He Lan Tianxia

For several days, the old pine tree spirit remained nowhere to be seen. Perhaps fearing it would be difficult to escape once inside its cave, Murong Junlan showed no sign of being in a hurry. He spent his days strolling along the Yellow River with his woman, or rather, listlessly displaying their affection. He didn't seem anxious at all to find medicinal herbs, and no one dared to speak. That morning, Murong Junlan summoned everyone and ordered them to find spiritual herbs to refine elixirs for the Azure Eagle. Hearing that they finally had a task to complete, everyone eagerly set off to find the herbs; days without anything to do were truly stifling.

The eager group quickly gathered a considerable amount of spiritual herbs, and the eagle immediately began refining pills. To attract the old pine tree spirit, the eagle, following Murong Junlan's instructions, deliberately refined the pills outside the cave. With abundant spiritual herbs, the aroma of the pills quickly intensified. At the same time, everyone noticed that the old pine tree, which had been following them at a moderate distance, was now getting closer. To avoid scaring the old pine tree spirit away, Murong Junlan signaled the group to continue searching for spiritual herbs in the surrounding area, while Murong Junlan took the opportunity to enjoy some alone time with the woman inside the cave.

Here it comes! As soon as the first pill was placed in the bowl, the old pine tree spirit couldn't contain itself any longer. It was so excited that it didn't even notice its needles standing upright. It quietly stretched out its roots and legs to half-encircle the eagle, then stared at the pill in the bowl with longing. Because Murong Junlan deliberately kept his aura to a minimum, the old pine tree spirit walked over without any restraint.

With a "poof," the old pine tree spirit snatched away a pill, while the eagle, seemingly oblivious, continued to concentrate on refining the pill.

"Puff, puff, puff," several pills were made in succession. The old pine tree spirit puffed and puffed away a few of them. At this moment, the eagle seemed to have noticed and screeched a few times into the cave. Only then did the young couple slowly walk out from inside. When Prince Murong saw that the bowl was empty, he scolded the eagle without any politeness: "What kind of technique is this? You've been refining for half a day and there's not a single pill in sight."

“Exactly,” the woman said, and then the young couple went back inside, making the eagle screech and curse incessantly inside.

The old pine tree spirit, seeing that it hadn't been discovered, grew bolder. It ate the two pills it had obtained, leaving the other two in its claws at the base of the tree, quietly waiting for the eagle to continue refining the pills.

"Puff puff puff puff." The eagle refined four or five pills in succession and threw them into the bowl with a clinking sound. This time, the old pine tree spirit was not in a hurry. It stood there waiting like it was burying its head in the sand. Sure enough, the eagle refined five or six more pills with a clinking sound. The fragrance was so strong that the old pine tree spirit could hardly stand. The old pine tree spirit was pondering whether to take the pills when a sudden gust of wind blew, causing its branches to sway wildly. Murong Junlan cried out, "Oh no!" and grabbed Yan'er, rushing out of the cave. Outside, sand and stones were flying everywhere, scattering the spiritual herbs all over the ground. The bowl containing the pills was nearly overturned, the pills swirling and turning inside. The old pine tree desperately stretched out its roots and claws, trying to snatch the pills, but a hand was faster than the roots, rushing over from the other side with the wind and snatching all the pills in a flash. Murong Junlan was a step too late and tried to block it, but with a "clang," the bowl slipped and shattered on the ground.

The eagle had long since disappeared, having already experienced the white-haired woman's prowess firsthand. It would be foolish not to leave.

Seeing the elixir that was about to be obtained slip away into someone else's hands, the old pine tree spirit was extremely unwilling. Although it knew the other party was powerful, the addictive nature of the elixir further spurred its nervous system to react; it was determined to fight back. The old pine tree spirit swiftly extended all its claws and launched a coordinated attack on the white-haired woman.

