Chapter 283: Changes Over Time

Qin Mu, holding this particular Huang Jing, turned it over and examined it carefully. Another Huang Jing, peering from beneath tree leaves, a clump of grass, a crack in a stone, and even under the sand, saw its companion being held by the giant. It let out a startled cry, then quite disloyally, burrowed even deeper into hiding.

Qin Mu’s scrutiny revealed that this Huang Jing’s legs were composed of numerous intertwined rootlets, its waist was adorned with a grass-woven skirt, and its face bore a beard of root-like tendrils. In its hand, it clutched a spear crafted from a bamboo branch, its head gleaming like snow – a piece of peculiar metal. Qin Mu was taken aback, and picking up the small, delicate spearhead, no larger than a needle, he examined the metal closely.

He couldn't identify the metal, yet, strangely, the metal bore traces of engraved runes. Considering the Huang Jings' attire, it seemed improbable they possessed knowledge of rune magic or similar arts. So where did the metal for the spear come from?

Perhaps awakening, this Huang Jing shivered. Suddenly, with a faint *bo* sound, a green leaf bud sprouted from its head. It was so nervous that the leaf bud grew rapidly.

Qin Mu chuckled, saying, "Don't play dead. I won't eat you. I just have a few questions to ask."

The Huang Jing, mustering courage, opened its eyes and saw Qin Mu smiling, his teeth bright and crystalline. It let out a resentful cry and promptly fainted.

From the center of the island, a clamor of shouting and killing arose. A hundred-strong horde of Huang Jings charged forward aggressively, evidently a rescue party. Upon seeing Qin Mu holding their comrade, these Huang Jings immediately turned tail and fled with scattered steps.

Qin Mu was momentarily stunned, then shook his head. "So utterly disloyal..."

He flicked the leaf on the forehead of the Huang Jing in his hand. The Huang Jing awoke again. Qin Mu loosened his grip, and his vital energy supported it, letting it float before the three of them. "Don't play dead again," he warned. "If you do, you'll be truly dead. I ask you, why are there so many Huang Jings on this island?"

That Huang Jing trembled and replied, "I don't know. You must ask the Old Ancestor!"

Qin Mu frowned and asked again, "Where did the metal for your spearheads come from?"

"I don't know. You must ask the Old Ancestor."

Qin Mu, feeling helpless, set it down and said, "Take us to see your Old Ancestor."

This Huang Jing fell to the ground and began walking towards the center of the island. From a nearby clump of grass, a small head poked out and angrily called out, "Traitor!"

Qin Mu reached out and grabbed the Huang Jing from the grass clump as well. "You lead the way too," he instructed. "Go see your Old Ancestor."

This Huang Jing immediately deflated, hanging its head dispiritedly as it acted the traitor, following the other traitor towards the island's center. Its traitor companion, however, suddenly held its head high and puffed out its chest, as if being the first to surrender was a glorious achievement.

"There are too many Huang Jings on this island."

Si Yun Xiang was astonished. As they reached the island's interior, they discovered a strange sight. Houses hung from the trees, small and exquisite, nearly the size of bird nests. Woven from green vines into the shape of houses, they dangled beneath the tree branches, appearing from afar like large green apples.

As they approached, the doors of these tree-houses opened, and many Huang Jings stood behind them, secretly observing. It was like a peculiar world in the trees. On the ground, there were also many Huang Jings whose houses were built from small stones, forming cities. However, even these cities were only the size of a *mu* of land.

The two Huang Jings walked into the listless city. The Huang Jing guards stared blankly at Qin Mu and the other two giants, too astonished to speak, let alone counterattack.

"There must be tens of thousands of Huang Jings here!"

Si Yun Xiang was utterly shocked. She whispered, "Cult Leader, if we could capture these Huang Jings and sell them, we would be rich enough to rival nations!"

Qin Mu stopped outside the city, not entering. He shook his head and said, "Why would you do that?"

