Zhang Yiren's body trembled, and he respectfully clasped his fists, saying, "On behalf of my Marquis, I thank you, young master, for your righteous help!"
For the past few days, he had been worrying about the safety of Martial Spirit Marquis, Chen Zheng.
If Su Yi and the others could go to the Blood Thistle Demon Mountain to assist, it would undoubtedly be the best outcome.
Next, Zhang Yiren recounted the details of Chen Zheng's departure from five days ago, including the time, location, and route.
"Fellow Daoist, when do you think we should set off?" Ning Yihua asked softly after examining the animal skin map.
"We shouldn't delay any further. We'll set off tomorrow morning," Su Yi made a decision.
Although, based on the calculations, there were still four days until the outbreak of the beast tide.
However, it would be better to reach the dangerous area deep within the Blood Thistle Demon Mountain before the beast tide erupted.
Both Ning Yihua and Shen Jiulong agreed.
After learning that influential powers such as the Luyang Academy, Kongtong Academy, and Xingya Academy were also participating, they understood that it would be better to arrive at the Blood Thistle Demon Mountain as soon as possible.
That night, Zhang Yiren arranged accommodations for Su Yi and the others.
In Su Yi's room.
"If you have any cultivation doubts, you can ask me now," Su Yi said casually as he sat there and looked at Huang Qianjun, who was standing.
Today's events made Su Yi feel a slight sense of self-blame, as if... he hadn't really given much help to Huang Qianjun in his cultivation all this time.
Otherwise, how could Huang Qianjun have been humiliated by a first-level Martial Grandmaster?
Therefore, taking advantage of tonight, Su Yi planned to give Huang Qianjun some guidance.
Huang Qianjun took a deep breath, thought for a moment, and then humbly began to ask for advice.
Previously, in Yunhe County, Su Yi had gifted him a cultivation secret technique called the "Great Star Yuan Technique." During this period, Huang Qianjun's cultivation had made rapid progress, and he had gained many benefits.
However, based on his comprehension alone, he still hadn't fully grasped all the mysteries of the Great Star Yuan Technique.
Seeing this opportunity, how could Huang Qianjun let it slip away?
"Brother Su, what does 'awakening the acupoints' mean?" This was Huang Qianjun's first question.
Su Yi wasn't surprised. Huang Qianjun was already at the initial stage of the Gathering Qi realm, and he practiced the Great Star Yuan Technique, which was naturally different from other martial artists in this world.
At least the depth of knowledge about awakening the acupoints was not something other martial artists would be aware of.
Immediately, Su Yi explained each question in a concise and easy-to-understand manner, filled with wit and humor.
After listening, Huang Qianjun felt as if the clouds had cleared, and a sense of enlightenment washed over him.
Suppressing his inner joy, he asked another question.
In this way, they went back and forth, like a mentor teaching and enlightening his disciple.
Until an hour later.
Su Yi said, "I have explained all the cultivation techniques for the Gathering Qi realm to you. If you can't defeat Ma Shanwei within three months, then don't claim to know me anymore."
Huang Qianjun awkwardly scratched his head and solemnly clasped his fists, saying, "Su Brother, you can rest assured!"
At that moment, a strange moaning sound suddenly came from the darkness, intermittent and elusive.
Su Yi was startled and walked to the window, looking outside. In the distance, there was a building shrouded in the night, with a queue of people lined up in front of it.
And the strange moaning sound was coming from within that building.
"What is this?" Su Yi's eyes showed a peculiar expression as he vaguely guessed something.
Huang Qianjun's face revealed an ambiguous look, and he chuckled, saying, "Su Brother, do you remember the 'Corpse Lady' Liu Xianglan from the Yin Sha Sect?"
Su Yi suddenly realized, "It's her?"
How could he forget? Back in the small dwelling in Yunhe County, Martial Spirit Marquis Chen Zheng captured Liu Xianglan and brought her back to the Qingjia Army, claiming that the vigorous young soldiers of the Qingjia Army needed a way to release their excess energy at night...
"Yes, it's her," Huang Qianjun sighed. "You don't know, women are incredibly scarce in this military camp. Since Liu Xianglan arrived, tens of thousands of Qingjia Army soldiers have been excited. As long as they are not fighting, there are queues every night..."
Su Yi couldn't help but shudder. What a bizarre scene it must be.
Thousands of riders, tens of thousands of men, and a single pair of enticing lips for all?
It was too perverted!
Su Yi retracted his gaze, closed the window, and suddenly asked, "You wouldn't be the same as them, would you?"
Huang Qianjun quickly denied, "Su Brother, how could I be someone who resorts to such desperate measures?"
Su Yi responded with an "oh."
Huang Qianjun originally intended to stay a while longer and have a good chat with Su Yi. However, seeing that Su Yi was absent-minded, he tactfully took his leave.
Su Yi didn't waste any more time. He sat cross-legged on the animal skin-covered bed, practicing while contemplating.
"My current Dao Gang only accounts for less than ten percent. This trip to the Bloodthorn Demon Mountain will surely provide ample opportunities for battle and slaughter."
"If I can use battles to temper all my True Yuan into Dao Gang, my cultivation will reach the pinnacle of the Gathering Qi realm."
"Once I reach this stage, breaking through to the Martial Master realm will be as easy as turning my hand!"
The four realms of martial arts are Blood Shifting, Gathering Qi, Cultivating Furnace, and Flawless.
