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Chapter 217: Dropping the News

How do cultivators sense each other?

That was the question Li Lang had to ask when he got started with developing his own concealment art. From the few methods available to him, he found that the most common method was to detect the fluctuations in the ambient Qi that were caused by cultivators' autonomic process of absorbing and releasing Qi.

There was a constant intake and outtake of energy, whether they did so consciously or not. It flowed in and out like a person breathing. It differed from cultivation, where the energy was used to expand the human container to increase capacity rather than simply flowing through.

This meant the most straightforward method to avoid detection was to stop this flow of Qi entirely. However, the constant use of their Qi muscles, otherwise known as spiritual roots, to suppress these fluctuations would tire the user before long. Thankfully, Li Lang didn't have any great ambitions to create such a technique that perfectly avoided detection. Instead, he pursued the direction of weakening the energy levels, so the user would appear at a lower realm than what they really were. 

Li Lang would normally not be ready to create his own techniques. It was a difficult discipline and required many long years of experience and understanding. The only reason he became confident about tackling this endeavor was because of all the work he had done with the Ascension Technique.

The Ascension Technique wasn't one specific set of movements, but many of them that had to be choreographed in a certain way that fit the specific user. It was like the technique was made up of different modules that had to be assembled together in a different way each time. The very nature of these modules was to invoke the flow of Qi inside a practitioner's meridian in a specific way.

If you placed this concept toward the outermost part of the meridian channels, you could technically control the strength at which the Qi enters the body. The lowered levels of input would naturally decrease the output as well. It was only a conjecture, so the next step was naturally to put it to the test.

With Foundation Establishment Realm helpers with him, Li Lang could freely make adjustments to refine his results. Day by day, he got closer to his goal.

At first, the technique created unstable fluctuations. As it stabilized, the problem soon became the Ascension Technique itself. It required the user to transition into different stances. It was almost like a strange dance. A technique that concealed your true cultivation but made you do eccentric poses was only good in the wilderness, where no one was watching. Otherwise, anyone who witnessed it would one hundred percent be suspicious of the practitioner.

There were a few ways to remedy the issue.

One was to abandon physical poses entirely and create a new set of techniques that required no movements. It had the worst short-term offerings but solved a lot of the tissues. The time it took was also too long and uncertain.

Next.

A second way to go about it was to use another technique to prevent anyone from seeing the strange movements. These were techniques like his Veiling Shroud art that produced a smokescreen. Li Lang didn't need to think long about it before forgoing this option. That just increased the upkeep and convoluted things too much.

Next.

A third method was to try to improve the Ascension Technique further, allowing for the same effect but with more subtle movements. This way, the user could hide beneath a loose cloak while they executed the technique.

It was worth considering, but there were also plenty of other avenues to pursue as well. However, this seemed to be the most plausible solution because the effect of weakening the flow of energy required a lot less force than trying to provoke the qualitative change that the Ascension Technique was made to do. It meant there was a high chance of being able to reduce the range of motion of the technique required.

Regardless, it would take some time and effort to put these theories to the test.

Faced with the new challenge of developing new techniques, time passed by faster than normal. Before long, there was only a month left before the Dark Sea Arena!

"Has everyone made their decision? Long Yi asked.

A few people simply stared his way and nodded. 

Several disciples had recently broken through their bottleneck. It consisted purely of the disciples with grade-two aptitude.

With this new batch of Foundation Establishment cultivators, it wasn't easy to decide who would venture to the Dark Sea Arena or not. They couldn't afford to leave this place entirely devoid of anyone. Many of the students wanted to stay, so they could continue cultivating, while an equal amount of people wanted to tag along to broaden their horizons.

"I should be able to go! I'll surely be able to catch up in all the areas I'm inadequate in," the girl, Shi Yan, proclaimed.

"No, it should be based on the order of seniority. I broke through first, so I should have priority."

"Enough," Li Lang's voice suddenly rang out across the room, silencing the crowd. "I can't let all of you participate, but we'll all go."

"Huh? I thought you said it would be too suspicious if our entire group left just like that," Long Yi said as he turned to the new entrant.

"Yes, but things are different now. I can move the entire pocket realm. It's time to reveal this trick. Nightmoon Valley should be able to come up with a plausible explanation or just hide the truth if anyone asks. As for me, I'll make sure to keep the Crucible out of sight.

Li Lang didn't say this just to be nice. He recognized many of his students were lacking in many areas due to being forced to focus on speed above all else. They could barely make use of all their newfound powers. That's why he believed taking them along to broaden their horizons was the most beneficial choice. 

It didn't matter if some of them didn't want to travel. With the Crucible now moveable, they could remain inside, where they could continue to cultivate undisturbed.

Li Lang wanted the experience of spectating all these Foundation Establishment fighting would be enough of an inspiration for those like Wei Ping to cross the last threshold of mortality. All the students with grade-two aptitude had broken through already. It lit a fire under Wei Ping, but he hadn't succeeded yet in the past few months. He wanted to do all he could to help his friend.

"You guys wait here first," Li Lang suggested. "Let me communicate with Nightmoon Valley about our intentions."

He quickly donned a thick cloak around his body and, with a snap of the finger, Blue teleported Li Lang straight out of the pocket realm. Once outside, he was tempted to test out the ability to move the Crucible right away, but he knew better. It would only alert the people from Nightmoon Valley for no reason. He reined in his urge and went to talk to the other party first.

He made his way to the teahouse that had now been repurposed into their lodging. He didn't need to call out before the people stationed there noticed his arrival. One man and one woman came out to greet him while holding hands. Judging from their appearance, they were in their thirties. Li Lang was unfamiliar with them, but he still politely clasped his fist toward them.

"Seniors, I am Li Lang."

The man appeared as if he didn't hear him. His glances darted in every direction, unable to stay still. Saying he was on guard was an understatement. Only the woman acknowledged Li Lang's existence, nodding at him with appreciation.

"Yes, it's the first time we've met, but we've been informed about you. I am Zhu Yi, and this is Ma Kong. Is there something you need?"

"I'll be direct, seniors. We plan to attend the Dark Sea Arena."

"No problem. We've been informed of such a possibility. There's no need to worry. We will faithfully stand guard here. No trouble will come to the people you leave behind," the woman assured.

"We don't plan on leaving anyone behind."

"What? You want to bring over a dozen people with you? I warn you, the distance from here to Sword Saint Isle is not short. There will inevitably be perils along your journey, so I do not believe it is a good idea to bring so many young mortals with you."

"We'll be fine." Li Lang defended while looking troubled. "Umm, how should I put this? All my students will be safe. They won't have to leave the pocket realm."

"Won't have to leave? I'm not sure I understand what you're getting at. What do you mean they won't leave the pocket realm, but will follow you to Sword Saint Isle?"

Li Lang smiled sheepishly in response. He knew he would have to come clean if he were to leave with the Crucible in tow. Nightmoon Valley wouldn't let him run away with it unattended. That was because they already promised quotas to other organizations for access to it. Li Lang's safety and the Spirit-grade artifact were both something they had to protect for the sake of their credibility.

If he hadn't approached them openly like this, he was sure they would've secretly deployed a few cultivators to protect him from the shadows. Now that he confronted them, he gave them a chance to openly do so.

While it was restricting to have others follow him, Li Lang didn't mind it too much for now. He didn't think they would completely limit his movements, but it would just intrude on his privacy a little. It wasn't that bad, considering they couldn't peer into the situation within the pocket realm. It was a worthwhile tradeoff for the protection of the premier demonic organization from the entirety of Violet Isle.

With that in mind, he dropped the bombshell on the couple. He did so by casting off his cloak, revealing the aura he had been suppressing with his new technique. His actions even made the unattentive Ma Kong peer his way. Their eyes widened as they realized the young man standing before them had reached the same realm as them!

"Seniors, through some luck, I've recently managed to break through. It seems that has allowed me to gain greater control of the pocket realm. I should now be able to bring it along with me wherever I go."

His words left Zhu Yi speechless, her mouth opening slightly as if to respond, but no sound emerged.