Si Yun Xiang was puzzled. "Survival of the fittest, isn't that the rule of the Great Ruins?"

"Holy Maiden, the survival of the fittest in the Great Ruins is somewhat different from what you think."

Qin Mu explained, "Although the strange beasts of the Great Ruins also hunt and consume the weak, once they are full, they do not engage in meaningless slaughter. This is survival of the fittest, not a desire to kill and devour everything weaker than oneself. These Huang Jings are intelligent beings with their own civilization and nation. When we arrive in their territory, it is an exchange between civilized beings. Why would we want to exterminate their nation and race the moment we arrive?"

Si Yun Xiang appeared somewhat thoughtful.

Not long after, a vehicle, crowded with many Huang Jings, emerged from a magnificent golden and jade mansion within the city and came before the city gates. Seated on the vehicle was a white-haired and hoary old lady. She trembled as she stood from the vehicle and offered a salute. "It has been a long time since we have seen outsiders. The children were somewhat panicked. This old body offers its respects."

"Elder is too polite."

Qin Mu respectfully returned the salute. "My foolish siblings and I passed through this treasured land and disturbed the Elder's subjects. We beg your forgiveness."

Ling Yu Xiu and Si Yun Xiang saw that this Huang Jing old lady was only about a foot tall, pitifully small, yet Qin Mu adhered strictly to etiquette, not daring to show any disrespect. They both suppressed their smiles. The two women also followed the proper etiquette in returning the salute.

The Huang Jing old lady said, "Our humble abode is too small to accommodate the bodies of three giants. We are unable to invite you in, for which we beg forgiveness. Are you three merely passing through?"

Qin Mu chuckled. "We three are passing through and planned to rest our feet. Because we found your noble country somewhat strange, we caused this disturbance. May I ask the Elder, why are there so many Huang Jings here?"

The old lady laughed. "It must be the water and soil. When this old body awoke, it was beside a spring. Suddenly, I gained sentience, branched out and spread, and the children became more and more numerous."

"A spring?"

Qin Mu was surprised. "May the Elder lead us to see it?"

The Huang Jing old lady laughed. "Of course." Having said that, she instructed other Huang Jings to drive the vehicle out of the city and lead them to a spiritual spring in the center of the island. This spring was not large; it was a deep pool, only six or seven *zhang* in circumference, yet it was so deep that the bottom was invisible. Many Huang Jings were drawing water here. No matter how much water they took, the water level in the pool never seemed to decrease.

Qin Mu took a little spring water and opened his Azure Skies Heaven Eye to examine it. His expression turned solemn. He saw that the spring water contained a strange and unusual power. The Huang Jings on the island must have drunk this water year-round, thus gaining sentience and becoming *jing*, and their bodies lacked any demonic aura.

"This spring is extraordinary." Ling Yu Xiu and Si Yun Xiang also noticed the unusual nature of the spring and thought to themselves.

Qin Mu stood up and said, "I see that your weapons are somewhat strange. May I ask where they were obtained?"

That Huang Jing old lady said, "These things were picked up by the children. They rushed out from the spring water."

"Rushed out from the spring water?"

Qin Mu looked at the deep pool, pondering for a moment. "Elder, we would like to enter the pool and take a look."

"Although you are giants, you must still be careful. This pool is immeasurably deep. I don't know how many children have drowned in it."

That Huang Jing old lady quickly summoned people and said, "I will have them make a long, long vine. You can tie it around your bodies and descend. If you cannot hold your breath, you can follow the vine up."

"No need."

Qin Mu took a deep, long breath, causing strong winds to howl around him as an immense amount of air was sucked into his chest cavity. Then, he jumped into the pool. Ling Yu Xiu and Si Yun Xiang also quickly inhaled deeply and jumped in.

