Chapter 2685: Chapter 2686: Racing Against Time

The Heluo got up and introduced Bai Ruozhu and the others to everyone, and then introduced several elders to Bai Ruozhu and the others. After saying a few polite words, he announced the start of the banquet.

The Golden Wings Clan indeed revered nature; most of the dishes were green vegetables with very little meat, which suited Luan Xin just fine.

But Gao Zhou soon felt like escaping. He was someone who couldn’t live without meat, so making him eat these greens was sheer torture!

Fortunately, although Gao Zhou had a fiery temper, he understood the rules of being a guest and didn’t show his displeasure.

Unexpectedly, the Holy Maiden Tian Ning suddenly stood up with her glass and said, "Today I failed to clearly communicate with Wen Xuan, causing a misunderstanding and offending several esteemed guests. I offer this glass of wine as an apology, especially to this young brother here for scaring you."

Luan Xin didn’t expect to be mentioned by name and looked up at Tian Ning.

"Luan Xin is just a child, so he won’t be drinking. The Holy Maiden’s intentions are appreciated," Bai Ruozhu stood up, raised his glass, and drank it in one gulp.

"It’s all fruit wine; it’s fine for children to have a glass or two. We Golden Wings Clan start drinking from a young age," Tian Ning said with a smile.

Luan Xin stood up and bowed, "Thank you for your kindness, Holy Maiden, but Luan Xin is a monk and does not partake in alcohol or meat. My apologies."

"You became a monk at such a young age?" Tian Ning appeared very surprised, and the nearby members of the Golden Wings Clan looked on with unfriendly eyes.

Clearly, they felt that Luan Xin was intentionally disrespecting Tian Ning, though such a young child would not dare to do so. It was clear that Bai Ruozhu must have instructed him.

Their Holy Maiden had already apologized sincerely, showing such humility. Why would the other party refuse to give face?

It’s all been called a misunderstanding, and the Golden Wings Clan members involved were punished, with Wen Xuan even being confined for a month. Why were these people from Zhongyuan so petty?

Finally, the Holy Maiden Xuan You exploded in anger, jumping up at once, "Do not be so ungrateful!"

Bai Ruozhu gave Xuan You a calm glance and then looked at Tian Ning. This Tian Ning was not simple; she was scheming, effortlessly sowing discord with just a few words.

She must have known from the start that Luan Xin was a little monk, as Luan Xin’s head was shaved, something that anyone familiar with the outside world would be aware of.

Bam, Gao Zhou slammed his palm on the table, "How could you speak in such a way? Anyone with eyes can see that Luan Xin is a monk. Can monks casually drink alcohol and eat meat? Are you apologizing or deliberately causing trouble?"

Bai Ruozhu said coldly, "We’ve received the Holy Maiden Tian Ning’s good intentions and will remember them. Let’s not force Luan Xin to drink, Heluo Clan Leader, what do you say?"

Heluo knew Luan Xin was a monk and that in his past life, Luan Xin had been a highly accomplished monk, certainly unwilling to break his vows. He hurriedly stepped in to mediate, "This was my oversight, I forgot to introduce everyone; Luan Xin, the young master is a disciple under the Master of Fosang Zhaoti Temple, devoted to the Buddha and cannot break his vows."

These words calmed many people, who also expressed understanding, but many of Tian Ning’s ardent followers remained displeased.

Especially when Tian Ning, with lowered head, said, "It was my rudeness."

She bit her lips, her eyes slightly reddening, appearing very aggrieved; it easily triggered protective instincts in men, especially on such an island where the gender ratio was uneven—a group of male birdmen facing three eligible female birdmen wouldn’t they see them as goddesses?

"Why should you apologize? The words weren’t even yours. From the start, they didn’t intend to speak civilly with you, aiming to embarrass you deliberately," Xuan You said angrily.

Heluo’s face turned solemn, "Xuan You, step back, have you forgotten what I told you?"

"Brother!" Xuan You stamped her foot, then turned and ran off, fuming.

Tian Ning quickly glanced at Heluo, disappointment in her eyes, but also a lingering attachment.

Bai Ruozhu observed everything, suddenly understanding what was going on. This Tian Ning likely harbored feelings for the clan leader. Even though she could choose a partner on Jinchi Island, the clan leader seemed past the marrying age or perhaps had no interest, and Bai Ruozhu and their party arriving on the island and gaining Heluo’s favor had sparked a crisis of feelings in Tian Ning.

Of course, if it was merely a matter of love turning to hate, Tian Ning wouldn’t be a threat. The fear was something else was hidden as well.

The meal felt rather lackluster, not only because it consisted mostly of vegetarian dishes, but also because the Golden Wings Clan used minimal seasoning, and with the atmosphere so tense, it was even more difficult to endure. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Fortunately, it soon came to an end, and Heluo, along with the great elder, approached Bai Ruozhu, saying, "Madam Bai, may we have a word in private?"

"Alright," Bai Ruozhu agreed, secretly glancing at Tian Ning. As expected, Tian Ning was watching from a distance, and when their eyes met, Tian Ning smiled graciously, appearing very friendly. If Bai Ruozhu were not astute, she might have been deceived.

Heluo invited Bai Ruozhu to his residence, served her and the great elder tea, and then said, "Madam Bai, could you explain in more detail about the situation with the Poisonous Insect under the Fertility Tree?"

Bai Ruozhu nodded, hearing from Heluo’s tone that he believed in the existence of the Poisonous Insect, and the great elder’s demeanor was normal, clearly believing as well.

Fortunately, the Jiuli Clan people weren’t too stubborn.

She shared with them the conclusions reached by Xiaomao, and also admitted that she couldn’t pinpoint the Poisonous Insect’s exact location.

"May I boldly ask, how did you determine that the Poisonous Insect is a hundred meters deep?" the great elder inquired.

Bai Ruozhu simply released Furball, saying, "I am not a master of Poisonous Insects, but an elder gave me this renowned benevolent insect. Today, when the Heluo Clan Leader invited me to view the Fertility Tree, my Poisonous Insect sensed something was amiss and investigated for a long time. Yet, because the Poisonous Insect was hidden so deep, and my Poisonous Insect mainly serves to protect me, although it could determine the cause, it isn’t adept at burrowing."

Both were startled upon seeing Furball but noted that typical Poisonous Insects are black or red; rarely was one seen as pure white as Furball. Its lack of aggression towards people also reinforced their belief in Bai Ruozhu.

"What do we do if we can’t determine the location? We can’t dig up the entire area under the tree; it’s over a hundred meters down," the great elder couldn’t help but sigh.

Bai Ruozhu shook her head, "I have no other way. Otherwise, I would have told you directly, making things clearer. Perhaps you could seek out talented individuals in Fusang or Zhongyuan for possible solutions. I think the Fertility Tree might hold out for a few more years."

"Can you be certain of how many years?" Heluo asked with a furrowed brow.

Bai Ruozhu consulted with Furball and replied, "It says that if the Poisonous Insect does not produce descendants, it could last ten years, but if it has descendants, then at most, only five."

"Wasn’t there only one Poisonous Insect? How could there be descendants?" the great elder asked in surprise.

"A Poisonous Insect isn’t a typical insect that requires both male and female to reproduce. Moreover, it’s been consuming the Fertility Tree’s essence, growing stronger continuously. Once it reaches a certain point, it can divide to produce descendants," Bai Ruozhu explained.

Heluo’s expression grew even more serious, "It seems we must act quickly."