Don't Cause Trouble Chapter 38: Immobilization Talisman

Places left behind by fallen or ascended cultivators generally fall into three categories: secret realms, cave dwellings, and inheritance grounds.

Secret realms are the most common and the most frequently opened. They're typically residences or treasure troves left behind by cultivators below the Ascension stage. If a secret realm is well-preserved, it's often easy to tell the former owner's preferences.

In this realm, lotus flowers could be seen everywhere. The moment they entered, they spotted a three-colored lotus. As they continued deeper, they encountered lotuses of all types—clearly, the realm’s creator had a deep affection for them.

Right now, You Fushi was holding a small seedling caked with mud. Its two budding leaves were black, giving off an ominous vibe.

"What’s a Earth Illusion Lotus?" Ye Su asked.

"The Earth Illusion Lotus is a type of illusory lotus that grows underground and is accompanied by an Earth Dragon," Xu Chengyu explained, glancing warily in the direction they came from. "When it first sprouts, it only attracts beasts. But once fully grown, it can project illusions of all things. It’s said that ancient sects used it to help disciples temper their minds and reduce inner demons."

When the lotus begins to sprout, it attracts all nearby beasts within a hundred miles, forcing them into violent conflict. The Earth Dragon then devours them. The more beasts that gather and fight, the stronger the Earth Dragon becomes. It waits until only one beast is left, then devours it to evolve. By that point, even a Nascent Soul cultivator couldn’t hope to kill it.

With each growth phase of the lotus, the cycle repeats, and the Earth Dragon grows stronger.

Xu Chengyu had once heard an elder of the Wu Sword Sect mention that the Earth Illusion Lotus emits a faint floral scent mixed with a heavy, muddy stench when it first sprouts—something unforgettable.

He hadn’t expected to encounter one in such a small secret realm. He’d even doubted his nose on the way out—until You Fushi casually dug it up.

"Since the fall of the Divine Era, Earth Illusion Lotuses haven’t appeared," Xu Chengyu said, his face complex as he looked at You Fushi. "Its scent lingers for days. If you walk around with it, every beast or cultivator that picks up the smell could be killed by the Earth Dragon."

Ye Su asked, "So even if we return the lotus to the dragon, it’ll still kill us?"

Xu Chengyu nodded. "That’s what the stories say." That’s why ancient sects would kill the Earth Dragon first before taking the lotus.

"In that case, we run," Ye Su said plainly.

Without hesitation, she grabbed You Fushi’s wrist and took off in another direction on her sword. Xu Chengyu was stunned for a moment, then quickly followed.

"Ye Su," You Fushi called persistently behind her. "Are you going to swap or not?"

Ye Su was getting a headache. She took a deep breath. "Find it yourself in the qiankun pouch."

She was already steering the sword with one hand and holding onto her little junior brother with the other to keep him from falling—there was no time for anything else.

You Fushi thought for a moment, then stuffed the Earth Illusion Lotus into Ye Su’s pouch and pulled out the talisman blaster she’d previously confiscated.

Before he could enjoy it, Ye Su called out, "Help me message Liu Sha."

You Fushi didn’t like being ordered around, but the mortal girl made fun gadgets, so he reluctantly pulled out her communication jade and contacted Ming Liu Sha.

"Junior Brother?" Ming Liu Sha was surprised to see him. "Where’s Senior Sister?"

You Fushi didn’t answer. He simply turned the jade to face Ye Su.

Ye Su glanced at it from the corner of her eye. "All the beasts in the secret realm are converging here. You all need to find the core and absorb the spiritual energy while you can."

"What about you?" Ming Liu Sha frowned.

"We’re carrying the scent of the Earth Illusion Lotus," Ye Su explained. "There’s an Earth Dragon chasing us. You go."

Ming Liu Sha wanted to protest, but realizing Ye Su’s situation, he ended the message instead.

Once Xu Chengyu caught up, Ye Su asked, "Brother Xu, how strong is the Earth Dragon before it devours any beasts?"

"At least Nascent Soul level."

Xu Chengyu's pupils dilated as he realized what she was implying. Before he could warn her, the ground in front of Ye Su suddenly erupted. An Earth Dragon lunged at lightning speed, jaws wide open, about to swallow her whole.

"Hold tight," Ye Su said as she guided You Fushi’s hand to her waist. The next moment, she gripped her sword with both hands and dove downward, skimming past the Earth Dragon’s massive body.

The stench of mud and blood rushed up to meet them.

Ye Su didn’t even hold her breath. Instead, the sharp odor sharpened her focus.

But just as she descended, the dragon's second head burst from the earth beneath them. Its gaping maw reeked of rotting blood and mud as it lunged toward them from below, while the top head came crashing down.

—They were caught in a pincer attack, and the dragon's body blocked the way forward.

Ye Su wasn’t a sword cultivator. She’d never formally learned sword-flying—just enough to get by. She could go forward, but not backward.

"Sword energy in reverse—now!" Xu Chengyu shouted, demonstrating the maneuver himself.

Ye Su immediately reversed the flow of her spiritual energy. Her sword jerked into reverse, and she stared expressionlessly as the Earth Dragon’s two heads collided with each other.

"You can’t go back," Xu Chengyu warned, flying up beside her. "If it eats any beasts, its power will rise again."

So they couldn’t go forward. Couldn’t go back.

"Xu Chengyu, how confident are you that you can hurt it?"

