Chapter 405: Obtaining the Fruit

Although Li Yuanjiao had already explained things to her, Li Qinghong had no close relationship with the deer demon and did not wish to be overly explicit. She offered a concise, eight-character summary. Lu Ken then understood, and said respectfully, "So, the immortal maiden is a Li family thunder cultivator! My apologies!" His demeanor became much more proper and courteous as he added, "Fellow Daoist's Profound Thunder Pool is truly the bane of that tiger demon, Hurricane Ghoul Yin. This trip will surely be an easy success."

Li Qinghong, riding her purple lightning, slowed down to wait for him, then confirmed, "Quanju Demon Cave... can it truly be accessed so casually?" Lu Ken nodded and explained, "The territory of Yue Kingdom is unlike the Southern Border and the East Sea. Quanju Mountain, or Quanju Demon Cave, is referred to as 'Crimson Flow Mountain' by the demons of the Southern Border."

He explained in detail, "Quanju was originally the residence of a Purple Mansion demon king. This demon, who once served as a Golden Core mount, had some influence in the Southern Border and Jiangnan. Living in Quanju, whenever a demon cave in the Southern Border was destroyed or demons faced punishment, the Quanju demon king would offer bribes of elixirs to bring those implicated demons to Quanju."

"At that time, the Eastern Departure Immortal Sect still existed, and the Yue Kingdom was organized into four sects and twelve gates. Disciples who needed mounts, or wished to slay demons for cultivation and artifact refining, would simply go to the mountain."

"Later, this demon king disappeared, and the Great Li Demon Cave replaced Quanju Mountain. The mountain gradually declined, yet demons from the Southern Border still frequently came to the Quanju Mountain Range, making it a haven for fugitives from the Southern Border."

After hearing this, Li Qinghong understood and replied, "So, these are demons who fled from the Southern Border... The Green Pool Sect must be happy to leave them alone, probably even welcoming it."

"Precisely," Lu Ken said with a smile, a hint of emotion in his voice. "This place is also a treasure trove. The Green Pool Sect deliberately maintains it, waiting for these demons to flee here, bringing their treasures. No matter how these treasures circulate, they ultimately end up in the hands of the Three Sects, Seven Gates, and aristocratic families."

"If they manage to capture a direct descendant of a powerful demon, that becomes leverage to threaten the Southern Border. At worst, these demons can be taken as spirit beasts. There are simply too many benefits, which is why the sect has covertly supported this situation all along."

Li Qinghong frowned and murmured, "Then isn't this the Green Pool Sect's backyard? If we kill the tiger demon, we might have to smooth things over with the sect..."

Lu Ken paused slightly, then waved his hand, saying, "It's harmless. This tiger demon is a fallen entity; we've already investigated. Otherwise, I wouldn't dare bring the immortal maiden here..."

He secretly thought to himself, "How could I not investigate? Your Li family has backing within the Green Pool Sect; if you genuinely offend someone, there's a way to resolve it. But I, a mere deer demon, truly cannot afford such trouble!"

Li Qinghong considered the intricacies of the situation for a moment, then mused, "If we can simply seize it, there's no need for killing... one more task just means one more trouble..."

The two chatted about various things, discussing recent major events and gaining some insights. Soon, the Quanju Mountain Range appeared in the distance ahead.

The Quanju Mountain Range was not tall, but remarkably vast. Bordering Mushroom Forest Plain and Cangwu United Forest counties, and surrounded by a vast plain, the mountain appeared particularly prominent. Within it, demons lay hidden, elusive and hard to find.

The deer demon led her into the mountains, winding through paths until they found an inconspicuous small peak. He descended on the wind, landing on the mountainside, and let out a soft exclamation. The cave entrance gaped open, dark and gloomy. He looked up, scanned with his spiritual sense, and said somewhat awkwardly, "Immortal maiden! This tiger demon is quite cautious. It has most likely moved its cave dwelling and is no longer here!"

