Translator: Anubis Translations
Gu Feng followed Yu Ying and her group, with Wu Qi trailing behind. Wu Qi would have chosen to follow even without Gu Feng. Tuoba Lei stuck to them like glue, his loyalty not to Yu Ying but to Gu Feng, firmly believing that Gu Feng was the most reliable in times of danger.
"Sister Yu, Gu Feng has caused so much trouble for our Jade Maiden Sect. Why are we still bringing him along?" A petite female cultivator pouted, viewing Gu Feng as someone just tagging along to earn sect contribution points.
Her sentiment was echoed by several other female cultivators, who were annoyed by Gu Feng's carefree demeanor.
"Enough, we're all fellow sect members. What harm is there in bringing him along? If it weren't for him, you might still be starving.
By the way, bring out the packed food. Zhu Tao is such a scoundrel for not even offering us a bite. Serves him right for being tricked!" Yu Ying, a straightforward person, ignored Zhu Tao's dark glare and heartily devoured the food. Her occasional glances towards Zhu Tao, filled with relish, only served to irritate him further.
Gu Feng overheard everything but merely smiled indifferently. The attitude of these female cultivators was to be expected; he would have acted the same in their place.
"Why are you laughing like an idiot?" Tuoba Lei chuckled behind him, making Gu Feng feel uneasy.
"Nothing, just wanted to see the dumbfounded expressions of those clueless female disciples after you show your might."
Gu Feng rolled his eyes and said, "I'm just like you, barely in the Qi Refining Realm. With so many experts at the fifth or sixth level around, there's no need for me to show off. I'm weak!"
"Ha, what a coincidence. I'm weak too. Weaklings stick together, right?" Tuoba Lei shamelessly replied.
At that moment, a group of people appeared in the distance, stopping at the foot of the mountain range and looking their way, seemingly waiting for Zhu Tao and his group.
"That's Shen Wei from the Unwavering Sect, like Zhu Tao, he's a peak sixth-level Qi Refining expert, just one step away from the seventh level," Wu Qi explained to Gu Feng.
Gu Feng finally understood why Zhu Tao had convened a hero-like meeting at the Grand Assembly Pavilion. It wasn't just to show off his authority but also to compete with Shen Wei.
The number of people behind Shen Wei was similar to their group, and their overall strength was comparable. It looked like a duel between two stars, with the rest fading into the background.
"Brother Shen!"
"Brother Zhu!"
The two stood at the front of their respective groups, greeting each other warmly. Shen Wei was tall and muscular, with dark skin and bulging veins that looked like coiled dragons, a clear sign of a strength-based cultivator.
Zhu Tao, in contrast, was slender and of average appearance, exuding a scholarly aura. He had shaken off the gloom from the Grand Assembly Pavilion and regained his confident demeanor.
Among the cultivators present, his cultivation level was at the peak, giving him every reason to be proud.
With a wave of their hands, a dozen cultivators from each group, including Yu Ying from the Jade Maiden Sect, gathered to exchange information and strategize.
Gu Feng felt a headache coming on. These meetings, one after another, seemed endless, and he feared the villain might escape.
"I can't take this anymore. Are you coming with me or staying with the group?" Gu Feng frowned, looking at Wu Qi and Tuoba Lei.
"I'll go with you! They don't look like they'll get anything done!" Tuoba Lei said without hesitation. Wu Qi, concerned for Chao Yuan and the others, also didn't want to wait any longer.
"Alright, let's go on our own."
Before leaving, Gu Feng gave a whistle to the female cultivators of the Jade Maiden Sect. It was a common warning device effective within a hundred li, instructing them to blow it if they were in danger.
He didn't care about the others, but Yu Ying was decent, and saving her wouldn't hurt. Without waiting to see if they listened, Gu Feng gave a brief instruction and left with Tuoba Lei and Wu Qi.
Zhu Tao, watching Gu Feng's retreating figure, smiled cruelly.
...
