't fully drawn, it cannot become a threat.

Xiao Jiu making such a sacrifice, though it consumes her, is still far better than Liu Junyan's method.

In short, one in position should plan for their duties.

The husband and wife's current status was not easily obtained.

Wanting to keep it is even harder.

Liu Junyan is reluctant to part with Xiao Jiu and still hesitates.

Xiao Jiu, however, smiled at him optimistically: "Āyàn, just supposing, I might not be unable to complete the guidance within eight hours; the Queen Mother Earth is so cautious, having tested me for many years—if I couldn't handle the great task, she wouldn't have used me, right?"

Bang.

The vibrations below suddenly increased greatly in magnitude.

Every second of their hesitation now is an opportunity for that thing below.

One cannot tell which moment it will fully form and burst forth from the earth vein.

By then, Xiao Jiu and Liu Junyan will have no chance even to try.

Liu Junyan gritted his teeth, said to Xiao Jiu, "Xiao Jiu, be careful, don't forcefully resist, always be ready to withdraw," then he transformed into his dragon form, centering on that pointed horn, with a ten-meter radius, drawing circles outward again and again.

This move caused the earth embryo to immediately sense the cutoff of earth vein spiritual energy; it roared angrily, and the amplitude of the earth vein vibrations increased further.

Xiao Jiu stared at the tip of the horn, watching the liquid surging in the longitudinal groove, deep in thought.

The next moment, a guide-drawing incantation appeared spontaneously in her mind.

Queen Mother Earth had said that when the time came, someone would guide her to act.

This guide-drawing incantation, of course, is included as well.

All abilities belonging to the Earth Deity Maiden will be understood by Xiao Jiu at the appropriate moment.

Xiao Jiu silently recited the guide-drawing incantation twice in her heart, firmly memorizing it; at the same time she began forming hand seals, the Mòyù Bānzhǐ flew from her right thumb, hovering in midair, and as the guide-drawing incantation was activated, it kept growing larger.

After finishing the guide-drawing incantation, Xiao Jiu raised her sword finger, pointing straight at the horn's tip.

The enlarged Mòyù Bānzhǐ, upon receiving the command, swiftly slipped onto that horn.

Xiao Jiu immediately chanted the next segment of the guide-drawing incantation; the sword finger reversed and pressed against her own brow.

The enlarged Mòyù Bānzhǐ began to contract, and soon it tightly gripped the horn.

The earth vein runes on the Mòyù Bānzhǐ surged wildly; as it kept contracting, the horn grew thinner, and Xiao Jiu saw the longitudinal groove of the horn being squeezed and split, with bright red liquid flowing out.

However, that bright red liquid did not drip down; instead, it was immediately absorbed by the Mòyù Bānzhǐ.

No, it seems it wasn't absorbed by the Mòyù Bānzhǐ either.

But it was the earth vein rune inside the Mòyù Bānzhǐ; after absorbing the scarlet liquid, it seemed to grow tendrils, seeping inward along those liquids into the tip.

It was at this moment that Xiao Jiu felt a powerful surge of Spiritual Qi rushing toward her body, charging into her blood vessels, instantly filling her limbs and bones, and then gathering toward her dantian qi sea.

This force came too suddenly, leaving Xiao Jiu startled.

But soon, Xiao Jiu felt another force surging within her dantian qi sea, quickly merging with the force that had just rushed in.

These two forces seemed to originate from the origin, yet neither belonged to Xiao Jiu herself.

Only then did Xiao Jiu realize that, after returning from Hou Tu Niangniang, she had felt her dantian qi sea much fuller than before, as if it were preparing for this moment……