"The Universe Ring?"
"Is it the Qiankun Ring? Hmm, since you already have this, why bother with all that trouble? Just put this treasure on the ground, and the spirit of the earth will naturally come obediently."
Xiao Wenbing was greatly surprised. His consciousness kept communicating with the Mirror God. After a long while, he raised his head with a strange expression.
"Wenbing, what's wrong?" Zhang Yaqi asked worriedly.
Xiao Wenbing shook his head and said, "Everyone, stop your cultivation." After saying that, he pointed his finger, and the talisman that was blocking the thick stone slab immediately disappeared into the void.
Upon receiving his order, Butterfly Fairy didn't hesitate. Strands of blue light transformed back into feathered armor, concealing her flawless little body.
Although Zhang Yaqi didn't understand why he did this, she still withdrew the five-colored light and let the Qiankun Ring wrap around her wrist.
Feng Baiyi frowned slightly, but Xiao Wenbing was now very different in her eyes. Regardless of her feelings for him, at least in terms of his knowledge and skills, Feng Baiyi was ashamed of herself. After hesitating for a moment, she finally withdrew the Thunder-Attracting Sword.
Xiao Wenbing led everyone backward, retreating to a distance of more than ten meters.
The thick stone slab, now free of its power, crashed heavily to the ground. The yellow golden core of the earth spirit on the stone wall undulated for a long time before finally leaping up, arriving before the thick stone slab, and jumping inside.
Under the watchful eyes of the group, the thick stone slab rapidly shrank, eventually shrinking to the size of a token.
Strangely, at this point, the Earth Spirit not only did not leave, but instead seemed eager to approach the crowd, appearing to want to come but also hesitant to do so.
"Yaqi, go forward and take the Qiankun Ring." Xiao Wenbing instructed.
Zhang Yaqi responded, knowing there must be some mystery involved that he didn't know about. He took off the five-colored Qiankun Ring, grasped one of its points with his slender fingers, and took a few steps.
The small token stood upright, and suddenly two stubby little feet appeared beneath it. It hopped and skipped to Zhang Yaqi's side. With a leap, it jumped high into the air and plunged headfirst into the Qiankun Circle.
The spirit of the earth, a creature that the Tianyi Sect Master and Xiao Wenbing's second generation had struggled to capture despite their immense efforts, had actually entered the Qiankun Circle on its own initiative. Moreover, judging from its appearance, it seemed poised to settle down there and never leave.
"Is this okay?" Zhang Yaqi asked quietly.
"Hmm, it should be okay, right?" Xiao Wenbing replied in a hesitant tone.
Yes, whether they could or not, they finally completed their mission and captured the spirit of the earth.
Although the method of capture was somewhat unexpected, but...
We finally caught it, that's good.
The three leaders, including the Sect Master of Tianyi Sect, waited anxiously outside the cave. To avoid the sudden arrival of the Heavenly Tribulation, they didn't even dare to probe inside with their divine senses.
For these cultivators who have painstakingly cultivated for nearly a thousand years, the term "heavenly tribulation" is indeed the greatest fear in their hearts. Even if they don't admit it, no one wants to run into this trap in a hurry.
Especially the old Taoist priest Xianyun, who selflessly contributed his greatest life-saving barrier—his natal golden talisman—when helping Xiao Wenbing withstand the heavenly tribulation. Before the talisman's power was fully restored, he dared not act rashly again.
Although they couldn't explore with their divine sense, the three of them were indeed old monsters in the Tribulation Transcending stage. Their senses were incredibly sharp, and they all pricked up their ears and listened intently.
After a while, a series of clanging sounds seemed to be heard from inside. Tianyi Guardian said softly, "They've started fighting."
"Indeed, I hope they can succeed." Fairy Bixia said with a sigh, "If the earth is restored to its former vitality, such immeasurable merit will surely bring good fortune."
However, after that commotion, there was no more sound from the impact.
A long, long time passed. The three of them looked at each other, bewildered. The room was so silent; could something have happened?
The old Taoist priest suddenly took a deep sniff and said in surprise, "What's going on? It smells like something burning."
Then, the sound of footsteps ended, and the three of them showed joy on their faces. The newcomers were the three newly appointed elders of the Heavenly Dao Sect.
"Hey, Wenbing, what's wrong with you?" The old Taoist priest Xianyun looked at Xiao Wenbing in surprise and exclaimed.
Xiao Wenbing gave an awkward smile. His hair was sticking up slightly and was charred black, making him look ridiculous no matter how you looked at it.
