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Chapter 111: Second Batch of Expression Packs
Chapter 111: Second Batch of Expression Packs
At Xu Yuanzhen's words, Lei Jun witnessed the Shadow Hare come to life.
The entire vine stretched out of thin air, standing upright on Xu Yuanzhen's fingertip.
On the vine stem, as transparent as a shadow, a few leaves swayed gently.
An invisible force seemed to emanate and spread out in all directions.
There was no earth-shattering movement, but as the invisible force expanded, it enveloped the entire Qilu Valley.
Then, it continued to spread outwards, with no sign of stopping.
It was one thing not to know that the Shadow Hare and the Burning Heart Serpent always appeared together, but now that Lei Jun knew, Xu Yuanzhen was not going to let this treasure slip away.
Using the Shadow Hare as bait, the invisible force continued to spread.
Soon, the entire Youpeng Mountain was almost covered.
Just then, something seemed to stir within a rocky crevice in the mountain.
"It's over there," Xu Yuanzhen nodded slightly, her gaze fixed on that spot.
Without taking a step forward, she simply waved in that direction.
Then, a dark red light flew out from the rocky crevice, as if willingly surrendering itself into Xu Yuanzhen's palm.
Lei Jun looked intently and saw that what had fallen into Xu Yuanzhen's palm was a creature that resembled both a dragon and a snake, its body a dark red hue.
Within its dark red body seemed to lie a burgeoning heat.
The spiritual essence it exuded was indeed complementary to that of the Shadow Hare, their energies opposing yet interconnected.
Xu Yuanzhen held the Shadow Hare in one hand and the Burning Heart Serpent in the other, handing both to Lei Jun.
Although the Shadow Hare was peculiar, it was indeed a real spiritual herb.
The Burning Heart Serpent, on the other hand, looked like a living creature but was not a true serpent dragon.
Lei Jun compared it to the Fire Marrow Sunfish and Water Marrow Moonfish, and concluded that it was a similar spiritual creature.
This Burning Heart Serpent also possessed the ability to transform, its physical form constantly shifting between substance and spirit.
It seemed that if Lei Jun didn't handle it just right, it would turn into spiritual energy and dissipate.
Lei Jun waved his hand, and a large amount of soil-like Spirit Soil appeared.
This soil did not originate from the Xirang Banner but from Lei Jun's own refined Five Thunder Talisman.
The Earth-sealed Thunder separated into two pieces, simultaneously wrapping around the Shadow Hare and the Burning Heart Serpent.
The seemingly loose and scattered Spirit Soil instantly deformed, hardened, and transformed into two square, hollow blocks of earth.
Both the Shadow Hare and the Burning Heart Serpent had a natural tendency to burrow into the earth, but at this moment, as they approached the inner walls of the blocks, they were repelled as if struck by lightning, forcing them back into the central empty space.
"Thank you, Senior Sister," Lei Jun said with a touch of emotion.
Before coming here, he had indulged in wild speculations and imagined various scenarios:
What if he came to Qilu Valley in Youpeng Mountain but still couldn't find the Burning Heart Serpent he sought?
What if he found the Burning Heart Serpent but was suddenly attacked by enemies seeking to steal his treasure?
What if, in the midst of searching for the Burning Heart Serpent, something unexpected happened in Youpeng Mountain, attracting a crowd of ambitious individuals, creating chaos and danger?
Lei Jun's mind had concocted numerous dramatic scenarios, but in the end, none of them came to pass.
Perhaps it was because Senior Sister Xu Yuanzhen's presence and influence were too strong.
Wherever she went, even if there were troubles, others might not want her to get involved.
And it was undoubtedly much easier for her to find the Burning Heart Serpent than for Lei Jun to search for it himself.
Complications?
Nonexistent!
"Now that we have what we came for, we should part ways. You can go to the Red Abyss Cave Heaven by yourself," Xu Yuanzhen said.
