Maiden Galaxy

Chapter 123: The Wind Rises At The End Of The Duckweed (Former)

Chapter 123: The Wind Rises At The End Of The Duckweed (Former)

Great King Mulu?

Chen Mo had quite the impression of this Star Name. This one seemed to be the subordinate of the King of the Southern Barbarians, Meng Huo,¹ but he was a minor character capable of magic and driving animals. However, Chen Mo recalled that true history had no records of him.

Great King Mulu was a Star General and already at Heart Furnace level of power. In Nan Jiang, she was considered the local hegemon. Although Yeyao was a Great Gu Master, the hopes she could contend against a Star General were miniscule.

A Star General had the inheritance of a Destined Star Name, as well as the Destined Star Weapon and Innate Skill. Their martial arts were superb, and a Gu Master was no match.

Nan Jiang had nine powers, and Great King Mulu was one of these powers, ruling over the Bana area's Miao Villages. The other powers also included Star Generals that inherited Star Names, like Mangyachang,² Cave Master Dai Lai,³ Wutu Gu,⁴ and more. They were all allied with each other, ruling over the Miao border. Back then, they succeeded in warding off the Great Chong Dynasty, crushing the Great Ancestor Emperor.

Fuck.

A Nan Jiang surprisingly had so many Star Generals.

"This means that the king who wanted to kidnap Miaoling was that Great King Mulu?" Chen Mo said.

Yeyao slightly nodded.

After this Great King Mulu Star General ruled over the Miao Village, she was full of interest towards the legendary Lover Gu, ordering the Great Gu Master Yeyao to refine it.

Despite Great King Mulu stirring up trouble in this place and riding roughshod over the people, this was nothing more than a corner of the Outer Star Fields, not worth sparing a glance. Any Star General with a big goal would set out towards the Inner Star Fields, to attack the Central Star Fields, or even scale the Maiden Mountain of the Nine Heavens.

But this required power.

Great King Mulu's scheming to obtain the Lover Gu was definitely rooted in this. If she truly was able to cultivate a Lover Gu, then Star World's Star Generals would all be gathered into her harem. Just thinking about it was very alarming.

"So it turned out you guys wanted to go to the Lingering Impurity Unexplored Regions, huh. But you won't get through Great King Mulu's checkpoint, so you won't be able to reach that place." Miaoling said.

Yeyao said: "Tomorrow, I will take you to Great King Mulu as a referral. Rest tonight for now."

Miaoling helped Chen Mo and the others find homes in this Tree of God for temporary lodgings. As for tomorrow's negotiations, Miaoling's master, Yeyao, was responsible.

In the evening, the sunset's golden afterglow sprinkled through Nan Jiang's forest, a gorgeous and golden sight.

Nianyou dreamt sweetly while Chen Mo sat on the bed, cultivating the School Of Mind and his Spirit Flower.

Nan Jiang's night wind was slightly chilly. The jingle of a bell sweetly rang. Chen Mo opened his eyes and slowly retracted his Spirit Flower. He walked outside the room, making Qin Shaoxu and Ting Nanyuan look after Nianyou before he stepped out.

Following the jingling sound, he lifted his head to see Miaoling sitting high up on a tree trunk, kicking her legs, her smile like a flower. 

"Not bad, you're quite trustworthy." Miaoling giggled.

"What do you want my Cool Breeze Bright Moon Escape for?" Chen Mo asked her.

"Follow me."

Chen Mo hesitated but followed her anyways.

The girl whose hair was bound⁵ pushed open the window and pensively watched the pair's faraway silhouettes.

Fifty li outside the village, there was a long river. Known as the Peacock River, it was Nan Jiang's largest river, a tributary winding through a wetland. They entered a river channel. A large amount of duckweed floated upon the channel. It was like a carpet stretching as far as the eye could see.

Miaoling landed upon the duckweed and looked in all directions.

Chen Mo also stepped on. The duckweed was soft and weak, but it could not sustain his weight. However, to a Three Flowers warrior who had already refined their body to the peak, stepping onto duckweed and not sinking was no problem so long as it was not a special kind of spirit grass or such.

Miaoling her white wrist and gently shook it.

