After being reborn, the cannon fodder junior sister quickly left the sect.

Chapter 179 The Mysterious Stone Flower

The perpetually single Song Qiao was completely oblivious to all these intricacies. He even urged Chu Wenqing with a smile, "Senior brother, didn't you want to record this with the recording stone? Hurry up and go..."

Chu Wenqing was speechless upon hearing this, but fearing it would hurt his junior brother's fragile heart, he could only swallow his complaints. He sighed and turned to record the video.

Never mind! The important thing is to get down to business...

On the other side, Su Luo was coldly staring at Ye Danqing and the other person. When she saw that Chu Wenqing was recording them, she immediately shifted her gaze to Yu Linlang and Wan Linyue, who were not far to her right.

She had just seen the two of them, but she hadn't expected them to have entered the secret realm as well, and even met their demise here...

As Su Luo was thinking, she glanced casually to the other side out of the corner of her eye, and then she suddenly froze, her pupils dilating in shock.

A young girl dressed in the outer disciple's robes of the Tianyi Sect lay unconscious on the ground. Her eyes were tightly closed, and her snow-white face was deathly pale, as if she were trapped in a nightmare, her face contorted in agony. At this moment, for some unknown reason, she was still clutching a flower stamen tightly.

It was Zhou Zhiyi! She was here too!

Lin Ji watched Su Luo without changing his expression. When he saw her gaze lingering on a cute female cultivator who looked no more than sixteen years old, her eyes vacant as if she were recalling something, he narrowed his eyes dangerously.

Su Luo is acting strangely...

Su Luo didn't notice Lin Ji's unusual behavior. She only frowned slightly after snapping out of her reverie.

Something's not right! How could Zhou Zhiyi be here?! Although Zhou Zhiyi has indeed entered the Tianyi Sect at this time, how could a newly initiated disciple have entered the Cloud Realm?! That shouldn't be the case!

The Cloud Realm is extremely dangerous; a slight misstep could mean never returning. Therefore, all sects typically send experienced or highly skilled disciples. Even the most ruthless elders of the Heavenly One Sect wouldn't send newly initiated disciples to their deaths so easily! That's against the rules!

Furthermore, why is Zhou Zhiyi different from the others? Everyone else under the illusion is asleep and peaceful, but Zhou Zhiyi seems to be in great pain? Why is she clutching a flower? That flower…

Su Luo felt something was off, so she took a few steps forward and squatted down to check, but she still couldn't figure it out. So she reached out to take the flowers from Zhou Zhiyi's hand to examine them more closely.

Just then, Feng Xiyue suddenly spoke up, "Something's wrong with this flower! Everyone, don't touch it!"

The group was taken aback. Su Luo's hand stopped in mid-air, just centimeters away from the flower. Lin Ji pulled Su Luo up from behind and silently took a few steps back.

"What's going on?!"

Chu Wenqing was startled and jumped up, taking Song Qiao with her as they retreated to Lin Ji and the others.

Song Qiao hurriedly asked, "Senior sister, is there something wrong with these flowers?"

Feng Xiyue finally remembered the information about the white flower. She looked around at the endless beautiful flowers around her, her body turned cold, and her face turned extremely pale.

"These flowers... are all stone flowers! These flowers survive entirely by absorbing nutrients from corpses! I never expected to see so many stone flowers here! Usually, only one flower can grow from one corpse, so all these flowers covering the mountainside are actually..."

"!"

Her words caused a huge stir, and even though Feng Xiyue didn't finish her sentence, everyone's expression changed.

Looking at the beautiful flowers surrounding them, apart from Lin Ji, Su Luo and the others felt their scalps tingle!

Therefore, beneath these flowers covering the mountains and fields lie countless corpses! They are now standing in a huge mass grave!

"Mom!"

Startled, Chu Wenqing jumped up from the ground and grabbed Lin Ji, clinging to him like a koala.

Chu Wenqing moved too fast, so fast that no one could react in time. Therefore, Su Luo and the others could not stop him and could only watch helplessly as Chu Wenqing clung tightly to Lin Ji.

Su Luo knew something was wrong.

Although Lin Ji was slowly getting used to Chu Wenqing, he could never accept someone hugging him so intimately! Especially since the other person was a man!

Like Su Luo, Feng Xiyue and Song Qiaoxin were both on edge.

A blankness appeared on Lin Ji's face, as if he had never imagined that he could be held so tightly one day. But then, his face suddenly turned ashen, and he grabbed Chu Wenqing's arm, trying to throw him off.

"Get off!"

