Chapter 97

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Seven-Inch Gorge, ten zhang underground.

Wu Jiu was surrounded by a layer of earth-yellow light, his hands busy. With the flying sword slashing and kicking, a narrow cave was formed, barely enough for one person.

He took out a pearl and embedded it in the stone wall to light up the area, then sat cross-legged on the spot. As the light from the earth-moving technique faded, he immediately felt cramped and suffocated. He hurriedly circulated the spiritual energy within his body, and only then did he feel his breath smooth out.

The earth-moving technique was not yet proficient, and going deeper underground would inevitably consume spiritual energy. For now, he would make do and avoid prying eyes.

The opening of the Canglong Valley was still more than two months away. Going there rashly now would only invite trouble. During this period, he might as well rest and recuperate.

Wu Jiu rested for a moment, then waved his hand, and a pile of things appeared in front of him: jade slips, flying swords, small flags, and jade bottles, all of which were present.

Hmm, although getting lost in the Ancient Sword Mountain was absurd and fraught with danger, it was not without its rewards!

Several jade slips contained the "Nine Star Technique," "Invisibility Technique," "Flash Escape Technique," and "Ancient Sword Technique"; a few jade bottles contained healing pills; the handleless and edgeless flying sword was kept as a backup; and the five small flags were for the Five Symbol Array.

Better late than never!

With the earth-moving technique from the "Nine Star Technique," though he could not hide like a dragon in the depths, it would provide an escape route in dire straits. The "Invisibility Technique" would allow him to come and go without a trace; the "Flash Escape Technique" would help him dodge a fatal blow at critical moments; and the techniques from the "Ancient Sword Technique" would make his attacks and defenses more comprehensive. With all these combined, plus the invincibility of the demon sword, he could face any top expert among the feathered warriors!

If injured, there were healing pills.

If retreating, there were array formations.

That Senior Gu claimed to be related to the elders in the sect, and he did have some background. At least his Five Symbol Array was extraordinary...

Wu Jiu spat, rubbed his hands, and picked up the five small flags, his eyes filled with curiosity.

The small flags were made of animal skin, faintly shimmering with green, red, yellow, white, and black colors, and were inscribed with runes, each representing life, death, confinement, prohibition, and destruction.

This was his first time seeing an array formation and array flags. It was truly amazing, but how to use them, and did they need to be refined?

His divine sense probed the small flags, and there seemed to be incantations and blood marks. Upon closer inspection, the five incantations were the most basic methods. With these incantations, he might not be able to unleash the true power of the Five Symbol Array, but he could at least try to set up a simple array. Removing the divine sense marks from the flags should not be too difficult...

Wu Jiu laid the five small flags out in a row on the ground, calmed his mind, circulated his spiritual energy, and began to form the hand seals. He then waved his hands and grabbed each flag one by one. With a series of faint thuds, the divine sense marks in the flags were completely destroyed. He rested for a moment, then flicked a few drops of blood from his fingers and began the refinement process according to the method for refining magical tools.

After two to three hours, the refinement was complete.

Wu Jiu looked at the five array flags in front of him but did not try to use them immediately. Instead, he took out a grain of abstention pill and put it in his mouth, tilted his head to think, and then took out several jade slips, including the "Compilation of Immortal Dao" and a book on array formations. Before he could read them, he couldn't help but sigh.

Sigh, though he had once been a teacher, he was not a studious person. These obscure and difficult books were truly uninteresting!

But to survive and escape the Ancient Sword Mountain, and for Ziyun, he must muster his strength and strive for improvement...

...

On the snowy plain, a small figure was flying with the wind.

It was a young woman, about sixteen or seventeen years old, wearing a white robe, her hair like a cloud, her feet suspended in the air, her sleeves swaying, and she was circling with the biting cold wind, then gracefully moving along the snow-white plain. Perhaps due to excitement, she couldn't help but laugh, her silver bell-like laughter echoing far in the silent expanse. Her joyful laughter and free-spirited figure were like a snow fairy dancing in the sky.

A moment later, the woman suddenly stopped, her figure still swaying as if about to fly. She raised her hand to smooth her wind-tousled hair, revealing a delicate and beautiful face, and looked into the distance, then lowered her head to look down.

At her feet was the end of the snowy plain, a steep cliff thousands of feet deep. In the icy snow, a few bright red flowers were blooming, exuding a delicate fragrance.

She slowly squatted down, like a mischievous child, slightly wrinkling her straight nose, and deeply inhaled the fragrance of the flowers in the wind, then closed her eyes, looking very content. After a while, she straightened up, took a few steps back, still smiling and with her eyes sparkling.

At this moment, a voice came from the distance: "You, little girl... still so playful and active..."

Hearing the voice, the woman secretly stuck out her tongue and laughed, then said in a coquettish tone: "Hehe, it's my first time in the Divine Continent, so I can't help but be curious..." She turned and swayed, her graceful figure contrasting beautifully with the flowers on the snow cliff.

