Canyun Mountain

"Heh, don't bother."

Zhao Wei let out a scoffing sneer, his gaze drifting involuntarily toward Wu Dao. Seeing that Wu Dao held a faint sense of hostility toward Meng Qingshan, he finally set his mind at ease.

His previous attempts to win over Wu Dao had been merely verbal posturing; it didn't mean Wu Dao had truly committed himself to joining his White Whale Martial Arts Hall.

If Wu Dao and Meng Qingshan hit it off and found they were of similar temperaments, that would be quite disadvantageous for the White Whale Martial Arts Hall.

"Tsk."

Seeing this, Meng Qingshan grew warier of Wu Dao in his heart, though he simultaneously withdrew his gaze and said helplessly, "It's been a few years, but your temper is as fiery as ever, Brother Zhao.

As the saying goes, even if you break the bone, the tendons remain connected. Regardless of everything, we still share the same master, so why must we be like this..."

"Enough, Third Brother Meng. Aren't you tired of acting so high and mighty all the time? What kind of person you are, and what kind of outfit the Four Seas Gang is, we both know perfectly well."

Zhao Wei impatiently interrupted Meng Qingshan. "Since you've come here, I assume you are also after the Flesh Tai Sui in Canyun Mountain. There's no point in talking more; let's just see what we're made of when the time comes."

Having said that.

Zhao Wei switched to a warm smile and cupped his fists toward Mao Ba and Yun Tianliu. "Daoist, Brother Yun, let's set off. I'll be relying on the two of you throughout the journey."

This gesture.

Made Wu Dao think even more highly of Zhao Wei.

The ability to bend and stretch, to judge the situation accurately—this temperament alone made him superior to the vast majority of people.

Mao Ba and Yun Tianliu frowned at Zhao Wei's show of goodwill. After glancing at Meng Qingshan and Yingsha and hesitating slightly, they nodded, effectively accepting Zhao Wei's proposal for an alliance for the time being.

This situation was exactly as Wu Dao had guessed.

Facing the Four Seas Gang, a tumor hated by everyone in Guangqing Prefecture.

The minor, disreputable history between the White Whale Martial Arts Hall and himself seemed trivial by comparison.

It proved that old saying:

Those who walk the righteous path find many allies, while those who lose it find few.

Yet, looking at Meng Qingshan's calm and indifferent demeanor, he didn't seem to care about their alliance at all, though it was unclear if that was due to a steady temperament or sheer fearless confidence.

"Gentlemen, allow this humble Daoist to add one more word."

Before departing.

Mao Ba gave another soft but firm reminder. "This mission is primarily to subdue the demon. I hope you all don't lose sight of our priorities and let that beast benefit from our infighting."

These words.

Anyone with a discerning eye could see he was warning Meng Qingshan and Yingsha to behave themselves.

It was no wonder the young Daoist had such confidence.

After all, coming from an Immortal Dao faction, Huanglong Temple was renowned in the upper echelons of the Guangqing Prefecture martial arts world; even if targeted directly, Meng Qingshan wouldn't dare to fall out with him.

To put it bluntly.

If not for the presence of Yingsha.

Wu Dao even suspected that Mao Ba and Yun Tianliu would have given Meng Qingshan no face at all and would have attacked him immediately to perform an act of "chivalrous justice."

"Heh, don't worry, Daoist. Qingshan is not someone who doesn't know what's good for him."

Facing Mao Ba's provocation.

A flash of brutality vanished deep within Meng Qingshan's eyes, yet on the surface, he remained completely calm, still wearing the mask of a smiling, easygoing man.

Seeing Meng Qingshan's submissive posture.

Mao Ba stopped talking. He formed a seal with his hands, chanted an unknown incantation, and spat out a single command: "Swift!"

The Green Crane, which had been circling for a long time, immediately received the order. It flapped its wings and took flight, its speed immense; in the blink of an eye, it had dashed ten meters away and was continuing to accelerate.

"I shall lead the way!"

Mao Ba signaled, his Daoist robes flapping loudly, and he was the first to dash off like a gray shadow, with Yun Tianliu following closely behind.

"Zhang Long, Cui Shan, Li Hu, you three wait here. No need to follow."

Zhao Wei did not move immediately, instead instructing the three martial artists of the White Whale Martial Arts Hall not to get involved in this muddy water.

With a Meng Qingshan and a Black Shark at the Cocoon-Breaking Realm, if they truly went mad and started a slaughter, Wu Dao and he would be too busy to fend for themselves, let alone stop them.

"Understood! Hall Master, take care!"

The three Internal Strengthening martial artists were not oblivious to the situation; they cupped their fists and quickly departed.

Boom!

Boom!

The blue brick ground exploded into two indented cracks under the force of their exertion.

Wu Dao and Zhao Wei ran at full speed, one after the other, whipping up a gust of wind as they chased after the figure of Mao Ba ahead.

"Uncle Ya, once we enter the mountain, keep your eyes locked on that man. He is far from simple."

Meng Qingshan squinted, staring at Wu Dao's back, and gave a pointed warning to Yingsha.

Among all the people present just now.

Wu Dao was the only one he could not see through, and the one who radiated the most intense aura of danger, leaving him no choice but to remain on high alert.

