115: Chapter 115

The Targeted "Rabbit"

...were either great demons carrying dragon eggs or demon generals with slightly inferior strength.

The former was clearly the fatter prey.

Of course, if that demon general was ambitious enough and wanted to swallow the more precious dragon egg while eliminating competitors in advance, that would be a different story.

At this moment, that feminine voice drifted through the wind again, carrying a nonchalant smile: "This general is too lazy to waste that kind of effort."

"Wouldn't it be much easier to wait here for others to deliver the items?"

As expected.

Ling Yunzi made a gesture for silence, and the three of them slowly retreated into the shadows.

In the distance, Jin Hong was bowing and saying something to the tall figure beside him, his finger pointing in this direction.

A sense of stagnation welled up in Xu Rufeng's chest.

He knew what the fellow guarding that Rocky Beach was waiting for—nothing more than those Yao Race members passing through with dragon eggs.

That fellow might not necessarily kill them directly; after all, activating Demon Power also consumed essence and energy. Forcing the other party to hand it over themselves was the easiest way.

But this feeling of stifled frustration still stuck in his throat.

Relying on a high cultivation level to blatantly block the road like this?

It wasn't that he didn't understand the law of the jungle.

Cultivators fighting for resources was like starving people fighting for a bite of food; there was no right or wrong, only the instinct to survive.

If it were for the sake of survival, he might not even blink an eye even if he did something unsightly.

But the current situation was like seeing a wealthy family's carriage knock over a peddler's stall in the street, and the people in the carriage were too lazy to even lift the curtain.

"Tch."

A lowered voice came from beside him, "Capable of searching themselves yet insisting on snatching what's ready-made—it's filthy."

Xu Rufeng was stunned for a moment.

So he wasn't the only one who thought so?

"If Your Majesty were in that position, would you not reach out and take it?"

Ling Yunzi's voice carried a hint of a smile.

"But right now, it's We who are being robbed!"

The voice was righteous and confident.

Xu Rufeng suddenly stopped speaking.

He realized that if the positions were truly reversed, he probably... would have the same thought.

It wasn't about moral high ground at all; it was just a matter of which side one stood on.

To him, dragon eggs were more than just credentials to enter the Secret Realm.

The numbers jumping on the System interface reminded him: for every extra egg, he could exchange for more Refinement Points.

If he could swallow the Blood Qi contained within those dragon eggs, it would be enough to compensate for the depletion caused by his inability to sleep peacefully for days.

"Actually, we might not need to snatch them by force."

Ling Yunzi spoke again, his tone calm, "There are always some Yao who obtain dragon eggs but have no intention of going deep into the Secret Realm, and will come here to sell them."

Almost at the same time, Jin Hong's voice came from the other side of the rock.

"Why should the General trouble himself personally?

If any Yao come to sell, this lowly one is willing to buy them for the General.

I only ask that the General allows me to accompany you and provide some protection."

That posture was extremely low, and the flattery in his words almost overflowed.

This didn't sound like something Jin Hong would usually say.

Just as Xu Rufeng was feeling puzzled, a very light cold snort drifted into his ears. "He's afraid of running into us again, so he's eager to find a tree that can shelter him from the wind and rain."

Just as they knew that meeting Jin Hong again would be a life-and-death struggle, Jin Hong also understood this logic.

So, of course, he wanted to make his chances of survival a bit greater.

"Easy."

The demon general addressed as General Si responded crisply, without the slightest intention of refusing. Instead, he proactively added, "Those three Water-Avoiding Snakes you mentioned... since their dragon eggs were brought out from the True Dragon's Tomb, the Bloodline hidden inside must not be bad."

"If this general encounters them, I will naturally seek justice for you and your cousin."

Jin Hong bowed deeply, his tone full of gratitude: "General's great kindness, this Junior will keep it in mind.

If I can use this to console my deceased elder brother, my family elders will surely offer a heavy reward once they know."

"As for the compensation, we'll talk about it later."

The man addressed as General waved his hand, his voice deep, "Is what you just said true—that they really carry a large amount of medicine that can avoid miasma and hide Qi?"

"There is absolutely no falsehood."

The young man hurriedly replied, "I saw with my own eyes as they passed through the place where Dragon Lice gather, and the swarm had no reaction at all."

After a brief silence, the General only returned one word: "Good."

The moment that "Good"...

...fell, a sudden chill ran up Xu Rufeng's spine.

Something was wrong.

Something was coming!

He didn't even have time to think before a warning burst from his mouth.

