So far, Li Qianluo and Xiang Beifei's relationship has been quite harmonious, without any conflicts. It wouldn't make sense to just snatch something away, so Xiang Beifei decided to find an opportunity to talk to her later and ask about the brick.
After cleaning the battlefield, Xiaohei had already obtained a pile of orifice souls. These orifice souls came from the Ghost Mustache of Remnant Visage, Meat-Winged Monster, and the Demon Race, totaling fifty-six spiritual power crystals at the early Heavenly Connection stage and eighteen at the mid-stage.
As for the scattered orifice souls from the orifice transforming stage master, Xiaohei wasn't interested, too lazy to keep count, and gave them all to Erha as snacks.
Erha grinned so wide it looked like his mouth was crooked, chewing on a spiritual power crystal as if it were a candy bean, crunchy indeed. After a while, he regretted, "Awoo awoo?"
They didn't manage to get their hands on any spiritual power crystals from the late Heavenly Connection stage, which was still somewhat disappointing, especially with Xuwang and Flaming Six Wings, both of whom were dragged into the Black Water River, and they didn't have time to extract their orifice souls.
"They're not dead, just trapped in the Bitter Sea. It's almost like being dead, though," Xiang Beifei said.
The Black Water River, also known as the Bitter Sea by the old Giant Spirit, is a place full of endless torment. The Giant Spirit Race was once suppressed in the Bitter Sea, which is filled with the sinister and powerful Ruishui River, constantly eroding the cultivators' souls! It triggers the most painful memories of the cultivators and endlessly replays them before their eyes, making them experience agony repeatedly, ensuring they live forever in terrifying pain.
Unless a person naturally lacks the perception of pain, once they fall into the Bitter Sea, they can never turn back.
The Ruishui River here is only a small part; the old Giant Spirit mentioned that the real Bitter Sea is in the Edge Corner Airspace, vast and boundless, and equally bizarre. After the Giant Spirit Race came out from the Edge Corner Airspace, he took a part of the Ruishui River from the Bitter Sea to protect this place.
Youmong blinked and said, "You?"
"Not really, I never intended to let Xuwang and Flaming Six Wings go. Xiaohei, you might try jumping into the Black Water River to find them," Xiang Beifei replied.
Xiaohei widened his eyes, "Woof? Woof woof?"
"Your skin is thick! You see that the mound spirit can't hurt you, Yellow Spring water is ineffective, do you think the Ruishui River can stop you?" Xiang Beifei replied.
Xiaohei scratched his forehead with his paw, feeling a little embarrassed.
Usually, Xiaohei doesn't have many flashy combat abilities, unable to directly intimidate others with powerful aura, and no one has ever been scared by Xiaohei's aura, but nothing can injure Xiaohei either.
Of course, if the mischievous Xiaohei wanted to fight, many cultivators couldn't withstand it, especially since no one can endure Xiaohei suddenly smacking them on the head with a brick.
"Woof?" Xiaohei asked Xiang Beifei if he needed to go with him.
"I can't go. If I were to go down, I would first need to use the Yu Divine Stele to eliminate the influence of the Black Water River, so there's a chance they might come back out. After all, those two are not simple," Xiang Beifei explained.
Xiaohei held up three paws to show he understood, then turned around happily, ready to jump into the Black Water River.
"Wait, take this." Xiang Beifei handed the brick to Xiaohei.
With the brick in hand, the world is mine.
Xiaohei took the brick, ran to the riverbank, dipped his tail into the Black Water River, touched a bit of the Ruishui River, and noticed the white fur on his tail was still shiny, with no signs of corrosion. He arrogantly wriggled his butt, then dove headfirst into the Black Water River.
Xiaohei swam back and forth in the Black Water River, which, though no spiritual power could fly over, did not drag him down. Once he confirmed it was safe, he dove boldly into the Black Water River.
What happens at the bottom of the Black Water River, Xiang Beifei couldn't be certain; it could block perception, untouchable. What exactly to do after going down there would depend on Xiaohei's improvisation. Those in the midst of suffering, Xuwang and Flaming Six Wings, definitely couldn't handle a brick from Xiaohei.
"All the fellow Daoists have returned to normal, and by the look of things, they should be fine," Li Qianluo came over, stretched lazily, appearing very satisfied.
Xiang Beifei continued sitting on a stone by the Black Water River, turned to look at Li Qianluo, and asked, "Can I ask you something?"
"What is it?" Li Qianluo sat on the stone next to Xiang Beifei.
Xiang Beifei hesitated for a moment and asked, "You're not from the Tree Li Race, are you?"
Li Qianluo blinked and asked, "Why ask this all of a sudden?"
"What the Night Demon said before he died, I heard it," Xiang Beifei said.
Li Qianluo pouted angrily, "That big mouth!"
"So, which race's cultivator are you?" Xiang Beifei asked.
Li Qianluo lifted one foot, propped her right elbow on her knee, rested her chin on her hand, tilted her head, and looked at Xiang Beifei with a grin, "Is it that important which race's cultivator I am! Just like I know you're not from the Congji Abyss, but I never pointed it out!"
"I never claimed to be from the Congji Abyss," Xiang Beifei said.
Li Qianluo furrowed her brows, her eyes rolled thoughtfully, muttering, "Seems like it, huh."
The first time she met Xiang Beifei, he was grilling a Fried Sauce Rat, and she came over to ask if he was from the Congji Abyss.
"I made a mistake! At that time, your aura was strange, clearly resembling friends from the Congji Abyss. If I hadn't later realized the Congji Abyss wouldn't have your kind of ability, I'd still be treating you as a friend from there..."