"What do you mean?" Zhu Yinxi frowned.
Li Nanzhu took a deep breath and explained, "First, this vision covers a massive area. The major sects will definitely send experts to investigate. If we continue downstream, we might actually miss our chance for rescue. Second, the collective disappearance of demonic beasts means they are either being driven away by some force or consumed by it—either way, downstream isn't necessarily safer than upstream."
"But if we go over, aren't we just walking into a trap?" Tao Ying nervously clutched her sleeves. "What if those evil cultivators are there too..."
"If the evil cultivators really are near the cave dwelling, their priority right now won't be hunting us; it'll be fighting for the opportunity," Li Nanzhu analyzed calmly. "Besides, we aren't completely helpless. And I feel..."
Li Nanzhu's expression darkened as she finally voiced her suspicion. "I think the opening of this ancient cultivator's cave dwelling might be related to those evil cultivators."
"Fellow Daoist Li makes a valid point." Liu Qingyang pondered for a moment before nodding in agreement. "Rather than taking risks in the unknown downstream, it's better to gamble and head toward the vision. If we encounter sect reinforcements, we'll be completely out of danger."
Duan Xianxing gripped his sword hilt, his eyes flashing with battle intent. "If there truly is a great opportunity, we might be able to get a share of it."
Liu Qingyang gave him a helpless glance. "Brother Duan, now is not the time to think about opportunities..."
"But we can't give up on the chance entirely, either," Li Nanzhu said with a slight smile. "If we run into sect experts, we might be able to use their momentum to gain some benefits."
The people from the Shenmu Sect exchanged looks before Shen Qingqiu finally gritted her teeth. "Fine, we'll go with you!"
Lin Xiaowan also nodded heavily, a spark of hope igniting in her eyes. "If we can find our sect elders, we'll be able to avenge Senior Sister Chu!"
With the decision made, the group no longer hesitated. They adjusted their direction and sped toward the golden radiance.
...
Naturally, Li Nanzhu's group wasn't the only one drawn to the golden vision. Other cultivators still in the Forest of Demonic Beasts noticed it as well. Most were rogue cultivators wandering the outer regions; due to the anomalies of the past few days, most had already fled.
But now that the vision had appeared in the middle region of the Forest of Demonic Beasts, the majority decided to risk it. If they could seize this opportunity, they might be able to ascend to the heavens in a single step.
The situation in the Forest of Demonic Beasts had also caught the attention of the major sects, who quickly dispatched sect elders and powerful disciples to investigate.
On the other side was the group from the Sword Heart Sect.
Cang Dongqing, dressed in a white gown with a warm jade pendant hanging at her waist, walked lightly at the front of the group.
She held a freshly picked moon-essence grass in her hand. Its faint shimmer reflected off her fair fingertips, making her look exceptionally graceful.
"The youngest junior sister's luck is truly good. This moon-essence grass is rare even in the outer regions." The fourth senior brother, Le Changxi, smiled as he approached, his eyes full of doting. "It seems that following you always leads to a stroke of luck."
Cang Dongqing pursed her lips and smiled, placing the spirit herb into a jade box. "Third Senior Brother, please don't tease me. I just happened to pass by it."
"Just happened?" The third senior brother, Qu Chen, strode up from behind with a long saber over his shoulder, laughing heartily. "On this journey, the spirit herbs you've 'just happened' to find are enough to trade for a high-grade magic tool!"
Hearing this, the others laughed and joined in the praise.
Cang Dongqing's cheeks reddened slightly as she gave them a mock-annoyed glare, which only made the laughter louder.
She then changed the subject. "Fourth Senior Brother, this spirit herb's quality is quite good. Didn't you say last time that you needed it to trade for pills?"
Le Changxi was stunned for a moment and quickly waved his hand. "You keep it for yourself, Junior Sister. This herb is hard to find in the outer regions..."
"Oh, why are you being so polite with me, Senior Brother?" She insisted, stuffing the jade box into his hand and blinking. "In any case, my cultivation is still shallow; I have no use for such a good item."
