CH 13

Xiao Chen unsheathed the spiritual sword he carried on his back, and attacked the snake’s head.

The sword moved so rapidly that it couldn’t be seen clearly, leaving only a blur where the blade had passed. It was obvious that his true strength was terrifying. 

Ling Yunxuan silently recited a spell, and the temperature of the surrounding air dropped by several degrees. The python’s tail was frozen solid, rendering the beast unable to move.

Gu Feng issued numerous palm strikes from both his hands. Wherever the wind from his palms hit, the python’s flesh and blood eroded. This was the technique he had mastered while in seclusion at the spiritual pool, and was named ‘Spirit Devouring Palm’ because it could devour any being that had accumulated spiritual qi.

Su Mujin unleashed an endless stream of wind blades, wounding the python all over.

Hua Yan was completely OP. Each and every one of the objects she flung at the python was a priceless treasure. Throwing an object here, assisting over there, she seemed to be playing and having the time of her life? ! 

But the power gap was not easy to overcome. Even with all of them joining together and using their full strength, they still failed to cause substantial damage to the giant python. Instead, they triggered the python’s vicious nature. With a ‘hiss’, it threw off the ice that had imprisoned its tail and thrashed around, sending the group flying into the air, covered in blood.

“Quickly! Use the poison!” Ye Mochen anxiously yelled from a distance.

Everyone stopped to catch their breaths, then once more faced the python and attacked. Hua Yan took advantage of the python’s yawn to toss the packet of poison in its mouth. Moments later, more than half the python’s strength had drained away, and its movement was no longer as nimble.

Gu Feng and the others simultaneously looked in the direction of Ye Mochen, their expressions containing countless unspoken words. If your poison was so damned effective, why didn’t you say so earlier?

“. . . this is my first time testing it. I had no idea the result would be so good.” The expressions on everyone’s faces were all too clear, and Ye Mochen feebly tried to explain.

The python’s life force grew weaker and weaker, and the group sped up their offensive. Not long after, they finally beheaded it. They all let out a big sigh, then started laughing. Having passed through a battle together, they had grown closer.

“It’s already dark, and this secret realm is filled with hidden perils. It would be best to station ourselves here, and wait for dawn before continuing on.” Xiao Chen saw the state of Ling Yunxuan’s injuries, and then did something truly rare. He uttered an unprecedentedly long speech.

Xiao Chen’s proposal was entirely rational, and nobody had any objections. Immortal cultivators were used to looking at things from a broad perspective, and they didn’t think it was beneath them to sit on the ground. 

“I refined this medicinal powder myself. You can apply it to your wounds, and in a quarter hour, they’ll have healed.” Ye Mochen tossed out four packets of the powder; one for each of the other guys. Then, at a glacial pace, he turned to face Hua Yan and spoke in a soft voice, “Shijie, I refined a Return-of-Spring pill. Eat it, and all your injuries will immediately vanish.”

“Many thanks!” Hua Yan smiled, then swallowed the pill in a single gulp. Sure enough, her injuries disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Those other guys, “. . .”

Could the difference in treatment be any more obvious? 

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Except for Hua Yan, everyone else stared at them in bemusement.

“Cough, Men and women should not touch hands when giving or receiving things. Hua Yan is still here, so for us to undress isn’t very suitable.” Gu Feng chided. 

Xiao Chen and Ling Yunxuan who had already disrobed, “. . .”

“Gege, let’s go over there to use the medicine.” Su Mujin pointed to the distance, where there was a tree to hide them from prying eyes.

Gu Feng and Su Mujin went off into the forest together. Each was wrapped up in their own thoughts, and neither spoke for some time.

“This secret realm is even more dangerous than I had imagined. Right now we appear to be cultivators in the initial stage of golden core, but the meat of that nascent soul python is very beneficial. After this, I’ll go roast some, and then we can pretend to break through to the middle stage of golden core. Got it?” Gu Feng finally broke the silence after thinking through the scenario. 

“Got it, Gege.” Su Mujin said glumly.

Gu Feng looked at Su Mujin who was down in the dumps, and thought he was frightened. He thought for a moment and then comforted, “Don’t be afraid, I won’t let you run into trouble. We’ll get out of here safe and sound!” After speaking he paused, then added, “After we get out, I’ll make you some barbeque.”

“Mhmm. Gege, do you like Hua Shijie?” Su Mujin nonchalantly asked as they walked, unconsciously clenching his hand.

“What makes you ask that?” Gu Feng was too bewildered to immediately answer Su Mujin’s question. What have I done to bring about this misunderstanding? 

“Gege never sweats the small stuff, but you were worried that applying medicine in front of Hua Shijie would offend such a beauty. Aren’t you interested in her?” Though Su Mujin used a teasing tone, his hands clenched even tighter, his nails about to draw blood.

I’ve been maligned! For the sake of your own purity I came up with that shoddy excuse, but you jumped to conclusions and misunderstood my good intentions. Gu Feng was silently aggrieved.

“. . . that was just a random excuse. I don’t like undressing in front of unfamiliar people!” Gu Feng finally burst out with a far-fetched justification.

“Oh! So that’s how it is!” Su Mujin blinked a few times, and a brilliant smile lit up his face. 