Uncle Ya stared at Wu Dao with hollow eyes.

He nodded stiffly, like a robot that only knew how to follow orders.

Following that.

The two stopped lingering and disappeared at the end of the street within a few blinks, leaving only four rogue cultivators behind to look at one another.

The current situation had become a battleground for those in the Divine Strength Realm; if they, mere experts of the Inner Strengthening Realm, went, they would likely end up as nothing more than cannon fodder to scout the path, and the risk was simply too great.

But...

It is said that the bold are fed to death while the timid starve; there were always those who believed themselves to be the children of destiny.

After a brief hesitation.

Aside from one woman who retreated, the other three among the four held onto their lucky delusions and gave chase.

Ever since the era of the ancient ancestors, who lived in obscurity and struggled through brambles, the world's impression of mountains has always been one of immense wealth intertwined with an indelible sense of mystery.

One relies on the mountains for food, and on the water for drink.

Between the mountains and rivers, the abundance of produce and resources has nurtured era after era, and people after people.

Yet, while felling forests and excavating treasures.

Some strange and evil things hidden within the mountains have also continuously surfaced, challenging the world's understanding, devouring one uninvited guest after another, and shrouding the great mountains in an indelible veil of demonic mystery.

Mountain Spirits and Ghosts, man-eating beasts, Fox Immortal Worships the Moon, Evil Ghost Remains, Miasma Snakes and Insects...

The bizarre legends regarding the great mountains have never ceased; the warnings of old mountain travelers and the stories passed down through the streets have deepened the world's fear of the mountains, generation after generation.

In those secluded and deep places, it seems that Demons and Monsters truly roam. They are isolated from the world, appearing and disappearing without a trace, and with a mere movement, they devour human lives, creating legends of forbidden zones for the living.

Canyun Mountain.

In recent days, it has become just such a wild, desolate place with a thick, ominous color.

Ever since there have been signs of human habitation.

The depths of that boundless sea of forest, and the undulating, secluded chasms, have always been rarely trodden by human feet, with only the most daring climbers catching a glimpse of their true face.

But tonight.

A group of uninvited guests has arrogantly intruded upon this primitive land, shattering the silence within Canyun Mountain.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

The mountain winds are fierce, and the sea of forest rustles.

Above the crests of the forest, beneath the stars and moon.

The group led by Mao Ba moves like civets and apes, their toes brushing the treetops as they leap ten-odd meters at a time, continuously maneuvering toward the depths.

A group of nine.

The weakest among them is at the peak of the Inner Strengthening Realm, with strength exceeding that of tigers and oxen, and agility surpassing leopards and civets. Naturally, they have no need to struggle across mountains and rivers; they traverse the terrain by vaulting over stones and trees, moving high above the ground.

Wild beasts traveling through the forest at night often only hear a gust of wind sweeping over their heads and the swaying of dense tree crowns; by the time they look up, the figures are already gone.

But the group's unbridled advance does not last long. As the vast Canyun Mountain, reaching into the clouds, appears before them, they are suddenly blocked by a thick fog, and Mao Ba, who is leading, comes to a halt.

Thud, thud, thud—

Muffled sounds of landing echo continuously.

Yun Tianliu, Wu Dao, Zhao Wei, Meng Qingshan, and Yingsha land one after another. Having run for dozens of miles, they are neither flushed nor winded, a testament to their immense stamina.

Hoo, hoo, hoo—

However, the three rogue cultivators are struggling, breathing heavily after landing, their stamina nearly exhausted.

By all logic.

Those in the Inner Strengthening Realm have endurance comparable to a thousand-mile horse; running for dozens of miles should be nothing.

But because the leaders are a bunch of abnormal Divine Strength Realm experts, the three had to run at full capacity to avoid being left behind, leaving them in a wretched state.

Wealth is the death of man, as food is the death of birds.

Wu Dao, with his nine-foot-tall savage frame, stands atop a giant rock, glancing indifferently at the three rogue cultivators behind him.

In a tiger's hunting ground, there is no room for wild dogs to scramble for scraps; these three are classic examples of those who prioritize wealth over their own lives.

Withdrawing his gaze.

Wu Dao looks up toward Canyun Mountain, only to see it covered in an unusually thick fog, obscuring both the stars and the moon. Only a faint outline of the towering mountain is visible, and with his current eyesight, he can barely see a hundred meters into the mist.

His other senses also feel as if they have stepped into a quagmire; he only perceives the surroundings as thick, deep, silent, and deathly still, as if it were a place outside the world.

This fog...

Wu Dao narrows his eyes, sensing the anomaly. He does not act rashly, waiting for the professional "Mao Ba" in front to speak.

"Brother Wu, be careful."

At this moment, Zhao Wei offered a soft reminder, his words seemingly carrying a hidden meaning.

"Heh, I reckon Meng Qingshan has started to grow wary of me."

Wu Dao rubbed his gums, well aware of what Zhao Wei was referring to.

His gaze flickered toward Yingsha, who stood in the shadows of a tree trunk not far behind him, silent and motionless as a corpse.

Ever since they left Panshui Town.

He had sensed Yingsha's faint, chilling gaze locked onto him, much like an eagle high in the sky tracking its prey, ready to swoop down and kill at any moment.

As for the reason.

He could guess a thing or two.

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