Chapter 218: Establishing the Framework

"What?! You can move the pocket realm!" the older woman, Zhu Yi, was visibly taken aback by Li Lang's claims. "I see. This changes things, then. Apologies, please allow me some time to confer with our elders. Please feel free to wait on the first floor."

The woman turned around along with her partner, Ma Kong. Then darkness consumed them within an instant. In the blink of an eye, they were gone.

An advanced movement technique. I should learn one soon, too. Hopefully, this trip to the Dark Sea Arena will allow me to chance across something nice. A large gathering of Foundation Establishment cultivators should at least have a few amazing techniques up for trade, right?

Heading into the former teahouse, Li Lang spotted several servants managing the place. They were all mortals, and they politely bowed toward him, but didn't dare to stick around to converse with him. He found himself a seat at the table where he once saw Jian Beiyun operate a gambling ring.

In fact, this table was where he made his first pot of gold. He was able to abuse his ownership of the Crucible to profit from it by manipulating the bets. Thinking up to that point, he suddenly had the urge to move away lest he get exposed.

Wait, they only suspected I had ownership of the pocket realm before, but now that they confirmed it, they know I fixed the bets! Well, it wasn't like I cheated Nightmoon Valley out of their money, though. They shouldn't care, but I'm not going to bring it up just to be safe.

With doubts about his money lingering in the back of his mind, the couple, Zhu Yi and Ma Kong, returned. They were unaware of what was going through Li Lang's mind and only thought he was acting nervous because of his recent big reveal. In their minds, it was a huge deal.

The Crucible, formerly known as The Great Trial of Water Crest, was a special artifact in the minds of all organizations within the Luminescent Domain. They may not know it was composed of three Spirit-grade artifacts, but they did know its capacity was enormous. It was the only known man-made artifact that simulated natural pocket realms.

Regular pocket realms were tears in the fabric of space that led to a different dimension. It was simply a doorway that connected point A to point B, with the former being this main world. This doorway couldn't be moved.

The Crucible was different. It was essentially a space ring with shocking capacity and could contain living beings! The harm it could cause was enormous. Just the fact that organizations could smuggle their entire force while being almost undetectable rang the alarm bells.

"Li Lang, we've conferred with the Valley Master about your newfound control of the pocket realm. First, the Valley Master would like to express his gratitude for being so forthcoming with us. He is also overjoyed about your breakthrough."

"He is too kind. Please give my regards to the Valley Master for me."

"I will," Zhu Yi said as she nodded. "Now about your trip to the Sword Saint Isle, we believe it would be too dangerous for you to venture out alone while in possession of a Spirit-grade artifact. We aren't sure which organizations are still suspicious of you. With a gathering of so many Foundation Establishment cultivators from both the orthodox and demonic paths, anything could happen. That is why we hope you understand our concern and allow us to accompany you."

As Li Lang expected, they openly asked to tag along.

"I understand. You're welcome to join us."

With the matter settled, the two parties set a date before Li Lang returned inside the Crucible to inform his companions.

He confirmed to all his students about their upcoming trip, and many of them once again made their desire to participate in the event known.

"The Dark Sea Arena is for cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Realm. However, I only plan to allow one of you to participate. We can't let others know that we have so many young cultivators who have managed to step into the second major realm. For that same reason, all of you in the Foundation Establishment Realm can only spectate the event if you have mastered both the Wave Dampening Art and the Dissipating Technique."

"The event starts in a month, right?" one of the disciples cried. "There's not much time to master two techniques, then!"

"That's just how we'll have to proceed. None of you want to be targeted by various organizations vying for our secrets, do you?"

The young cultivators were quickly silenced, as they had been properly educated about the consequences of an information leak. They knew exactly how great of an opportunity they were offered, and that it came along with some responsibilities. They were just complaining because having to master a technique within a month was just that unreasonable.

The two techniques were the fruit of Li Lang's research, and it had only been completed for a few days. 

The Wave Dampening Art satisfied the first half of what he set out to do: to mask the aura a cultivator gave off. It wasn't the most difficult technique to learn, but maintaining it in a stable manner throughout the day required a lot of practice. For now, even the creator, Li Lang, could barely maintain it for a few hours.

As the name implied, it allowed its users to dampen the aura they gave off, disguising their cultivation to a lower level to any observers. This was achieved by identifying the location of gaps within the meridian channel where Qi escaped from the body and then applying the Ascension Technique in a manner that weakened the input, so the output would be affected as well. 

Li Lang had managed to reduce the movement required to simple hand signs. It wasn't perfect, but combined with a cloak to hide the subtle movements, it worked well enough for most purposes. 

For the other half of his goal, which was to create an anti-divination technique, he resorted to creating a separate technique. That was because he realized the two objectives required different conditions to satisfy. One was to weaken Qi while the other was its complete erasure. The two objectives would only coincide if he planned to make a technique that eliminated any traces of Qi that his body gave off. That was too ambitious of a project for his limited experience in technique development and time.

In fact, he could already achieve an effect similar to an anti-divination technique by merit of his Primordial Star Fire alone. The heavenly flame could burn even Qi, but his goal was for his students to use this technique as well. With that goal in mind, he eventually developed the Dissipation Technique. 

It was a simple technique, as energy efficiency wasn't a consideration at all. The goal was simply to exhaust all Qi from the target, effectively removing any spiritual traces to achieve the anti-divination effect. It ran contrary to what technique development was all about; to create the most energy-efficient move.

"Enough questions for now. Just focus on your training. Your daily life won't change much until we arrive at Sword Saint Isle. Only Teacher Long and Teacher Wei will be accompanying me outside the Crucible during our travels. You're all dismissed!"

After satisfying his students' curiosity, the trio retreated into Li Lang's room by themselves to plan out their trip.

However, on their way there, Li Lang noticed Wei Ping's doubtful expression despite the wooden mask shielding his face.

"What's wrong, Wei Ping?"

"Umm—I h-have a request."

"Hm? What is it?"

"C-can you have Xiao Dong or one of the other students replace me? I d-don't see a reason why a mortal like me should a-accompany you over someone in the Foundation Establishment R-Realm."

"What? Who cares about that? Those kids barely have any experience fighting with their life on the line. They barely know any techniques, too. It doesn't matter how great their cultivation is if they can't express it properly."

"Xiao Dong h-has been working hard for the past few months. He's p-prepared to even participate in the arena."

"Regardless, they're still too green to be relied on. You've trained for a lot longer than them. You have experience traveling solo as well. You're much more suited for the job. Even if we got bodyguards from Nightmoon Valley, knowing what to do in an emergency makes it that much easier for them to protect us."

"Li Lang is right," Long Yi supported. "There's no need to worry about it just because you haven't broken through yet. In your case, it's only a matter of time. You may very well be able to overcome your bottleneck during our travels."

Hearing this, Wei Ping frowned.

"F-fine."

Long Yi slapped his friend's back heartily before quickening his pace. Li Lang could see still some hesitancy within Wei Ping, but after some thought, he went on ahead as well. There was only so much convincing he could do. Problems within one's heart could only be solved by themselves. There wasn't much else he could say.

The two knew Wei Ping to be a resilient man. To them, the matter was settled. The trio soon gathered in Li Lang's room as they began to go over the details of their trip.

These plans involved how to approach all the different sects and organizations within Violet Isle. Now that they were no longer irrelevant mortals, it was time to carefully plot how to introduce themselves to the world. They slowly and surely set up the framework to create their own organization.

While they still lacked the qualification to establish anything respectable, it wasn't considered improper for cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Realm to receive disciples. They also had various unique advantages, such as the Crucible. If they leverage their advantages properly and establish alliances, they could very well stand on their own two feet with their meager power.

It was only a matter of time until they properly introduced themselves to the entirety of Violet Isle.

Chapter 219: Journeying to the East

On the next day, which was exactly thirty days before the start of The Dark Sea Arena, Li Lang's group set off to the venue located on Sword Saint Isle. All the students stayed within the realm, only Li Lang, Long Yi, and Wei Ping exited. They were accompanied by Zhu Yi and Ma Kong, the couple from Nightmoon Valley.

