Su Wan Clears His Doubts, Chance Encounter with Chi Hun

The startled cries alerted everyone, and countless figures rushed toward the scene.

Realizing things were bad, Lu Nan paid no mind to anything else. He hoisted Su Wan over his shoulder and ran toward the valley exit.

Afraid of exposing himself, Lu Nan went all out from beginning to end.

In the blink of an eye, he had left the Azure Lotus Sword Sect group far behind.

"Junior Brother?? What are you doing? Put me down, now!!!"

Having come back to her senses, Su Wan cried out in panic.

Lu Nan halted and set her down, rubbing his nose apologetically. "Sorry! Sorry! It was just instinct!!!"

Before he had even finished speaking, he heard pursuit behind him, and his expression changed. "Senior Sister, forgive me!!"

With that, he hoisted Su Wan over his shoulder again and raced off into the distance.

"If there's something you need to say, put me down first!!"

Hearing that, Lu Nan stopped and looked back at the empty space behind them.

After hesitating, he finally set Su Wan down. Seeing her pretty face pale, he rubbed his nose and said awkwardly, "Sorry! I was too presumptuous just now!!!"

Su Wan glared fiercely at him and snorted coldly. "What could be so important that you had to bring me all the way out into this wilderness??"

"I just didn't want anyone else to know!!"

"You didn't want anyone else to know??"

Su Wan sized Lu Nan up and down, hoping to discern his realm.

Unfortunately, Lu Nan's aura was completely hidden, and she could not make out a single thing.

"Junior Brother! What realm are you at now?"

At that, Lu Nan released the aura of the fifth layer of Qi Condensation. "I was lucky enough to break through to the fifth layer of Qi Condensation!"

"Really just the fifth layer of Qi Condensation? Your speed just now was hardly any different from that of the Foundation Establishment Realm!" Su Wan stared at Lu Nan suspiciously.

"You're joking, Senior Sister. I've merely cultivated a movement technique!"

Seeing that Lu Nan was unwilling to elaborate, and having assessed the difference in strength between them, Su Wan wisely did not press further. Still, she did not truly believe him.

Keeping her guard up, she instead asked, "What do you want to know? Ask!"

"Then I won't stand on ceremony, Senior Sister. Do you know who has gathered all of the Earth Vein Qi so far??"

"Why are you asking that??" Su Wan stared at him warily.

Lu Nan smiled wryly. "Don't worry, Senior Sister! I bear you no ill will. I still remember the help you gave me back then."

When she heard him mention the Book Collection Pavilion, Su Wan's gaze softened considerably. "It was nothing more than a small favor!"

"But why are you asking about this, Junior Brother? Could it be that you wish to achieve Earth Vein Foundation Establishment too???"

"Who wouldn't want Earth Vein Foundation Establishment!!" Lu Nan sighed.

Then he said, "If possible, I naturally want to give it a try. If it's inconvenient for Senior Sister to say, then forget it!"

"This isn't exactly a secret. As far as I know, those who have gathered all of the Earth Vein Qi so far are Chi Hun and Chi Mei'er, the brother and sister from the Soul Refining Sect; Lian Kaishan, Lian Pidi, and Lian Fushui, the three brothers from the Artifact Refining Sect; as well as Chen Sheng, the chief disciple of Tiangang Valley, and two people from our Azure Lotus Sword Sect."

Su Wan looked at him and added, "I heard that the three brothers from the Artifact Refining Sect and Chen Sheng from Tiangang Valley have already found Earth Vein Treasure Lands and begun their Foundation Establishment."

"Earth Vein Treasure Lands???"

"That's right! In truth, the most dangerous step of Earth Vein Foundation Establishment is the Earth Vein Treasure Land." Su Wan's expression turned grave.

Seeing Lu Nan's puzzled look, she explained, "Earth Vein Qi can only be perfectly refined within an Earth Vein Treasure Land to achieve Earth Vein Foundation Establishment.

"No interference can be allowed during the process. Otherwise, at best, all previous effort will go to waste and leave behind a Dao injury; at worst, one will die on the spot."