The silver bell on her wrist jingled.

Chen Mo said: "Just what do you want me to do?"

Miaoling made a gesture to shush him: "Soon, I will lure out the ‘Green Duckweed Kingfisher.'⁶ We'll work together to capture it. RIght, go over there first."

Chen Mo asked: "The ‘Green Duckweed Kingfisher' is a Demon Beast?"

"A kind of bird. It's very pretty, and I always wanted to catch one as a pet, but its speed is too quick. One person alone can't catch it." Miaoling shook the bell, walking upon the duckweed.

Girls were girls, to surprisingly want his Cool Breeze Bright Moon Escape just to catch a pet bird.

Miaoling saw through Chen Mo's thoughts and twitched her lips: "Don't look down on the Green Duckweed Kingfisher. This bird has intelligence and is able to catch all kinds of gu bugs that even a Saintess can't catch."

"Is it really so magical?"

"Of course, I think your whatever Bright Moon Escape may not be able to catch it either, which would be a waste of the Life-taking Wine I gave you." Miaoling snorted.

Chen Mo laughed in spite of himself.

That she put it this way was actually somewhat interesting.

According to Miaoling's phrasing, Chen Mo would stand a certain distance away. The girl would use her silver bell's jingling as a lure, for inside her bell was a "Sound Gu" that was capable of herding such birds. It was able to startle the Green Duckweed Kingfisher out from hiding beneath the duckweed.

Chen Mo watched her meander about. If it was not a ranked Demon Beast, normal sentient birds would be no big problem for a Saint Of War.

A while later.

All of a sudden, the duckweed splashed, and a green shadow burst out like a bullet.

So fast!

That green shadow was extremely quick. Surprisingly unable to see even a bit of its figure, Chen Mo could only barely make out a blur even with the Divine Hawk Eyesight.

"It's the Green Duckweed Kingfisher." Miaoling shouted in excitement. She hastily used her qinggong to give chase, the silver bell on her hand ringing.

White gu bugs were released.

The Green Duckweed Kingfisher flew quickly over the river. Its body was unable to fly very high, exploiting the duckweed for protection, but its speed was very nimble and quick.

Chen Mo activated his True QI. He stepped, and the duckweed over the water's surface gently rippled. His person had already leapt over a hundred zhang, reaching out towards the Green Duckweed Kingfisher. 

Chen Mo used his Divine Intent, extending his hand to grab it.

Normal birds would have already been snatched up in his hand, but just as he was about to grab the Green Duckweed Kingfisher, it suddenly flapped its wings and broke away from Chen Mo's presence tracking.

"Eh?"

Chen Mo grabbed nothing. He whirled around. The Green Duckweed Kingfisher was already flying several dozen meters away.

If I can't catch you, then I'll have cultivated for nothing. Chen Mo used the Clear Moon Escape Technique to pursue. Just as he was about to seize it again, the Green Duckweed Kingfisher warped dodged once again, as if passing through the bars of a jail cell, breaking free of entanglement in the blink of an eye.

Man and bird chased up and down the river channel of green duckweed.

So as to avoid accidentally crushing this bird to death, Chen Mo restricted his strength, but by doing so, capturing it alive became even more difficult. The Green Duckweed Kingfisher's speed was beyond imagination.

Miaoling circled around and blocked off the direction that the kingfisher was flying in.

The girl rang the bell on her wrist.

Dingdingdangdang.⁷

Dingdingdangdang.

As the sun set, the bell sang.

"Watch this gu!" Miaoling pointed her hand.

Several white specks appeared in the air and combined into a large net.

The Green Duckweed Kingfisher abruprtly altered course, diving into the water. Miaoling hastily and wildly grabbed at the water, however, her actions threw herself off balance. The duckweed supporting her suddenly collapsed, and Miaoling all of a sudden fell into the water. Then, she was thoroughly hidden by the duckweed.

"Miaoling." Chen Mo screamed in a panic. His palm-wind thrust out, sending the duckweed on the river flying piece after piece, becoming countless bits that rained down.

But he must not hurt the apprentice of another person.

