Chapter 145: Both Courage and Resourcefulness

In the afternoon, two figures walked up the mountain path.

The young man walking with his head held high and chest puffed out was short in stature, yet he carried a peach-wood sword on his back and wore Taoist robes with billowing sleeves. Judging by his appearance, he possessed a certain air of an immortal master, though his shifty, darting little eyes lent him a somewhat stealthy and wretched demeanor.

Following closely behind was a youth dressed in short garments with simple features, resembling a servant to the immortal master. Yet his stride was light and his demeanor composed. In particular, the pair of eyes beneath his thick brows conveyed a look of sharp focus and agility.

According to Dang Guiyi’s boasting, he was an inheritor of the Five Thunders Orthodox Method, while the other was a scion of a fallen aristocratic family; one possessed peerless wisdom and matchless luck, while the other excelled at killing and possessed formidable skills. With such a powerful duo joining forces to venture through Qizhou, they were bound to be invincible and sweep across the realm.

Boasting was easy, but their current plight was worrisome.

The two had set out early to rush straight toward Mount Xuankun, solely for the purpose of utilizing the teleportation array to flee to a more distant place.

When Yu Ye had previously asked about the teleportation array, Dang Guiyi had been deliberately mysterious. He had wanted to consult Shadow Dragon about it, but could not bear to disturb her cultivation. Thus, Yu Ye had taken the time to consult ancient texts, finally gaining a rudimentary understanding of the teleportation array.

It was a peculiar formation capable of instantly transporting a person thousands of miles away, somewhat similar to the Escape Techniques of the Mysterious Gate, which showed that Dang Guiyi’s lineage had its own unique strengths.

"Look, that is Mount Xuankun!"

Following Dang Guiyi’s outstretched finger, Yu Ye saw a towering mountain situated several miles away. Although they were still far apart, it possessed an extraordinary aura.

"Tell me the truth, are you afraid?"

Dang Guiyi asked, then added, "Heh, being afraid is only natural. You killed three disciples of the Xuanling Immortal Sect, and now you actually dare to walk right into their doorstep. The slightest misstep and you will be damned for eternity!" He waved a hand and said, "There is no need to worry, though—just follow my lead and watch my cues!"

Yu Ye could not help but mutter under his breath—

"Why should I listen to you?"

"Eh? If you don't listen to me, whose lead would you follow?"

Dang Guiyi glanced back, glaring as he said, "Besides, when have you ever lost out by listening to me? Only by staying with me, combining our strengths, and uniting our swords, can we possess both wisdom and courage and become invincible under heaven!"

Yu Ye looked at the peach-wood sword on the other's shoulder and fell silent.

Having now acquired four storage rings and over a hundred spiritual stones, not to mention subduing two demonic salamanders, he had not lost out at all when he totted it all up. Moreover, all these benefits had been seized by him.

Could this be considered adapting to the local customs?

Gentleness, modesty, and courtesy used to be the clan rules of Yu Family Village, but such an approach simply did not work in Qizhou—at least not when dealing with Dang Guiyi.

If one did not want to suffer losses, the only way was to seize. Sometimes, seizing meant gaining a profit!

"Fellow Daoist Dang, your Mysterious Gate Escape Techniques..."

"Stop right there! Don't you dare try to take advantage of me!"

"No, I mean, do you have any methods for refining talismans? I wouldn't mind studying or borrowing a few ideas from them."

"In your dreams!"

Before the conversation could continue, a cluster of dwellings appeared ahead.

A dozen or two houses, some thatched huts and others built of stone, were situated along both sides of the mountain path. A few sundry stalls were set up, resembling a small marketplace, yet almost no people were to be seen, making it appear rather desolate.

Dang Guiyi walked straight up to a sundry stall, exchanged a few words with an old man, tossed down a piece of fragmented silver, and then led Yu Ye through the marketplace to continue forward.

"These mountain folk make a living relying on the immortal sect—it's true that those near mountains live off the mountains, and those near waters live off the waters!"

"The so-called living off the mountains doesn't mean it like that."

"A scion of a fallen family like you, what could you possibly understand..."