Just as the sun rose, Li Lang could be seen standing before the four pillars that marked the entrance of the pocket realm. In fact, it could be said the four pillars were part of the realm itself. Placing a hand on the artifact, Li Lang was able to wordlessly convey his commands to his artifact spirits.

Under the eyes of his companions and the Nightmoon Valley members, the pillars rapidly began to shrink! The ground beneath erupted upward as the Crucible made its way out of the ground. Everything happened within an instant, so the onlookers were only able to get a good look at the mysterious Spirit-grade artifact when its movements ceased. It hovered right before Li Lang.

The artifact turned out to be one single object rather than four separate pillars. There was a circular disk at the bottom that connected it all into one piece. On the other side of the disk, three bright gems could be seen, each with a different color. It didn't take a genius to realize the three gems represented the three artifact spirits, Orange, Green, and Blue.

Other than that, the material felt strangely light. It was almost weightless in Li Lang's hand.

The only issue with it was that it couldn't enter Li Lang's space ring.

"Hmm, seems like it's not possible likely due to living people inside," Li Lang muttered.

No one answered him as their eyes were glued to the precious artifact, each busy with their own thoughts.

Very soon, the group of five got over the spectacle and boarded Li Lang's Skyrunner. They didn't dawdle and got on their way.

"Is there really a need to leave so early?" Long Yi's voice resounded within the interior of the vessel as it took to the skies. "There's still an entire month before the start of this arena, right?"

"Our friends from Nightmoon Valley have informed us the journey could take anywhere from two weeks to a month," Li Lang explained as he turned to the two guests in question. "They say it depends on what we encounter, but either way, it's better to be early than having to rush."

"Well, if we're going to take our time, then can we stop somewhere that sells beast cores? I don't know about you, but I really want to wield an artifact, even a Mortal-grade one. Especially if I'm going to be facing off against other cultivators in the same realm."

The two artificers continued their attempts to create their artifacts. Despite Li Lang's attempt to create weapons with more purpose to allow for an AI to take over the role of an artifact spirit, no cases of success have been seen yet.

However, Li Lang did have a theory as to why.

He believed Qi to be psychoactive, responding to the thoughts of living beings. He attributed his previous instance where he was able to create the printer artifact to it. It was easy for him to imagine the mimeograph machine being controlled by an AI. It was a concept he naturally accepted without question.

In the case of a cold weapon, the same couldn't be said. There was just too little reason to fully believe in the conception of a sentient sword or spear without adding some circuitry to host the AI. It was just easier to imagine a drone wielding such a weapon instead.

These small subconscious doubts were what Li Lang believed to have foiled his attempts.

Still, he couldn't prove it. He only had ten beast cores of each of the main elements. With each one being unique, repeated tests weren't reliable either with all the variables. The challenge it posed had stumped Li Lang to the point that it made him want to rely on the traditional method.

Research just took too long, and his entire group had a total of five cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Realm already. It was embarrassing to not even have a single Mortal-grade weapon artifact of any kind.

The problem was that the traditional method and his AI method opposed each other in their production. If it was creating a printer artifact like the Weave Press, it wouldn't matter as he would be working with the same base. However, for weapons, the traditional method worked best with simple blades made of high-quality materials, without any waste. While his AI method had to make the weapon more sophisticated so it had a clear function.

It made it so that he couldn't just attempt the traditional method first and then fall back on his AI method if it failed.

The plan was to procure even more beast cores and consult with the local Artificer Guild. Now that they had higher cultivation, it should be quite realistic to create Mortal-grade artifacts the traditional way. And if they could not, they were even planning to buy something suitable during their trip. The Dark Sea Arena, where numerous Foundation Establishment cultivators gathered, was one of the best venues they could ask for with that purpose in mind.

As the young cultivators conversed merrily, their Skyrunner quickly made its way out of the barrier that surrounded the site where the pocket realm had been. The moment they went through the dark cover of the barrier, bright natural light shone on their vehicle.

Thankfully, these changes in luminosity couldn't hinder cultivators of their rank. They picked up speed and headed north-east, aiming for the horizon.

The first leg of the journey passed by uneventfully. They were in the interior of the Luminescent Domain, so they came across few troublemakers. Even if they did chance upon them, they were too high in the sky and moving too quickly for them to intercept on such short notice.

It was only when they neared the border, with the towering mountain ranges that blocked the path out of the domain, were they forced to lower their altitude. The Qi beasts in the area were still a threat. Beasts at the Peak of Energy Gathering level were just small fries compared to the ones that lurked deeper within. Flying too high would just attract their attention.

Just as they entered this dangerous area under the control of no human faction, Zhu Yi and Ma Kong of Nightmoon Valley exited the Skyrunner. They chose to perch themselves on top of the vehicle instead.

"You guys should prepare as well," Li Lang said. "We're traveling along a route that cuts across the territory of higher-level Qi beasts than the previous time we were here. They are a real threats lurking about."

"Why in the world did you select such a route, then?" Long Yi complained. "We could just use a similar route as last time. And how did you get those two to agree?"

"It's to prepare ourselves. You said it yourself. We're already lacking in equipment. Do you want us to be lacking in experience as well?"

"You want us to risk our lives fighting out in the wilderness?"

"It's not that risky. Our friends from Nightmoon Valley are here to cover for us. From what I can tell, they're at the late stage of Foundation Establishment. They're more than capable enough to protect us."

Before they could argue further, Long Yi's fears came true. They all sensed a jolt of Qi from one of the mountains. They stuck their head out of the Skyrunner in time to witness a Zhu Yi positioning herself between their vehicle and the source of the disturbance. A millisecond later, a sparkling translucent attack reached her. Just as it neared the woman, a sphere of darkness expanded with the Nightmoon Valley cultivator at the center, consuming everything, including the attack.

A second shot quickly came, and with all the cultivators on high alert, they soon were able to trace the trajectory all the way back to the source. What they found was a gigantic beetle standing on a thick tree branch. It sucked in the air around it and fired another shot toward Zhu Yi.

"Duck back into the Skyrunner!" Li Lang yelled. "That stuff could be acid. I'd rather not have any splash on me."

"Relax. Isn't that nice lady going to nullify it all?" Long Yi quipped.

As if having heard their conversation, Zhu Yi turned towards the two young men and smiled.

"I believe you wanted tempering, correct? One of you, take it from here."

Right after she spoke, the second jet of liquid arrived near her and she once again used her technique that spread darkness all around her. However, this time, instead of consuming the attack, she deflected its trajectory right at Li Lang's Skyrunner!

The Skyrunner jerked as Li Lang hurriedly got them out of the way. However, Li Lang instantly realized that was just a prelude to what was to come. That's why he took the initiative. Without delay, he pushed Long Yi, who was still leaning out the window, out of the vehicle. Then he quickly retreated away as fast as the Skyrunner could go. As he did so, he yelled out to his friend.

"You broke through first among us, so naturally you would go first as well. Good luck!"

Chapter 220: Elemental Superiority 

With Li Lang clearing away from the scene, Long Yi was left to face the oncoming beetle-type Qi beast alone. It left him frowning. He could barely make out its figure in the distance, but it had the power to snipe him from range!

The two Nightmoon Valley disciples had also distanced themselves, so the beast naturally focused its next attack on Long Yi. Another stream of unidentified liquids shot forth across the mountain range. It traveled so fast that Long Yi could barely react despite expecting it.

He dove low toward the ground, but the attack unexpectedly followed his course! He never expected a Qi beast to exert such precise control at such a distance. He reflexively summoned his mundane sword and cast his Terra Moon Slash to intercept the attack. Although it was only a rushed move, the flurry of stone managed to disperse the stream of attack. If one was watching carefully, one could even see that some of the liquids had been absorbed into the Terra Moon Slash.

"Hmm, is that elemental affinity at work?" Li Lang muttered.

It wasn't the first time Li Lang witnessed a fight at this level. He had firsthand experience from the incident where he had been ambushed just around these mountain ranges. However, during that incident, the two parties involved employed techniques of the metal affinity and the earth affinity. 

According to the destructive cycle of the five elements, the metal element was overcome by fire, but it could overcome wood. As it had neither advantages nor disadvantages against the earth element, nothing notable could be observed in the previous fight.

