The innkeeper shouted very loudly, and cultivators had sharp ears and keen eyes. Even though they had already run out of the city, Qin Wanwan and Baisui You still heard him.
The two instinctively exchanged glances, but neither dared to look back. They could only pretend they knew nothing and urged their horses faster toward the dense forest.
Spirit horses in the cultivation world ran much faster than ordinary horses. They covered thirty li in less than a quarter-hour.
From afar, they could see the dense mountain forest. After Baisui You said “We’re here,” he dismounted first and tied his horse to the side.
Qin Wanwan followed suit and dismounted. When she turned around, she saw a disheveled Jian Xingzhi.
Although he tried hard to maintain his composure, Qin Wanwan could still see a hint of embarrassment from his messy hair, white robes stained with yellow dirt, and dust-covered face.
“You…”
“If you don’t speak, no one will think you’re mute.” Jian Xingzhi quickly interrupted, taking the lead toward the dense forest. “Let’s go.”
Baisui You finished tying the horse and walked back to Qin Wanwan’s side. Looking at Jian Xingzhi’s imposing back, he asked doubtfully, “Today… we’re the ones… doing the mission, right?”
“I think so…”
Qin Wanwan was also somewhat confused, but she still quickened her pace and urged Baisui You, “Let’s keep up.”
The three of them entered the dense forest together, with Baisui You leading the way, guiding them deeper inside.
Jian Xingzhi and Qin Wanwan walked side by side. The three had walked for a while without seeing anything unusual around them. Qin Wanwan noticed her qiankun pouch swaying at Jian Xingzhi’s waist. When Jian Xingzhi wasn’t paying attention, she yanked it with her hand and tucked the qiankun pouch into her sleeve.
With the qiankun pouch back, Qin Wanwan felt at ease. She immediately turned to chat with Baisui You, “Fellow Daoist Bai, are we just searching like this?”
“We’ll go a bit deeper. Once we find a suitable location, I’ll take out the incense ball made from Fire Spirit Grass to attract these Heart-Bewildering Ants.”
Baisui You explained, “Heart-Bewildering Ants love Fire Spirit Grass. With Fire Spirit Grass present, all the Heart-Bewildering Ants within five li will be attracted.”
“If too many come,” Qin Wanwan looked worried, “won’t we be unable to handle them?”
“Among the Heart-Bewildering Ants, except for the Ant King, the other Heart-Bewildering Ants won’t cause much harm. At most, they’ll just frighten you, and you’ll be fine after sleeping it off.”
Qin Wanwan nodded. Jian Xingzhi spoke up to ask another question, “What about the Ant King?”
Baisui You’s expression changed. He spoke seriously, “If it’s the Ant King, that would be an Earth-rank top-tier demonic beast. It not only transforms into the most terrifying thing in a person’s heart but will also eat the person after frightening them.”
Qin Wanwan gasped, “Then let’s absolutely not encounter the Ant King.”
As soon as she finished speaking, a “ding” sound appeared in Jian Xingzhi’s mind.
**[Random Mission: Have Qin Wanwan battle the Ant King and obtain the Ant King’s antennae. Points +50]**
Jian Xingzhi: “…”
Could he really complete the mission of getting Qin Wanwan to say she would protect him until ascension at this rate?
For the first time in his life, Jian Xingzhi began to doubt himself.
But if he could battle the Ant King and obtain the Ant King’s antennae, it would indeed be good for Qin Wanwan’s advancement.
After weighing his options, Jian Xingzhi began thinking about how to ditch Qin Wanwan and act alone.
Seeing that Jian Xingzhi had been silent all along, Qin Wanwan cleared her throat lightly, “That Zhang San,” she leaned over to look at him, “it’s too dangerous up ahead. Why don’t you stay farther away, in case we attract too many Heart-Bewildering Ants and harm you.”
“Alright.”
Jian Xingzhi agreed readily. Qin Wanwan was stunned, then watched as Jian Xingzhi jogged away, “See you later.”