"Damn it." The white-haired woman glanced at the scene and snorted coldly. She then stretched out her hands, fingers spread, ready to unleash a double-strike, annihilating frost palm technique. If this technique struck the old pine tree spirit, it would be completely frozen solid, severely injuring it even if it didn't die. In the blink of an eye, Murong Junlan's thin rope shot out, striking directly at the white-haired woman. These two masters had clashed before, so they exchanged dozens of blows in the blink of an eye. Seeing someone helping it, the old pine tree spirit wavered in its attempt to escape. It extended its long claws and grabbed at the white-haired woman's leg. The white-haired woman dodged, and just as she was about to turn and spin upwards to escape, she suddenly saw a thin rope appear above her head. Hmm? What trick? Two thin ropes? The white-haired woman ignored it and tried to flee, but the thin rope relentlessly pursued her.

"Yan'er, danger!" Murong Junlan was a little anxious when he saw Yan'er swinging her thin rope on the other side. He thought it was okay for the two of them to use "Dreamlike Twin Shadows" together, but if they were separated, danger would really come.

The white-haired woman sneered and attacked the woman, grabbing her thin rope and pulling it. Just as the woman was about to be pulled away, Murong Junlan was startled. She swung the rope at the white-haired woman's hand, simultaneously firing a hidden arrow from her sleeve at the white-haired woman's other arm. The white-haired woman remained calm, catching the arrow with her left hand. The pills in her hand fell to the ground with a "whoosh." In that brief moment, the woman regained control of the rope. However, the strength of the woman and the white-haired woman was like that of a mosquito and a yak—vastly different. The white-haired woman pulled, and the woman lost her balance and fell towards her. Just then, Jiang He's longsword struck, but the white-haired woman was no pushover. Even as the sword grazed her wrist, she didn't dodge. Instead, she pulled forcefully, using the woman as a shield. Jiang He was shocked and twisted his sword, deflecting the attack.

Murong Junlan unleashed a devastating attack, descending directly from the sky. Only with this fighting style could the white-haired woman avoid being used as a weapon; she couldn't very well lift the woman above her head to block it. Although the white-haired woman couldn't grab the woman and lift her above her head, she still pulled her closer. Murong Junlan panicked upon seeing this; the woman being in the white-haired woman's hands was truly not a good thing. He dared not use too much force in his attacks, for fear of injuring the woman.

"Prince Murong, your beloved concubine is in my hands. Let her come with me today, ha." The white-haired woman said sinisterly, her vicious eyes seeming capable of devouring the woman.

"Let's see." Murong Junlan was too lazy to waste words on this kind of person; seizing the initiative was the most important thing right now.

The battle raged fiercely, and the old pine spirit was now completely oblivious to the danger. Seeing the scattered pills, it was so delighted it forgot how perilous the situation was. Recklessly, it stretched out its roots and claws, excitedly coiling around the pills. Two pills landed near the white-haired woman's feet, and the old pine spirit, so engrossed in its task, actually wrapped its arms around her feet as well.

What's going on? The white-haired woman felt her feet wouldn't budge. At that moment, Murong Junlan's thin rope swept across, and Jiang He's sword was also closing in. What should she do if she was attacked from both sides? The white-haired woman said "Damn it" and slashed her palm at the ground. Crackling sounds came from the ground, like tree roots breaking. Then, with a loud "boom," a large hole appeared where the white-haired woman and the woman were standing. The white-haired woman grabbed the woman's waist and flew into the air.

