A Mortal's Start in the Spirit Beast Mountain

Chapter 325 Jiang Ruyin

"A life-saving grace? I didn't save you specifically. There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world. Your life needs to be exchanged for something."

Upon hearing that hoarse, aged voice, and combined with Luo Ming's excessively youthful appearance, Jiang Rufeng's last shred of hope vanished, and he completely concluded that the other party was an unfathomable old monster with the ability to preserve his youth.

He trembled slightly and lowered his head even further: "Yes, it was this junior who overstepped his bounds. If senior has any needs, as long as this junior can provide them, I would never dare to refuse in the slightest."

Hearing Luo Ming's deliberately feigned aged voice and seeing his earnest "extortion" demeanor, Yuan Yao couldn't help but smile slightly. He revealed a playful smile.

She quietly turned her head and glanced at Luo Ming with her beautiful, expressive eyes, her gaze teasing, as if to say: You're quite the actor.

Luo Ming noticed her gaze, and glared back at her without changing his expression, his eyes carrying a hint of warning: Don't cause trouble.

Upon receiving the signal, Yuan Yao quickly pursed her lips, suppressing her smile, but a hint of amusement still lingered in her eyes and brows.

She obediently turned her head, seemingly focused on controlling the Wind-Escape Shuttle, but in reality, she secretly pricked up her ears, listening with great interest to the conversation behind her, wanting to see what Luo Ming was up to.

Jiang Rufeng, whose heart was filled with fear and unease at the moment, was completely unaware of the brief exchange of glances and subtle movements between Luo Ming and Yuan Yao.

He lowered his head, only able to see the hem of the black-robed senior's robes before him. He gritted his teeth, a resolute glint flashing across his face, as if he had made a firm decision.

Without further hesitation, he reached out and slammed his hand on the storage pouch at his waist. A faint light flashed, and a foot-long, cyan jade box carved with simple cloud patterns appeared in his hand.

A pale yellow spirit-sealing talisman was affixed to the surface of the jade box. The cinnabar runes on the talisman glowed faintly, isolating the aura inside.

But Jiang Rufeng didn't stop. Holding the jade box, he then used his other hand to untie the bulging, high-quality storage bag. He then respectfully handed the storage bag to Luo Ming.

This action surprised Luo Ming slightly.

They gave me the storage bag directly, but left the jade box behind. Could there be something very precious inside that jade box?

Jiang Rufeng spoke with a hint of nervousness, his voice earnest: "Senior, please be aware that this jade box contains a spiritual herb that is extremely important to me."

Furthermore, this junior is willing to give all his possessions to the senior, without holding back the slightest bit, only hoping to repay the senior's kindness in helping him just now, in exchange for this junior's... insignificant life.

Jiang Rufeng seemed to sense the searching look in Luo Ming's eyes. Without further hesitation, he extended his slightly trembling fingers and carefully peeled off the pale yellow sealing talisman from the jade box.

The moment the sealing talisman left the body, a pure yet chilling spiritual energy, mixed with a faint fragrance of herbs and trees, wafted out from the cracks in the jade box.

Jiang Rufeng slowly opened the jade box a crack, revealing the contents to Luo Ming.

Inside the jade box lay a spiritual herb that continuously emitted a pure, cold aura.

"Frosty Yin Grass? Judging from its appearance and spiritual energy, it must be over a thousand years old." Luo Ming scanned it with his divine sense and immediately recognized the item.

Cold Yin Grass is indeed a precious main ingredient for refining various cold-attribute pills, especially those over a thousand years old, which are extremely rare and valuable. But frankly, for a Core Formation cultivator, while precious, it's not something they would risk their life to protect. Unless…

Jiang Rufeng's gaze was fixed on the Cold Yin Grass in the jade box, his eyes filled with complex emotions. He took a deep breath, looked up at Luo Ming, and said earnestly, "The reason why I risked going to break through that teleportation array earlier was to deliver this spiritual herb to Tianxing City as soon as possible."

"It is not that I am stingy and unwilling to offer this herb to you, senior, but rather... it is because this herb is crucial to my daughter's life. My daughter suffers from a strange illness and needs this thousand-year-old cold yin herb to prolong her life. I humbly beg you, senior, to have mercy and allow me to keep this herb."

As he finished speaking, his voice choked with emotion, his knuckles turned slightly white from the effort he exerted while holding the jade box, and his eyes were filled with pleading.

"I see," Luo Ming suddenly realized.

In the world of cultivation, although familial ties are often seen as a burden by cultivators, not everyone can be ruthless and heartless.

He was silent for a moment, then his deliberately feigned hoarse voice rang out again, his tone calm and even: "Since it is something that saved your daughter's life, I would not covet it."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the storage bag that Jiang Rufeng was still holding in his hands, and said calmly, "Since you have offered up the item to buy my life, we are now even."