Qin Wanwan stared blankly as Jian Xingzhi ran out of sight. Baisui You curiously leaned over, “He’s that agreeable?”
“Never mind,” Qin Wanwan grabbed Baisui You and ran, “Let’s hurry.”
Having ditched this disaster star, she could avoid half the trouble and safely complete the mission to Heaven Sword Sect.
Baisui You watched as Qin Wanwan pulled him along running, a strange smile appearing on his face. He licked his lips and quietly raised his other hand, preparing to give Qin Wanwan a chop to the neck. But just as he raised his hand, Qin Wanwan suddenly stopped and whipped her head around, “Wait.”
“Ah?” Baisui You was startled and stood there awkwardly. Qin Wanwan looked at his hand, “What are you doing?”
“There was…” Baisui You lightly slapped himself on the cheek, “a mosquito.”
“Oh.” Qin Wanwan nodded. She remembered, “We can’t return empty-handed. We should at least catch a few Heart-Bewildering Ants.”
“You’re right.” Baisui You nodded. “Then let’s find a clearing and lure all the Heart-Bewildering Ants over.”
Qin Wanwan responded and grabbed Baisui You, running toward a clearing ahead, “How about there!”
The two ran wildly until they reached the clearing. Qin Wanwan released Baisui You, “Take out the Fire Spirit Grass.”
“Alright.”
Baisui You nodded. Panting, he took out a silver sachet from his sleeve and held it in his hand.
He secretly glanced at Qin Wanwan. Anyone familiar with herbs would be able to smell that this wasn’t Fire Spirit Grass at all, but a sedative drug.
Qin Wanwan was clearly not very familiar with herbs. She watched his hand without any wariness, so he couldn’t help but reveal a victorious smile, waiting for Qin Wanwan to lose consciousness.
However, after a moment, Qin Wanwan had no reaction and looked up, “Why are you smiling so strangely?”
Baisui You’s expression froze, “You… don’t feel anything?”
“What feeling?”
Qin Wanwan was somewhat puzzled.
Baisui You cleared his throat lightly and put on a serious face, “Ordinary people feel a bit dizzy the first time they smell Fire Spirit Grass. It’s good that you’re fine.”
“Oh.” Qin Wanwan nodded. “I’m fine.”
Baisui You nodded. The two waited for a while, but there was no reaction around them. Qin Wanwan frowned, “Why aren’t they coming yet?”
“It might be,” Baisui You gritted his teeth, “the dosage isn’t large enough. I’ll get more.”
“Hurry up.” Qin Wanwan urged.
Baisui You immediately took out ten more packets from his bag, “Smell these. Are all ten the same scent? I’m afraid I took the wrong ones.”
Qin Wanwan took the ten sachets from his hand, smelled them one by one, and nodded, “Same scent.”
“Looks like the dosage still isn’t enough.” Baisui You took out thirty more sachets. “Try again?”
Qin Wanwan nodded and finished smelling the thirty sachets, then looked up at him, “The dosage might still not be enough. However many you have, take them all out.”
“Fine,” Baisui You took a deep breath, “you said it.”
With that, Baisui You took out his qiankun pouch and poured it onto the ground. A small mountain of sachets piled up. He pointed at the ground, “If you’re capable, smell them all.”
“This is to attract Heart-Bewildering Ants,” Qin Wanwan said inexplicably, “not to poison me. Why would I smell all of these?”
Baisui You’s expression froze. Qin Wanwan sat cross-legged on the ground, “Let’s wait a bit. The Heart-Bewildering Ants might need some time to react.”
Baisui You nodded awkwardly and sat beside Qin Wanwan, “Maybe.”
While Qin Wanwan was waiting for these Heart-Bewildering Ants, Jian Xingzhi walked out of her line of sight and immediately closed his eyes, beginning to use his divine sense to turn over the soil inch by inch. In less than a moment, he found the Ant King’s lair.
