Chapter 20: The Barefoot Black Steeds, Regret Comes Too Late
While Gu Xiu was busy fishing for that finger bone, Ye Hongling and her three companions were swiftly moving through the forest some distance away.
The other three were focused on the path ahead, but Ye Hongling kept glancing back over her shoulder, a trace of worry in her eyes. The Golden Core cultivator noticed this and turned his head. "Junior Sister, are you perhaps worried about that rogue cultivator?"
"Hmm..." Ye Hongling nodded, then shook her head. "Yes and no."
"Oh?" The Golden Core cultivator was curious.
Ye Hongling explained, "Although that Fellow Daoist's cultivation isn't high, he has a special method for detecting enemies. If he wants to hide, I believe it shouldn't be a problem."
"I was just thinking... should we heed his earlier warning and not ride the Barefoot Black Steeds?"
Upon hearing this, the other three were stunned for a moment, exchanging glances. Their faces all showed barely suppressed amusement.
"Hahaha, Junior Sister Ye, you haven't really been fooled by that little Qi Condensation third-layer rogue cultivator, have you?" Senior Brother Zhao was the first to speak up with a laugh.
The other two didn't speak, but their eyes made it clear they shared the sentiment.
Ye Hongling frowned. "Three Senior Brothers, don't underestimate that white-haired rogue cultivator. That person is... very unusual."
"Unusual? How so?"
"I can't quite put my finger on it, but I feel that person is very strong. Even..."
"Even what?"
"Even I feel that if I wanted to make an enemy of him, perhaps..."
"Perhaps what?"
"Perhaps..." Ye Hongling pursed her lips and looked seriously at her three senior brothers. "Perhaps he would die, but I would be severely injured!"
What???
The three senior brothers were taken aback.
Ye Hongling's strength was the lowest among them, only at the early Foundation Establishment stage, but that was merely because she hadn't been cultivating as long. In fact, being designated as a prodigy of Tiance Mansion meant her innate talent was exceptional. Moreover, she possessed rich combat experience and could be considered a battle goddess. She could even hold her own against ordinary mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators!
Yet such a sect prodigy, while completely overpowering Gu Xiu in cultivation level, said that facing him in battle would result in such a dire outcome?
"Hongling, you're already at the Foundation Establishment stage. With just a casual strike, you could completely suppress that rogue cultivator. How could you possibly not be his match?"
"That's right. You possess an Invincible Dao Heart; this kind of mentality won't do. How could a mere Qi Condensation third-layer cultivator possibly have such capability?"
"He's just a loose cultivator. Even if you think highly of him, Hongling, there's no need to lower your own status to elevate his."
The three spoke up one after another, feeling Ye Hongling was exaggerating Gu Xiu's strength.
However, facing her three senior brothers' skepticism, Ye Hongling shook her head with a serious expression. "I know the three Senior Brothers don't believe me. To be honest, I myself find it hard to believe."
"But this truly is the feeling that arose in my heart when facing him. That rogue cultivator is definitely not as simple as he appears on the surface."
The three senior brothers felt somewhat helpless.
In the end, it was Senior Brother Zhao who spoke up with a chuckle. "Alright, alright, we believe you. But Hongling, even if what you say is true regarding his strength, his warning couldn't possibly be accurate."
"Our Tiance Mansion's Barefoot Black Steeds are spirit beasts unique to our sect. How could they be so easily targeted by others?"
"Moreover, we have Senior Brother Chen here as a Golden Core expert overseeing things. Unless the Red Water Sect has gone mad, they absolutely wouldn't dare attack us."
"Just relax."
These words earned nods of agreement from the other two senior brothers; even Ye Hongling couldn't refute them.
Indeed.
These Barefoot Black Steeds were unique to Tiance Mansion, raised from foals using special secret methods. Their strength matched that of second-tier demonic beasts and was extremely compatible with the sect's cultivation techniques.
One person, one steed. Perfect coordination. They could unleash strength far surpassing their individual levels.
Using underhanded means against them was almost impossible because, during the rearing process, precautions had already been taken against poisoning or beast-taming arts.
Not to mention, they had a Golden Core expert overseeing things. With such strength, ordinary people simply wouldn't think of provoking them.
However... even so, Ye Hongling couldn't help but feel somewhat worried.
Next, the group continued their rapid journey for a full day. The speed of the Barefoot Black Steeds was indeed fast. When night fell again, they arrived beside a small stream.
"We'll rest for an hour here. After we've recovered enough energy, we'll continue on our way and strive to leave the Tianqi Mountain Range before dawn."
Tiance Mansion excelled at marching and warfare. Naturally, they understood the principle that speed is crucial in military affairs. They didn't plan to rest for the night but merely take a short break before setting off again.
Without hesitation, the four immediately began feeding their steeds while taking out spirit stones to recover their own energy. They were very vigilant. When traveling outside, they wouldn't let the Barefoot Black Steeds eat anything from the surroundings casually; all fodder came from their storage rings.
A gentle breeze blew by, cooling the air.
"Junior Sister Ye, look. Do you still say now that what that little rogue cultivator said is true?" Senior Brother Zhao asked with a laugh.
Ye Hongling frowned but didn't answer.