However, the same couldn't be said for the current fight. The water element is overcome by the earth element. When two Qi attacks of these natures collided, the upper hand leaned toward the earth element. The distance also likely had a part in it, but the elemental advantage still allowed Long Yi's makeshift move to overcome the beetle's.

"This is a good matchup," a feminine voice resounded from above the Skyrunner. "That Qi beast should have recently broken through to the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, but the elemental affinity should make it more even. It seems we won't have to intervene anytime soon."

"Isn't it s-still a little dangerous to allow someone with s-so little combat experience to fight against a beast with a h-higher cultivation?"

Li Lang nodded at Wei Ping's words.

"That's right. Long Yi also doesn't have any artifacts to support him. Not even a skysword to close the distance."

"You will have to suffer the same disadvantages if you choose to participate in The Dark Sea Arena unless you find something on the way. It is better to experience what you are currently capable of against a Qi beast first rather than an intelligent cultivator."

"Sounds like we'll want to take the procurement of artifacts a lot more seriously."

"No need to worry so much," Zhu Yi continued. "The disadvantages are there, but they aren't that bad. Fights are never simply about who can hit harder or move faster. Stratagems and martial intuition are all important factors that can play a huge role."

Her words caused Li Lang and Wei Ping to direct their attention back to the fight.

They knew Long Yi to be someone who had always been talented in frontal combat, so they weren't surprised when he moved to take the initiative after realizing his elemental superiority. At some point during their conversation, he had managed to create an earthen wall that hovered in front of him.

He used this wall as a shield as he flew as fast as he could toward his foe. It caused the Qi beast to try to curve his shots around the shield, but it was only too easy for Long Yi to adjust his cover.

After firing off a dozen shots, the beetle seemed to realize the futility of its actions, so it began to take flight! The two flew straight at each other without relenting.

Just as it seemed it was inevitable they would collide in a dramatic fashion, the Qi beast made its move first. Its wings flapped as quick as a motor and maneuvered itself around Long Yi. Despite being a beast, it didn't mean it was dumb enough to ram headfirst into the large earthen wall Long Yi had erected.

It tried to flank Long Yi from a tricky angle, going from below, but just as it was about to come into range of its human enemy, the earthen wall above exploded! Of course, it wasn't a natural phenomenon. Long Yi had purposely orchestrated it.

Now that he was cultivating an Earth-grade cultivation technique of the earth element, he had a lot more freedom of control with anything earth-related. Specialized techniques like his Terra Moon Slash continue to be the more powerful and efficient application of his energy, but he could employ a lot more tricks now. Exploding the earthen wall was just one of them.

Without anything obstructing his view, Long Yi was easily able to spot his enemy, who had backed away a few paces to get away from the debris. He knew his arsenal of moves was underdeveloped for the moment, but that meant he didn't have to think too much about it before he slashed down with his sword again to unleash another Terra Moon Slash.

Quality had always been more important to a cultivator than quantity. Even back when he was a mortal, he had trained his signature technique thoroughly. His efforts carried over in his new realm. Except the power he could exert was a whole order of magnitude higher!

Without holding back, the next slash he unleashed covered ten times more area than it previously had. The slash was so wide that it seemed as if it could cut off the top of an entire mountain. 

Long Yi had opted to make his attack as big as possible. He had seen the maneuverability of the beetle. It was common knowledge that a Qi beast with wings was much more agile in the air than those who did not. It was one of the reasons human cultivators invented skyswords, to match this natural superiority.

Without a skysword himself, Long Yi had to ensure he could definitively land a blow to hinder its movements.

With that said, a slash was still a slash. It could cover a great distance on one axis, but there were still two directions it could dodge toward. That's why Long Yi immediately followed up with a second slash to cover this opening. His two slashes created an 'X'. 

As he expected, the beetle dodged the first hit, only to be clipped by the second one. As if the goddess of luck was smiling upon him, this attack just happened to strike its wing. Everything seemed to be leaning in Long Yi's favor now.

His opponent's mobility had been hindered, he had the elemental advantage, and all initiative was on his side. He just needed to keep his distance and whittle down his opponent.

He pressed his advantage against the Qi beast that desperately wanted to close the distance to take a bite of him with its imposing mandibles. As he kited the beast, it suddenly veered in the opposite direction, distancing itself from Long Yi.

A split second later, it opened its mouth and shot out another jet of liquid. With how close it was this time, Long Yi wasn't able to form another wall or dodge out of the way. The stream of supposed acid landed squarely on Long Yi. Smoke could instantly be seen as it melted through both his clothes and skin.

Judging by the speed at which it melted his clothes, Li Lang grimaced. He was experienced enough with acids to tell it had the strength to melt even his bones with just a casual splash. However, the aftermath wasn't as bad as he had feared. Only the outer layer of his skin had been dissolved.

"Hmm, the defenses of a Foundation Establishment cultivator really are incomparable to an Energy Gatherer."

"Of course," the woman from Nightmoon Valley answered. "How could you possibly compare a mortal with a true cultivator? A mortal could fire as many arrows as they want at us, but as long as the attacks aren't infused with Qi past a certain level, it could never harm us."

Li Lang sighed at the unreasonableness of his fellow cultivators. He had observed this phenomenon a long time ago. It was one of the reasons he never pursued the creation of repeating crossbows or even firearms. As long as he was not too demanding, it wasn't impossible to create such weapons, but their effects were less than satisfactory. 

Without imbuing Qi into an attack, it was utterly useless. It could catch some Energy Gatherer off-guard if they didn't put up their defenses, but that was no longer true for those at the Foundation Establishment Realm or above. Even in their sleep, they would be impervious to these mundane attacks.

Hmm, but beast cores are what controls the Qi of an artifact. Does this mean it is possible to make an artifact crossbow or gun? Come to think of it, I've never seen an artifact bow before or any ranged weapons. Is it even possible?

Chapter 221: Lacking

The fight continued even with Long Yi's sustaining injuries. To cultivators, such wounds that only damaged the skin were barely considered injuries at all. Those who practiced special techniques would be able to recover from them within a minute, while those who didn't could simply consume a Recovery Pill.

Long Yi did neither. He was focused on the fight as it devolved into a mind game of sorts. When the beetle Qi beast got too close, he would kite back and use his ranged attack to whittle them down. Occasionally, the monster would try to back off so it could fire off another stream of acid. In that case, it would be Long Yi's turn to close the distance to disrupt his enemy.

The Qi beast's range attack seemed to require a brief moment of channeling, which led it to become vulnerable. It instinctively knew that, which resulted in the battle of cat and mouse where their roles were constantly reversed.

Thankfully, Long Yi had damaged its wings in the opening act. Otherwise, allowing an aerial Qi beast to flex one of their advantages while having higher cultivation would make the fight a lot more one-sided. The injury to the wings created a delicate balance where both sides were in a deadlock.

The battle became one of attrition. No side made any headways in vanquishing their foe. They grew familiar with each other's capabilities, so their ability to counter each other improved over time. It made it increasingly difficult for either side to cause meaningful damage to the other.

"This doesn't look good for Long Yi," Li Lang muttered.

No one said a word, showing their agreement through their silence.

Human beings were weaker than Qi beasts. Nature never granted their blessings equally. Cultivation made one stronger, but that was true for Qi beasts as well. Their advantages became even more pronounced, granting them superior physical capabilities compared to humans. Those with deadly poisons became even more deadly, while those with claws could cleave through even tougher material. The same went for their stamina.

Humans were naturally disadvantaged when it came to physique, which was why they worked so hard to create artifacts and developed techniques to overcome these differences. This, coupled with the fact that the beetle Qi beast had wings while they fought in its home turf of the skies, the energy consumption on both sides was markedly different.

As Long Yi's energy dwindled, his movements became duller. He allowed his enemy to sneak in their attacks more often, while his own attacks weakened. Even when he managed to land a good hit, the Qi beast's natural constitution allowed it to heal quickly.

In a desperate attempt to turn things around, Long Yi soon resorted to conjuring another earthen wall for cover. Right after blocking another stream of acid, the wall exploded. However, it wasn't the same type of explosion as before. It was weaker, more subtle. He had it detonate into fine particles, disrupting the visibility of the entire area.

