Because he now had misgivings in his heart, Xiao Hua kept half a step farther away from Cai Zhuoxia and became much more cautious in his speech. Cai Zhuoxia, however, seemed lost in thought and did not notice at all. The two traveled like this for more than ten days. On this day, seeing a streak of fiery red appear on the distant horizon, Xiao Hua pointed ahead and smiled. "Fellow Daoist Cai, is that Yanlin Mountain Marsh?"
When Cai Zhuoxia looked up, she seemed somewhat bewildered. "Mm, that is it! This poor Daoist followed the elders of my family here in earlier years. When I first saw it back then, I was just as astonished as you are!"
"But why have we arrived so quickly?" Cai Zhuoxia asked curiously afterward.
"Ah? Quickly?" Xiao Hua smiled bitterly. "We have flown for more than ten days. According to what Fellow Daoist Cai said, we should be arriving right about now!"
"Oh!" Cai Zhuoxia seemed to awaken from a dream and offered an apologetic smile. "This poor Daoist has been rather strange lately, always absent-minded. Fellow Daoist Xiao, please do not blame me! Eh? Your cultivation seems to have improved again. You are likely... nearing the middle phase of the Qi Cultivation fourth layer, aren't you?"
"Not at all~" Xiao Hua felt somewhat proud, but repeatedly waved his hands. "I have only just entered the early phase of the Qi Cultivation fourth layer. The middle phase is still far away!"
In truth, Xiao Hua knew perfectly well that after obtaining the method of cultivating with spirit stones, the spiritual qi he drew into his body during daily cultivation was more than twice what it had been before. In other words, his cultivation speed had increased greatly once more. Not only had he