136: Chapter 136 Departure from the Three Realms Mountain

What he didn't know was that just a dozen feet behind him...

...a man and a woman were quietly watching him.

Chu Linger tugged at Xu Changsheng's sleeve. "Master, your illusion technique is so amazing. Could you teach this Servant Girl?"

The latter shook his head. "I can't. This is a secret technique inherent to my Cultivation Technique."

"Alright then."

"From what Zhang Hu said just now, he should be looking for Huang Shaotian."

"When the time comes, tell Huang Shaotian this..."

"Understood, Master."

...

Huangniu Mountain.

Inside the Immortal Cave.

Xu Changsheng spent some time claiming ownership of the divine wood two principles sword and placed it within his Dantian for nourishment.

He was about to lie down and rest for a few days; after all, he had been forging swords non-stop for several months.

Suddenly, the communication talisman at his waist lit up. "Brother Xu, the Hundred Sects Trial have been moved up. They're expected to be held in fifteen days. You need to come early."

Crimson Rainbow's voice came to an abrupt halt.

Xu Changsheng frowned and calculated the travel distance; he would have to set off today at the latest.

Otherwise, if Ink Shadow traveled at full speed high in the sky, there was no telling what kind of foul things it might attract.

However, Xu Changsheng still needed to purchase a handy defensive Spiritual Artifact; relying solely on Talismans was slightly insufficient.

He also needed to restock some combat-oriented and Qi-restoring Medicinal Pills.

He sent a message asking Chu Linger to help gather them.

...

Three days later.

Late at night.

Dark clouds loomed over the city; the moon was hidden and the wind was high.

A shadow as fast as lightning emerged from the south city gate and vanished without a trace in the blink of an eye.

The guard squeezed the pouch in his hand and watched him leave.

It was indeed Xu Changsheng.

Chu Linger had thoughtfully prepared two defensive Spiritual Artifacts for him.

A Medium Grade Tier 2 Iron Scale Armor, crafted from the belly scales of an Iron Scale Python; the overlapping scales could deflect a significant amount of force.

A High Grade Tier 2 Black Tortoise Bone Shield, refined from a Black Tortoise's carapace; it was cumbersome but offered extreme defense. Once planted on the ground, it could block most Tier 2 attacks.

One for inner wear and one for outer defense, the two cost around twenty thousand Spirit Stones in total.

Additionally, Tier 2 combat Medicinal Pills such as Tier 2 Qi-Restoring Pills, Tier 2 Detoxification Pills, and Blood Boiling Pills were also ready.

It was a pity he hadn't had the Golden Sun Body Forging Manual for long enough to raise his Body Refining cultivation to the Tier 2 Middle Stage; otherwise, he would have felt more secure.

"Ink Shadow, let's go!"

With a squeak, it vanished without a trace in a matter of seconds.

Soon, he arrived before a bifurcated canyon.

After a moment's hesitation, he finally chose the path on the right.

Because he had wasted some time, Xu Changsheng had to choose this unconventional route to proceed.

...

Ten days later.

Ice Ridge Mountains.

This mountain range stretched for over a thousand miles; its ridges were like ice and never melted throughout the year.

Xu Changsheng had traveled trepidatiously all the way and finally arrived here; it was separated from Three Realms Mountain by only a single lake.

Once he crossed this mountain, he would be able to rendezvous with Crimson Rainbow.

Beneath the deep pine forest, Xu Changsheng took out a map to identify his direction.

A light screen suddenly appeared before his eyes.

【Todays Intelligence (Blue): profound yin cold iron】

【Host, approximately eighty-three miles west of here at Ice Crack Mountain, in an ice cave halfway up the mountain, there is a piece of profound yin cold iron. It is guarded by a Tier 3 Early Stage Yao Beast, the Frost Macropod Crab. This crab recently molted, and its new shell has not yet hardened, causing its strength to drop to the Quasi-Tier 3 level.】

Xu Changsheng looked at the light screen, a hint of disbelief showing in his eyes.

profound yin cold iron? Wasn't that the main material for the Yin sword of the divine wood two principles sword that he had been dreaming of?

