Chapter 252: A Call from Li Jingxuan

Chapter 252: Chapter 251: A Call from Li Jingxuan

“Yes, Chief.”

The doppelganger acknowledged her command, then paused before adding, “I think I’ve figured out why the Southern Barbarian Land is in a constant state of chaos.”

“Oh? Tell me.”

Organizing its thoughts, it began, “There are many Wandering Beasts here. In fact, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call this a gathering ground for them.”

“Wandering Beasts often prey on their own kind and force females to bear cubs. To protect their kin, the Beastmen here are in constant conflict with the Wandering Beasts. They don’t know a single day of peace.”

Now, Chu Liangyu understood why this place was designated a red, high-risk zone.

“Alright, I understand. Contact me after you’ve investigated the matter of the cubs, and I’ll come find you.”

There were four red, high-risk zones in total: the Ten Islands of Japan, the western Hopeless Sea, the Southern Barbarian Land, and the Beiyuan Salt Land.

According to Chu Liangyu’s plan to unite the tribes, her first stop should have been the Ten Islands of Japan. However, because of the matter with the cubs and this strange ravine, she decided she would personally deal with the problem here first before resuming her original route.

As the tribe’s chief, Chu Liangyu couldn’t be away for an extended period. Thus, she had to act quickly and decisively.

Of course, the full story was not yet clear. While she waited for news from her doppelganger, Chu Liangyu started preparing for her journey.

A few days into her preparations, Li Jingxuan’s face suddenly appeared before her one morning.

“You…”

Chu Liangyu had a flood of questions, but as she opened her mouth, she suddenly didn’t know which to ask first.

Chu Liangyu remembered the last time they had met like this. Logically, the item Li Jingxuan used for their trades should have been broken by now.

But from the looks of it, not only was the item intact, it seemed to have been upgraded. He could now see her surroundings directly.

Previously, only Chu Liangyu had possessed this ability. She never expected Li Jingxuan could do it now, too.

‘I wonder what happened in the meantime.’

“I need to talk to you about something.”

Suppressing her confusion, Chu Liangyu said, “What is it? Go ahead.”

“During our last trade, I remember you seemed to have some Ancient Green Lotus. I was wondering if you have any extra. I’d like to trade for some.”

Comprehension dawned on Chu Liangyu. She didn’t ask why he needed them, simply saying, “Fine. How many do you want? And what are you offering in exchange?”

“Ten Ancient Green Lotuses. You can ask for whatever you want in return.”

Since he was being so generous, Chu Liangyu didn’t hold back. “Then I’ll take some Elixir Talisman Arrays and Cultivation Techniques. Just use the standard prices from your world.”

“If it’s possible, I’d also like the Sword technique you cultivate. That can count for half the value of the trade.”

Li Jingxuan hesitated for a moment before replying, “Alright. But I’ll need some time to gather everything.”

“Then just contact me when you have it all ready.”

Their relationship was still rather awkward. If Chu Liangyu weren’t so desperate for resources from the Cultivation World, she would’ve preferred to avoid any further contact with him.

“Wait.”

Chu Liangyu, who had been about to sever the connection, paused. She said nothing, simply watching him and waiting for him to continue.

“You know the City Lord of Yuyang City, don’t you? He said he owed you a debt of Spirit Stones. He’s managed to gather them all, but he couldn’t find you to repay you.”

“So, he gave the Spirit Stones to me to pass on to you.”

Chu Liangyu had to think for a long moment before she recalled when she had met the City Lord of Yuyang City.

Back in the Cultivation World, Chu Liangyu had staged a plot where she appeared to suffer in order to make Li Jingxuan fully confront his Heart Demon.

Who would have thought that the City Lord had such a peculiar way of thinking? After a few words of flattery, he not only released her but also gave back most of the Spirit Stones.

He had even promised to repay the portion of Spirit Stones he had “borrowed” from her.

“So that’s how it was.”

Almost as soon as Li Jingxuan finished explaining, chests filled with Spirit Stones began appearing in her room.

“Right, there are also the elixirs that someone named Wen Yan asked me to give you.”

“Wen Yan knows my identity?”

Chu Liangyu wasn’t referring to her identity as the Beast God, of course, but to her identity back in the Cultivation World.

“He knows.”

Hearing this, Chu Liangyu felt a wave of embarrassment.

In the Cultivation World, she was regarded as a pariah who had betrayed her master and her sect. The fact that Wen Yan wasn’t shunning her, and was even sending her elixirs, was baffling.

“Don’t accept his elixirs next time. If he asks where I’ve gone, just tell him… I’m in seclusion and won’t come out until I achieve Ascension.”

Chu Liangyu had wanted to tell Li Jingxuan to say she was dead, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Instead, she came up with an excuse that even she knew sounded fake.

“He won’t believe you.”

“It doesn’t matter if he believes it or not. Just say it.”

Li Jingxuan fell silent for a moment but nodded in agreement. Then, as if remembering something else, he added, “The Demon King is looking for you, too. He seems obsessed. You… unless it’s absolutely necessary, you shouldn’t come back to the Cultivation World.”

“At the very least, wait until after he achieves Ascension.”

The Demon King was a Great Demon on the verge of Ascension, a process that would only take a few hundred years. For someone with a lifespan as long as Chu Liangyu’s, that was an affordable wait.

Besides, the flow of time was different between the two worlds.

Only a month had passed on Chu Liangyu’s side, but four months had already gone by in Li Jingxuan’s world since her departure.

In that time, Li Jingxuan had also successfully broken through to the Mahayana Early Stage.

“I understand. Thank you for the warning.”

At this, much of Chu Liangyu’s awkwardness faded, and her thanks held a note of genuine sincerity.

“It was nothing. A trivial matter.”

“As for the trade, I’ll contact you again once I’ve prepared everything.”

With those words, Li Jingxuan signaled that he was about to end the communication.

“Alright. See you next time.”

After the connection was severed, Chu Liangyu looked around at the room full of goods, her spirits lifting.

She immediately transferred the items into her storage bag. As for the elixirs from Wen Yan, Chu Liangyu examined them separately.

The medicinal fragrance was incredibly rich, and they were brimming with abundant Spiritual Power. She knew without even guessing that they were of a high grade.

Lacking knowledge about the elixirs of the Cultivation World, Chu Liangyu was uncertain of their exact value and function.

Thinking of this, Chu Liangyu decided she would ask Li Jingxuan about them the next time he contacted her.

After stowing everything away, Chu Liangyu prepared to continue with her tasks. Just then, she sensed a message from her doppelganger.

“Chief, I’ve confirmed that the cubs are in the ravine.”

“As for the cubs’ Beast Father, he and his party are still searching the surrounding area; they haven’t entered the ravine.”

Now that the situation was clear, Chu Liangyu gave her doppelganger a direct order: “Enter the ravine and find the cubs.”

“Yes, Chief.”

The doppelganger was, in essence, a puppet. Its body, crafted from Golden Rattan Wood, had no heart, and therefore, no emotions.

It carried out Chu Liangyu’s orders purely on instinct.