Zhenzhu continued conversing with them and eventually learned where the hunter’s house was located. With enough information, she paid for the meal and bade them farewell. The meal was quite expensive, likely due to the high cost of rice and fresh food during this time. She had to pay 10 taels—an amount sufficient to support an ordinary family for nearly a year. But it was worth it for the information she received. When she left the restaurant, she headed straight for the carriage, where her father and siblings had gone ahead of her. She needed to use the Yuchong liquor to entice the hunter. However, upon reaching the carriage, she saw only He Yu waiting. He Lei and He Ming were not there. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭·𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦·𝘯𝘦𝘵 "Yu’er, where are Big Brother and Father?" "Big brother and father said they would gather information for a while and asked me to wait here.” "Oh," Zhenzhu nodded, then climbed into the carriage to find the half jar of liquor. But after searching, she couldn’t find it. "Yu’er, did you see the jar of liquor I left in the corner?" "The jar you and Big Brother drank from on the way?" the boy asked. "Yes, the one I left on the carriage. Did you see it?" "I saw it, but I gave it to a stray dog over there. It looked so thirsty, drinking dirty, smelly water. I felt sorry for it, so I poured the water from your jar for it. It drank it all. It must have been very thirsty." The little kid thought it wouldn’t hurt to give water they had on the carriage to the dog since they could buy tea or water from the teahouse. "You... you gave the Yuchong liquor to a dog!" She almost fainted. "Is that water Yuchong liquor? Is it very good?" He Yu asked, curious upon seeing his sister’s reaction. But he had already given it to the dog. "It... It’s somewhat good," Zhenzhu struggled to reply. Well, he was still a child and didn’t understand the trouble he had caused her. What would she do now? The Yuchong liquor was gone, what could she use to lure the hunter? My dear Yu’er, why did you do this to your sister? She cried out inwardly. Before long, He Lei and He Ming returned to the carriage. The information they had gathered was not much different from hers. The Kongque Valley was a perilous place for the townsfolk. Anyone who entered never returned alive. Additionally, the Black Hawk Sect was based in the valley. It is said that the Black Hawk Sect is extremely cruel. If they see any outsiders entering their territory, they will kill them immediately. Moreover, the valley is filled with beasts, some even reaching the gold-tier. "In that case, what should we do, Father?" This was a matter that needed careful consideration. If they entered the valley, there was no guarantee they would find Grandmaster Huo Bi. Insisting on going could mean risking their lives for nothing. He Lei was equally troubled, unsure of what decision to make. If they turned back now, it would be a wasted trip. "Should we first try to speak with the hunter? At least we might know whether we should proceed or return," Zhen Zhu suggested. "Good, let’s do that.” "It’s fortunate we still have half a jar of Yuchong liquor left," He Ming said. From his inquiries, he found out that the hunter loved drinking. Bringing him Yuchong liquor would likely get him to share everything he knew about the Kongque Valley. "It’s all gone, Big Brother,” Zhenzhu said. "Why gone?!" He and his younger sister had only drunk half of it. Surely the other half was still in the carriage unless his younger sister finished it herself. "Yu’er gave it all to a dog," Zhenzhu explained. "Gave it to a dog!" He Ming exclaimed in shock. "The... The... The dog was very thirsty," little He Yu said with tears welling up. Seeing his older brother’s expression, he realized that water must have been very important. Big brother and big sister made that face when they knew he gave that water to a dog. Did he make a big mistake? "I... I’m sorry. Sob. Boo-hoo. "Yu’er, it’s okay. Don’t cry," she wiped the tears streaming down his cheeks. "It’s alright, Yu’er. Big Brother isn’t mad at you. Don’t cry," He Ming said. This time, both older siblings quickly comforted their little brother. After a while, the little kid finally stopped sobbing. "B... But it’s all gone," the boy said. "If it’s gone, we’ll find something else. But Yu’er, you were wrong not to ask your big sister first. You must ask the owner before taking someone else’s things. As punishment, you’ll have to write 100 pages of calligraphy when we get home." She needed to discipline him. If she let this go, not punish him after he did a wrong thing, this would become a habit and he might repeat it. "O... Okay," He Yu’s face was sad. "Let’s find an inn to rest first, and then we’ll go buy some liquor for the hunter," He Lei said. "Alright, Father," Zhenzhu said. The He family, having reached a decision, got into the carriage to find an inn, unaware that someone was watching them. At the inn, they booked three rooms: one for He Lei and He Yu, and two for Zhenzhu and He Ming. Once in her