Despite Ji Buwang’s resolve to stay until he found Xu Yi, things often unfolded beyond one’s control.
Ji Buwang was pushed out of Fire Scorching Mountain by the rock face. He hadn’t anticipated that the seemingly harmless rock face would suddenly come alive, unleashing astonishing combat power. Caught off guard, Ji Buwang was struck in the waist by immense force, propelling him directly out of Fire Scorching Mountain.
A cloud of gloom settled over his brow. Just as he was about to charge back into Fire Scorching Mountain, a figure suddenly burst out from the mountain not far away and immediately dashed in his direction.
“Run!”
Before Ji Buwang could rejoice at seeing Xu Yi, he heard her shout. He immediately channeled a portion of his spiritual energy to carry Xu Yi along as they fled. At that moment, he saw that Xu Yi was cradling a white stone egg.
“Chirp!”
“Chirp! Chirp!”
“Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!”
Behind Xu Yi were countless dense, black stones. What was astonishing was that these stones all possessed a pair of pupil-less eyes. They closely followed Xu Yi, emitting shrill cries. Although their expressions were hidden, their voices conveyed immense agitation.
Without much thought, Ji Buwang grasped the general situation, a flicker of helplessness flashing in his eyes. “When heaven is about to confer a great office upon any man, it will exercise his mind with suffering, and his sinews andHis bones with toil.” Xu Yi bore the mantle of righteousness, and thus her trials were endless. In just a few days apart, Xu Yi had already provoked such a horde of monsters. Ji Buwang found it both exasperating and amusing.
However, on second thought, he felt fortunate. Fortunate that he was facing these trials alongside Xu Yi. At least Xu Yi was not fighting alone, and he did not have to worry about their paths diverging further.
Xu Yi, trailing Ji Buwang by a single step, clutched the stone egg taken from the lava’s depths and inwardly sighed in relief. Seeing Ji Buwang gave her a significant boost of confidence. She sent a wisp of her divine sense to check the pursuing stone monsters behind her and a triumphant hum escaped her lips.
Despite her previous probing, these stone monsters had not revealed themselves. Now that their guarded treasure had been taken, they had finally become agitated. Xu Yi looked down at the scorching stone egg in her arms. Even with her extensive knowledge of sect records, she had no idea of its origin. However, judging by the reaction of the stone monsters, the egg must be of great importance. The stone monsters had lured her into the lava, and now it was her turn to retaliate.
Xu Yi held the stone egg tighter, lamenting that it could not be stored in her spatial ring, which left her as a moving target. Fortunately, Ji Buwang’s speed had reached a state of perfection, rendering the stone monsters, no matter how enraged, unable to catch up to Xu Yi and Ji Buwang.
Just as Xu Yi believed they had successfully outrun the stone monsters, a figure descended from the sky, blocking their path. Moreover, the person blocking Xu Yi and Ji Buwang was a familiar face they had recently encountered. However, the expression on the figure’s face startled both Xu Yi and Ji Buwang.
A scruffy, bearded face was contorted with rage, his eyes fixed on Xu Yi, his killing intent almost palpable. Before Xu Yi and Ji Buwang could question him, the bearded cultivator slammed his hand against his sword sheath, and a bronze-colored broken sword floated before him. The moment the broken sword was unsheathed, a mournful cry resounded through the heavens, gathering dark clouds and whipping up a fierce wind.
Seeing this, Ji Buwang knew a fierce battle was imminent. He subtly glanced at Xu Yi, then hooked a finger, directly snatching the stone egg from her arms. Instantly, the killing intent that had been focused on Xu Yi shifted to Ji Buwang.
“Ji Buwang!” Xu Yi cried out, panicked.
Ji Buwang offered no reply. With a flick of his toe, he shot skyward, vanishing into the high heavens in an instant. The bearded cultivator and the stone monsters immediately pursued, giving no heed to Xu Yi who remained on the ground.
Xu Yi looked up at them disappearing into the clouds, gritted her teeth, and did not choose to pursue. Instead, she headed for the mountainside of Fire Scorching Mountain. With her current strength, any attempt to intervene would only be a burden to Ji Buwang. It would be better to first resolve their immediate concerns and then find a way to help Ji Buwang escape.
Their immediate concern, of course, was Long Haotian and the other two still lying on the mountainside. The bearded cultivator had met them before and was aware of Xu Yi’s leverage. Xu Yi worried that if he could not deal with Ji Buwang, he might vent his frustration on Long Haotian and the other two. These three could not withstand any further hardship. Xu Yi could only find a way to move them to a safe location and ensure their well-being before going to assist Ji Buwang.
While Xu Yi was devising a plan to conceal Long Haotian and the other two, Ji Buwang found himself alone, facing the bearded cultivator and the enraged stone monsters. Ji Buwang raised an eyebrow at the bearded cultivator before him and asked coldly, “Who are you? And what is your relationship with them?” Ji Buwang had sensed something peculiar about the bearded cultivator earlier but had no intention of investigating, as every cultivator had their secrets. However, due to the stone egg, he was forced into a confrontation with the bearded cultivator and wished to gather more information.
“Give it to me,” the bearded cultivator’s voice was hoarse, as if he hadn’t spoken to anyone in a long time, but his expression was one of utmost seriousness. As he spoke, the pursuing stone monsters silently hovered behind Ji Buwang, refraining from attacking.
“Then you must answer my question first,” Ji Buwang feigned curiosity, while his divine sense continuously observed Xu Yi’s movements. Through their prolonged time together, he and Xu Yi had developed an unspoken understanding. His current objective was to create as many favorable conditions as possible for Xu Yi to retreat with the others as soon as possible. As for his own safety, Ji Buwang was not overly concerned. Regardless of who was stronger between him and the bearded cultivator, the stone egg in his hand was enough to make the bearded cultivator and the stone monsters hesitate. At a critical moment, he could throw the stone egg to create an opportunity to escape. His priority now was to stall for time.
The bearded cultivator remained silent, his expression filled with internal struggle. The stone monsters gathered together, colliding with each other, occasionally emitting a clicking sound, like laughter mixed with weeping. Ji Buwang did not urge him, waiting patiently.
“I…” the bearded cultivator opened his mouth, then seemed to recall something and immediately closed it, his gaze turning fierce. The broken sword in his hand began to emit a dazzling light. Ji Buwang sighed inwardly with regret; he had been so close to uncovering the bearded cultivator’s secrets. He could only tighten his grip on the stone egg, holding his other hand ready to form a seal. Their gazes met in the air for a moment, and then their figures collided.
A thunderous roar erupted in the sky, rapidly spreading outwards. The gathering dark clouds were dispersed by the surging air currents, revealing a clear sky.