Time flew by, and two years had passed.
Ling Feng had now been part of the White Cloud Sect for two full years. During this time, he rarely left the sect, focusing solely on his cultivation.
With his exceptional talent, combined with the system's constant rewards—silver, spirit stones, and cultivation boosts—his strength increased rapidly.
As of today, he had already reached the Martial King Realm!
At the end of the sect's competition, he had been at the Martial Master level. In just two years, he had skipped the Martial Spirit and Martial Ancestor levels and directly advanced to the Martial King realm!
In the White Cloud Sect, aside from Liu Rusi, almost no one could rival his strength, but he remained low-key, never displaying his true power.
Yet, no matter how low-profile he tried to stay, he couldn't hide his brilliance. Despite rarely showing himself over the past two years, rumors about him within the sect had only grown. Many disciples even lingered near Misty Peak, hoping to catch a glimpse of him.
This made Ling Feng quite troubled.
He couldn't even step outside without being surrounded by people.
"Ugh, it's true what they say—fame brings trouble, just like how fattened pigs get slaughtered."
"Exactly, exactly," replied a small green bird perched on Ling Feng's shoulder.
This bird resembled a sparrow but had a pair of eyes that faintly glowed gold. Upon closer inspection, it even appeared somewhat mystical.
This was the Green Luan, a reward Ling Feng had received after the sect competition two years ago.
After hatching it, he had carefully raised it, hoping it would grow quickly and take him flying across the skies.
But now, Ling Feng himself could already fly, while the Green Luan, despite eating plenty, still looked like a sparrow.
Aside from its ability to talk, it didn't seem particularly special.
According to the system, the Green Luan needed immense energy to grow. In its current state, it wasn't even in its juvenile phase, which explained its weakness.
Ling Feng didn't mind much, treating it like a pet. It would often fly around his head and rest on his shoulder when tired.
"Junior Brother, I'm here again."
At noon, Gu Linglong arrived at Misty Peak for another meal.
Ling Feng wasn't surprised by her arrival.
Over the past two years, she had come often, as did Zhang Ruocheng, Feng Xiaoyao, and Leng Ningshuang. Ling Feng and Liu Rusi had grown accustomed to their visits. Thanks to them, the usually quiet Misty Peak had become a bit livelier.
While eating, Gu Linglong enthusiastically stuffed food into her mouth.
Though she wasn't usually one to be very reserved, today it was even more apparent.
"I need to eat more. I won't be able to come here for a while."
"Why's that? Do you have something to do?" Ling Feng asked curiously.
"Yes, I need to go down the mountain for a mission. It's a bit tricky, and it might take ten days to half a month," Gu Linglong replied.
"Is it dangerous?"
"Not too dangerous, and I won't be going alone. Leng Ningshuang is coming with me," she said.
Ling Feng was surprised. "You're going with Senior Sister Leng?"
From his observations over the past two years, Gu Linglong and Leng Ningshuang didn't have any major grudges, but they also didn't seem to get along well, often exchanging cold glares like rivals.
Now, they were going on a mission together?
"Hmph, I didn't really want to ask her, but this mission is quite difficult. I need someone reliable, and compared to others, Leng Ningshuang is indeed stronger and more trustworthy."
Of course, the real reason was that if Gu Linglong left, Leng Ningshuang would have plenty of opportunities to spend time alone with Ling Feng. That was something she absolutely couldn't allow!
"Going on a mission, huh? Maybe I should take on a mission too," Ling Feng muttered, stroking his chin.
"What? Junior Brother, you want to leave the mountain?" Gu Linglong exclaimed.
"In that case, why don't you come with us?" a voice suddenly interrupted.
It was Leng Ningshuang, who had just walked into the room, also there for a meal.
Gu Linglong glanced at her and then brightened up. "Yes, Junior Brother, come with us on the mission!"
Ling Feng considered their suggestion. After all, he had been on Misty Peak for two years already. Maybe it was time to venture down the mountain and explore.
"I'll ask my master for permission," Ling Feng said.
"Something this small, you don't need to ask. If you want to go out, go. Just remember to bring me back two jugs of good wine," Liu Rusi's voice called out from her room.
The door opened, and Liu Rusi, her face already flushed red from early drinking, came out. She casually sat beside Gu Linglong, drinking and eating without a care, then added, "You've made some progress. Staying on this Misty Peak any longer won't help you. It's time to go out and experience the world."
"It's a good thing to leave Misty Peak and venture out," Liu Rusi affirmed.
"Yes, Master," Ling Feng nodded, filled with anticipation.
The next day, he tidied up his things casually and bid farewell to Liu Rusi. Watching his departing figure, Liu Rusi took a sip of wine, then glanced around the meticulously arranged room and kitchen. Suddenly, she slapped her forehead. "Oh no! How did I forget? My dear disciple has left; who will help me tidy up, wash clothes, and cook now?!"
That wasn't the real issue, though. It was just that over the past two years, her taste had become spoiled by Ling Feng's cooking. Without his food, she felt she might not be able to adjust.
Leaving Misty Peak, Ling Feng headed toward the designated meeting place at the Qingyun Sect's entrance.
On the way, many people noticed him and spontaneously called out.
"Good morning, Junior Brother!"
"Oh no, I see Junior Brother again!"
"Junior Brother is as handsome as ever!"
"He's so good-looking!"
"What is Junior Brother going to do?"
Numerous comments and questions filled the air.
Ling Feng had grown used to this situation and responded with a warm smile, handling it all with ease.
At the entrance of Qingyun Mountain, Leng Ningshuang and Gu Linglong had been waiting for Ling Feng's arrival. The appointed time was drawing near, but they still hadn't seen him.
Just then, they heard a chorus of calls for "Junior Brother" from a distance.
They turned to look and saw Ling Feng approaching, surrounded by a crowd. He was carrying a huge pile of items—eggs, dry rations, clothes, and more.
"Junior Brother, be careful on your trip down the mountain. Don't let anyone trick you; the people down here can be devious," Leng Ningshuang warned.
"Yeah, especially the women; they can be the most deceitful!" Gu Linglong added.
Ling Feng, weighed down by the load, nodded in response as he approached the two women, finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.
The two exchanged glances, their mouths twitching slightly. "Junior Brother, what's going on here?"
"Oh, this is all the goodwill from everyone. They heard I was going down the mountain and gave me a ton of stuff. I couldn't refuse," he explained, shaking his head in exasperation while putting the items into his storage ring. He added the dry rations, clothes, and even some silver.
"Junior Brother's charm is truly growing," Gu Linglong remarked, marveling at how, after two years, Ling Feng's talents had only strengthened, making him a focal point wherever he went. Despite being withdrawn, he remained immensely popular within the sect.
[Ding! The system has detected that the host is about to leave the mountain for training for the first time, bravely stepping out of the comfort zone and daring to take risks. Well done, host!]
[System rewards the host with ten million taels of silver!]
Ling Feng was taken aback, his eyes widening in disbelief.