This humble Taoist priest, Qianhe, begins his quest for immortality by slaying demons and monsters.

Upon suddenly hearing the words "Water Spirit Pearl," the Sword Immortal's heart tightened.

If I remember correctly, the Water Spirit Orb was once Qing'er's personal treasure.

Meanwhile, his senior brother was now searching for the whereabouts of the Water Spirit Orb...

With a deep gaze fixed on Li Xiaoyao, the Drunken Sword Immortal began to ponder. The reason was simple: the Drunken Sword Immortal truly knew where the Water Spirit Orb was—it was in the hands of Li Xiaoyao right in front of him!

This is why the Drunken Sword Immortal took a liking to Li Xiaoyao at first sight.

Anyone who sees a six or seven-year-old child holding a treasure like the Water Spirit Orb would be tempted to take a closer look. But now, the Water Spirit Orb's function is quite important.

"Ahem, Xiaoyao, there are five spirit pearls in the world. Each spirit pearl possesses the power of the world. For example, your sect leader is currently searching for the water spirit pearl. Once you have the water spirit pearl, as long as you refine it, you can control mountains, rivers, lakes, seas, and swamps, and use the water in the world for your own purposes. It is a powerful magic weapon!"

Li Xiaoyao listened attentively, after all, he was inexplicably interested in the matter of the Five Elemental Pearls.

"Master, shouldn't we also look for the Water Spirit Orb for our Sect Leader?"

The Sword Immortal shook his head.

"You don't need to worry about this for now. Go back to your cultivation."

Upon hearing this, Li Xiaoyao stopped thinking about it and quickly took his leave.

Seeing Li Xiaoyao's departing figure, the Drunken Sword Immortal couldn't wait a moment longer and transformed into a long rainbow, leaving the palace directly.

Inside the main hall of the Shushan Sect Leader.

The Sword Saint sat cross-legged in the chief seat.

When the Sword Immortal arrived, the Sword Saint, whose eyes had been slightly narrowed, suddenly opened them, and two golden lights emanated from them.

"You really came, junior brother..."

From the moment he set out to find the Water Spirit Orb, the Sword Saint knew that his junior brother would definitely come looking for him demanding an explanation.

Sure enough, he didn't have to wait long.

At this moment, the Sword Immortal of Wine no longer had the usual drunkenness; instead, his gaze was sharp. He looked up and met the eyes of the Sword Saint in the chief seat. Then, he took a deep breath and began to ask, "Senior Brother, I would like to ask you why you are searching for the Water Spirit Orb!"

"Does possessing the Water Spirit Orb allow me to release Qing'er?"

The Sword Saint shook his head.

"I won't hide it from you, Junior Brother, the Water Spirit Pearl wasn't found for Qing'er, but for my daughter Ling'er..."

He followed Zhong Bai to Maoshan, where Master Tianning had a way to resolve the drawbacks of Nuwa's bloodline, which required the use of the Water Spirit Orb.

Upon hearing this, the Drunken Sword Immortal laughed.

"Hahahahaha!

"Senior Brother, tell me, are you cultivating the Path of Heartlessness or the Path of Compassion? You were so heartless to abandon Qing'er back then, and now you're pretending to be so affectionate? Searching for the Water Spirit Orb? Just to solve the flaws of Nuwa's bloodline? Junior Brother thought Senior Brother wanted to rescue Qing'er, but it seems I overestimated you. Since you don't want to rescue Qing'er, then let Junior Brother figure it out himself!"

After questioning him, the Sword Immortal left the hall without looking back.

Originally, he wanted to inform the Sword Saint about the Water Spirit Orb. If the other party wanted to rescue Qing'er, well, if it was just to resolve the issue of Nuwa's bloodline, the Drunken Sword Immortal would never want to reveal the Water Spirit Orb in his entire life.

Seeing his junior brother leave, the Sword Saint couldn't help but ask himself deep down whether the Supreme Ruthless Path he had adhered to all these years was truly the right one.

Is he truly just ruthless and heartless? Or is it...?

Self-deprecating laughter echoed throughout the hall as the Sword Saint fell into deep thought.

......................................................

Back at his residence, the Drunken Sword Immortal took the initiative to find Li Xiaoyao.

"My disciple, where is that bead you played with when you were a child?"

Upon suddenly hearing his master ask such a question, Li Xiaoyao also began to reminisce.

“Master, I was still young then, but I remember that bead very well. It was given to me by an older brother when I was little, who told me to keep it safe. So I placed that bead under Aunt Li’s inn.”

Having obtained the result she wanted, Jiu Xianxian nodded.

"I see. My disciple, you should cultivate diligently on Mount Shu. With your talent, you're very likely to reach the Nascent Soul stage within 100 years. As for your master, I must go down the mountain now..."

"Disciple respectfully sends Master off!"

Li Xiaoyao bowed with his hands clasped.

