Senior Sister Zhou Zhirou

"Creak!"

A sharp sword light struck, cleanly severing the stem of the bizarre flower. At once, the flower let out a piercing shriek, spewing a burst of strange smoke before rapidly melting into a pool of foul-smelling slime.

Lu Changsheng clutched his head. The sensation of his skull splitting apart swiftly receded like the tide along with the death of the bizarre flower.

"That was close. Whew..."

Cold sweat poured down Lu Changsheng's back. Looking at the bizarre flower that had become a pool of stinking slime, he could not help but feel lingering fear.

Whoosh!

Just then, a faint fragrant breeze swept in from behind him. Lu Changsheng turned around and saw a mysterious black-clothed girl holding a treasured sword, lightly leaping over from not far away.

The mysterious black-clothed girl had a slender, graceful figure and skin as white as snow. Her long black hair cascaded down her back, and lovely dimples adorned her cheeks.

Before Lu Changsheng could recover his wits, the mysterious black-clothed girl had already arrived before him. Her voice was gentle as water as she said,

"You... should be a junior disciple from the Lingxiao Sect's outer sect, right?"

Lu Changsheng nodded. Seeing that the girl wore the robes of an Outer Disciple, he immediately cupped his fists and said gratefully,

"That's right. Thank you, Senior Sister, for saving me in time just now!"

There was naturally sincerity in his tone. Had this Senior Sister before him not intervened, he likely would already have died at the hands of that demon flower.

"Junior Brother, this should be your first time leaving the mountain, right? You actually didn't know how dangerous Charming Fragrance Demonic Taro is?"

the mysterious black-clothed girl asked.

"Charming Fragrance Demonic Taro?"

Lu Changsheng looked puzzled.

"Yes. This Charming Fragrance Demonic Taro is an extremely dangerous demonic plant within the Cloud Sea Mountain Range. It releases a unique fragrance to lure in prey, and it can also launch sneak attacks with spiritual sense attacks. Once it succeeds in ambushing someone, it will likely gnaw out their brain marrow."

the mysterious black-clothed girl explained.

"It's that dangerous?"

Hearing this, Lu Changsheng could not help but shudder. No wonder his head had felt as though it were splitting apart earlier—his soul had been attacked by Charming Fragrance Demonic Taro.

"This Charming Fragrance Demonic Taro is very common in the Cloud Sea Mountain Range. Quite a few disciples who have just come down the mountain have lost their lives to this flower."

The mysterious black-clothed girl's voice was solemn.

"My first time leaving the sect, and I nearly stumbled headfirst into disaster. I never expected the Cloud Sea Mountain Range to be this dangerous."

Lu Changsheng sighed with emotion.

He had thought the demonic beasts in the Cloud Sea Mountain Range were dangerous enough. Who would have expected such bizarre plants to exist as well?

For disciples like Lu Changsheng, descending the mountain for the first time with no experience at all, they might not even know how they died.

"By the way, I still don't know Senior Sister's name."

Lu Changsheng said with cupped fists.

"Zhou Zhirou."

"And you?"

The mysterious black-clothed girl smiled sweetly.

"Lu Changsheng!"

Lu Changsheng replied in a deep voice.

"Lu Changsheng? Could you be the one who, some time ago, defeated Liu Yan, one of the top fifty on the Outer Disciples Ranking, while only at the eighth level of the Core Condensation Realm?"

Zhou Zhirou looked astonished.

"I suppose so..."

Lu Changsheng scratched his head. He had not expected that his defeat of Liu Yan had caused such a stir within the sect that even Zhou Zhirou had heard about it.

"Wow! Junior Disciple Lu, then you're truly amazing! Liu Yan is at the first level of the Divine Palace Realm!"

Zhou Zhirou's beautiful eyes rippled like a lake, and she was clearly filled with admiration for Lu Changsheng.

"You flatter me, Senior Sister!"

Lu Changsheng said embarrassedly.

"By the way, since this is your first time down the mountain, how about we travel together? The Cloud Sea Mountain Range is fraught with danger, and there are many dangers you still don't understand. It may be better for us to travel as companions."

Zhou Zhirou said with a smile.

"Sure!"

Without even thinking, Lu Changsheng nodded in agreement. He had been thinking the same thing. It was his first time down the mountain, and he understood nothing; having a Senior Sister who knew everything with him could not be better.

"By the way, where are you planning to go, Junior Brother? Don't tell me you're heading to Tianyang City too?"

Zhou Zhirou asked.

Hearing this, Lu Changsheng pondered for a moment. This was his first time leaving the mountain in more than ten years, and he had never left the Lingxiao Sect before. However, he had heard that Tianyang City was a city near the Lingxiao Sect.

This time, Lu Changsheng had not set any specific destination.

But since Senior Sister Zhou had asked, he could only nod and say,

"Yes!"

"That's wonderful! I'm also planning to head to Tianyang City!"

Zhou Zhirou's smile blossomed like a flower.

The two immediately decided to travel together and continue through this stretch of the Cloud Sea Mountain Range.

Along the way, the two chatted and laughed, speaking freely about everything. From their conversations, Lu Changsheng also learned of Senior Sister Zhou's background.

Senior Sister Zhou was from the Zhou Family, one of Tianyang City's two great lineages.

However, it seemed that she had received a letter from her lineage this time. They might have encountered some thorny trouble, so they had asked Senior Sister Zhou to return.

As for what trouble it was, Lu Changsheng found it inappropriate to ask further. Still, he had formed quite a favorable impression of this Senior Sister Zhou, not merely because she had saved him earlier.

More importantly, over the course of their journey together, he discovered that Senior Sister Zhou was warm, cheerful, and kind-hearted. The two quickly became good friends.

However, crossing the Cloud Sea Mountain Range was not a smooth road all the way. Along the route, they encountered quite a few more dangers.

Especially when they passed through a valley, they were attacked by a pack of Black Wind Demonic Wolves. Yet neither of them was an ordinary person, and they easily resolved the danger.

After traveling day and night for an entire day and night, the two finally emerged from the Cloud Sea Mountain Range at noon on the second day.

"We're finally out!"

After leaving the forest, the two took deep breaths and could not help smiling at each other. They had clearly enjoyed traveling together along the way.

"Senior Sister Zhou, could that be Tianyang City?"

Standing atop a hillside, Lu Changsheng gazed into the distance. Not far ahead lay a vast, flat plain.

Upon that plain stood an immensely majestic city, like an ancient ferocious beast lying silently prone upon the earth. Its black city walls stretched into the distance, giving off an overwhelmingly grand aura.

Moreover, the city was clearly bustling with activity. At a glance, the dense crowds looked like swarms of ants.

"Yes, let's go!"

Zhou Zhirou nodded, then headed toward the city gate with Lu Changsheng.

The city gate in the distance looked magnificent and imposing. Above it hung a golden plaque bearing three vigorous characters: Tianyang City.

When the two arrived at the city gate, soldiers were stationed there, and they had to pay Spirit Stones before they could enter the city.

Moreover, quite a few martial artists had formed a long, dragon-like queue as they waited to enter.

The two joined the queue. Less than half an hour later, after paying the required number of Spirit Stones, they entered Tianyang City together, chatting and laughing...