Chapter 53

In the early morning, as the sun had just revealed half its face, Zhuge Xiang stood on the suspension bridge of Cuizhufeng, carrying the Blade of Severance, his figure tall and straight, quietly gazing at the sea of clouds on the horizon.

Last night, when Niu Geng returned, Zhuge Xiang had already handed over the few extra magical artifacts he had to Niu Geng. When Zhuge Xiang mentioned he was going down the mountain, Niu Geng had initially offered to accompany him and help. However, Niu Geng had just obtained the Nine Aperture Mystic Pill, which quadrupled his cultivation speed. He should focus on improving his cultivation rather than getting involved in other matters, so Zhuge Xiang did not agree. In the end, Niu Geng reluctantly handed over several toxins he had refined and the venomous bees he had cultivated to Zhuge Xiang, knowing they might be useful in the future.

Although Zhuge Xiang had a storage belt, he preferred to carry his weapons with him, a good habit he wanted to cultivate. The Endless Mountains were full of potential dangers, and it was better to have his weapons on him rather than stored away.

Soon, a graceful figure appeared, her white dress fluttering in the morning breeze. Lu Yuling, standing in the early sunlight, looked even more radiant than before.

"You're here? What about the little fox?" Zhuge Xiang greeted Lu Yuling.

The little fox, which Zhuge Xiang also knew, was the one he had asked Lu Yuling to adopt after they had slain the demon fox during their first mission.

"The headquarters has a dedicated place for raising pet beasts. Otherwise, would we bring them down the mountain with us?" Lu Yuling said with a faint smile.

Without further words, the two turned and left the headquarters of the Asura Sect, heading down the mountain.

As they walked down, Zhuge Xiang said, "Now, can you finally tell me the details of the mission? I think I have the right to know what this mission is about."

"Mission details? Didn't you think I just wanted to spend some time alone with you?" Lu Yuling said with a playful smile.

"You're not the type to waste time, and neither am I," Zhuge Xiang replied calmly, showing no signs of being moved.

"Really, no sense of romance at all."

"Romantic people just waste time, and you keep them at arm's length, don't you?"

"Haha, indeed, you and I are of the same kind," Lu Yuling said with a light laugh. After a few casual jokes, she became serious and said, "Actually, the reason I asked you to come down this time is to seek treasure. I learned that in a secluded valley 800 miles south of the Asura Sect headquarters, there is a secret chamber left by a genius named Bing Ji, who was about to break through to the Reversion stage."

"About to break through to the Reversion stage?" Zhuge Xiang filtered out the word "genius" and focused on the part about breaking through to the Reversion stage, which was what he was most concerned about.

In the cultivation world, the three major realms were Qi Condensation, Spirit Transformation, and Reversion, each divided into six minor stages. Zhuge Xiang knew this basic knowledge well, and he was also clear about what it meant to be about to break through to the Reversion stage.

"Do you have the confidence to deal with a great being about to break through to the Reversion stage?" Zhuge Xiang asked seriously, looking at Lu Yuling.

The power of Spirit Transformation stage cultivators was evident from the Asura Warship's ability to shatter a mountain peak. Such a powerful being's secret chamber would certainly have restrictions. Even Spirit Transformation stage disciples might not survive, let alone Qi Condensation stage disciples like themselves. The treasures might be valuable, but they needed to survive to claim them.

"Scared? I didn't expect you to be afraid," Lu Yuling said with a teasing smile, flicking a strand of hair from her forehead.

"Courage is one thing, but not recklessness. If there's danger in such a person's secret chamber, we won't have the ability to handle it," Zhuge Xiang said seriously, looking at Lu Yuling.

"Don't worry. I know the situation inside the Bing Ji secret chamber very well. I know what restrictions are in place and where the dangers lie. Our goal is not to enter the heart of the secret chamber but to gather a few useful items from the periphery. I value my life, and so do you. I wouldn't take risks without being sure."

"Alright, let's go," Zhuge Xiang nodded after some thought, finding Lu Yuling's reasoning reasonable and feeling reassured.

