After keeping all three items into his pouch, Shang Xia knew that that was all he could carry.
The more he brought with him, the more it would tire him out when traveling to the Tongyou Peak.
They weren't truly out of the woods yet. Seeing as he had to leave so many good items behind, Shang Xia’s thoughts turned to the Embroidered Cloud Case Shang Xi had.
When would he be able to obtain his own Embroidered Cloud Case?
A high pitched chirp came from the skies all of a sudden, bringing Shang Xia back to reality.
Raising his head, he saw a silver light shooting down towards him.
A smile slowly formed on his face and he didn’t attempt to dodge it.
“Senior Brother Shang, be careful!” The disciples who were still in the valley yelled when they noticed the incoming danger.
However, they saw Shang Xia waving his hand nonchalantly at them in response.
The chirps got louder, and the bird seemed to be displeased with Shang Xia’s lack of reaction.
Before the silver light crashed into him, it stopped. The Lightning Bird hovered several feet above his head and circled him a few times before eventually landing on his shoulder.
“Lightning… Lightning Bird!” The disciples standing around gasped in horror. They didn’t forget the creature that attacked them several days ago.
However, the little bird stood with its chest puffed up on Shang Xia’s shoulder, and the disciples looked at each other in disbelief.
“Did the Lightning Bird behead the cultivator from the Azure Spiritual World?” Jiao Haitang’s gaze was filled with admiration and she asked.
“Chirp, chirp!” The Lightning Bird chirped impatiently while looking at Shang Xia. It was pestering him for the ball of lightning he promised to provide.
Before he could react, another chirp sounded out above him.
A bird that was slightly smaller than the Lightning Bird soared through the skies and faint flashes of silver would appear behind it from time to time. It was slightly slower than the Lightning Bird, but it quickly landed on Shang Xia’s other shoulder.
“Chirp, chirp!” The Mutated Rain Swallow glared at the Lightning Bird in response. It seemed to be saying, “What are you so anxious for?! Since we promised, we’ll definitely give it to you! Do you really not trust us?”
Shang Xia raised an eyebrow slightly while staring at Yan Ni’er.
“Wait… Is that the Mutated Rain Swallow Senior Brother Shang captured?” The disciples in the valley were slightly numb to the surprises Shang Xia brought to them.
The Lightning Bird wanted to cry out once again, but Shang Xia opened his palm to reveal a ball of lightning. It was precisely the other part he promised to give it.
The Lightning Bird charged at it instantly. Devouring the entire ball of lightning, it cried out pleasurably. Eventually, it turned into a silver streak that disappeared into the heavens.
Yan Ni’er chirped loudly on his shoulder and seemed to want to follow the Lightning Bird into the heavens. Thinking again, she remained on Shang Xia’s shoulder while staring expectantly at the sky.
Shang Xia could estimate that the Lightning Bird was about to evolve and he started to regret his actions. He might have given the ball of essence lightning to the creature too early…
After all, there were several disciples trying to break through to the Martial Realm. If the Lightning Bird started its advancement, the disturbance it created might affect the others!
After some time, it seemed as though Shang Xia had worried for nothing. The Lightning Bird’s advancement couldn’t be done in a short amount of time, and one of the five disciples returned.
“Congratulations, Brother Meng!” Shang Xia could feel his aura long before he approached.
Meng Liangchen revealed a brilliant smile and he cupped his hands to thank Shang Xia sincerely, “Senior Brother Shang, many thanks! I will definitely repay you for this favor!”
After he spoke, he nodded and left for the carriages.
“He really is something else… He can even say such weird stuff.” Jiao Haitang wrinkled her nose and snorted.
Shang Xia knew Meng Liangchen’s personality, and he laughed in response, “He was extremely close to breaking through before entering the battlefield between two worlds. It makes sense that he’s faster than the others. I wonder how the rest are doing.”
Not too long after he spoke, another disciple returned. This time, it was Huang Zihua who had a slightly better relationship with Shang Xia.
“Did you succeed?” Jiao Haitang might not be able to determine his advancement from his aura due to her lack of cultivation, but from the look on his face, it wasn’t hard to realize that he had succeeded.