Xu Chengyu met her eyes, shaken—she was only at the Foundation Establishment stage, yet she was thinking of fighting a creature on par with a Nascent Soul cultivator.

"This dragon hasn’t eaten yet. At most, it’s early Nascent Soul," he replied. "I can try."

They hovered midair, silently watching the Earth Dragon approach, waiting for a chance.

You Fushi looked down at the dragon, then suddenly muttered, "Ugly thing."

Ye Su: "…"

A vein throbbed on her forehead as she resisted the urge to throw her junior brother off the sword.

"Ye Su, in a moment, draw its attention," Xu Chengyu said. "I’ll circle around and attack from behind."

"Got it."

Ye Su deliberately pulled out the Earth Illusion Lotus from her storage pouch. The earth dragon froze, caught the scent, and then charged straight at her, its entire body launching upward with a ferocity that made it seem like it would bite her in half.

She didn’t even blink. Hovering in mid-air, she watched the dragon rapidly close the distance.

Now!

Xu Chengyu landed, gripping his sword. With a push off the ground, he leapt up toward the dragon. Twisting his wrist, he channeled spiritual power from the hilt into the blade and struck with all his strength.

The sword, infused with the full force of a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator, landed solidly.

It hit!

Before he could celebrate, he saw that the place he struck only leaked muddy water, and in the next moment, it healed completely.

The dragon was enraged. The lower half of its body snapped upward, jaws snapping toward him.

Meanwhile, just as Ye Su was about to be bitten, she flew her sword past the dragon’s gaping maw—missing it by just a hand’s breadth.

Landing, she released You Fushi. "Stay here," she said.

You Fushi stepped down but was immediately grabbed again. "Wait."

She reached for the Mistflower Fang on his arm and handed him the Mirror Armor. "If any beasts come, activate this."

You Fushi: "..."

On the other side, Xu Chengyu was already entangled in a fierce battle with the earth dragon. He was two realms weaker than it and clearly at a disadvantage.

Despite its massive size, the dragon was terrifyingly agile. Xu hadn’t expected it to turn so fast. He nearly became its meal, barely escaping after slashing part of its mouth open, though he was still bitten on the back.

Ye Su threw the Mistflower Fang at the dragon—it only burst into muddy water.

Still, with the Earth Illusion Lotus on her, she was the perfect bait.

She focused on leading the dragon in circles while Xu Chengyu followed, constantly searching for an opening to strike.

—A sword cultivator, so long as they have a blade, can challenge heaven and earth.

Xu Chengyu gripped his sword tightly, those words echoing in his heart. He was a disciple of the Sword Sect—fear was not an option.

So what if it was a Nascent Soul-level beast?

It can still be slain.

Leaping into the air, he clasped his sword with both hands. A faint blue sword aura buzzed into life—fierce and focused. In the next instant, he brought it down hard on the dragon’s head.

With the force of an awakened sword intent at Golden Core level, he sliced clean through one of its heads. The dragon’s body collapsed, muddy water gushing from the wound. This time, there was no healing.

Though one head was gone, the dragon wasn’t dead. The head nearest Ye Su suddenly sped up, its gaping maw lunging to snatch back the Earth Illusion Lotus from her hand.

She hadn’t expected it to be even faster now.

Too close...

She didn’t have time to dodge. Raising the Mistflower Fang, she aimed at the dragon—not to stop it, but to slow it for even a second. That would be enough to escape.

She might get injured, but she’d survive.

Across the field, Xu Chengyu, who had just awakened his sword intent, clenched his jaw and raced toward her at full speed. Just a bit faster—just a little more.

Meanwhile, You Fushi, standing not far behind Ye Su, watched calmly. His pitch-black pupils faintly shimmered purple. The moment he looked at the dragon, it inexplicably hesitated mid-charge.

It only paused for a moment—but that was enough for Ye Su to escape.

Xu Chengyu arrived just in time, unleashing another sword strike from the air that decapitated the second head.

The dragon’s now-headless body writhed in pain for a moment, then fell still, muddy water still seeping out.

Ye Su had dodged in time. She knelt on one knee, glancing up—only to see the severed dragon head rolling toward You Fushi.

Xu Chengyu’s sword strike had been so swift that the dragon’s head retained some awareness. Sensing someone nearby, it lunged to bite.

"Activate the Mirror Armor!" Ye Su shouted.

You Fushi didn’t move. Instead, he tilted his head toward her.

Just as the head was about to bite, he calmly raised the talisman spraying gun and fired. A talisman slapped onto the dragon’s forehead with a loud smack.

Ye Su: "..."

"What kind of talisman was that?" Xu Chengyu, now standing beside Ye Su, stared at the motionless dragon head, unable to resist asking.

Ye Su stood, rummaging in her storage pouch. She fell silent. You Fushi had apparently loaded it with the Paralysis Talisman she had bought.

"Was it effective?" Ye Su asked flatly as she walked over.

You Fushi busied himself fiddling with the gun, pretending not to hear. This mortal woman was clearly out to hassle him.

"If you’d used the wrong talisman just now, you’d be dead," she said. "The Mirror Armor can withstand Nascent Soul-level attacks. Use that next time."

"I won’t make a mistake," You Fushi replied.

The senior sister turned away, also pretending not to hear. Who thinks they’d actually die anyway?

Once all three were safe, they noticed the sound of beasts roaring in the distance was growing louder.

"Brother Xu, can you still fight?" Ye Su asked, staring ahead. "That thing’s body is a great source of materials. It’d be a waste to leave it."