As he spoke, he raised his hand and made a grabbing motion in the air. The bulging storage bag in Jiang Rufeng's hand seemed to be pulled by an invisible force, and with a slight tremor, it detached from Jiang Rufeng's palm and flew steadily into Luo Ming's hand.

Luo Ming probed his storage bag with his divine sense, quickly scanning it. The black short spear that had caught his attention lay quietly in the corner. After confirming that it was indeed the spear, he felt slightly relieved and withdrew his divine sense.

Jiang Rufeng gripped the jade box containing the Cold Yin Grass tightly, letting out a sigh of relief. He quickly bowed again, saying, "Thank you so much, Senior! I am deeply grateful!"

He straightened up, glanced at the boundless blue sea below, then at the direction the Wind-Escape Shuttle was heading, a hint of hesitation on his face. He gritted his teeth, as if gathering his courage, and once again clasped his hands in a fist salute to Luo Ming, tentatively speaking:

"Senior... this junior dares to ask, are you heading towards Tianxing City?"

Upon hearing Jiang Rufeng's request, Luo Ming immediately frowned. His goal for this trip was clear: to return to Tianxing City as quickly and discreetly as possible.

Now, having another unfamiliar cultivator with an unknown identity, low cultivation level, and who brings trouble will not only slow things down, but also increase the risk of being exposed and causing unforeseen complications.

Jiang Rufeng had been nervously observing Luo Ming's expression. When he saw Luo Ming frown and his eyes turn cold, his heart sank. He knew that his unreasonable request might have angered the other party.

A chill ran up his spine, and he almost wanted to take back what he had just said. But... his daughter's pale face flashed through his mind, along with her eyes that always endured pain yet still showed him a dependent smile, and his dwindling lifespan.

Then, under the slightly surprised gazes of Luo Ming and Yuan Yao, Jiang Rufeng took a deep breath, and all the hesitation, fear, and struggle on her face suddenly disappeared, leaving only a kind of resolute determination that was almost a desperate gamble.

He took a step back, straightened his tattered gray robe, and then bowed deeply to Luo Ming, his waist bent extremely low, his voice clear and heavy:

"If you, senior, are willing to have mercy and allow me to accompany you, helping me return to Tianxing City as soon as possible to rescue my daughter... I, Jiang Rufeng, am willing to serve you as my master! I will serve you for life, obeying your every command, without any disloyalty!"

After he finished speaking, he remained bowing, motionless, awaiting the verdict.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Yao, who was standing nearby, opened her mouth slightly, her beautiful eyes instantly filled with disbelief and shock!

To serve someone as your master for life? In the world of cultivation, this is almost equivalent to signing a master-servant contract. It means opening up your soul and allowing the other party to place restrictions on you. From then on, your life, death, honor, and disgrace will all be in the hands of the other party, making you no different from a slave!

Unless they are desperate or trained assassins from childhood, what Core Formation cultivator would be willing to do this? This Jiang Rufeng, for his daughter, actually went to this extent?

Luo Ming was also quite shaken. He narrowed his eyes, his gaze sharp as a knife, scrutinizing Jiang Rufeng, who remained bowed, as if trying to see right through him. After the initial shock, he quickly weighed his options.

He had witnessed this man's strength firsthand. His ability to escape such an encirclement, his unpredictable movements, and his formidable combat awareness clearly indicated he was no ordinary fighter. If he could be recruited, he would indeed be a valuable ally.

This Jiang Rufeng is at the mid-stage of Core Formation, very experienced, and he needs something from me because of his daughter. If I can control him with a restriction, he might be a viable option.

This deal, no matter how you look at it, seems... worth doing.

Just as Jiang Rufeng was feeling anxious and uncertain, Luo Ming's deliberately feigned hoarse voice rang out again, devoid of any emotion, cold and direct:

"Relax your mind and do not offer any resistance."

Jiang Rufeng trembled slightly, then immediately replied, "Yes! This junior obeys!"

He dared not be negligent, so he immediately closed his eyes, tried his best to relax his mind, and completely removed the barrier between his sea of ​​consciousness and the outside world, leaving himself completely unguarded.

The feeling of having his vital organs completely exposed to others instilled fear in him instinctively, causing his muscles to tremble slightly, but he forcibly restrained himself.

The next instant, he felt a scorching divine thought, like a fine needle, gently pierce his brow and enter his sea of ​​consciousness.

Immediately afterwards, a tiny yet incredibly concentrated wisp of strange "flame," radiating a faint crimson-gold halo and causing him to feel a burning pain in his soul, slowly descended beside his primordial spirit, following that divine thought.

When the "flame" touched his primordial spirit, it did not burn violently, but rather, as if it had a life of its own, it began to slowly and gradually penetrate and merge into the core of his primordial spirit.

Beside her, Yuan Yao watched Jiang Rufeng's pained and contorted expression and trembling body. A hint of pity flashed in her eyes, but she quickly concealed it. She knew this was a common method of controlling others in the cultivation world, but seeing it with her own eyes still felt somewhat cruel.

