Ethereal World: Vicious Cannon Fodder's Immortality Road

Sometimes, the woman was as sweet as caramel, willing to give advice in a nonchalant tone that concealed her good intentions.

Sometimes, she was as hot as fire, easily losing her temper over the smallest things.

Other times, she was as cunning as a fox, full of calculations and tricks.

And sometimes, she was as cold as glacial ice, so impenetrable that no one could see through the walls she had built around herself.

"Do you always believe everything people say? Don’t you suspect I have a hidden motive? What if I sneak-attacked you while you were picking the flowers? What if this was all a trap?"

The woman flew over and clutched Shenlian Yingyue’s sleeve in frustration.

"If Senior wanted to hurt me, you would have done so already," Shenlian Yingyue replied, shaking her head. "Besides, I don’t blindly believe people’s words. I listen and observe."

This woman had appeared before her so effortlessly, no matter how sharp her awareness and divine sense were, she had failed to detect her countless times. That alone proved how powerful the woman was.

If she had truly wanted to harm her, why waste time with a sneak attack? And besides, she didn’t think she was important enough for the woman to play tricks on.

"Then you already knew I lied to you. Why didn’t you expose me?" The woman frowned slightly.

As a powerful Supreme Lord, she had never shown so many emotions before. Yet, ever since she met this girl, she constantly found herself losing her temper.

This woman was Shen Anshuang.

The map of the Abyssal Throne Ruins originally belonged to her.

So, the moment Xiong Zi Ying took it out, she had immediately followed him, tracking the lingering trace of her spiritual power that remained on the map.

She could still sense any treasures that belonged to her within a three-year period.

The map Xiong Zi Ying obtained was still within that three-year window.

When she followed him, she saw the person she had always wanted to meet. Without hesitation, she sent everyone away, separating them into different places, leaving only Shenlian Yingyue alone with her.

"Why expose you?" Shenlian Yingyue smiled gently. "Since you’re happy now, I won’t ruin your fun."

"You knew that I was having fun tricking you, and instead of getting mad, you just let me?" Shen Anshuang’s jaw dropped.

"I wasn’t being fooled," she answered honestly.

Shen Anshuang’s lips twitched in amusement.

Yes, this couldn’t really be considered being tricked, because she had known all along.

"You’re so weird," Shen Anshuang muttered, staring at Shenlian Yingyue as though she were a puzzle made up of countless, unrecognizable pieces.

"Senior, here’s what you asked for."

In one hand, Shenlian Yingyue handed her a glass bottle containing half of the pale purple water from the lake.

In the other, she held a small storage pouch, embroidered with strange symbols, which contained one thousand Crystal Water Lilies.

"You finished picking them in just ten hours?" Shen Anshuang’s lips twitched. This time, she nearly roared, shaking the entire forest.

Shenlian Yingyue: "..."

Why was Senior’s reaction so strange?

Was picking Crystal Water Lilies really that hard? It had been a little tricky at first, but once she got the hang of it, it became easy.

If Shen Anshuang knew what she was thinking, she would have rolled her eyes and smacked her in frustration.

The Lake of Patience, A Test Like No Other

This pale purple lake was no ordinary lake.

It was called the Lake of Patience, and not just anyone could harvest its flowers.

It was a test, a trial of patience, perseverance, and understanding.

The Crystal Water Lilies were fragile, far more fragile than glassware, ceramics, or even a spider’s web. A simple touch could shatter them.

Only those who truly loved flowers and understood nature had the right to touch them. They symbolized purity and enlightenment.

Those who admired only their beauty but ignored the mud from which they grew had no right to pick them.

Those who desired them for personal gain but overlooked their delicate nature would fail no matter how many times they tried.

Shenlian Yingyue had broken only one flower. By the fifth attempt, she had already mastered the technique.

Her hands were covered in blood from the effort. Yet, she never frowned, never rushed, patiently picking each flower as though handling a priceless treasure.

In the past, even Shen Anshuang, who loved flowers, had failed. It had taken her months to successfully pluck just one, and even then, she had preserved it in a protective water glass, terrified of breaking it.

She had let Shenlian Yingyue attempt the challenge for two reasons:

One, to test her heart and soul. And two, to assess her perseverance and skill. Unexpectedly, she succeeded.

"Ehh?" Shenlian Yingyue suddenly blinked in surprise. "I feel lighter, I broke through?"

She had advanced to the next cultivation level. Just by picking flowers.

Shen Anshuang smiled. "Congratulations, little girl."

"Senior, why did I advance?"

"How should I know?" Shen Anshuang shrugged. She didn’t want to tell her. She didn’t want this girl to feel indebted to her. She had only helped in secret because she liked Shenlian Yingyue’s temperament.

Maybe, because this girl had let her play along, she had wanted to give her something in return. Shen Anshuang rubbed her chin, refusing to admit she had pure intentions.

"Since you worked hard for these, keep them." She didn’t take the glass bottle or the pouch that Shenlian Yingyue was handing her.

"Senior, is this really okay? Didn’t you need them for alchemy?"

"What is your little brain made of?" Shen Anshuang tapped her forehead.

"Didn’t you already figure out I was lying?"

"So, you lied about alchemy too? I thought you only lied about being injured."

"Who told you to trust a stranger so easily?" Shen Anshuang coughed, embarrassed.

"The senior is right," Shenlian Yingyue nodded. "Then, I won’t be polite. Thank you for these." She carefully stored away her new treasures.

-----------------

Inside the Ethereal Small World, everyone gathered around as Xiao Yun carefully poured the pale purple water into a freshly dug hole.

A new lake, shimmering like amethyst, gradually took shape beside the Spiritual Waterfall.

With great caution, Xiao Yun released the Crystal Water Lilies into the new lake, each one wrapped in his rainbow-colored spiritual power to prevent them from breaking.

In Xiao Yun’s world, nothing was impossible.

Under his care, the Crystal Water Lilies would continue to grow, flourishing and multiplying.

-----------------

Three days had passed since Shenlian Yingyue had picked the Crystal Water Lilies, and yet, Shen Anshuang showed no sign of leaving her side.

When she fought demonic beasts, Shen Anshuang stood under a tree, cheering for her.

When she got injured, Shen Anshuang scolded her, before throwing her a precious bottle of healing pills and later giving her advice on fighting techniques.

She also made Shenlian Yingyue perform menial tasks, clearing weeds, collecting marble stones, and repairing broken formations.

Yet, each time she succeeded, her strength grew.

Little did Shenlian Yingyue realize, this was another test. And she was passing it effortlessly.