White Tiger Blocks the Gate
"Fellow Daoist, you've come at the right time. The White Tiger has been disturbed. How about the three of us cooperate and work together to escape the secret realm?"
Xue Gu said to Rong Jingyun.
Rong Jingyun looked surprised and doubtful, "The White Tiger was startled?"
Then, Xue Gu briefly explained the whole story to Rong Jingyun.
Upon hearing this, Rong Jingyun frowned deeply.
"The White Tiger's lair is on the mountaintop, several miles from the exit stone hall. If we are careful when we pass through the exit, we shouldn't disturb the White Tiger, right?"
Xue Gu, "I'm afraid it won't be as easy as you think, fellow Daoist."
"What makes you say that, fellow Daoist?" Rong Jingyun asked.
"The White Tiger is extremely intelligent. We have disturbed it, and it will probably not allow cultivators like us to leave the secret realm An Ran."
Xue Gu looked up at the mountaintop and said with some worry in his expression.
Mu Yunxin, who was meditating and refining pills to the side, suddenly opened her eyes and looked at Rong Jingyun.
"Alchemist Rong, given the current unclear situation, our best course of action is to cooperate and travel together."
Rong Jingyun smiled faintly.
"I didn't expect Miss Mu to be here too."
Judging from their expressions and the way they addressed each other, they were clearly old acquaintances.
Rong Jingyun turned to look at Song Wen, her face questioning.
Compared to Mu Yunxin and others, she trusted Song Wen more.
If she absolutely had to travel with someone, she naturally hoped that Song Wen could come along.
Song Wen nodded slightly.
Xue Gu's words do indeed make some sense.
The danger of acting alone is much greater than the danger of traveling in a group.
Upon receiving Song Wen's response, Rong Jingyun said to Xue Gu, "Elder Wu and I are willing to travel with you."
"That's excellent," Xue Gu.
He changed the subject and continued.
"However, people from the Mysterious Heaven Sword Sect, Blissful Union Sect, and Primordial Unity Temple went missing in the avalanche just now. Please wait here for a moment while Master Jie Ku and I go to look for our fellow disciples."
"Of course," Rong Jingyun replied.
Xue Gu and Jie Ku searched for their fellow disciples around and below the cliff.
As for whether they were genuinely searching for their fellow disciples, as they claimed, or were simply after the treasures on their disciples, that remains unknown.
About half an hour later.
He returned from Jie Ku, his face filled with sorrow and dejection.
It seems that no fellow disciples were found.
A few more moments passed.
Xue Gu appeared at the edge of the cliff, holding a severed head in his hand.
His head was swollen open, his eyes wide open, as if he had died with his eyes open in disbelief.
"Sigh!" Xue Gu sighed.
He casually tossed the head onto the snow.
"We only found the remains of a fellow disciple. It was because I, as their senior brother, failed to take good care of them."
Xue Gu spoke with great sorrow, but his face showed no trace of grief.
"Fairy Mu, how is your injury recovery?"
Xue Gu walked to Mu Yunxin's side and asked with concern.
Mu Yunxin shook her head, "It will take several more hours for the injuries to heal to about 70-80%."
Xue Gu turned around and faced the crowd.
"Then let's wait a little longer, until Fairy Mu has recovered from her injuries, before we set off again, shall we?"
"Right now, only half an hour has passed since the avalanche, which is when the White Tiger is most alert, so it is not advisable to go up the mountain."
The crowd fell silent, which was taken as tacit agreement with what Xue Gu had said.
Two hours later.
The sky was getting dark.
A thick fog began to rise in the secret realm.
Even on the highest mountain, this is no exception.
At night, the thick fog obstructed visibility, and coupled with the limitation of Divine Sense, it was clearly not advisable to go up the mountain.
The group could only wait until sunrise before setting off.
The next day, early morning.
The sun's rays shine upon the earth.
The thick fog began to dissipate.
The five people went around to the other side of the mountain and headed towards the summit.
This side of the mountain was free from avalanches and was covered with lush trees, which provided excellent cover for their movements.
Everyone tried their best to conceal their cultivation aura and travel through the mountains and forests using only their physical strength.
The task of scouting the way fell to Rong Jingyun.
She summoned a spirit cat at the Early Second Rank.
The civet is two feet long, agile, fast, and highly intelligent.
The civet moves silently through the dense forest, making it an excellent scout.
Following behind the Spirit Cat was Xue Gu, whose combat strength was arguably the strongest on the surface.
He was a sword cultivator from the Mysterious Heaven Sword Sect, and in terms of offensive power alone, he was undoubtedly the strongest.
Song Wen and the other four followed Xue Gu in a fan shape, not far behind.
With this formation, if any one side is in danger, the others can provide timely support.
Of course, this was just a verbal promise. When something really happens, whether everyone fights or flees will probably depend on the strength of the enemy.
After traveling dozens of miles towards the mountaintop, the group arrived smoothly at the foot of a cliff hundreds of feet high.
Above the cliff is the stone hall where the exit is located.
The five people hid below the cliff, while the spirit cat climbed up the cliff to scout ahead.
The nimble cat leaped back and forth on the sheer cliff face, quickly scaling the hundred-foot precipice.
It lay on the edge of the cliff, poked its head out, and made sure there was no danger around.
He took a step back, leaped onto the cliff, and disappeared from the sight of the people below.
In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.
The civet cat reappeared on the cliff edge.
It leaped off the cliff and fell directly to the ground hundreds of feet below.
As soon as the cat landed, it jumped onto Rong Jingyun.
He buried his head in Rong Jingyun's arms, his body trembling uncontrollably, as if he had seen something extremely terrifying.
Seeing this scene, a gloomy atmosphere descended upon everyone's hearts.
Rong Jingyun's words confirmed everyone's bad suspicions.
"According to the spirit cat, the White Tiger is fast asleep behind the stone hall's gate. It seems it knows that we cultivators must pass through the stone hall to leave the secret realm. It's lying in wait."
The group exchanged glances, their faces grim, and remained silent.
Even if all the cultivators in the secret realm were gathered together, they probably wouldn't be able to defeat the White Tiger, who was at the Golden Core stage.
"What should we do now? Are we destined to be trapped in this secret realm forever?"
Mu Yunxin worried and appeared delicate and helpless.
Xue Gu, "Actually, we don't need to defeat the White Tiger head-on; we just need to find a way to lure it away."
Jie Ku said, "What Benefactor Xue says makes sense. However, how should the White Tiger be lured away? And who should be sent to lure White Tiger away? The person who lured the White Tiger away will likely die a thousand deaths."
Upon hearing this, Xue Gu was speechless and remained silent.
Song Wen gazed at the cliff and said softly.
"It seems we won't be able to figure out a way to lure the White Tiger away anytime soon. I have some matters to attend to, so I won't be traveling with you all."
Song Wen's sudden decision to leave the group drew the attention of the other four.
Rong Jingyun frowned. "Elder Wu, there are only a few days left before the secret realm closes. Where are you going?"
Song Wen did not answer directly, but gave a casual reply.
"Our gathering here will not accomplish anything. We should each go our own way."
After saying that, Song Wen used both his hands and feet to climb up the rock.