Almost at the same instant, Ling Xiao and Ling Yunzi grabbed his arms from both sides, their figures sweeping backward rapidly.

Boom!

A blast of turbid Demon Power, like an invisible giant wave, slammed hard into the position where the three had originally stood, sending dust and gravel flying.

...

After pulling back to a sufficiently far distance, they slowly stopped.

Xu Rufeng extended his perception to carefully probe the rear.

There were no signs of tracking.

He breathed a sigh of relief, and the tense shoulders of the other two also relaxed slightly.

They had been too close just now.

They had originally relied on Medicinal Pills to hide their Qi, plus Xu Rufeng's own special means, thinking they were sufficiently hidden.

Only now did they realize they had still underestimated the keenness of the demon general level.

"At first, he likely indeed failed to see through us."

Ling Yunzi adjusted his breathing and analyzed calmly, "It was only later that he captured a few traces."

Even if his cultivation surpassed theirs, under the suppression of this ancient imperial tomb, the opponent's Divine Sense was not omnipotent.

"If he weren't restricted, he would never have given up so easily."

Ling Xiao added, her voice carrying a chill.

After all, if he could resolve them in advance, he could collect the reward, seize the Medicinal Pills, and avoid future troubles—if the scene became chaotic when the teleportation Formation opened and they managed to rush in during the confusion, all his plans would fall through.

"Hmph, he just calculated that we have no other choice."

Ling Xiao said again.

But this calculation was precisely accurate.

They had to go to the Azure Dragon Secret Realm.

And the only road leading there was that teleportation Formation.

A brief silence spread among the three.

Eventually, it was Ling Yunzi who broke the silence.

"I must go in."

He said, his voice not loud but exceptionally clear.

He needed several items in the Secret Realm to refine Medicinal Pills and protective items.

Three types of Medicinal Pills were particularly critical: those needed for Foundation Establishment, those used for breaking through barriers, and those with the effect of stabilizing the Divine Soul.

The raw materials for these pills were not common items; even with Spirit Stones, it was extremely difficult to gather them in the outside world, especially in the Northern Barrens region where the Yao Race's power was entrenched.

"Moreover,"

He paused, "The Pill Formulas I use are vastly different from those circulated in the world."

When his previous life's cultivation reached the realm of Dao Lord, he had already possessed an ability—without needing ready-made Pill Formulas, he could independently deduce and construct entirely new refining methods based solely on a thorough understanding of the medicinal properties of spiritual materials.

His fingertips brushed over the yellowed paper edges of the Pill Formulas; the names of the three Medicinal Pills were already etched deep into his memory.

These formulas, which countless mysterious gate Cultivators once scrambled to purchase, he had indeed spent effort adjusting—not to exchange for Spirit Stones, but just as a habitual deduction of various possibilities.

Coming back to life now, those seemingly useless preparations from before had actually become stepping stones on the ladder.

"A cultivation at the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment can't be hidden from your eyes, can it?"

He raised his eyes to meet that scrutinizing gaze.

The woman leaned against the window frame with her arms crossed, the twilight plating her profile in a layer of dark gold.

She didn't speak, but her slightly raised eyebrows already spoke the unspoken words: How could a Dao Lord bother to ponder the formulas for these Low Grade pills?

He smiled, his fingertips unconsciously tapping out an intermittent rhythm on the tabletop.

The night wind blew through the half-open wooden window, bringing the scent of vegetation mixed with dew from the distant medicine garden.

Some things were best left as a tacit understanding, like the copper bell hanging under the eaves at this moment, swaying in the wind without making a sound.

They had long been tied to the same branch by an invisible rope; rather than suspecting each other, it was better to maintain this tacit balance.

"Does Second Sister know,"

He suddenly changed the subject, his voice laced with a bit of playfulness, "If one has absolute certainty in breaking through the realm, the foundation establishment pill can be saved for the Late Stage to consume."

The rustling sound of bamboo leaves came from outside the window.

She turned around, the dim light blurring the expression on her face. "The effect of the foundation establishment pill lies in breaking through barriers."

He continued, his gaze falling on his open palm, "After each refinement, the body needs a long time to accept the next one.

Moreover, a Foundation built by relying on Medicinal Pills is ultimately not as stable as a self-Breakthrough."

Of course, these flaws could be slowly repaired with long periods of Cultivation in the future.

It would just take more time.

So back then, he hadn't even prepared a single foundation establishment pill.

