Chapter 11

At the end of September, the scorching heat continued, not only failing to dissipate but becoming even more stifling. In the state of Zhao, located in the southern region of the Southern Continent, it would not start to cool down until November, and it would not feel like winter until January.

In the early morning, Meng Hao walked out of his cave abode. His eyes were bright, filled with hope for the future.

"Only a thread away from the peak of the third stage of Qi Condensation. While this level of cultivation does not make one a powerhouse within the outer sect, it certainly means one is not to be trifled with." Meng Hao took a deep breath, gazing into the distance. The mountain breeze blew, lifting his hair, and a sense of elegance gradually emerged from him.

He was originally a destitute scholar, but through a series of events, he entered the immortal path. Reflecting on the past, it seemed like a dream, giving Meng Hao a sense of unreality.

"Unfortunately, I don't have enough spirit stones, and the few Ling Condensation Pills I have are no longer effective..." Meng Hao was initially excited, but the thought of spirit stones made him feel a pang of pain.

"Little Fatty, Wang Youcai, and that boy with the tiger-like face. We were all brought to Mount Reliance together. I wonder how they are doing now." Meng Hao pondered for a moment, then his body flickered forward. The spiritual energy within him circulated, and he instantly moved far away, heading towards the Northern Peak amidst the mountains.

Mount Reliance had four peaks in the east, south, west, and north, each towering and majestic, with pavilions and terraces scattered throughout. From a distance, they seemed to stand atop the mountain range. If one looked closely, one could see the rays of light spreading from the tops of these four peaks, forming a ring that enveloped the surroundings.

White clouds swirled, partially obscuring the mountains, giving them a mystical, fairyland-like appearance.

To travel between the Southern and Northern Peaks without passing through the outer sect's gate, one had to go around the Eastern and Western Peaks. Meng Hao chose the Eastern Peak route. As he approached, he held two wild chickens in his hands.

"Little Fatty hasn't been seen for nearly two months. I wonder if he has lost any weight." Meng Hao's mind conjured up the image of Little Fatty, and a smile appeared on his face. As he walked, his eyes suddenly flickered, and he stopped.

In front of him, a gentle breeze blew, and despite the lack of fog, a thin mist appeared. In the mist, a young man in luxurious white robes was walking forward.

This young man's attire was clearly different from that of the outer sect disciples. His robes were as white as snow, and his long hair flowed over his shoulders. He was exceptionally handsome, with a face that was flawless. His figure and demeanor exuded a sense of perfection, as if he had been shaped by the heavens and was a favorite of the world.

His expression was calm, as if nothing could change it. He possessed the composure of a mountain that remains unmoved even when it collapses. As he walked, the mist swirled around him, as if he were walking on clouds.

Behind him were two other young men, who were also handsome, but in comparison to the young man in white, they seemed like mere accompaniments.

"Senior Brother Wang, I've heard that the sect is about to open the trial for advancing to the inner sect. I offer my congratulations in advance, Senior Brother."

"Yes, when Senior Brother Wang entered the sect, his name was known far and wide, even causing interference from the other three major sects. In the end, Senior Brother chose to stay at Mount Reliance, showing great character by not breaking the rules and declining the invitation to directly enter the inner sect. Now, after two years, Senior Brother has reached the sixth stage of Qi Condensation. I've heard from my ancestor that this trial is being opened specifically for Senior Brother."

"Indeed, once Senior Brother enters the inner sect, it won't be long before he surpasses Senior Sister Xu and Senior Brother Chen, becoming the true number one disciple of Mount Reliance."

"Don't speak rashly. Senior Sister Xu is a prodigy, and Senior Brother Chen is devoted to the Dao. Both are respected by me, Wang." The young man in white spoke gently, his voice pleasant and firm. He was Wang Tengfei, the top disciple of the outer sect of Mount Reliance.

"Senior Brother's words are wise. Your character is exceptional, and despite your talent, you remain humble. I am deeply inspired by you, Senior Brother."

"Yes, Senior Brother Wang is always gentle, even to disciples at the first stage of Qi Condensation. The entire outer sect knows this. I admire you from the bottom of my heart, Senior Brother."

As the three men conversed, they approached Meng Hao. Wang Tengfei, in his white robes, nodded slightly at Meng Hao and walked past him. The other two men did not even glance at Meng Hao. As they moved away, Meng Hao turned to look at their backs and noticed that the young man in white was not walking on the ground but was floating about seven inches above it. This scene left Meng Hao momentarily stunned.

His current appearance could not compare to the other man's. His lean, dark-skinned body made him rather unremarkable, especially with the two flapping wild chickens in his hands.

"So, this is Senior Brother Wang Tengfei. The spell that allows one to walk while floating must be the Wind Walking Technique, which can be used at the fifth stage of Qi Condensation." Meng Hao had heard much about this Senior Brother Wang since entering the outer sect, learning about many of his deeds, especially how his entry into the sect had caused a stir in the entire state of Zhao's cultivation world. He wondered what price Mount Reliance had paid and how Wang Tengfei's insistence on choosing Mount Reliance had resolved the situation.

"If I had such a face, I could have become a prince's son-in-law even if I couldn't become a top scholar." Meng Hao enviously retracted his gaze and quickly ran towards the Northern Peak.