In a moment of desperation, Murong Junlan gave chase. He wrapped a thin rope around the woman's foot and pulled hard downwards. A hidden dart shot from his left sleeve directly to the white-haired woman's other side. The white-haired woman felt the sound of the dart and tried to turn around to block it. Wait, why is it so heavy all of a sudden? Before she could even look down, a powerful force pressed down on her feet. "Good heavens, trying to steal me? I'll take you on!" The white-haired woman dodged the dart, simultaneously increasing her grip on the woman. Murong Junlan tried several times but couldn't pull her off. He knew the white-haired woman was going to fight him head-on, and the consequences of that fight would hurt his Yan'er. In that critical moment, Murong Junlan didn't think twice. He spun around, using his desert lightness skill to catch up with the woman, grabbing her waist with one hand and then using the other to strike the white-haired woman. The white-haired woman also freed one hand to strike back. The two powerful palm strikes collided, evenly matched. Caught in the middle, the woman couldn't even open her eyes under the intense pressure. Suddenly, she stretched out her right hand to strike the white-haired woman's face. The white-haired woman was distracted, and Murong Junlan seized the opportunity to increase the force of his palm strike. The white-haired woman lost her balance and dodged. Murong Junlan's right hand swiftly pulled the woman into his arms. Seeing the woman being snatched away, the white-haired woman fiercely slashed at the two of them with her annihilating cold palm strike. With a "smack," Murong Junlan received a heavy blow to the shoulder.

"Your Highness, put me down." The woman reached out and touched him.

"Don't move." How can I put you down from this height? Your lightness skill isn't that great either. Murong Junlan didn't dare to be distracted.

"Slap." Another slap landed on Murong Junlan's right shoulder, which was protecting the woman. Murong Junlan was sweating profusely from the pain. He was pulling the woman downwards, and he felt that she was about to fall from his arms.

"Your Highness, be careful!" Jiang He saw the white-haired woman's hand strike at the two of them again. He was about to reach out to catch the woman in case she fell, but then he thought, "Absolutely not! What if the princess falls into my arms?" My poor guard Jiang had no choice but to leap up and use his body to block the white-haired woman's scorching palm. Murong Junlan and the woman landed steadily on the ground, while Jiang He was knocked down and rolled in front of them.

"Guard Jiang, are you alright?" the woman exclaimed.

"Hmm?" My hand is almost broken, what's the point of your concern? Murong Junlan was about to remind his beloved concubine when he saw Jiang He suddenly spit out a mouthful of blood. He had no choice but to take out a box of pills from his pocket and throw it to Jiang He, "Eat them quickly."

"Thank you, Your Highness." Jiang He clearly felt the sudden shift in Prince Murong's coldness; he knew that this jealous prince was actually quite caring.

At this moment, the white-haired woman also landed on the ground, and she attacked Murong Junlan and the other person again.

"Your Highness, are we two dreamlike companions?" The woman hadn't had a good time in a while and was itching to play.

"Whatever you want." His Yan'er, does she really not care about white-haired women anymore? She just escaped from the jaws of death, and now she's back again? Actually, Murong Junlan's arm was burning with pain, but he still said indulgently, "Be careful."

"A confluence of winds and clouds..." In an instant, the two thin ropes intertwined, and two dragons flew out, causing the sky to explode.

"Double Shadows of Dreams?" The white-haired woman was stunned for a moment, then slashed out with both palms to meet the twin fire dragons.

While the three of them fought, Luo Xie and Ling Yi weren't idle either. They kept a close eye on the old pine tree spirit, chasing after it. But the creature was incredibly cunning; it would break whenever it was hit, and in no time, the ground was littered with withered branches and broken wood. After catching a few pills, the old pine tree spirit tried to escape, but Luo Xie and Ling Yi wouldn't let it go. The old pine tree spirit had no choice but to burrow underground to escape, but Ling Yi was no match for it, chasing it wherever it went. The old pine tree spirit thought the two were after the pills, so it threw the pills it had so painstakingly snatched back to them. But the two still relentlessly pursued it, chasing it until its legs were weak. Only then did it belatedly realize that the two might be trying to capture it. Oh dear, it had fallen into someone's trap! At this moment, the old pine tree spirit broke out in a cold sweat and immediately burrowed into the water to seek refuge in the large pine forest.

Because of his injury, Murong Junlan did not want to continue fighting the white-haired woman. He fired seven or eight hidden arrows at her in succession. One of them hit the white-haired woman's arm, and she smashed a stone wall and disappeared.