Seeing this, every cultivator spectating knew what he was up to. 

"Hmm, I think this is as far as he can go. Ma Kong, it's soon time for you to intervene," the woman standing above the Skyrunner said to her partner.

"Wait, let his final gambit play out until the end first," Li Lang called out.

"We will."

Li Lang sighed as they turned their attention back to the cloud of dust. He partially blamed himself for what was to come. He had promised his companions artifacts but hadn't been able to deliver them.

Now that Long Yi deployed a makeshift smokescreen on the field, it was obvious to them that he planned to use it as cover for one final strike. It just so happens that his new Earth-grade cultivation technique, the Obsidian Edge, could harden his attacks. Even without being able to see, Li Lang knew his friend was looking for a chance to run his sword through the Qi beast with his augmented blade.

Very soon, a bright light suddenly shone from within the cloud of dust. Within a second, a strong force pushed all the dust away. It revealed the Qi beast, Long Yi, and Ma Kong, who had intervened.

Long Yi's blade was embedded into the outer layer of the beetle while Ma Kong was positioned protectively between him and the beast, holding a torn-off limb from the beetle. Their position allowed the onlookers to instantly understand what had happened.

Long Yi's attack had failed to penetrate the Qi beast's exoskeleton. His blade was even stuck in it. It allowed the beetle to lash out at his immobilized foe, but Ma Kong intervened, severing the beast's leg in the process. Whatever he had done, it caused all the dust to be blown away.

Just as the beetle was about to make its next move, Ma Kong's body shone with light. It disappeared as quickly as it appeared, but then a large hole had been punched through the torso of the Qi beast. The man in question hadn't even moved!

The victim couldn't even make a noise as it soon powerlessly fell to the ground.

Ma Kong had felled this Qi beast in the middle stages of the Foundation Establishment without even lifting a finger.

"What was that?" Li Lang couldn't help but ask.

Surprisingly, he received a response.

"It's one of Ma Kong's Qi art. I can't reveal too much, but it's based on what we in Nightmoon Valley specialize in. The darkness and moon attribute."

"I see—"

Li Lang had seen several strange techniques among all those he collected before. Just the large group of disciples from various organizations had netted him a diverse catalog of techniques. He knew how the traditional five elements weren't the be-all and end-all of cultivation. There were myriads of other attributes outside the five elements. While some had high potential, they were known to be a lot more difficult to practice.

It was why many of these techniques were the cornerstone of organizations. Still, the five elements were overwhelmingly popular.

Long Yi and Ma Kong soon returned to the group, after having retrieved their spoils. Long Yi was understandably dejected at his loss. He even rejected the offer to claim any portion of the spoils.

As they were on a schedule, they didn't remain in the area for long and resumed their journey. Occasionally, they would encounter other Qi beasts, but they were all at the strength of the early stage of Foundation Establishment.

Both Li Lang and Wei Ping got their own chance to fight these savage foes as well. Neither of them put up a performance that came close to Long Yi. They were completely trounced!

Wei Ping was still in the Energy Gathering Realm, so that was understandable. In Li Lang's case, his lack of combat proficiency was highlighted for their new companions to see.

The young man had focused on research and crafts even more in recent times. He only did the bare minimum to maintain his mastery of his techniques. Now that he was in an entirely new realm, his lack of progress did him no favors.

The needles he manipulated using his Gossamer Knife Dance didn't have enough power to penetrate any Qi beasts. The passive defense in this new realm meant he couldn't overpower others by simply focusing more Qi into a small point.

His close-combat abilities were even more abysmal, especially when compared to the likes of Long Yi. Allowing Qi beasts to close the distance was just playing into his opponent's hands. This meant his poison and heavenly fire had no role to play.

This entire ordeal had made it clear the lack of preparation Li Lang and his companions had to punch at their weight level.

It was so egregious that it made the normally silent Ma Kong question them.

"Why are you people so eager to participate in The Dark Arena? You don't stand a chance."

"That—We have to start from somewhere," Long Yi defended. "It's a good opportunity to experience how fights are conducted at this realm."

"It'll also allow us to observe what we're lacking and trade for them," Li Lang added. "Unlike people belonging to large organizations, we have no mentor to guide us. We have to figure everything ourselves, and the most efficient way to do that is to observe others who are more proficient."

Ma Kong didn't bother to argue with them and directed the group south, away from the mountain ranges, before night fell. They arrived at their stop point, one of the many bustling cities within the Luminescent Domain. A giant stone plaque soon came into view, displaying the name Witherfall City.

"I-isn't this the city where the Eroding March Pavilion is based in?" Wei Ping noted.

"Hm, then maybe we can enlist their help," Li Lang said. "There's some serious shopping we need to do."

"Weren't you going to try consulting the Artificer Guild first to create our own?" Long Yi added.

"Yes, but the chances are against us. Even if we get all the materials here, who can say if we will succeed or not? Better prepare alternatives while we have the chance. But you're right. Let's visit the Artificer Guild first."

Chapter 222: Artificer Guild

Entering Witherfall City was easy. Eroding March Pavilion was only a small faction on the grand scale of things prior to the incident in the pocket realm. That naturally meant the cities in their area were on a smaller scale as well.

These small settlements treated cultivators like kings, especially those who were true cultivators. No one dared to give Li Lang's group any trouble, and they quickly arrived at the Artificer Guild.

The guild building was an unimpressive structure when compared to the other guilds. Neither the exterior nor the interior were remarkable. It was a place with simple furnishing and nothing memorable.

Li Lang couldn't compare this Witherfall branch to any other branch, as he rarely frequented the Artificer Guild. He wasn't a certified artificer yet due to declining the request to inspect his printer artifact back when he had refined it during the auctions. He was only registered as an apprentice.

"How may we help you, sir?"

The receptionist bowed with a gracefulness that betrayed how well-practiced they were.

"Are there any Artificers here that I can consult?" Li Lang asked.

His blunt question caused the receptionist's facade to almost slip. They hid their irritation well, but they laced their next words with their frustration while maintaining their kind face.

"What do you take the Artificer Guild to be? Shouldn't the Alchemist Guild and Brushweaver Guild have educated you? The guilds are meant to certify professionals who have exceeded a benchmark in their crafts. It is not meant to be your on-demand consultant. If you wish to find a mentor, I can look that up for you, but that is a long-term commitment."

Before Li Lang could even respond to the onslaught, his companions were audibly failing to contain their laughter behind him. Even Zhu Yi had a grin on her face and turned away when Li Lang looked her way. Only Ma Kong remained expressionless, inspecting his surroundings cautiously.

Left with no supporters, Li Lang softened his tone and tried again.

"That—are there really no artificers here that can spare some time? I'm willing to compensate them for their time."

Instead of receiving an answer this time, he only got a glare.

"Umm, please? Can you at least ask around?"

Hearing how meek he was, the receptionist blinked rapidly and glanced around. A blush decorated their face, as they realized their blunder and had caused a scene. They quickly nodded and retreated from the lobby at full speed.

"You sure have your ways with women," Long Yi teased.

Li Lang sighed. That hadn't even been on his mind. He was so absorbed with his task that he hadn't even looked the receptionist in the face. In fact, he didn't even remember their gender.

He reflected while they waited, but the receptionist never returned. Instead, a fiery woman ascended from a set of stairs with gusto, staring sternly at every passerby. She carefully inspected each visitor in the lobby until her eyes landed on Li Lang's group.

"You! Are you the brat asking for a consultation?"

"Um, yes."

The newcomer appeared as if she was about to erupt in anger when she caught sight of the others behind Li Lang. Her eyes zoned in on the robes from Nightmoon Valley and her expression softened.

"Hmph, come with me."

Looking like she was being forced into it, she guided the visitors to one of the guest rooms upstairs. They sat down around a table where a ceramic tea set was placed. The woman simply pointed a finger at the kettle and a small fire instantly lit up below it. A moment later, she served hot tea to the guests.