Gu Feng grumpily looked at Su Mujin. Hmph! Don’t think that just by smiling at me I’ll forgive you.

. . .

“Oh, our pair of ‘delicate flowers’ finally has returned. You sure wasted enough time, and I’ve already taken care of the python. These two portions are for you.” Besides Hua Yan, who else but Ye Mochen would speak to them so rudely. That he’d been able to stay alive to this day was really nothing short of a miracle.

“Uhhh, is that . . . barbeque?” Gu Feng ignored Ye Mochen and looked at the pile of unrecognizable black objects lying on the ground, and hesitantly asked. 

Hua Yan and the others conspicuously remained silent, pretending to meditate. If they refused to admit anything, how could they lose face?

“I’m going to cook. If you need help, you can hand over your own portions.” Gu Feng smiled broadly. This was certainly a lucky break. It seemed none of them were able to handle these kinds of mundane chores, and would owe him a favor.

“Many thanks, Gu Shixiong.” Xiao Chen tossed over his portion of the python meat.

“I’ll also have to trouble Gu Shixiong.” Ling Yunxuan transmitted with some embarrassment. 

“Eh? I remember that you previously didn’t know how to cook.  Did you recently learn? Here’s my and Mochen’s portions. Thanks a bunch!” Hua Yan looked at Gu Feng in surprise.

Listening to Hua Yan’s words, Ye Mochen fell into a trance, seeming to recall events from the ancient past.

“Mhmm.” Gu Feng only gave a simple one word reply, and began to focus on cooking the meat. He was entirely unfamiliar with matters between Hua Yan and the original owner. Speaking too freely would lead to mistakes.

“Gege, I’ll assist you.” Su Mujin became overly helpful, grabbing more than half of the meat and beginning to heat it. 

Gu Feng wasn’t concerned as they could now use their abilities to separately manipulate the meat as it cooked. One piece took exactly the same amount of time to cook as many pieces.

“Okay, here you are.” Su Mujin rushed to toss the four finished pieces to Xiao Chen and the others before Gu Feng had the chance. Gege’s barbeque should naturally be only for me to eat. Nobody else had better even think about it!

“Xiao Jin, for you. After I disturb the spiritual qi of the surroundings, and pretend to break through, come close and remember to promptly remove the talismans concealing our cultivation.” Gu Feng didn’t pay any notice to Su Mujin’s petty actions. He took the grilled meat in his hands and gave half to Su Mujin, while transmitting his instructions instead of speaking aloud.

Su Mujin stayed at Gu Feng’s side, taking a bite as he was handed the meat of the nascent soul beast. It was truly out of the ordinary. After just one bite, he was filled with an overwhelming spiritual qi, and immediately directed the qi toward his dantian. When he had finished eating, he began to feel his cultivation leveling up and that the barrier of the late stage of golden core had become a bit more permeable than before. 

“Xiao Jin, now, come quickly.” Gu Feng spoke and began to operate his Spirit-Devouring Celestial Technique. The spiritual qi that blanketed the environment suddenly rushed toward the two of them. It was so rich it was almost tactile, and the two of them were completely cocooned within it. Those without were unable to spy on the circumstances within.

“They made a sudden breakthrough after eating the roasted meat, but I didn’t have that kind of reaction to it.” Ye Mochen gloomily spoke. Wasn’t he the one who was in greater need of a breakthrough?

“The threshold between foundation building and golden core is big, and it’s difficult to break through. Mochen, you and Gu Feng used to be similar, but now he’s completely changed, and not even a shadow of his past self remains!” Hua Yan spoke with some regret. Afterall, that person was once someone she wanted to spend a lifetime together with, but suddenly he had changed into someone completely unrecognizable.

“Similar? Perhaps I can also change?” Ye Mochen suddenly said in earnest. 

“Pfft! Don’t joke! Mochen, how are you so adorable?” Hua Yan immediately teased Ye Mochen. She always felt that being around the awkward Ye Mochen felt awfully familiar.

Ye Mochen’s lips moved, but he didn’t speak in the end.

The movement around Gu Feng continued for an hour before gradually tapering off. When the spiritual qi dissipated, the pair of them both had increased their cultivation level to the middle stage of the golden core period. Everyone congratulated the two, and then they all sat down to silently cultivate.

The next half month was exceedingly tranquil. The group discovered several more elixir gardens and gathered more lingyao, but those gardens were quite small in scale, and the lingyao they contained were ordinary. Naturally, there were no puppets guarding them. 

Everyone was searching the secret realm the same as usual, when suddenly in front to the left of them there arose a giant fluctuation of spiritual power.

“Up ahead to the left is a spiritual power fluctuation. Let’s go take a look?” Gu Feng proposed. Perhaps we can fish in troubled waters while we’re at it?

Everyone agreed, and they all  took flight toward the fluctuation.

“Why are you doing this? Since when have I treated you unfairly?” 

“Shixiong, I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean to . . .”

From afar could faintly be heard the sound of a man questioning and a woman weeping.

“It sounds like Chu Feng is in trouble. We should hurry up.” Hua Yan’s expression shifted and she spoke in a rush.