The Spirit River's Phantom

After leaving Medicine Peak and changing his appearance, Li Jun slipped straight out through the wild mountains of the Azure Cloud Sect.

During the months he had spent on Medicine Peak, he had grown more or less familiar with the nearby wild mountains.

Moreover, he had planned an escape route for himself, and set quite a few traps along those paths.

Whether they would come in handy or not, having them was still better than not having them.

If one day some upheaval struck the Azure Cloud Sect, he could also run for it quickly and get far away from that nest of trouble.

"I wonder if that mire is still there. It's on the way anyway, so I'll take a look first."

Thinking back to the scene that day, Li Jun still could not stop dwelling on that mire.

Although he had picked up the Black Box there, he kept feeling that the mire itself was extraordinary, and might even be some greatly nourishing thing.

And so Li Jun spent half a day and arrived at Yunwang Mountain once more.

"It actually dried up. What a pity."

Li Jun looked at the pit before him, regret in his heart.

"Shriek!"

Suddenly, a clear, piercing cry rang out, and a powerful pressure of wind rushed straight into his face.

"Damn bird, you're actually still here!"

Li Jun used the "Shadow-Folding Wandering Dragon Step," his figure retreating backward.

At the same time, he took out the Awakening Sword and thrust out several rays of sword light.

A gale howled ahead. The Mystic Swan looked down at Li Jun, its broad wings flashing suddenly and shattering the sword light.

Immediately after, it beat both wings. The feathers on its wings flickered with a cold gleam, then transformed into arrow-feathers and shot toward Li Jun.

"Heh! You really think I'm afraid of you?"

Li Jun's temper flared as well, and he immediately used the "Flowing Cloud Sword Technique."

After these months of cultivation, he had not only raised his strength to the Fourth Level of Qi Refining, Likewise, he had also practiced the "Flowing Cloud Sword Technique" to the fourth layer.

At this moment, Li Jun swung the Awakening Sword. Dense layers of sword shadows carried corrosive spiritual energy, turning into a curtain of swords that stabbed fiercely toward that sheet of arrow-feathers.

"Clang, clang, clang!"

In midair, sparks flew in every direction.

The sword shadows and arrow-feathers eroded one another, and in the end both were annihilated.

This strike had actually ended in a draw.

When its strike failed, the Mystic Swan was also somewhat surprised.

This stinking brat before it seemed stronger than before.

"Gah, gah!"

Li Jun looked at the Mystic Swan, his entire body taut, ready to act at any moment.

But the Mystic Swan seemed to have no intention of attacking. It stood on an ancient tree, its wings constantly waving, as if trying to express something.

"I can't understand you waving around like that. If you want me to look at something, just take me there directly."

Li Jun spoke helplessly, completely unable to figure out what this Mystic Swan was up to.

"Gah, gah, gah!"

The Mystic Swan rolled its eyes. This fellow was far too stupid.

It flew down to the ground and bent its body slightly.

"You really want to take me to see something?"

Li Jun was dumbfounded. He had only said that casually just now.

Who would have thought this stupid bird actually seemed to need something from him?

"Gah, gah! Gah, gah!"

The Mystic Swan was somewhat speechless. It immediately spread its wings, and a powerful current of air directly blew Li Jun onto its back.

The next moment, one man and one bird shot explosively into the sky.

About two hours later, the Mystic Swan slowed down and dove from above the clouds.

"This is... Cangwu Mountain?"

Li Jun looked at the mountain peak before him, and after comparing it one by one with the map, he finally learned where he was.

He had not expected the Mystic Swan to bring him to Cangwu Mountain.

Coincidentally, the Black Rock Mine the Azure Cloud Sect was going to excavate this time was also located on Cangwu Mountain.

The Mystic Swan circled Cangwu Mountain in flight, and finally stopped at a wild mountain.

"Gah, gah!"

It pointed its wing ahead, signaling for Li Jun to look.

"Hmm? Such strong spirit energy. What is that?"

Following the Mystic Swan's guidance, Li Jun looked over and saw, somewhere on Cangwu Mountain, a Spirit Energy River cascading down from high in the sky.