A great being about to break through to the Reversion stage? The secret chamber she left behind? What treasures could they find? Zhuge Xiang was very excited. Of course, he was even more excited about the experience he would gain from encountering beasts in the Endless Mountains. The stronger he became, the more experience he needed. To break through to the sixth layer of Qi Condensation, he needed 28,000 experience points, and it would only increase from there. Only through constant battles could he quickly grow stronger and achieve his goals.

Eight hundred miles was not a long distance, but it was not short either. The Endless Mountains were filled with beasts, and high-level beasts were numerous. Zhuge Xiang and his companions walked cautiously, having learned from their previous experience of fleeing from the Endless Mountains after a fairy attack. They were relatively safer this time.

When they saw high-level beasts from a distance, they would choose to avoid them. As for one-star beasts? If they encountered them, Zhuge Xiang would not let them go, whether they were one-star lower or one-star higher.

As they walked, Lu Yuling's steps caught Zhuge Xiang's attention. Her lotus steps were light and graceful, and her feet often moved in complex and mysterious patterns. Despite this, her movements were fluid and smooth, and the most important thing was that her steps were silent and agile, allowing her to easily dodge the crisscrossing branches in the forest.

The Lingbo Step, one of the three prizes Lu Yuling had won during the competition, was a step technique she had practiced but not yet mastered. Normally, she wouldn't waste her qi to practice this technique while traveling, as encountering beasts and depleting her qi would be too dangerous. However, during a casual conversation, when Lu Yuling learned that Zhuge Xiang had over a dozen Qi Recovery Pills, she no longer had such concerns.

Practicing the Lingbo Step allowed her to travel and cultivate simultaneously. With Zhuge Xiang's Qi Recovery Pills, she didn't have to worry about running out of qi when encountering beasts.

With her Heart-Mind Enlightenment, the entangling power of the Clear Wave Palm, and the subtleties of the Lingbo Step, Lu Yuling's strength had improved significantly. At the fifth layer of Qi Condensation, she could now tangle with one-star higher beasts for a while.

In the state of Heart-Mind Enlightenment, she could perceive the attacks of the beasts, and the Lingbo Step allowed her to dodge them easily. The entangling power of the Clear Wave Palm further enhanced her ability to entangle.

Blood Thunder Slash!!!

One day, Lu Yuling, as usual, tangled with a one-star higher demon wolf. Zhuge Xiang waited for the right moment, gathered his qi, and launched a high-speed thrust. Relying on the effect of the Breath Concealment Jade, he quickly approached the demon wolf and slashed down with the Blade of Severance.

To be honest, Zhuge Xiang was quite willing to team up with Lu Yuling. Her Clear Wave Palm could entangle beasts, allowing him to gather his strength and launch the Blood Thunder Slash skill. With the effect of the Breath Concealment Jade, as long as the beast was not above two-star, it was almost a one-hit kill.

They had been traveling for three days, and they had covered about half of the 800-mile journey. After slaying this demon wolf, Zhuge Xiang's experience points reached around 7,000. However, the drop rate seemed to be in a low phase, and he hadn't obtained any good items, only two Blood Recovery Pills.

Although disappointed that the one-star higher beast didn't drop anything, Zhuge Xiang knew that drop rates were a matter of luck. At least he gained 180 experience points, which was still quite good.

Putting away the Blade of Severance, he was about to leave when he suddenly heard the sound of a fight not far ahead. The sound of metal clashing indicated it was not a battle between beasts.

Someone?

Hearing this, Zhuge Xiang and Lu Yuling exchanged a glance and nodded silently. They then cautiously approached the source of the sound.

With the Breath Concealment Jade, Zhuge Xiang could remain undetected as long as he was careful and made no noise. As for Lu Yuling, her Lingbo Step made her as silent as a leaf, allowing her to move without a sound.

As they approached, the sounds became clearer, occasionally mixed with angry shouts. A moment later, Zhuge Xiang and Lu Yuling saw the fighters—a man and a woman, both wearing the official robes of the Asura Sect.

In-faction conflict? Seeing this, Zhuge Xiang and Lu Yuling remained silent, observing the situation.