Without stopping, he arrived at a desolate hill outside the Northern Peak just before noon. This was where he and Little Fatty had once chopped wood. As soon as he arrived, Meng Hao heard the sound of chopping wood coming from the forest. With a smile, he quickly approached and saw Little Fatty swinging an axe to chop down a tree.

Just as he was about to call out, Meng Hao immediately and without hesitation stepped back.

"Let you take my wife, let you take my bun. I'll chop you to death, I'll bite you to death." Little Fatty had not lost weight but had become even fatter, his body resembling a ball. He was currently chopping wood with his eyes closed, muttering to himself. Many trees around him had already been cut down. As he chopped, he stumbled, dropped the axe, and fell asleep, snoring loudly.

The wooden handle of the axe was covered with numerous tooth marks.

Meng Hao was surprised. He hadn't seen Little Fatty for nearly two months and hadn't expected his sleepwalking to have worsened to the point where it occurred during the day.

As he hesitated about how to wake Little Fatty, Little Fatty's nose twitched, and he rubbed his eyes, standing up and looking around with shining eyes, drooling.

"The smell of wild chickens, hmm, the smell of two wild chickens!" He immediately jumped up and looked around for a long time but didn't see Meng Hao, who was hiding in the forest. Instead, he saw the cut trees and immediately felt grateful.

"What a good person, Meng Hao. You've been away for so long, yet you still come back every day to secretly help me chop wood. It's been almost two months, and you've done this every day. Meng Hao, you are my Li Fugui's best friend for life." Little Fatty was filled with emotion.

Meng Hao, hearing this from a distance in the forest, was taken aback and looked at Little Fatty strangely before coughing and stepping out.

As soon as he appeared, Little Fatty noticed him and looked excited.

"Meng Hao, you finally showed up. For the past two months, I've called for you every time I wake up, but you never appeared... Hmm?" Little Fatty was excitedly speaking when he suddenly noticed the wild chickens in Meng Hao's hands, his eyes lighting up.

A moment later, a flame enveloped the two wild chickens, and the smell of roasting meat filled the air. Meng Hao and Little Fatty sat together, eating greedily, as if they were back in the杂役处 (miscellaneous service area).

"I haven't had wild game for over two months. Meng Hao, why did you only show up today? You said you've been helping me chop wood every day for the past two months. Why didn't you bring me two wild chickens every day?" Little Fatty, with his mouth full of chicken, spoke indistinctly, his joy evident. Seeing Meng Hao made him incredibly happy, and in the Mount Reliance sect, Little Fatty had almost come to regard Meng Hao as family.

Meng Hao smiled mysteriously, not bothering to explain, and instead bit into a chicken leg, looking at Little Fatty. He suddenly noticed that Little Fatty's teeth seemed to have grown longer.

"How has your cultivation been recently? Have you felt any spiritual energy?" Meng Hao asked.

"Don't mention it. I've been practicing every day for the past few months, but strangely, I haven't felt any spiritual energy. Instead, I feel like my teeth have grown a lot, making me afraid to bite my tongue while sleeping." Little Fatty sighed, looking dejected.

"Open your mouth and let me see your teeth." Meng Hao, taken aback, carefully examined Little Fatty's teeth and suddenly said.

Little Fatty quickly swallowed the chicken in his mouth and opened his mouth to show his large teeth. The sunlight glinted off Little Fatty's teeth, which shone brightly. Meng Hao's expression became increasingly strange, and he was eventually filled with disbelief. He could actually sense the fluctuations of spiritual energy in Little Fatty's teeth.

"How is Little Fatty cultivating? How did the spiritual energy end up in his teeth? These aren't just teeth; they are clearly spiritual teeth. I wonder if, with long-term cultivation, they might become a magical treasure..." Meng Hao scratched his head, feeling utterly baffled.

Time passed, and the sun was about to set. Meng Hao and Little Fatty reminisced and talked about many things, including Meng Hao's experiences in the outer sect. Of course, he didn't mention the bronze mirror.

Little Fatty listened with a look of longing, wishing he could immediately advance to the first stage of Qi Condensation and join the outer sect.

Before leaving, Meng Hao gave Little Fatty a Ling Condensation Pill, watching him swallow it before getting up to leave. Little Fatty watched Meng Hao's figure disappear into the forest, feeling a bit melancholic and resolving to practice even harder in the future.

On the way to the Eastern Peak, Meng Hao chose the Western Peak for his return. This was his first time circling Mount Reliance. As the twilight fell, Meng Hao saw a large stone tablet standing beside a bald, flat-topped mountain at the foot of the Western Peak.

The stone tablet was blood-red, as if stained with blood, and bore several cold, large characters.

Low-Rank Public Area.

Beside it were some smaller characters, explaining that this area was off-limits to those at the fourth stage of Qi Condensation and was a public area for those at the first, second, and third stages.

Looking up, Meng Hao saw many figures on the flat-topped mountain, using various techniques to fight each other. Blood splattered as some fell, their arms cut off and their storage bags taken.

As he watched, a figure suddenly rushed down the mountain in panic, pursued by a large man with a sinister smile.

"Help!"

"None can save you in front of Cao."

---

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