"Hmm?" Li Qinghong hummed softly. Lu Ken rolled up his sleeves and said, "But there's no need to worry. Just watch me."

He landed, listening carefully. After conversing with the surrounding trees for a while, he walked forward for over ten li. There, hidden among entwined kudzu vines, they saw a mountain persimmon tree laden with bright yellow fruits.

Lu Ken formed a hand seal, and the fruits jumped down one by one, buzzing as they spoke. Lu Ken smiled and turned back, saying, "Immortal maiden, the tiger demon went north." "Good!" Li Qinghong replied.

Li Qinghong praised him and glanced at the bright yellow mountain persimmon tree in front of them, whose branches swayed and rustled. Lu Ken listened for a moment, then chuckled, "She says she still needs thirty-seven years to fully gain sentience and become a spirit, and she pleads with the immortal maiden to spare her life and not dig up her roots, wasting her hundred years of hard work..."

At first, Li Qinghong had considered relocating this spiritual mountain persimmon. Hearing this, she paused and said with some surprise, "It actually possesses such high spirituality! Fellow Daoist can understand the words of plants; are there many such spiritual trees?"

"Indeed, not many," Lu Ken said regretfully in a low voice. "A pity... what use is it? She still needs thirty-seven years to gain sentience and become a Qi Condensation spirit root. After that, it will take several hundred more years to become a Foundation Establishment spirit root. A life of being at someone's mercy is simply too long; possessing spirituality only adds to the suffering."

Li Qinghong glanced at it twice. Spirit roots at the embryonic breathing stage were indeed not highly valued by the Li family now, but Qi Condensation level was quite different. So she said softly, "Then we shall return in thirty-seven years."

Immediately, she lifted her hand, and a formation plate flew out. It landed before the tree, and a small embryonic breathing illusion formation rose, enveloping it. With a flick of her delicate hand, she inserted three spirit stones, enough to sustain it for many years.

Lu Ken stroked his beard, watching from the side. Li Qinghong chuckled, "Times are difficult; I might not be able to wait thirty-seven years. My Li family descendants will come then."

"Immortal maiden, your fortune is profound, and the Purple Mansion realm is within reach. You are being too modest," Lu Ken said, shaking his head. The two then traveled by wind, conversing as they went. They soon arrived before a small, low mountain. Lu Ken looked around and said softly, "Yes, it should be here."

Li Qinghong asked directly, "How do you intend to deal with it, Fellow Daoist?" Lu Ken replied, "I'm only afraid he might escape, and then it would be difficult to catch him. Although neither our immortal cultivation base nor our wind-riding is slow, this tiger demon's Hurricane Ghoul Yin isn't slow either."

"How about I go forward first to engage him in battle? Once this demon has expended most of its energy, the immortal maiden can then strike. Caught off guard, and with thunder magic being very powerful, it should surely succeed."

Li Qinghong listened, feeling the plan was still not foolproof, and secretly sighed to herself, "If only I had a formation treasure like Kong Tingyun's Jade Spring Origin, how much more convenient things would be!"

At that moment, Lu Ken had already flown forward on the wind. He held an axe, imbued with swirling green light, which in a breath's time became the size of a house. He fiercely smashed it towards the low mountain, causing a thunderous rumble, loose rocks to cascade down, and dust to rise everywhere.

"As expected," she thought, "these demons lack proper inheritance; relying solely on brute force and their implements is truly crude. Even this spell he's using now seems to be something he researched himself, which is not bad."

The large axe in Lu Ken's hand was also something he refined himself. He had probably read a few low-grade artifact refining techniques and pondered over it year after year, nurturing and polishing it for countless years to reach its current level. Yet, it still couldn't compare to her own Du Ruo Spear.

"Roar...!" A tiger's roar erupted in the air. From the mountain, a muscular man with a bare torso rose. Black mist surged around him as he growled, "You demon general! I have no grievance with you, so why do you provoke me at my cave entrance!"

