Chapter 18

Li Wenjun, a young man in his prime, was in the midst of his growth spurt and had a voracious appetite. How could one pancake satisfy his hunger? However, apart from this pancake, he had no other food with him. Li Wenjun regretted not bringing the large bag that could hold many things, which he could have filled with more food and drink. If he had, he wouldn't be suffering from hunger now.

After sighing for a while, Li Wenjun closed his eyes, preparing to rest for a moment before attempting to descend the mountain at night.

As soon as he closed his eyes, overwhelming fatigue washed over him, and before long, Li Wenjun fell into a deep sleep.

After an unknown amount of time, Li Wenjun was suddenly awakened by the shrill cry of a night owl. He rubbed his sleepy eyes and looked up at the sky. The scene before him made him widen his eyes in astonishment, unable to believe what he was seeing.

He saw two streaks of light flash across the sky, each carrying a large shadow. Upon closer inspection, it was clear that two people were flying in the sky.

Immortals?!

A thought flashed through Li Wenjun's mind.

Could this be a dream?

Another thought quickly followed, flashing through his mind.

Li Wenjun pinched his thigh hard. He winced and gritted his teeth; it hurt, so it must be real, not a dream.

Li Wenjun was both excited and nervous. He clamped his mouth shut, afraid to make a sound. The events in Junbao Town were still vivid in his mind, and he dared not forget them.

For some reason, the two immortals Li Wenjun saw began to circle in the sky. After a moment, they slowly descended and landed in the forest.

The place where they landed was several yards away from Li Wenjun. It was dark, and neither side could see each other, but they were standing upwind. In the silent night, every sound they made was clearly transmitted to Li Wenjun's ears.

Li Wenjun became even more cautious. He pressed his body as far back against the tree trunk as possible, not daring to move a finger, for fear of alarming the two immortals.

From upwind, he heard the sounds of the two "immortals" eating and drinking. The sounds indicated that they were enjoying their meal, which made the hungry Li Wenjun lick his lips. Fortunately, he had endured hunger for months before, so he could resist this temptation.

The two "immortals" ate and talked, never imagining that someone was eavesdropping on them in the deep mountains, just a few yards away.

"Sixth Senior Brother, it's been more than two months since Master sent us down the mountain, and he still hasn't summoned us back. Does Master really want us to continue our cultivation here in this remote and barren place? There's almost no spiritual energy here. We've wandered for so long and haven't found any precious materials. If we stay here any longer, we'll be ruined," the one speaking had a slightly high-pitched voice.

The other voice was rougher. "Seventh, are you questioning Master's decision? Do you know what the consequences would be if Master found out?"

The high-pitched voice showed a hint of fear. "Sixth Senior Brother, I'm not questioning Master. Please don't report my complaints to him."

Sixth Senior Brother snorted. "Master is all-knowing. You should be more careful about speaking behind his back. You know the principle of respecting elders, right?"

Seventh quickly replied, "I understand."

"Good. Seventh, I can see that you've been holding back for a long time. It's good that you finally asked. We are brothers, so we can speak freely. This place is indeed barren, but if you think Master sent us here as a punishment, you're wrong," Sixth Senior Brother said mysteriously.

"What do you mean?" Seventh asked.

Sixth Senior Brother chuckled but didn't answer Seventh's question.

After a rustling sound, Seventh's voice reached Li Wenjun's ears again. "Sixth Senior Brother, here are five low-grade spirit stones I've accumulated. My cultivation level is low, and I don't need such precious stones. They would be better used by you. Please accept them."

"Seventh, you're too polite. Since you're sincere, I'll accept them," Sixth Senior Brother said without any hesitation. He continued, "You want to know why Master sent us here for cultivation, right? Actually, cultivation is a cover, and surveillance is the real reason. In our Song Kingdom's cultivation world, there was once a famous cultivation family, the Zhou family. Do you remember them?"

"The Zhou family? The one that produced the Golden Core Ancestor Zhou Yukun, who was invincible in Song Kingdom?" Seventh asked in surprise.

"Yes, that Zhou family. At their peak, they dominated the entire Song Kingdom. However, at the height of their power, the Zhou family suddenly disappeared, seemingly vanishing overnight.

