Chapter 20: Departure
What the Flood Dragon Little Bai held in its mouth was precisely the target Lin Feng had entered the Nine Nethers Secret Realm to find — the Bianhua Flower.
He had finally found it!
His master could be saved.
In that moment, Lin Feng shed every burden weighing on him and let out a long, heavy breath of relief.
Ever since Su Mubai had been injured, he had been tormented by guilt.
He had always felt that it was because of him that his master had been reduced to such a state.
If Lin Feng had revealed his talent from the very beginning, the Shenxiao Sword Sect would certainly have devoted its full attention to cultivating him — it might even have stirred the patriarchs in closed-door seclusion within the forbidden grounds.
His words would have carried weight then, and no one would have dared ignore them.
The Shenxiao Sword Sect might even have reassessed Su Mubai's value.
With a monstrous disciple like Lin Feng, they would never have abandoned Su Mubai.
After all, though the two were not father and son by blood, their bond surpassed that of most.
In that case, with the Shenxiao Sword Sect's support, Su Mubai might not have needed to venture out alone, and naturally would never have been injured.
And even setting all that aside —
Even if he had not revealed his talent before the sect's upper echelons, simply accompanying his master on that outing would have been enough to prevent today's outcome.
It was for these reasons that Lin Feng had been carrying such immense psychological pressure.
He was different from Su Xiyao.
Su Xiyao lacked the ability to change things — all she could do was push herself to work twice as hard.
But Lin Feng had the ability, and he had done nothing.
If Su Mubai had died just like that, he would have carried the guilt for the rest of his life.
Thank goodness. Thank goodness!
Su Mubai was only gravely injured. As long as he brought the Bianhua Flower back, his master would wake up.
There was still time. Everything could still be set right.
Lin Feng steadied his surging emotions, gave the Flood Dragon an affectionate pat, then gently took the Bianhua Flower into his hand and said to it, "Little Bai, thank you!"
The Flood Dragon Little Bai could sense its master's joy and nuzzled against him contentedly.
From that moment on, Little Bai's place in Lin Feng's heart rose considerably.
Anyone who dared harm this Flood Dragon would answer to him with their life.
With the Bianhua Flower in hand, the purpose of entering the Nine Nethers Secret Realm had been fulfilled. All that remained was to wait for the Secret Realm to open again.
However, Lin Feng had no intention of rejoining the Shenxiao Sword Sect's group — that would only tie him down. How much freer was it to travel alone?
"Little Bai, I'm leaving. Are you staying behind, or coming with me?"
Lin Feng pointed toward the sinkhole's entrance and asked the question as a formality.
He was fairly certain Little Bai would choose to stay.
Its submission had only come from fear of his strength — it had been forced to yield.
It was probably hoping he would leave quickly.
Once he was gone, it would still be the overlord of this place.
Yet the Flood Dragon Little Bai kept nuzzling against Lin Feng affectionately, letting out soft little cries.
"You mean you want to come with me?" Lin Feng asked, uncertain.
The Flood Dragon Little Bai immediately nodded rapidly.
"Are you sure? I'm leaving this place entirely — heading out into the wider world. It's dangerous out there. With a body as large as yours, one moment of carelessness and someone might kill you for your treasures." Lin Feng spoke while gesturing to illustrate his point.
The main concern was its enormous size. Going outside could get it killed.
He hoped it understood what he meant.
It wasn't that he was unwilling to take Little Bai — it was that Little Bai's body was far too large and conspicuous. Having survived a heavenly tribulation and successfully transformed into a Flood Dragon, it was a rare creature whose entire body was filled with priceless treasures. Once outside, even the top-tier powers would covet it.
And the Qiankun Pouch couldn't hold living creatures.
The Grand Elder of the Wuji Demon Sect, Qian Daoxiong, was still out there!
If it came to that, even without Lin Feng making a move, the Shenxiao Sword Sect alone might not be able to protect Little Bai.
So staying in the Nine Nethers Secret Realm was the safer choice.
Little Bai seemed to understand Lin Feng's meaning.
