A Bargain for Healing and a New Quest

“What?! You human, how dare you haggle!”

The Destroyer Mushroom spoke, its fiery temper incapable of tolerating even a hint of defiance.

The Willow God before them was a peak Golden Core cultivator, a half-step Nascent Soul existence, albeit in a damaged form; otherwise, how would this human girl dare to act so brazenly?

Upon hearing these words, Qin Yan couldn’t help but admire Xiao Miao before him.

‘Better to die standing than to live kneeling,’ he mused, ‘for peace is only preserved when fought for.’

From the moment they stepped into this secret realm, an irreconcilable conflict seemed to exist between the two of them and the surrounding spirit plants.

The plants undoubtedly feared that the pair would spread news of this place upon their departure, making murder the only apparent solution.

After all, the surrounding spirit plants would certainly not entrust their survival to human morality or kindness.

Had they not heard of the ‘Tale of the Peach Blossom Spring’?

Even after receiving such benevolent hospitality, the Wuling fisherman still reported his discoveries to the local officials.

Why was Xiao Miao so unyielding?

She was no fool; the young woman held a trump card: her Shizun.

Thus, while they appeared to be in a passive position, at a fundamental level, they held the active role.

Firstly, Xiao Miao possessed the key to healing the Willow God, and secondly, her Shizun served as her ultimate safeguard.

Therefore, Xiao Miao offered no reply to the Destroyer Mushroom’s words, instead fixing her gaze upon the colossal willow tree before her.

“I agree.”

Moments later, the Willow God’s voice resounded through the air.

“If that’s the case, then I can attempt to heal you.”

Without further ado, Xiao Miao brought forth her Heavenly Dew Spirit Water, and an intense life force immediately began to permeate the surroundings.

“This is… Spirit Water?”

The Willow God, being well-versed in such matters, instantly recognized the substance in Xiao Miao’s hand.

“Indeed, Heavenly Dew Spirit Water, primarily for healing,” Xiao Miao affirmed, stepping closer to the massive willow tree.

“This opportunity truly fell from the heavens; it’s like finding a new village where willows darken and flowers bloom.”

The Willow God spoke, observing Xiao Miao, who now stood nearby.

“Some time ago, I too searched for this Spirit Water, but I scoured the entire Northern Lands to no avail.”

‘It would be a ghost’s chance if you’d found it…’

Xiao Miao muttered internally, knowing the Spirit Water had been secretly hidden by a Flood Dragon after it acquired it.

Now standing directly before the willow tree, Xiao Miao applied her Spirit Water to its blackened trunk.

This was the essence of the healing; the Heavenly Dew Spirit Water would simply exert its effects on its own, a remarkably straightforward process.

In an instant, the willow tree’s scorched, blackened trunk visibly began to mend.

‘It works!’

A surge of delight filled Xiao Miao’s heart, followed by a spark of curiosity.

“Willow Senior,” she inquired, “how did you come to be in such a state?”

The answer from the Willow God was slow in coming.

“Alas…”

A sigh drifted through the air.

“I was but half a step away from forming a Nascent Soul, yet as a plant, achieving it proved exceedingly difficult.

“Thus, I drew down heavenly lightning, allowing it to strike me, hoping to seize a sliver of life amidst certain death…”

These words resonated with a profound shock in their hearts.

Qin Yan, now beside Xiao Miao, watched her desperately urge the Spirit Water in her hands, then turned his gaze to the charred trunk before them.

A sigh escaped him as he reflected, ‘Cultivation is truly an arduous path…’

Approximately the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Xiao Miao put away the Spirit Water, nearly collapsing to the ground.

It was evident she had overexerted her spiritual energy, but fortunately, Qin Yan reached out to steady the young woman.

The massive willow tree had recovered less than one percent of its damage, yet Xiao Miao had done her utmost, for these were wounds inflicted by heavenly lightning.

“Good! Excellent!”

The Willow God’s excited voice rang through the air.

As long as death was not imminent, any hope, no matter how small, was a welcome beacon, enough to propel one forward.

From behind the colossal willow tree emerged a tall, voluptuous figure.

She was clad in green robes, her hair elegantly bound atop her head, and her features were as gracefully sculpted as willow branches, truly a beautiful woman.

“What… is your name?”

The beautiful woman asked, a gentle smile gracing her lips as she looked at Xiao Miao.

“Xiao Miao. I presume you are Senior Willow?”

Xiao Miao replied, meeting the gaze of the beautiful woman before her.

“Yes, you may call me… Liu Ruyan.”

The beautiful woman answered, then reached out, plucking two willow branches from the tree and offering them to the pair.

“You have rendered meritorious service in healing me. Consider this my welcoming gift.”

The two willow branches emanated a faint, ethereal aura; if refined, they would undoubtedly make excellent magical artifacts.

Seeing this, Xiao Miao accepted them without hesitation, then handed one to Qin Yan, who stood beside her.

‘Had it not been for the incident in the Demon City,’ she mused, ‘how could I have obtained this Heavenly Dew Spirit Water, and how could I possibly have healed this willow tree?’

At this moment, Liu Ruyan, the Willow God, regarded Xiao Miao with a thoughtful expression, clearly pondering how to persuade her to continue the treatment.

Undoubtedly, some form of cooperative relationship needed to be established between them.

There were two approaches: coercion or mutual benefit.

The former was clearly unreliable, as no one could force a doctor to perform surgery on them.

As for the latter, Liu Ruyan had quite a few ideas…

“Xiao Miao!” the Ginseng Spirit Plant interjected at that moment.

“If you promise to regularly come and treat Senior Willow in the future, I will offer you my body.

“Though it might sound boastful, I am, after all, a thousand-year-old Ginseng Spirit Plant; once refined, bringing the dead back to life and regenerating flesh from bone would be child’s play.”

“Little Ginseng!”

Upon hearing this, Liu Ruyan’s voice immediately turned stern.

As the guardian of these spirit plants, she would never exploit them.

If the Ginseng Spirit Plant before her were to sacrifice itself for her vitality, it would betray her initial ideals entirely.

Xiao Miao, however, shook her head at the offer.

“It is already my great fortune to have befriended Senior Willow and all you fellow spirit plant Daoists,” she stated.

“I will take responsibility for Senior Willow’s injuries from now on.

“However, I do have a small predicament: I wish to find the leaves of the Three-Turn Ghost Grass.

“I wonder if any of you Daoists might be able to offer some assistance?”

Xiao Miao clearly understood the difference between a constant supply of food and a single, hearty meal.

Rather than accepting the Ginseng Spirit Plant’s offer, she preferred to directly earn the goodwill of Senior Willow and the many surrounding spirit plants.

This way, she wouldn’t have to struggle to find materials for refining pills in the future.

After all, she would only need some roots from the thousand-year-old ginseng in the future, and the Ginseng Spirit Plant would surely not refuse then.

Her words, however, brought about a silence among the surrounding spirit plants.

Noticing this, Xiao Miao felt a touch of surprise.

“Does this secret realm not have Ghost Grass?” she then asked.

“There is, indeed…”

Liu Ruyan began.

“However, that child’s nature is reclusive, and it does not gather with us.

“If you wish to seek its help, you will likely need to earn its approval first.”

“This…”

Xiao Miao was momentarily stunned by these words.

Yet, after a brief pause, she composed herself.

“In that case, I implore Senior to do me the favor of telling me its whereabouts.

“I will do my best.”