577: Lu Xueqi (54)

However.

However, an extreme feeling of exhaustion swept over them like a tide, making the footsteps of the three individuals unsteady.

Su Han felt waves of needle-like stinging pain in his Sea of Consciousness; the aftereffects of excessive consumption of his Divine Sense were beginning to manifest.

Lu Xueqi's face was as pale as snow, and the hand gripping the tianya divine sword trembled slightly; the depletion of Nine Heavens Spiritual Qi caused her breathing to become erratic.

Bi Yao's originally lively eyes had also dimmed considerably; controlling the heartbreak flower for precise assistance was an enormous burden on her mind and spirit.

"Our condition is too poor. If we separate now and encounter a powerful enemy, we will all be in danger," Su Han stopped, his brow slightly furrowed, voicing his realistic concern.

Hearing this, Lu Xueqi's cold gaze swept across the surrounding silent mountain forest, and she slowly nodded: "Senior Brother Su is absolutely right. Although this place is far from the entrance to the Underworld, we cannot guarantee that there aren't other forces or opportunists attracted by the previous commotion."

Bi Yao also suppressed her smile and nodded in agreement: "Exactly. I feel like a gust of wind could knock me over right now. I don't want to jump out of the Dragon's Den only to fall into the Tiger's Lair. We need to find a safe place to recover our Origin Qi first."

The three were in agreement, temporarily setting aside the potential awkwardness caused by their respective Sect affiliations.

The most urgent matter was to recover their strength and ensure their safety.

"Not far ahead, there is a secluded mountain cave I discovered during my travels years ago. It is quite hidden and should be safe," Lu Xueqi suggested softly.

Su Han and Bi Yao naturally had no objections.

Led by Lu Xueqi, the three passed through a dense Bamboo Forest and discovered the natural cave behind a cliff waterfall.

The cave entrance was concealed by a curtain of water, and the interior was dry and spacious—it was indeed an ideal place to hide and heal.

Upon entering the cave, all three sighed in relief.

Once their taut nerves relaxed, the overwhelming weariness could no longer be resisted.

They didn't even have time to speak much before each found a relatively flat spot, sat down cross-legged, and immediately entered a state of deep meditation.

Silence fell inside the cave, broken only by the faint sound of the waterfall.

Su Han inspected his body internally; the situation was not optimistic.

He circulated his Sect's Cultivation Technique, guiding the remaining Spiritual Qi to slowly nourish his damaged Meridians and his nearly depleted Divine Soul.

A faint blue halo appeared around Lu Xueqi; the Taiji Profound Clarity Dao slowly circulated, absorbing the meager Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.

The tianya divine sword lay across her knees, humming softly, as if guarding its master.

Bi Yao's method of Cultivation was quite different; the heartbreak flower hovered in front of her, emitting white light. The Ghost King Sect's secret arts focused more on the nourishment of the Soul and spirit, and a stream of Spiritual Qi repaired her exhausted mental state.

Outside the cave, the moon set and the sun rose, and sunlight filtered through the water curtain, casting dappled spots of light.

It was not until noon the next day that the three gradually woke up from their deep meditation.

Su Han opened his eyes; his face was still pale, but his gaze had recovered its clarity.

The stinging pain in his Divine Sense had lessened by more than half, and his Spiritual Qi had recovered thirty to forty percent.

He looked at the two women.

Lu Xueqi's complexion was slightly better, and some color had returned to her beautiful face, though her gaze remained cold.

Bi Yao had regained some of her liveliness, standing up to stretch her limbs: "I finally caught my breath! I felt like my Soul was about to leave my body just now."

"The consumption this time was too great; it cannot be recovered in a single day," Su Han said gravely. "This place is hidden, and the Spiritual Qi is decent. We may need to stay here for several days and only make plans after we have fully recovered."

Lu Xueqi nodded slightly: "Safety first."

Bi Yao naturally had no objection either.

Thus, the three temporarily settled down in the Water Curtain Cave.

While meditating and healing, communication was inevitable.

Initially, the atmosphere was subtly awkward due to the division between the righteous and the demonic paths.

Su Han, being a Loose Cultivator, was comparatively more at ease.

Lu Xueqi strictly adhered to her Sect's rules, and her words were concise and brief.

Bi Yao, mindful of her identity, also restrained some of her usual spiritedness in her speech.

But the camaraderie forged by sharing life and death was ultimately hard to erase.

Coupled with the monotony of the days spent in the cave, as their injuries gradually improved, the conversations between the three slowly increased.

Most of the discussions revolved around the dangers of their trip to the Underworld and the exchange of Cultivation insights.

Su Han was widely knowledgeable, possessing deep insights into Formation, runes, and even some ancient secrets, which often secretly surprised Lu Xueqi and Bi Yao.

Lu Xueqi's Dao techniques were profound; her insights into Spiritual Qi control and Sword Dao comprehension often hit the mark, greatly benefiting Su Han and Bi Yao.

Although Bi Yao originated from the Ghost King Sect, she was intelligent and quick-witted, with unconventional thinking, often proposing strange yet inspiring ideas, especially in the Domain of illusion techniques and the Soul, where she had unique expertise.

After several days together, although the three did not explicitly state it, their mutual understanding and trust had deepened unknowingly.

On this day, the injuries of all three were stable, and their Spiritual Qi had recovered seventy to eighty percent.

