A great adventure in the world of immortal cultivation

……

Round four.

Joan of Arc: Swordsmanship, 9/50, success.

Gold spiritual root bonus, 55/(70-10), success.

Xiaocao: Blood Whip counter, 38/50, success.

小草HP：7-（【1d3：1】+【1d5：5】）x1.3*1.3+【1d5：5】+5=7

KP: Joan of Arc swung her sword close to Xiaocao, who also swung her whip to fight back. This time, the two sides fought evenly. The Huangjing sword collided with the rattan, and the recoil force caused both of them to retreat several steps.

KP: After these few rounds of fighting, Joan of Arc, you gradually realized that although Xiaocao has obtained powerful demonic power, she has no actual combat experience after all, so she was suppressed by you, a cross-border cultivator at the second level of Qi Refining.

KP: Similarly, Xiaocao also looks a little anxious.

Xiaocao: Why can't I use this power as I wish...blood, I need more blood.

Xiaocao: Blood Whip Technique, 28/50, success.

KP: As Xiaocao muttered to herself, her eyes were tinged with craziness.

Joan of Arc: Sword fight, 56/50, failed.

贞德HP：19-【1d5：2】-5=12

KP: The thorny whip tore through Joan of Arc's clothes, tearing off a piece of flesh. Amidst a strange wriggling sound, the piece of flesh quickly shrank and was devoured by the blood vine in the blink of an eye.

Grass HP: 7+7=14

KP: The scars on his body began to slowly recover, and Xiaocao sighed softly, letting out a satisfied sound.

Xiaocao: Delicious... It’s really delicious.

Romeo: Brothers, I...

Xiao Huohuo: Climb, climb, climb!

……

KP: Round 5.

Joan of Arc: Cone of Ice, 20/(71-10), success.

Water spirit root bonus, 70/(80-10), success.

Xiaocao: Bloodthorn Curse counter, 7/50, success.

小草HP：14-【3d5：2、4、4】x1.3+【1d5：4】+5=10

KP: A round of long-range attacks clashed, the ice spikes and thorns collided into a cloud of icy mist, and the scattered ice shards left Xiaocao with several more scratches. The next second, Xiaocao dove forward, quickly approaching Jeanne under the cover of the icy mist, blood whip in hand ready to strike.

Xiaocao: Blood Whip Technique, 8/50, success.

Joan of Arc: Sword fight, 39/50, success.

Gold spiritual root bonus, 50/(70-10), success.

KP: Joan of Arc reacted in time and successfully countered with her sword.

小草HP：10-（【1d3：2】+【1d5：2】）x1.3*1.3+【1d5：1】+5=10

KP: Evenly matched!

Xiao Huohuo: So exciting.

……

KP: Round 6.

Joan of Arc: Swordsmanship, 82/50, failed.

Han Buli: Thump thump thump.

KP: Although Xiaocao does not have much combat experience, his strength after becoming a demon is unquestionable. Jeanne had just blocked a blow head-on, and her wrist was slightly numb from the shock, so her sword was not accurate at this time.

Xiaocao: Hehehe, Sister Jeanne, are you out of energy? Why don't you lie down and rest for a while?

Xiaocao: Blood Whip Technique, 6/50, success.

Joan of Arc: Sword fight, 50/50, success.

Gold spiritual root bonus, 24/(70-10), success.

KP: At the critical moment, Jeanne raised her sword to block the attacking blood vines, and then used her backhand sword to force Xiaocao back.

小草HP：10-（【1d3：2】+【1d5：5】）x1.3*1.3+【1d5：4】+5=8

……

KP: Round seven.

Joan of Arc: Cone of Ice!

Joan of Arc: Cone of Ice, 30/(71-10), success.

Water spirit root bonus, 18/(80-10), success.

Xiaocao: Bloodthorn Curse, 88/50, failed.

KP: Swinging her sword, she forced Xiaocao back. While she was still struggling to gain a firm footing, Jeanne seized the opportunity, expending the last of her spiritual energy to condense three cones of ice. This icicle spell was swift and accurate, and Xiaocao, stumbling in panic, tried to summon the thorns in the nearby blood pool, but was ultimately a step too late.

小草HP：8-【3d5：2、4、1】x1.3=0

KP: The next second, three ice spikes pierced through his chest, and Xiaocao's thin body flew backwards and fell not far from the blood pool, no longer having the strength to get up.

KP: The battle is over, Joan of Arc wins!

038 Grass (day 16)

KP: The fierce battle finally ended. Jeanne, enduring the dizziness caused by the overdraft of spiritual power, came to Xiaocao with her sword, panting.

KP: Xiaocao was lying quietly on the cold rocky ground, not yet dead. Her thin chest was slightly heaving, with five horrifying piercing wounds on it.

KP: If it were an ordinary person, each of these wounds would be fatal. However, under the influence of the demonic power, the wounds on the grass have even begun to slowly repair themselves. Countless fine roots are connected to them. Perhaps it won't be long before the grass can recover from its serious injury and regain some of its combat power.

Han Buli: It’s time to finish off the enemy.

KP: Seeing Jeanne coming with a sword, Xiaocao's breathing quickened a little and a mist appeared in her eyes.

Xiaocao: Sister Jeanne...are you going to kill Xiaocao?

Jeanne: (Raises her sword and points it at the demon core) You are not a blade of grass...at least not now.

