In the pitch-black night sky, a lonely crescent moon hung above, its faint, cool light spilling over the earth.
In the dark small forest, a faint campfire danced lightly, bringing a glimr of warm light to the silent night.
Beside the campfire, a lotus-like young woman sat cross-legged on the grass, her gaze calmly watching the flickering flas before her. Xiao Han, clad in black robes, sat on a tree branch, leaning against the trunk with her eyes closed, resting. The dense leaves obscured her form, and with the cover of night and her black robes, Gu Xun'er could hardly see her.
Including today, the two had been away from Wutan City for five days. During these five days, they had rushed directly towards the Magic Beast Mountain Range at an extrely fast pace, hardly stopping except for three als a day and nightly rest. This high-intensity journey was taxing even for Gu Xun'er, an eight-star Dou Practitioner, but she didn't utter a word of complaint or fatigue.
Xiao Han said nothing. She had always intended to train Gu Xun'er's ability to endure hardship, and this level of intensity was far from enough. However, Gu Xun'er's performance still greatly satisfied her.
Poking at the firewood, Gu Xun'er felt a bit bored and decided to start a conversation: "Master, do we have any plans for what's next?"
Xiao Han lazily responded, answering without thought: "Magic Beast Mountain Range."
Gu Xun'er of course knew their destination was the Magic Beast Mountain Range, as Han Xiao had stated from the beginning that they were going there for training. But that wasn't what she wanted to ask.
"There's a path to the Magic Beast Mountain Range from the outskirts of Wutan City. Why did we co so far?"
Xiao Han lazily raised her eyelids. Why? Because only here could they encounter Xiao Yi Xian and prevent Xiao Yan from interacting with her.
Using the dicine Elder's power, Xiao Yan had lasted twenty moves against ntor Ruo Lin and obtained a three-year leave. According to the original plot, after leaving Wutan City, the first girl Xiao Yan encountered was Xiao Yi Xian, who possessed the Calamity Poison Body.
But of course, she wouldn't say this.
"This area belongs to the eastern part of the Magic Beast Mountain Range. Crossing through here, we can directly reach the Tageer Desert," Xiao Han said.
Gu Xun'er was puzzled: "Are we going to the Tageer Desert?"
"There's a Heterogeneous Fla there."
And a lot of plot points, the system silently added for its host.
Gu Xun'er was slightly startled. She had almost forgotten that her cultivation thod allowed her to absorb different Heterogeneous Flas.
But... how did Master know the exact location of the Heterogeneous Fla?
Unable to figure it out, Gu Xun'er shook her head slightly, casting the question from her mind.
Master was a powerful expert, surely she had ways of knowing things that ordinary people didn't.
Xiao Han was unaware of Gu Xun'er's doubts. At this mont, she was lying on the tree, eyes closed, listening to the system chattering in her mind.
The night passed uneventfully.
Early the next morning, what awakened Gu Xun'er from her gradually deepening state was a rustling sound from not far away. She glanced at the long-extinguished fire pit, stood up, and while remaining alert, searched for Xiao Han's figure.
Then she saw the black-robed figure standing in the tree.
Seeing her awake, Xiao Han leapt down from the tree, landing lightly beside her, and said: "Eat sothing. We're setting off."
Gu Xun'er nodded, then hesitantly looked in the direction of the sound. The noise was gradually getting louder, and Gu Xun'er could tell it was the sound of a group of people moving together.
Seeing Gu Xun'er's confusion, Xiao Han explained indifferently: "Just rcenaries."
Hearing this, Gu Xun'er understood and asked no more.
Although Xiao Han wanted to train Gu Xun'er's ability to endure hardship, she always followed a policy of refined nourishnt for girls. She could arrange a heap of hellish training for Gu Xun'er without changing her expression, but when it ca to food, clothing, and daily necessities, she insisted on quality.
So the dried food she brought was all made from excellent ingredients and easy to carry, vastly different from the dry biscuits and shriveled jerky eaten by rcenaries. Moreover, with the ti-freezing property of the system space, food wouldn't spoil no matter how long it was kept. So before leaving, Xiao Han's main purchases were various exquisite and nutritious foods.
Faced with the system's question, Xiao Han said impassively: "Girls are different from those rough boys. Of course they need to be treated more delicately."
The system felt its host's reasoning was very sound.
Eating the signature pastry from a high-end restaurant that her teacher had produced, Gu Xun'er suddenly had the illusion that she wasn't out for training, but on vacation.
After breakfast, Xiao Han led Gu Xun'er deeper into the forest.
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"Everyone, we're approaching the herb-gathering area. Please take a rest. We've been walking for so long, everyone must be tired," said the white-dressed young woman at the center of the group, wiping sweat from her face, her voice gentle.
Everyone's footsteps paused slightly, and the entire team unanimously stopped, turning to look at the white-dressed young woman whose smile contained not a trace of impurity, and very obediently nodded.
After a quick discussion, more than a dozen rcenaries dispersed to keep watch in all directions, while the others sat down to recover their strength, heavily depleted from the journey.
"Xiao Yi Xian, we've been walking for so long, you must be exhausted? I brought your favorite fruit, would you like to try so?" A rather handso young man stepped out from the nearby guard team, smiling as he lowered his head to speak to the slightly panting white-dressed girl.
