Book 15: Chapter 23: Prepare For a Rainy Day
Book 15: Chapter 23: Prepare For a Rainy Day
The two giant lizards met.
After Lin Xi and Chi Xiaoyi formally met inside this Traveler’s Root Forest, apart from Fire King, all of the other Cave Barbarian soldiers completely withdrew. Their massive bodies slowly disappeared from the forest.
Even though most of the cave barbarian soldiers had never met Lin Xi, they all knew that it was precisely because of this young Yunqin cultivator that during the past winter, they didn’t have to lose so many people like the previous years.
That was why their vigilance and caution were only directed at other Yunqin cultivators and soldiers.
Great Desolate Swamp’s dirtiness and humidity didn’t bring any negative effects to Chi Xiaoye’s appearance.
Compared to the last time they met, this green-pupiled woman seemed to have grown a bit taller, her hair also a bit longer, now scattering behind her, appearing even more beautiful.
She looked at Lin Xi, sensing the change in Lin Xi’s cultivation. An expression of shock began to appear in her beryl-like eyes.
“Using Yunqin’s system of dividing cultivation levels, you’ve already reached the State Master level?”
She nodded her head in greeting towards Lin Xi, the first to speak out. “Your speed of cultivation is extremely fast. To be honest, even though I will happily meet with you, I also don’t wish to see you.”
Lin Xi looked at this woman who always gave him the misconception of meeting with an elf. He laughed. “Is it because you feel that my arrival never brings any good news? However, most things in this world are contradictory. I also want to just peacefully spend my days in Deerwood Town, or even East Port, Swallow Descent, these towns. Also, if I didn’t need to discuss anything with you but you had some free time and wanted to come see me in Yunqin, then you could have come, but in the end, I still have to come and seek you out.”
Chi Xiaoye became quiet for a bit.
Her attire was extremely ordinary.
She was similarly extremely young like Lin Xi.
However, because she was the leader of all of the Cave Barbarians, moreover all of the Cave Barbarians viewed her like a deity, that was why her temperament was also greatly different from an ordinary person’s, carrying even more dignity than those Purgatory Mountain Divine Adjudicators dressed in dignified divine robes.
“Thank you for continuously sending us food even throughout the winter.” After remaining silent for a bit, she raised her head, looking at Lin Xi while saying this.
Lin Xi looked at her and said, “Don’t mention it. That was the grain that was already in Turtle Edge Mountain, or else I might not have even been able to bring over so much food again.”
“Regardless, you’ve earned the trust of all of the tribes in Great Desolate Swamp. You have to understand that I cannot make any decisions in their place, I can only make a decision that represents their will.” Chi Xiaoye slowly nodded. She looked at Lin Xi and said, “As for me, I must thank you for killing Di Choufei. Also, I know that you’ve already killed Wenren Cangyue. What then is your purpose in seeking me out this time?”
Lin Xi put away his smile and said seriously, “I came to seek out your help. I want you to help me prepare a giant lizard army like this, the more the better.”
Chi Xiaoye thought for a bit, and then asked, “How many at the fewest?”
Lin Xi said, “At least a thousand.”
“A thousand giant lizards?” Chi Xiaoye’s green pupils suddenly became cold. She looked at Lin Xi and shook her head. “That is impossible.”
Lin Xi looked at Chi Xiaoye’s eyes, asking with a slight frown, “Why is that?”
Chi Xiaoye looked at him. “Tell me the reason why you need so many first.”
“It is because we already received news that Purgatory Mountain will negotiate peace with Yunqin. Yunqin and Great Mang’s war will temporarily end…”
“You are worried that Yunqin Emperor won’t deal with Great Mang, instead dealing with all of you with full force?” Before Lin Xi finished what he wanted to say, he was interrupted by Chi Xiaoye.
“This still isn’t what we need to be most worried about.” Lin Xi shook his head, explaining patiently and in great detail, “Every single person in Yunqin wishes for the war to end, this is especially the case when the other party has admitted defeat, even ceding some land. However, as long as peace talks begin, some of Great Mang’s emissaries could freely enter Yunqin. This means that Great Mang’s cultivators can publicly exist under Yunqin’s sunlight without being threatened by Yunqin’s military. Even if they are here on a diplomatic mission for negotiating peace, they have enough reason to bring in large amounts of powerful cultivators. Yunqin Emperor already doesn’t have many formidable cultivators at his side, but Purgatory Mountain still has many formidable cultivators. Yunqin Emperor still has a Divine Elephant Army right now… only by having over a thousand giant lizards could we have an advantage over the Divine Elephant Army and Purgatory Mountain cultivators.”
After a pause, Lin Xi looked at Chi Xiaoye, sincerely adding, “Perhaps you might still not know, but our Green Luan Academy has lost many formidable cultivators. I do not wish to disrupt the balance here, but this place is already the only source of help I can think of. If I have your help, we might be able to make it past this most difficult period. Without your help, our situation will become even more dangerous.”
Chi Xiaoye’s expression became a bit more serious, but she still shook her head.
“I said it was impossible before not because I don’t wish to help you, but because it is completely outside of my abilities.”
