Misty Forest

The two traveled stealthily, flying and hiding. Cultivators frequently wandered the skies, and there were increasing signs of this; they even spotted Foundation Establishment Realm disciples searching the air on their swords.

These minor cultivators were no match for the two, but it was clear that the people who sent them out were only meant to use them as spies, not to kill Yue Qianchou. However, they couldn't touch them; killing one would likely attract a whole bunch of others. There was no other option but to hide.

This method of search was terrifying. In the end, the two were almost forced to fly close to the ground in the deep mountains. They dared not travel on the main roads and could only dart through the mountains. Occasionally, they would startle a flock of birds, and they would quickly dart far away, then hold their breath and hide. Soon after, they could see more than ten cultivators swiftly approaching, searching everywhere in the dense forest.

"Xin Lao San, you go back to Lingfang Valley first. I'll find a way to get out of here."

Yue Qianchou had said similar things countless times. However, Xin Lao San always firmly refused with a solemn expression. "No, you were doing well hiding in Dayang City. If I hadn't insisted on making you come with me to Lingfang Valley, which exposed your whereabouts, you wouldn't be in this predicament."

He was referring to the day before, when the situation wasn't so critical. Because he shouted randomly in the mountains, he attracted a cultivator in the early Tribulation stage Realm to search the area. Fearing that the man would escape and attract a large number of people, Xin Lao San killed him on the spot.

Unexpectedly, the slain man was placed under a restriction, similar to the Yue Qianchou had used when he first went to the Demon Ghost Domain for trials. The person in charge of the search must have been carrying Divine Sense Compass, allowing them to know everyone's whereabouts perfectly. The moment the man died, the other party immediately knew where the two men were.

Now things were really messed up, like stirring up a hornet's nest. After alarming one group, that group alarmed others, and cultivators from various countries came running. They chased after them relentlessly, putting the two of them in a very difficult situation.

"Uh..." Yue Qianchou said with a wry smile, "This is not your fault. I can't hide in Dayang City forever. If I did, Huo Zongming would be the first to come after me."

"At least you're not in immediate danger in Dayang City," Xin Lao San said stubbornly. He was convinced that he was the one who had implicated Yue Qianchou.

"Xin Lao San, Uncle Xin, I beg you, please leave first, okay? I really have a way to get away. If you don't leave soon, I'm going to be dragged to my death!" Yue Qianchou was practically begging him on his knees. Being chased all over the mountains and fields was unbearable! He really couldn't take it anymore. As soon as Xin Lao San left, he could immediately teleport back to Utopia. With the teleportation markers planted by the 'scouting' team members, he could go anywhere with ease.

Xin Lao San suddenly turned around and stared at him, his breathing gradually becoming heavy, and his eyes gradually turning red.

Yue Qianchou was startled and asked suspiciously, "What do you want to do?"

"There aren't many people like you in the Cultivation World," Xin Lao San said with a shake of his head.

Yue Qianchou was completely confused by what he said, and asked blankly, "What do you mean? What's wrong with me?"

"They would rather risk their own safety than implicate others. True friendship is revealed in times of trouble!" Xin Lao San said emotionally.

"Uh..." Yue Qianchou bit a finger, looking somewhat dazed, his mind wandering far away. Damn it! This is how you win people's hearts?

"Brother, although I am older than you, please allow me to call you brother." Xin Lao San thumped his chest and said, "Today, I, Xin Lao San, am making this clear: as long as you can escape this calamity, if you encounter any trouble in the future, just mention the names of the nine brothers of the Xin family. We are all family, and if there is anything we can do to help, the nine brothers of the Xin family will go through fire and water without hesitation."

"Really?" Yue Qianchou's eyes lit up. "Your elder brother is Spirit Transformation stage expert! He'd go through fire and water for me?"

"Don't worry, my nine brothers and I are of one mind. What I admire most is someone as loyal and righteous as you." Xin Lao San sighed again, "There are really not many people like you in the Cultivation World."

The two were actually squatting on the branch of a large tree. Yue Qianchou, like a monkey, had one hand gripping the branch above his head. Sunlight shone through the gaps in the leaves onto his inscrutable face. He plucked a Ye Zi, tore it in his mouth, and spat it out. He plucked another leaf, tore it, and spat it out again. He didn't know what to say.

After a long silence, Yue Qianchou shook his head and sighed, "Alas! My carefree and unrestrained nature is just an outward appearance. I never expected that you would see through my true nature today. I am truly ashamed."

Just then, several whistling sounds of fast-flying figures swept overhead, and the two immediately held their breath. Judging from the voices, they seemed to be experts at least at the mid Tribulation stage. After the noise subsided, Yue Qianchou immediately turned hostile and shouted in a low voice, "Xin Lao San, get the hell out of here! We'll talk about your nonsense when we get back to Lingfang Valley."

"Yue Qianchou! You can curse me all you want, I understand your feelings." Xin Lao San looked at him affectionately and said, "I'll be fine going out, but where can you go alone? You'll be stuck! The entire Cultivation World is looking for you, searching everywhere. At least if I'm here, I'll have an extra helper if there's trouble, right?"

