Chapter 19
It was already noon, the sun was high up in the sky scorching the earth below. People were full of sweat and perspiration making them feel lethargic.
However, none of it seemed to affect the Dark Edge mountains. The thick demonic energy and bizarre vegetation shrouded them from all external factors.
A crackling sound of fire could be heard amidst the deathly silence. Fishes skewered with wooden sticks sat over the flame. They were seasoned with spices and would create a sizzling sound whenever oil dripped onto the fire.
Two stunningly beautiful females were sitting beside it. One of them was emitting raw sexuality while the other one displayed elegance.
"Mmm~ …it's delicious!"
Su Fei, who was being chased by two bandits, had been saved by Qingxue's timely intervention. She had borrowed some clothes from Qingxue as she couldn't possibly stay in that half-naked state.
"Senior, you should quickly start eating them or they'll get overcooked!" Taking another piece of cooked fish from the fire, she passed it to Qingxue.
Qingxue took the cooked fish from her hand and thanked her. Its skin was golden brown and a fragrant aroma of spices wafted from it. She was quite amused at how this girl addressed her as senior sister despite having just met.
"I say you have quite the courage! Despite being just being a second stage Qi condensation cultivator, you decided to go in the deeper regions."
Su Fei stopped eating and looked at her with a curious gaze, "Wait …you don't know about the Luminescence Spirit Spring?"
"…"
Qingxue's silent response confirmed her speculations. "That explains your lack of information regarding the Qin Mountain bandits."
"Tell me about it." Qingxue took a large bite off the fish.
Su Fei gave a wide smile and said, "A Luminescence Spirit Spring was unearthed by some of the cultivators a few months ago. Although they tried to hide the fact, the light emitted by it quickly drew the attention of others. In the end, it was divided equally among the Great Serpent Sect, Qin Moutain Bandits, and the Alliance Sect."
Taking another fish from the fire, Qingxue said, "Something as precious as Luminescence spirit liquid should have attracted Jade Core experts. Yet I remember those people saying that Qin Houzi is a Yin Yang cleansing expert …how did he manage to ward them off?"
It was argued that spiritual energy in its pure form was gaseous. If the density of it became too thick, it would form liquid and in rare cases turn into spirit jades.
They were far purer than spirit stones were tainted by different earthly energies.
Spirit liquids could be considered a purer source of natural qi and could be directly absorbed inside the body. The Luminescence Spirit water was one of the rare forms of spirit liquids.
"It's a low-grade spring with very little spirituality. Only people in the early and mid-stage of the Qi condensation realm will receive benefit from it. It's no use to Jade Core experts. That's why the three factions have opened the springs to the public. After paying them a hefty sum of spirit stones, one can access them."
"So you went there to get spirit spring baptism but instead caught the eyes of Qin Hou Zi?"
Su Fei nodded with a bitter expression.
She continued to make small talk and Qingxue would give short replies now and then.
After finishing the third piece, she stood up and washed her hands in the river.
"I can't stay in this region anymore, it has become too dangerous for me. Say, senior sister… would you mind if we travelled together? I may not be as strong as you, but I can help you." Su Fei had an expectant look on her face.
"Sorry, but I'm used to travelling alone" Qingxue shook her head decisively.
Su Fei sighed in a dejected manner but wasn't too surprised. In fact, it would be weird if Qingxue accepted her request.
"Well then, goodbye."
Watching her departing figure, Qingxue sighed and shook her head.
She sat in a lotus position and continued to cultivate silently.
Due to the consecutive battles with Snag Bison and the bandits, her qi reserves were completely depleted. However, she could feel that she was even closer to attaining the fourth layer of Qi Condensation.
Just as she was cultivating, her body faltered and she fell unconscious.
Five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen minutes…
The fire had already stopped burning, leaving behind the dying embers. Her figure looked exceptionally peaceful as she was sleeping.
Time passed by, soon it was already over two hours.
Suddenly, the sound of rustling leaves could be heard.
A white rabbit jumped out from the bushes. It looked at Qingxue with its big round eyes and hopped towards her, but suddenly got startled and ran away.
