Chapter 80: Never Speak, Even If It Kills You

As She Meier finished speaking, the "Ruyi Divine Vessel" descended smoothly onto the pile of "Five-Colored Spirit Stones"—a truly awe-inspiring sight!

At this moment, Yan Chixia felt as if he were in a dreamlike fairyland, so unreal that he couldn't believe it was reality. To test himself, he pinched his thigh hard with his left hand. "Ouch!" he cried out in pain, startled by the sharp sting. "It hurts... I'm really not dreaming!"

She Meier giggled, unable to contain her amusement. "Yan Chixia, stop tormenting yourself! You're not dreaming—it's all real... The hatch is open, let's go outside."

Yan Chixia chuckled sheepishly. "She Meier, why does it still feel so unreal to me?"

As he spoke, sword in hand, he followed She Meier out of the "Ruyi Divine Vessel." The moment his feet touched the pile of "Five-Colored Spirit Stones," he picked up a stone and examined it closely.

It was about the size of a fist, oval-shaped, composed of many colorful facets. Though the facets varied in size, each was smooth and gleaming, with a spiritual aperture on its surface. "Blue, orange, green, yellow, cyan..." Yan Chixia counted the colors as he marveled, "She Meier, you were right—this stone truly is five-colored... It feels so light, surely it's hollow inside, and there are so many spiritual apertures... So, it really is a 'Five-Colored Spirit Stone'! But I wonder, is there spirit energy within?"

With that, he tapped the "Five-Colored Spirit Stone" against the bronze sword hilt. A crisp clang rang out, and all the sealed spiritual apertures on the stone burst open. Instantly, the spirit energy hidden within began to seep out, swirling and shimmering.

"Well?" She Meier asked with delight, watching the streams of ethereal spirit energy wafting into the air. "Yan Chixia, isn't this a 'Five-Colored Spirit Stone'?"

"Yes! Yes!! Yes!!!" Yan Chixia exclaimed, gazing in awe at the heaps of stones beneath his feet. The excitement threatened to overwhelm him, and he couldn't help but sigh in amazement. "Good heavens, this is a natural, open-air spirit stone mine—and it's a 'Five-Colored Spirit Stone' mine! I never imagined such a thing could exist. How magnificent! She Meier, no wonder your master can forge all sorts of powerful magical artifacts and treasures... You not only possess incredibly valuable cultivation resources, but a whole 'Five-Colored Spirit Stone' mine!"

"Exactly!" She Meier replied with pride. "Yan Chixia, are you envious?"

He laughed excitedly. "Envious? More than that! She Meier, I'm practically drooling over your resources. As the saying goes, 'To meet is to share.' I won't be greedy—could you share five of these 'Five-Colored Spirit Stones' with me?"

"Of course!" She Meier beamed. "Yan Chixia, there's plenty of 'Five-Colored Spirit Stones' in this mine. Why not ask for more? Why settle for just five?"

---

"Hehe..." Yan Chixia grinned sheepishly. "It's because there are five of us: my master, Song Tower, Little Meng, my sister, and me. I want each of us to have a 'Five-Colored Spirit Stone' when we return!"

"Oh, I see! In that case, Yan Chixia, I'll give you fifty 'Five-Colored Spirit Stones'—so each of you can have ten!" She Meier declared generously.

Hearing this, Yan Chixia's heart soared with joy.

"Really? She Meier, you're so generous! Is this what they call 'wealthy and bold'? Hahaha, wonderful! She Meier, you must keep your word, don't go back on it!"

"Naturally—once spoken, even four horses cannot chase it down," She Meier replied with a radiant smile. "But, Yan Chixia, I have one condition..."

"Stop!" Yan Chixia interrupted her, alarmed. "She Meier, don't set any conditions. I don't want the 'Five-Colored Spirit Stones,' not a single one!"

"Oh?" She Meier was momentarily taken aback, then suddenly understood. She burst into laughter, her slender figure quivering with delight, and her ample charms swaying.

Yan Chixia, puzzled by her reaction, asked, "She Meier, what's so funny?"

She Meier stifled her laughter and said, "Yan Chixia, what are you thinking? Did you imagine my condition was for you to do... 'that kind' of thing with me?"

"What else could it be?" Yan Chixia replied, surprised.

---

She Meier composed herself, then spoke seriously. "Yan Chixia, listen carefully: the condition for giving you fifty 'Five-Colored Spirit Stones' is that, when you return, you must never tell anyone about this mine—never, under any circumstances!"

As she finished, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "Oh! Yan Chixia, I think I've just repeated myself—'never, under any circumstances.'"

Yan Chixia laughed. "My memory's not great, I've forgotten. All right, She Meier, I accept your 'never, under any circumstances' condition. Here and now, as a disciple of Clear Void Temple, I promise you: when I return, I will never reveal the existence of your 'Five-Colored Spirit Stone' mine to anyone, never, under any circumstances!"

"Good!" She Meier said happily. "Yan Chixia, I believe you! Hehe... Since I'm in such a good mood today, I'll tell you another earth-shattering secret!"

"Oh?" Yan Chixia perked up, eager. "An earth-shattering secret? She Meier, tell me quickly!"

She Meier leaned in, her cherry-red lips brushing Yan Chixia's ear as she lowered her voice. "Right beneath this 'Five-Colored Spirit Stone' mine, about a hundred yards deep, there's an underground palace. Inside, an ancient immortal is still in seclusion..."

"What?" Yan Chixia nearly jumped in fright, his face blanching. "Really? She Meier, how did you come by such a monumental secret?"

"My master discovered it by accident, using her spiritual sense to probe..." She Meier whispered, as if afraid the immortal below might overhear. "It was three years ago, at just this time. I accompanied my master on the 'Ruyi Divine Vessel' for our first journey into Deadly Valley. We searched everywhere for resources, and drifted here without realizing it. When we found this open-air 'Five-Colored Spirit Stone' mine, I was beside myself with joy, dancing and singing atop the stones. My master was so thrilled her eyes shone like gold. Curious about the mine's depth, she sent her spiritual sense down—and not only discovered the mine's great depth, but also, by chance, found the underground palace a hundred yards below and the ancient immortal who remains sealed within, cultivating in seclusion..."