Leaving The Sect

The next day, as soon as dawn broke, Lu Changsheng packed all his belongings and then made another trip to the Internal Affairs Pavilion.

This was because disciples of the Lingxiao Sect were not allowed to leave the sect grounds freely. If they wished to leave, they had to go to the Internal Affairs Hall to register and complete the necessary procedures for exiting the sect.

Only after completing the exit procedures could they descend the mountain and leave the sect.

His reasons for leaving the sect this time were twofold. Firstly, he wanted to lie low for a while. Lu Changsheng knew that Qin Wentian coveted the treasure in his possession and would undoubtedly come looking for trouble again, so the best course of action was to leave the sect and hide for a period.

Secondly, this excursion also presented an excellent opportunity for training.

Soon, after successfully completing the exit procedures, Lu Changsheng descended the mountain without delay.

"Finally out..."

Upon exiting the mountain gate, Lu Changsheng let out a long sigh of relief, feeling an unprecedented sense of ease.

Having served as a menial disciple in the outer sect of the Lingxiao Sect for over a decade, this was his first time descending the mountain. Consequently, he found it difficult to conceal his excitement at this moment.

Leaving the mountain gate, a vast mountain range spread out before him, stretching tens of kilometers from east to west.

The mountains were shrouded in mist and clouds, filled with dense, lush forests, resembling a primeval forest.

Occasionally, the roars of demonic beasts could be heard from deep within the mountains.

"This mountain range should be the Cloud Sea Mountain Range. Only by traversing this mountain range can one be considered to have left the territorial boundaries of the Lingxiao Sect."

Lu Changsheng gazed at the mountains, which lay coiled like a dragon, a flicker of eagerness in his eyes.

However, traversing this mountain range on foot would not be easy.

The Cloud Sea Mountain Range was fraught with danger, especially with various demonic beasts lurking within. A single misstep could be fatal.

Lu Changsheng sighed softly, regretting that he wasn't a Transcendent Realm expert. If he were, he could have simply flown over the Cloud Sea Mountain Range. But for now, he had no choice but to cross it on foot.

Shaking his head, Lu Changsheng then entered the Cloud Sea Mountain Range.

Upon entering the mountains, he found himself in a mist-shrouded forest.

Lu Changsheng moved through it, his robes becoming damp from the mist. He remained vigilant, as the Cloud Sea Mountain Range was teeming with man-eating ferocious beasts. A moment of carelessness could lead to his demise.

Roar!

As expected, not long after entering the Cloud Sea Mountain Range, a low growl echoed from ahead.

Lu Changsheng looked in the direction of the sound and saw a demonic beast.

The beast resembled a leopard in form, but its tail was like a scorpion's tail, with a venomous stinger at the tip that glinted with a metallic sheen.

Its body was a grayish-brown, and its pair of blood-red eyes were fixed intently on Lu Changsheng, clearly having already marked him as prey.

"Scorpion Leopard!"

Lu Changsheng was slightly startled.

The Scorpion Leopard was an extremely rare and ferocious demonic beast. Its fur was as hard as iron, and the venomous barb on its tail contained a deadly poison.

Swish!

At that moment, the Scorpion Leopard suddenly launched its attack. Its sharp venomous tail stinger shot towards Lu Changsheng like lightning.

"Seeking death!"

Lu Changsheng's eyes turned cold. This Scorpion Leopard's strength was merely at the fourth level of Core Condensation Realm, and it dared to attack him first.

Immediately, Lu Changsheng dodged like a phantom. The sharp venomous stinger struck a tree with a resounding thud, instantly tearing the entire tree in half.

Lu Changsheng channeled his spiritual energy and then shot forward like a bolt, appearing before the Scorpion Leopard in an instant.

"Wind Thunder Fist!"

Crackle! Crackle!

Arcs of lightning crackled and danced around his fist.

Boom!

Lu Changsheng unleashed a punch, his fist imbued with the power of thunder, piercing directly through the Scorpion Leopard's head with lightning speed.

"Roar~"

The Scorpion Leopard roared, then its body collapsed to the ground, its life extinguished.

Lu Changsheng reached out and retrieved the demon core from within the Scorpion Leopard before continuing deeper into the forest.

Indeed, the Cloud Sea Mountain Range was home to a vast number of demonic beasts. After hunting the Scorpion Leopard, Lu Changsheng encountered many more ferocious beasts.

However, he released the aura of his eighth level of Core Condensation Realm cultivation. Upon sensing this power, some of the demonic beasts reluctantly retreated, no longer daring to eye him covetously.

After walking for two days and two nights within the Cloud Sea Mountain Range, Lu Changsheng reached its depths.

During this time, he drank clean mountain spring water when thirsty and ate the dried rations he carried when hungry. Of course, he occasionally hunted demonic beasts for their meat.

In addition, he also encountered some rare spiritual fruits in the mountains. These fruits not only satisfied his hunger but could also aid his cultivation.

"I should be able to exit the Cloud Sea Mountain Range in about another day..."

Lu Changsheng calculated the time.

He quickened his pace, intending to leave the area by dusk tomorrow.

"Huh?"

Just then, Lu Changsheng suddenly smelled a fragrance.

"What's that smell?"

The sudden fragrance piqued Lu Changsheng's curiosity. It was truly peculiar. Could it be the aroma of a heavenly spiritual fruit?

With this thought, Lu Changsheng began searching curiously. Before long, he found the source of the scent.

"That's..."

Lu Changsheng looked ahead and saw a large black boulder not far away. Rooted on top of the black boulder was a bewitching Crimson Flower.

A faint mist swirled around the flower, and it emitted waves of extremely rich fragrance.

"What is this thing?"

Lu Changsheng looked puzzled. He had never seen such a strange item before. Could it be some rare spiritual medicine?

Immediately, Lu Changsheng cautiously approached the Crimson Flower. Besides its rich fragrance, the flower also emitted spiritual energy fluctuations.

It was clear that the flower before him was no ordinary object.

Lu Changsheng rejoiced inwardly. Although he didn't know what it was, he guessed it must be a rare treasure. He immediately lowered his head, intending to pluck the flower.

Whoosh!

But just then, a crimson light shot out from the center of the flower, directly piercing Lu Changsheng's forehead.

Boom!

The moment the crimson light entered his forehead, Lu Changsheng's head felt as if it had been struck by lightning. Intense pain surged through him, and a roaring sound echoed in his mind.

"Ah!"

"Damn it!"

Lu Changsheng's expression changed. The severe pain in his head made him cry out involuntarily. The red light, like a ferocious prehistoric beast, battered his mind.

Lu Changsheng's head felt like it was splitting open. At this moment, the Crimson Flower slowly unfurled, revealing rows of sharp fangs within its petals, intending to devour Lu Changsheng whole.

Whoosh!

However, just as the Crimson Flower was about to consume Lu Changsheng, a sword energy suddenly attacked from behind, directly severing the strange flower