Jian Xingzhi immediately headed toward the Ant King’s lair and soon reached the entrance.
Standing at the entrance, Jian Xingzhi pondered how he could make ‘Qin Wan’ battle the Ant King and then have her obtain the inner core.
First, he had to lure the Ant King to ‘Qin Wan,’ then give ‘Qin Wan’ a reason to battle the Ant King…
But ‘Qin Wan’ was so cowardly—how would she fight this Ant King?
“Master, don’t worry,” 666 encouraged him. “You just need to lure this Ant King in front of the female lead and appear weak while asking her for help. Given the female lead’s feelings for you, she couldn’t possibly abandon you.”
“Really?” Jian Xingzhi frowned. “I don’t dare believe it.”
“You have to believe in the plot!” 666 clenched its little fists. “Even if the female lead is a bit cowardly, she won’t abandon the weak!”
Jian Xingzhi: “…”
He didn’t dare believe it.
But regardless, there was no other choice at the moment. First, he had to lure the Ant King alive and kicking to Qin Wanwan.
Jian Xingzhi didn’t think further and directly asked, “How do I lure it out?”
“The Ant King hates people more cultured than him.” 666 was very confident. “Just recite a few poems and you can provoke it.”
Jian Xingzhi fell silent. 666 asked puzzled, “Master?”
“Before the bed…” Jian Xingzhi tried his best to search for poems he had memorized, “bright moonlight, seems like frost on the ground…” (Note 1)
“Goose, goose, goose, curving their necks toward the sky singing…” (Note 2)
Jian Xingzhi stood at the entrance awkwardly reciting poetry.
The Ant King sat in his lair picking his teeth. Hearing the sounds outside, he turned to sneer at his underlings, “This person is even less cultured than me. I can at least recite ‘The sun sets behind the mountains.'”
Jian Xingzhi finished reciting all the poems he had learned in the mortal realm, but the Ant King’s lair remained completely still. He clenched his fists, and 666 didn’t dare to speak anymore.
“Why isn’t it coming out?”
Judging by Jian Xingzhi’s tone, 666 didn’t dare answer at all.
Because there was only one possibility—in the Ant King’s mind… Jian Xingzhi was even less cultured than it.
Jian Xingzhi took a deep breath. He decided to stop listening to 666. Without another word, he kicked the entrance to the lair and shouted, “Come out!”
The Ant King’s lair shook, dust falling down. His tooth-picking motion paused, and he turned to glance outside, “No culture, truly violent.”
Seeing that the Ant King still wouldn’t move, Jian Xingzhi simply stomped down and collapsed the Ant King’s lair. The Ant King saw a dusty white-robed figure descending from the sky, kicking him in the face, leaving a footprint before flipping and landing on the ground, looking at him coldly.
The Ant King raised his hand to wipe the footprint from his face and spoke coldly, “You’re seeking death.”
As soon as he finished speaking, layers of illusions surged forth. Jian Xingzhi opened his mouth and recited the *Purity and Stillness Scripture*.
“The human spirit loves purity, but the heart disturbs it; the human heart loves stillness, but desire pulls it…” (Note 3)
“Ahhhhh!!”
The Ant King roared in fury, instantly transforming into a giant ant sprawled on the ground.
“Stinking Daoist,” the Ant King’s voice boomed like thunder, “dare to chant sutras before this lord—watch as I devour you!”
With that, the Ant King charged rapidly at Jian Xingzhi, his antennae atop his head like two giant steel blades, wildly stabbing at Jian Xingzhi.
Jian Xingzhi was light as a swallow, leading the Ant King as he ran wildly toward Qin Wanwan’s direction.
Running while chanting sutras, ever since discovering that chanting sutras could provoke the Ant King, Jian Xingzhi had gained an invisible sense of superiority.
He hadn’t learned many poems, but he knew plenty of sutras!
He could recite them for a full day and night and recite this ant to death!
