Chapter 18: The Underground City

Tu You couldn’t help but let out a loud cry. Suddenly, something in the cave startled him, making him jump. B quickly leaped to M Sangchu’s side.

Mu Xue also nervously followed along, her face tense with anxiety.

“You damn rabbit spirit! Why are you yelling so loud? You scared me half to death!”

Tu You protested, “I—I didn’t mean to! I got scared myself!”

No one knew how big this underground area was. It was really amazing!

Lu Minli said, “Don’t be afraid, it’s fine. I’ll go take a look first.”

The group’s nerves eased a little.

Mu Xue immediately dragged Sangchu along, grabbing her hand and running forward. “Sang Sang, I saw these huge underground terraced fields! There are five or six different colors, and they’re so beautiful!”

The underground terraces shimmered, each level like a meticulously carved jade pool, arranged neatly along the sloping cave walls.

Within the terraces, the clear water was as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the cave’s stalactites and stone columns. The rippling light looked like dazzling glass.

Tu You said, “Ah Chu, try touching the water on the surface of the terraces.”

The three—Tu You, Sangchu, and the others—were stunned. Sangchu asked, “Touch the water?”

Tu You nodded eagerly. “Yeah, I think there’s something interesting under the water!”

Sangchu nodded, glancing at Lu Minli. He tacitly moved behind Sangchu to guard her, while Mu Xue stood at the front, weapon in hand.

Sangchu conjured a handy blade and carefully tried to cut into the surface. She thought it would be water, but as soon as she touched it, she realized it was actually a thick, viscous liquid.

It was a bit like jelly—pleasant to the touch.

Tu You watched her with wide eyes. “Wow, your technique is so careful! Hurry up, cut some more!”

Lu Minli and Mu Xue couldn’t help but laugh at Tu You’s commentary, while Sangchu just rolled her eyes and put the cut-off piece into a box.

This stuff was so strange—maybe it would be useful!

Once the jelly-like layer was removed, what lay beneath was a vast expanse of jade!

The jade was unusual—its surface was smooth and flawless, and within the jade, golden sand seemed to flow. Tu You let out a shriek. “Is this spirit stone?”

“Spirit stone?” Mu Xue hurried over to look at the terrace Sangchu had cut open. “Is it the same kind of spirit stone that little fairies use?”

Tu You shook his head. “No, this is uncarved spirit jade! Spirit jade is much better than regular spirit stones. Ah Chu, hurry, collect as much as you can! This is really valuable!”

Sangchu quickly tried to cut more, but when she tried to slice the spirit jade with her golden blade, she found it wouldn’t cut at all.

“No good, this spirit jade is too hard. I can’t cut through it at all.”

Lu Minli looked over and said, “Want me to try?”

Sangchu nodded and stepped aside, but even he couldn’t make a dent in it. “It’s really tough.”

Mu Xue asked, “So what do we do? We can see it but can’t take it. Big rabbit, do you have any ideas?”

Tu You protested, “I’m a little spirit, not a big rabbit! If I can’t cut it, what can I do?”

“Oh, you call yourself a little spirit, but you’re useless!”

Tu You glared at Mu Xue, then squatted on Sangchu’s shoulder and wiggled his butt at her. Mu Xue rolled her eyes. “What are you looking at, you silly rabbit! What’s wrong with being a rabbit?”

Tu You huffed, “Hmph, I’m ignoring you!”

Mu Xue tugged on his big ears. “Ignore me? I’m naturally beautiful, and you dare call me ugly! If you keep it up, I’ll pluck all your fur and turn you into a bald rabbit!”

The two started bickering again, while Lu Minli and Sangchu could only watch helplessly, unable to intervene.

At that moment, as Lu Minli was thinking, he absentmindedly squeezed the jelly-like substance he’d cut off.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up.

“Sangchu, I have an idea!”

Sangchu smiled. “Me too, but I’m not sure if it’ll work.”

They spoke almost at the same time: “Water!”

Lu Minli said, “Yes, I was thinking about water. In nature, everything has its counter. Where there are poisonous snakes, there are antidotes within a hundred steps. Some poisonous plants have roots or flowers that can detoxify. I think this spirit jade is the same.”

Sangchu nodded. “I was thinking the same. Since the spirit jade is under water, maybe the water is the key?”

Lu Minli carefully cut a piece of jelly about the size of his golden blade and spread it over the blade. When he tried to cut the spirit jade again, it sliced through easily!

Lu Minli said excitedly, “It works!”

Sangchu quickly conjured another golden blade and, following Lu Minli’s method, began cutting the spirit jade.

Mu Xue and Tu You finally finished arguing. When they turned around, they saw that Sangchu and Lu Minli had already successfully cut out a piece of spirit jade.

“Wow, how did you do that?”

Lu Minli explained, but Tu You looked at her disdainfully. “You sound so dumb when you talk!”

Mu Xue retorted, “What’s wrong with being a beauty with no brains? None of your business! Stop nagging!” She tossed the jelly away and ran over to Sangchu. “Sang Sang, help me cut a piece too! I want to do it with you!”

There were plenty of terraced fields of various sizes in this underground city. Who knew how long it would take to collect them all?

Sangchu gave her a piece, then started cutting another for herself.

Tu You squatted on Sangchu’s shoulder. “Ah Chu, why don’t you give me a piece first? I’ll go to the marketplace and see how much it’s worth?”

“Okay!”

Sangchu cut off a palm-sized piece and handed it to him. As soon as he took it, he disappeared, leaving Mu Xue blinking in surprise.

“Wow, he really is a little spirit!”

Lu Minli watched her reaction and couldn’t help but smile. “He’s been following Ah Chu all this time, so he’s definitely real. Next time, don’t overthink things.”

“Whose side are you on?” Mu Xue glared at him.

Lu Minli just smiled and gently patted her head. “Of course I’m on your side. But he’s Ah Chu’s spirit. She’ll need his help a lot in the future.”

Thinking it over, Mu Xue sighed. “Fine, as long as he doesn’t bother me, I’ll get along with him.”

Sangchu smiled. “Don’t worry, say whatever you want. Tu You is just a kid at heart. If you tease him, he’ll get upset.”

Mu Xue said, “Is that so?”

Sangchu nodded. “Yes, he and I both come from places with little light. At least in the apocalypse, we had the blood moon, and at home, there was always some kind of lighting. But Tu You’s world had no light at all. So, he really treasures having people to talk to.”

---

Let me know if you want the translation to be more literal or if you need any names or terms adjusted!"