The silhouette of another woman could be seen in the shadows.
Carrying a small knife with herself, she silently approached the sleeping beauty.
Crouching down, she tilted the body of Qingxue and scanned it with her spiritual sense.
"What a beautiful woman! Unfortunately… you are not a virgin, or I would've plucked you and given you a blissful death."
In the next instant, she stabbed the knife towards Qingxue's heart.
Just as the tip of the knife touched her clothes, a barrier sprang out from it and deflected the attack.
The knife fell from her hand and she jumped back in fright.
"Hwaaahh~ …If you took any longer… I would've fallen asleep." With a yawn, Qingxue opened her eyes.
"W-Why are you awake?"
"Even though I ate the fishes, I covered the bits with spiritual energy and didn't let them touch my digestive tract. Despite the fishy smell, I could smell the Qi Scattering grass and Blue centipede's venom …I'm an alchemist." She flashed a brilliant smile.
Su Fei knew that her plan had been exposed long ago and the female was just playing with him.
Gritting her teeth, she retrieved a long sword from seemingly out of nowhere indicating that she too possessed an interspatial ring.
"Even if you aren't poisoned, it doesn't matter. You completely depleted your energy in the last fight. It's impossible for you to regain your strength in such a short time!"
As she spoke, she quickly stepped forward and slashed with her sword.
Qingxue casually deflected the incoming sword energy and sent a fiery palm strike.
Su Fei felt a burning sensation in her chest. As she coughed a mouthful of blood, she was sent flying backwards. She couldn't understand how Qingxue had regained her energy in a short time.
Seeing her expression, Qingxue opened up her other hand which was resting on her lap. Three pieces of broken spirit stones rested in the fair palm.
At some point, she had taken out the spirit stones and silently absorbed them, all the while acting as if she's unconscious.
Panic-stricken, Su Fei hurriedly stood up and tried to get away from her.
She imbued spiritual energy in her legs and ran with all her might. However, a sudden feeling of extreme danger surfaced in her heart.
Looking back, she found that Qingxue was still sitting in her original position. The feeling of danger wasn't coming from her.
She continued to run while extending her spirit sense to cover all areas around herself but couldn't sense the source of danger.
It made her even more afraid as she ran even faster. This feeling of being targeted by an unknown enemy was terrifying to her.
*Shua* *Shua*
"Aaahhh!!!"
Suddenly, two arrows reached her with lightning speed and punctured her lungs. She could feel a strong poison coated on the arrowheads.
Tracing their trajectory, she saw the silhouette of a man in a distant tree.
Soon a few more arrows followed and reached pierced her arms and legs, rendering her immobile.
She spurted a mouthful of blood and fell down.
Slowly her vision started to fade and she saw the figure of Qingxue approaching her with a disappointed look in her eyes.
Even though she was at death's door, Su Fei felt irritated looking at those eyes.
"What's with that look?" she said in a low voice.
"If I also had the same resources as you, I wouldn't have gone there in the first place!" her voice became a little louder.
"If I also had spirit artefacts like you, I wouldn't have been caught by them!"
"If I also had similar strength as you, I wouldn't have been violated by that beast!"
"As a cultivator, everything I do is for my survival! As a privileged person, you don't have the right to judge me!" In the end, she was practically screaming.
After her words echoed in the forest, there was a short period of silence. Qingxue didn't move forward and but just looked at her while biting her lip.
"You never thanked her." Before long, a man's voice broke the silence.
"…?" Su Fei looked at the man with half-closed eyes.
The voice continued, "When she jumped to save you, your first reaction wasn't to help her, but to run away.
"While fighting, you never used your full strength and were ready to escape should anything go wrong.
"After the fight, you checked whether she had energy left or not."
She could see a tall man approaching with a Greatbow in his hands.
"Most importantly, you never thanked her.
"You may have been through hell, but it doesn't give you the right to backstab your saviour."
Her dazed eyes closed as Tianlong's hand slammed on her skull.
"Rest in peace."