Looking into the distance, a hundred miles away, at the top of the snowy plain, a thousand-foot-tall white jade tower stood tall. In the mist, the top of the tower seemed to be glowing. Soon, a faint figure descended from the sky. In an instant, the person appeared on the snow cliff.

It was a middle-aged man in dark jade robes, tall and with a slightly yellow complexion, a short beard, and a stern expression. He took a few steps in the air and was soon in front of the woman. His originally stern eyes now showed warmth, and his voice was unusually gentle: "This is the Jade Mountain Tower, the extreme cold region of the western Zhou in the Divine Continent. If you want to play, why not travel with your father to the various countries..."

The woman nodded repeatedly, delighted: "Thank you, Father!"

Although she was a beautiful woman, she loved traveling and exploring, and had always wanted to visit the nine countries of the Divine Continent. Her father had never allowed it, so it was no wonder she was overjoyed now.

The man stroked his beard and sighed: "After this, the nine countries will no longer be peaceful..."

The woman was slightly surprised: "What do you mean, Father?"

The man looked into the distance, pondered for a moment, and then said slowly: "I have guarded the Divine Continent for hundreds of years and have always been reluctant to be too strict. For this, I have been criticized for a long time!"

The woman pouted and said in a coquettish voice: "That's so unreasonable! Father has done nothing wrong, why should he be treated unfairly?"

The man shook his head: "Natural selection is the way of the universe. Unfortunately, some people pretend to act on behalf of heaven, causing suffering to all living beings..." He seemed unwilling to say more and then asked: "Since you like the Jade Mountain Snow Lotus, why not pick it to admire?"

Seeing her father's mood improve, the woman also relaxed, smiled, and replied: "The Snow Lotus stands tall and proud, the purest and most beautiful. It's not right to pick it carelessly. Let it bloom freely!"

The man's eyes showed admiration and affection, and he said solemnly: "My Ling'er is like the pure and beautiful Snow Lotus, the most beautiful and free..."

Before he finished speaking, he stepped into the air.

The woman's heart bloomed, and she couldn't help but dance in the wind.

The snow mountain was majestic, the sky vast. As the clouds suddenly rose, the two figures gradually disappeared...

...

Seven-Inch Gorge.

This should be the end of the Seven-Inch Gorge.

What was once a narrow pass has gradually widened. The ground gradually rises, and the narrow gorge is like a staircase leading to the sky.

However, a figure hesitated here. He wore a green robe and a golden mask, his eyes constantly scanning the surroundings, his expression wary and puzzled.

After recuperating underground for two months, it should be the time for the Canglong Valley to open. From here upward, it is the last layer of the Canglong Valley. Are the hundreds of Ancient Sword Mountain disciples still on guard, or have they already left?

At this point, thinking too much is useless!

The world may be vast, but often there is only one path ahead. Like the Seven-Inch Gorge, like the narrow pass. Regardless of whether the path ahead is a dead end or a sea of fire, one can only move forward, alone!

Hmm, it's a bit lonely!

If Ziyun were here, it would be nice, watching me wield my sword in all directions. Whether I am defeated in the desert or my blood stains the land, even if I wither, I will stand alone in the world. She would surely shed tears and be heartbroken. Oh, if the fairy is sad, how can I bear it...

Wu Jiu hid underground for more than two months, not daring to sleep. He estimated the time was about right and returned to the gorge. Three days later, he arrived here. Facing the impending dangers, he was not afraid but instead was lost in random thoughts, muttering to himself.

Following the gorge forward, the sky above became brighter.

Unconsciously, the narrow world suddenly opened up. The surrounding mountains were vast, and a mountain path slanted upward into the sky. At the end of the sky, the clouds swirled, and the situation was unpredictable.

Wu Jiu slowed his pace, looked up, and then sighed, continuing along the mountain path. At this moment, a light mist spread with the wind, making his figure appear hazy and indistinct.

At this point in the Seven-Inch Gorge, only a mountain path remained, like a staircase through the darkness, quietly leading to the void.

Wu Jiu's steps were only a few feet apart, each step landing firmly, his sleeves swinging leisurely, and he was not in a hurry. As the stone path gradually disappeared into the mist and the changing light became more dazzling, he stopped again, looked back, and was slightly surprised.

At this moment, he was in the clouds.

Looking down, the Longji Beach, Longwei Plain, Longxin Marsh, Longfang Mountain, Longshi River, and Longkang Ridge he had passed through were all in sight. A vast area of nearly a million square miles, resembling the shape of a dragon's body and limbs, though different, were integrated and full of vitality. The wind, rain, thunder, and lightning, the deserts and snow, the forests and ravines, the cycles of yin and yang, were still as they were, clear and distinct. It was a condensed landscape, and the universe was in a glance.

Sigh, after a year of toil and countless life-and-death struggles, it was just a small area, laughable and sad...

Wu Jiu was silent for a moment, then smiled.

After a while, he turned and leaped, and the world changed in an instant...

...

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