A hundred paces further, at the end of the mountain path, stood a huge stone tablet with mottled characters carved upon it: *South Qi Xuanling*. Next to the stone tablet on the stone steps sat a young man with his eyes half-closed, regulating his breath and meditating. Suddenly, he spoke out—

"Immortal sect training grounds, outsiders go no further!"

Dang Guiyi halted his steps and smiled apologetically, saying, "This younger brother has come to borrow the teleportation array. Senior brother, please do us a favor!" With that, he raised both hands holding two talismans.

The young man glanced up and nodded, saying, "Indeed, these are our sect's teleportation talismans. The two of you may head up and turn right toward the Spirit-Gathering Pavilion. You must not approach the mountain gate, nor may you trespass into forbidden areas. Violators will be severely punished without exception!"

"Many thanks for your guidance, senior brother!"

Dang Guiyi bowed in salute. Yu Ye quietly gestured, then bypassed the young man and stepped onto a stone path following the stone steps.

A dozen or so zhang away, the stone path split into two directions.

Turning right here for several dozen zhang, skirting around a patch of woods, the stone path split again. To the left, winding mountain stone stairs and stone pillars were faintly visible, which should be the location of the mountain gate. To the right stood a separate courtyard with a plaque hanging above its gatehouse reading "Spirit-Gathering Pavilion," and two young men stood guard at the entrance. The surroundings were encircled by mountain forests, making it quite secluded, yet a gentle breeze blew past, carrying a palpable wave of spiritual Qi.

Yu Ye could not help but feel his spirits lift.

True to being an immortal sect on a spiritual mountain, they hadn't even stepped through the mountain gate yet, and already they could feel the presence of spiritual Qi.

Dang Guiyi urged him via voice transmission, "Heh, look at that ignorant look of yours, as if you've never seen the world. Hurry up—"

When they reached the courtyard gate, the two young men stepped forward to block their way. Judging by their attire, they were disciples of the immortal sect.

Dang Guiyi produced the teleportation talismans and was granted passage.

Yu Ye followed him into the courtyard.

Inside the courtyard stood a large house with its doors wide open, also guarded by immortal sect disciples.

Dang Guiyi's pace quickened as he headed straight for the large house. Before they even reached it, two figures suddenly rushed out from inside: one was an old man with grizzled hair and beard, and the other was a capable-looking young man. Dang Guiyi hurriedly sidestepped to avoid them, and Yu Ye, following closely behind, also lowered his head to dodge. As the two parties brushed past each other, Dang Guiyi glanced back at Yu Ye. Neither uttered a sound as they hurried into the house.

The interior of the house was quite spacious. Several circles of stone pillars stood upon the flat ground, emitting faint glows. Several other immortal sect disciples stood guard nearby and once again reached out to block the pair's path.

Yu Ye had previously seen a formation in the Xuanwu Pavilion of Mount Bei Qi; those circles of stone pillars must be where the teleportation array was located.

Dang Guiyi produced the teleportation talismans and stated their destination.

After inspecting the talismans, an immortal sect disciple demanded ten spiritual stones. Outsiders borrowing the immortal sect's teleportation array not only needed talismans but also had to pay the cost of activating the formation. Without a second word, Dang Guiyi immediately handed over the spiritual stones. The other party nodded in satisfaction and gestured for the two of them to step inside the circle of stone pillars. Dang Guiyi blinked his eyes rapidly in anxiety, eagerly slapping the two talismans onto himself and Yu Ye. Only then did the guarding immortal sect disciple unhurriedly execute a spell formula. In an instant, brilliant light erupted and the sound of wind roared...

At the same time, the old man and the young man had reached the courtyard entrance.

The old man paused in his steps, turned his head, and asked, "Ming Ye, were those two people just now disciples of your sect?"

"Senior, those two are not disciples of our sect; they must be rogue cultivators borrowing the teleportation array!"

"Aiya, I was wondering why they looked familiar, assuming they were sect disciples and paying them no mind, who would have thought..."

Ming Ye's expression changed, and he shouted urgently, "Shut down the formation!"

