Leaving the Valley
In the days that followed, Li Weiyi and Qing Ziqin spent most of their time on the mountaintop. While cultivating their mental power, they secretly crafted Puppet Battle Corpse.
They were merely First Realm Saint Mind Master, and the cultivation of mental power indeed required absorbing light. Therefore, the people cultivating in the valley below gradually became accustomed to their absence from the Fanye Valley.
The task of observing and keeping watch for the enemy naturally fell to them.
When the topic comes up occasionally, people jokingly say that they've become too close; a lone man and woman in the deep mountains and forests must have endless romantic encounters.
Although they sometimes disagreed and felt superior because of the Sentinel Spirit Army higher cultivation levels, they all prioritized cultivation and were not jealous of Li Weiyi and Qing Ziqin just because they were close.
They will not harbor hostility because of past unpleasantness. Even Chang Yujian only wants to challenge in the future and prove itself honorably.
They are all Sentinel Spirit Army; they can be rivals, but not enemies.
Tang Wanzhou has been very busy lately, rarely leaving the valley, and has hardly spoken a few words to Li Weiyi.
Li Weiyi knew very well what she was worried about and why she was so tense. It was obvious from the fact that she had found two instructors to help cover up the traces and whereabouts that Tang Wanzhou did not believe that Tu Miangou could disappear into thin air.
They couldn't believe that a mere Hai Envoy could escape from the territory of Dongxu Camp. All the sentry spirits were mobilized, but they couldn't find him even after two days.
She must have felt that there was a "hidden danger" within the team.
They feared that the "hidden danger" might leave traces on the road, or transmit messages through secret methods.
Now we've arrived at Fanye Valley.
For Tang Wanzhou, the suffering had only just begun.
We cannot be completely certain whether there are any hidden dangers, but we must keep a close eye on them.
Every member of the Lesser Yang Guard is extremely shrewd, seemingly hiding their true abilities, harboring their own hidden agendas, and worthy of suspicion, yet they all appear to be without fault.
Li Weiyi had also secretly pondered this: Zhao Tang, Xu Daoqing, the Pipa Woman, Nangong, Qiu Cheng, and Chang Yujian —each of them had an unusual side, and it seemed that they were all hiding something.
This also includes Bai Chuan.
He's been in Fanye Valley for almost two months now, and he's actually staying behind to protect everyone. Logically, having lost thirty years of his lifespan, he should immediately head to a large underworld or Chun City to search for treasures.
You should know that Li Weiyi searched all three mountains but failed to find the Netherworld Soul Divine Marrow, and the idea of immediately going to the large Netherworld to search for it arose in his mind.
The Netherworld Soul Divine Marrow can nourish the soul.
Faster and more direct than Lesser Yang Star.
With it, the cultivation speed of the Saint Mind Master in the seventh realm will greatly increase, and the "gates of hell" of the seven breakthroughs will become "barriers," greatly reducing the danger.
Li Weiyi and Qing Ziqin sat side by side on the mountaintop, with the Staff Spear of All Things standing behind them.
The spearhead is above, Earth Spirit Cub is below.
The Earth Spirit Cub's body was about a foot long, resembling that of an infant.
It possesses sentience, actively taking root in the earth to absorb the earth's yin energy, which it then infuses into the staff and spear to help Li Weiyi activate it.
The staff and spear emitted ethereal Buddhist chants, constantly drawing the moonlight of time towards them, causing the hillside where the two stood to solidify into a world of light and rain.
Li Weiyi suddenly opened his eyes. "Bai Chuan and Nangong Shan have arrived!"
Without releasing his mental power or Dao Heart Manifestation, the two handsome and beautiful figures climbing the mountain at its foot could be accurately visualized in his mind, outlining every smile and gesture during their conversation.
The brilliance of the Staff Spear of All Things dimmed, and he temporarily withdrew them.
Qing Ziqin asked, "I feel that your spiritual insight is far deeper than mine. Just how many Psychic Power Stars have you cultivated?"
"Eighteen," Li Weiyi said.
Qing Ziqin feigned anger. "I know you have an optimistic personality, unlike me who is pessimistic about everything. You can choose not to answer, but if you're going to answer, can you at least answer properly? I like your serious and earnest side, not the way you always tease me."