room, she bolted the door and collapsed onto the bed, exhausted from three days and two nights of travel. "So, you’re going to Kongque Valley?" a cold, monotone female voice asked. "Yes, we’re going to Kongque Valley," Zhenzhu responded instinctively, not thinking much of it. After a long while, she sprang up suddenly. "Hey! H... How did you get into my room?" Zhenzhu turned to see the newcomer. Why did she always encounter unexpected visitors whenever she traveled? "Climbed in," the guest replied, sitting precariously on the windowsill. "Oh, you’re Sister Ruan Molan. What brings you here?" This woman again. The last time, she was nearly dead and fell into Zhenzhu’s room. Now she was visiting her room once more. Why did this woman lack of manner to use the door? Did she intend to enter other people’s room through windows every time? "Hmm," the impolite woman responded. "Sister, do you know Kongque Valley?" Zhenzhu asked excitedly. "Yes, I know it. Why are you going there?" Molan asked back. "I’m going to find Grandmaster Huo Bi. I need to ask him for a favor. Have you ever seen him?" "Really?! Is he still in Kongque Valley?" Zhenzhu felt incredibly lucky to have encountered this woman. "He’s still there," Molan nodded. "Then, could you take me to him?" "I’ll take you." This woman was extremely succinct. Just like the previous time, she was a beautiful woman with sweet face, but her eyes were incredibly cold. Sister, could you smile a bit? You’re scaring me to death. "People say Kongque Valley is very dangerous. Is that true?" She was still worried. "A little means not much." "If I go in, I won’t be risking my life, right?" Zhenzhu was still concerned. It wasn’t just her life but also the lives of three others. She wasn’t willing to take such a risk. "If you go with me, you won’t die." "Are you very skilled?" She examined the woman in front of her again. Her demeanor was deep and hard to read. This woman was not to be underestimated. "Tomorrow morning, I’ll come to pick you up. Be ready," Molan said, and then she leaped out of the window. Was this woman a ghost or something? Coming and going so abruptly, frightened people. Zhenzhu hurried to her father’s room and recounted everything that had happened. From saving the woman before to meeting her again and how she had offered to take them into Kongque Valley. "How trustworthy is this person, Zhu’er?" He Lei still had his concerns. "We have no other option, Father. I saved her life once. She’s just repaying the favor.” He Lei thought for a moment. "Yes, Father. Rest well. We will depart early tomorrow." The next morning, Molan arrived as expected. She was waiting outside the inn on a horse, with three more strong horses in tow. Molan nodded slightly to He Lei, her expression still cold and impassive. Zhenzhu saw the three horses and shook her head. "Sister, I don’t know how to ride a horse." In her family, only her father knew how to ride. "Then ride with me," Molan said. In the end, they used only two horses. Zhenzhu rode with Molan, while the other three rode on a large horse together. The two horses galloped out of the city, following a winding path through vegetable gardens, rice fields, and meadows until they entered a vast forest. Now, tall trees lined both sides of the road. Throughout the journey, Zhenzhu kept asking Molan many questions, eventually learning that Molan was one of the feared members of the Black Hawk Sect. "Sister, why does the Black Hawk Sect hide in Kongque Valley?" No matter how few words Molan used, Zhenzhu always managed to get her to talk, learning quite a lot. Kongque Valley was known as the Valley of Ten Thousand Plants because it was much more fertile than other forests, having a wide variety of plants and flowers. Some rare herbs grew there. This fertility attracted many animals, including beasts. However, most of the beasts were birds, like hawks, eagles, and various other birds. "Sister, where did you see Grandmaster Huo Bi?" "At the Black Hawk Sect." "What! He’s at the Black Hawk Sect?" If she hadn’t met Molan, who was a member of the Black Hawk Sect, Zhenzhu might never have found Grandmaster Huo Bi. Sister Molan was truly a lucky star. As they ventured deeper into the forest, no small animals appeared at this hour. They started seeing larger animals like wild boars, deer, and even tigers. While normal tigers didn’t scare Zhenzhu much, beast tigers made her wary. "Why are you afraid? With me here, no beast would dare come close," Baihu’s arrogant voice echoed. Molan was also surprised. Usually, by this point, those beasts would start appearing. But today, there wasn’t even a shadow of one. She didn’t realize that the beasts were afraid of Zhenzhu’s scent because of her bond with Baihu, causing a power that intimidated lesser creatures to also appear in her scent. As they went deeper into the forest, the surrounding greenery grew thicker and lusher. There was no trace of the drought like other places. The air grew cooler. Zhenzhu noticed many rare plants and strange vegetation she didn’t recognize. She wished she could dismount and gather these