Much later!
With a crack, the formation's light vanished. Chen Ming slumped to the ground, his head drenched in sweat.
"Junior Brother Chen, are you all right?"
Seeing the formation's light vanish, the Falling Moon Sect disciples came over to Chen Ming and asked after him with concern.
"I'm fine, just a little tired!"
Although Chen Ming could not hear what they were saying, he could more or less guess from their expressions. He answered as he slowly stood up.
"Since you're fine, let's keep going! Come on!"
Tang You took the lead, cautiously exploring the way ahead.
Much later, they saw light ahead. After stepping out of the tunnel, they found themselves in a plaza.
An altar stood at the far end of the plaza. Below it were four square formations, each containing over a hundred humanoid soldier statues arranged in neat ranks. At the very front stood another statue resembling a general, staring straight ahead.
The "woo-woo" sound came from behind a massive door beyond the altar. But as soon as the Falling Moon Sect disciples entered this place...
The sound grew even stronger. Their Clear Heart Mantra could no longer withstand it, and everyone began feeling dizzy.
Chen Ming immediately turned and ran. Seeing this, the Falling Moon Sect disciples hurried back after him.
Only when they returned outside the cave did they realize it was already noon. The four Jingfo Temple disciples were still standing guard outside, but the Fire Cloud Sect and Jingfo Temple disciples who had entered the cave were nowhere to be seen.
When they had failed to spot the Fire Cloud Sect and Jingfo Temple disciples in the plaza, they had assumed both groups had already come out.
Now it seemed that things had most likely gone badly for them.
Just as Chen Ming and the others summoned their flying swords and prepared to leave, a flurry of footsteps came from inside the cave.
Chen Ming and the others looked back to see all the Fire Cloud Sect and Jingfo Temple disciples running out, each bearing injuries.
Chen Ming and the others took one look, then turned and flew away on their swords.
After returning to Iron Bamboo Peak, Chen Ming removed the pills and talisman paper from his ears and went inside his house.
The next day, three streaks of purple light flew from Wild Blade Peak, Iron Bamboo Peak, and Green Leaf Peak toward the cave Chen Ming and the others had visited the day before!
That morning, Chen Ming had just stepped outside when he saw Li Fengling coming his way again. After the events of the past two days, he had grown a little afraid of this senior sister.
"Junior Brother Chen, come on! Your senior sister will take you out to show them what we're made of today!"
Li Fengling walked over and waved at Chen Ming as she spoke.
"Again? Can I not go?"
Chen Ming asked helplessly.
"What did you say? I didn't hear you!"
Li Fengling promptly asked.
With an innocent look on his face, Chen Ming could only summon his flying sword and follow her.
Before long, they arrived at a town called Crescent Town. Plenty of people bustled through its streets, with all sorts among them: hawkers calling out their wares, sturdy men, white-haired elders, children running wildly through the streets, and women dressed in alluring finery.
"Junior Brother Chen, are you ready?"
Leading the way, Li Fengling stopped before an inconspicuous house and summoned her flying sword as she spoke.
"Senior Sister Fengling, ready for what?"
Chen Ming was completely lost, with no idea what they were supposed to be doing. He could not help asking in confusion.
"This is one of the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect's outposts!"
Only then did Li Fengling remember that she had forgotten to tell Chen Ming on the way over, and she hurriedly explained.
She then kicked open the door. Chen Ming followed close behind and fired several fireballs the instant he entered.
But once the explosions subsided, they found that no one was inside.
"Senior Sister Fengling, where did you get this information? Why is there nobody here?"
Chen Ming asked, sounding somewhat doubtful.
"Damn it! Someone duped me!"
Li Fengling carefully inspected the place, but there really was nobody there. Judging by the state of the house, no one had lived in it for a long time!
"Senior Sister Fengling, where do we go now?"
Seeing how furious Li Fengling was, Chen Ming hurriedly asked.
"Come on! We're going to settle the score!"
Li Fengling summoned her flying sword and headed toward Wan'an City!
Chen Ming followed her. Upon reaching Wan'an City, they went to a house, only to find upon entering that its occupants had already cleared out.
In the end, the two returned to Iron Bamboo Peak. With Li Fengling still sulking, Chen Ming went back to his room and lay down for an afternoon nap!
By the time Chen Ming woke and came outside, Li Fengling had already left.
Chen Ming went to the Mission Hall, looked around, and accepted a mission before summoning his flying sword and heading toward the Ten Thousand Monster Mountain Range.
He paused briefly while passing the lake from that day, then continued toward where he remembered the Iron-Armored Boars being.
Just then, he saw a young man dressed in the robes of the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect fighting another man wearing the robes of a Falling Moon Sect inner disciple. The Falling Moon Sect disciple was gradually falling behind.
Chen Ming's eyes lit up. He sped over on his sword, activated the Fireball Technique, and hurled seven fireballs at the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect disciple!
Hearing the rush of air, the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect disciple instinctively dodged aside. He turned, spotted Chen Ming, then spun around and fled!
"Junior Brother, don't chase him!"
Just as Chen Ming was about to pursue him on his sword, the Falling Moon Sect inner disciple below called out to stop him!
"Why?"
Chen Ming descended from the air and asked the Falling Moon Sect inner disciple.
"He's at late Foundation Establishment. You're only at early Foundation Establishment. Are you chasing him to get yourself killed?"
The young man looked at the still-bewildered Chen Ming as he spoke.
"Zhao Ming of Green Leaf Peak! Thank you for helping me, Junior Brother!"
Zhao Ming gave a slight bow, then spoke.
"Chen Ming of Iron Bamboo Peak! You're too kind, Senior Brother Zhao. It's only right for fellow disciples to help each other!"
Chen Ming returned the bow as he spoke.
"Senior Brother Zhao, how did you run into that Ten Thousand Poisons Sect disciple?"
Chen Ming asked in puzzlement!
"I don't know why, but lately, the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect, the Soul-Destroying Sect, and the Ten Thousand Monsters Sect have all become unusually active. If you ask me, Junior Brother, you should come to the Ten Thousand Monster Mountain Range less often!"
Zhao Ming's reply did not quite answer the question.
"Thank you for the warning, Senior Brother. Why don't I return to the sect with you?"
Hearing this, Chen Ming hurriedly spoke, then rode his sword back toward the sect!
Chen Ming thought, Could the Zhao State already have been completely occupied? If that's the case, it looks like the Nine Kingdoms Alliance will be coming soon! I'd better keep my head down for a while!
Chen Ming's guess was entirely correct. Almost all the Zhao State's cultivators had already fled to the Yuanwu Kingdom, but none had come toward the Wangshui Kingdom!
He remembered that, in the original story, no one seemed to have fled this way. Chen Ming had chosen to come here precisely to avoid getting entangled in the karma of the Zhao State's original protagonist, villains, and the like.
"Junior Brother Chen, are you there?"
Early the next morning, that familiar voice rang out outside Chen Ming's house again!
Chen Ming got up sluggishly. Seeing Li Fengling suddenly so full of energy gave him a bit of a headache!
"Senior Sister Fengling, what is it this time?"
Chen Ming washed up briefly, then asked.
"Come on! Head over to the plaza. The peak master has something to say today!"
Li Fengling spoke quickly, then headed toward the inner sect plaza.
Hearing this, Chen Ming perked up, a little curious. Why had the peak master suddenly called a meeting? He thought, The peak masters went to that cave a few days ago, and now they're calling a meeting as soon as they've returned. It must have something to do with that!