Le Changxi was too moved to speak, but he failed to notice the flicker of impatience in the depths of her eyes as she turned away.
This moon-essence grass was actually of the most common grade. She had three century-old ones hidden in her cosmos bag and naturally looked down on this one.
At the back of the team, Lin Qingyu from the Shenmu Sect followed at a slow pace, watching this scene with a gentle gaze. As expected of the woman he loved, she was kind and gentle wherever she went.
Moving his sleeve slightly, he took out a bottle of pills and handed them over. "Junior Sister Dongqing, this bottle of clear spirit pills can help stabilize your spiritual energy and assist in refining spirit herbs."
Cang Dongqing's eyes lit up, and she took them happily. "Thank you, Senior Brother Qingyu! You're always taking such good care of me."
Lin Qingyu smiled faintly. "It was nothing."
Lin Shuang leaned against a tree with her sword in her arms, watching Cang Dongqing being surrounded by admirers with cold eyes.
She was the direct disciple of another elder in the Sword Heart Sect. Her personality was aloof, and she usually spoke very little. She had only joined the others to gain experience, hoping to break through to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.
Suddenly, Cang Dongqing actively approached her, holding a bright red-heart fruit in her hands.
"Senior Sister Lin, I just picked this red-heart fruit. It's very good for sword cultivators to nourish their meridians," Cang Dongqing said with a sweet smile, appearing completely unbothered by the other woman's usual coldness.
Lin Shuang didn't reach for it, only saying coldly, "No need."
Cang Dongqing's smile stiffened slightly, but she quickly adopted a hurt expression, her fingers lightly twisting her sleeves. "Does Senior Sister... hate me?"
Her voice wasn't loud, but it was just enough for those nearby to hear.
In an instant, several dissatisfied gazes pierced toward Lin Shuang.
Le Changxi frowned as he stepped forward. "Senior Sister Lin, Junior Sister was acting out of kindness. Why must you be so cold?"
Qu Chen also gave a cold snort. "Exactly! Junior Sister is always thinking of everyone, yet some people only know how to put on a cold face. Do you really think you're superior to us?"
Lin Shuang stared at her for two seconds before suddenly speaking, "Didn't you say yesterday that these types of fruits were all ruined by demonic beasts?"
Cang Dongqing's smile froze, and she lowered her head in distress. "I... I made a special detour to a dangerous area this morning to find it. I was almost hurt by a venomous python..." As she spoke, she revealed a faint red mark on her wrist.
Lin Shuang let out a scoff, too lazy to expose the clumsy lie. The 'wound' was clearly nothing more than a scratch from a stray branch.
"Lin Shuang!" Le Changxi shouted sternly. "What is wrong with your attitude? Junior Sister gave you a fruit out of the goodness of her heart, and not only are you ungrateful, you're being aggressive?"
Qu Chen also strode over, frowning. "Precisely! My junior sister almost faced danger to pick that fruit for you. It's one thing for Senior Sister Lin to be ungrateful, but why must you say such hurtful things? Besides, we should be helping each other in this forest. You're being—"
"When did I ever say I needed her fruit?" Lin Shuang looked up coldly, interrupting Qu Chen as her finger tapped on her scabbard. "Furthermore—"
"Senior Sister Lin!" Cang Dongqing suddenly cut her off, her eyes instantly turning red. "It's my fault. I shouldn't have disturbed Senior Sister's cultivation..." She bit her lower lip, her fingers anxiously twisting her hem. The red-heart fruit looked exceptionally glaring in her palm.
The group immediately exploded into a commotion.
"Senior Sister Lin Shuang, when did you become so rude! Senior Sister Cang is thinking of you at every turn, yet you're putting on airs!"
"Lin Shuang! Don't take it too far!"
"Senior Sister Dongqing thinks of us in everything she does. What right do you have to slander her?!"
"Exactly! Just because your own personality is gloomy doesn't mean you have to be jealous of others!"