The three of them each activated their skills. Ling Yu Xiu cultivated the Nine Dragons Emperor King Skill, and her body moved through the water like a flood dragon. Si Yun Xiang activated the Creation Heaven God Skill, resembling a fish darting through the water, and swam towards the bottom.

This pool was indeed so deep that the bottom was invisible. They dived for a long time, and the surroundings became increasingly dim, yet they still hadn't reached the bottom. The pressure also became greater and greater.

Suddenly, bright light appeared in front of them. The four walls of the deep pool gradually widened, and the stone walls were adorned with luminous pearls the size of gourds, emitting a faint light.

"They are even larger than the luminous pearls in the imperial palace!" Ling Yu Xiu exclaimed in surprise.

Further ahead, there were more luminous pearls. They dived down several hundred more *zhang*, feeling a pressure so heavy it seemed to crush their lungs. Their eyes filled with blood, and their eardrums buzzed. Diving down any further would likely be life-threatening. Qin Mu was about to call a halt to the two women and return the way they came, when at that moment, they saw a large cauldron.

The bottom of the deep pool was finally reached.

At the bottom of the deep pool, a large cauldron sat there, more than ten *zhang* in length and width, utterly massive. A weak flow of water surged from within the cauldron. Around the large cauldron, it was empty space, devoid of water. Instead, there was air, and it was as bright as day.

Qin Mu's body swam through the water curtain and immediately dropped down, quickly landing on his feet. Ling Yu Xiu and Si Yun Xiang also swam out of the water and fell to the ground, their bodies dripping wet.

Qin Mu glanced over. Si Yun Xiang quickly covered her chest with her hands, yet Ling Yu Xiu seemed oblivious. Qin Mu quickly nudged her shoulder and whispered, "Look at yourself!"

Ling Yu Xiu then realized, turning her body back in a panic and using her vital energy to shake the water from her body.

Qin Mu withdrew his gaze and thought to himself, "It's not like I haven't seen it before. Last time when she slept in my place, I saw it. Her chest muscles are bigger and whiter than mine, it's nothing great. Her strength is not as good as mine."

The three of them dried their clothes and looked around. It seemed they were at the bottom of the sea. Outside was pitch-black seawater, and they could still see plumes of black smoke rising from chimneys on the seabed, occasionally spouting streams of lava. From time to time, strange creatures of the sea, attracted by the bright light here, swam over, revealing their immense bodies. They were monsters of unknown type.

Before them, ornamental columns stood tall, emitting a serene light. Further ahead, they could see white fog, and faintly, massive palaces appeared within the mist. The ground beneath their feet was white jade, laid perfectly flat. Rubble was scattered all around.

Around the large cauldron behind them, there were also some columns, which must have been the ruins of a large hall. The water flow rose from within the large cauldron, not connected to the seawater. The Huang Jings on the island simply drank the water surging from this large cauldron, thus gaining sentience and becoming *jing*.

"I have seen this kind of place before."

Qin Mu's heart was slightly shaken. "The Great Ruins has the Surging River Dragon Palace, arranged almost identically to this place, but it is smaller. That is the residence of the Surging River Dragon King, the place where the Dragon King manages the Surging River."

"Could this also be a Dragon Palace?" Si Yun Xiang was somewhat excited.

"It is not a Dragon Palace."

Ling Yu Xiu shivered and whispered, "I don't sense the aura of a dragon. On the contrary, I feel an aura that is extremely unfriendly towards dragons... I fear there is a god here!"

"Even if there is a god, it is a dead one."

Qin Mu walked forward, waved his sleeve, and countless pieces of rubble flew up and fell to the side, revealing a collapsed stone tablet. The words on the stone tablet were very ancient. Written on it were the characters "Qu Shan God Hall."

"Qu Shan God?"

Qin Mu frowned. "Are there mountain gods at the bottom of the sea?"

Si Yun Xiang shook her head. "It is impossible for there to be a mountain god at the bottom of the sea, unless this place was land before..."