FRGNM -Chapter 240 The Appearance of the Purple Bamboo

Whoosh!

Two figures landed swiftly, their eyes immediately falling on the man and woman lying on the ground. Their white robes were stained red with blood, both seriously wounded, barely clinging to life.

“Cancel the illusion, and let them die clearly!” The black-clad figure turned—Sword Heart stood there, his cold face showing a glint of malice.

The monsters behind him responded with a grunt. One of them turned its rear toward the two, releasing a foul stench with a pop—enough to make anyone recoil.

Even Ling Ruoxi, lying on the ground, frowned and coughed violently. Luo Mingyu did the same, quickly covering his nose. But when their eyes met, both were stunned—how could this be…

“You didn’t expect me to use the illusion to make you fight each other, did you? But I spared your lives. After all, only you can make the Demon-Slaying Qin resonate!” A cold glint flashed in his eyes. Sword Heart stepped forward, grabbing Ling Ruoxi by her clothing, and smirked darkly.

Luo Mingyu’s expression hardened. Placing a hand on the grass, he shouted angrily, “Let her go!” He tried to rise, but his injuries were too severe; he struggled briefly but couldn’t continue.

Ling Ruoxi sneered, “The Demon-Slaying Qin? You want me to play it? Ha! That thing—I will never play it.”

“Are you mocking me?” Sword Heart gripped her neck. He had no interest in the face behind the mask. A cruel smile curled his lips. “You have a compass, and you came here seeking the Purple Bamboo that strengthens power!”

“You know about the Purple Bamboo too?” Ling Ruoxi’s eyes flickered in surprise. A divine beast fox—also after the Purple Bamboo?

Sword Heart’s fox-like eyes glimmered, his lips curling in a sly smile. “All monsters here know of the Purple Bamboo. I only got a small piece by chance, which allowed me to take human form. Otherwise, why would I flee when I saw your Dou Qi?”

“Purple Bamboo… can strengthen power?” Ling Ruoxi thought. Wasn’t it used for the Purple Bamboo Divine Needle? Did the little fox swallow it whole to gain this form?

Sword Heart chuckled. “You have the compass to find Purple Bamboo and can play the Demon-Slaying Qin, yet you don’t know that consuming even a piece allows monsters to take human form, and humans to reach Purple Sovereign level. Truly laughable!”

Ling Ruoxi’s mind raced. “What do you mean? My ability to play the Demon-Slaying Qin—what does that have to do with the Purple Bamboo?”

“Heh. The compass locates the Purple Bamboo, and the Demon-Slaying Qin extracts it. You think your two claws alone can dig it out?” Sword Heart sneered, reaching for Ling Ruoxi’s storage ring.

Ling Ruoxi’s expression darkened. “Don’t touch me! I refuse to believe it—the Demon-Slaying Qin is just a fancy spade for digging Purple Bamboo?”

Even the nearby monsters laughed at that.

Ling Ruoxi then turned her attention to another creature—a weasel-like beast resembling the yellow weasels of Earth. Its smell made her recoil.

Raising its sharp chin, it spoke: “Little one, you truly don’t know! Purple Bamboo isn’t so easily plucked. Millennia-old, it embodies the essence of all bamboo, born from absorbing the world’s spiritual energy. To obtain it, you must use the compass to locate it, then play the most beautiful tune on the Demon-Slaying Qin. Only then will the bamboo rise from the ground. Otherwise, even a Purple Sovereign cannot move it. This is quite a prize: we not only found someone who can play the tune but also acquired the compass!”

“I see… so you know where the Purple Bamboo is.” Ling Ruoxi nodded. The bamboo was delicate and required the song to release it from the soil. But with her “terrible” musical skills… well, heaven only knew how that would go.

Sword Heart frowned, grabbing Ling Ruoxi from the ground. “Why ask so many questions? Purple Bamboo is a spiritual treasure, shifting positions periodically to absorb energy. Now, use your compass to locate it!”

“Hehe, this little one knows nothing,” the weasel cackled, “but this man seems fine—he’s mine.” Its mischievous eyes fixed on Luo Mingyu, darting around him, claws open. “Since you’re all going to die, take off your mask—let me see you!”

Pop! Just as it raised its hand, the lying figure slapped it, and it flew off like a broken kite. Ling Ruoxi smirked, grabbing Sword Heart’s wrist with her right hand and kicking out, unleashing a burst of purple Dou Qi that quickly immobilized him.

“You—!” Sword Heart couldn’t believe the sudden reversal. The two were unharmed, their sealed Dou Qi restored. How was this possible? How could their actions be anticipated?

Clapping her hands, Ling Ruoxi arched an eyebrow, a sly smile on her face. “You think only you can scheme, but don’t forget—we can scheme too. Oh, and I didn’t mention: I’m a medicinal doctor, skilled in medicine. The drug Li Lei gave us? Just to control our Dou Qi. We played along, sealing it temporarily while messing with you.”

Pfft! The weasel on the ground almost spat in outrage. “Impossible! Even in the illusion, you fought without knowing each other, how could you do that—release your Dou Qi?”

“Simple,” Ling Ruoxi said. “You’ve never loved anyone, right? At first, we didn’t know what you were doing, so we attacked. But the moment our weapons clashed, we recognized each other. Then we pretended ignorance, writing messages on each other’s palms while our blades passed. Luo Mingyu and I thought alike—it was quite fun.” She laughed, hooking his chin, raising an eyebrow. “Right, Mingyu?”

Luo Mingyu smiled darkly, gripping her hand. “Who told you about the Purple Bamboo?”

“Ha! We’ve protected knowledge of the Purple Bamboo for centuries, long before you! Don’t even ask. Even if caught, you won’t make us reveal its location!” The Bamboo Sea was vast; the compass could guide direction only roughly. A familiar guide would make it far easier.

Ignoring Sword Heart, Ling Ruoxi removed her bloodstained clothing, taking out the compass. The needle pointed steadily ahead, not wavering. The earlier instability wasn’t due to monsters but a shift in magnetic fields—a sign they were inside an illusion, where north and south couldn’t stabilize.

“Leave them here. We’ll go find the Purple Bamboo.” Ling Ruoxi’s heart thumped as she advanced quickly.

Sword Heart protested, “Hey! You can’t leave us here! We helped you—just let us see the Purple Bamboo! Don’t be so cruel; other monsters are here. If you leave us tied, we’ll die!”

“Stop whining. You’re not on the menu,” Ling Ruoxi said, waving her hand. The Dou Qi ahead vanished completely.

Sword Heart and the weasel tensed, their triangular eyes swallowing hard. Even Luo Mingyu gave a sly grin. These two had never been innocent; better to stay alert.

Eyes flashing, Ling Ruoxi studied the compass and moved forward, her companions following through the Bamboo Sea.

The vast bamboo forest was breathtaking, a natural sanctuary, filled with dense spiritual energy. Even the bamboo seemed sturdier than usual.

A slender Purple Bamboo shot from the ground, its tip brushed by the breeze, yet it grew proudly. Thirty centimeters tall, radiating a circle of purple light, a barrier preventing any touch.

Even Sword Heart was stunned, swallowing hard. “Such long Purple Bamboo… must be tens of thousands of years old. Whoever consumes this will explode in power, and…”

Whoosh! Before he could finish, a black figure shot forward like lightning, mouth gaping wide, lunging to bite.