The more Jian Xingzhi thought about it, the happier he became. Seeing that he was about to reach Qin Wanwan, 666 quickly reminded him, “Master! Be more delicate!”
Hearing this, Jian Xingzhi immediately slowed his movements. While running, he tore open his robes, grabbed his hair, and stumbled toward Qin Wanwan.
Qin Wanwan was just then lighting a fire, roasting those sachets over the flames. While fanning the wind, she asked Baisui You, “Fellow Daoist Bai, did you buy fake goods?”
Baisui You sat to the side, his face showing lifeless resignation, “Maybe.”
“Should we just call it quits for today?”
Qin Wanwan thought about it—ditching ‘Jian Zhiyan’ was more important. Wherever ‘Jian Zhiyan’ was, there was trouble. Maybe they couldn’t catch the Heart-Bewildering Ants today because of him?
Hearing this, Baisui You immediately perked up, “You’re right, let’s try another day.”
Qin Wanwan nodded. Just as she was about to put out the fire and leave, she felt the ground begin to shake. She and Baisui You looked up together. They heard an angry roar and saw Jian Xingzhi suddenly burst from the bushes and throw himself on the ground. His hair was messy, his clothes were disheveled, his whole person looked as if he had just been ravaged. He lifted his head from the ground, stretched out his hand, and screamed miserably, “Wanwan, save me!!”
The Ant King behind him was so startled that the steel blades about to descend froze mid-air.
Qin Wanwan and Baisui You were also stunned. Together they slowly raised their heads, looking up at the Ant King behind Jian Xingzhi—with antennae like blades, mandibles like swords, body shaped like a small hill.
A moment later, Qin Wanwan turned and ran without hesitation!
Jian Xingzhi was dazed for a second, then quickly got up, passed the already vacant-eyed Baisui You, and chased after Qin Wanwan, running alongside her while shouting, “Don’t run! Save me!”
“You’re running so fast and you still need me to save you?!”
Qin Wanwan pointed to the side, “Split up and run!”
This Ant King was provoked by him. If they split up, the Ant King wouldn’t chase this ‘Qin Wan’ at all!
Jian Xingzhi immediately refused, “No, I can’t separate from you!”
“Are you sick?!”
Qin Wanwan mustered all her strength and cursed in despair.
Qin Wanwan was desperate, and so was Jian Xingzhi. But he thought that as long as he ran fast enough to overtake Qin Wan, the Ant King would run into Qin Wan and engage with her first.
And Qin Wanwan thought the same thing.
Thus, for a moment, the two chased each other through the dense forest in a life-and-death struggle. Jian Xingzhi not only had to catch up with her but also had to block her from running out of the forest to prevent the Ant King from giving up the chase. So he ran on the outer circle, and whenever Qin Wanwan tried to run outward, he would squeeze her back in. Moreover, he had to taunt her while running, “That big ant bullied me. I’m your person—won’t you do something about it? What kind of woman are you! What kind of master are you!”
“I’m not a woman!” Qin Wanwan answered in breakdown. “I’m not your master either. Leave me alone!”
“Go back! It’s just an ant. Go back and chop off its antennae, and we won’t have to run anymore!”
“Damn it, it’s Earth-rank top-tier. You’re asking me to die—if you want to chop, you chop!”
“If I could chop it, would I not chop it?!” Jian Xingzhi gasped for breath. “How can you be so useless?!”
“I want my life, not achievements! I’ve never encountered a single good thing since meeting you! Stay away from me!”
“You think I want to be with you? You don’t have an ounce of fighting spirit!”
“You don’t have an ounce of brains!”
The two began arguing as they spoke, cursing while running. They completely failed to notice that the Ant King behind them was getting farther and farther away. After a long while, they heard a thunderous “boom” behind them. Qin Wanwan and Jian Xingzhi stopped together and turned around to see the Ant King lying peacefully on the ground.
Unconscious.