Chapter 363

Chapter 363: A Plan

"How did you lure them here?" the old bird asked curiously.

"Very simple, I just used their greed! As the saying goes, ‘people die for wealth, and birds die for food!’" Fang Lie replied, "But first, let’s gather all the Śāriputra relics!"

"Sure, that’s an easy task!" the old bird quickly agreed.

With the old bird’s help, Fang Lie spent two hours and collected all the Śāriputra relics, including the ones found by the two sword cultivators from East Kunlun. Even though their belongings were almost entirely destroyed after their deaths, these relics, which contained the lifelong cultivation of the Thunder Tribulation Immortal, remained unharmed.

Clearly, a single Sizzling Sun Divine Lightning Pearl was not enough to damage such high-level items.

Once he gathered the relics, Fang Lie was in a great mood, carefully storing these treasures. He then began to use the Earth Eye, searching while saying, "I need to find a little demon first!"

After searching for a while with no results, Fang Lie sighed and said, "It seems they were all scared away. There’s none around here; I need to go somewhere farther."

With that, Fang Lie spread his wings and swiftly flew in the direction Little Yellow escaped.

Finally, after searching for most of the day, Fang Lie discovered a little demon hiding deep in a thicket.

She was a wood mushroom spirit. Although she had a thousand years of fire timing, she was small in size and hid among tall bushes; ordinary people would probably pass by without noticing her.

However, under Fang Lie’s Earth Eye Divine Skill, she was fully exposed.

After finding her, Fang Lie landed on a branch right above her and cheerfully said, "Hi there, little wood mushroom!"

While speaking, Fang Lie waved playfully at her.

But there was no response from the thicket, only silence.

Fang Lie shrugged and said, "Don’t hide, I can see you. With your thousand-year age, it’s clear from your spirit that you are definitely a spirit too. If you don’t respond soon, I might just dig you out!"

"You’re lying! You can’t see me, you can’t see me!" A trembling, delicate voice came from the bushes.

Fang Lie couldn’t help but smile; these naive little beings were truly comical.

Even if you really can’t see me, with that mumbling, how could I possibly not notice?

Fang Lie felt both amused and frustrated with such a naive little thing. Reluctantly, he waved his hand, using his Magic to uproot the bushes, leaving just the one-foot-tall wood mushroom.

Then, looking at the frightened little spirit trembling, he smiled and said, "Now, do you still think I can’t see you?"

"Wow~" Suddenly, a little girl in a green outfit appeared beside the wood mushroom, looking about three or four years old and incredibly cute.

But she was now crying loudly as if the world was ending.

"Hey, hey, hey, why are you crying? I didn’t dig you up!" Fang Lie said, trying not to laugh.

"It’s pretty much the same! You pulled out the weeds just to make it easier to get to me!" the little spirit cried, "I’m really so pitiful, hiding in such a scary place, and still getting found by you. What do you want to do? Eat me raw or cook me first? Can’t you at least give me a quick end before you eat me?"

"No!" Fang Lie said seriously.

"Wow, are you going to eat me alive? You’re so bad! Worse than a bad person!" The little girl cried even harder.

Fang Lie was speechless and could only smile helplessly, explaining, "I won’t eat you, don’t worry! Let me introduce myself, I’m Fang Lie!"

"I…" The little girl was still sad, but when she heard the name Fang Lie, she froze for a moment and eagerly asked, "Are you the Fang Lie that Little Yellow and little Hong talked about? The one who wouldn’t eat us but would help us?"

"That’s right!" Fang Lie nodded with a smile, "I am Fang Lie from Mo Sect!"

"Oh no!" The little girl immediately stopped crying, transforming from a pitiful girl into a terrifying little demon.

She jumped onto Fang Lie’s shoulder, hitting him playfully while exclaiming, "Why didn’t you say that sooner? You almost scared me to death and made me cry like this. I look awful and it’s so embarrassing, do you know? I’m a lady, how could you do this?"

"Hey, hey, hey~" Fang Lie protested hurriedly, "You started crying the moment you saw me without even asking anything first! How could this be my fault?"

The Young Girl flushed crimson instantly, stammering awkwardly.

"Alright, alright!" Seeing her innocent demeanor, Fang Lie couldn’t bring himself to scold her. Setting her down gently, he asked, "Could you tell me your name first?"

"I’m called—"

Before she finished, Fang Lie interjected, "You’re covered in green. Don’t tell me your name’s Little Green?"

"Of course not! Little Green’s a vine. I’m Little Cyan!" she declared proudly. "There’s also Little Emerald and Little Indigo – we’re all green!"

"Ah, I see!" Fang Lie chuckled ruefully. "Seems I underestimated your naming creativity. Enough chatter – I suppose you’ve already heard about me from Little Hong and Little Yellow?"

"Yes! They said you’re a good person!" Little Cyan nodded. "I think so too since you didn’t bully me earlier!"

"Good." Fang Lie continued, "I’ve got a plan to rescue all captured little demons, but I need your help. Will you assist me?"

"Absolutely! I’ll do anything to save my friends – even embarrassing things!" Little Cyan declared with fierce determination.

Fang Lie’s face reddened. "What nonsense! Who told you about such things?"

"All Flower Demons know!" Little Cyan tilted her head curiously. "The bad outsiders eat us and do embarrassing things too! But nobody’s explained what those are. Brother Fang Lie, do you know?"

"No idea!" Fang Lie denied vehemently.

Plant demons, especially Flower Demons, often attained stunning human forms upon maturity, becoming highly sought-after. Little Peach Red by Fang Lie’s side exemplified this, with many Cultivators taking such demons as spouses.

Though uncomfortable, Fang Lie pressed on urgently: "Let’s focus. Hundreds of experts are here. Tracking them individually would take forever, but I’ve only got one month before teleportation kicks in. After that, your friends vanish permanently!"

"Oh no! What do we do?" Little Cyan wrung her hands.

"Simple. You Flower Demons can communicate through the earth, yes?"

"Yes, though distance limits it," she confirmed.

"Perfect. I need widespread dissemination of this message: Our current location hosts many Flower Demons under protection. Tell captured demons to inform their captors. Greed will draw them here, where I’ll eliminate them and free your brothers!"

"But… there are hundreds!" Little Cyan worried. "Can you handle them alone?"

Fang Lie smirked confidently. "No challenge. If I couldn’t break jars, I wouldn’t call myself a potter. Let them come – none shall leave!"

"Alright!" Little Cyan squared her shoulders. "Since Little Hong and Little Yellow trust you, so shall I!" Closing her eyes, she channeled energy briefly before announcing: "Done! The web spreads the message!"

"Excellent." Fang Lie nodded. "You won’t regret this."

Over the next day, they waited patiently.

The first arrival was a Mo Sect disciple with a three-feet-long white beard, dragging a captive Poria spirit. Finding no Flower Demon horde but Fang Lie instead, the elder froze. Though Fang Lie’s Qi Sea cultivation ranked lower, his Honorary Elder status commanded respect.

"Greetings, Elder!" The disciple bowed nervously. "Did you… receive the message too?"

"No." Fang Lie replied lightly. "I fabricated it to lure you here."

"What?!" The old man recoiled, bracing for attack.