Chapter 132: Stalactite Jade Essence

Back then, when she was swept off the cliff by the great white tiger, her life had been hanging by a thread, so she had no mind to notice any caves. Moreover, this cave was clearly a natural formation, and there was no telling what lay inside. However, since it was deemed a "good place" by the great white tiger, there had to be some unexpected surprises, right?

As Gu Weiyu stepped from her Thunder Hidden Sword into the cave, Little Bud couldn't wait to poke its tiny head out. "A-Yu, I'm hungry—"

Good heavens! Familiar with Little Bud’s antics, Gu Weiyu knew perfectly well that this little creature was, in all likelihood, just being greedy again.

"Here!" Gu Weiyu pulled a lump of "poop" from her storage bag and shoved it toward the sprout.

"No!" Little Bud’s tender leaves swayed, and its voice sounded yearning. "A-Yu, I want to eat what's inside."

Gu Weiyu cast a faint glance at Little Bud; she had known this would happen! But Little Bud was quite picky; what could possibly be in this cave to make it lose interest in its favorite snack? Gu Weiyu gently pinched Little Bud’s leaf, curiosity piqued by what lay within.

Gu Weilan and Xu Weizhou, who followed closely behind, swept their gazes over Little Bud but were tactful enough not to ask any questions. As cultivators, who didn't have their own opportunities and secrets? It was not unheard of to acquire a spirit pet by chance.

The cave was not particularly impressive at the entrance, but as they delved deeper, it became increasingly spacious, and the spiritual energy grew exceptionally dense. The deep, winding cave seemed endless. After walking for nearly a hundred meters, Gu Weiyu couldn't help but marvel inwardly; the concentration of spiritual energy here was comparable to that of Ten Thousand Sword City. She hadn't expected to find such a rich spiritual site in a remote place like Qin County; the only other place she had felt such energy was within her own Gu clan’s ancestral lands.

"Hiss—" "Coo—"

Faint hissing sounds echoed from the front of the cave. At the same time, several cold, malicious gazes landed directly on the three of them. Gu Weiyu’s divine sense had already perceived several Foundation Establishment-stage spirit beasts of various shapes and sizes crouching or lying in front of them. She understood immediately: with such dense spiritual energy, these beasts were clearly using this cave for cultivation.

"Old White, why are you bringing humans into this cave?" A cold, hoarse voice rang out, dripping with obvious displeasure and malice.

The great white tiger flicked its thick tail and grunted, "That 'Star of Calamity' has come again!"

"Star of Calamity? What Star of Calamity?" Another sharp, thin voice asked, laced with a hint of confusion.

"Have you forgotten how we discovered this cave in the first place?" the great white tiger said in a low, hollow tone.

"What? It’s that wretched human!" A giant snake coiled in the cave raised its head, its mung-bean-sized eyes practically spitting fire.

Years ago, when the Spirit Quenching Fruit tree bore nine fruits, the Foundation Establishment beasts of Qilin Mountain were ecstatic. Limited by their aptitude, they couldn't break through the shackles to reach the Golden Core stage, but if they could consume one of these fruits, perhaps they could improve their potential and soar to the heavens! They waited and waited, and when the fruits finally ripened, who would have thought a human would beat them to it? How could they accept that?

The beasts guarding the tree naturally resisted, and a fierce battle ensued. But the result was—all the Foundation Establishment beasts on Qilin Mountain combined were no match for that single human! Recalling the past was too painful; it was nothing but tears!

"What, are you going to go out and challenge him to a duel?" The great white tiger cast a disdainful look at the giant snake. "Don't say I, Old White, didn't warn you—that Star of Calamity is significantly stronger now than he was back then!"

Hearing this, the giant snake immediately wilted, its raised head drooping instantly. It stammered, "What are you rambling about? I was just curious, wasn't I?"

Gu Weiyu found this secretly amusing; she hadn't expected her great-grandfather to be regarded as a "Star of Calamity" by these beasts. The moment he was mentioned, the arrogant snake demon had turned into a coward.

"Alright, all of you, move aside!" The great white tiger lashed its long tail. "I'm taking these three in to have a look—"

Thinking of that "Star of Calamity" currently lurking outside the cave, the beasts that had been sprawled across the path quickly cleared the way. The three humans and the tiger reached the depths of the cave without further obstruction.

When she saw what lay within, Gu Weiyu’s eyes lit up. No wonder the great white tiger called this place a good spot!

"This is... Stalactite Jade Marrow?" Gu Weiyu gasped. Little Bud, having caught the scent of the jade marrow wafting through the air, could no longer restrain itself and poked its head out from her dantian again. Even Gu Weilan and Xu Weizhou, though composed, revealed flickers of shock.

Hundreds of milky-white, oval-shaped stone pillars hung inverted from the ceiling, with pale green liquid dripping from them. The liquid was infused with exceptionally dense spiritual energy; just looking at it, one could see the vapor of energy swirling above it. Jade Marrow spirit liquid was a precious treasure, especially beloved by alchemists. It was mild in nature and could facilitate the fusion of medicinal liquids during pill refining. For an ordinary cultivator, consuming a moderate amount when their spiritual power was exhausted in battle could instantly replenish their reserves—its effect was comparable to a top-grade spirit-replenishing pill! And not just any, but a second-tier top-grade pill, suitable for Foundation Establishment cultivators!

The great white tiger’s massive face was full of smugness. "Well? This place is pretty good, isn't it?"

Gu Weiyu glanced sideways at the tiger. "It's alright."

The great white tiger: "..." You brat, what’s wrong with telling the truth? Who was it that almost couldn't keep their mouth shut a moment ago?

"There's quite a bit of Stalactite Jade Marrow here; it is indeed quite good." Gu Weiyu walked over to a stone pillar and reached out to touch it. It felt cool and refreshing to the touch. Little Bud darted out from her dantian, stuck itself onto the stone pillar, and swayed its leaves in ecstasy. "Ah, so comfortable~~"

Gu Weiyu noticed Little Bud sneakily dipping its roots into the large pool of green liquid that had collected below, but she let the little fellow be.

"Right?" The great white tiger wagged its tail with inexplicable excitement and said generously, "Since you and I have a bond today, you can take as much of this jade marrow as you like!"

Gu Weiyu’s eyes brightened. "Great white tiger, are you speaking the truth?"

"When have I, Old White, ever broken my word?" the great white tiger declared heroically.

Gu Weiyu, Gu Weilan, and Xu Weizhou exchanged glances and, with perfect tacit understanding, each pulled out a Universe Gourd. Though the gourds were only the size of a palm, they were magical artifacts refined by cultivators with vast internal capacities. Gu Weiyu removed the stopper, channeled her spiritual power into the gourd, and aimed the opening at the jade marrow pool.

As all three gourds began to draw in the liquid, the pool of jade marrow in the cave began to shrink at a rate visible to the naked eye. The great white tiger was dumbfounded. How could it have forgotten that human cultivators usually carried such artifacts? Now, it was likely that the entire cave’s supply wouldn't be enough to fill the three of them!