She glanced at Luo Ming, whose expression was calm, his eyes focused on controlling the wisp of "flame," as if he were doing something perfectly ordinary.

Fifteen minutes later, Jiang Rufeng's body went limp and he almost collapsed. He barely managed to stay upright and slowly opened his eyes, his gaze filled with exhaustion.

But deeper within his soul, there was an indelible mark, subtly connected to Luo Ming's mind.

He could sense that his life or death was now entirely in the hands of the other party.

"Master...Master." Jiang Rufeng's voice was weak and hoarse as she bowed her head to Luo Ming again.

Luo Ming nodded slightly, withdrew his divine sense, and said calmly, "Recover by adjusting your breathing."

Luo Ming nodded slightly, withdrew his divine sense, and said calmly, "Recover by adjusting your breathing."

"Yes." Jiang Rufeng dared not say more and immediately sat down cross-legged on the high-speed flying Wind-Escape Shuttle. He closed his eyes and circulated his cultivation technique, trying his best to calm the turmoil in his soul and the weakness in his body. The process of planting the restriction had greatly depleted his mental energy.

Yuan Yao silently controlled the Wind-Escape Shuttle, continuing its rapid journey in the direction Luo Ming had indicated. Inside the shuttle, silence reigned, broken only by the whistling wind.

Half a day passed before a trace of color returned to Jiang Rufeng's pale face, and his trembling body calmed down. He let out a long sigh, opened his eyes, and although his soul still ached somewhat, he had finally regained his ability to move. He quickly stood up and stood respectfully behind Luo Ming with his hands at his sides.

Just then, Luo Ming turned his head and looked at him, his feigned hoarse voice ringing out with a hint of inquiry:

"What exactly is the situation with your daughter? Tell me in detail."

Now that they've taken this man in, they naturally need to understand his daughter's condition. After all, if they really take Jiang Rufeng with them, then their seriously ill daughter will inevitably have to be taken care of as well. Whether to treat her or abandon her, there needs to be a decision.

Upon hearing the inquiry, Jiang Rufeng's spirits lifted, and he quickly bowed, his tone respectful yet tinged with bitterness: "Reporting to the master, my daughter is the only child of my deceased wife and me."

Her spiritual root aptitude was originally quite good; she possessed both metal and fire spiritual roots, and I had high hopes for her. However, ever since she began cultivating at the age of ten, her health has deteriorated day by day.

Pain flashed in his eyes as he continued, "She seems to have an extremely astonishing 'yang energy' naturally within her body, but this yang energy is different from the pure yang energy of ordinary cultivators. It is domineering and intense, like being burned by raging fire, yet it grows out of nowhere."

Jiang Rufeng clenched his fist: "Although I am a Core Formation cultivator, I cannot figure out what kind of strange illness this is. I have searched through all the books and only found a few scattered records similar to 'Yang Excess Burning Body'."

It was mentioned that extremely yin-attribute spiritual objects over a thousand years old, such as the Cold Yin Grass and the Mysterious Ice Jade Marrow, could be used in conjunction with specific elixirs to barely suppress and harmonize the illness, thus delaying its progression. This thousand-year-old Cold Yin Grass was obtained by chance after a great deal of effort and months of searching; it was the only hope for saving the young woman's life.

"Excessive Yang energy in the body? Overbearing and scorching, burning one's own body?" Upon hearing this, Luo Ming raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, his expression changed slightly!

He was secretly alarmed: "These symptoms... why do they sound a bit like the 'Dragon's Roar Body'? No, in the original world, Xin Ruyin's reincarnation seemed to be Wen Siyue's daughter? But this timeline doesn't match up... Could it be that Xin Ruyin's soul didn't only reincarnate once?"

Thinking of this, Luo Ming's gaze towards Jiang Rufeng deepened, carrying a hint of relief. He was relieved that he had acted out of interest in the short spear, and relieved that Jiang Rufeng had been willing to become his servant to save his daughter, thus bringing this potential "opportunity" to his doorstep.

Jiang Rufeng felt uneasy and uneasy under Luo Ming's deep, inscrutable, and thoughtful gaze.

The reason he gritted his teeth and served the Lord was not only because he was eager to save his daughter, but also because deep down he was taking a gamble—betting that this Nascent Soul "senior" was knowledgeable and might be able to cure his daughter's strange illness, or at least provide something better than the Thousand-Year Cold Yin Grass to prolong her life.

Seeing his master's expression, he felt both anticipation and fear.

Just as Jiang Rufeng was feeling extremely anxious, Luo Ming's hoarse voice rang out again, asking a question that seemed somewhat abrupt:

"What's your daughter's name?"

Jiang Rufeng was taken aback. Although he didn't understand, he immediately replied respectfully, "Master, because my name is Jiang Rufeng and my late wife's name was Xiao Yinyin, I named my daughter Jiang Ruyin."

"Jiang Ruyin..." Luo Ming was taken aback upon hearing this, and repeated the name in a low voice, his eyes instantly becoming deep and unfathomable.