Chapter 202: Heritage Mansion

Chapter 202: Chapter 202: Heritage Mansion

’Hmph. A little late to be begging for mercy now, isn’t it? Did you think being handsome gave you the right to just barge into someone’s sea of consciousness, devour their soul, and casually snuff out their hope of survival?’

Gu Nuan Nuan’s gaze was cold as she watched the tiny, begging figure. Without a shred of hesitation, she went over and devoured it completely. She even licked her lips, as if wanting more. Fearing she’d missed a spot, she patrolled her sea of consciousness several more times until she found the last, well-hidden wisp of black mist and wiped it from existence. Only then, completely satisfied, did she withdraw.

"Cao Cao, what in the world was that? Was that black mist your master-before-last, or someone else?" The moment Gu Nuan Nuan withdrew from her sea of consciousness, she heard Cao Cao’s whimpers. Her consciousness immediately entered the space.

"Waaah! Thank goodness! Master, I’m so glad you’re okay!"

Seeing Gu Nuan Nuan was unharmed, Cao Cao looked like it wanted nothing more than to pounce on her. It whimpered and sobbed, its words tumbling out incoherently. "Master, I was so scared! It’s all my fault. I forgot! I didn’t remember that something like this could happen. Waaah—that’s right, that black mist was my master-before-last. I’ve been away from the Cultivation World for too many years, and these last few days have been too comfortable. I let my guard down and wasn’t prepared for a Cultivator’s possession technique..."

Although Cao Cao’s crying didn’t produce any Plant Essence, its wails were world-shaking. In that moment, Gu Nuan Nuan could truly feel its despair and remorse.

"Don’t cry. I’m fine, see?" Gu Nuan Nuan sighed helplessly and began to comfort it, stroking its leaves and main stem as if soothing a child. "It’s okay, it’s okay. It was a blessing in disguise. After I devoured that black mist, I can feel that my spiritual power has become much stronger."

"Sob... but Master, you don’t know how dangerous that was! If... if..." Cao Cao was crying too hard to continue, its words punctuated by choked sobs. After a while, it finally managed to stammer, "If... if your soul had been devoured, Master, th-that would have meant your complete annihilation. You wouldn’t even have had the chance to reincarnate."

"It’s that serious?" A cold sweat broke out on Gu Nuan Nuan.

"Yes. That’s why I was so terrified. I almost got you killed, Master, which would have meant my own death too. I was already thinking that if you failed, since we were both going to die anyway, I would use my last bit of strength to detonate all my energy. I’d make sure he ended up with nothing." A fierce resolve colored Cao Cao’s voice.

"Well, thank goodness we’re fine. As they say, surviving a great disaster brings good fortune, right? Oh, and let’s hurry and take stock of whatever good stuff that guy left behind. Find something for light, too. We can’t have my uncle getting here while it’s still pitch-black." Gu Nuan Nuan hugged Cao Cao, feeling a wave of relief. ’The Cultivation World really is a dangerous place,’ she thought. ’They’ll devour your soul and take over your body at the drop of a hat, not even leaving you the chance to reincarnate and start over.’

She patted her chest. ’How terrifying. I’m so glad I’m in the Mortal World and not the Cultivation World.’

"Okay, Master. Wait here. I’ll see if ’that guy’ has anything for light in his storage space and get it out first." Cao Cao no longer referred to him as its "master-before-last," but simply "that guy."

Cao Cao was extremely efficient; the cave before them lit up in no time.

Gu Nuan Nuan blinked. The light was exceptionally soft. Despite having been in darkness for so long, her eyes felt no discomfort at the sudden brightness.

Cao Cao explained from the side, "Master, this is a Moonlight Stone. It’s an illuminating object, just like the Luminous Pearls of the Mortal World. Nearly every Cultivator who travels keeps a few in their storage ring or storage bag. However, they aren’t considered as valuable by Cultivators as Luminous Pearls are by regular people."

"This guy was a real creep. If he had something for light, why keep the cave pitch-black?" Still simmering with resentment from the near-possession, Gu Nuan Nuan couldn’t help but make a snarky comment.

"For a Cultivator, there’s no difference between light and dark," Cao Cao explained quietly.

"Oh." Gu Nuan Nuan nodded. "Let’s go. The good stuff must be in the cave farther in. Let’s go see."

"Master, wait." Just as Gu Nuan Nuan was about to step into the inner cave, Cao Cao suddenly spoke up. Gu Nuan Nuan paused. "What’s wrong?"

"Master, you should prepare yourself. That guy’s things are in there, but so is his body," Cao Cao said, its voice full of worry. Then, it twiddled its leaves together shyly. "It’s my fault for being useless... Even if I can retrieve items from another’s storage space, I can’t get very much. So you’ll have to get them yourself, Master..."

"...You scared me. I thought you were going to say there was another trap." Gu Nuan Nuan paused for a second before it dawned on her, and she laughed. "Are you worried I’ll be afraid?"

"Mhm." Cao Cao nodded.

"Haha! Before all this, I might have gotten the creeps. But now?" Gu Nuan Nuan let out a snort. "He failed to possess me and I obliterated him. You think his soulless corpse can scare me now?" She laughed heartily.

"As long as you’re not afraid, Master." Cao Cao instantly relaxed. "You’re right, there’s nothing to be scared of. When someone dies, it’s like a lamp going out. In the Cultivation World, what Cultivators love most is discovering Heritage Mansions like this. If you find one, and you’re lucky, you’ll be set for Cultivation resources."

Gu Nuan Nuan nodded and stepped into the inner cave. It was completely different from the outer part, furnished like a normal room. The first thing that caught her eye was a White Jade Screen. Past the screen, there was only a table, a stool, and a couch, all apparently carved from the same white jade.

Gu Nuan Nuan’s gaze fell upon the couch. The face of the man sitting cross-legged there was an identical, life-sized version of the tiny figure that had just been pleading for its life inside her sea of consciousness.

A Cultivator’s body is infused with energy. Even after countless years, the flesh can remain perfectly preserved and lifelike.

Gu Nuan Nuan shot it a disgusted look and turned away, focusing instead on the items on the round Jade table: two storage bags, a ring, and a Jade Scroll.

"How extravagant. Is Jade really this worthless in the Cultivation World?" Gu Nuan Nuan finally couldn’t resist asking the question that had been bugging her.

"Mhm. Master, the valuable things in the Cultivation World are Spirit Stones. If Jade didn’t have a few minor uses, no one would give it a second look. It’s just like the Gold, silver, and jewels that everyone in the Mortal World chases after. In the Cultivation World, if you dropped them on the ground, no one would even bother picking them up," Cao Cao said matter-of-factly.

The Master’s confusion was identical to the disbelief Cao Cao had felt when it first arrived in the Mortal World and saw people treating what it considered worthless junk as priceless treasures.

"That’s true. Everything in the world is either valuable or worthless." Gu Nuan Nuan nodded in agreement. "In fact, it’s not just things. Aren’t people the same?"