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Xiao Guizi stared at the scene, dumbfounded. He could feel that Liu Pingfan was just at the peak of the Empty Vein Realm, but his strength seemed ridiculously strong.
Xu Zimei shook his head and smiled, "I think that’s not right. The highest realm of Sword Dao should be ’using no technique to defeat techniques.’"
"How do you mean?" Liu Pingfan asked with interest.
Xu Zimei drew Tyrant Shadow and gently waved it in the air with his right hand.
It was this simple movement of the blade, without any mix of Spiritual Energy or technique.
Xu Zimei asked with a smile, "What did you see?"
"Just a casual swing of the blade?" Liu Pingfan asked, puzzled.
"No, look behind you."
Upon hearing Xu Zimei’s words, Liu Pingfan turned around, only to hear the "boom" of explosions in the sky.
Thunderbolts mixed with fierce flames slashed down from the sky, and the raging sparks ravaged space.
The mountain range that Liu Pingfan had split was instantly leveled by the roaring thunderbolts. Half of the mountain range was blasted into dust and stones flew chaotically, shattering into countless powders.
Liu Pingfan wore a look of astonishment. He had gathered his own power in the weeds, using them as a medium to bisect the mountain.
But Xu Zimei’s attack was something he couldn’t comprehend. The Curved Blade was just waved casually, without any surge of Spiritual Energy. How was this force exerted?
"You still have a long way to go," Xu Zimei said with a light smile.
Liu Pingfan paused, then quickly caught on and smiled, "Brother, you’ve taught me a lesson. I am enlightened."
Saying this, Liu Pingfan uncorked the wine gourd at his waist and took a big gulp of strong liquor, his long hair fluttering in Qingfeng, laughing, "Everyone, until we meet again."
"We will meet again," Xu Zimei replied.
Then Liu Pingfan turned and took a step forward, a step that looked very mysterious, covering over a dozen meters in one stride.
"The Changhe flows endlessly,
The sky dims at dusk,
..."
Liu Pingfan once again recited his peculiar poem as his figure gradually disappeared in front of everyone.
......
"What a strange person," Xiao Guizi said softly.
"A talented one, really. There are many Talented Disciples and Evil Beings in this world. The Extreme West Region is just a remote corner," Xu Zimei said with a smile.
Then the group continued on towards the deeper recesses of the Hundred Thousand Mountains. The midday sun poured down from the edge of the sky, and the deep of the Hundred Thousand Mountains seemed unusually quiet.
Xu Zimei looked at Chi Qianxue and said, "How about a deal?"
"Do I have the right to refuse?" Chi Qianxue replied. 𝚗o𝚟pub.𝚌𝚘𝚖
"Smart," Xu Zimei laughed and said, "Inside the Ice Snow Emperor’s inheritance, there is a purple box. I’ll spare your life, you give me that box."
Hearing Xu Zimei’s words, Chi Qianxue pondered for a moment, and replied, "I am only a contender for Saintess now. I can’t guarantee it, but I’ll do my best.
If I fail to claim the title of Saintess, I won’t receive the Ancestor’s inheritance either."
"You want my help to find a treasure with the attribute of life," Xu Zimei said with a smile.
"Originally, I planned to snatch the Essence of Life from that Giant. Now, I don’t know where to find a life-attribute treasure," Chi Qianxue replied. "The other competitors for the position of Saintess are also strong. If they find it before I do, it’s bad for both of us."
```
"Although I don’t possess any life-attribute treasures, I can offer you some information at no cost," Xu Zimei said.
"What information?"
"About the whereabouts of the Spring of Life."
Upon hearing Xu Zimei’s words, Chi Qianxue’s expression subtly changed. The Spring of Life was, after all, ranked tenth on the list of wondrous items in the world.
It should be understood that in their current quest for life-attribute treasures, even if they obtained the Essence of Life from the Giants, it would at best prolong the Formation for another hundred years. After a century went by and the Essence’s energy was depleted, they’d have to search for a new life-attribute treasure.
However, if they could secure the Spring of Life now, they would be able to continuously produce life-attribute treasures, forever resolving the shortcomings of the Formation.
"The Spring of Life is located within one of the Ten Great Forbidden Lands, in the Ice Snow Mountain Range," Xu Zimei stated.
"The Ice Snow Mountain Range?" Chi Qianxue was surprised. She knew all too well the significant connection her Chi family had with the Ice Snow Mountain Range.
It was in the Ice Snow Mountain Range that their Ancestor, the Ice Snow Emperor, had contended for his Destiny and ultimately succeeded in Becoming Emperor.
But in the era of the Ice Snow Emperor, the Divine Emperor had not yet been born, and naturally, there was no such organization as the Divine Gate.
"Can I trust the information you’ve provided?" Chi Qianxue asked gravely.
Should she bring this information back to her clan, and if her family were truly to discover the Spring of Life, her position as the Saintess would be cemented.
"Would there be any point in deceiving you?" Xu Zimei chuckled. Previously, to prevent Chi Qianxue from escaping, he had sealed all the Vein Gates on her body.
Now Xu Zimei released the Vein Gates on Chi Qianxue and cut away all the ropes from her body, saying with a smile, "You are free to go."
"You’re just letting me leave like this?" Chi Qianxue was astonished and asked in confusion.
"What about it?"
"Aren’t you afraid I’ll break my word and come after you with my family’s forces?" Chi Qianxue asked incredulously.
Xu Zimei smiled, his hand lightly hooking beneath Chi Qianxue’s chin, drawing her head closer to his gaze as he said affectionately, "Silly girl, of course I trust you."
Chi Qianxue’s face flushed slightly and she stepped back, saying, "If there truly is a Spring of Life, I will keep my promise."
Afterward, Chi Qianxue was seen seated on a Flying Horse, which glimmered with silver light and streaked across the sky as a trail of light, flying upward.
Watching Chi Qianxue’s departing figure, Xiao Guizi curiously asked, "Senior apprentice brother, do you really trust her?"
"I don’t trust anyone," Xu Zimei chuckled.
"Then why let her go?" Xiao Guizi asked, puzzled.
"If she’s willing to give it to me, it saves me the trouble of a forceful taking. Otherwise, when I personally visit the Chi family to take it, it won’t be as simple," Xu Zimei replied.
Xiao Guizi nodded, somewhat bemused.
...…
In the depths of the Hundred Thousand Mountains, where not a single bird in flight could be seen, the undergrowth and bushes had grown several meters tall.
Just as Xu Zimei and Xiao Guizi had stepped out from a small valley, a deafeningly loud shout suddenly erupted from the outside of the valley.
Xiao Guizi slightly lifted his head to see hundreds of individuals in yellow garments standing on both sides of the mountain, brandishing a variety of weapons and cheering aloud.
"These people are setting an ambush for us," Xiao Guizi said with a frown. "It seems they belong to the Beast Race, though I’m not sure which tribe."
"It looks like our journey through the Hundred Thousand Mountains won’t be smooth," Xu Zimei commented with an indifferent smile.
