97: Reunion

As the lightning stopped flickering, Zhou Yan's mirror image, tightly bound by the water currents, collapsed once more and dissolved into nothingness.

Brilliance flowed around Zhou Yan's body before quickly retracting inward; his Dao Foundation was clearly more solid and resilient.

【Zhou Yan】

【Rank: Foundation Establishment Mid-Stage Level 1 (51/10000)】

Seeing that the mirror image hadn't reformed for a long time, Zhou Yan gave a disdainful sneer.

"Didn't you say it was endless?"

"After only killing it a dozen or so times, the refresh rate started slowing down, and now it's stopped altogether. Truly disappointing."

During this period, Zhou Yan had practiced almost every technique at his disposal.

Aside from those few concept-level skills and the Dragon Body from his second template, everything that could be shown had been displayed.

He just didn't know how those guys watching from the shadows would react... he hoped they wouldn't let him down.

"Just like that... he advanced a minor Realm?"

Although Yuan Chenling had long been shocked to the point of numbness, he still couldn't help but click his tongue again.

"Since when did advancing Realms become so easy?"

Although he wasn't old and was still considered a newbie among Loose Cultivators, because of his special nature, he was actually quite well-informed.

But he had never seen a Cultivator like Zhou Yan, who killed those of the same stage like slaughtering chickens—especially when that opponent was himself!

"Is this person even human?"

"This is simply a Prodigy!"

He had to cling tightly to this powerhouse!

Yuan Chenling had initially agreed to be Zhou Yan's mount mainly because, after understanding his own situation, his fear of the White Tiger Tribe had grown. Additionally, Zhou Yan had a solid background.

That was why he wanted to find protection for himself, so he wouldn't die prematurely before he could grow strong enough to protect himself.

But now, he truly felt that this might be his own stroke of luck.

Boss has the potential for Mahayana!

"Achoo!"

Zhou Yan rubbed his nose, feeling like someone was cursing him behind his back.

Wait, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator's Dao Foundation is already formed, making it difficult to get sick. Someone must definitely be cursing him!

As the saying goes: 'One sneeze means someone misses you, two means they're cursing you, three means they're talking about you.'

One sneeze means someone is thinking about how to curse you, two sneezes prove they are cursing you, and three sneezes mean they've started reviewing their insults.

Zhou Yan thought back on potential candidates but found it hard to pin one down for a moment.

Those who had direct conflicts with him had either been burned or buried by him.

Even that time in Water City where there were too many people and he was too lazy to act, Yi Sanyi had turned into a "Bomberman" to help him clear them out.

The only ones left were likely that group from the black market.

"Truly naturally evil black market brats. They still haven't learned their lesson after one sweep..."

No, after getting out, he had to find a way to squeeze them for another sum.

"Jie jie jie..."

Yuan Chenling watched his boss start giggling foolishly again and silently retracted his previous sentiment.

It seemed this was the drawback of being a Prodigy... Boss definitely still needed the assistance of a clever strategist like himself to successfully advance to Mahayana.

Looking at Zhou Yan's silly grinning face, a hint of "kindness" couldn't help but appear in Yuan Chenling's gaze.

Meanwhile, the several "seafood" Cultivators in the mysterious room were becoming a bit unsettled.

"If I remember correctly, it was because this level was too dangerous that we didn't set up any traps inside, right?" a Cultivator resembling a hairy crab said in a terrified tone.

"Is this Zhou Yan even human? With a Foundation Establishment cultivation, how does he feel even more ferocious than when I first reached Core Formation..." the lobster-like Cultivator also spoke with a stutter.

"I wonder if I can hold out..." Old Ma sat leaning against the wall, a spiritual cigarette in his mouth, lost in thought.

Seeing the oppressive atmosphere, Old Bat stood up to boost morale.

"No matter how strong Zhou Yan is, he's only at Foundation Establishment! Don't you know the gap between Foundation Establishment and Core Formation yourselves?"

"We have the blessing of Core Formation bodies; he won't even be able to break our defense. No matter how much strength he has, he won't be able to use it!"

Everyone looked toward Old Bat; his words did have some encouraging effect.