Xiao Yi Xian smiled gently and politely declined: "No need, thank you for your thoughtfulness, Young Master Mu Li. I'd like to walk around here and see if there are any dicinal herbs."
Despite being refused by Xiao Yi Xian, Mu Li didn't show any displeasure. Instead, he very considerately asked if Xiao Yi Xian needed soone to accompany her. Only after receiving her head shake did he return to the guard team with a very regretful expression.
Seeing Mu Li leave, Xiao Yi Xian turned and walked into the woods, missing the flash of gloom that passed over Mu Li's face.
The light in the woods was sowhat dim, but this area had been scouted by the rcenaries earlier, so Xiao Yi Xian didn't need to worry about sudden attacks from magical beasts. She walked hurriedly, heading straight forward as if she had so destination in mind.
Passing through a small thicket, she ca upon a sowhat steep cliff. Below the cliff was a lush green forest, quite a beautiful sight.
But Xiao Yi Xian had no mood to appreciate this beautiful scenery. She stood at the edge of the cliff, let out a small sigh, then took out a rope she had prepared earlier from her storage ring. She tied the rope to a sturdy giant tree, tugged on it hard again to ensure it was very securely tied, then grabbed the other end of the rope and began to climb down the cliff.
Slowly descending towards the direction in her mind, Xiao Yi Xian soon saw what she wanted to see, but in the next second, she was suddenly stunned.
The broken stones and vines she had used to cover the cave entrance were all gone. She could only faintly see so fragnts of vines hanging at the entrance.
Xiao Yi Xian's heart suddenly clenched. What happened? Had this hidden treasure cave been discovered by soone?
She had discovered this cave by chance while gathering herbs, but last ti she didn't have enough ti to fully enter. This herb-gathering trip was also for this cave. She didn't know what was inside the cave, but her intuition told her that it contained sothing she desperately needed.
Originally, she should have co at night when all the rcenaries were asleep, but she was impatient and worried, so she wanted to scout it out in advance to make the night operation easier. But she never imagined that such a hidden cave would be discovered by others.
For a mont, Xiao Yi Xian hung there on the rope, hesitating whether to go back directly or go down to take a look.
As she hesitated, Xiao Yi Xian caught a glimpse of a black shadow in her peripheral vision. Her eyes suddenly widened, her hand slipped, and her whole body began to fall uncontrollably.
"Ah—"
Xiao Yi Xian frantically reached out and grabbed the rope again. With the rope's support, her falling speed suddenly slowed down, and she finally managed to stop. But her delicate palms were abraded by the rope, with thin streaks of blood seeping into it, looking quite alarming.
The black shadow that had lunged at her, having missed its target, coiled on the cliff face, arching its body and assuming an attack posture, as if it might pounce again at any mont.
Seeing clearly the creature that had attacked her, Xiao Yi Xian's heart sank.
A rock snake.
Rock snakes were snake-like magical beasts that lived in rock walls, around first-grade level. These magical beasts had flat, wing-like bodies that allowed them to soar through the air like falcons. Moreover, these magical beasts possessed a mutated stone attribute, their bodies as hard as rock, making it difficult for ordinary swords and blades to cause significant damage.
The rock snake's blood-red eyes were fixed on Xiao Yi Xian, its tail swishing back and forth, slapping against the rock, as if contemplating how to devour the human before it.
Xiao Yi Xian swallowed hard, her palms beginning to sweat. The sweat seeped into her wounds, causing a burning pain, but she seed not to notice. Who would care about such minor pain when faced with life and death?
Human and snake stared at each other silently, forming a unique scene on the cliff face.
Ti passed second by second. Xiao Yi Xian didn't know how long it had been, but clearly, the rock snake's patience was wearing thin. Its body began to tense, seemingly gathering strength.
Just as Xiao Yi Xian was about to despair, a whooshing sound suddenly ca from nearby. Her vision blurred, and her body suddenly lost weight as she fell, clutching half a broken rope.
Xiao Yi Xian: "—??!!"
The next second, a faint fragrance wafted over. Before Xiao Yi Xian could react, she felt a tightness around her waist, and her whole body leaned against soone exuding a subtle, fresh scent.
That person carried Xiao Yi Xian to a slightly protruding rock on the cliff face, then with a powerful push of their ankle, they rapidly moved upward with Xiao Yi Xian in a few leaps and bounds.
Xiao Yi Xian turned her head slightly and saw a head of smooth black hair.
The rock snake, seeing another person suddenly appear, was delighted. It suddenly arched its body and had just left the ground when it was pinned to the cliff face by a silver needle composed of lightning.
With the rock snake no longer a threat, the young woman bent her knees slightly one last ti, her toes pushing off the cliff wall. Their figures swept through the air, finally landing steadily at the cave entrance.
As soon as they were stable, the young woman who had saved Xiao Yi Xian released her grip and stepped away.
Xiao Yi Xian, having just had a brush with death, was still sowhat shaken. When her emotions had cald slightly, she looked up, intending to thank her savior, only to face a person completely wrapped in black robes.
The person lifted their head slightly, their voice old and hoarse: "We et again."
Hearing this voice familiar to her very bones, Xiao Yi Xian was slightly startled, then exclaid.
"It's you?"
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