Su Han was standing at the cave entrance, observing the waterfall and contemplating the agility of water.

Lu Xueqi was wiping the tianya divine sword nearby, its blade reflecting her cold, beautiful face.

Bi Yao, feeling somewhat bored, was playing with the heartbreak flower, her gaze occasionally glancing towards Su Han and Lu Xueqi outside the cave.

Suddenly, her eyes darted, she stood up, walked over to Su Han, and asked with a playful smile: "Su Han, what are your plans next? Are you going to continue wandering?"

Lu Xueqi's hand, wiping the sword blade, paused slightly. Although she did not look up, she was clearly paying attention to the movement nearby.

Su Han turned around, looked at Bi Yao, then glanced at Lu Xueqi not far away, and mused for a moment: "The trip to the Underworld made me deeply aware of my own shortcomings. The destruction of the Netherworld and the imbalance of Reincarnation likely hide a shocking secret. I intend to pursue this matter, but I need stronger power. Perhaps I will find a secluded place and enter seclusion for a period."

Bi Yao blinked: "Chasing the secrets of the Netherworld? That sounds much more exciting than wandering!" She leaned closer and lowered her voice, "Hey, how about taking me along? I'm most interested in those ghostly and divine matters!"

Su Han was startled, unable to answer immediately.

Lu Xueqi, standing nearby, suddenly spoke, her voice cold: "The matter of the Netherworld is of great importance, not a trivial game." She raised her head, looking directly at Bi Yao, "The Ghost King Sect operates mysteriously. If you participate, it might lead to misunderstandings."

Hearing this, Bi Yao raised her delicate eyebrows and looked at Lu Xueqi: "Sister Lu, the way you speak, it sounds as if our Ghost King Sect is destined to mess things up. If it weren't for me this time, could you have stabilized the Formation so smoothly?"

Lu Xueqi's expression remained unchanged, and she said calmly: "I do not deny Miss Bi Yao's contribution. However, there is a distinction between the righteous and the demonic; our stances are fundamentally different. Cooperation is a one-time affair, not to be repeated."

"Hmph, what a fine 'distinction between righteous and demonic'," Bi Yao said, displeased. "I think some people just have too deep a bias toward their own Sect."

Seeing the atmosphere grow tense, Su Han quickly intervened: "Ladies, the matter of the Netherworld is vague and can be discussed later. For now, we should prioritize figuring out how to leave this place and gathering information about the outside world."

Bi Yao huffed and turned her face away.

Lu Xueqi also lowered her eyes, continuing to wipe the heavenly abyss, and said nothing more.

But after this incident, the boundary between the three, which had been blurred by their temporary cooperation, seemed to become clear once more.

The atmosphere in the cave became momentarily heavy.

Two more days passed. The Cultivation of all three was fully restored, and they had even benefited from the disaster, with each making progress in their Cultivation.

It was time to leave.

Standing before the waterfall, mist sprayed onto their faces.

Su Han looked at the two women beside him.

Lu Xueqi, dressed in white surpassing snow, was cold and aloof like a celestial being.

Bi Yao, in her green dress, was lively and smiled charmingly.

He knew that once they took this step, the three would have to confront their respective identities and the intricate power struggles behind them.

"Let's go," Su Han took a deep breath and was the first to step through the water curtain.

Lu Xueqi and Bi Yao exchanged a glance, their eyes meeting briefly before separating, and then they each utilized their movement techniques, following closely behind him.

The three stood on the edge of the cliff, the scenery below fully visible.

"Su Han, where are you going?" Bi Yao asked again, a hint of expectation in her eyes.

Lu Xueqi also quietly looked toward Su Han.

Su Han gazed at the distant, undulating mountains, remained silent for a moment, and slowly said: "I need to make a trip to Heyang City first."

"Heyang City?" Bi Yao was slightly surprised. "That's a bustling metropolis, full of all sorts of people. What are you going there for?"

"To gather information," Su Han explained. "The commotion from the trip to the Underworld was not small; word may have already spread. Heyang City is well-informed, and we might learn about external developments there. Furthermore..."

He paused, then continued: "I need to look for some ancient book regarding the Netherworld and the reincarnation mirror fragment. The Shanhai Courtyard in Heyang City has a rich collection of books, so there might be clues there."

Hearing this, Lu Xueqi's eyes flashed: "The Shanhai Courtyard... that is indeed a place to go."

Bi Yao, however, pouted: "What's so good about ancient book? They're deadly boring." Her eyes sparkled, and she suddenly smiled, "But I know Heyang City well! There are so many fun places there, I'll take you!"

Su Han looked at Lu Xueqi: "Senior Sister Lu, what are your plans?"

Lu Xueqi pondered briefly and said: "I also need to report this experience back to my Sect. Heyang City also has a Qingyun Sect branch courtyard, which I can visit along the way."

The implication was that they would travel together.

Su Han's heart stirred slightly, and he nodded: "In that case, let us travel together for a while and decide what to do once we reach Heyang City."

Bi Yao immediately clapped her hands and laughed: "Great, great! Traveling with three people won't be boring anymore!"

Lu Xueqi glanced at Bi Yao but did not object.

Thus, the three figures leaped down from the cliff edge, transforming into streaks of light, heading towards Heyang City.