Senior Brother Zhao continued, "That rogue cultivator might have some skills, but after all, he is just a rogue cultivator. His knowledge and cultivation level are both too low."
He wasn't pleased with Ye Hongling getting so close to a little rogue cultivator and wanted to damage that cultivator's standing in her eyes.
Unfortunately, Ye Hongling merely shook her head. "Senior Brother Zhao, I remember our Commander said that no matter when, we should never underestimate anyone."
Senior Brother Zhao was about to retort when suddenly, the Golden Core cultivator beside them stood up abruptly.
"Who's there?"
Huh?
The other three were startled. In the next moment, dense volleys of arrows shot towards them from the darkness.
"Formation!" roared the Golden Core cultivator.
Ye Hongling and the other two immediately rose, weapons ready. But as soon as they stood up, their expressions changed simultaneously.
"Hold your breath! It's poisoned!"
Unfortunately, they realized too late. The poison had already invaded their bodies, making it difficult for them to exert their full strength. Fortunately, the Golden Core cultivator's power was formidable; he immediately waved his hand, creating a barrier that blocked the dense rain of arrows.
After blocking the first wave, the Golden Core cultivator shouted, "Mount up! Prepare to break through!"
Without hesitation, the three mounted their steeds first. Only at this moment did they realize that they had been completely surrounded.
This Red Water Sect truly dared to attack them!
Moreover, after releasing their arrow volley, one of the attackers stepped through the air, charging towards Tiance Mansion's Golden Core expert.
Stepping through the air—another Golden Core!
Two Golden Core experts instantly clashed in battle.
"Good thing we brought our Barefoot Black Steeds!" Senior Brother Zhao couldn't help but add.
His meaning was obvious. Although surrounded, with their Barefoot Black Steeds present, they could use their mounted combat techniques to break out and quickly disperse the poison gas.
Ye Hongling frowned, subconsciously glancing at her steed, still feeling somewhat uneasy.
But this glance proved unfortunate.
Ye Hongling suddenly sensed something wrong. "Senior Brothers! The eyes of our Barefoot Black Steeds aren't right..."
Before she could finish speaking, her mount suddenly went berserk, galloping wildly to one side. Caught off guard, Ye Hongling nearly got thrown off.
Barely managing to steady herself, she looked up only to witness a scene that made her eyes nearly burst with rage. The Barefoot Black Steed under Senior Brother Zhao suddenly went violently mad as well.
He, too, was unprepared and nearly thrown from the saddle.
But among those surrounding them, someone seemed to have anticipated this moment. A poisoned arrow shot out, piercing precisely into Senior Brother Zhao's back.
Piercing through his heart!
When Ye Hongling looked towards him, he also happened to look up at her, his eyes filled with despair and regret.
But unfortunately, these emotions ultimately turned into lifelessness. His heart meridian was severed. Even for a Foundation Establishment cultivator, death was certain!
...
While Tiance Mansion's group encountered an ambush, Gu Xiu sat cross-legged inside a cave some distance away.
A short while later, he seemed to sense something, glancing towards a certain direction before finally shaking his head. He felt abnormal activity in the Heaven and Earth Dao Rhythms over there, clearly indicating an intense battle.
Though he didn't know who fought, it had nothing to do with him.
Withdrawing his thoughts, Gu Xiu resumed absorbing spiritual energy from the spirit stone in his palm. After another stone turned into powder, Gu Xiu's cultivation showed fluctuations.
Qi Condensation fourth layer! He had advanced again!
"This speed isn't exactly slow, but the consumption of spirit stones is simply too great," Gu Xiu muttered.
His dantian and qi sea were too vast. Advancing so quickly relied entirely on spirit stones. Cultivating like this worked fine, but it indeed burned through money rather fast. This was merely the mid-stage of Qi Condensation. If he wanted to advance further, the resources required would increase exponentially. By then, Gu Xiu's current stockpile wouldn't suffice anymore.
"I must reach Yunxiao City quickly!"
Having decided, Gu Xiu didn't act rashly. Instead, he spent half the night thoroughly consolidating his realm at the Qi Condensation fourth layer. The path of cultivation emphasized steady, step-by-step progress. Haste makes waste.
Only by the next morning did Gu Xiu finally emerge from the cave, his cultivation now fully stable. Identifying the direction, Gu Xiu set off again.
This journey lasted a full seven days. The distance to his destination, Yunxiao City, was roughly half covered.
However, passing midway, Gu Xiu suddenly halted his footsteps, then shifted direction, passing through a thicket and arriving upon a small path.
Just approaching, an intense smell of blood made Gu Xiu involuntarily frown.
Looking around, corpses lay scattered haphazardly. The attacker had been extremely ruthless and swift; almost all the victims were bisected at the waist. The surroundings were utterly wrecked, the scene exceptionally bloody.
Yet what caught Gu Xiu's attention was a particular corpse. That person clutched a wooden box tightly to their chest. The box appeared exquisitely crafted and bore a complex array pattern, clearly sealed with restrictions preventing theft.
Seeing the box, Gu Xiu's eyes couldn't help but reveal a glimmer of bright light.
However, while Gu Xiu observed the wooden box before him, a cold, sinister arrow was aimed directly at his back...