Hearing this, Song Wanníng lightly tapped her on the head.
"At a time like this, you still have the mood to joke? Your wounds don't look right."
What troubled her most was the strange aura around the injuries. Even after taking the pill, the wounds did not improve, which was very rare. However, while the external wounds stayed bad, the internal injuries were healing quickly... The more Song Wanníng observed, the more curious she became about that monster.
Li Ruo rubbed her head and blinked; she had almost forgotten about her injuries. As long as her master was here, she felt secure and calm. She looked down at the scratches on her body and frowned. "These were caused when the monster dragged me. It was so small but kept grabbing me and causing trouble all the way."
It was as if the monster had dragged and dragged her all along.
Then she recalled what had happened.
"I recently learned a new cultivation technique. I planned to explore and practice, but when I reached the city gate, I suddenly found that monster. I immediately sent a message to you, Master. I wanted to follow it but saw it trying to grab a child…"
Li Ruo's face turned grave. "If I hadn't acted, that child would have been doomed, since the child was just a mortal."
Cultivators might not even be a match for that monster, let alone mortals. That child probably didn't survive being dragged. Even knowing the danger, she still rushed forward, never expecting to cause trouble for her master.
Lowering her head, Li Ruo was filled with guilt. "Master, I'm sorry. You taught me not to blindly act out of kindness and to protect myself first. I remember that... but when I saw that child, my mind just froze… Sorry for causing you trouble…"
She had no strength to protect herself, yet risked everything to save someone else, only for her master to have to come to her rescue. If her master had lost to that monster too, she would have brought disaster to her. Li Ruo's fear grew deeper as she thought about it.
Song Wanníng lowered her head to look at Li Ruo. After a long silence, she suddenly sighed. Everyone had their own nature and choices. She could not force others to make the same decisions just because of her own experience. After all, it was Li Ruo's kindness that had helped her escape.
Thinking of this, Song Wanníng smiled and gently patted her head. "You understand the truth. Then just focus on cultivation. Once your strength rises, you can avoid all danger."
She did not scold or lecture but encouraged Li Ruo to work hard.
Li Ruo looked up, her eyes sparkling as she gazed at Song Wanníng. After a moment, she smiled sweetly and nodded firmly.
Song Wanníng saw she had taken the words to heart and stopped dwelling on it. Her gaze shifted to the cave wall where Li Ruo had been nailed. Her eyes darkened suddenly as her sword swung out, slashing directly at the wall.
The powerful strike caused the wall to collapse with a crash. Stones tumbled down, revealing a spacious hollow.
Li Ruo nearly retched at the moment the wall fell.
Behind it was an unbearable stench, like rotting decay.
Song Wanníng's face darkened.
She swiftly flew forward, and when she saw the inside of the cave, her heart tightened.
The cave was filled with all kinds of hearts. Animal hearts and even human ones. Countless hearts piled on top of each other. The blood had long dried, leaving only a dark red stain. These hearts had been there for a long time; many were already rotten. Beneath them, some had even crumbled to dust.
"Hiss, Big Sister, how many people and beasts must this thing have killed?"
The golden little sword was stunned. What she thought was an ordinary monster was clearly an evil creature. "But why wouldn't the monster eat the hearts? Why leave them here?"
It was puzzled, finding the monster's behavior contradictory.
Song Wanníng was equally puzzled.
She flew down and sealed her sense of smell, carefully searching through the hearts. She did not touch them directly but used her spiritual power to move them from a distance. Then she burned everything clean with a Flame Talisman. The burning took nearly half an hour before it was finally done. After clearing the space, she searched thoroughly, almost overturning the entire cave.
Yet she found nothing unusual.
"Maybe that monster is some kind of hoarder?"
The golden little sword curled its lip.
The monster's taste was really strange.
"I'll keep looking around."
Song Wanníng still felt uneasy. She was sure it could not be so simple. But having searched nearly the entire mine, she found no abnormalities.
The monster was also gone.
She released her divine sense to sweep a thousand-mile radius, but still nothing.
Helpless, she had to take Li Ruo away.
Back at the Song family, Song Wanníng remained uneasy. She told Song Qingyun and asked him to assign people to watch for that monster. After all, it was an evil creature specializing in ripping out hearts—extremely dangerous. If found, it must be reported immediately.
After the instructions, Song Wanníng returned to the courtyard with Li Ruo. Her clone had stayed hidden, avoiding appearing in front of Li Ruo.
Song Wanníng took Li Ruo to the training room to examine the wounds further. The strange aura on the wounds could not be removed. She was unsure whether it would cause harm.
Li Ruo obediently followed behind her, glancing around the training room.
The room was very simple.
Besides a tea table, only a meditation cushion sat alone in the center. Her master was diligent in cultivation but not fond of luxury.
Song Wanníng took out a stool and invited Li Ruo to sit.
Li Ruo nodded but paused when passing the tea table, attracted by a book.
Curious, her eyes flickered with doubt.
"What is it?"
Song Wanníng noticed and asked with a smile.
Li Ruo pointed to the book and said, "I saw a book in the library that had a page very similar to this. At the time, I found it strange—how could two unrelated pages appear in the same book?"
"Where is that book?"
Song Wanníng immediately came over, her tone serious.
Her sudden reaction startled Li Ruo.
"It's the new library. I saw it on the first floor."
Li Ruo also grew serious.
It seemed her master cared deeply about that book.
"Master, I'll take you to find it. The book should still be there!"
It was a travelogue that few in the family ever read.
It must still be there.
Song Wanníng's eyes flickered.
She grabbed Li Ruo's arm and quickly left the training room.
"Let's go!"
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In here the Author use 怪物 (guàiwu) when write about the Monster, it clearly different with 妖 (Yāo) that I translate to Beast or 魔物 (Mówù) that I translate into demonic creatures