Chapter 108: Re-encounter

Translator: Tim Editor: Chrissy

He saw a desert, but the main point was its abundance of Purple Heart Vine. Ye Mo’s spirit sense detected hundreds, with even denser patches in the distance. They were thicker than a wrist, suggesting thousands or tens of thousands of years of growth.

“Purple Heart Vine, though a low-level spirit herb, becomes highly valuable at over 3000 years old—hundreds of spirit stones each. But there are so many here!”

Ye Mo held his breath, shocked. He’d found abundant, ancient Purple Heart Vine, yet felt no joy, only a faint sadness.

What was this?

He remained still, closing his eyes and using his spirit sense. The place was indeed surrounded by Purple Heart Vine. His sadness was real.

Suddenly, he noticed a problem. As high-level spirit herbs, they should emanate spirit chi, but he sensed none. The Vine lay across the desert, unchanged, still usable even if withered.

Approaching slowly, a sense of rot filled him. He blew lightly; a three-meter-tall Vine crumbled to dust. Stunned, he repeated this with several more, all turning to dust. As if sensing his arrival, thousands of Vines vanished into dust. Had he not witnessed it, he would have thought it an eerie event.

The desert, once teeming with Purple Heart Vine, was instantly empty.

Ye Mo stood motionless, bitter. He’d found the secret of the Purple Heart Vine, but it was useless. His interest in Kulu vanished; even if it had Purple Heart Vine, it couldn't compare.

He entered the desert, seemingly untouched. It wasn’t large, and soon he reached its end, where a huge stone tablet stood, inscribed with the words Ku Lake.

So this was Ku Lake. Like Luo Bu Lake, it seemed a large lake that had become a desert.

Placing his hand on the tablet, he felt disappointment. He’d gained nothing. He could only return to his clinic and cultivate his Silver Heart Grass, requiring a low profile, which he didn’t want, especially after exposing himself in the Taklimakan.

His thoughts halted. He stared at his hand, surprised to feel faint spirit chi transferring from the tablet. It was weak, barely usable for cultivation.

He investigated, digging out the tablet and clearing the dirt. Dried-up spirit chi appeared—a dried-up spirit well. This explained the Purple Heart Vine.

Disappointed, he understood. A spirit well had once been here. If it still held water, he might have lived there, despite the darkness.

He felt the well and sighed, pouring a bottle of water down. “A spirit well without water? I’ll give you some.” In the desert, only a cultivator like him would do this, showing gratitude to spirit things. He didn’t mind the water; he was about to leave.

As he poured the water, the well emitted thin spirit chi, as if repaying him. He could cultivate with this spirit chi.

No longer stingy, he poured all his water, including the yellow-dressed lady’s. The spirit chi intensified.

He cultivated. He didn’t know how long, but approximately three or four days. Waking, he found the well depleted. It wasn't enough for him to reach stage 3.

However, he was at the peak of stage 2, a hair's breadth from level 3. Perhaps in under two years, he could ascend.

He bowed to the well, grateful for its help. Even more water wouldn't yield more spirit chi.

He didn’t know how this place formed, but it seemed someone had intentionally used the desert to protect the well and Purple Heart Vine.

After eating, he climbed a staircase, reaching another stone board. Moving it, sand fell, revealing bright sunlight.

He replaced the board and covered it with sand. Perhaps he’d return.

Back in the desert, he was in a dead forest, filled with dead Hu Yang Tree Roots.

Just as he wondered if this was the legendary Demon Forest, gunshots interrupted him.

Gunshots? Nan Qing's people? Even so, they wouldn't shoot without seeing him.

He soon understood. A yellow-dressed lady, the one who saved him, stumbled from the Demon Forest, wounded, her bag gone, pursued by men with guns.

They were from Nan Qing. Guilt overwhelmed him; she was hurt and hunted because of him.

She was like a goddess to him. He felt a murderous rage.

She stumbled, surprising him. Even if she couldn’t dodge, she shouldn't be this weak.

He was about to attack when a chik chik sound pierced the air. It grew louder, heard by everyone.

All eyes turned towards the sound: countless bugs, with disgusting flowery patterns on their backs, emerged from the sand, covering a huge area, spreading hundreds of yards in an instant.

They had four legs, moved incredibly fast, and had a single tooth-like mouth.

Their sudden appearance sent chills down everyone's spines.

The Nan Qing men fled, but the bugs swarmed them, leaving no bones, not even the guns. The bugs grew larger, blacker, their patterns clearer after feeding.

Ye Mo gasped, his thoughts turning to the yellow-dressed lady. She saw the bugs; hopelessness reflected in her eyes. She fell peacefully onto the sand.