"However, the refinement of the Burning Heart Serpent is a bit unique. Be careful not to burn yourself. I'll stay and watch as you refine the Burning Heart Serpent and the Shadow Hare, and then I'll be on my way."
She waved her hand, and the area around Youpeng Mountain, which had been swept by invisible waves earlier, returned to normal.
Then, Lei Jun and Senior Sister Xu Yuanzhen bowed together towards Youpeng Mountain, expressing their gratitude to the heavens and the earth for giving birth to these treasures.
After the ceremony, Xu Yuanzhen descended into the Qilu Valley and sat casually under a tree in the valley's forest.
"Let's begin," she said.
Following her instructions, Lei Jun first released the Shadow Hare from one of the hollow blocks of earth.
The reason he started with the Shadow Hare was that the Burning Heart Serpent was more dangerous and required the foundation laid by the Shadow Hare.
As its name suggested, the Burning Heart Serpent might appear peaceful on the surface, but within, it was fiercely fiery.
If a cultivator were to rashly attempt to refine its spiritual power, they might ignite a true fire within their body, leading to a calamity of burning heart.
At this moment, Lei Jun used his own spiritual power to force the spiritual power out of the Shadow Hare.
The vine's stem gradually withered, revealing its true form—a gray and dilapidated appearance.
However, the invisible spiritual power, like a shadow, was absorbed into Lei Jun's body.
With Lei Jun's conscious control, the spiritual power of the Shadow Hare entered his body but did not dissipate; it remained condensed and unified.
It felt like an invisible vine within him.
From it, Lei Jun sensed a chill.
The cold permeated both his physical body and his soul, originating not only from his physical shell but also from a deeper, spiritual source.
While the power of true yin could nourish, it could also cause harm.
However, with a single cycle of Lei Jun's spiritual power, the chill immediately dissipated.
He then turned to the Burning Heart Serpent.
The spiritual creature, which had been alternating between substance and spirit, now had its dark red body illuminated by a bright light, its color transforming from dark red to fiery red.
Lei Jun then absorbed this stream of light into his body.
A scorching sensation immediately spread through his blood, flesh, and meridians.
This heat came and went quickly, not lingering in other parts of Lei Jun's body but rushing directly towards his heart and lungs.
With Lei Jun's prior preparation, the power of the Shadow Hare protected his organs.
The forces of true yin and true yang intertwined within Lei Jun's body.
Like ropes, they twisted and turned, eventually merging into a single force, blending harmoniously.
Only then did Lei Jun urge this spiritual power to engrave itself upon his own talisman.
A brilliant light shone above his head, revealing a massive talisman that stood nine chi tall and four chi wide.
Suddenly, a black and a white line appeared on the talisman, intertwining and blending yin and yang in perfect harmony.
However, these black and white lines were still somewhat ethereal and had not completely imprinted themselves onto the talisman.
"It will take more time and effort," Xu Yuanzhen commented. "Since I've already gotten involved, I might as well wait a little longer. You should hurry up."
Lei Jun, too, was eager to refine the spiritual powers of these two spiritual creatures as soon as possible.
Over the next few days, he quietly cultivated, adapting to the transformation and influence that the powers of the Shadow Hare and the Burning Heart Serpent had on his spiritual meridians.
Xu Yuanzhen kept herself busy.
As if she couldn't stay idle, she began to explore the Youpeng Mountain again, wandering here and there as if she were on a vacation, taking in the sights.
Despite being in a remote mountain and valley, Xu Yuanzhen remained well-informed.
Every now and then, Lei Jun would see paper cranes made from talismans flying in from outside the mountain, landing precisely in Xu Yuanzhen's palm.
Xu Yuanzhen would unfold the talisman to browse its contents before refolding it into a paper crane again. With a flick of her wrist, the paper crane would come to life, flapping its wings and flying away.
Once, after reading a talisman, Xu Yuanzhen said, "Xiaotang is still in the East Sea."
After hearing Xu Yuanzhen's brief description, Lei Jun couldn't help but feel a mix of laughter and tears.
