Chapter 13: Chapter 478: Bounty of the Three Great Sacred Lands

Everyone was stunned, their eyes staring blankly at this old man who had appeared out of nowhere.

They clearly hadn't sensed anyone's aura on this tree; why had he been staying here for so long without them noticing? It was likely due to the gap in their respective cultivation levels...

"Old man, you looked just like this hundreds of years ago. How are you still like this even now? Still haven't found the divine medicine for rejuvenation?"

Black Sword threw a triumphant glance at Ye Jinxi, as if to say: *See? My connections are vast, aren't they!*

Ye Jinxi's face darkened. Where on earth did this Black Sword come from? He could be tsundere, he could be scheming, and he could be gloating—no matter how you looked at him, it felt like there was a human soul inside him rather than a sword soul...

"Old man, I have already given up on searching for rejuvenation. I'm quite fine as I am. If I actually grew to look like the Great Sword Soul, this tree of mine would certainly be incredibly lively; perhaps even beautiful women would come to rest under the shade..."

The old man patted the dust off his clothes. Having said this, he looked up and scanned the surroundings, his face instantly turning pale. "Great Sword Soul, have you already mastered the state of a transparent body? It has only been a few hundred years! This old man truly fails to live up to your level!"

*Uh...*

Ye Jinxi looked down at the Black Sword, which had already retracted its eyes, nose, and mouth, and nearly burst out laughing. So, this Black Sword could actually feel shame!

"Old man, cultivating a transparent body is but a momentary matter; it is far too easy. I am escorting these people; they are heading to the Three Great Sacred Lands. You deal with it!" Black Sword's voice echoed in mid-air.

The white-bearded old man hurriedly turned toward the void, clasping his hands and bowing deeply. "The people brought by the Great Sword Soul will certainly be allowed to pass. There is no doubt about that!"

*Uh...*

Not bad. So, even among immortals, one can use the back door!

Ye Jinxi rubbed her chin, unable to help but ponder this.

"But... as for coming out..." The white-bearded old man hesitated, stammering.

"Don't you worry! This young master won't cause you any trouble. Their departure naturally doesn't require your permission!" Black Sword replied with extreme righteousness.

This almost made Ye Jinxi want to throw him to the ground and stomp on him a few times. What was wrong with causing a little trouble? Being able to let them pass safely and return safely was better than anything!

This Black Sword was just someone who insisted on saving face at the cost of his own suffering!

The white-bearded old man hurriedly stepped aside and waved his hand. The massive tree slowly split open down the middle, and a door appeared in the center, emitting a white light and shimmering with a continuous glaze-like luster.

The white-bearded old man took one glance, and suddenly his eyes widened. He stared at the light gate in disbelief, muttering, "Oh, my heavens! Why are there so many people crowding inside that doorway?"

On second thought, the white-bearded man turned toward the void and spoke respectfully, "Great Sword Soul, is it possible that the people inside learned that you were coming to the Three Great Sacred Lands and are waiting for you at the gate?"

*How is that possible?*

*I'm going to the Three Great Sacred Lands, but I haven't told anyone! Besides, with my appearance—neither human nor sword—how could I possibly let acquaintances see me?!*

Black Sword felt indignant in his heart, but what came out of his mouth was: "Naturally. Enough, you have no right to know such things."

Hearing this, the white-bearded old man hurriedly bowed and stepped aside. "Everyone, please enter!"

The ones waiting at the gate were likely the people from the Three Great Sacred Lands waiting for them!

Ye Jinxi took a deep breath. They could not see the images behind the white light gate, but from the white-bearded old man's surprised voice, she knew there must be many people.

However...

Wasn't it said that one needed to be at the Profound Cultivation realm to enter the Three Great Sacred Lands? Wasn't it said that entering them was extremely difficult?

Why hadn't she felt anything at all? Had they really used Black Sword's back door?

Ye Jinxi did not know all of this, but the arriving Xiao Baihe and Murong Lingye witnessed this scene firsthand.

"Wait!"

Just as Ye Jinxi and the others were about to step into the light gate, the white-bearded old man suddenly spoke.

Everyone's footsteps froze instantly. A powerful aura immediately radiated from Bu Feichen, pressing down the canopy of the great tree by a notch.

"Don't be nervous, don't be nervous!"

The white-bearded old man bypassed Bu Feichen and Ye Jinxi and approached Yuanbao. His eyes instantly lit up with golden light as he rubbed his hands together, saying happily, "How rare! If I stew him, wouldn't I be able to grow several years younger?"

*What? Stew Yuanbao?*

*Is he even human?!*

Ye Jinxi's heart jolted. With extreme speed, she shielded Yuanbao behind her, looking at the white-bearded old man warily. If he dared touch her son, she would absolutely not let him go!

However, the white-bearded old man no longer looked at Yuanbao. Instead, he reached out, his eyes fixed on the object in his palm. "Wonderful! This old man hasn't seen one in hundreds of years!"

Ye Jinxi followed his gaze and saw that resting quietly in the white-bearded old man's palm was the Turtle Immortal, who had just retracted his head and legs into his shell!

*Uh...*

The white-bearded old man wasn't talking about Yuanbao; he was talking about the Turtle Immortal!

As long as it wasn't her Yuanbao, she could give him anything else. Of course, she couldn't give him Feichen either...

While Ye Jinxi was still thinking, the Turtle Immortal sensed danger. He hurriedly poked his head out of his shell and screamed for help!

"Save me! Great Sword Soul, save me!"