The Cultivating Furnace realm is known as the realm of Martial Masters.
The Flawless realm is also known as the realm of Martial Ancestors, signifying a step into the innate level, with a life-changing transformation akin to shedding one's old self.
"If I step into the Martial Master realm, with the three rare foundations of Sensory Acuity, Hidden Meridians, and Dao Gang, I won't have to worry about being unable to temper the 'Five Innate Spirits' in the Five Organs Furnace..."
"Right, I mustn't neglect the cultivation of my divine soul. The stronger my soul power is in the Martial Master realm, the higher the quality of the tempered Five Innate Spirits will be. In battle, the released power will be even greater..."
"Besides that, I need to gather some spiritual materials required for forging a sword."
...
The next morning.
The sky was gloomy and overcast.
Under the watchful gaze of Zhang Yiren, Su Yi, Ning Yihu, and Shen Jiuxiong left the camp and headed towards the distant Bloodthorn Demon Mountain.
The Bloodthorn Demon Mountain stretched for thousands of miles, its terrain winding and primitive. It has always been regarded as a place of great danger.
Countless demonic beasts inhabit the mountain all year round, with malevolent energy and toxic mists enveloping the area. Not even ordinary people dare to easily set foot there, let alone martial practitioners.
Especially recently, as the decade-long Beast Tide was about to erupt, there have been frequent and extremely unusual phenomena deep within the Bloodthorn Demon Mountain.
Now, the sky above the Bloodthorn Demon Mountain is completely shrouded in dense crimson mist that lingers and refuses to disperse.
At a glance, it resembles a bloody dome, a chilling sight to behold.
As soon as they entered the range covered by the Bloodthorn Demon Mountain, Su Yi sensed a heavy malevolent aura permeating the void, causing discomfort and oppression.
However, Su Yi and his companions were naturally unaffected by it.
"Marquis Chen Zheng must have entered the mountain through this path back then."
Shen Jiuxiong pointed not far away to a canyon, where the cliffs on both sides were steep and barren, devoid of any vegetation.
"I don't know why, but I suddenly have a feeling that this time we might encounter a great opportunity," Su Yi said.
Ning Yihu smiled, her military uniform neat and tidy, her long hair braided, and she held the Green Flame Crescent Halberd, displaying a heroic bearing.
"Let's go," Su Yi said, taking confident strides and leading the way.
He was still dressed in a green robe, his long hair tied up, and his demeanor calm and detached.
Ning Yihu and Shen Jiuxiong followed closely behind.
The path ahead was rugged and steep, with a blood-red sky and a suffocating, oppressive atmosphere filled with malevolent energy.
After only a moment, they encountered a group of demonic beasts along the way.
These were first and second-order ordinary demonic beasts, but each one of them had bloodshot eyes and seemed completely crazed, as if they had lost all reason and charged forward without any regard for their own safety.
There was no need for Su Yi and Ning Yihu to take action. Shen Jiuxiong alone easily dealt with this group of demonic beasts.
However, what they didn't expect was that on the subsequent journey, groups of frenzied demonic beasts would continuously emerge, completely devoid of fear or timidity.
Although Su Yi and his companions were not afraid of these beasts, being repeatedly hindered in this manner was quite annoying.
"These demonic beasts have clearly been infected by the blood miasma of the world, becoming bloodthirsty, frenzied, and insane, completely devoid of fear. If this continues, we won't be able to reach the depths of the Bloodthorn Demon Mountain within a day," Ning Yihu furrowed her eyebrows.
Since they entered the Bloodthorn Demon Mountain, two hours had already passed, and they had only traveled less than a hundred miles.
The reason was that they frequently encountered attacks from demonic beasts along the way. Some could be avoided, while others could not, and they had to fight their way through.
"Don't worry, the demonic beasts we have encountered along the way have been increasing in rank and growing stronger. So far, in less than a hundred miles, we have encountered fifth-order demonic beasts. This is a good sign," Su Yi casually remarked, a hint of anticipation in his expression. "I hope that we will encounter even more powerful demonic beasts on the road ahead. It would be even better if we come across eighth or ninth-order beasts."
Ning Yihu and Shen Jiuxiong exchanged glances, unable to understand the sentiment behind Su Yi's words.
Shen Jiuxiong chuckled and asked, "Young Master Su, are you looking for some demonic beasts to practice against?"
Su Yi nodded and said, "Through battles, we can truly temper our own strength. Why else would we come to this dangerous Bloodthorn Demon Mountain?"
Shen Jiuxiong was taken aback and felt somewhat embarrassed.
He and Ning Yihu had come for opportunities.
But obviously, Su Yi had a different mindset, seemingly seeking battle and slaughter...
A faint smile appeared on Ning Yihu's lips as she said, "In that case, those higher-order demonic beasts we encounter next are in for a tough time."
Just as she said that, a faint murmuring sound suddenly echoed in the heavens and earth.
It was as if whispers from ghosts and gods.
A voice that seemed to come from the depths of the Nine Netherworlds, chilling to the soul.
Ning Yihu's smile froze, and she let out a muffled groan from her lips, her brows furrowing in pain.
Almost simultaneously, Shen Jiuxiong felt a buzzing in his head, as if a knife were twisting within his soul, causing a tearing, intense pain that made his resolute face contort and twitch.
Looking at Su Yi, his figure swayed slightly before returning to normal. However, a hint of strangeness flickered in his calm and profound eyes.
It seemed to be... the fluctuation of forbidden power...