The battle that Ye Cheng had witnessed was just one of Tang Xiaotang's many glorious battles.
And due to a twist of fate, after witnessing that battle, Ye Cheng soon left the ocean, returning to shore, and never ventured out to sea again.
As for Tang Xiaotang, she remained at sea until now.
During this period, she had experienced at least seven major battles and countless smaller skirmishes.
The good news was that Tang Xiaotang had won all seven battles, achieving consecutive victories and establishing an ever-growing reputation. Even the inland populace discussed her, and her fame was unparalleled at the moment.
Xu Yuanzhen's whereabouts remained unpredictable.
Li Zhengxuan retreated to the ancestral tomb in the back mountain to contemplate his mistakes.
In the meantime, Tang Xiaotang had become a prominent figure in the Dragon and Tiger Mountain's Celestial Master's Mansion, her fame growing by the day.
From the sea demon to the Pure Yang Palace's elder, and then to the young geniuses of prestigious families, Tang Xiaotang's opponents in this round were diverse and of high caliber.
At the same time, she was also quite lucky, as she had gained abundant rewards from her ventures into various secret realms.
The bad news, however, was that...
Many of the battles she fought were completely unnecessary.
And even as Tang Xiaotang enjoyed herself immensely, the Celestial Master's Sword she yearned for still eluded her.
"Little Junior Sister has been quite the spark and flash on her journey..."
Lei Jun felt guilty. "Is it because of her own abilities, or have I influenced her style too much?"
Xu Yuanzhen looked at him with interest. "What have you been telling Xiaotang before?"
Lei Jun spread his hands innocently. "Just some stories I heard from storytellers when I was young."
He then briefly recounted some of the stories he had shared with Tang Xiaotang.
Xu Yuanzhen listened quietly for a while.
When Lei Jun finished, she didn't speak immediately but instead looked up at the sky, deep in thought.
After a moment, Xu Yuanzhen lowered her gaze and, instead of commenting on the specifics of the stories, asked, "Regardless of whether the story is good or bad, the storyteller's skill in leaving cliffhangers and hooks is impressive. He must be doing well in business.
Your hometown, if I recall correctly, is a small town, yet it harbors hidden dragons and crouching tigers, and such storytellers exist there as well?"
Lei Jun's expression remained unchanged as he replied, "He's an outsider who drifted to our town and made a living by telling stories. Indeed, his business was good, and many villagers went to listen to him."
He sighed. "Unfortunately, they are all gone now."
Xu Yuanzhen asked whatever came to her mind without prying further. Her train of thought was quite erratic, and she suddenly changed the subject, asking, "And who did you learn to paint from?"
She was referring to the emoticons Lei Jun had drawn for her—the "shocked" and "wronged" expressions of Li Xuan and Qu Yong.
Previously, Lei Jun had given them to her, and she had discovered a new joy in them, finding them utterly delightful.
"Also from that outsider," Lei Jun replied, picking up a brush and ink.
For them, as talisman cultivators, these were always within reach, and it was rare for them not to have such tools on hand.
Lei Jun worked quickly, and soon, he handed his drawing to Xu Yuanzhen.
Xu Yuanzhen glanced at it.
Although the painting was simple, the depicted woman's appearance and aura matched her own.
While the expression captured Xu Yuanzhen's occasional smile-yet-not-smile look, it somehow resembled the "joke" emoticon that Lei Jun had loved to use before his transmigration...
Xu Yuanzhen examined the drawing twice, nodding slightly.
Then, she took the brush and ink and quickly sketched something herself.
Soon, she returned a drawing to Lei Jun.
Lei Jun looked at the drawing and recognized his own face.
However, the expression wasn't quite right.
It seemed serious, but the eyes darted around as if there were eight hundred thoughts behind them...
Perhaps it could be named "Repressed"?
PS: This is the third update for today, totaling 10,000 words. I have truly given it my all, and I appreciate the support of every reader. Let's continue our efforts tomorrow!
(End of Chapter)
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