After the main character who took the blame retired, the female lead quit.

The entrance to the base of the tree roots was completely blocked by a large area of ​​glacier, so well sealed that it was impossible to get in even a little bit.

In this way, the entire ancient sycamore tree looks like an ice sculpture carefully carved, lifelike but lifeless, and completely useless.

It's as if it's been deliberately sealed away.

Liu Tongxiu's gaze then fell on the female cultivator, a hint of inquiry in his deep eyes.

Without uttering a word, the female cultivator, her back to Liu Tongxiu and her gaze fixed on the frozen ancient phoenix tree, seemed to have eyes in the back of her head. She walked up to it, placed her palm on the nearest patch of ice, and answered without being asked:

"Beneath the ice, something still exists. The ancient phoenix tree was forged with the blood and essence of the phoenix clan. It can be restored as long as there is a wildfire. Simply put, all we need to do is find a spark to ignite this frozen ancient tree..."

"Tinder..."

Where is the spark?

The shadowy figure was the first to retort.

Liu Tongxiu remained silent, but the occasional glint in his eyes indicated that he already had a clue about the matter.

Tinder?

Isn't that a lot?

The secret realm is filled with...

All that's missing is "firewood".

Deng!

There was a crisp sound.

Xiao Yu held the unconscious Li Yunshang tightly in his arms, and turned his head to see a slender figure wearing a lotus crown and carrying a bronze spear retreating back.

Blood was dripping from Linbai's right hand.

Are you still fighting?

This Taoist nun is quite capable; she managed to hold out against Ulala for so long.

Upon closer inspection, both of them had injuries. After weighing the options, Xiao Yu decided to step forward and help her.

After all, Ulala of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect had a glorious record in the storyline of holding off the Xuanling Sect Master, who was at the Nascent Soul Realm, which shows his strength.

Although the Taoist nun was at the Golden Core stage and possessed extraordinary skills, she was no match for Ulala, who wielded a weapon.

According to the plot, this giant axe, which is perfectly suited to her, should have been recently stolen from a rogue cultivator in the Nascent Soul Realm, and its true power has not yet been unleashed.

While thinking, Xiao Yu lifted Li Yunshang in his arms, weighed her in his hand, and finally... spent 300 points at the system to exchange for a levitation talisman, making her float in the air.

Pulling open the gourd, Xiao Yu swallowed a large mouthful of wine in one gulp, stretched his body, and shouted to the Taoist nun who was raising her bronze spear in the distance, seemingly preparing for another fight:

"Fellow Daoist Linglong, thank you for your help. Do you need any assistance?! Two against one, she probably can't beat us."

"Ugh... cheating. There's no two against one in a friendly sparring match... no way."

Before Long Wanyan could reply, the beast ears on Ulala's head, which were farther away from Xiao Yu, swung towards Xiao Yu like radar, clearly hearing his words, regardless of his still bleeding belly.

With a strong fighting spirit, she immediately condemned Xiao Yu's act of attacking one against many.

Xiao Yu shook his head, finally understanding how those disciples of the Myriad Beasts Sect had laughed so heartily.

"You think you can just say no? What a joke! You can't make that decision, Fellow Daoist Linglong, look... wow!"

As he spoke, he walked over to Long Wanyan, who was holding a gun, and stood side by side with her, adopting a posture of bullying the weak with numbers.

Suddenly, a bright red spear was brandished, its force so great that it slammed into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

The gun tip landed precisely where Xiao Yu had just been standing.

"Fellow Daoist Linglong, what is this...?"

Xiao Yu clutched his chest, his expression showing lingering fear. The spearhead had just grazed the top of his head; if he hadn't dodged quickly, he probably would have been lying on the ground.

How come... a fight turned into a friendship? What a strange friendship between women.

wrong!

Wait a minute, maybe this woman's true nature has been revealed. She was just trying to take the opportunity to blow his head off, so the sword-nurturing gourd at her waist would be hers.

Just as Xiao Yu was lost in thought, Long Wanyan, who was stuck in the ground with a gun, gave him an answer.

"Fellow Daoist Ye Ba, there's no need for that. This is just a friendly spar between me and her, it's already agreed upon. Hmph! You should stay here and continue to look after that Li Yunshang."

Long Wanyan turned around, her silvery-white eyes now glowing bright red; she was getting a little carried away by the fight.

However, the main reason is, of course, someone's behavior. I'm holding back my anger and want to vent it.