At this moment, Murong Junlan was in so much pain that he was sweating profusely, and only then did the woman realize that something was wrong with him.

"Your Highness, I thought you weren't injured." The woman looked Murong Junlan up and down but couldn't find any injuries.

"I was already injured," Murong Junlan said pitifully. He inwardly grumbled, "How could my beloved concubine be so foolish?"

Actually, it's not entirely Yan'er's fault. When the white-haired woman injured him, she was protected. At the time, Murong Junlan told her not to move, so she thought he wasn't hurt. Then the beating went on for so long, and Murong Junlan had been holding back. The woman was completely unaware of it. If she hadn't seen him covered in sweat, she would have thought Murong Junlan was teasing her.

"Your Highness, let me see where you are injured?" The woman helped Murong Junlan back into the cave, where Jiang He was already meditating and healing his wounds.

Murong Junlan took out a bottle of golden gun medicine and handed it to the woman, saying, "Put it on my shoulder."

The woman lifted her clothes and exclaimed in surprise, "Your Highness, you are badly injured! Is this bottle of medicine enough?"

Murong Junlan looked helplessly at the woman beside him, thinking that he would have to teach her some wound treatments in the future. However, seeing how carefully the woman applied the medicine for him, he felt much more at ease.

Jiang He needed to quietly circulate his qi to heal his internal injuries, and to avoid disturbing them, Murong Junlan gave him a small cave inside. Jiang He initially refused, but eventually gave in to Murong Junlan's insistence and obediently stayed inside. The couple rested in the large cave, while Luo Xie, Ling Yi, and Cangying consciously hid in the carriage outside, also keeping watch. Seeing the scattered spiritual herbs, Cangying even concocted pills to heal Murong Junlan and Jiang He.

"We could have caught the tree root spirit, but instead a white-haired woman showed up. This white-haired woman is really annoying." Luo Xie said indignantly, "Ling Yi, next time you know the tree root spirit is coming, give me a heads-up and I'll chop that bastard up in one go."

"Shanyu, the prince means to capture it alive and have it lead us to the Black Overlord Wall," Lingyi said with a smile.

"Then at least let me give it a good beating." Luo Xie didn't know where all this resentment came from. He knew it was because the old pine tree spirit had tricked him and made him tumble. He remembered this little grudge.

At this moment, the eagle hissed at Ling Yi a few times, asking Ling Yi and the others to help move the spirit herbs over, and the two of them started helping the eagle.

Murong Junlan and Jiang He were seriously injured this time. In addition to refining pills for them, Cangying also instructed Lingyi and Luoxie to pick herbs and boil them into a decoction for oral administration. Don't underestimate Cangying's small size. Its medicine is really quite effective. In just a few days, the two recovered eight or nine tenths of their strength. Murong Junlan praised Cangying highly. Cangying was so happy that it grinned foolishly in the cave for a few rounds.

The white-haired woman didn't come, and the old pine tree spirit remained hidden, too afraid to show itself. For a moment, no one could think of a better solution. That night, after everyone had fallen asleep, Murong Junlan heard a rustling sound outside. He quickly went to the cave entrance and saw the old pine tree moving backward continuously.

"Run away?" Murong Junlan slapped Jiang He awake, and the two of them chased after the old pine tree, one after the other.

Sensing it was being chased, the old pine tree sped up its escape. Murong Junlan, however, wasn't about to let it get away, so he leaped onto the tree. Jiang He immediately followed Murong Junlan's instructions and began cutting branches.

The old pine tree panicked. If Jiang He cut off all its branches, its power would definitely weaken. If only the trunk remained, how could it absorb enough sunlight and nutrients? It seemed these two were trying to force it to appear. With that thought, the old pine tree stopped running away and stopped moving.

"Have you thought it through? Will you cooperate with us or continue to run away?" Murong Junlan tapped the tree trunk with a thin rope, making the heart of the old pine tree tremble.