Those who knew the Zhou family well speculated that it was likely due to a lack of successors and Zhou Yukun's exhausted lifespan. To avoid trouble, the Zhou family quietly left Song Kingdom and went into hiding in another country, hoping to escape their enemies.

A Golden Core Ancestor, what kind of existence is that? You know as well as I do.

For us cultivators, reaching the Golden Core stage is extremely difficult. The notes left by our predecessors on how to form a Golden Core are invaluable. If the Zhou family had been smart, they would have contributed Zhou Yukun's notes. Instead, they disappeared, which only invited trouble.

Since the Zhou family disappeared, many people and sects have been searching for their whereabouts. However, after a long time of searching without success, the number of searchers has decreased," Sixth Senior Brother said, then stopped.

Seventh suddenly understood. "So, Master thinks this place might be where the Zhou family settled, and he sent Second Senior Brother to lead us here to find their exact location?"

"Keep it to yourself. If Second Senior Brother finds out, he might feed you to his black-striped python as a snack," Sixth Senior Brother warned.

Seventh chuckled awkwardly. After a moment, he asked, "Second Senior Brother has been separated from us for a while. Why hasn't he come to meet us yet?"

Sixth Senior Brother explained, "Second Senior Brother sent me a paper crane message explaining why he hasn't come. Once, while he was letting his black-striped python loose, it escaped. He has been searching for it. He seems to have found its whereabouts and should be joining us soon if there are no further issues."

Seventh said enviously, "Among us brothers, Second Senior Brother is not only the one with the highest cultivation level but also the most capable. Especially his black-striped python, which is about to reach the second level. Having it around is like having a mid-stage Qi Cultivator by your side."

"What are you envious of? Second Senior Brother obtained the black-striped python by killing a third-level black-striped python during his travels, extracting a snake egg from its belly, and hatching it. If you had the ability to kill a third-level black-striped python, you might also get one as a pet. Yes, among us brothers, Second Senior Brother is the most capable, and the black-striped python has played a significant role in that."

Sixth Senior Brother's tone also revealed a hint of envy.

"Sixth Senior Brother, do you think among us brothers, who will advance to the Foundation Establishment stage first, Eldest Senior Brother or Second Senior Brother?" Seventh asked. "I heard Master told Eldest and Second Senior Brother that whoever reaches the Great Completion stage of Qi Cultivation first will receive the only Foundation Establishment Pill he has."

"Why are you concerned about this? You haven't even reached the mid-stage of Qi Cultivation. Why worry about who will get the Foundation Establishment Pill? We just need to be smart and not offend either Eldest or Second Senior Brother," Sixth Senior Brother said.

A cold night breeze blew, carrying a chill. Li Wenjun, hiding behind the tree, tightened his clothes. He was completely confused by the conversation between Sixth Senior Brother and Seventh, but the term "black-striped python" reminded him of his experience in Junbao Town. He wondered if the black-striped python they mentioned was related to the one that appeared in Junbao Town.

After eating and drinking their fill, Sixth Senior Brother and Seventh chatted for a while and then lay down to rest in the forest.

Li Wenjun, afraid of disturbing them, didn't dare to move, even when he urgently needed to urinate.

After a long, agonizing wait, it was the middle of the night. After resting for over an hour, Sixth Senior Brother and Seventh flew back into the sky. In a moment, they were just two black dots in the sky, and after a while, they disappeared completely.

Li Wenjun let out a long sigh of relief. He untied his belt and urinated, feeling a great sense of relief as the warm liquid flowed out.

After finishing, Li Wenjun retied his belt. He looked at the few stars in the sky, barely able to determine the direction, and started walking out of the mountain. He didn't dare to stay in the mountains any longer, fearing that Sixth Senior Brother and Seventh might return. If the so-called Second Senior Brother brought his black-striped python to Wufeng Mountain and let it loose, he would be in trouble.

As dawn approached, Li Wenjun found a house on the halfway point of Wufeng Mountain. It was a simple house made of stone and wood. When he was climbing the mountain, Sun Baicao had brought him and Sun Jianing here to get water.

Li Wenjun was overjoyed and ran over, knocking on the door vigorously. The person inside was startled and asked who was knocking.

Li Wenjun quickly explained the situation, and soon the door opened. A middle-aged man came out. His name was Wang, and he was a hunter on the mountain. He held a torch and a hunting spear, looking wary. When he saw Li Wenjun's face, his wariness faded.