Something is wrong!

Something's really off. What's with that jealous tone?

Xiao Yu was dumbfounded when he saw Long Wanyan, whose emotions were clearly not quite right.

Who spilled their vinegar jar...?

"No, Fellow Daoist Linglong, this... what's wrong with you? Time is of the essence, someone is seriously injured, we'd better finish this quickly..."

As Xiao Yu spoke, he stepped forward, intending to dissuade them, but now was the time to avoid trouble!

Li Yunshang is still seriously injured and unconscious. Judging from your two stances, by the time you finish fighting, it will be too late.

Xiao Yu's words only made Long Wanyan angrier.

Uh-huh~

She brandished her spear, blocking Xiao Yu's path. Her attitude was clear: she was determined to fight Wulala to the death.

Faced with this situation, Ulala naturally cheered and attacked again with his giant axe, while Long Wanyan raised her spear to meet the attack.

Xiao Yu was left standing to one side, silently looking at Li Yunshang's unconscious face floating beside him.

What a thing!

Just as he was lowering his head to consider whether to ignore this inexplicable Taoist nun and leave with Li Yunshang,

meow~

A familiar meow sounded at my feet.

Chapter Fourteen, The Naked Girl in the Cave

cat?

That voice... is it the Three Flower Goddess?!

Xiao Yu lowered his head warily, and sure enough, a dashing and adorable calico cat came into view.

meow~

The cat let out a soft meow, its emerald pupils dilating, round and lustrous, like a large piece of translucent jade.

“Huh, this is…” Xiao Yu noticed something was wrong.

Compared to when she first entered the secret realm, the Three Flowers Goddess's condition has changed significantly.

The once smooth and lustrous fur had become disheveled, and a faint smell of burning emanated from the slightly curled-up left leg. Xiao Yu squatted down, took it in his hand, and saw that most of the fur on the left leg was pitch black, as if it had been struck by lightning.

It looks like they went through some kind of fierce battle.

"You... got beaten up for cheating?!"

Holding the scorched left leg of the Three Flower Goddess, Xiao Yu asked.

Upon hearing this, the emerald-green eyes rolled, and the Three-Flower Goddess gave Xiao Yu a big eye roll. She arched her body, leaped lightly, and in two or three steps climbed up Xiao Yu's arm to the top of his head.

Meow!

The cry rang out, but it sounded different to Xiao Yu:

"Move forward."

Her voice was sweet and delicate, like that of a seven or eight-year-old girl.

"Oh……"

Xiao Yu subconsciously took a few steps, but suddenly realized what he was doing and said:

"Huh?! Wait, Brother Cat, you can talk?"

"..."

The calico cat named Dahua remained silent, not wanting to waste any more words. It simply stretched out its chubby paw, patted Xiao Yu's head with disdain, pointed in a direction, curled up into a ball, and lay down on Xiao Yu's head.

"Is this sending me there?!"

"..."

There was no response, as if the cat's words were just Xiao Yu's imagination, but that was absolutely impossible.

Based on the previous observation of how the little dumpling understood cat language, Xiao Yu roughly understood that the Three-Flower Goddess wasn't incapable of speaking; it was just that the sound she conveyed to human ears was different. The reason Xiao Yu couldn't understand cat language before was most likely because the Three-Flower Goddess didn't want to talk to him, Xiao Yu, and that's why he couldn't understand her meaning.

No... is he really that disliked by cats?

He's clearly quite popular with animals; every time he encounters a puppy, it pounces on him, licking and rubbing against him, clearly smitten, like a cat encountering catnip.

and many more!

Wait, could it be that I'm just attractive to dogs?

With a fluffy thing on his head, Xiao Yu didn't think too much about it. He came to Li Yunshang, who was floating in the air, dispelled the levitation talisman, and once again carried her in his arms like a princess.

Bang!

A chubby paw slapped against its skull, its furry claws slightly curved, revealing several sharp claws that irritated the scalp.

Xiao Yu's expression tightened, as he suddenly realized something.

Got it!

Oh, I forgot, the little glutinous rice ball gave the Three Flower Goddess the role of supervisor.

Xiao Yu held the unconscious Li Yunshang tightly, the cat's paw on his head like the Sword of Damocles hanging high, ready to fall down hard if he made the slightest movement.

"Brother Cat, ah... no, Sister Cat, saving a life is better than building a seven-story floating tower!"