The old man turned and charged back, roaring, "You two damned little thieves, don't you dare run—"

In the blink of an eye, they returned to the large house.

Yet they found that the glowing light of the formation had already gradually dissipated, and the so-called two little thieves had vanished without a trace. Only a few immortal sect disciples were left staring at each other in dismay, one of whom said in astonishment—"Junior Brother Ming Ye, what on earth has happened? You know as well that once the formation is activated, it is difficult to halt..."

"Aiya!"

The old man remained full of vexation, bitterly stating, "This old man came purely for the little thieves, only to let them slip right past my nose. This..."

"Senior Yu, calm yourself and do not be impatient!"

Ming Ye spoke up to console him, then turned around to ask, "Senior Brother, where did those two go just now?"

"A small immortal sect at the border of Zhongshan and the Qi State, the Liyuan Sect."

"This Sect Master Qi of the Myriad Beasts Manor is a good friend of my master, and he has come specially to capture these villains. Quickly send Senior Qi and me to the Liyuan Sect."

"The array has been activated back-to-back; we must wait a moment between activations."

"Many thanks, Senior Brothers!"

Ming Ye produced five spiritual stones and handed them to the fellow disciple guarding the formation, then turned to comfort the other, saying, "Senior Qi, please wait a moment!"

"Sigh—"

Senior Qi nodded helplessly and let out a bitter sigh of frustration.

This old man was none other than Qi Huan, the master of the Myriad Beasts Manor. Upon seeing the beast-taming ring sent by Ming Ye, he had immediately set off to rush over. After the thief who killed his nephew had escaped, he had assumed it would be impossible to track them down again, yet who would have expected that the other party had fled all the way to Mutian City, only to be recognized by his good friend Chu Yuan, who had dispatched his disciple Ming Ye to promptly inform him. What he never could have imagined was that upon finally arriving at the Xuanling Immortal Sect, he had brushed right past his enemies.

Yet despite crashing head-on into them, they had slipped away right under his nose, and now he had to wait a moment—heaven only knew where those two crafty scoundrels would flee to taking advantage of this delay.

...

The flashing light finally dissipated, and the roaring wind gradually faded away.

Within the formation, the two figures that materialized remained dazed, as if they had yet to recover their senses, or perhaps simply awed by the miraculous nature of the teleportation array.

"Fellow Daoists, please move along—"

The immortal sect disciple guarding the array urged them.

"Mm, mm!"

Dang Guiyi nodded in understanding and moved his feet, but his legs went weak and he nearly fell over.

Yu Ye reached out to grab his arm, and together they walked out side by side.

Their current location was another large house, though it contained only a single formation and two guarding immortal sect disciples.

Stepping out of the house, they found themselves on a hillside. A small path led down to the woods below.

"This place is not to be lingered in; let's get out of here quickly."

"You have teleportation talismans, so why are you in such a sorry state?"

"Aiyou, do you even know where this is? The Liyuan Sect, an immortal sect located at the border between Zhongshan and the Qi State, tens of thousands of miles away from Mount Xuankun! If not for the boost from the teleportation talismans, you'd be collecting my corpse right now. Hey, why are you completely unharmed?"

"I have protective cultivation techniques."

"Care to give me a pointer or two?"

"How about we trade for your Mysterious Gate Escape Talismans?"

"Hmph, shameless!"

The two hurried through the woods and crossed a section of stone stairs guarded by immortal sect disciples.

Dang Guiyi looked around anxiously and said urgently, "Never mind Wind-Escaping Talismans or Earth-Escaping Talismans, just get as far away from this place as possible, the faster the better—"

Without needing any urging, Yu Ye flipped his hand and slapped down a talisman.

Earlier, both he and Dang Guiyi had recognized Sect Master Qi of the Myriad Beasts Manor, and the heart-stopping terror of that moment was indescribable. Fortunately, their luck held, and they had managed a narrow escape. But Qi Huan would never let the matter rest and would surely pursue them shortly. If they wanted to stay alive, they had to put as much distance between themselves and this dangerous place as possible.

With a flash of light, the two transformed into a blur of wind and sped away...