"Therefore, how to hold an Earth Vein Treasure Land is the most crucial part of Earth Vein Foundation Establishment."

"So that's how it is. Thank you for clearing up my doubts, Senior Sister!!"

Lu Nan nodded, then raised his head and looked in the direction they had come from.

"Looks like the Senior Brothers have already found us. I'll be leaving first.

"I hope Senior Sister won't expose me. Consider it that I owe Senior Sister a favor!"

"You already owe me a favor. Isn't your favor a little too worthless??" Su Wan wrinkled her nose.

Lu Nan smiled at that. "Who told me to feel so close to Senior Sister?? If Senior Sister needs Alchemy in the future, you can come find me..."

Before his voice had faded, his figure had already vanished.

Little did he know that his words made Su Wan's pupils contract. "Alchemy? He became an alchemist just by relying on those books???"

For a long while, she could not recover her senses...

"Junior Sister Su Wan??? Junior Sister Su Wan???"

It was not until the Sword Sect disciples arrived that they roused her.

Seeing that she had come around, the young man at her side finally let out a breath of relief.

"Junior Sister! Are you all right? Where is that thief who abducted you?" the young man asked anxiously.

Su Wan shook her head. "I'm fine! It was only a friend playing a joke.

"I've made all the Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters worry!!"

"A friend???"

"Mhm! For certain reasons, it wasn't convenient for him to show himself.

"That's why he came up with this!!" Su Wan explained with a smile.

Seeing that she did not seem to be lying and was unharmed, everyone finally relaxed. They immediately began criticizing this friend of hers together.

Only Su Wan gazed in the direction Lu Nan had left,

Her beautiful eyes flickering. "Who exactly are you?? And how many secrets do you have??"

Walking slowly through a forest, Lu Nan looked at the Earth Vein Qi that was still short by ten percent.

A faint glint flashed through his eyes. "Looks like I need to hurry!"

With a flash, he merged into the dense forest...

"Phew... It's finally enough!!" Looking at the yellow gourd that had been filled, Lu Nan grinned.

Heaven knew how much he had suffered and how many miles he had run for that final ten percent.

Now that he had finally gathered it all, he raised his head and looked at the sky.

According to Su Wan, all he needed now was to find an Earth Vein Treasure Land.

Only three days remained before the Secret Realm closed.

He had to find an Earth Vein Treasure Land and complete Earth Vein Foundation Establishment within those three days.

Over the next day, Lu Nan ran all over the place.

All to find an Earth Vein Treasure Land, but unfortunately, he still found nothing.

No! It could not be said that he found nothing. He unexpectedly ran into the red-haired man he had robbed.

Looking at the red-haired man sitting cross-legged in meditation outside a cave in the distance,

Lu Nan raised a brow. "Chi Hun? Aren't those two beginning Earth Vein Foundation Establishment?

"Why is he meditating here??

"Could this be an Earth Vein Treasure Land??"

"That doesn't seem right either! From the way those two look, they don't seem to be cultivating.

"Instead, it looks like they're guarding something..."

Without alerting Chi Hun, Lu Nan quietly withdrew.

With Chi Hun at the center, he inspected the entire surrounding area.

Only after finding no one else did he return to his original spot with peace of mind.

Looking at Chi Hun, who was still sitting cross-legged in meditation, he weighed the pros and cons before deciding to make a move.

Having made up his mind, Lu Nan did not hesitate. His entire body tensed.

He became a streak of light and shot toward Chi Hun.

"Hm? You've got some nerve!!!" Sensing the danger, Chi Hun abruptly opened his eyes and saw Lu Nan charging at him head-on.

He could not help but roar as crimson light surged from his body and he rushed forward to meet him.

Seeing Chi Hun come at him head-on, a hint of delight flashed through Lu Nan's eyes.

He had guessed correctly. This big brute really did like close-quarters combat.

He immediately stopped holding back, his figure flashing as he dodged Chi Hun's fist.

"Azure Lotus Strike!"