If only his legs weren't shaking.

"Old Crab, give me your Demon Core. I'll go deal with him." Old Ma finished his spiritual cigarette, stood up, and walked over.

"Old Ma, don't push yourself."

"Although we've all practiced the Demon Core Method allowing them to be interchangeable, I am, after all, at the Late Stage of Core Formation. If you use it without compatibility..."

"I understand."

Old Ma interrupted Old Crab's words, his expression solemn.

"Give it to me first. I hope it won't be needed..."

Seeing the determination in Old Ma's eyes, Old Crab couldn't refuse.

After all, Old Ma was indeed the strongest fighter among them, while he himself had cultivation but was weak in actual combat.

Handing the Demon Core to him was perhaps truly the best choice.

This Zhou Yan was simply too uncanny.

On the way to find the gate, Zhou Yan had thought about bringing out Yuan Chenling's mirror image to farm it.

As long as he was careful of the other's "Bite" Divine Ability, Yuan Chenling's mirror image was actually easier to deal with than his own.

Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned; that mirror image only dropped experience once and didn't refresh again.

They had no choice but to focus on finding the exit.

Without the mirror image's interference, the two were like they had turned on "Peace Mode." The search process was exceptionally smooth, and they soon found a massive metal door.

"This should be it, right?" Yuan Chenling propped his chin with a paw pad, examining the gate.

Its appearance matched the intelligence report, but Boss had said his intel wasn't accurate, so he didn't dare be certain.

"Whether it's real or fake, we'll know with a try."

Zhou Yan opened the mini-map and, after confirming there were no other door-like shapes in this space, reached out directly to push the door.

Next, he reached the hand holding the map into the light within the doorway and quickly withdrew it.

The map had changed.

Because the contact time was short, the content wasn't detailed, but it was clearly labeled "Third Floor."

"No problem, let's go."

Zhou Yan gave Yuan Chenling an "OK" gesture and was the first to step into the light gate.

Yuan Chenling looked at that gesture and roughly understood it meant "approval" or "no problem."

He looked down at his own claws and felt that he probably couldn't learn that movement for now.

Immediately, he also leaped into the light gate.

The gate closed behind him, quietly disappearing, and then quietly emerged in another location within this space.

Not long after the gate vanished, Hun Wushang appeared on the spot.

He held an unknown instrument, frowning at the empty ground.

"The indicator was just here... how did the door disappear?"

Third Floor.

As soon as Zhou Yan and Yuan Chenling stepped in, they were dazzled by the scene before them.

Gold, silver, and jewels were everywhere, piled up like mountains.

Although gold and silver weren't as universally used as Spirit Stones, money was money.

One was a Loose Cultivator who was used to being poor, and the other was an otherworldly visitor with a special sentiment for gold and silver.

Seeing this, they were like mice falling into a rice granary, directly diving into the piles of gold and silver to scavenge wildly.

"Boss, aren't you a candidate for Saint?"

"Shouldn't you be very rich?"

Yuan Chenling had originally thought that a Prodigy like Zhou Yan would be disdainful of gold and silver, but who knew his boss was even more passionate than him.

"Who would think they have too much money? Wouldn't that be a fool?"

"Of course, for me, the more the better!"

Man and lion smiled at each other and continued to bury their heads in picking up money.

And all of this fell into the eyes of a "fool who doesn't like gold and silver."

Fortunately, Zhou Yan had developed a good habit; he instinctively glanced at the mini-map and found a small green dot in the corner, immediately looking over alertly.

Seeing his boss stop, Yuan Chenling also immediately entered a combat state, striking first before even seeing the target clearly—a low roar shook the space.

"Xiao Yuan, no need to be on guard. It's one of our own."

The figure in the corner, seeing they had been discovered, walked out from the shadows.

The newcomer was none other than Shi Suiyan.

"Senior Brother, it's good to see you." The uncovered lower half of Shi Suiyan's face curled into a smile.

Previously, her detailed panel couldn't be viewed due to insufficient favorability, but it was now updated.

【Shi Suiyan】

【Rank: Qi Refining Level 7】

【HP: 1000/1000】

【Mana: 45607/???】