The old Taoist priest stepped forward, examined the ground carefully, and suddenly realized, "So that smell was coming from here. I thought something was burnt."
Xiao Wenbing glared at him, wondering why the old man's nose had suddenly become more sensitive than a dog's.
Unlike the old Taoist priest Xianyun, who was focused on studying Xiao Wenbing's head, the sect leader of Tianyi Sect was concerned with important matters. He immediately asked, "Well, has the spirit of the earth agreed?"
Feng Baiyi and Zhang Yaqi exchanged a glance and both kept their mouths shut. What had just happened in the cave was indeed too astonishing. Since they didn't know the reason behind it, they naturally wouldn't understand.
"Sect Master, rest assured, since this matter has been entrusted to the three of us, how could we possibly fail to accomplish it?" Xiao Wenbing patted his chest and said, "It's just a small matter, of course it's a piece of cake for us, without us lifting a finger."
"Good, as expected of my precious disciple, you haven't disgraced me." The old Taoist Xianyun laughed loudly, then glared at Fairy Bixia and blew his beard, his expression clearly saying, "See? This is my good disciple."
Volume 4, The Divine Artifacts, Chapter 138: Negotiation
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Xiao Wenbing chuckled, accepting the old Taoist's praise without hesitation. Suddenly, he remembered something crucial and hurriedly asked, "Master, how should we sign a contract with the Earth Spirit?"
"What!" The old Taoist priest's expression froze, and he blurted out, "Didn't you say it was already resolved?"
"Yes, although that Earth Spirit was extremely cunning, I displayed great power and captured it in one fell swoop. However, as for how to sign the contract, I will have to ask you, sir." Xiao Wenbing recounted his achievements with an upright and dignified expression, and then asked again.
"Ah...caught? Caught?" Old Taoist Xianyun exclaimed in surprise.
The three elders' eyes flashed with astonishment. They had studied the Earth Spirit for hundreds of years. Their only hope for this trip was that Xiao Wenbing and the others could trap it and sign a contract. That would be a stroke of good fortune. As for capturing the Earth Spirit on the spot, that was something they had never even considered.
However, the three of them exchanged glances, and simultaneously sensed something: the achievements of these three young men had far exceeded their expectations...
"Good job, kid." The old Taoist priest patted him heavily on the shoulder, sparing no praise: "You even managed to capture the spirit of the earth, truly worthy of being called a special treasure..."
"Thank you for your kind words, Master." Xiao Wenbing bowed respectfully. No matter how good his relationship with the old Taoist was, he still had to follow the proper etiquette between master and disciple in front of outsiders.
The old Taoist priest smiled broadly, and after a long while, he finally closed his mouth. He looked around and asked, "Where is the spirit of the earth? Let your master broaden his horizons."
Xiao Wenbing pointed at Zhang Yaqi and said, "She's hiding in Yaqi's social circle. Don't worry, she can't escape."
The astonishment in the eyes of the old Taoist priest and others deepened. Weren't they supposed to use the Butterfly Fairy Feather Robe to catch it? How come it's ended up inside the Universe Circle instead?
Xiao Wenbing smiled, offered no explanation, and asked directly, "Master, how should we sign a contract with it?"
The old Taoist priest stroked his beard, pondered for a moment, and then said: "The spirit of the earth is a spiritual being. According to historical records, when the spirits of water, wood, and earth are born, if you purify and trap them, you can communicate with them with your mind. As long as you are patient, you can naturally achieve your goal."
"Telepathic communication?" Xiao Wenbing chuckled and said, "Such a simple matter, let me handle it."
Having said that, he beckoned to Zhang Yaqi. The latter smiled charmingly and removed the Qiankun Ring, handing it to him.
Holding the Qiankun Ring, under the alarmed gazes of the three seniors, Xiao Wenbing solemnly straightened his clothes, took a deep breath, and put on a grand and dignified air, truly commanding respect.
Sect Master Tianyi and Fairy Bixia also looked solemn and focused. Only Daoist Xianyun watched his disciple's performance with a wry smile. The more this guy acted up, the less likely he was to cause any trouble.
Finally, Xiao Wenbing sat down cross-legged, and his thoughts were transmitted out layer by layer.
A few breaths later, his expression turned somewhat strange. He opened his eyes and saw that everyone's eyes were fixed on him. Xiao Wenbing chuckled and continued his efforts.
A moment later, a bead of sweat slowly slid down Xiao Wenbing's forehead.
