Going Down the Mountain, a Fellow Daoist Dies, Not This Poor Daoist

The hundred-day period arrived.

Early in the morning, Chen Dengming left Lüoshan City, with only Xu Wei, her eyes red and reluctant to part, seeing him off.

But what Chen Dengming didn't know was that deep within the Luo Family's estate, Lüo Bing and Xi'er were also watching him leave from afar.

"These past few days, his cultivation seems to have grown again. I think he's not far from breaking through to Qi Cultivation level three. He's probably been practicing the Life-Damaging Seedling Pulling Technique again," Lüo Bing said, standing on the rooftop with her hands behind her back.

"Young Miss, with his aptitude, why isn't he trying to live a few decades longer? What is he messing around with?" Xi'er asked, confused. "If I didn't know he came from Nanxun Kingdom, I'd think he had some deep-seated hatred to avenge."

Lüo Bing shook her head. "Everyone has their own aspirations. Perhaps in three years, neither you nor I will see him again."

"Then should we kick Xu Wei out?" Xi'er probed.

Lüo Bing replied, "Let her stay for three years. After all, she's already a Cultivator. I won't go back on my word. Perhaps in three years, our Luo Family will have to relocate. This time, with the Luo Family..."

Xi'er pouted. "Young Miss, she's from that kind of place. You're just too kind. Your engagement... I'm afraid after we leave, others in the family will gossip, even oppress her. Her life won't be easy."

Lüo Bing said calmly, "The path is theirs to choose. I'm merely giving them an opportunity. How they walk it, and whether it's smooth, depends on them."

With that, she turned and flew off the rooftop.

"Let's go back. This is far enough. Cultivate well in the Luo Family."

At the lush green exit of the mountain city, Chen Dengming, with his luggage on his back, smiled and bid farewell to Xu Wei.

Xu Wei stood quietly, softly humming "Mm," then lowered her head and whispered, "Brother Chen, don't worry. I will work hard and cultivate in the Luo Family. I hope I can be of some help to you in the future."

Chen Dengming was stunned, then felt a warmth in his heart.

When he had first wanted to keep Xu Wei in the Luo Family, although it was mainly to resolve trouble, he had also thought about leaving someone he could trust in a Cultivation family like the Luo Family. This could serve as a fallback in the future.

Now, it seemed Xu Wei understood his intentions.

"You really don't want any Spirit Stones? Young Miss Luo's reward of over a hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones is too much, I can't possibly use it all," Chen Dengming said, gesturing to his bag.

Xu Wei shook her head. "The Luo Family has abundant Spiritual Energy, and it's safe. It's enough for my cultivation. I don't need to buy Magic Items, I don't need Spirit Stones. Your environment outside isn't good for cultivation, and you'll need to buy Magic Items. A hundred Spirit Stones might not even be enough. We women are like water; whatever comes, we just flow past it."

As she said this, she made up her mind to find an opportunity to save some money in the future. Brother Chen might need it, and she could provide assistance.

"Alright then, I'm off. See you again!" Chen Dengming laughed heartily and leaped away, using his lightness skill.

As Xu Wei looked in the direction he'd gone, Chen Dengming's figure was faster than a gale, disappearing into the woods.

"Being together in hardship is not as good as watching each other from afar in the Martial World." She understood Chen Dengming's pursuit of Cultivation for Longevity. Although she didn't want to become a soulless cultivation tool devoid of emotion in the pursuit of eternal life, and having a Dao Companion was important, that Dao Companion also needed to be able to keep up with his pace and footsteps. Otherwise, years later, it would only lead to more sorrow. This also strengthened her resolve to cultivate harder and try to keep up with him.

Although she didn't understand why Young Miss Luo was so pessimistic about Chen Dengming, always saying his time was short. But whenever she accompanied Chen Dengming at night, she could always feel his dedication and confidence, which greatly reduced her worries.

"A hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones. If I don't buy Magic Items, that's quite a lot. With my current Spiritual Root cultivation speed, it takes me two days to absorb one Low-grade Spirit Stone, so it'll take me two hundred days to use them all." On the mountain path, Chen Dengming tightly gripped his slightly heavy bag, calculating in his mind while also remaining vigilant of his surroundings. Carrying such wealth, he instinctively felt nervous, worried that a bandit from Black Wind Village might suddenly jump out to rob him. Before this, even though he had been 'forced' to kill four Cultivators consecutively, he had only accumulated seven Low-grade Spirit Stones. Low-level Cultivators are usually poor and have little savings, otherwise, they wouldn't hunt down fellow Cultivators for five Low-grade Spirit Stones. This time, with the successful refining of the Gu worm, he received a hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones as a reward from Lüo Bing all at once. He had truly become rich. This wealth meant nothing to Lüo Bing, but to him, it could accomplish many things. Even if he spent them extravagantly on cultivation, it would be enough for a long time. Cultivating with Spirit Stones meant he didn't have to absorb the surrounding Spiritual Energy himself, and he could also use Spirit Stones to set up a Spirit Gathering formation, speeding up his cultivation. This way, even in a Gathering Place, he could achieve the same cultivation speed as in the Luo Family.

"I currently have two low-grade Magic Items: one is the shuttle from that old man who ate fish, and the other is the flying sword from the bounty on the Cultivator."

"I need to get rid of the shuttle. I can keep the flying sword for use. Then, I'll take out another twenty to thirty Spirit Stones to have Master Hu customize a magic saber for me, and buy a defensive Magic Item. That should be enough."

"The remaining Spirit Stones will be for cultivation. If I just hold Spirit Stones to cultivate, it can probably increase my cultivation speed by twofold. If I set up a Spirit Gathering formation, it increases it by fourfold, but the Spiritual Energy consumption increases by four to fivefold. A hundred Spirit Stones will be gone in less than two months."