"Consultations are unusual. Especially by apprentices like you two," the fiery woman directed a look at Li Lang and Long Yi. "You must be traveling, so tell me, where are you from?"

"I am Li Lang and this is Long Yi. We're from Emberglow City—err with the exception of the two seniors h—"

"I know where they're from." The woman turned to formally face the two Nightmoon Valley disciples. "Apologies for my manners. I am Yu Chengfong of the Yu Clan that resides here in Witherfall City."

"There's no need to mind us," Zhu Yi politely said as she twirled a folded fan around.

Her words and mannerism gracefully conveyed that Yu Chengfong should ignore their presence. It even made the usually uninterested Li Lang take note of the high-level social skills displayed here.

That can take me a long way, especially when asking for favors. None of us are good talkers—well, maybe Wei Ping is, if they don't mind his speech impediment. I should leave more negotiations to him.

"Very well. So anyway, what do you brats want? You can't possibly be asking me to give you an ad hoc lesson, right? If so, I'll be taking my leave. You should wait until you reunite with your teacher for such things."

It had been a while since Li Lang had been treated like a kid. He was a grown man now, and a Foundation Establishment Cultivator as well. He wondered how it was possible for the woman to tell his age when there were numerous old monsters who retained their youthful appearance.

"Well, we can compensate you handsomely. How do ten red crystals for a moment of your time sound?"

The woman grunted before nodding. She was also in the Foundation Establishment Realm. Ten red crystals weren't a lot, but were well worth a bit of her time. It was easy money.

"You have half an incense's worth of time. Go ahead."

"As you can somehow tell, we've only recently broken through. We would like to brush up on how to successfully create Mortal-grade artifacts."

"That's the first thing you guys worry about after breaking through?" Yu Chengfong sighed. "Fine, if it's just Mortal-grade, then follow me to the workshop."

As they once again went on the move, Li Lang immediately unleashed his barrage of questions.

"To your workshop? Are you going to craft an artifact for us to see?"

"What? No. I don't waste resources so carelessly like that. I'll just go through the steps."

"Hm, in that case, are there any Mortal-grade beast cores for trade at this branch?"

"Don't ask me. Ask the people at the front."

"Then do you know how different the resulting artifact can be when employing different schools of artificing techniques?"

"Listen—I may have said you can ask me some questions, but that doesn't mean you can bury me in them! One at a time! We're going through the refinement of Mortal-grade artifacts first."

The group was impressed by how decisively she shut Li Lang up. They peacefully made their way to the basement of the guild. The place was strangely even more spacious than the lobby, with high ceilings and illumination everywhere.

However, one point met with expectation. The sturdy doors to each room down here were made of wood reinforced with metal around the important bits. With their sense as Foundation Establishment cultivators, they could sense it was enchanted with Qi in some way. It made it appear as if the dungeon was where heinous captives were kept.

Walking into one such room, the group was soon introduced to a towering forge that radiated so much heat that they all immediately felt their face well up with sweat. They quickly adjusted themselves, and Yu Chengfong strode straight toward the table nearby without hesitation. On the table were various tools neatly laid out. If one wasn't informed, they would've thought this was a forge for a blacksmith instead of an artificer. 

That was because artificers didn't need to use heat to shape their work. Their techniques allowed them to manipulate metals directly, as if they were clay.

"As you should already have been practicing, artificer techniques are already enough for us to shape and create artifacts. However, depending on the school, some traces of fire-based techniques, reminiscent of blacksmithing, are also employed. This is typically more common with the older schools of artificing. I practice this older style, so what I teach you may not apply to your circumstances. Just remember that artificing is all about the heart. You need to be both brave and charismatic enough when working with beast cores."

As their new part-time teacher began her lesson, Li Lang carefully took down notes, occasionally retreating into Ruby's artifact space. His previous lessons with Tie Qian were more focused on the basics of artificing techniques, so there was so much for him to soak in.

New approaches, and new beliefs in how to accomplish the same goal. Only when all these paths are examined could Li Lang ever hope to comprehend the art of aritficing.

Chapter 223: Witherfall City

"Teacher Yu," Li Lang interrupted her mid-speech by shooting up his hand. "What about artifacts capable of range attacks? Are they the same as all the other artifacts?"

"That's correct. They are, but with one big caveat. Range artifacts constantly consume a colossal amount of Qi to operate, as the energy imbued into the projectile is consumed entirely. It is basically no different from many Qi arts. In fact, a solid melee artifact could enhance most Qi arts to a level comparable to dedicated ranged artifacts, so they are rarely seen."

"I see."

After some thought, Li Lang thought her words to be true. In an intense fight, if a cultivator was caught off guard, they would much rather have a melee weapon to fend off enemies with rather than a bow. If the damage from ranged attacks were equal, ranged artifacts only had demerits. There was also the logistics involved as well. Ammunition that could be imbued with powerful Qi was not cheap. Constantly using such expensive disposables could easily bankrupt someone.

Those who wished to pursue ranged options would rather hone their Qi arts.

Perhaps a gun can be useful? No, I've seen what high-level cultivators can do. The muzzle velocity isn't anything powerful cultivators can't deal with. The constant amount of Qi I will have to expend on it isn't worth it.

After some sidetracking, Li Lang refocused on his objective of creating a melee artifact for himself and his companions.

The lessons didn't last long, and Yu Chengfong soon exhausted everything she could teach about Mortal-grade artifacts.

"That's about as much time as I have to spare. Farewell."

Without waiting for a reply, the fiery artificer forcefully kicked out her guests from her underground workshop. As soon as they left, the sound of the forge coming to life could be heard.

"Well, let's go check out their stock of beast cores and get out of here."

After once again inquiring with one of the receptionists in the lobby, Li Lang's group exited the Artificer Guild. They hadn't come out empty-handed as they did manage to buy a limited quantity of beast cores. However, it wasn't nearly enough. Without rest, they headed for the Eroding March Pavilion next. To be precise, their branch within Witherfall City.

Like many sects, their main pavilion wasn't located in the middle of a mortal city. They have their own land and living area, often exclusive to their members. Li Lang and his gang weren't shy about relying on their relationships and had the people stationed at the branch reach out to Gui Hong and Ning Fei, the acquaintances they had met in Polarity City.

After notifying the Eroding March Pavilion, the group retired to an inn for the night. This was the only time of the day when the trio were left alone by their Nightmoon Valley bodyguards.

"Wei Ping, are you going to be tackling your bottleneck again tonight?"

"Y-yes. Another day passed is another day lost. I-I have to make use of my time w-wisely."

Wei Ping soon consumed a Foundation Pill and went silent as made another attempt at his bottleneck. This was a regular occurrence, so Li Lang and Long Yi quickly moved on.

"What do you think?" Long Yi asked. "Have your chances of succeeding in artificing improved after today?"

"It's hard to say—it's all too vague to measure with only two of us as a benchmark."

Long Yi stole a glance at the perspiring Wei Ping.

"But we should keep trying, right?"

"Yes. We have enough for half a dozen rounds of tests, though each core is from a completely different type of Qi beast with different attributes, though."

The trio spent the night hard at work. Unfortunately, none of their efforts had been rewarded that night.

The next morning, they found three people there to greet them when they exited their rooms. They consisted of the two they invited, Gui Hong and Ning Fei, plus a vaguely familiar face that Li Lang couldn't put a name to.

It was only when Zhu Yi and Ma Kong went to greet these newcomers that he was reminded of his name.

"Greetings, Gui Tianzi. I believe it's our first time meeting. I have been admiring your accomplishments at such a young age ever since you bested even our little princess," Zhu Yi greeted.

That's right! That guy I made into our scapegoat to take the heat away from us. In the end, Nightmoon Valley found me out anyway, so I can't even bear to face him eye to eye. His sacrifice was in vain.

"Yes, it's an honor to meet all of you as well. You're all guests of our pavilion during your stay here, so please feel free to let us know if you need anything."

No one replied to the man's kind words and an awkward silence descended over the lobby of the inn. Nightmoon Valley's duo only nodded, as they deemed it not their place to take over the conversation, while the others waited for Li Lang to speak on their behalf. They quickly realized Li Lang had gone silent, and they all wondered what was wrong.