Aside from Su Luo, any touch from anyone else disgusted him! Especially men! It involuntarily reminded him of the humiliation and abuse he suffered at the hands of that old man when he was young!

Little did Chu Wenqing know that Lin Ji was already on the verge of exploding. He didn't want to touch the ground at all, so he clung tightly to Lin Ji, shaking his head frantically no matter what Lin Ji said, refusing to get off.

"No! It's all corpses down there!"

"Get down! Immediately! Right now!"

Lin Ji pulled for a while and realized he couldn't move Chu Wenqing. He immediately glared at him darkly, his eyes surging with chilling killing intent. "Otherwise, I'll turn you into a corpse today and bury you with these things forever!"

Chu Wenqing: ...

Is it really necessary to be so cruel? Aren't they good friends? What's wrong with good friends hugging each other?!

However, Chu Wenqing wasn't completely oblivious to Lin Jizhen's expression. Seeing that Lin Jizhen was truly angry, he disregarded his fear and could only awkwardly let go and climb down, while quickly apologizing.

"Lin Ji, I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to, I was just startled... I'm really sorry..."

Lin Ji didn't speak, but stared coldly at Chu Wenqing, his dark eyes unfathomable, his heart filled with violent killing intent.

Chu Wenqing stood frozen in place, feeling a chill run through her from head to toe.

For some reason, he suddenly felt that Lin Ji in front of him was too unfamiliar! And, for some reason...

Chu Wenqing suddenly thought of the Heavenly Demon from his past life! During their few encounters in his past life, the other party had looked at him like he was a dead object, just like Lin Ji!

Song Qiao was covered in cold sweat. He stared intently at Lin Ji, his face showing signs of great danger.

Feng Xiyue frowned, sensing that something was amiss.

Just then, Su Luo walked over and grabbed Lin Ji's hand. Seeing the boy looking over, she said softly, "Lin Ji, don't be angry, okay? You know Chu Wenqing is always so carefree. He was just really scared. Didn't he apologize to you now?"

As she spoke, Su Luo quickly gave Chu Wenqing a wink.

Chu Wenqing snapped out of her daze and nodded emphatically, "Yes, Lin Ji, I'm so sorry... I acted impulsively! It definitely won't happen again!"

Lin Ji glanced coldly at Chu Wenqing, noticing his pale face, before suppressing the murderous intent in his eyes. "There won't be a next time. I don't like being touched, especially by men! The moment they touch me, I have a conditioned reflex to kill them..."

Chu Wenqing: ...

So Lin Ji was so angry just now because he touched a nerve! Come to think of it, Lin Ji seemed to be like this before! Every time he bumped into Lin Ji, Lin Ji would either dodge away or push him away!

Su Luo didn't know what Lin Ji had gone through to be so averse to physical contact, but it wasn't the right time to ask. She could only sigh and hug Lin Ji tightly with heartache.

Lin Ji's body stiffened for a moment, then quickly relaxed, instinctively hugging the girl back, his whole being filled with dependence on her.

The others just watched with their eyes open, not daring to disturb them.

After a while, Su Luo gently pushed Lin Ji away and asked with a smile, "Okay, now I'm holding you, are you feeling better?"

Lin Ji nodded with a slightly flushed face, showing no trace of the cold cruelty he had just displayed.

Song Qiao and Feng Xiyue breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

As expected of Su Luo, she finally solved the problem! With Su Luo around, they feel much more at ease...

Chu Wenqing breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to himself that he would never do anything reckless again! Lin Ji was really terrifying just now!

But... why did Lin Ji become like this? Most people wouldn't avoid being touched like Lin Ji does!

Chu Wenqing was completely baffled. He stroked his chin and scrutinized Lin Ji, then his gaze lingered on the boy's unbelievably handsome face. Suddenly, as if he had just realized something, he understood, and a hint of pity appeared in his eyes as he looked at Lin Ji.

Lin Ji is so beautiful; she must have experienced something terrible as a child to hate physical contact so much! Sigh! What a pitiful child… beauty is a sin…

He must be more careful in the future and not let Lin Ji recall that bad experience again!

Fortunately, Lin Ji couldn't hear Chu Wenqing's thoughts, otherwise... he might really have found an opportunity to grind Chu Wenqing to dust!

Now, because of Chu Wenqing's outburst, everyone momentarily forgot that they were still standing in the corpse pit. When they came to their senses, they quickly retreated and stood on the outer edge of the sea of ​​flowers.

These stone flowers are too strange! They'd better stay as far away from each other as possible!