Demon Sword Sect's Undercover-Chapter 742 - 741: Return to Nature

Hou Niao was embraced by the Earth Spirit Pearl, sinking into a profound silence as he became one with the vast Hundred Thousand Mountains.

He certainly earned this qualification, for apart from the Saintess Star Ring, he was the second master of the Earth Spirit Pearl; perhaps calling him a master isn’t quite appropriate – more accurately, he was the second collaborator.

Having a collaborator or not is a critical element for the Earth Spirit Pearl, meaning it could unleash some rather unique abilities that might not manifest when it exists independently; it is a treasure, showing only a fraction of what it conceals, yet it follows only its instincts.

When the power of the Five Elements and the Life Power combine, many miraculous phenomena can occur. For instance, even though Xing Huan was no longer alive, the pearl could still protect her body in a very peculiar way. Of course, such a method, as enchanting as it is, could not ultimately withstand the scrutiny of sentient beings—another thing about spiritual wisdom.

Because he had once been in close contact with the Earth Spirit Pearl, and had carried Xing Huan for thousands of miles, the Earth Spirit Pearl could only roll in one direction when it fell—towards him.

He had spent over two years underground in the winged tribe’s territory where, during that time, he connected with the Earth Element Mysterious Light and the Earth Spirit Pearl; in fact, he could have broken through the one-mile exclusion perimeter to get closer to it, and might even have escaped right under the sarcophagus, but he chose not to.

Firstly, he didn’t want to monopolize the Earth Spirit Pearl; secondly, there were too many senses about, and even escaping a mile close to the sarcophagus, let alone deeper, would alert others to danger: Why could this person get so close? Was something happening?

Simply for the cultivation of Earth Element Mysterious Light, such closeness was enough; his philosophy of the Great Dao was not to be overgreedy.

He belonged to this world, and not the other way around—even when drunk, he still believed so.

In those two years, he and the Earth Spirit Pearl had deep exchanges from which he learned immensely. As a collaborator in cultivation, he was on a different level from Xing Huan; thus, he also understood the current state of the Earth Spirit Pearl, even able to swap his own perceptions with those of the pearl to some extent.

He learned much, not only about skills like those of the Five Elements but also including the heart journey of Xing Huan from before, and even that the Earth Spirit Pearl, after ten years of guarding, had begun to contemplate departure.

Just as before, the Earth Spirit Pearl shouldn’t belong to any one person.

He had wanted to wait a few more months, to further refine the Earth Element Mysterious Light before releasing it back to the Hundred Thousand Mountains, but the arrival of cultivators from the Northern Heavenly Gate expedited this process. Although unclear about exactly what had transpired above, when Huang Hou’s hand stretched towards the Earth Spirit Pearl, the pearl, sensing danger, issued a warning.

Huang Hou really hadn’t expected, in fact, he didn’t need to be so cautious. When the lid of the coffin was opened, the Earth Spirit Pearl had already become his easy prey; he just needed to take it. At this moment, the pearl, already contemplating departure, was at its most vulnerable—an easy target for slaughter.

He was too cautious, which gave someone hidden underground a chance. Under Hou Niao’s directive, the Earth Spirit Pearl rolled itself into the soil; simultaneously, the body of Xing Huan, which it had protected for ten years, turned to dust.

Hou Niao felt there was nothing wrong with this approach. A young girl displayed lively here for people to gaze upon wasn’t auspicious—it would harm one’s spirit of serenity.

She was merely a victim of circumstances, not a born saint. If she had a choice, she would likely choose a more ordinary life; to marry, have children, and live out her days in peace.

After that, things simplified. He could not take action himself, not a matter of ability, but whether he could escape attention afterward. A hundred cultivators were observing eagerly, and he did not wish to become the target of their attack, to be the despised rat with an exotic treasure.

Outside, achieving this would have been tough, but beneath the earth, the cultivators’ senses were severely hindered. Relying solely on Earth Element fluctuations to gauge movements made everything possible.

Everything unfolded as he had predicted, ruthless and dark. The darkness of human nature reverted to the primal during visible impairment. Rules were abandoned in an every-man-for-himself, survival-of-the-fittest scenario.

As for him, he stayed with the Earth Spirit Pearl on-site. When he and the pearl agreed to completely close off their power fluctuations, it created an illusion that someone had hidden and taken the pearl away. What such an illusion would cause was none of his concern.

By not being greedy, he avoided trouble.

When human cultivators use Earth Escape to hide underground, traces can still be found, including their own mana fluctuations and others’ active probing; such subtlety is hard to perfect.

The simplest and most brutal method is to strike a punch; the force spreads through the soil, making every hidden creature either counterattack or defend—it’s a giveaway.

But in the intense underground battles, he relied on the Earth Spirit Pearl’s stealth techniques, which were on another level, teaching him much in the process.

He did not leave, as hiding here and moving elsewhere made no essential difference; moving might have revealed his presence more.

Time passed day by day. After dissecting the cultivators from the Northern Heavenly Gate, most cultivators chose to leave. Even those inactive ones did so, preferring not to deal with potential retribution from the Northern Heavenly Gate. Plus, without sensing the Earth Spirit Pearl, there was nothing to enlighten them here.

A month later, when a great number of cultivators from the Northern Heavenly Gate arrived, another round of turmoil ensued. Regrettably, they found nothing above or below ground. After months of thorough searching, they had to accept the fact: both the Northern Heavenly Gate Golden Cores and the Earth Spirit Pearl had disappeared together.

Filled with contemplation.

Months passed, and Hou Niao gradually awakened from his silence. With his current mastery over the Earth Spirit Pearl reaching its peak, it was time.

"You belong here, and ultimately to the Continent. Go," he said.

He tossed the Earth Spirit Pearl into the soil, just as he had once done with the Water Spirit Pearl. Transformed into a rule of this land, it quickly integrated with the territory. It would continue to change in integration, becoming the true Earth Element rules of the Jinxiu Continent and awaiting the forthcoming massive changes between heaven and earth.

Hou Niao, light and unburdened, emerged from the ground and vanished into the sky, concluding his three-year-long journey of enlightenment.

... In the courtyard, an elderly woman was weaving a basket while Xing Kong was sharpening his large fork. Just then, a verdant bird flew into the yard, circling around them tirelessly, its cry crisp and clear.

The elder woman collapsed to the ground; the verdant bird landed in her palm, mother and child wept uncontrollably...

Xing Huan was coming home.