It flew into the air and circled a few times — and then its massive body began to slowly shrink.
Before Lin Feng's stunned, wide-eyed gaze, it shrank down to the size of a little finger, becoming a small white serpent.
The now-miniaturized Little Bai flew back to Lin Feng's side and circled around him happily.
Lin Feng extended his hand, and Little Bai immediately flew into his palm and settled there.
Looking at the little white serpent before him, it was hard to believe it had just been a Flood Dragon with an enormous body.
"Incredible — I never imagined you could shrink like that. In that case, you'll travel with me from now on! When the opportunity comes, I'll help you become a true dragon and soar through the nine heavens." Lin Feng laughed heartily as he spoke.
Little Bai rolled around gleefully in his palm.
With Little Bai's decision to leave confirmed, Lin Feng prepared to pack up all the precious spiritual herbs and medicines in this small blessed land and take them along.
Had Little Bai chosen to stay, he would not have touched any of these things — but with Little Bai leaving, keeping them here would simply be a waste.
It took a full five days, but Lin Feng finally completed what amounted to a major undertaking.
Every somewhat rare spiritual herb and medicine in the small blessed land had been transferred into the Qiankun Pouch.
Once he returned to Lone Existence Peak, he could plant them in the medicinal garden.
The more precious the plant, the more delicate it was — the soil had to be taken along as well to ensure nothing died inside the Qiankun Pouch.
Combined with the sheer quantity, that was why it had taken so long.
But Lin Feng felt it was entirely worth it.
After finding the Bianhua Flower, his mood had relaxed considerably.
Digging up treasures like this — he could never tire of it.
Every time the Nine Nethers Secret Realm opened, tens of thousands of people risked their lives to enter. What were they after?
Was it not precisely these spiritual herbs and medicines?
If any faction had found this small blessed land, one could only imagine how ecstatic they would have been.
Of course, after their excitement, they would have become Little Bai's food.
Given the strength Little Bai had displayed, even if all the people sent in by the four great top-tier powers joined forces, the only result would be giving Little Bai a bloated stomach — nothing more.
"Little Bai! We're off! I'll take you outside to eat and drink well — no more being cooped up in this tiny place."
Lin Feng finished speaking and extended his hand with a beckoning gesture.
A small white serpent shot into his sleeve with a whoosh and coiled around his arm.
From the outside, no one could detect its presence at all.
Then Lin Feng rose into the air, flew out through the sinkhole's entrance, emerged onto the surface, picked a direction at random, and departed swiftly.
The direction he chose happened to be the same one where Ye Qingxuan and the others were.
But the two parties were far apart, and it would be some time before they crossed paths.
* * *
Elsewhere.
Two black-robed figures were quietly tailing the Shenxiao Sword Sect's main group, leaving markers along the way.
Four others had dispersed to seek reinforcements.
One of the black-robed figures, following the secret signals left by the Seven Slaughter Sect, located the group led by Seven Slaughter Sect Core Disciple Miao Kun.
The black-robed figures were a secret weapon cultivated in the shadows by the Seven Slaughter Sect — ordinary disciples knew nothing of them; only Core Disciples were privy to their existence.
Miao Kun received the black-robed figure and, upon learning the whereabouts of the Shenxiao Sword Sect's main group, nearly leapt to his feet in excitement.
He immediately rallied all his forces and prepared to launch a surprise attack.
The Seven Slaughter Sect and the Wuji Demon Sect had long since forged a secret alliance, with the aim of gradually wiping out the fighting strength of the Shenxiao Sword Sect and the Qingyun Sect, then slowly devouring the two great sects.
Gravely wounding Su Mubai, the Master of the Haoran Sword; luring Leng Hanshuang, the Master of the Bingpo Sword, into the Nine Nethers Secret Realm to be captured; and annihilating all members of the two sects who had entered the Nine Nethers Secret Realm — these were merely the appetizers. A series of far greater moves were yet to come.
The only question was whether the Shenxiao Sword Sect and the Qingyun Sect could hold on.