Cultivating In Secret Beside A Demoness

Chapter 769 - 769: The Battle Of The Three Kingdoms

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The next day, Jiang Hao left the Spirit Herb Garden and headed to the cafeteria.

Most people there were at or below the Foundation Establishment Realm, and it was where ordinary individuals went to eat.

Of course, their dining areas wouldn’t be placed together.

It was a risky affair for ordinary non-cultivators to mingle there.

Those at the Lifeblood Refinement Realm level and above seldom ate there. They rarely visited the cafeteria, except for Xiao Li.

She had visited the cafeteria more frequently than anyone else in the past years.

Unlike others, she had to pay spirit stones for her meals.

Presently, it was fifty spirit stones per month.

Most of the time, it was Jiang Hao who paid for her. Xiao Li had spirit stones of her own, but she spent them on other snacks, which meant she was often broke.

As soon as Jiang Hao entered the cafeteria, he saw Xiao Li sitting in her usual spot. She was bouncing on her toes and waiting for her food to arrive.

Her face was full of anticipation and joy.

“Senior Brother Jiang!” She spotted Jiang Hao and waved to him.

“Are you planning to treat me to a meal?” Jiang Hao walked over and sat down. The spirit beast hopped onto the table and expected food to be served.

Xiao Li’s expectant face became conflicted.

Finally, she nodded hesitantly.

Jiang Hao looked at her and gestured for her to bring out the Nine Nether.

The Nine Nether, which was in a fairly joyful state, instantly slumped as if in despair when it reached Jiang Hao’s hands.

It seemed desolate.

Jiang Hao observed that even in this state, it couldn’t influence the outside world.

Even if he wanted it to help Xiao Li, it was powerless to do so unless released from its seal.

Releasing it would be easy but sealing it would be much more difficult.

He couldn’t guard Xiao Li against Feng Hua’s threat, but he knew that Xiao Li herself was strong. With the Dragon Pearl on her, it would require formidable cultivation to harm her.

He just wasn’t sure what cultivation realm could resist the Dragon Pearl’s power.

“Let me hold onto this for now,” Jiang Hao said.

If someone targeted Xiao Li, having the Nine Nether on her would pose a danger.

If it was unsealed, it would worsen the situation. A toothless tiger could still strike and kill.

“Oh…” Xiao Li didn’t seem to mind.

Her food had arrived. It was a huge roast.

Before eating, she cut a small piece for Jiang Hao.

“Senior Brother, you first,” she said.

Jiang Hao took it and started eating.

Then, he watched Xiao Li eat her food heartily.

For a moment, he recalled the past. Xiao Li had come to the Heavenly Note Sect solely for a meal back then.

After arriving in the sect, she showed no interest in cultivating but toiled tirelessly every day for food.

She was often chased by people to make her pay attention to her studies.

At that time, she used to hide in the woods.

Many years had passed without much change in her way of life.

She didn’t like cultivating. She only loved food.

Perhaps one day, while eating, she would suddenly realize who she really was.

Jiang Hao finished his food.

He watched Xiao Li finish her meal too.

Finally, Xiao Li took a few pieces of dessert and put them away secretly.

When Jiang Hao asked her why she didn’t eat them, Xiao Li told him that she’d eat them later at home so that others would know that she wasn’t such a glutton.

“My mother taught me that it’s not easy to be a joke to others,” Xiao Li said.

Jiang Hao didn’t ask anything further. He got up and left.

The spirit beast didn’t follow but stayed beside Xiao Li.

They might need to find Chu Chuan and the others.

Back at his residence, Jiang Hao didn’t dwell on it much.

Rushing was useless in resolving Feng Hua’s threat.

He still had time. The best way was to get stronger quickly and then try and find the other party. After that, he could persuade her to let go of her grudge against him.

One month later, in early June, the list of people selected for the Corpse Realm was released.

Apart from Jiang Hao, there was one more person from the Cliff of Broken Hearts.

