"We have to go now," said Ronin in a calm voice.
"Yeah... Yeah," said Mei Ling, following behind Ronin. After a few minutes, both of them entered the forest and reached the place where they had stayed before.
Ronin didn't waste any time and began building the wooden house atop a tall tree. He completed the construction in five hours. Then, he asked Mei Ling to stay there while he cultivated beneath the towering tree.
As he cultivated, Ronin heard the sound of hooves striking the ground. "Someone is coming," Ronin murmured to himself, promptly vanishing from where he was and reappearing at the tree's pinnacle.
One by one, horses ridden by people in luxurious attire approached the area where Ronin had been cultivating. These individuals wore unique insignias on their clothing. "According to the Demon Lord's memories, these symbols on their attire belong to popular human cultivation sects on the continent," Ronin muttered, his brows furrowing in thought.
Swiftly, he gathered a variety of fruits, vegetables, and edible roots, enough to sustain a single person for over a week. Ronin handed all of these provisions to Mei Ling, instructing her on how and when to consume them. He cautioned her not to leave the wooden house until his return, just before he ventured out himself.
Ronin checked his clothes by running his hand over his body, ensuring that everything was in order. Satisfied, he cautiously traced the horse tracks along the treetops.
After several hours of tracking, he finally stumbled upon the expansive ruins and the imposing formation lying before him. There, he identified the group of human cultivators who had passed through the area he had been cultivating. Among them were individuals hailing from various human cultivation sects. Descending from the trees, he leisurely approached the crowd, subtly blending in. Despite his efforts to avoid attention, the alterations to his appearance still managed to draw numerous stares and considerable interest.
With a resigned expression, Ronin let out a protracted sigh and shook his head. He then shifted his focus to scrutinize the runes and the formation with a determined gaze.
"Hey, take a look. Why is he dressed like that? He looks quite amusing and strange," remarked a cultivator from the gathering.
"Indeed, he doesn't even bear a sect emblem on his attire. It seems he's merely a wandering cultivator. But why can't I perceive his cultivation level?" questioned another cultivator, standing alongside the one who initiated the conversation about Ronin.
"I bet he's just at the Mortal Shell Breaking stage, utilizing some inexpensive artifact to mask his meager cultivation level. These wandering cultivators usually end up as cannon fodder for us in the end," interjected yet another cultivator, joining the ongoing discussion.
Despite the conversation filled with mockery that irritated Ronin, he managed to control his anger. He maintained his composure while observing the formation, his face betraying only curiosity. The memories of a particular formation he possessed had piqued his interest. This formation, used by Jin Zhao to eliminate the demon lord, was capable of slaying even the mightiest beings in the world. Ronin pondered, would learning a thing or two from it grant him unparalleled power in the future?
While engrossed in his observations, Ronin had a moment of enlightenment. He swiftly seated himself on the ground and entered a meditative state. However, his trance was abruptly shattered by the commotion emanating from the crowd. Frowning, he tried to reenter the meditative state but found himself unable to do so. "What's wrong with these idiots," Ronin muttered under his breath, frustration coloring his words. He opened his eyes, rising from the ground and directing his gaze toward the source of the disturbance.
"She... She... She is Zhen Xia. She possesses a berserker bloodline. I never anticipated encountering her so early in this novel's world," Ronin thought, a shocked expression crossing his features.
Within the crowd surrounding Zhen Xia...
"Hey, Brother Sa, look at her face. I nearly wet myself from fright after seeing her repulsive appearance. Ugh," remarked one of the cultivators, mimicking vomiting.
"Yeah, Brother Wa, I nearly soiled myself at the sight of her grotesque looks. She resembles an undead creature, for heaven's sake," retorted Brother Sa in a sarcastic tone, his face contorted in disgust.
Amidst their conversation...
"Slash..."
"Ahhh..."
"My fingers... She cut off my fingers, that woman! Everyone, attack her, beat her to death!" Brother Sa exclaimed, his face twisted in agony.
"This time I've severed your fingers. Mock me again, and next time I'll amputate your arm," Zhen Xia menacingly retorted.
"You wench! You dare to threaten me? Anyone who kills her will be rewarded with a 1-star mortal artifact!" Brother Sa declared, his hand clutched in pain, his teeth gritted in anger.
"Zhen Xia hails from a prominent clan on the human continent. However, jealousy arose among other clans due to her clan's berserker bloodline. As a result of a conspiracy involving all the clans, her clan met its demise. Though she managed to escape with the help of her clan members, her beautiful face was marred during the attack. In the novel, she clashed with Jin Zhao and was defeated. She then agreed to a bet, offering to be his sidekick for 1000 years. That's how Jin Zhao effortlessly gained a formidable ally."
"But now, I'm about to secure this powerful ally," Ronin mused inwardly, a cunning smile playing on his lips.
"With her berserker bloodline, her strength can surge to twice its normal level," Ronin thought, eyeing Zhen Xia like a wolf sizing up its prey.
"So what if she bears a scar on her face? What does it matter that her right cheek is missing? Burn marks adorn her right hand and leg. Why should I concern myself with such trivialities when she's an invaluable potent ally?" Ronin mused inwardly as he advanced toward the scene of the conflict.
"Clank… clank..."
"Slash…"
With every passing minute, the fight grew more intense between Zhen Xia and the other cultivators who sought to eliminate her for a 1-star mortal artifact.