The Sword Immortal of Wine transformed into a streak of light and disappeared into Mount Shu.

A few days passed.

Zhong Bai had traveled almost the entire ancient kingdom of Nanzhao, but he couldn't find any trace of the Water Spirit Orb. He himself possessed the Thunder Spirit Orb, which could detect information about the Water Spirit Orb within a radius of several hundred meters, yet he still couldn't find any information. He had even gone to the forbidden area where the Water Demon Beast was sealed.

"This is really strange. We've searched the entire ancient kingdom of Nanzhao, but we still haven't found any trace of the Water Spirit Orb. Where exactly is it hidden?"

Zhong Bai was pondering, but he couldn't come up with a solution in a short time.

There was no rush. After sitting cross-legged on a mountaintop, Zhong Bai began his daily cultivation, spending a full 1000 million Demon Extermination Points. His Divine Firmament Five Thunder Technique was improving rapidly every day. In just five days, Zhong Bai's cultivation level had not only stabilized at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage, but there were even faint signs of him attempting to break through to the next level. If he could continue spending 1000 million Demon Extermination Points every day, he would be able to break through to the Divine Transformation stage in just a few days!
Of course, the Nascent Soul realm cannot be achieved solely through the spiritual energy of heaven and earth; one must comprehend the laws of heaven and earth. Coincidentally, possessing the Thunder Spirit Pearl was tailor-made for Zhong Bai, who already had his own understanding of the Great Dao of Thunder.

After finishing his cultivation, looking at the 6000 million demon-slaying points left on his demon-slaying panel, Zhong Bai knew that it would only take a few days to go back to square one.

"Forget it, I'll try my luck near Mount Shu. After all, the Water Spirit Orb will definitely follow the plot. Even though I've brought Ling'er to Mount Mao, the Water Spirit Orb might still be there!"

After some thought, the spirit sword was drawn from beneath Zhong Bai's feet, transforming into a cold gleam...

Yuhang Town.

Nearly a year has passed, and when the Drunken Sword Immortal returned to this place, the scene of being brutally beaten by Zhong Bai on the sea kept replaying in his mind.

However, his arrival this time was only to find the Water Spirit Orb.

Aunt Li's Inn.

When the Drunken Sword Immortal arrived, Aunt Li was calculating the accounts in her hand.

Looking up, he saw the Sword Immortal and couldn't help but get excited.

"Daoist, how is Xiaoyao doing?" Aunt Li was quite concerned about Li Xiaoyao. Although he wasn't her biological child, she had basically raised him. The Sword Immortal wasn't cold; instead, he smiled warmly and said, "Don't worry, layman. Xiaoyao is doing very well in Shu Mountain. I came here today to retrieve some things that Xiaoyao cherished from his childhood."

After speaking, the Drunken Sword Immortal began to envelop the entire inn with his divine sense. Unlike other spiritual artifacts, the Water Spirit Pearl could not be easily captured by divine sense, but for the Drunken Sword Immortal, finding the pearl was all that was needed.

Therefore, a crystal-clear bead with a pale blue glow soon fell into the hand of the Sword Immortal. It had no spiritual energy fluctuations and seemed like an ordinary object. However, only by holding the Water Spirit Bead in one's own hand could one feel the surging power it contained.

"Is this the power of the Water Spirit Orb?"
"Indeed powerful!"

Taking a deep breath, the Sword Immortal put the Water Spirit Orb into his pocket. Besides searching for the Water Spirit Orb, he had another thing to do when he went down the mountain this time, which was to find someone who probably knew how to rescue Qing'er!

The headquarters of the Moon Worship Cult!
As the most powerful force in the ancient Nanzhao Kingdom, although it is relatively close to Shushan, the two sides have always maintained a tacit understanding. The Baiyue Sect will not enter the territory of Shushan, and Shushan disciples will basically not enter the ancient Nanzhao Kingdom. However, things are different now.

A sword light descended from the sky, and the Drunken Sword Immortal leaped down from the void, landing steadily on the ground. Looking at the Moon Worship Cult in front of him, the Drunken Sword Immortal felt a little uneasy, but when he thought of the purpose of his visit, his anxiety immediately dissipated.

"May I ask if the Lord of the Moon Worship Cult is present?"

He shouted into the void, and the entire Moon Worship Cult's territory heard his voice.

Before him, a cloud of black mist was quietly gathering, followed by the Moon Worship Cult Leader's face, which remained unchanged.

With a faint smile on his lips, he looked at the Sword Immortal of Shu Mountain in front of him.

"Master of the Moon Worship Cult, it's been many years!"

The Sword Immortal greeted him, and although they were on different sides, he had come because he needed something from him.

The leader of the Moon Worship Cult shook his head.