She looked at the stunned Lin Xi and explained, “I previously already told you that the key in taming the giant lizards and making them mounts lies in a certain food they love to eat the most, Law Essence Vine. I also told you that only a cultivator like me can accelerate the growth of these vines, make these vines produce many leaves. However, my strength is extremely limited.”
Lin Xi immediately understood. He muttered to himself, “What you are saying is that it is impossible for you to make enough Law Essence Vine to support a thousand giant lizards?”
“The Law Essence Vine isn’t the giant lizard’s main food. It is equivalent to a pill medicine that can control them.” Chi Xiaoye nodded. “If they cannot obtain one or two Law Essence Vine leaves every day, these giant lizards will go crazy, not listen to any commands. Even if I use up all of my energy on nurturing the Law Essence Vine every day, I will only be able to maintain around four hundred giant lizards at most. That year when we fought against your Dragon Snake Army, we used up a lot of the Law Essence Vine reserves. You should also understand that the long and difficult trek will already require even more of these Law Essence Vine leaves.”
“Without setting up a giant lizard army, there won’t be enough strength to decide the battle situation.” Lin Xi said quietly, “After receiving Yunqin Emperor’s support, I reckon just the Divine Elephant Army’s Divine Elephants might exceed two hundred. The strength of a divine elephant might exceed two giant lizards, so we need at least three to one ratios, or at least six hundred giant lizard mounts to destroy the Divine Elephant Army without suffering too many losses on our own side. Only then would we have the strength to deal with the formidable cultivators.”
Chi Xiaoye nodded.
She had also commanded the Cave Barbarians through many battles, so she understood Lin Xi’s intentions well.
Lin Xi was a bit disappointed. He thought for a bit, and then his eyes aimed even deeper into the Great Desolate Swamp.
Chi Xiaoye immediately realized what Lin Xi was thinking again, immediately shaking her head and saying, “Impossible.”
“Why is it impossible?”
Lin Xi turned around to look at her, seriously asking this. “Is it because the distance is too far? Or is it because your clansmen don’t have enough cultivators either? Or perhaps your clansmen aren’t willing to help us?”
“Our clan has enough cultivators, but most cultivators in our clan are only fond of flowers and plants, they do not like to interact with foreigners.” Chi Xiaoye looked at Lin Xi and said, “You might not understand… but our clansmen even treat themselves like flowers and plants, their natural disposition is to pursue the natural. In their eyes, we aren’t even the same species, just like the most basic difference between an animal and plant. That is why they definitely wouldn’t interfere with the disputes outside, to the extent where they aren’t even willing to let outsiders know of their existence. Our clansmen all believe that if there are any outsiders who enter, they might change their current everything.”
Lin Xi thought for a bit, and then shook his head, saying, “Without trying, we cannot say that it is impossible. In the end, no matter what they say, they are not plants, they have emotions. This is also the reason why you ended up appearing here. Since you are willing to remain here for the Cave Barbarians, I have reason to believe that your clansmen might be willing to help me.”
“I cannot represent all of my clansmen.”
Chi Xiaoye looked at Lin Xi, saying with a grim expression, “Normally, our clansmen live without any jurisdiction in the forest. However, some might believe that the entry of outsiders is the same as provoking their territory. I cannot guess what kind of thoughts they will have, which is why I cannot guarantee that if I really bring you over, you won’t be banished or encounter other even more frightening things. Moreover, it will take at least two months of time to arrive where my clansmen live.”
“There shouldn’t be an issue in terms of time. For the sake of maintaining secrecy, I also have a Yunqin phoenix who can bring us there, this can at least cut the time by half.” Lin Xi looked at Chi Xiaoye, saying with a smile, “As for the danger, I believe facing your clansmen will definitely be a bit safer than facing people like Purgatory Mountain Patriarch.”
“Moreover, your clansmen might not understand, but you’ve already left for so long. You should understand that with the existence of someone like Purgatory Mountain Patriarch, no matter how far your clansmen hide, no matter how well they hide, it might still be useless.”
Lin Xi put away his smile. He looked at Chi Xiaoye and said seriously, “In that battlefield where I first met you, the appearance of that Shentu Clan Sacred Expert alone already represents that Purgatory Mountain has also noticed the changes that took place here. Since Purgatory Mountain knows of your existence, aware of the existence of the rest of you behind Great Desolate Swamp, after dealing with our Green Luan Academy, Purgatory Mountain’s power might also thrust deeply in your direction. It is because for someone like him, your home not only piqued his curiosity, it might also bring him greater power.”
“I obviously understand these reasonings, some of my clansmen might perhaps also understand. However, there might be some clansmen who will continue to oppose this.” Chi Xiaoye gave Lin Xi a look, her voice a bit cold as she said, “How many can your Yunqin phoenix bring? If you really have set your resolution to go, for the sake of maintaining safety, you should at least bring a Sacred Expert along. It is because my clan also has Sacred Experts.”
Lin Xi thought for a few breaths of time. Then, he looked at her, saying with a chuckle, “You are probably not that heavy… This means that if we bring another who isn’t that heavy, there shouldn’t be any problems. There just happens to be a suitable candidate, she has always wanted to cross Great Desolate Swamp and take a look. After hearing about this, I reckon she will definitely be extremely happy.”