Chen Mo used Divine Hawk Eyesight hastily to scan for her. At the same time, he sent out his Divine Intent to probe, but his current Divine Intent could only encompass a range of four to five meters, completely insufficient.

"Miaoling!"

Chen Mo dove beneath the water.

In the river, all he could see was green duckweed everywhere. He practically was unable to see anything else. Chen Mo was left with no choice but to surface and use the Cool Breeze Bright Moon Escape while he searched.

Suddenly.

More than a hundred meters away, a pile of duckweed erupted, and a vigorous figure flew out. She was none other than Miaoling. Before Chen Mo could sigh in relief, he spotted an enormous water boa rushed out of the water at the same time.

That water boa had threatening Demon Qi as it bared its jaws.

Hè.

Chen Mo tapped with his toes, and six gigantic footprints appeared on the river's surface. He instantly appeared in front of the boa, unleashing a punch.

His punch-wind thundered, blowing the duckweed flying into disarray, practically suffocating Miaoling.

The boa faced the strike head-on. Its glossy snake scales collided with Chen Mo's punch. This Demon Snake was at least Rank Five or Six, for it surprisingly did not budge at all from Chen Mo's attack. Its snake tail whipped at this time, like a giant iron club. Just the powerful air ripped the water apart.

"Careful." Chen Mo grabbed Miaoling's hand and pulled her behind him, just evading the snake tail strike in the nick of time.

Only now did Miaoling return to her senses. She was shocked to see this snake: "it's the ‘Blue Waves Python.'"⁸

Who the fuck cares if it's Blue Waves or slutty.⁹ He placed Miaoling behind himself to shield her while his next punch was already striking.

His fist-shadow became entangling water, landing densely over the Blue Waves Python's scales. These punches appeared to not have very frightening power, as the Blue Waves Python did not mind them at all. It launched an attack, wanting to devour Chen Mo in one go.

But in the blink of an eye, the punches multiplied, falling like rain and very quickly covering the snake's body.

Suddenly, this gentle rainwater increased sharply into a perilous situation as they exploded on the Blue Waves Python.

Rumble.

The green duckweed within a range of several hundred meters were blasted everywhere. The innumerable green plants fell like a torrential downpour.

This was the Bagua's.

Kan Center Empty!

Use softness to conquer strength.

The Blue Waves Python activated an ability. Following its dreadful wail, the river's ripples spread in all directions, each one striking Chen Mo's body also battering his organs.

If it was not for Chen Mo already being a mature Three Flowers Gathered Overhead, his organs would absolutely have been shaken apart by this ripple.

The Blue Waves Python then attacked with a Water Thunder, then it escaped through the water.

Chen Mo was disinclined to give chase. He looked at Miaoling.

The girl panted, already drained. Chen Mo picked her up and grabbed a few duckweeds, stepping on them.

Miaoling's face blushed a thorough crimson, as if the red clouds of sunset had directly scorched her earlobes. "Y-y-y-you, don't hug me…"

"If I wasn't hugging you, you would have already sunk into the river." Chen Mo rolled his eyes at her. "Now is not the time to be shy."

"Y-y-y-you're the one who's shy…"

Her words were a bit stuttered.

"I even thought I could count on you to catch the kingfisher." Seeing that the kingfisher also escaped, Miaoling was very disappointed.

"Hm."

Chen Mo glanced something. All of a sudden, his breathing quieted down.

"What's the matter?" Miaoling asked.

"No sudden moves." The Miaoling who was still struggling to get out of his hold immediately became still upon hearing Chen Mo's words.

The girl widened her eyes, staring in pleasant surprise at a duckweed floating faraway.

A Spirit Bird full of overflowing green color was currently upon it.

It was none other than that kingfisher they had been looking for.

But the girl immediately showed a bitter face.

In their current state, they would not be able to catch this Green Duckweed Kingfisher even if it was right before their eyes.

1. ?? ?
2. ??? ?
3. ???? ?
4. ??? ?
5. Bound hair is supposed to mean the girl has come of age. I'm assuming this is Ting Nanyuan. ?
6. ???? ?
7. Onomatopoeia ?
8. ??? ?
9. ??, some wordplay basically on the snake's actual name. ?