The Bearing of the Strong

The two slowly landed on the ground. Chen Tong heard her voice, tender warmth beneath the ice, beside his ear: "Thank you."

Chen Tong froze, as if rooted to the spot. He could feel that Bing Lin's "thank you" contained emotion. Though the three words were few and delivered rather coolly, his keen perception couldn't be fooled.

"Heh... It's nothing. It was the least I could do." Chen Tong gave an honest chuckle. The frostbound beauty's face seemed to thaw ever so slightly, and a hint of rosy color appeared on her cheeks.

"Here, take this pill. It'll help you recover the strength you've exhausted." Chen Tong set her down, then held a glittering golden pill to her jade lips. Normally, she would have instinctively refused such an intimate gesture, but for some reason, this time she swallowed it without hesitation.

The next moment, a soothing warmth flowed through her icy body. A faint golden glow surrounded her, as if a vast yet gentle force were spreading through her dantian, filling her internal organs, acupoints, and meridians. She even felt as if she were about to break through the bottleneck she had faced for years and reach a realm she had never dared imagine attaining in all these millennia.

"What... what did you give me?" Feeling the strange change in her body, Bing Lin asked in astonishment. The odd feelings just now had kept her from paying much attention, but now that she noticed the transformation, her face filled with shock.

Chen Tong sensed the change in her aura and knew she was about to break through. Instead of answering, he smiled gently. "Focus on stabilizing your realm. Don't worry about anything else for now."

Bing Lin looked deeply at Chen Tong, another hint of inexplicable emotion appearing in her beautiful eyes. Then she nodded, crossed her legs, and closed her eyes.

"B-B-Big Brother, what exactly is going on?" the skinny True Demon asked in confusion.

"Forget that for now. We need to leave while we can!"

They had just witnessed how terrifying Bing Lin was. Her dreadful aura had made their demon souls tremble and their demon blood freeze. They didn't know what was happening with her now, but this young man who had suddenly appeared didn't seem ordinary either. All he wanted was to get out of there as quickly as possible.

"Leave?" Chen Tong's perception was extraordinarily powerful. Every blade of grass and every tree within thousands of miles was within his awareness! He turned around, looking at the three demons with a cold smile.

In a flash, he appeared right in front of them, before they could even react. He was barely a meter away.

The three demons jumped in fright, their faces full of terror. They pointed at him with trembling fingers. "Y-Y-You! What do you want?"

"Hmph!" Chen Tong's contemptuous gaze swept over them. Then he turned sideways with an air of arrogance, his expression cold and aloof. "Do you know Yellow Eyebrow Rat Wolf?"

At the name, the three demons froze, then their eyes lit up with delight! The muscular True Demon stepped forward and bowed slightly. "Brother, could it be that you know our master?"

"Hmm...?" Chen Tong furrowed his brow, then turned and looked down at him. Instead of answering, he asked, "Yellow Eyebrow Rat Wolf is your master?"

"Yes! Yes, he is!" The muscular man looked at Chen Tong excitedly. "So you know our master, Brother. May I ask who you are?"

They had been terrified just moments ago, but now they were calling him "Brother"! Chen Tong's contempt for them was complete. Still, if these fellows' master was Yellow Eyebrow Rat Wolf, they might be of some use for now.

"Tell me, is your master holding a girl captive?" Chen Tong asked.

"Uh... well..." The muscular True Demon hesitated, his evasive gaze suggesting he was deliberately avoiding something.

"Speak!" Seeing that, Chen Tong barked a threat. All the demons' souls trembled, and the muscular True Demon, standing closest, dropped straight to his knees.

"I'll tell you, I'll tell you!" The muscular True Demon broke into a cold sweat. "I don't know if Master has a girl locked up. There are at least eight hundred people imprisoned on the mountain, and dozens more have been locked up just in the past half month. I really don't know which one your girl is."

Chen Tong: "??"

Damn it. He's done something so utterly vile, and he can still be a follower of Buddhism! Tathagata, oh, Tathagata. Just like you.

"Then where is your master? Take me to him."

"Master! Master has already gone into seclusion. He won't see anyone."

So he'd gone into seclusion. Looks like my luck's pretty good! Chen Tong sneered, then continued, "Then take me to where the prisoners are being held."

"This..."

"What?" Chen Tong's expression turned cold. The pressure of a Great Encompassment Immortal began to seep from him. "Is that too much trouble for you?"

"N-No, no, not at all!" The muscular True Demon wiped the sweat from his forehead. "I'll take you there right now."

"That's more like it." Chen Tong withdrew his pressure, then glanced back at Bing Lin. She was still breaking through. His gaze shifted, and he nearly forgot about the Beast-clothed Man, who looked as if he were dead. If Chen Tong hadn't sensed his aura, he would have almost thought he was.

"Then... that...!"

"Leave it all to me, leave it all to me. I guarantee you'll be satisfied, Brother."

Before Chen Tong could finish speaking, the muscular True Demon had already understood what he meant. He called over two lesser demons, who seemed to be squad leaders, and assigned them their tasks.

Chen Tong gave him a long look. He wasn't worried about what the man had arranged.

"Then lead the way."

"After you, Brother!" The muscular True Demon bowed and gestured for him to go first, his manner more respectful than if he were celebrating his own ancestor's birthday. Chen Tong watched him coldly and walked inside.

"Wait!"

A clear, icy voice rang out. When Chen Tong turned around, a cool, refreshing presence washed over his senses.

"Bing Lin!" Chen Tong froze. From the aura flowing around her, he could tell she hadn't fully stabilized her Golden Immortal cultivation.

"Why didn't you stabilize your realm first? Leave rescuing your sister to me."

"No! I'm going in with you." Bing Lin looked at Chen Tong.

Chen Tong could only sigh. Then he glanced at the Beast-clothed Man lying on the ground. "In that case, send that fellow back to his home." Naturally, he was speaking to the muscular True Demon. A black pill appeared in his hand, and with a flick, it flew straight into the man's shattered chest.

"Don't worry, Brother. After you!"

The winding path stretched ahead. They passed through dense woods, climbed stone steps, crossed a mountain ravine, and soon reached the mountain hall!

"Brother, the place where my master keeps his prisoners is on the back mountain. It's heavily guarded, and even I'm not allowed to enter. There's also a formation protecting it! I... I..."

"I know." Chen Tong impatiently cut him off, his gaze fixed on the back mountain. His whole body seemed to be surging with anticipation.

"What do you see?" Bing Lin asked curiously. He was staring so intently and earnestly, with such a strange look on his face.

"So many beautiful women, all naked!" As Chen Tong spoke, he subconsciously swallowed, but the next second, he realized something was wrong and quickly looked away. With an awkward laugh, he added, "Of course, none of them are as beautiful as you."

Bing Lin: "..."

"Hmph. Pervert."