KP: The next second, the Huang Jing sword pierced straight into Xiao Cao's chest, blocking her last plea for mercy.

Xiaocao (Wood Elf): No! ...My Elf Core! ...I...Gu...

KP: The grass's body arched high, and it struggled and twisted desperately like a fish pierced by a fork. The countless roots in the blood pool behind it also began to riot, and began to indiscriminately whip and attack the cave.

KP: You are so lucky, Joan of Arc.

Joan of Arc: Lucky, 8/60, successful.

KP: Countless roots rushed past you, stirring up stone chips that hurt your skin, but Joan of Arc, you always held the Huangjing sword tightly, nailing the demon core to the ground. Xiaocao's face was distorted, and she desperately grabbed the sword blade with both hands to pull it out, but her demon power was rapidly dissipating, and her strength to resist was getting weaker and weaker.

KP: After a few breaths, the dust settled.

KP: The rioting roots lost their vitality, clinging lifelessly to the rock wall. Silence returned to the cave. Jeanne drew her Huangjing sword. Xiaocao's limbs drooped limply. Without the support of her demon core, her wounds began to bleed slowly, especially from the hole in her chest, which quickly stained her clothes red.

Xiaocao: ...Jeanne...sister...

Joan of Arc: Is it grass?

KP: Yes.

Joan of Arc: I quickly leaned over and hugged Xiaocao. I held her hand and said, "Sister, I'm here!"

KP: The grass is looking at you, or rather, "looking" in your direction. Her eyes are unfocused and her breathing is rapidly weakening. It is obvious that she is dying.

Xiaocao: I'm sorry... Sister Jeanne, Xiaocao... I'm sorry to have caused you trouble.

Joan of Arc: No trouble, no trouble at all!

Little Grass: Little Grass... Little Grass is useless... I knew clearly... that thing was an evil monster... but I still couldn't help myself... I didn't follow any of the right and wrong things my mother taught me...

Joan of Arc: (tears in her eyes) No... Xiaocao, you have done very well!

Xiaocao: After I die...sister, can you bury me...next to mother?

Joan of Arc: ...Okay.

Xiaocao: Thank you, Sister Jeanne...

KP: Xiaocao tried hard to smile, but the blood foam that gradually overflowed from the corners of her mouth also indicated that her time would soon be over.

Xiaocao: Xiaocao... I'm very happy... I finally met Sister Jeanne... You guys...

Jeanne: Little grass...

Xiaocao: ...I really want to...go and see it...

KP: Amidst the mumbling, Xiaocao's eyes lost their luster.

Xiaocao: The world outside...

KP: Xiaocao tilted her head and leaned quietly in Jeanne's arms, with a hint of regret in her smile, and stopped breathing forever.

Xiao Huohuo: No! Little grass!

———————————————————————————————————

After the wood monster was defeated, the giant willow on the ground also became silent.

Romeo used the Rock Flying Technique to move the collapsed soil and rocks at the entrance of the tunnel. Then the group followed the tunnel to an underground cave and saw Joan of Arc in the center of the battlefield and the lifeless, thin girl in her arms.

Joan of Arc calmly recounted the whole story, and the three people who listened fell silent.

No one can easily accept this. After fighting demons and monsters with all their might, this is the outcome in the end.

But no matter what, the story must have an ending.

Romeo carried the exhausted bodies of Jeanne d'Arc and Xiaocao out of the corridor. Xiao Huohuo found a relatively intact house and lit a bonfire. It was already night outside, and everyone needed some warmth and rest after the battle.

Han Buli sat silently by the fire. The truth of the matter seemed to have hit him hard, and he remained silent.

After resting, Joan of Arc prepared Xiaocao's remains for burial.

When placing the grass's tiny body on the straw bed, Joan of Arc looked at the scene in front of her and was a little dazed for a moment.

It was still the same cold night, and the same five people sleeping together. Everything seemed to have returned to yesterday. As long as I closed my eyes, I would be woken up by the noise of my teammates in the middle of the night. Then I would go to bed and talk some girls' whispers with Xiaocao who was also woken up.

But things and people have changed.

The next morning, everyone brought Xiaocao's body to the cemetery on the hillside behind Jiping Village.

In the cold wind with falling snow, everyone soon found the clean grave that was often taken care of in the corner.

Romeo used the flying rock technique to dig a deep pit on the side. As the cold soil poured down, Xiaocao's small figure finally disappeared from everyone's sight.

Since ancient times, beautiful women have often suffered from short lives. — Romeo lamented.

The soul ascends to the ninth heaven, the spirit descends to the ninth abyss, the living suffer, the dead rest in peace. ——Reciting the eulogy silently, Xiao Huohuo rubbed his fingers together to light the incense, and put his palms together.

Joan of Arc silently clenched the jade pendant wrapped in rags in her hand, her expression calm but determined.

Han Bu immediately fixed the wooden tablet and took out his flute. The humming sound of the flute sent his sorrow into the wind, which drifted away and faded away.

The four of them stood in front of the tomb for a long time.

The sky gradually brightened and the snow stopped.

“…It’s almost time to return to the sect.”

"Yes, it's been a few days since I came down the mountain this time."

"Let's go."

"……Um."

Returning along the same route, everyone's steps were a little heavier than when they came.

When she reached the village gate, Joan of Arc turned around and looked at the small new grave on the distant hillside.

The winter snow has begun to melt, but the sleeping earth has not yet awakened.