Chapter 18: The Young Lady Was Truly Forthright

Page 1 of 3

Hearing the voices outside the cave, Ying Shu asked, "Why do they want to kill you?"

"They know I found the only divine-grade herb in the secret realm and want to kill me to seize it. Now, not only the demon cultivators,妖 cultivators, and ghost cultivators want me dead, but even the righteous sect members intend to bring about my demise."

Cheng Shan laughed bitterly, "Even my own sect, my master, my senior brothers, and my close friends want to snatch the divine herb. If I hadn’t threatened to destroy it, I would have been killed by them long ago."

"All for one herb? To forsake teacher-student bonds and brotherhood? Is it really worth it?"

Ying Shu couldn’t comprehend the mindset of cultivators. Yet, thinking back to battles over boss monsters in games for rare orange-grade equipment—where strangers become mortal enemies, and some betray brothers over a single item, even kicking them out of their sect—it was no different in reality.

"That divine herb can help one leap three major cultivation stages, and it might even bring the dead back to life. Does it seem worth it now?"

Ying Shu was speechless.

Cheng Shan scoffed, "At first, I thought it was just a herb, not worth exterminating everyone over. I even planned to hand it over to the sect or give it to my master after we returned, so they could safely leave the secret realm and avoid being hunted. But they didn’t appreciate it—instead, they attacked me viciously. Now I realize, they just want to keep it for themselves and don’t want anyone to know they have it."

Ying Shu wanted to comfort him but didn’t know where to start. After a moment’s thought, she handed him a glowing green plum emitting golden light. "Eat this."

Cheng Shan recognized the fruit. "Spirit fruit?"

"You know it?"

"Every cultivator knows it. But you don’t expect me to eat it, do you? It’s only suitable for cultivators below the Golden Core stage. I’m already at Nascent Soul stage; it won’t work on me."

Ying Shu frowned. "Not even a little?"

"Not entirely useless, just negligible."

Ying Shu said, "Even a little is fine, as long as it gives you enough spiritual power to teleport or fly away on your sword. We can’t just sit here and wait to die—we have to fight our way out."

"You’re right." Cheng Shan wasn’t willing to give up either. He took the fruit and bit into it.

In the next instant, his depleted spiritual power instantly refilled.

He opened his eyes wide in disbelief.

Was this really a spirit fruit?

Why was its effect better than any spiritual replenishing pill he’d ever taken?

Ying Shu didn’t notice his expression and brought out a bowl of snail rice noodles. "Eat quickly."

Cheng Shan was speechless. "At a time like this, you want me to eat noodles? I’m at Nascent Soul stage and have already stopped eating. I don’t need food."

However, the aroma was familiar. He sniffed, swallowed, and said, "Snail rice noodles?"

"Yes. They can restore your vitality and should help with your injuries somewhat."

Page 2 of 3

Cheng Shan quickly grabbed the bowl and chopsticks. "Before I went to university in the capital, snail noodles were my favorite. Mm, that flavor—though not spicy enough. Add more chili broth next time."

He was from the south, where spicy snail noodles were a must.

Ying Shu twitched the corner of her mouth.

This wasn’t from a restaurant—how could she add more chili broth?

Placing her hand on Cheng Shan’s back, she said, "Let me see if I can repair your internal organs."

Cheng Shan was surprised. "You’ve studied healing arts?"

Ying Shu didn’t answer directly but began repairing while explaining her plan.

Cheng Shan listened silently. Though he didn’t agree with her risking herself alongside him, there was no other way if they wanted to survive.

Outside the cave, over a hundred cultivators at Nascent Soul stage and above surrounded them, not a single mosquito able to escape.

After waiting a short while and seeing Cheng Shan hadn’t emerged, they exchanged glances.

One said, "He wouldn’t waste the divine herb on healing in the cave, would he? That’d be such a waste."

"He’s not that foolish. He knows healing himself won’t let him escape from us. Better to keep the herb as a threat to make us back off. Besides, divine herbs aren’t so easily digested; he wouldn’t just eat it recklessly."

Everyone agreed.

Someone shouted, "Cheng Shan, if you hand over the divine herb, we’ll spare your life and even let you leave. If you don’t believe us, we can swear an oath."

Still, no response from inside.

Growing impatient, another yelled, "Cheng Shan, do you really think the herb can threaten us? If you don’t give it up, we’ll storm in."

Just as they prepared to enter, they saw Cheng Shan flying out of the cave on his sword, accompanied by a girl dressed peculiarly.

"If the herb can’t threaten you, then I’ll destroy it."

Cheng Shan wrapped the divine herb in a spell. With a thought, no one would get their hands on it.

"Don’t."

The cultivators urgently called out.

Though they might not obtain the herb, it was a pity to see it destroyed.

Cheng Shan sneered, curling his lips. "If you don’t want me to destroy it, all of you better stay far away."

Someone said, "Even if we let you go, you won’t get far. You might as well hand over the herb to save your life. Am I right?"

"Right! Hand over the herb, and we’ll spare you."

Page 3 of 3

Ying Shu saw the word "Lies" appear on the lips of the cultivators one after another. She lowered her voice and whispered, "They’re lying. Don’t trust their words."

Though she spoke softly, cultivators’ ears were sharp.

In an instant, all eyes turned to Ying Shu, their gazes like venom, fixated and unblinking.

"Cheng Shan, you can barely protect yourself, yet you bring a young girl along. Planning to have company in the afterlife so you won’t be lonely, huh? Haha."

The speaker was a demonic cultivator, leering at Ying Shu.

"Demonic cultivators never change—their thoughts are always so vile."

Cheng Shan slightly shifted direction, placing Ying Shu behind him.

Ying Shu peeked out from behind him with a smile. "Don’t say that. Sometimes demons’ words are harsh, but they’re far better than the hypocrites in the righteous sect. Personally, I prefer demonic cultivators."

The demons laughed, "The girl’s words are refreshing. I like that—better than Cheng Shan’s talk."

Cheng Shan was speechless.

The righteous cultivators’ eyes blazed with fury, as if ready to devour Ying Shu alive. Before they could speak, one of them raised a golden-glowing leaf.

Ying Shu said to the demonic cultivators, "This leaf is from the divine herb I just picked. Consider it a gift, a token of friendship."

The cultivators’ eyes brightened.

One demon smiled, "The girl’s straightforward. I like her. Haha."

Ying Shu tossed the leaf to him. "It’s yours. Catch it."

Seeing the golden light fly from her hand, everyone rushed forward to snatch the leaf.

After a brief scuffle, the item Ying Shu threw landed on a righteous cultivator with the highest cultivation level. Naturally, others couldn’t compete with him.

"A bunch of ants, trying to snatch from me—how presumptuous."

The speaker was a Divine Transformation stage cultivator. Opening his palm, he found not a leaf but a small brown pellet. Furious, he shouted, "What is this?"

The cultivators, who had been silent out of fear, now gathered around, curious.

From afar came Ying Shu’s voice, laughing, "That’s booger. Haha."

The cultivators were stunned.

At that moment, Cheng Shan, carrying Ying Shu, had already fled far away.