Chapter 91: Preparing Ahead of Time
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After dismissing his two disciples, Su Cheng seemed considerably more at ease. Rising to stretch, he savored the lingering scent of fox and saintess in the air—a pleasant aroma.
He exchanged a flying sword from the system. Though he wasn't exceptionally powerful yet, he had already reached the thirteenth layer of Qi Cultivation. Flying on a sword only required some adaptation before he could master it.
He reflected that if he could prepare in advance for the upcoming Ling Mountain Tournament, he might be able to respond effectively when "that guy" arrived.
With this thought, Su Cheng descended the stairs and stepped outside.
However, the moment Su Cheng descended the stairs, Ye Qinghan and Li Shiyao poked their heads out from their room.
"Senior Sister, is the Master heading out?" Li Shiyao had never seen the Master leave without a word before. Even when going out to buy groceries, he would usually inform them beforehand.
Ye Qinghan remained silent, equally puzzled. In her eyes, the Master was a homebody who rarely ventured out unless it was absolutely necessary.
And this time, he hadn't even told the two sisters. Was it urgent? Or important? Did he not want his disciples to know?
"Shiyu?"
"Senior Sister?"
The two exchanged glances and spoke almost simultaneously.
"Should we go check?" Again, their voices merged in perfect unison, their decision made instantly!
Ye Qinghan chuckled, casually grabbing her immortal sword before pulling Li Shiyu out the door. "Be careful—don’t let the Master catch us."
Over in Su City, riding atop the flying sword, he’d expected a sensation akin to speeding on a motorcycle—the wind blowing so fiercely it would make it impossible to keep his eyes open.
But that turned out to be overthinking it. When riding the sword, a barrier like a windshield formed at the tip, shielding him from the wind. Controlling the sword wasn't nearly as difficult as he'd imagined.
Su Cheng found it even simpler than riding a bicycle. With a mere thought, the flying sword seemed to intuitively follow his intended direction.
Before long, Su Cheng arrived at a desolate mountain range. Though the landscape featured verdant hills and clear waters, the surroundings felt utterly lifeless. Thick fog shrouded the surrounding peaks, obscuring the view even from the heights of the flying sword.
"This is the spot—if you can't see it, that's exactly right!"
Choosing an abandoned village, he descended slowly on his sword. Su Cheng began making preparations. After giving the Chaos Bell to Li Shiyao, he could only rely on other protective treasures.
He felt no regret, however. After all, one must never shortchange one's disciples.
He hastily donned four or five protective artifacts and summoned his mythical-grade armor before finally setting off along the only mountain path into the wilderness.
He pulled out the jade pendant, leaving a message for Qinghan and the others before venturing into the mountains with peace of mind.
Not far away, Ye Qinghan and Li Shiyu simultaneously sensed the faint tremor of the Jade Pendant. Unbeknownst to each other, they both saw the identical message.
[You two sisters need not worry. Your master will be back shortly.]
While the sisters stood stunned, Su Cheng had already walked a considerable distance. Within these dense mountains, all means of orientation failed. Most unlucky souls who ventured in blindly met their end trapped within.
Su Cheng knew this wasn't due to any mystical geography, but rather the influence of a spatial artifact. Within a hundred-mile radius, the entire area was enveloped by the artifact's power, indistinguishable from a secret realm.
This was the Dragon King's concealment tactic. He was in the critical phase of his breakthrough, needing only a few hundred years at most to ascend to Immortal status.
Due to the unique nature of the dragon clan, she was unaffected by the cosmic forces of fate. The rules could not bind her, allowing her to remain in the mortal realm as a sovereign ruler.
When that time comes, all beasts will bow before her. She will reign supreme over the world, sweeping across it with power so overwhelming it commands no doubt.
However, Su Cheng's arrival at this moment was not to disrupt the Dragon Queen's plans.
If possible, Su Cheng would prefer to keep their paths separate, each minding their own business.
His visit was to borrow something from the Dragon King Sister. If she refused, exchanging some rare treasures would be acceptable.
And borrowing that artifact, of course, was to save his precious Shiyáo.
In Su Cheng's understanding, at the climax of the Ling Mountain Tournament, a great terror from another world had arrived in this realm. Using strange supernatural powers, it had infiltrated Ling Mountain, blending its avatar among the crowd.
The target of that great terror was none other than his second disciple, the Holy Maiden Li Shiyu.
The Holy Maiden possessed divine beauty and a physique coveted by all powerful beings as the perfect vessel. Every drop of her sacred blood was worth its weight in gold.
Yet this world's spiritual energy was sparse. Even prodigies nurtured here could not withstand an extraterrestrial powerhouse. Dozens of elders proved no match for a single clone, and the sect masters themselves were utterly helpless!
Li Shiyao, a disciple of the Heavenly Dao Pavilion, was also abducted. Though later rescued by Cheng Liang, she no longer held his favor afterward. When other disciples bullied her, he turned a blind eye.
From that day forward, the once-vibrant Li Shiyu grew silent and withdrawn. Having lost her innocence, she ultimately became a sacrificial pawn, dying to shield Cheng Liang.
To prevent such a tragedy from repeating at Lingxian Hall, Su Cheng resolved to fundamentally alter Shiyu's future.
A solution to counter that demonic cultivator's clone did exist—it required the Dragon King's companion artifact, the Spirit Pearl nurtured within his spiritual platform.
This spirit pearl contained the millennia of cultivation from the previous Dragon King, granting immunity to most mind-control abilities.
Though Su Cheng possessed similar artifacts, the three disciples of Lingxian Hall lacked sufficient cultivation to unleash their full power, rendering them inadequate against the heretic cultivator's abilities.
The Spirit Pearl, however, was different. Possessing millennia of cultivation, even ordinary cultivators could easily activate it. The current Dragon King relied on this very pearl to become nearly impervious to all poisons and invulnerable to weapons.
With this artifact in hand, the heretic cultivator could not control the assembled sect masters. Even with his extraordinary abilities, he would likely be unable to handle so many sect masters and clan heads simultaneously.
As Su Cheng advanced inward, he summoned the treasure [Embroidered River and Mountain Map]. Though it couldn't be used, it would prevent him from getting lost.
"Who goes there?" A deep voice echoed from all directions—literally all directions. Su Cheng couldn't pinpoint the speaker's location by sound alone.
The voice sounded like an ancient ox, a hoarse smoky tone that grated on the ears.
"Big brother, calm down. I mean no harm. I'm here to see Sister Dragon King."
Su Cheng hastily offered goodwill. He had no desire to antagonize the Dragon King; in fact, he’d come seeking her favor.
Hiding was no longer an option. Continuing to scrape by as he had before was impossible. Su Cheng had made up his mind: to rise up, he needed to make more friends, strengthen his power, and expand his influence!
Since his fate as an antagonist was sealed, Su Cheng intended to decide for himself what kind of antagonist he would be.
In recent days, Su Cheng's attitude toward Dongfang Jue had also improved. After all, even if he had no intention of taking him in, it wouldn't do to make things too awkward.
And forging a bond with the Dragon King Sister at this moment? That was simply the best possible outcome.
"Get lost."
"Hold on, big bro, don't be so cold. Can't we sit down and talk things out? Maybe Sister Dragon King wants to chat with me too?"
The words had barely left his mouth when a visible white slash shot toward Su Cheng!
Su Cheng scrambled to dodge. Though he had a protective artifact—like the Chaos Bell, which he wielded as a throwing weapon—such defensive treasures relied solely on their inherent strength. Su Cheng couldn’t maneuver them with agility.
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