Even more terrifying was that within that Spirit Energy River, there seemed to be the illusory figure of a woman breathing in and out.

At a certain moment, the woman's illusory figure seemed to sense something and glanced in his direction.

"Not good!"

Li Jun's hair stood on end, and he leaped straight onto the Mystic Swan's back.

"Gaa!!!!"

The Mystic Swan was shocked, flapped its wings, and plunged straight downward.

"Damn bird, wake up! If this keeps going, we're both going to fall to our deaths!"

Li Jun clung tightly to the Mystic Swan's neck. The latter's eyes had rolled back, and it had already passed out cold.

"Damn it all, nothing good ever happens when I run into you!"

Li Jun took a deep breath, formed hand seals with his fingers, and used the technique recorded in Fusang Hand to rescue the Mystic Swan with all his strength.

"Gaa, gaa!"

All of a sudden, the Mystic Swan instantly woke with a start.

Just as they were about to hit the ground, it abruptly spread both wings and shot straight upward again.

Above the clouds, one man and one bird gasped for breath, still shaken by lingering fear.

"Damn bird, why did you take me to see that thing? That's not something we can provoke at all. One look from it would take our lives!"

Li Jun sat up. If he had not reacted quickly, he would probably have already fallen off a cliff and been smashed into a meat patty by now.

"Gaa? Gaa gaa gaa! Gaa gaa??"

The Mystic Swan seemed angry too, crying nonstop, but Li Jun could not understand a word.

"Cut down on the squawking! How about this: I'll ask, you answer. If it's yes, call once. If not, call twice. If I'm way off, call a few more times. How's that?" Li Jun said.

"Gaa!"

"Good!" Li Jun was very pleased. Then he thought for a moment. "You discovered that thing recently?"

"Gaa!"

"You called me over because you wanted to confirm whether I could see it?"

"Gaa!"

The Mystic Swan turned its head, a hint of surprise in its eyes. It had not expected this fellow to be so smart.

Li Jun frowned, then continued asking, "Could it be that you also found other people, but they couldn't see it, while you could?"

"Gaa!!"

"This..."

A layer of goose bumps rose all over Li Jun's body, and he quickly realized that something was unusual.

Other people could not see it, while he and this damn bird both could.

If there was any connection between them, it was only the muddy swamp from that day.

"Right, after I left, what happened to that muddy swamp? Don't tell me you swallowed all the benefits of the muddy swamp for yourself?"

"Gaa gaa!"

The Mystic Swan shook its head fiercely.

Li Jun kept questioning it, and only then did he clarify the whole sequence of events.

Afterward, Yao Yuzhi had also arrived at the muddy swamp, killed the Ghost-Faced Crab, and cultivated inside it.

"Could it be because of the muddy swamp? You ate the muddy swamp, so you can see that Spirit Energy River. And I touched the muddy swamp too, so I can see it as well..."

Li Jun guessed.

The Mystic Swan also nodded. For now, this was the only explanation.

A long while later, Li Jun spoke solemnly. "That thing is very dangerous. If it really is because of the muddy swamp, then Yao Yuzhi can definitely see it too. If she becomes interested in that thing, she'll definitely want to catch you. Understand?"

"Gaa gaa gaa?!"

"Don't blame me for not warning you. Her strength is very powerful. You should have seen that for yourself. Besides, her background is extraordinary. If she becomes dead set on catching you, even if you're fast, can you be faster than a Golden Core Realm elder of the Azure Cloud Sect?"

"Gaa!!!"

The Mystic Swan was very agitated, and Li Jun could clearly feel its emotions.

It flew to a barren mountain, then set Li Jun down.

Immediately after, it waved both wings, gesturing nonstop in front of Li Jun.

A long while later, Li Jun frowned and asked tentatively, "Don't tell me you're trying to say that the muddy swamp might belong to that woman. If we don't find a way to seal her, she'll come seek revenge on us after she revives?"

"Gaa!"

The Mystic Swan nodded hard.

After receiving an affirmative answer, Li Jun's vision went black, and he only felt that he had truly stepped in the worst luck imaginable!