Of course she didn't believe it.
Li Weiyi broke through to the Saint Mind Master level a little later than her, and in less than a year, he was able to cultivate nine Psychic Power Stars?
Unbeknownst to her, during the two months in the Heavenly Fire World, Li Weiyi condensed the thirteenth Psychic Power Stars. In the following six months, with the help of the Fusang Divine Tree, the Sea of Souls Starry Sky, and the Time Cocoon, he condensed five more.
Li Weiyi didn't think this was a fast cultivation speed. Cultivating martial arts took up a lot of his time, which is why he spoke frankly.
But it seems that telling the truth often becomes a problem.
"Captain, just remember this: I've been extremely careful about what I say when I'm with you. Because I know you're someone who takes things very seriously."
Li Weiyi didn't want to explain further, nor did she want to prove anything. Gazing into the distance, a strong urge to leave arose in her heart.
The Longevity Corpse they brought with them have all been refined into Battle Corpse Puppet.
There's no point in staying in Fanye Valley any longer.
Qing Ziqin's pretty face, which looked about seventeen or eighteen years old, was furrowed, and a bitter expression appeared on her face. "Am I an extremely difficult person to get along with?"
"Actually, it's alright. Being with you is much simpler than being with many other people. I don't need to wear a fake mask. In front of you, I don't need to hide my Staff Spear of All Things and puppetry," Li Weiyi said with a smile.
Qing Ziqin looked at him coldly. "Are you saying I'm naive? I've just been protecting myself by keeping my distance, not wanting anything from others, and hoping others won't want anything from me. As long as I don't interact with people, there won't be too many entanglements of interests or troubles."
Li Weiyi felt that after two months of spending time alone together, and with her taking the initiative to reveal her background, this icy-cold Deputy Commander was no longer so resistant to him, and was able to confide in him and say "we".
He remained silent for a while, then suddenly said, "I'm leaving!"
"How long?" Qing Ziqin wasn't surprised.
Li Weiyi said, "Today, immediately."
Qing Ziqin was stunned, and a sudden feeling of emptiness arose in her heart.
It wasn't that she felt any particular emotional attachment to the place; rather, she seemed to have grown accustomed to cultivating here with Li Weiyi every day. If she were to be alone on the mountain from now on, she would feel too lonely, as if she were isolated from the entire world.
But that's how she's always done it!
Footsteps and laughter came from the woods below, disrupting Qing Ziqin's mood.
Bai Chuan and Nan Gong, like a pair of celestial beings, walked out of the forest.
He was handsome and dashing, with his hair tied up in a jade crown, his eyes clear and bright, and his speech revealing profound knowledge. He exuded a noble and elegant temperament, not at all effeminate, but rather sunny and unrestrained.
Any woman who gets close to him will inevitably stare and be mesmerized.
His dual identity as the second-place New Armor Rank Second and a member of the Bai family was like a divine aura surrounding him, inspiring awe and reverence.
The other is Immortal Jade Dao Bone shrouded in holy light, forged from the essence of heaven and earth. Even a blurry glimpse of its form through the mist is enough to etch it into one's heart, inspiring a desire to gaze upon it forever. It also evokes the thought that if one cannot break through the mist to witness its true form up close and reach out to touch it, it will be a regret that lingers in one's heart for the rest of one's life.
"Those two really aren't cultivating, yet they're here gazing at the moon and enjoying the scenery. How romantic! It's enviable," Bai Chuan laughed heartily.
In Bai Chuan and Nan Gong's eyes, Li Weiyi and Qing Ziqin also possessed a quality that stirred their hearts.
Bai Chuan's gaze fell on Li Weiyi, and he bowed, saying, "Weiyi, I've wanted to apologize to you and Yu Jian for a long time. That day in the Teleportation Hall, it was all due to a sudden turn of events. I was so angry that I couldn't control my damn mouth. Looking back, the more I think about it, the more I realize how wrong I was. I'm still too young, and my mindset lacks experience. You became Saint Mind Master in your twenties, and you're also exceptionally talented in the Sword Dao Imperial Court. You're bound to achieve great things in the future."
Is what a person is thinking inside their heart just a matter of what they say?