On the day of Shape-shifting, he only swallowed the shape-shifting pill, leaving the opportunity to consume the foundation establishment pill for a more important moment—for example, before Core Formation, as the final step to solidify his Dao Foundation.

"You want to form a High Grade Golden Core?"

Her voice drifted from the shadows, carrying a certain knowing tremor.

Ling Yunzi stood at the edge of the cliff, his sleeves whipped by the wind.

The spiritual energy in his body was already like a full lake, lacking only the final dam to turn into a vast ocean.

After Foundation Establishment came that threshold—condensing a lifetime's cultivation into a bead and then spitting it out to let the heavenly thunder hammer it.

"Cores are divided into three grades."

He looked at the churning clouds in the distance, his voice very calm, "Low Grade withstands three bolts of lightning, Medium Grade withstands six, and High Grade... needs to endure nine tribulations without being destroyed."

A low laugh came from beside him.

Ling Xiao crossed her arms, her gaze falling on his profile. "Nine Cycles?"

Her Divine Sense was like a fine needle, gently probing over, "Do you truly feel that you can definitely reach that step?"

He didn't answer immediately.

In his memory, there had been one time—the golden round core in his Purple Mansion had already taken shape, lacking only the final three bolts of Heavenly Tribulation.

But at that time, his mind wavered slightly, and when the thunder fell, cracks appeared on the core.

Having started over now, that crack seemed to still ache faintly deep within his Divine Sense.

"If one doesn't even dare to think about it,"

He finally spoke, each word like a stone falling into a deep pool, "Then why bother stepping onto this path?"

Xu Rufeng rubbed his hands on the side, his eyes bright. "That's right!"

He interjected, "We Cultivators must have some ambition! Just like a cook, you can't just slice vegetables for a lifetime, right?"

The corner of Ling Yunzi's eye twitched.

Ling Xiao directly turned her face away, her shoulders shaking slightly.

The mountain wind suddenly became hurried, carrying the scent of earth and distant thunderstorms.

Ling Yunzi took a deep breath, suppressing his stray thoughts back into his heart.

Core Formation was not just about refining spiritual energy, but also about melting the Divine Soul, memories, and even one's perception of heaven and earth into it.

When spitting out the core to face the tribulation, the Cultivator was completely defenseless, relying entirely on whether that bead could withstand the heavenly might for them.

"Three bolts of Lightning Tribulation is the threshold."

He seemed to be talking to himself, "Only after passing it can one truly push open the door to longevity.

Only with six or more bolts is one qualified to peer at the higher Great Dao.

As for the Nine Cycles..."

He paused, "According to ancient records, when the Nine Cycles are perfected, purple Qi may come from the east, and the core will become of the Heavenly Dao grade."

"You want to try that?"

Ling Xiao turned back, her expression becoming a bit more serious.

"Since I'm living again,"

Ling Yunzi looked toward the horizon, "I should see the scenery from higher up."

Xu Rufeng leaned over and patted his back hard. "Big brother will help you! Just say whatever spiritual materials or Formations you need!"

He blinked, "Of course, when it's successful, you also have to help me with a small favor... those 'Blood-Scale Vines' growing near the True Dragon's remains are a great tonic for us snake race.

But swallowing them directly is too wasteful; they have to be refined into pills."

Ling Yunzi glanced at him and didn't respond.

A dull rumble came from deep within the distant clouds, like a giant beast turning over.

He knew the time was almost here.

Ling Xiao walked forward two steps and stood side-by-side with him. "I will protect your dharma from a hundred miles away."

Her voice lowered slightly, "I can't block the Heavenly Tribulation, but if any petty people want to come and take advantage..."

She didn't finish, her fingertips just brushed over the hilt of the sword at her waist.

The forest below the cliff rustled, as if countless living beings were whispering.

Ling Yunzi closed his eyes, feeling the spiritual energy gradually boiling in his Purple Mansion.

This time, he would not let that bead develop any more cracks.

Xu Rufeng was still chattering about how the Blood-Scale Vines should be handled and how the medicine should be formulated.

Ling Yunzi suddenly interrupted him: "If my core shatters and I die, you may take and use those Medicinal Pills in the Immortal Cave as you wish."

The surroundings went silent for a moment.

"What nonsense are you talking!"

Xu Rufeng jumped up, "You will definitely succeed! Nine Cycles! It must be Nine Cycles!"

Ling Xiao sighed softly. "Let's begin."

She said, "The clouds have already gathered."

Ling Yunzi opened his eyes, the sky full of lightning reflected in his pupils.

He slowly sat down cross-legged, his hands forming seals.