In front of Li Qinghong, Lu Ken was a good-natured, even submissive individual. Now, he revealed his aggressive side, sneering, "Hand over your precious medicine! Save us both a fight! If you won't surrender it, I'll just have to kill you and take it myself."

Lu Ken was at the Foundation Establishment mid-stage, and his imposing aura was quite astonishing. The tiger demon looked at him with uncertainty and frowned, saying, "I don't wish to provoke you, nor do I care to fight you."

At that moment, he refused even to engage in battle. His immortal foundation circulated, and bursts of gloomy wind rose around him. Carried by the black mist, he shot away like an arrow.

The tiger demons Lu Ken had encountered in the demon cave were all reckless. He hadn't expected this particular tiger demon to be so cautious. He stood stunned for a full moment before stomping his foot and cursing, "Cowardly tiger!"

He continually swung the axe in his hand, sending out streams of air blades as large as carriages that struck directly at the tiger demon. But the tiger demon only focused on evading him, fleeing headlong.

"Sigh! Just as I thought!" Li Qinghong shook her head helplessly. The situation she had secretly worried about had indeed come to pass.

Although Lu Ken was old, he had, after all, spent year after year holed up in demon caves, under others' protection, focusing solely on cultivation. He had imagined this tiger demon to be too impulsive, thinking a few provocative words would lead to a fight to the death.

"How could someone who has lived so well in these mountains be a reckless individual?" she thought. "Lu Ken was so certain and decisive, he even fooled me."

With a flick of her delicate, jade-like finger, it glowed with purple light. She traced a charm in the air, and immediately, thunder rumbled, black smoke rose, slowly condensing into a thunder charm: the Purple Charm Primordial Light Secret Art!

Li Qinghong concentrated on her spell, electricity crackling beneath her feet. She pursued with lightning speed, and the thunder charm in her hand struck directly.

"Activate!" The tiger demon was swaying precariously, riding the wind to increase distance amidst Lu Ken's attacks. He only wanted to escape, and Lu Ken truly had no way to stop him. He hadn't expected a beautiful female cultivator to fly directly towards him, striking with surging purple thunder light that appeared extremely powerful.

"Immortal maiden... ah..." Black mist surged from the tiger demon's hands, and he cried out in a somewhat flustered panic. He dared not face the attack directly, trying to increase distance while pushing back with black mist. But unexpectedly, the thunder light flashed, leaving his hands scorching hot and his face burning and bloody, almost forcing him back into his original form.

"Damn it!" he thought, "This deer demon specifically found a thunder cultivator to target me!"

He cultivated Hurricane Ghoul Yin, and what he feared most were things like bright Yang energy and thunder. He was now greatly afraid. And seeing the long spear in Li Qinghong's hand, as white as jade and clearly no ordinary item, he lost another third of his courage.

"Wielding a Foundation Establishment artifact and using top-grade spells, she must be from one of the Three Sects!"

Immediately, black tiger fur sprouted on his face, and his body rapidly expanded. He cried out miserably, "I am willing to hand over the treasure!"

Lu Ken frowned, but the power of the large axe in his hand did not diminish. Li Qinghong's thunder spear transformed into a shadow, encircling his retreat path, and she said softly, "Quickly hand over the precious medicine, and I won't make things difficult for you!"

The tiger demon reacted extremely quickly. With one hand, he produced a jade box, while with the other, he held black mist to resist Lu Ken's large axe, retreating several steps.

Li Qinghong used her Du Ruo Spear to lift the jade box. She retrieved it from the air, and with a sweep of her spiritual sense, confirmed it was indeed a Blood Sun Fruit. She put it away with a flick of her hand, just as the tiger demon had already ridden the wind about a li away.

Li Qinghong pursued, riding the purple light. Black mist flowed from the tiger demon's two palms, and he had already transformed back into his original form.

