Even hybrid monsters have their day

He shifted his gaze elsewhere, and after a while, he said, "Don't worry too much. I think nothing will happen. Didn't you remind Ershan? We'll just keep an eye on things ourselves."

Hearing his words, Geng Miaowan felt somewhat relieved and gave Qiu Pi a grateful smile. She couldn't really explain why she cared so much about the Green Mountain Sect; perhaps it was because she had ruined their peak, or perhaps it was because she had personally sent her two children there. In any case, that encounter that year had instilled in her a different kind of feeling towards the Green Mountain Sect.

Her smile was calm and sweet, like spring flowers suddenly blooming in the mountains, blown by the wind, bringing a flurry of petals that drifted into Qiu Pi's eyes, adding a touch of color to his usually calm, icy blue pupils.

"What's wrong?" Seeing him staring blankly at her, Geng Miaowan asked, puzzled.

Qiu Pi snapped out of his daze, his eyes calm as still water, as if everything he had just experienced was an illusion. However, the way he turned his gaze elsewhere revealed a fleeting unease in his heart. "Why don't I see Xu Ruwen and Huangfu Aoran?"

He tried to break the awkward atmosphere by changing the subject.

Geng Miaowan casually replied, "Oh, I sent them down the mountain to help me with some things."

His expression suddenly changed, and his tone became increasingly urgent as he asked, "What is it?"

"Hmm?" Geng Miaowan looked at Qiu Pi strangely, wondering why his tone sounded somewhat urgent. However, Qiu Pi's handsome face remained expressionless, and his eyes were as calm as ever. She thought she might have misheard, so she said lightly, "It's nothing, I just went to find a friend for me to ask about something and will be back soon."

She made it sound so easy. But Qiu Pi knew things weren't as simple as she made them out to be. If it was just about asking a friend something, would two people really need to go together? Besides, Xu Ruwen was her contracted beast. Could there be anything more important than protecting his master?

Although he had begun to suspect something, he remained outwardly calm and simply said, "Oh."

After she finished speaking, an awkward silence fell over the room. Unlike Xu Ruwen and Huangfu Aoran, Geng Miaowan wouldn't feel anything if she sat with them all day without saying a word. But Qiu Pi sitting there in silence felt rather strange.

Qiu Pi seemed to sense something as well. He glanced at her and said, "Then I'll head back now. If anything happens, be sure to let me know."

After seeing Qiu Pi off, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. With nothing to do, she went into her sea of ​​consciousness to spar with Luan Hao, but to her surprise, Luan Hao ignored her completely, looking preoccupied.

She was curious; what could possibly worry a demon who had lived for tens of thousands of years like this? He seemed so dazed and confused all day long. But no matter how she asked or probed, she couldn't get a single thing out of him. After a few attempts, she grew bored and sat down beside him to meditate.

During this meditation, she felt her cultivation level improve slightly. Although she hadn't reached the mid-to-late stage of Foundation Establishment, it was higher than what she had seen last time. Her speed was like riding a train, "whoosh, whoosh," as she sped forward. However, she still felt unsatisfied because her strength was still too weak. If she were to encounter any major event, she wouldn't even have the strength to contend with it.

However, as soon as she sat down, Luan Hao spoke up, "Give me back the energy bead."

"Huh?" Why did he bring this up again? Geng Miaowan looked at him somewhat embarrassedly, wondering if he still remembered that she had told him about the cracked bead.

“I know the energy bead has cracked,” Luan Hao said calmly, his light purple eyes fixed on her. “Bring it in so I can take a look.”

His tone didn't carry any blame, yet it still made Geng Miaowan feel a pang of guilt. After handing the energy bead to Luan Hao, she nervously stared at his face, trying to glean some clue. However, all she saw was calm.

Luan Hao focused intently on examining the cracks on the energy bead; they were very small, but within the range of what the naked eye could see.

Seeing him look up, she quickly ran over and asked, "How is it? Can it still be fixed?" Her tone was ingratiating.

"You're really something." His calm tone made it impossible to tell if he was angry or not. Perhaps noticing the fleeting unease on her face, he continued, "It's not that it can't be fixed, it just takes some effort, and it also requires..."

Upon hearing that it could also restore the energy bead, her eyes lit up, and she quickly asked, "What else do I need?"

His thin lips uttered the words "Nuwa Stone," startling her. The Nuwa Stone again? Was it some kind of miraculous elixir? The Cerberus needed it to restore its cultivation, Luan Hao needed it to leave her body, and now even repairing the energy bead required it. It seemed the Nuwa Stone truly was an indispensable divine object, both at home and when traveling.

However, Nuwa only has one piece of land in the world, and so many people need it, can she share it all?

However, she dared not say such things to provoke Luan Hao at this moment. She just chuckled dryly twice and said, "Don't worry, I will find a way to get it."

She had already decided that once she was certain the Nuwa Stone in Huang Renfeng's possession was genuine, she would steal it even if he wouldn't lend it to her. But what if the one in Miao Renfeng's possession wasn't real, and the one on the demon on Mount Buzhou was the real one…?

Thinking of this, she felt a little troubled again. She should hurry up and cultivate, otherwise she probably wouldn't be able to snatch it even if she wanted to. She sighed softly, sat down to the side, and focused on her cultivation.

Seeing her suddenly fall from grace, a mischievous glint flashed in Luan Hao's eyes, so quick that he didn't even notice it himself. Then, he straightened his face and carefully poured spiritual energy into the energy bead.

If Geng Miaowan were watching from the side, she would definitely stare in disbelief. As he poured his spiritual energy into it, the hair-thin cracks in the energy bead slowly faded.

And so, the days passed by as Geng Miaowan worried about what might happen while meditating and cultivating. However, what she feared did not happen. The sect was quiet these past few days, and even fights and quarrels between disciples were rare. However, Miao Renfeng still had not returned, and she felt that something was amiss about this.

Unfortunately, there are no cell phones or telephones here, so I can't contact anyone when I'm out and about.

She had been paying special attention to the grove of trees there these past few days, as no one had been seen there since that day.

That day, as she was cultivating in her room as usual, she suddenly heard urgent bell tolling from the direction of the main hall. Such a bell wasn't rung casually; if it was rung, something must have happened. The unease that had been fading for days returned to her heart. (To be continued.)