Li Weiyi didn't take it too seriously. With high cultivation, one naturally has the right to be arrogant. The fact that he would condescend to apologize, regardless of the reason, at least demonstrates his ability to be flexible and adaptable, which is quite remarkable.
Li Weiyi gave a brief reply, then took his leave and descended the mountain.
Before leaving, he discovered that Nangong was not sightseeing with Bai Chuan, but rather setting up an array.
She took pieces of Top-grade Blood Crystal, each engraved with Formation Script, from her bag and dropped them into the ground.
Although both are Saint Mind Master of the First Realm, this valiant guard, ranked first on Taishi Yu's "Beauty Ranking," always gave Li Weiyi a mysterious and unfathomable aura.
After descending the mountain and returning to the valley, Li Weiyi bid farewell to Tang Wanzhou.
Tang Wanzhou sat cross-legged at the valley entrance, his Divine Snow Sword planted in the ground, freezing the surrounding area by half a foot. "I have given the order that no one is to leave the valley before Mo Duanfeng returns."
"Am I an exception too? You don't doubt me, do you?" Li Weiyi said.
Tang Wanzhou immediately understood that Li Weiyi had seen through her long ago, so she frowned and asked, "Why are you in such a hurry?"
"I possess the Time Cocoon. If I were merely using the Netherworld for cultivation, why would I take this risk?" Li Weiyi said.
Tang Wanzhou considered for a moment and sighed, "Fine, what can we do when our relationship is different? Go outside and patrol, then quietly leave."
What Tang Wanzhou didn't say was that he had been feeling uneasy these past few days, with a constant feeling that something bad was about to happen. Therefore, he secretly hoped that Li Weiyi would leave and stay away from any potential danger.
"Don't worry, I won't make things difficult for you. I've already made preparations."
Li Weiyi looked around, activated his Psychic Power Spiritual Light, and took out a spatial bag.
Release the completed Decoy Puppet.
Stepping out of the light blue aura of the underworld, Li Weiyi immediately activated the invisibility power of his Lesser Yang Guard robes, glanced at the three towering peaks behind him, and sped northward.
The Fanye Valley Nether Domain is located in the southern part of the Ancient Kingdom of the Years Ruin, only six thousand miles away from the border Withered-Prosperous Belt.
Li Weiyi was heading to the third largest underworld, tens of thousands of miles away from here.
Tiandu River Nether Domain.
According to the records of the Sentinel Spirit Army predecessors from decades ago, the Tiandu River Nether Domain covers an area of eight hundred miles in radius, and the Netherworld Soul Divine Marrow can be easily found on both banks of the great river.
Two hundred miles after Li Weiyi left the Fanye Valley Nether Domain, he felt a strange sensation of being watched from afar, and it grew stronger and stronger.
This is very unusual; he was clearly invisible.
Unless someone cultivates a mental technique similar to the Heavenly Eye and keeps a constant watch on the entrance of Fanye Valley, it would be impossible to detect him. Furthermore, they would have to keep tracking him.
"What exactly is it?"
Li Weiyi made up his mind, burst into his fastest speed, and chased after the direction the gaze was fixed on.
This matter must be clarified.
Four miles ahead of Li Weiyi, a semi-transparent phantom was running at high speed.
Because it was fleeing in such a hurry and in such a panic, its two golden claws emerged from hiding, leaving claw marks on the ground.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Li Weiyi roared like thunder, causing the space to tremble, hoping that his voice could travel more than two hundred miles away to alert the Lesser Yang Division members in Fanye Valley.
However, once the Sound Wave spread out for a hundred feet, they were neutralized and weakened by the invisible force of the field.
The sound traveled for dozens of miles before fading into silence.
Li Weiyi stopped immediately.
Ahead lay a wide river, thirty zhang wide, its waters pitch black, shimmering with light under the moonlight. This place was two hundred and sixty li away from the Fanye Valley.
Across the river, the semi-transparent phantom was fully revealed.
It was a rooster over four meters tall, with brilliantly colored feathers, and its comb and eyes seemed to be burning.
Its eyes possess the gift of X-ray vision; it was the one that had been tracking Li Weiyi earlier.
Beside the rooster, Luo Pingdan, with strange, ancient patterns on his bald head, held a Bronze Staff and smiled as he locked onto Li Weiyi, who was still invisible. "Old friend, why don't you show your true form?"