herbs, put them in the dimensional bracelet and sell them to Master Tiao, which would fetch a good price. If this place weren’t so dangerous, it would be a paradise for apothecary. Suddenly, something grabbed her leg. "Hey! Sister, stop! Something’s got my leg!" Looking down, she saw a purple vine wrapping around her leg as if it were alive. A gleaming sword cut through the vine immediately. Molan sheathed her sword and urged the horse to move on. "Sister, what was that vine?" Zhenzhu asked once she had calmed down. "Moyu Vine. It likes to wrap around and trap living things that pass by.” "Is... Is it a plant or an animal?” How could it wrap around a leg? "It’s just a plant, but it can trap animals by sensing their movements. Once it catches them, it releases poison to kill the animal, eventually turning it into its food.” Zhenzhu got goosebumps. She had almost become plant’s food. "Father, watch out for the vines! They can wrap around your legs! Don’t get too close!" Zhenzhu shouted to her father riding behind her. He Lei acknowledged her warning immediately. The deeper they went into the forest, the more strange plants and animals Zhenzhu saw. But the most excited one seemed to be He Yu, who exclaimed at every unusual sight. After traveling for a while, they reached an open area. Molan stopped her horse. Soon, three burly men with long beards emerged from the forest and knelt immediately. "I’m taking my friends inside.” The three men exchanged uneasy glances. "The sect’s rules forbid bringing outsiders in.” "The rules are mine. I am the rules," Molan’s voice grew firmer, exuding a menacing aura towards the three men. "Y-yes, Miss. Please proceed," they pressed their palms to the ground simultaneously. Suddenly, the dense forest in front of them seemed to vanish, revealing various buildings among peach trees and flower fields. In the distance, a waterfall cascaded down a cliff. Once water mists reflected the sunlight, it created a beautiful rainbow. How could a waterfall still exist in this time? When looked up to the sky, there were birds flying quickly. Despite the danger, such a stunning place was hidden here. Zhenzhu gaped, feeling like she was walking in a land of immortals. "It’s beautiful. Is this the Black Hawk Sect, Sister?" Zhenzhu asked dreamily. Molan rode straight to a tall building. After dismounting, she led He family inside. "Miss," a beautiful maid greeted Molan with a bow. "Prepare rooms for my friends. I’ll inform the elders.” Molan walked away, leaving the He family with the three maids who guided them to a separate residence. Inside, there were four rooms, one of which was a common room for sitting and dining. "I never expected such a place to exist in Kongque Valley," He Ming said after they had sat together in the room. "Indeed. They even used an Illusionary Formation here. Outsiders can’t enter. If it weren’t for sister Molan, we would never have found this place. I asked her along the way, and Grandmaster Huo Bi is here.” "Hmm, in that case, we are lucky. Next, we need to ask her how we can meet Grandmaster Huo Bi. Stay alert while we are here. We don’t know what the members of the Black Hawk Sect are like," He Lei cautioned. "Yes, Father," the daughter replied. "Yes, Father," the sons replied. The sound of knocking interrupted their conversation. Zhenzhu quickly ran to open the door and found the same servant who had brought them to this residence, now carrying blankets and other necessities. Zhenzhu smiled and accepted them to avoid arousing suspicion. In truth, she had already prepared all the bedding and necessities in her dimensional bracelet. "Lady Molan invites you to dine in the dining hall.” "The dining hall?" How was she supposed to know where that was? "You can follow me, I will show you.” "Oh, thank you," Zhenzhu went to call her father, elder brother, and younger brother to join her for the meal as their host had invited. From the servant’s manner of address and conduct, it seemed Molan was indeed an important young mistress of the Black Hawk Sect. When they arrived at the dining hall, they saw a long table set up. Molan was already waiting for them. "Sister, sorry we’re late.” "No problem. Please have a sit.” The He family sat down to eat, feeling uneasy because their host was so quiet that they didn’t know how to initiate a conversation. "Uh, Sister Molan, will we be able to meet Grandmaster Huo Bi?" "Grandmaster Huo Bi is very reclusive. He generally does not receive guests." "Oh..." Zhenzhu thought to herself, ‘We didn’t travel all this way just to sightsee.’ "But I will try to arrange a meeting and see if he will agree.” "Oh, thank you," Zhenzhu said. Despite Molan’s brief responses, Zhenzhu managed to gather a lot of information. Grandmaster Huo Bi was not a member of the Black Hawk Sect, but he had been studying the art of Painting’s Deity for a long time. However, he had been unable to complete it because the human soul lacked the power to emulate the soul of celestial beings. Though, Grandmaster Huo Bi had heard that the Black Hawk Sect possessed a semi-divine creature, which led him to come here to borrow its spirit energy. Unfortunately, the semi-divine creature of the Black Hawk Sect was currently in a period of slumber, sealing its spirit energy. Thus, Grandmaster Huo Bi had settled here, waiting. "A semi-divine creature? What kind of creature is it?" Zhenzhu inquired. "Fenghuang," Molan answered in a calm voice, but her reply left the listeners speechless. "F... Fenghuang.” The Black Hawk Sect had Fenghuang, a semi-divine creature, a legendary divine creature often mentioned alongside the three divine creatures. "Baihu, you’ve found a friend," Zhenzhu spoke to Baihu through her mind. "Hmph, it’s just a fragment of a soul," Baihu replied. "You’re a fragment of a soul too, don’t forget," Zhenzhu retorted. "Sister, why is the Fenghuang in slumber, sealing its spirit energy?" Molan explained that the Black Hawk Sect originally had one successor with whom Fenghuang would form a bond. When a semi-divine creature bonds with a human, it strengthens its spirit energy. However, the last leader of the Black Hawk Sect, with whom Fenghuang had formed a bond, died 100 years ago. Since then, Fenghuang has refused to bond with anyone else and has fallen into a slumber, sealing its spirit energy. This caused the ancestors of the Black Hawk Sect to retreat into this valley, waiting for a new successor to awaken Fenghuang. "Oh, I see." If she wanted Grandmaster Huo Bi to paint the deity painting, she might not need Fenghuang. She had another divine creature. She would have to consult Grandmaster Huo Bi to see if he could use Baihu instead. The next morning, Zhenzhu and the He family followed Molan to meet Grandmaster Huo Bi. His residence was situated far away, surrounded by various plants and trees, creating a cool environment. An old man with white hair was sitting outside, washing brushes. When Zhenzhu saw him, she wondered if he really was Master Wen Dai’s teacher. Why did he not seem as old as Master Wen Dai? "Greetings, Grandmaster Huo Bi," Zhenzhu said. "Greetings, Grandmaster Huo Bi." "Master Huo Bi, these are the friends I told you about. They have a request for your help," Molan introduced them before excusing herself, leaving them to discuss their matters. The old man set his brush to dry in the wind before turning to look at his visitors. "What brings you to me?" He sat on an old wooden bench. "It is , master..." Zhenzhu told him the reason for their visit without Missing a single detail. She told him about the drought in the outside world, the resulting deaths, and how they wanted him to help by painting the deity painting. After listening to her story, Grandmaster Huo Bi was silent for a while before letting out a deep sigh. "Sigh... It’s not that I haven’t tried to paint it, but every time I do, it never captures the soul of the deity. We humans do not yet have the power to replicate the soul of the deity; it defies the will of heaven." "I understand you are waiting for the Fenghuang to awaken from its slumber, correct?" "Yes, if I could merge my power with the Fenghuang, I might be able to paint the Painting’s Deity," Grandmaster Huo Bi gazed towards the highest point in the valley where Fenghuang was asleep. He had been successful from a young age, able to create Painting’s Beasts, earning fame and praise. Yet, his ultimate goal before dying was to complete the Painting’s Deity. If he succeeded, it would be a legacy to be remembered for generations. "If there is no Fenghuang, could another semi-divine creature be used?" Zhenzhu saw hope. "Why not? But semi-divine creatures are not easily found." He had spent his life traveling and searching for semi-divine creatures, only to find one here in the Black Hawk Sect. Unfortunately, that semi-divine creature was still in its slumber. "It is that easy," Zhenzhu smiled. Suddenly, a white ball appeared in front of them. Baihu stretched out its legs and twisted its body lazily. Roar! It let out a roar. "T... This is... a White Tiger?" Grandmaster Huo Bi was stunned. "Yes, it is. So, can you paint it now?" "Y... Yes. Yes! I’ll give it a try," Grandmaster Huo Bi was so excited. The dream of his life was about to come true. "Shall we start today?" Zhenzhu was in a hurry. Every day people were dying from the drought, and if they did not hurry, more would perish. "Why not? Let’s go. I’ll prepare my things," Grandmaster Huo Bi walked into his residence to quickly gather his painting supplies. Suddenly, a piercing cry echoed across the sky. Soon, Zhenzhu heard a melodious tune unlike anything she had ever heard before. It was an ancient song defying the fate of heavens and earth. Zhenzhu looked toward the source of the sound and saw a bird as large as a horse spreading its wings and soaring into the sky. Its wings were brightly colored like flames, and its tail feathers consisted of five sacred colors: black, white, red, yellow, and green. A burst of fire erupted mid-air, soon dying down. It circled the sky, proclaiming its majestic presence in the heaven. Read ‘Rebirth: This Farmgirl Has Spirit Fish Scales’ before anyone else with more Chapters at https://www.jinovel.com/en