“Of course!” Huang Zihua laughed and he cupped his fists towards Shang Xia, “Senior Brother Shang, I didn’t let you down!”
Jiao Haitang rolled her eyes when she heard what he said. “What are you so happy about? You weren’t the fastest anyway…”
Huang Zihua looked at Meng Liangchen and he slapped his forehead, “Oh right! With my increase in strength, I can probably bring a few more items with me!” As soon as he spoke, he approached the carriages.
He looked at Jiao Haitang with a smug smile on his face and he ran over. “I won’t let that brat steal all the good stuff!”
Jiao Haitang glowered silently, “Humph! You’re just going to get Senior Brother Shang’s leftovers…”
Huang Zihua nearly tripped over himself when he heard what she said.
Shang Xia didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. How was it his problem?!
As the weather turned gloomy slowly, it was unlike anything they had ever experienced in the battlefield between two worlds.
Shang Xia looked up, and he caught a faint glimpse of silver light flashing through the clouds from time to time.
Could the evolved Lightning Bird affect the weather conditions?!
Shang Xia found it unbelievable.
While that was happening, the disciples who went out of the valley to break through peacefully started to return.
No one knew if it had something to do with the denser heaven and earth qi in the battlefield between the two worlds, but none of the five failed when trying to break through!
That was a miracle in itself!
If that were to happen back in the institution, it would bring about an uproar! Also, their success was met with envious gazes from the other eight.
They would definitely get a chance to advance in the future, but who knew if they would be lucky enough to succeed?
Those who broke through quickly started to rummage through the carriages to look for additional items they wanted to bring with them.
Naturally, Shang Xia remained silent at their actions.
After entering the Martial Realm, one would experience an increase in strength. They would be much stronger than before, and it would be understandable for them to carry more.
There was no way they would leave the treasures to the cultivators of the Azure Spiritual World. They would bring the most valuable treasures with them, especially since Shang Xia did the same. The treasures Shang Xia picked out were the best among the supplies!
All of a sudden, a heaven-shattering cry came from the skies.
Everyone raised their heads in unison only to see a silver streak dancing in the air. Every time it appeared, a ray of lightning would shoot towards it. The flashes lit up the otherwise dark clouds for a moment, but they would soon disappear.
As the silver sliver light continued to soar around in the skies, the dark clouds seemed to contain the rage of the heavens as it gathered tightly around the Lightning Bird.
Finally, the rage contained in the heavens erupted all at once. Massive bolts of lightning emerged as thunderous blasts roared.
The heavens shook and the earth trembled.
The silver light that was the Lightning Bird nimbly danced around, shuttling about the dark clouds that covered the earth.
It was like a tiny dancer that directed the grand tribulation striking down at it.
“Is this a sign of transformation or advancement?” Meng Liangchen asked.
From what Jiao Haitang said, the disciples learned about the relationship between Shang Xia and the birds.
Moreover, they could see the Mutated Rain Swallow standing on Shang Xia’s shoulder, verifying their guesses.
All of them envied him.
“It already advanced… This looks more like something it’s attempting…” Shang Xia muttered.
He knew that the Lightning Bird had already advanced the moment it swallowed the ball of lightning. The lightning storm in the skies above seemed to be orchestrated by the little creature.
“Will it return after advancing?” Meng Liangchen asked again.
Shaking his head, Shang Xia sighed, “It was never under my control to begin with… I probably won’t be able to subdue it after this either.”
Meng Liangchen looked at the Mutated Rain Swallow on Shang Xia’s shoulder and muttered, “By the way, you’re a target of the Azure Spiritual World…”
“I know. Jiao Haitang reminded me earlier.” Shang Xia sighed.
“Alright then.” Meng Liangchen raised an eyebrow and asked, “What are your plans after this? I mean… Assuming we arrive at the Tongyou Peak, what do you plan to do next?”
After thinking for a moment, Shang Xia replied, “There’s a lot I wish to do. The most important thing should be to find a suitable martial art…”
No longer looking at the silver streak flying through the air, he looked at Meng Liangchen. “What about you?”
“Me?” Meng Liangchen chuckled. “I plan to stay in the battlefield between two worlds for some time to look for the inheritance left by my Meng Family.”