He hadn't expected that after picking up a piece of chi yang copper mother not long ago, another piece of profound yin cold iron would come his way today.

He couldn't help but clasp his hands together in gratitude toward the light screen. "Love you, my System Daddy."

It was either one good piece of intelligence every few years, or two coming at once. Of course, this was also related to his promotion to Foundation Establishment and leaving the city for business.

So, it really did pay off to go out more often.

Looking at the light screen, he modified the markings on his map, then stood on Ink Shadow and sped toward the west.

...

Speeding at low altitude, it took him half a day to arrive.

Ice Crack Mountain.

The wind and snow howled; the mountain was fractured, and ravines crisscrossed the landscape.

The world was a vast expanse of white.

Xu Changsheng looked around but couldn't find anything resembling a cave.

Just as he was at a loss...

"Rumble, rumble, rumble."

A low, muffled explosive sound came from beneath his feet.

Looking down, he saw an ice crevice.

"Could it be down there?"

He put Ink Shadow back into his spirit pet bag and flew downward, noticing a shadow reflecting the faint daylight at the edge of the crevice.

An ice-jade platform extended in front of the shadow.

He arrived.

It was indeed a cave entrance; the opening wasn't large, only wide enough for two people to walk side-by-side.

An icy tunnel led straight down.

Vibrations continued to rise from the bottom, causing Xu Changsheng to frown slightly.

Why did it feel like the Frost Macropod Crab was in the middle of a battle?

After speeding down for half a mile, the view suddenly opened up.

A deep blue dome hung high above, with occasional icicles falling and smashing onto the eternal ice, creating crisp echoes.

Xu Changsheng immediately spotted the Frost Macropod Crab nearby.

It was twenty feet long, its entire body a translucent deep blue. A layer of mucus slowly flowed over its carapace.

Its claws hung in front of its body, opening and closing to reveal sharp, serrated teeth within.

With just a glance, his gaze shifted to the area in front of the crab.

A peerless beauty was currently confronting the crab.

The woman was tall, with skin like snow and a face like a flower.

Her complexion was extremely pale—not the warm white of Xie Wantang, but like the eternal ice deep within a mountain, almost devoid of color.

Her brows were sharp, her eyelashes long, and her plain white dress was ruffled by the cold wind seeping through the ice, revealing straight, slender calves without a hint of excess fat.

Upon seeing this woman, Xu Changsheng felt the temperature in the ice cave drop a few more degrees for some reason.

Furthermore, her current situation was not optimistic; blood seeped from the corner of her mouth, and the Spiritual Pressure from her body was only at the Foundation Establishment Early Stage.

Although the Glazed Ice Sword beside her emitted the pressure of a Top Grade Spiritual Artifact, it was clear that in her current state, she couldn't control it at will.

The icy female cultivator also noticed Xu Changsheng.

She lowered her eyes slightly, her pale blue pupils seemingly brewing the words she wanted to say.

Finally, a single word escaped her thin lips: "Scram!"

Xu Changsheng was stunned. He thought she would say something about joining forces against the enemy, but he hadn't expected her to tell him to get lost the moment they met.

No one could stand such an insult, so he shot back, "How can you speak like that?"

The Frost Macropod Crab seized the opportunity. Its mouthparts twitched, and it instantly summoned an ice spike, which shot toward the female cultivator with lightning speed.

The female cultivator was at the end of her rope; her pale hand barely managed to trace a barrier in front of her.

"Clang."

In an instant, the ice spike broke through and struck her heavily in the abdomen.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

She smashed through several ice pillars in succession, looking as if she were about to fall into a nearby ice crevice.

At the critical moment.

A figure suddenly appeared behind her. A strong, powerful arm supported her, and then pulled her into a firm embrace.

He dodged the following ice spike.