"Sword Immortal of Wine... I disliked your title back then. You were just a Shushan disciple at the Nascent Soul stage, not even a Shushan elder, yet you used the word 'immortal' in your name. But all beings are foolish, so I don't blame you."

"Tell me, what brings you to my Moon Worship Cult? You can't just be here to see me, can you?"

The Sword Immortal did not reply, but instead took out the Water Spirit Orb from his robes.

"This is the Water Spirit Pearl. I know you need it, but I only have one request: you must tell me how to rescue Lin Qing'er!"

"The high priest who sealed the water demon beast?"

The Moon Worship Cult Leader's smile was very bright. Looking at the Water Spirit Orb in front of him, it would be a lie to say that he wasn't tempted. However, the Moon Worship Cult Leader had his own manners, and he preferred to talk to intelligent people.

"If I remember correctly, when I released the Water Demon Beast back then, it was this Lin Qing'er you mentioned who sealed it directly."

How great, how selfless, do you like this Lin Qing'er?

Foolish love, you're a monk!

The Sword Immortal trembled slightly upon hearing this, but he managed to calm himself down.

"Cult Leader Baiyue, just tell me if you can do it!"

"Hahaha, of course you can!"
"As long as I possess the Water Spirit Orb, even without the aid of Nuwa's bloodline, I can release the Water Demon Beast again. Once the Water Demon Beast is released, your beloved Lin Qing'er can naturally be unsealed. However, at that time, whether she will be grateful to you or hate you, I have no idea."

"I'd rather be hated than watch Qing'er continue to seal herself away..."

"Heh, what a lovesick fool!"

The Moon Worship Cult Leader stopped mocking and instead took the Water Spirit Orb from the Drunken Sword Immortal's hand.

"If you want to rescue Lin Qing'er, then come with me..."

After saying that, the Moon Worship Cult Leader transformed into a black light and disappeared from the spot. The Drunken Sword Immortal also quickly followed and left the Moon Worship Cult's territory.

The ancient Nanzhao Kingdom, nestled between Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake.

This is the location where the water monster is sealed.

When the Moon Worship Cult Leader and the Drunken Sword Immortal arrived, Zhong Bai had already been gone for several days. They were like two parallel lines that never intersected, never having the chance to meet.

Standing above Erhai Lake, looking down at the boundless emerald green waters, the Moon Worship Cult Leader held the Water Spirit Orb in one hand while asking the Drunken Sword Immortal a question.

"Sword Immortal, do you still have a chance to back out? Do you really want me to rescue Lin Qing'er?"

The Sword Immortal nodded silently.

"Yes, that's right!"

Upon hearing this, the leader of the Moon Worship Cult chuckled.

"There's a statue in the middle of Erhai Lake that's the petrified body of the high priest from back then. Once the seal is broken, you can take her with you and leave!"

After saying that, the Moon Worship Cult Leader began to refine the Water Spirit Orb in front of him. He didn't need to refine it completely; he only needed to be able to control it.

The moment the Water Spirit Orb was refined, the Thunder Spirit Orb in Zhong Bai's dantian, thousands of miles away, instantly burst forth with light.

Zhong Bai, who originally intended to head to the vicinity of Mount Shu, stopped in his tracks. He had found the Water Spirit Orb!
......................................................

"God of this water, with the power of the Spirit Pearl, the seal will be broken today!"

"Water Spirit Orb, go!"

As the Moon Worship Cult Leader hurled the Water Spirit Orb into the entire Erhai Lake, the previously sealed Water Demon Beast began to revive. At the same time, when the Water Spirit Orb came into contact with the seal, the seal began to crack inch by inch.

Seizing the opportunity, the Sword Immortal leaped forward and carried away the Lin Qing'er sculpture in the middle of Erhai Lake.

At the same time, the seal was completely broken, and a vast aura spread out. This was the aura unique to the Water Demon Beast, a peak-level Demon Emperor. With its immense talent for controlling the water element, even someone like the Moon Worship Cult Leader could only avoid its sharp edge.

"With the appearance of the Water Demon Beast, these foolish people will also face destruction..."

Looking at his masterpiece, the Moon Worship Cult Leader felt a surge of wild joy.

However, the water demon beast, which had just broken free of its seal, was soon attracted by the water spirit orb. It had the illusion that swallowing the water spirit orb would make it stronger.

Its body, thousands of feet tall, stirred up huge waves in Erhai Lake. Upon seeing this, the Moon Worship Cult Leader in the void immediately reached out and grasped the Water Spirit Orb he had just released.

"Your purpose is only to destroy those foolish people; a treasure like the Water Condensation Pearl is not suitable for you!"

Holding the Water Spirit Orb in his hand, the Moon Worship Cult Leader didn't even glance at it before turning and leaving the place.

The Water Demon Beast was enraged. He couldn't catch up with the Moon Worship Cult Leader, but he could vent his anger on the entire Nanzhao Ancient Kingdom!
(End of this chapter)