Jiang Hao was somewhat surprised to see Xiao Li’s name there.

‘Is Master trying to push Xiao Li to do better?’

Xiao Li’s talent was evident to everyone, and they all knew that she’d progress rapidly if she put in a little effort.

But she just refused to take cultivation seriously.

Whenever the Cliff Master tried to teach her, she would fall asleep.

That was also why nobody paid too much attention to Xiao Li.

To them, someone unwilling to cultivate was just a waste of talent. Such a person wasn’t worth any attention. They wouldn’t affect others.

Typically, those who entered the Corpse Realm were individuals on the verge of a breakthrough, so assigning a slot to Xiao Li might be exactly something that she needed.

Once inside, if one didn’t become stronger by cultivation, they would be in immense danger.

‘I wonder if Feng Hua can reach into the Corpse Realm.’

Jiang Hao didn’t think much about it.

It was uncertain whether Xiao Li could enter. Anybody who entered the realm had to learn about formations.

Could Xiao Li learn them?

It turned out that she could.

The next day, Jiang Hao was summoned by his Master and given a task. He was supposed to teach Xiao Li about formations.

Jiang Hao nodded.

After that, he began teaching Xiao Li.

Initially, Xiao Li refused to learn. Her mind was blank.

She just wanted to sleep.

Jiang Hao withheld her meals. He told her she could only eat after she finished learning the formations.

“Senior Brother Jiang, I’m hungry,” Xiao Li said as she held her grumbling stomach.

She sat under the Immortal Peach Tree and looked forlorn.

Jiang Hao looked at her calmly. “You can eat after we’re done with this.”

Xiao Li stared at Jiang Hao strangely. She felt a sense of déjå vu.

There was a woman’s figure behind her Senior Brother.

The woman looked at her as if saying, “You can’t eat until you finish learning.

No food for you if you don’t learn this.”

Suddenly, it felt as if the woman was about to raise her hand and hit her.

The fearless Xiao Li shuddered.

Then, she picked up the book and said earnestly, “Senior Brother Jiang, I’ll learn this fast.”

Jiang Hao was speechless.

Three days later, Xiao Li completed her training.

Her talent in formations was unusually high.

Jiang Hao was somewhat envious for a moment, as he didn’t possess such talent.

Many people in this world had unique talents.

The feeling of being inferior often lingered in him.

Jiang Hao realized that except for some talent in runic arts, his talents in other areas were quite average.

In September, Jiang Hao had saved up fourteen thousand spirit stones.

He thought he could save up to twenty thousand, but that wasn’t very likely now.

The Corpse Realm Flower was about to bloom.

In seven days, he would enter the Corpse Realm.

This time was different from the last. The Heavenly Note Sect had experience, so everything went smoothly.

The Heavenly Gate Sect’s members didn’t need instructions, either. They already knew what to do.

Seven days later, Jiang Hao, Xiao Li, Zhuge Zheng, and Yin Xueni arrived together at the front of the Corpse Realm Flower.

Jiang Hao was somewhat surprised.

They all knew each other.

Moreover, Zhuge Zheng was entering for the second time.

The spirit beast wasn’t here. It was tending to the spirit herbs and the flower in Jiang Hao’s courtyard.

However, just before they entered, Jiang Hao encountered Feng Hua again.

Hai Ming told him that his second gift was in the Corpse Realm and hoped he liked it.

Jiang Hao nodded politely and expressed his thanks.

It caught him off guard. He didn’t expect Feng Hua’s influence to extend into the Corpse Realm.

He didn’t know from where Feng Hua had entered the Corpse Realm. Was it from the northern region, the southern region, or the western region?

In the south, there was only the Heavenly Note Sect.

If it was here, the only targets would be the Heavenly Gate Sect and Divine Corpse Sect.

Provoking the Heavenly Note Sect directly was dangerous, even more so when the Mountain Sea Sword Sect was involved.

However, it was uncertain what this “gift” would entail..