Hearing this, the white-bearded old man was momentarily choked up. He stared at the Turtle Immortal strangely and asked, "You've lived for hundreds of years? You can actually speak?"

Upon hearing this, the Turtle Immortal kicked the white-bearded old man's hand fiercely with a small claw and said proudly, "This immortal has lived for over nine thousand years; of course I can speak!"

The white-bearded old man was instantly stunned. He looked at the Turtle Immortal. "My heavens! In the Three Great Sacred Lands, even turtles that lived for a thousand years could transform into human form. You've lived for nine thousand years—how is it that you only just learned how to speak?!"

"What did you say?!!"

No one expected such a tiny turtle to let out such a massive roar.

"How is that possible! It's so unfair! I've lived for over nine thousand years! Why is it that in the Three Great Sacred Lands, living a thousand years is enough? So unfair, so unfair!"

As he spoke, the Turtle Immortal began to pace back and forth in the white-bearded old man's palm in a state of agitation, looking completely indignant, seemingly having forgotten that he was in danger.

Ye Jinxi's mouth twitched as she watched. This turtle, much like Black Sword, seemed to be missing a brain cell...

"There's nothing unfair about that..." the white-bearded old man said with a smile.

However, before he could say more, the Turtle Immortal had already crawled onto the old man's thumb, glaring at him. "How can it be fair! I have cultivated for so many years just to become an immortal and transform into human form! I thought all turtles were like me; I didn't expect I was the only exception..."

The white-bearded old man quickly tried to cut off the Turtle Immortal's long-winded speech. "It is quite an exception. I have never seen a turtle live as long as you. It is not improper for you to call yourself a Turtle Immortal."

"Hmm?" The Turtle Immortal froze. "What do you mean you've never seen a turtle live this long?"

"Indeed! The turtles in the Three Great Sacred Lands can only live for a hundred years before they are eaten by humans and other animals. After all, turtles are indeed a great tonic!"

After saying this, the white-bearded old man licked his lips, looking as if he had eaten them himself.

"What?!" The Turtle Immortal recoiled in fear, turning his head timidly to look at Ye Jinxi. "Then... then I'm not going to the Three Great Sacred Lands..."

Hearing this, the white-bearded old man laughed. "Fine, fine! Then you can stay here and keep this old man company! Let's see... on the first day, I'll stew your front right leg, on the second day, I'll stew your front left leg..."

"I've decided, I'm still going to the Three Great Sacred Lands." The Turtle Immortal swallowed hard, hopped across the white-bearded old man's palm, and landed in Yuanbao's soft hair. He hid behind Yuanbao's head, peeking timidly at the old man.

"If you have something to say, just say it."

At this moment, Bu Feichen suddenly spoke.

The white-bearded old man smiled and stroked his beard, sizing Bu Feichen up from head to toe. "Are you the Demon Venerable of the Demon Sect?"

Ye Jinxi narrowed her eyes slightly, her entire being becoming alert.

It seemed this white-bearded old man appeared muddled, but he wasn't muddled at all.

"Correct," Bu Feichen said in a low voice.

"The Three Great Sacred Lands issued a bounty long ago. Ten thousand gold for capturing you alive, and a thousand gold for obtaining your corpse," the white-bearded old man said indifferently.

Hearing this, Yuanbao's large eyes instantly turned into gold ingots. He turned to look at Bu Feichen and muttered, "I didn't expect Daddy to be so valuable!"

Ye Jinxi also looked at Bu Feichen and blinked. "Baby! How about we capture your Daddy alive and give him to them? We'll get a thousand gold! Then we let Daddy escape, and we catch him again and give him back. How does that sound?"

Yuanbao's eyes sparkled. "Wow! Mommy, you're so smart!"

Bu Feichen's face darkened instantly as he suppressed his anger. "No!"

However, his voice was automatically ignored by the big one and the little one, who were now seriously calculating how to split the loot...

"Hahahaha..." The white-bearded old man burst into laughter. "I've lived for so many years, and I've never seen such an interesting little girl!"

Ye Jinxi suddenly turned to look at the white-bearded old man and asked expectantly, "Then what about my bounty? How much is it?"

"Uh..."

The white-bearded old man, who had been laughing heartily, was choked by Ye Jinxi's question. He immediately turned his head away and coughed twice. "It seems... only a name like 'Yuanbao' is left."

"Yuanbao?!"

"Yuanbao?"

Ye Jinxi and Bu Feichen spoke in unison, both frowning.

Yuanbao looked up at the white-bearded old man with innocence and asked in a crisp voice, "Grandpa White Beard, how much is mine?"

The white-bearded old man looked down at the innocent child, feeling that the child carried a transparent light throughout his entire being, as clear as a spring of water, making one like him instantly upon seeing him.

The white-bearded old man grinned. "Ten thousand gold if alive, a thousand gold if dead."

"Wow! I'm actually worth that much money?!" Yuanbao immediately beamed at Ye Jinxi. "Mommy! You said you carried me for ten months! During those ten months, was your belly full of silver?!"

Ye Jinxi burst into laughter, holding Yuanbao in her arms and looking him over. "See how much foresight Mommy had! I gave you the name 'Yuanbao' (Gold Ingot)."

The corners of Bu Feichen's and the First Physician's mouths twitched. It seemed that in Ye Jinxi's eyes, Yuanbao had effectively turned into a giant gold ingot.

"Thank you for the reminder," Bu Feichen said to the white-bearded old man in a low voice.