Two days later.
Yao Bao'er had finished refining all the required pills.
Ye Cangtian, as planned, took Yao Bao'er into the carriage.
However, when Lan Yue boarded the carriage and saw Yao Bao'er, her expression turned somewhat somber, her gaze falling upon Ye Cangtian with a hint of questioning.
This mission, whether it was to the headquarters of the Five Poisons Sect or to the Imperial Dragon Villa, was no laughing matter. Lives could very well be lost!
Although Yao Bao'er had ingested a large number of pills and advanced to the Earth-tier realm, she was ultimately not a combatant.
Yao Bao'er possessed Earth-tier cultivation but had absolutely no practical combat experience.
Bringing her along was akin to gambling with Yao Bao'er's life!
Sensing Lan Yue's gaze, Ye Cangtian smiled helplessly and said, "Bao'er's cultivation has improved. It's time to let her experience the world. She can't always be a flower in a greenhouse..."
Uh...
With those words, Lan Yue was rendered speechless.
Indeed, Yao Bao'er in her current state required extensive experience to enhance her combat effectiveness.
This trip presented a rather good opportunity, as with Ye Cangtian's protection, it was far safer than her training with others.
With this thought, Lan Yue said no more and signaled the driver to depart.
According to the map, Frost City and Skyfrost Pass were both located in the northern region of the ruins. The route from Dragon City to both locations was largely the same, with a divergence at a fork in the road.
Frost City lay to the northeast, while Skyfrost Pass was situated to the west.
Therefore, en route, Lan Yue raised the question of whether to head to Frost City first or Skyfrost Pass.
Ye Cangtian pondered this for a moment.
For him, after reorganizing the Imperial Dragon Villa, it could ally with the Hidden Group to resist external threats.
However, compared to that, the Five Poisons Sect was a greater concern for Ye Cangtian. Their poisons, once deployed on the battlefield, would be terrifying weapons, undoubtedly causing immense casualties.
Thus, Ye Cangtian needed to prevent the Five Poisons Sect from allying with other factions as much as possible.
Consequently, Ye Cangtian made the decision to head to Skyfrost Pass first, subdue the Five Poisons Sect, and then turn towards the Imperial Dragon Villa.
The two women raised no objections to this.
In Lan Yue's opinion, whatever decision Ye Cangtian made, he had undoubtedly weighed the pros and cons and had his own considerations, so she had no need to worry.
As for Yao Bao'er, any decision was fine, as long as they eventually reached the Five Poisons Sect and could acquire the poisons there.
The rest, she treated as a sightseeing trip.
...
After half a month of travel, a majestic fortress finally appeared before the trio's carriage.
The fortress was flanked by perilous cliffs, making it easily defensible and difficult to attack. In ancient times, it would have been a strategically vital location.
In the present, it served as the northern gateway to the human settlements within the ruins, with vast unexplored territories beyond.
Of course, "unexplored" didn't mean entirely devoid of exploration.
In reality, some powerhouses had swept through certain areas and established their own domains.
After all, these regions were sparsely populated, and fewer people would interfere with their development.
However, these factions, for the sake of their growth, did not publicize this information. It was for this reason that other factions still considered the area beyond Skyfrost Pass to be unexplored.
Before long, Ye Cangtian and his companions arrived within the fortress, heading towards the Hidden Group's branch.
Although this was a fortress, it was essentially a small city, still managed by the Hidden Group on the surface.
The only difference from other cities was its climate.
The climate here was consistently cold, with even the walls of Skyfrost Pass covered in a thick layer of ice armor.
Despite the harsh cold, it had little impact on Ye Cangtian and his companions.
Even Yao Bao'er was an Earth-tier expert, and her protective spiritual energy was sufficient to ward off the extreme cold.
*Clang! Clang!*
As the three arrived at the entrance of the Hidden Group's branch and alighted from the carriage, the two guards at the gate immediately drew their weapons and blocked their path.
