Translator: Storm in a Teacup
The mountain path ahead was zigzagging. After walking for more than half an hour, they finally found a luxuriant bamboo forest before them.
On the surface, the plants were just ordinary wild bamboos with long branches and amazing color. Despite their beauty, none of them looked like Qiankun Zijin Bamboo.
Followers of the Blue Thunder Taoist Sect stepped forward and checked everywhere, but in vain.
“Master, we’ve checked every corner but found no such bamboo.”
The followers were full of confusion. Their Master’s prediction could always be relied upon, but this time was different.
“Back off. Let me have a look.”
After the followers stepped backward, the Great Yellow Immortal’s eyeballs disappeared, leaving only the white of the eye to be seen.
This was exactly his Yinyang Eye.
Relying on his unique eye, the Great Yellow Immortal looked around. All of a sudden, his eyes fell on some bamboo shoots.
Instantly, he showed an overjoyed look in his eyes.
“I’ve found them.”
“Master, aren’t they the ordinary purple bamboo shoots?”
One follower asked wonderingly.
“Idiot! They seem to be the ordinary shoots but are in fact the bamboos we’re looking for. Look, there is a purplish layer of mist around them.” In the eyes of the Great Yellow Immortal, those bamboo shoots were truly priceless.
As time went by, those shoots made a beeping sound while growing at a speed visible to the naked eye. More and more of their tips were breaking through the soil.
Ye Lingyue knew that the moso bamboos grew most quickly. But even the moso bamboos would take more than one month to finish growing. Now, those bamboo shoots as small as stalactite could incredibly grow half as tall as a man in just 15 minutes.
Within the forest, they might be at least a dozen of Qiankun Zijin Bamboos.
They were almost as wide as the arm of a child. They were incredibly exquisite as if carved by expert craftsmen. On the main bodies were teardrop-like golden spots which were glowing in the darkness. They were stunningly attractive and could easily enchant anyone moving closer.
“They are what I saw that night!” Ye Lingyue and Bo Qing had been watching what happened all the while. After seeing the bamboo shoots grow into Qiankun Zijin Bamboos, Bo Qing suddenly saw the light.
They were truly the fickle Qiankun Zijin Bamboos. Only at a certain time in the deep night would they turn into the form of bamboos, while they hid underground in the form of bamboo shoots in the daytime.
No wonder the floods of warriors and alchemists entered the Zizhu Mountain in high spirits but went back with frustration.
If it were not for the the Yinyang Eye of the Great Yellow Immortal, they couldn’t have detected the purple air. Then all their efforts would be a waste.
“Sister Black, the Qiankun Zijin Bamboos will, after getting ripe, break through the soil. Every time after that, they will move underground. Such a process will be repeated only nine times in two months at most. If we miss this chance, the bamboo will go invisible again at any time and reappear after another 100 years.” Long Baobao whispered in Ye Lingyue’s ears.
Ye Lingyue planned to make the Qiankun Bag with such bamboos. In no case would she let this chance slip away.
She was hesitating about whether to rush forward and stop those men from cutting down the bamboos.
Bo Qing seemed to sense Ye Lingyue’s hesitation.
“Shisan, don’t worry. It’s not that easy to cut down the bamboos. Those guys might not achieve their end.” Bo Qing was right. If it was so easy, he, as the “Treasure Collector” would have acquired the bamboo that night when he was bitten hard by the mosquitos.
Then he would have no need to flirt with the lustful old man.
“Are you sure?” Ye Lingyue was doubtful about Bo Qing’words.
As they were speaking, the followers of the Blue Thunder Taoist Sect had already taken out their knives, ready to cut down the Qiankun Zijin Bamboos.
Most of these men were around the Dan Realm. The waving knives in their hands gave off dazzling light.
Everyone was expecting those purple bamboos to break off with a loud sound.
Unexpectedly, those seemingly delicate bamboos stayed in situ with no trace of any cut.
The Great Yellow Immortal was stupefied.
“Don’t use the brutal force. Try the Spiritual Energy.”
Actually, there were more alchemists in the Sect than warriors whose cultivation power could merely be relied upon to strengthen the body.
Hearing their Master’s words, some alchemists with a stronger cultivation base stepped forward.
“Whoosh...”
Instantly, several fluctuating streams of Spiritual Energy were gathered in the air. They moved like a hurricane and were about to engulf the forest.
To everyone’s surprise, the Spiritual Energy hadn’t reached the forest yet when the bamboos with wide spreading branches and luxuriant foliage started to move in a strange manner.
The purple leaves were rustling and the bamboo poles bent like the bowstrings pulled back to shoot arrows.
With a whoosh, the streams of Spiritual Energy were bounced back by the bamboos in the blink of an eye.
Some followers standing not afar were not able to dodge the hit in time, thus being hurt badly. The unluckiest ones were killed right on the spot.
Just a short while before, the Great Yellow Immortal was beaming with joy when finding the Qiankun Zijin Bamboos. Now, however, his face instantly darkened.
Only then did Ye Lingyue realize that Bo Qing might have a similar experience that night. So his words really made sense.
Endless trials ended up in vain.
The Great Yellow Immortal was at a total loss.
If the situation went on like this, the Great Yellow Immortal could not even cut down these bamboos when dawn broke. Then Ye Lingyue and her companions would have no chance to snatch away the precious bamboos.
Suddenly Ye Lingyue remembered that Long Baobao had told her that the Long Family had the Qiankun Zijin Bamboo. The Long Family was a well-known weapon-maker and its members surely knew more than others about the collection of such treasures.
Bo Qing noticed the facial expression of Long Baobao. The boy always detested the Great Yellow Immortal. Now he was taking great delight in watching these men’s predicament.
‘The lustful old man is always leering at Sister Black. Just let the bamboos give the annoying guy a good beating!’
“Little boy, do you know about how to cut those bamboos?” Despite his reluctance, Bo Qing asked finally.
“Pretty brother, I’m only 7 years old this year.” Long Baobao beat about the bush and glanced at Bo Qing.
His implication was that Bo Qing, as an adult, should not have asked a 7-year-old boy.
“...”
The blue veins stood out on Bo Qing’s forehead.
“Little Longbao, if you know about the way, just tell us, please.” Ye Lingyue was amused by the boy’s reaction.
The two of them could not stay at peace for a moment.
Long Baobao took a look at Ye Lingyue and curled his lips.
“I will tell Sister Black only. Don’t eavesdrop on us.”