Those unfamiliar with Li Lang speculated that there may have been some squabbles between the two parties during their time in the pocket realm. This was especially so for Gui Tianzi.

After having unexpectedly found himself as the most well-known cultivator of the junior generation, he had eventually learned to just go with the flow. However, he still internally panicked as he feared he was suffering from occasional memory loss. He couldn't be sure if he had offended Li Lang at some point in the past.

He didn't dare tell anyone about his potential memory issue, as it was one of the common signs of cultivation deviation. If he was suspected of cultivation deviation, he was sure his elders would imprison him until they could be sure he was okay. That's why he played along with what others said while he couldn't help but panic internally.

'Did I offend this Li Lang at some point? What in the world was going on with me while I was in the pocket realm?' he thought.

Thankfully, the awkwardness didn't persist. Gui Hong and Ning Fei were there to fill the void.

"Time sure flies. It only felt like yesterday that we were wandering around the various auction houses of Polarity City. Anyway, now that you're visiting, feel free to use us as your guides."

"Gui Hong is right. Feel free to tell him anything you need. He'll accommodate you," Nine Fei added.

"Why are you singling me out? Aren't you here too?"

The trio chuckled at the two's antics, and the atmosphere relaxed.

"Actually, Li Lang and I were looking for something that we could use your help on," Long Yi said. "Do you happen to know where we can procure some beast cores? Just Mortal-grade will do."

"Hm, that shouldn't be a problem," Gui Tianzi responded in his cousin's stead. "You should see how many gifts we've been receiving since the end of The Great Trial of Water Crest. I'm sure we have more cores than we know what to do with."

The group soon exited the inn and went around town under the guidance of the local trio. They toured the city for the morning before stopping at their branch, where someone had carried out the request for beast cores.

Li Lang paid the fair market price, and he was finally restocked with all the materials he needed to explore traditional artificing.

When the transaction was done, they parted ways with the Eroding March Pavilion disciples, as they prepared to continue their journey.

Heading back north toward the mountain ranges, their journey was smooth—or so they thought.

Only a few hours after leaving Witherfall City, when they had to lower their altitude to be just above the treeline, the group of five found something amiss. It was subtle, but all of them noticed it regardless.

"This—is it just me, or are the trees below getting closer?" Long Yi muttered out loud.

"Is o-our Skyrunner dipping down?"

Due to his companion's words, Li Lang tried to pull their vehicle up, but to his surprise, their elevation remained the same. No, to be precise, the trees below grow in height along with the Skyrunner!

"Seniors," Li Lang couldn't help but call out to the more powerful cultivators. "Do you sense anything amiss?"

The two from Nightmoon Valley spent their time on the roof of the Skyrunner, so their expressions couldn't be read. However, their silence was very telling.

Nothing good seems to be coming out of this.

Chapter 224: Dense Greenery

"Seniors!" Li Lang called out. "Should we climb away?"

Despite not knowing the situation, Li Lang wanted to do something to address the current situation. He didn't know what caused the treeline below to be stalking them, but he knew it wasn't good to allow it to continue.

"No," Zhu Yi replied. "It's no use."

The Nightmoon Valley cultivator kept it short for a good reason. The Skyrunner suddenly jerked. The entire vehicle slowed down, and the occupants were alarmed. It didn't take long for the couple standing above to spot the issue. Some vines had somehow latched onto the back of their vehicle.

Just as Ma Kong moved to sever these vines, numerous silhouettes could be spotted from within the treeline below. They were keeping pace with the Skyrunner now that it had been slowed down. These newcomers didn't hesitate and launched various attacks to prevent the couple from freeing their transport.

"Leave it to me," Zhu Yi coldly muttered.

She then flicked her sleeve and darkness consumed her figure. It quickly expanded, covering up a good chunk of the surrounding area, including the Skyrunner. The oncoming attacks consisting of various Qi lights of various attributes were instantly consumed the moment it made contact with this darkness. No sound or impact happened. The attacks just disappeared, but that wasn't all.

The sphere of darkness surrounding the carriage then launched out toward the assailants, expanding in size as it traveled. Nothing remained in its wake. All the trees and vines it came into contact with vanished from existence.

The events happened within an instant. The driver, Li Lang, and his two companions still had yet to realize the severity of the issue. All they noticed was their vision suddenly darkening before it returned to normal.

"Steer us into the treelines!" Zhu Yi yelled from above. "They're more of them tracking us down!"

Li Lang fought against the instinct to fly up where it normally was the safer direction to flee in and drove the Skyrunner into the cover of the branches. While this was a valid strategy to lose the pursuers, in the short term, he only closed the distance to the ambushers. 

Red piercing glances could be seen all around him, so Li Lang could only hope that his companions from the premier organization knew what they were doing.

He may have a small force of Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Crucible that could be summoned to reinforce them, but their combat experience was several folds worse than even his. Even their repertoire of techniques was abysmal, thanks to being rushed through the entirety of the Energy Gathering Realm.

Thankfully, as the next round of attacks closed in, the darkness took hold of the surroundings again and consumed everything that dared encroach on its domain. Zhu Yi repeated her technique, sending out the globe of darkness at her enemies, but this time, a figure suddenly appeared behind her as soon as she did. 

It was a muscular man with his upper body completely exposed. He had expertly timed his approach to be just after the darkness had gone from defensive to offensive. His eyes were muddled and had a frenzied look in them.

Seeing this, Li Lang retrieved his spear from his space ring and leaped out from the driver's seat. He didn't even have the chance to straighten his knees when the strong man spurted out a mouthful of blood. He stared down to find a hole through his torso, the size of a fist. Without letting him lift his head, Ma Kong kicked the man off the roof of the carriage. He then turned his eyes to Li Lang.

"We're surrounded, but keep going. We'll take care of it. As soon as we make it out of their encirclement, use the cover of the trees to lose them."

Li Lang nodded.

"Long Yi, Wei Ping, go help the two seniors."

"Umm, shouldn't you call for some reinforcements?" Long Yi questioned. "I think there're dozens of them out there. We're completely outnumbered."

His words caused Ma Kong to scoff.

"They're a bunch of rabble. Weak-willed cultivators who have lost their minds. Most of them are mortals, while the few who are in the Foundation Establishment Realm are all in the early stage."

Li Lang cleared his throat, exchanging glances with his companions. While the composition of the enemy's forces may appear weak to Ma Kong, it was a different story for the trio. They doubted they could handle even one true cultivator without some serious planning or taking some risks.

"Anyway, we won't be having any reinforcements yet," Li Lang replied.

"Why?"

"Just look around. How much room do you think we have?"

Their battlefield was only the roof of their Skyrunner. It barely had room for the four of them to punch and kick around. Adding more defenders wouldn't be much help.

"Hmm, you're right."

The conversation was cut short as another barrage of attacks headed their way. Li Lang left the specific arrangements of their formation to the experts and focused on driving the Skyrunner.

It wasn't an easy task, with all the greenery obscuring his vision. He had to weave around the trees and branches to avoid any collisions. It only got harder with the assailants lurking within. He was completely stumped when he spotted an unnaturally dense wall of trees blocking their path. It stretched far and wide, and no gaps could be seen. The worst part of it was the numerous eyes peering through the tiny gaps. 

"Do you still want me to keep going straight into that?" Li Lang asked.

There was no place for them to sneak through. It was either straight ahead or fly over the tree line. The enemy knew that too, so they were likely prepared to deal with both scenarios.

"Yes," Ma Kong curtly replied.

Li Lang wasn't used to hearing the man's voice so much, but he could only comply. The two from Nightmoon Valley were their most reliable protectors at the moment.

Steeling their resolve, the group soon charged headfirst into the wall of trees. Before the moment of impact, a bright light shone for a split second and a large circular opening was bored through the trees. The Skyrunner didn't slow down at all as it smoothly passed through the newly made hole.

"Good job!" Long Yi cried. "That's quite the Qi art you practice there. I wonder when I'll be—"

Before he could finish his words, wooden tendrils lashed out from all around them. There were so many that it appeared whoever was behind the attack was determined to bury them in vines.