Yue Qianchou paused, Xin Lao San's words reminding him. Even if he could teleport away, there were searches like this everywhere. If he showed himself, he would probably attract a large group of people to hunt him down, which would be quite troublesome.

"We'll share the good times and the bad." Xin Lao San pointed ahead, his eyes filled with determination, and said, "We'll get out of here together."

Yue Qianchou looked in the direction he was pointing, a thoughtful expression on his face. He frowned and said, "After crossing two more mountains, we should be in the territory of the Jinshan Kingdom?"

"Hmm! Pu Taidong's territory..." Xin Lao San nodded, looking thoughtful.

The landscape of the Jinshan Kingdom was a headache for both of them just thinking about it. Xin Lao San had been there more than once and knew it by heart, while Yue Qianchou had only seen it in the jade register.

Within the entire Jinshan Kingdom, there are almost no mountains or forests, only deserts and exposed rocky areas. Although the entire territory appears somewhat desolate, its most distinctive feature is its abundance of various mineral deposits; in Yue Qianchou's understanding, it is rich in various metals. The people within its borders make a living by mining, and the various rare metals are highly sought after by Cultivation World from various countries. This is also Pu Taidong's greatest source of wealth.

However, precisely because there is no cover from the mountains and forests, and the terrain is too exposed, as soon as the two of them leave the territory of the Great Yang Kingdom, they will be exposed to the public eye, and it will be difficult to hide.

"This is troublesome." Xin Lao San's brows furrowed deeply.

"Once you get out, run southwest!" Yue Qianchou said with a sharp look on his face.

"Ah..." Xin Lao San exclaimed in surprise, "You mean to go to the Misty Forest?"

"That's good." Yue Qianchou nodded and said, "Let's go to the Misty Forest."

Xin Lao San waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "No, no, you come from the Huaxia Cultivation World, so you probably don't know how dangerous the Misty Forest is. The Eastern Pole Sacred Land, the Demon Ghost Domain, and the Misty Forest are the three forbidden areas of the Cultivation World, and none of them are places that ordinary people can go. The Eastern Pole Sacred Land is mysterious and unpredictable, and there is no return once you go there. The Demon Ghost Domain is filled with demons and ghosts, and the number one Number One Expert Under Heaven is stationed there, so no one is allowed to trespass. The Misty Forest is shrouded in seven-colored poisonous fog all year round, and no one knows the depths inside. Even experts at the Spirit Transformation stage hesitate to go in, and at most they can only enter shallowly with their powerful cultivation."

Yue Qianchou had seen all of this in the jade tablet left by Lu Wanqian. On the topographical map of the Jinshan Kingdom, this place was represented by a blank space, with only the note. "Misty Forest... a forgotten corner, shrouded in seven-colored poisonous mist all year round, not worth paying attention to."

"Is there anything else there besides the poisonous fog?" Yue Qianchou asked.

"I don't know!" Xin Lao San recalled, "My master did venture into the Misty Forest, but he only gathered some poisonous herbs around it to refine pills. However, my master said that he seemed to hear the roar of some wild beast inside, but he couldn't be sure, it might just be the sound of the wind. Because the Seven-Colored Mist inside is too poisonous. It's hard to imagine what kind of poisonous insects could stay in there."

Yue Qianchou pondered for a moment. Since there was nothing else, and he had taken the 'Ruyi Pill', he should not be afraid of these poisons. Even if there was something strange, he could escape in time.

A cyan flying sword was flung out, Yue Qianchou jumped down from the tree branch, landed on the flying sword, and said coldly, "Xin Lao San, it's time for us to part ways. You go back to Lingfang Valley first, and I will naturally come to find you then."

"No, we agreed to share the good times and the bad. How can I abandon you?" Xin Lao San waved his hand to the side and said, "At worst, we'll just take a little longer and go the long way. Once we get to Lingfang Valley, with my master there, no one will dare to trespass."

"Do you expect me to hide in Lingfang Valley for the rest of my life?" Yue Qianchou sneered. "If I really had to hide for the rest of my life, why would I bother hiding in Lingfang Valley? Since everyone likes to play with me, I'll play with them until they're done. I'm not Yue Qianchou if I don't play with them until they stop."

"What do you want to do?" Xin Lao San asked in astonishment.

Without a word, Yue Qianchou steered his sword, skimming the ground as he flew swiftly through the mountains and forests. Xin Lao San paused briefly, then quickly gave chase...

After a period of hiding and dodging, the two finally crossed two mountains and stopped at the foot of the dense forest. Looking out from among the trees, the lush green was gradually fading, revealing a desolate, boundless expanse of gravel ahead. A dozen or so people were positioned in the air, closely watching the forest. People occasionally flew overhead.

"What exactly do you want to do?" Xin Lao San whispered in his ear.

Yue Qianchou pondered, his eyes flickering, without replying... Judging from the map, heading southwest, the Misty Forest was about fifty miles away. At his current speed, he would definitely be intercepted by faster, more skilled individuals within that distance, attracting a large group of attackers. It seemed he had no choice but to have Xin Lao San use a feint to buy himself some time.

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