"Halt! Who are you?"
One guard questioned sternly.
Most locals wore thick clothing to ward off the cold, while the trio wore light garments. Coupled with the carriage, they were clearly outsiders, and of considerable cultivation.
The guards naturally would not allow such individuals to pass easily.
"Wait a moment, brother. Doesn't this person look familiar?"
As one guard spoke, another, thinner guard, quickly stepped forward and pointed it out.
He was certain the man among the trio was an outsider, yet he had an undeniable sense of familiarity with him.
"The world is vast, and many people look alike. It's natural you find him familiar,"
The plumper guard remarked, then continued to stare at Ye Cangtian, his attitude clear: without an explanation of their origins, they would not be allowed to pass.
"Heh, junior brother, who would have thought! In the China Ruins, there's actually a place where even your face doesn't carry weight!"
Seeing the diligent guards, Lan Yue glanced at Ye Cangtian and teased him.
Uh...
Ye Cangtian was rendered speechless. He hadn't expected this either!
After all, within the Hidden Group, he was quite renowned. He hadn't anticipated that they wouldn't recognize him.
After a moment, he looked at the guards and said with a wry smile, "Do you happen to have heard the name Ye Cangtian?"
"Ye Cangtian? He's a legendary figure in our Hidden Group, of course I've heard of him. To be honest, he's my idol!"
Upon mentioning Ye Cangtian, the plumper guard's face lit up with admiration.
He then glanced at Ye Cangtian and asked, "Why are you kicking him? Do you know him? Even if you do know him, you still have to state your origin to enter..."
Before the plumper guard could finish, he felt a strong force strike his backside.
Turning around, he saw the thinner guard retracting his leg.
"What are you doing! Why did you kick me!"
The thinner guard ignored his companion's question and instead knelt on one knee before Ye Cangtian, respectfully saying, "Greetings, Lord Ye!"
After speaking, he gave his companion a meaningful look.
He had felt the person was very familiar before, and after being reminded, he instantly recognized his identity. Wasn't that the legendary Ye Cangtian?
Lord Ye?
Hearing his companion's words and sensing his glance, the plumper guard finally ceased his hesitation and knelt on one knee before Ye Cangtian with a thud.
"This humble servant, Zhang Yong, greets Lord Ye. This humble servant's eyes are dull; I beg Lord Ye's forgiveness!"
Though the guard spoke thus, his eyes gleamed with excitement. He had finally met his idol, Ye Cangtian.
For this, even being reprimanded by Ye Cangtian was no great matter. On the contrary, he could brag about it later.
After all, not everyone got to be reprimanded by Ye Cangtian...
"Rise. You have done nothing wrong!"
Ye Cangtian waved his hand, and a gentle surge of spiritual energy lifted them both. He then spoke, "Zhang Yong, is Xiong Bing here?"
Before setting out, Ye Cangtian had reviewed the information. The commander responsible for guarding Skyfrost Pass was Xiong Bing, an Earth-tier expert.
Now, as he was about to pass through Skyfrost Pass, he wanted to greet him and also have him report his itinerary to Dragon City.
This would also prevent Dongfang Mingyue from worrying.
"Reporting to Lord Ye, Lord Xiong Bing is not here. He is recuperating at home!"
"If the Lord does not mind, this humble servant is willing to escort you!"
Recuperating?
Ye Cangtian's brow furrowed slightly, but he did not inquire further. It would be better to examine Xiong Bing's injuries before asking.
With that thought, he slowly nodded and said, "Brother Zhang Yong, please lead the way."
"Yes, yes, yes..."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yong immediately agreed repeatedly. As he spoke, he couldn't resist casting a smug glance at the thinner guard beside him.
Ye Cangtian was not only his idol but also the idol of all the guards here.
Therefore, being able to guide Ye Cangtian was a definite way to boast for a considerable time...
Thus, led by Zhang Yong, the three arrived at Xiong Bing's residence shortly thereafter.