As he pondered, Chen Dengming decided to play it safe. In a mixed bag like the Gathering Place, it was best not to be too flashy by setting up a Spirit Gathering formation. Just holding Spirit Stones to cultivate would be enough to make people envious.

His feet barely touched the ground as he moved with lightning speed, consuming very little Spiritual Energy. Leaping from one tree to another, he traveled for a good half hour and had already put considerable distance between himself and Luo Family Mountain City.

Eventually, there were no more trees to leap from. The road ahead became flat and barren, with fewer lush trees.

The Spiritual Energy had become extremely scarce, and the area ahead was even more barren.

Chen Dengming glanced at the desolate mountain path in the distance and the direction of the Gathering Place further beyond, then stopped and formed a hand seal.

Hummm--

A flash of spiritual light, and a cold sword light suddenly shot out, flying to his front under the guidance of the Artifact Control Art.

It was a palm-sized flying sword, twisted like a small snake.

"Bigger!"

Chen Dengming grunted, increasing the input of Spiritual Energy.

Instantly, the snake-like flying sword's spiritual light surged, gradually growing larger, finally extending to about two feet before stopping, unable to grow any further.

"Low-grade Magic Items are just low-grade Magic Items. When will I be able to buy a Spirit Boat and ride in a luxurious carriage?"

Chen Dengming shook his head, stepped onto it, and it sank slightly.

As his feet fully landed, he formed a hand seal and continued to channel Spiritual Energy. Under the guidance of the Artifact Control Art, the flying sword began to ascend, stopping at an altitude of about ten zhang above the ground.

The feeling was like grabbing one's own hair and lifting oneself up.

The Artifact Control Art formed a connection of Spiritual Energy between the flying sword and him, making the flying sword seem like a part of his body, controllable at will.

When he mobilized his Spiritual Energy to convey the thought of flying, it felt as simple as raising his own arm.

Chen Dengming adapted for a moment in mid-air, then urged the flying sword to fly at a low altitude.

Instantly, strong winds buffeted him, and his speed gradually increased, whipping his robes.

A moment later.

After flying only seven or eight li, Chen Dengming decided to land the flying sword.

For him at the moment, sword flight consumed too much Spiritual Energy.

This short distance alone had consumed thirty percent of his Spiritual Energy.

If he traveled using Qinggong, while the long-distance speed was slightly slower, it was more economical in terms of Spiritual Energy, and not much slower at that.

He had tried it; the maximum speed he could achieve with sword flight was around 120 yards per hour.

At this speed, when he used Qinggong, he could reach or even exceed it over short distances, but not over long distances.

However, his current Spiritual Energy was still insufficient, and the Magic Item was poor, lacking even a shield function, making safety accidents very likely.

He passed over a mountain peak, preparing to choose a relatively open area to land.

However, as the flying sword flew past, he heard sounds of intense fighting and killing.

He immediately lowered himself and stopped on the mountainside, peeking down.

He discovered that two groups of Cultivators were fighting, and one group, wearing black robes, clearly had the upper hand.

"Is that the Iron Forest Hall faction supported by the Zhu Family?"

Chen Dengming was startled and immediately lowered his head further, crouching in the bushes to peek, adopting an attitude of observing 'Martial World conflicts, none of my business.'

The two major Cultivation families around the Gathering Place, the Zhu Family and the Luo Family, had been mortal enemies for years, with no shortage of conflicts.

But in recent years, after the Luo Family's marriage alliance with the Luo Family, the Zhu Family had become much more subdued. Even their supported factions in the Gathering Place, the Iron Forest Hall and the Flower Rain Gate, had been very low-key. Why were they acting so aggressively this time?

"What happened? It's not peaceful! Could it be related to Lüo Bing's engagement? Did the Zhu Family get the news so quickly and start showing their fangs?"

Chen Dengming secretly watched for only a dozen breaths before the battle ended.

One of the Iron Forest Hall Cultivators, with strong Spiritual Might and likely at the third level of Qi Cultivation, immediately led his men to collect the spoils and leave, leaving behind three corpses on the ground.

Chen Dengming hid for a while longer, and after confirming that the group had left, he suddenly sensed a fluctuation of energy from the opposite mountain forest.

It seemed someone had been hiding there, avoiding the Iron Forest Hall members, and was now preparing to come out, just like him.

He immediately raised his sword light, intending to leave quickly.

But at this moment.

A swift figure suddenly rushed out from the opposite mountain forest in a sorry state, followed closely by a fireball that landed on the ground not far from the figure's feet with a "boom".

"Rumble."

The intense roar and blast wave directly sent the figure flying half a zhang away, where they fell heavily to the ground, spitting blood.

"Fellow Daoist, save me!"

The figure, spitting blood, raised their hand and shouted towards Chen Dengming.

Chen Dengming, "..."

Save your sister!

So you saw my sword light and immediately came to call for help?

They say to draw your sword when you see injustice, but who knows if it's injustice.

At this moment, another Cultivator in yellow robes rushed out from the opposite mountain forest. Seeing Chen Dengming's figure in mid-air, their face immediately darkened. They hadn't expected to encounter another passerby after avoiding the Iron Forest Hall Cultivators.

Chen Dengming found the figure in yellow familiar, and their Spiritual Might was about the same as his own.

But he couldn't worry about that right now. He cupped his hands towards the cultivator in yellow and said, "I'm just passing through, you guys keep fighting! Don't mind me."

With that, he didn't dare turn his sword light to expose his back and instead retreated, driving his flying sword.

Better a dead fellow Daoist than me. Time to flee!

The spitting-blood cultivator saw this and fell into complete despair, shouting hoarsely, "Fellow Daoist! Save me, we know each other, I have a finished Spirit Seizing Array Disk!"