A moment later, Xiao Wenbing suddenly leaped up and tossed the Qiankun Ring back to Zhang Yaqi. He clapped his hands casually and said, "This disciple suddenly thought of something. This glorious and sacred task should be given to Yaqi, who has the highest cultivation level among the three of us."
The three elders and two children, including a demon baby girl, all looked at him with great confusion, wondering what unexpected thing the eccentric Xiao Wenbing was up to this time.
Little did he know, Xiao Wenbing was communicating with the Mirror God in the Heavenly Void Ring through his thoughts. He shouted in an almost furious tone, "What is this thing? How come my thoughts can't get in at all?"
"Of course, that thing is a rare treasure even in the realm of gods. Since you are not its owner, it is impossible for you to communicate with the spirit of the earth through its protective net."
"Why didn't you say so sooner?" Xiao Wenbing roared through gritted teeth.
"Did you ask?" Mirror God retorted unwillingly.
"Chirp chirp chirp chirp".
"Gurgle gurgle gurgle..."
Leaving aside the fact that Xiao Wenbing and Shen Jing were secretly blaming and arguing with each other, let's talk about Zhang Yaqi. She obtained the Qiankun Ring without any pretense. Her divine sense easily passed through the protective net of the Qiankun Ring and connected with the Earth Spirit temporarily residing inside.
However, her communication with the Earth Spirit was clearly not going too smoothly.
After a while, she frowned, opened her eyes, and said, "The spirit of the earth has refused."
"Refuse?" The Heavenly One Sect Master and the others exchanged bewildered glances. The Earth Spirit actually refused...
Yes, since it has become spiritually connected, it naturally has the right to refuse. But how should this problem be solved?
"Sigh... Yaqi, you're not good with words. You should tell it fiercely that if it doesn't agree, you should lock it up inside for life and never let it out," Xiao Wenbing complained from the side. If it were him, Xu, personally taking action, he would have already subdued the Earth Spirit, and wouldn't have allowed it to make any excuses.
Zhang Yaqi blushed and responded, then used her mind to communicate with the spirit of the earth once more.
However, this time, after only a few breaths, she opened her eyes and said, "The earth spirit didn't react at all. It's as if... as if it intends to settle down here."
"Ah..." The expressions on the faces of the Tianyi Sect Master and the others became increasingly comical. The Earth Spirit had come to settle down in the Qiankun Circle? How come this world is gradually becoming less and less understandable?
"Slap." Xiao Wenbing slapped his thigh hard and said, "Oh dear, I forgot. This thing is inherently attractive to the spirits of the five elements. Yaqi, you're wrong. You should say you drove it away."
"You're right, you're wrong, why don't you just say it yourself?" came the cold voice from Congfeng in white.
Xiao Wenbing gave a wry smile, feeling a sense of guilt towards her. He chuckled and said, "Don't panic, let me think of another way."
After speaking, Xiao Wenbing closed his eyes and pondered.
"Mirror God, think of something quickly."
"snort……"
"Wow, he truly lives up to his reputation as a divine artifact! He's got character, like a real buddy." Xiao Wenbing gushed praise after praise. In that short moment, he had already lauded every ancestor of the Mirror God for eighteen generations. As for the Mirror God himself, he was the ancestor of all divine artifacts, and the divine artifact among all ancestors.
Within the Heavenly Void Ring, a patch of goosebumps was faintly visible on the illusory body of the Mirror God.
"Alright, alright, I give up," the Divine Mirror wailed. "There are gods watching over you. If you ever have the chance to reach the realm of gods, please don't speak so recklessly..."
"Why?"
“In the realm of gods, there are many divine artifacts more powerful than me, and quite a few of them have lost their temper, so…” the Mirror God said with certainty, “I don’t want to die young.”
"Died young!" Xiao Wenbing muttered to himself. How old is this guy? "Young"? He'd be more like a ghost in his prime...
"Listen to me, what I mean by the five elements generating each other, fire generates earth, therefore, you just need to do this and that..."
A moment later, Xiao Wenbing opened his eyes, his face full of confidence.
"Wenbing, do you have a solution?" Zhang Yaqi asked in surprise.
“Yes,” Xiao Wenbing nodded firmly and said, “I’ve thought about it. The so-called five elements generate each other, fire generates earth, so as long as we do this and that… we will definitely be able to get them to comply.”
"Yes, Wenbing, you're really amazing," Zhang Yaqi praised sincerely.
“Ha…” Xiao Wenbing raised his head high and said disdainfully, “If these trivial matters could stump me, then I would be unworthy of being called the number one… no, number one, that… outstanding one among the younger generation on Earth.”