Lin Qingyu frowned and stepped forward, blocking Cang Dongqing with an unhappy expression. "If Fellow Daoist Lin doesn't need it, you could have just said so. Why humiliate Junior Sister Dongqing?" Although his tone was slow, spiritual light flickered faintly in his sleeves, looking for all the world as if he would strike if the other party didn't give a satisfactory answer.
Lin Shuang scanned her surroundings; every face was filled with disdain. She suddenly found it laughable—could these people really not see that the 'wound' on that woman's wrist hadn't even broken the skin? Moreover, when had she ever left the camp this morning?
Yet when her gaze swept over Cang Dongqing, the woman was hiding behind Le Changxi, her lips curled in a fleeting, cold sneer.
When had her own fellow disciples become so incapable of distinguishing right from wrong? They believed whatever that woman said. Although Lin Shuang usually kept a cold face, she always did her best whenever those disciples asked her for guidance. Could they really turn on her like this just because of some small favors?
"Think what you want." Lin Shuang turned and left, her white sword robes flapping in the wind. She would rather associate with demonic beasts than watch this farce any longer.
"Stop!" Qu Chen barked. "Leaving the team now, do you want to die?"
Lin Shuang's footsteps paused. The roar of a demonic beast echoed from the distance, and scarlet eyes flickered among the shifting shadows of the trees. Her hand tightened on her sword. The rumors of the demonic beast riot these past few days were certainly not groundless. If she left the group now and encountered them, even she might not fare well.
"Senior Sister Lin..." Cang Dongqing called out timidly. "It's all my fault, please don't be angry..." As she spoke, she actually managed to squeeze out two tears. "If anything happens to you, I... I..."
"Enough!" Lin Shuang turned abruptly, her sword qi carving a three-inch-deep mark into the ground.
Looking at Cang Dongqing's suddenly pale face, she suddenly let out a cold laugh. "Don't worry. I won't leave."
It wasn't that she didn't dare, but that there was no need.
She wanted to see exactly how long this white lotus could keep up the act.
Cang Dongqing stumbled back as if frightened, and Le Changxi quickly supported her. "Don't be afraid, Junior Sister!" He turned to glare at Lin Shuang. "What kind of madness is this!"
"I'm mad?" Lin Shuang pushed her sword scabbard open three inches with her thumb, the cold steel reflecting her mocking expression. "Do you want to see what a real madman looks like?"
"Everyone, stop!" Qu Chen suddenly shouted, a green jade token in his hand buzzing and vibrating. "A tier 2 demonic beast is approaching from the rear!" He gave Lin Shuang a meaningful look.
Lin Shuang silently sheathed her sword.
She naturally understood the warning. In this forest filled with hidden dangers, acting alone was indeed no different from suicide.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Cang Dongqing secretly tugging on Le Changxi's sleeve, her lips moving as she clearly whispered, "It's all Senior Sister Lin's fault for attracting the demonic beast."
When they set up camp that evening, as there wasn't much open space to begin with, a disciple accidentally got scratched by a poisonous vine. His entire arm turned dark purple and swollen, and he was sweating from the pain.
"Oh my, how could you be so careless?" Cang Dongqing cried out in surprise upon seeing this. She quickly took a green jade bottle from her sleeve. "This is the detox pill Senior Brother Lin gave me. Hurry and take it!"
The disciple was moved to tears. After taking the pill, the purple color on his arm slowly dissipated. He couldn't help but sigh, "Senior Sister Cang is such a good person. How could anyone hate you?"
No one saw the cold sneer at the corners of Cang Dongqing's mouth as she looked down.
This bottle of pills was originally given to her by Lin Qingyu specifically to distribute to other disciples to gain her favor while also earning an obligation from the Sword Heart Sect. Yet she had kept most of them, only offering one or two at the most 'appropriate' moments. In this way, she earned a reputation and saved resources for herself.
Cang Dongqing was surrounded by everyone like a star among moons, letting out bell-like laughter from time to time, while Lin Shuang sat alone on the furthest rock, wiping her sword.
A rustling sound came from the distance. Lin Shuang's eyes flickered slightly, while the others showed no reaction at all.
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