The mountain range was perpetually shrouded in miasma, with low visibility. The dense underbrush and old vines intertwined, and the thick canopy blocked out the sunlight. Gu Feng and his two companions entered, struggling to even determine their direction, relying on instinct to move forward.
"Wu Qi, watch your step to avoid snakes and other reptiles.
Tuoba Lei, keep an eye out for birds and beasts attacking from above," Gu Feng instructed as they walked.
"Got it!"
Wu Qi and Tuoba Lei nodded, their eyes focused and attention highly concentrated. Though there were no powerful demon beasts in the area, they couldn't afford to be careless.
The three moved forward, with Wu Qi leading, crouched low to watch for ground hazards; Tuoba Lei brought up the rear, constantly scanning the dense foliage for airborne threats.
Gu Feng, in the middle, alternated between eating roasted meat and sipping spirit wine, looking around with no sign of tension.
"Gu Feng, we're all busy. What are you doing?" Tuoba Lei rubbed his sore neck, exasperated.
"Heh, I'm conserving my energy for any potential dangers," Gu Feng replied, tearing off a piece of meat.
Just as the two were about to comment on Gu Feng's shamelessness, his smile vanished, and his eyes gleamed with intensity. His right hand shot out like lightning, fingers sinking into the trunk of an ancient tree wide enough for two people to embrace. With a twist of his waist, he unleashed tremendous force, uprooting the tree.
Before Wu Qi and Tuoba Lei could react, Gu Feng hurled the tree with incredible speed toward the rear.
Like a fired rocket, the tree smashed through bushes and vines, flying several hundred meters before crashing into a rock.
"We've found something!" A jet of dark green liquid sprayed out, and Wu Qi and Tuoba Lei sprang into action.
Tuoba Lei drew his battle knife and with a sharp slash, cut down the figure that emerged.
Gu Feng joined them, and the three stared at the writhing body on the ground, their hearts pounding and eyelids twitching.
"It's Wan You, an Outer Sect Disciple of the Sunset Glow Sect who broke through to the first level of Qi Refining around the same time as me!" Wu Qi exclaimed upon recognizing the face.
"He's been dead for a while," Tuoba Lei said gravely after checking the body. "We're in trouble. The villain must have some method of controlling corpses."
Gu Feng narrowed his eyes, focusing on Wan You's still-twitching body. The latter's eyes were empty, his forehead dark, and a nauseating stench emanated from him.
"This corpse, once controlled, has become significantly tougher."
Gu Feng knew exactly how much force he had put into that throw. He was certain that any other first-level Qi Refining cultivator would have been killed instantly by such a powerful impact.
The fact that this corpse not only survived but also attempted to escape was proof enough.
"The controller of these corpses might not be strong individually, but they can increase the number of controlled corpses like a snowball, enhancing their overall strength. Fighting them one-on-one is hard unless you're significantly stronger," Tuoba Lei said, frowning.
The Sunset Glow Sect alone had lost at least twenty Outer Sect Disciples in this mission. Combined with other sects in Cloud Prefecture, the villain likely controlled over two hundred corpses.
"I hope Zhu Tao and the others are smart enough not to split up. Otherwise, they'll only strengthen the villain's forces," Wu Qi silently prayed. Suddenly, he noticed a familiar mark near the base of the rock.
"Gu Feng, this is a mark left by Chao Yuan and the others!"
"Judging by the mark, it was left two days ago. They're still alive," Tuoba Lei, with his extensive field experience, could immediately tell the age of the marks.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's follow the marks to find them!"
Chao Yuan and the others weren't fools. If they left marks, they wouldn't wander aimlessly; otherwise, the marks would be pointless.
As long as they followed the marks, unless they were already dead, they would find them.
After the three left, a dark green light flashed at Wan You's forehead. In a valley a hundred li away, the corpse's controller sensed it.
Beneath a black robe, a face as withered as old bark appeared, with deeply sunken eyes that were especially eerie. As the dark green light entered his forehead, he paused, then let out a hellish laugh.
"Hehehe, Gu Feng, I didn't come for you, but you came to me... Let's settle our score and the treasures on you once and for all!"
(End of the Chapter)
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