This black tiger was the size of a small hill. Whirling winds surrounded it, and black mist swirled. Its tiger eyes were crimson, entwined with dark Yin energy. It roared with a gaping maw, and the echoing sound waves caused both Lu Ken and Li Qinghong to falter. "Since it is an esteemed immortal asking for it, I dare not offend. Take the precious medicine if you wish."

He adopted a desperate, make-or-break posture, and said fiercely, "If you press your luck further, I won't let you off easy either!"

Although this tiger demon's cultivation was higher than Li Qinghong's, he had seen the strength of the Three Sects' disciples and was wary of Li Qinghong. He appeared anxious and gnashed his teeth, which intimidated Lu Ken.

"What an interesting tiger demon," Li Qinghong thought. Her gaze swept over, noticing that Lu Ken beside her showed a hint of fear. Previously, he had been all about fighting, but now he was the first to be afraid. She chuckled inwardly, "Demon cultivators truly are mostly bullies who prey on the weak and fear the strong... When the tiger demon was subdued, he was more overbearing, but as soon as it got fierce, he immediately became scared..."

Li Qinghong raised an eyebrow and said calmly, "Fellow Daoist, there's no need to be nervous. I merely wish to ask where you obtained this spiritual fruit."

The black tiger's bristling fur relaxed, and he became much more polite, murmuring, "I don't know which esteemed sect the immortal belongs to."

Li Qinghong chuckled and said ambiguously, "I come from the north." The tiger demon suddenly realized, breathed a sigh of relief, and secretly thought, "So it's a mountain lord from Xiuyue. No wonder she spared my life... If it were a demonic sect, they wouldn't waste words with me..."

Immediately, he said respectfully, "Reporting to the Mountain Lord, I came from the Southern Border, and this item was obtained from Jiaowu Nation in the Southern Border..."

He then transformed into human form and recounted in detail his experiences before and after obtaining it. It was just a common treasure-hunting story, nothing new. Li Qinghong frowned and said, "You are familiar with the Southern Border; from now on, pay attention to any news about this treasure. Perhaps I will return in a few years. If you can obtain this item, you will certainly be rewarded."

The tiger demon was immediately overjoyed. Li Qinghong didn't want to create enmity, and why would he want to create ill will? For him, this precious medicine was merely a tonic, saving him about ten years of cultivation effort. He was without support in Yue Kingdom, and it was rare for a disciple from an esteemed sect to show interest in befriending him. He simply said in a low voice, "Understood, understood. Consider this item a welcome gift."

Li Qinghong glanced at him, finding that this tiger demon seemed more human than demon, and said softly, "Fellow Daoist, you are quite thoughtful."

The tiger demon lowered his head, not answering. Li Qinghong, having obtained the treasure and given her casual instruction, happily waved her hand and said softly, "Let's go!"

Lu Ken nodded and followed. As the two rode the wind away, Li Qinghong, having obtained the treasure with little effort, was in a good mood. Lu Ken, however, stroked his beard, feeling somewhat strange. "So these are the methods of aristocratic families," he thought. "The intricate ways of humans are too profound... Can they truly turn enemies into friends?"

Although he was old, he had spent most of his years cultivating in a cave. Firstly, each seclusion lasted over a decade. Secondly, demons were accustomed to being straightforward with each other, so his mind wasn't as worldly.

He had only been out of the cave as a demon general for a little over a decade, and his time interacting with humans was even less. Coupled with the naive mistakes he had previously made, he felt regret:

"No wonder... no wonder this tiger demon could cultivate for so long in Quanju Mountain and always escape misfortune. He must rely on these very things... There's much to learn from these two!"

He immediately became much more eager. Li Qinghong didn't know why the deer demon was acting this way, but she continued chatting with him. She took out the Blood Sun Fruit and carefully re-confirmed it several times, ensuring it was of good quality and that she hadn't made a mistake, finally letting out a sigh of relief.

The two flew until they reached Green Rhododendron Mountain. Only then did the deer demon reluctantly depart. Li Qinghong landed before the mountain, counted the days, and realized only a little over a month had passed.