The four who weren't driving were positioned on the four corners of the roof. They wordlessly got to work, unleashing their attacks to repel the tide of plants. One moment, darkness consumed everything they could see, and the next, a bright light shone through it. Zhu Yi and Ma Kong assisted their weaker companions by using one flashy Qi art after the other.

It allowed them to successfully pass through the hole in the dense treeline, allowing them to breathe a sigh of relief. They were now safe, safer than being in the middle of the encirclement—or so they thought.

Before any of them could react, dozens of saplings burst out from their clothes. It grew quickly, entangling both their bodies and their vehicle. They were caught off guard, which meant they were slow to react. It costed them. Their entire group soon came to a complete standstill, as they were all restrained.

As they struggled to break free, four figures closed in from different directions. During this struggle, the weakest among them, Wei Ping, was having the toughest time.

He could barely put up a fight against the roots entangling him. It overpowered him to the point of pulling him off the roof of the vehicle!

Seeing the urgent situation, Zhu Yi enshrouded them all in her darkness again, but this time, it covered a much larger area. It caused the roots to rapidly weaken and then disintegrate, allowing them all to break through. Without a moment of delay, she masterfully manipulated it to split off and shoot toward the four figures.

For some reason, the ambushers were undeterred. They each continued walking in a straight line without a care. It allowed the darkness to consume them. However, for the first time of the day, someone had actually managed to survive the shadowy power. In fact, all four of them were completely unharmed!

"Hmm, too weak! A Qi art designed to deal with multiple targets is too weak to be able to cause me any harm. Perhaps you should try to concentrate your power next time."

In response, Ma Kong made his move.

The signature bright light shone, and the next second, the talkative assailant got into a defensive stance with a shield in front of him.

"Now that's more like it! That got my heart pumping. Time to have some fun!"

While the man got excited, the two Nightmoon Valley disciples were less than enthused. They shared a glance and solemnly nodded. They were prepared to take things more seriously.

Chapter 225: Synergistic Techniques

Li Lang quickly huddled with Long Yi in the center of the Skyrunner. They knew tough enemies had appeared, and the best thing they could do was stay out of their allies' way.

"Should we jump down?" Long Yi whispered.

Their vehicle was currently suspended in mid-air by the roots that had suddenly sprouted all over them. Their friend, Wei Ping, had even fallen off to the ground. It made the question easy for Li Lang to answer.

"Yes, do it."

The two discreetly moved over to the edge. The four ambushers were still approaching them from four different directions, so it was inevitable that their actions would be noticed, but they didn't care. Instead, these assailants had their full attention on the two Nightmoon Valley cultivators.

The two didn't dawdle and jumped from the roof of the Skyrunner. However, the cultivators around them took that as a signal to strike!

Two of the four assailants were even devious enough to target Li Lang and Long Yi instead. It made them grit their teeth as they summoned their weapons, ready to defend themselves.

Their efforts turned out to be needless, as a familiar figure materialized in front of them and dragged them back onto the roof of the Skyrunner. Ma Kong had appeared at lightning speed! Then the darkness came. It consumed everything in the area within a second and continued to expand. It didn't subside like before, trapping everyone within the lightless domain.

"Don't move," Ma Kong's voice called out to Li Lang and Long Yi. "These four are different. We can't have you running around or they'll use you against us."

He then turned his attention back to his enemies and sliced out the air before him with a knife-hand. The light shone through the darkness with much higher intensity than before. It didn't subside right away either, and two cries could be heard in the distance.

"Is this the seniors getting serious?" Li Lang pondered. "Their techniques seem to synergize, growing stronger in each other's presence."

"Li Lang, is it really the time to be analyzing right now?"

"What else can we do? The seniors will take care of it, but we aren't allowed to move."

Another cry rang out from somewhere, causing Li Lang to nod appreciatively as he resumed his analysis.

"Seems like they really have it under control. I wonder who dared to attack us when two members of Nightmoon Valley were openly standing guard on top of our Skyrunner? Are they truly just demonic cultivators who suffered from cultivation deviation to the point of losing their minds?"

Long Yi shrugged.

"Senior Ma Kong may have said they were mindless, but that didn't seem to apply to the four who appeared at the end."

"Right. So an organized attack on members of the Nightmoon Valley. Let's hope this doesn't turn out to be anything big."

The two early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators shared their opinions for a little longer before the darkness that enshrouded them finally faded away. The figure of Zhu Yi and Ma Kong reappeared, along with the four attackers, who were lying motionless on the roof of the Skyrunner. They each had a talisman on their forehead and their limbs were tightly bound together.

Almost immediately, Li Lang and Long Yi jumped off the vehicle to retrieve their friend. Zhu Yi exchanged a quick glance with her partner, forcing Ma Kong to sigh as he went after them. After all, their mission was to protect them. Specifically, Li Lang, who owned the pocket realm. To carry out this goal, he constantly scanned the surroundings as he descended.

His searches turned out empty, which was a good thing, but it was also the reason he became so alarmed when he heard Long Yi's cries.

"How can this be? Where is he?"

Looking down at the scene, Ma Kong found Li Lang and Long Yi frantically looking around, desperate to catch sight of their comrade. However, there was nothing but shrubbery and trees all around them.

The panic on their faces started to grow. It didn't take long before Long Yi ran off in a random direction to begin his search. As for Li Lang, he crouched near the ground, carefully inspecting any clues.

Ma Kong grunted at this turn of events. He quickly decided to follow after Long Yi, as he knew his partner noticed the situation by now. He was right. Zhu Yi also descended to the ground level soon after.

"Do you know any divination techniques?" Li Lang asked without bothering to turn around.

"No. Divination techniques are not easy to learn. Even our Nightmoon Valley doesn't have many who are proficient in it."

This caused Li Lang to frown. He began to regret not studying this esoteric technique. He had only studied ways to counter it and now it came back to bite him. His emotions blinded him to the fact he had never come across any proper divination techniques to practice or reference in the first place. It was a futile attempt to try to learn something he had so little data on from scratch.

Zhu Yi silently watched on as the young man continued to desperately search for clues that may have scattered onto the ground. He suddenly plopped himself onto the ground, crossed his legs, and closed his eyes to channel some sort of Qi art.

After failing to find any clues, Li Lang decided to employ a certain technique they had prepared. The trio had come up with various contingency plans over the years. After their encounter with the demonic cultivator from the Drenched Earth Sect just outside Polarity City's area of influence, finding a way to stay in touch naturally became a priority.

Previously, Li Lang failed to use his concealment talisman because their attacker had stolen his space ring. This caused him to split up from his friends as he fought for his life.

The solution to their program was simple. They already had the correct tools to address it. It was the Qi art they had won in the auction, the Tracing Origin Art. The trio had placed a mark on each other's clothes. They would've preferred the flesh itself if it was viable, but the technique wouldn't last nearly as long due to the body's passive defensiveness against external influences. 

Still, it was adequate to track each other down. It took some time to attune to something in an unknown direction and not nearby, but Li Lang eventually felt it. A faint mark off in the distance, moving at rapid speeds.

"Long Yi!" he yelled. "Come back!"

His giant of a friend never ventured far. He ensured Wei Ping didn't roll into a bush somewhere nearby, so he searched around in a circle. He swiftly returned and Li Lang began informing him of what he knew and then turned to Zhu Yi.

"They're flying north, deeper into the mountain ranges. We have to go quickly, so can we borrow the strength of a Skyrunner from one of you esteemed seniors? After all, the people who attacked us were deviators, right? We don't have much time."

The two Nightmoon Valley members exchanged glances and shrugged.

"We haven't interrogated them yet. It's hard to say, given that these four still retain some clarity of mind. Though it's not rare for that to happen among people suffering from cultivation deviation, we can't discount the possibility of another force manipulating from the background."

"Regardless, we can't let them kidnap our friend. We have to catch up to them before they do anything to him!"

"Right!" Long Yi agreed. "They're bad demonic cultivators who'll suck Wei Ping dry to progress their cultivation, right?"

"Only if they notice he's not a demonic cultivator—which isn't unlikely. They should've discovered this secret the moment they made direct contact with him."

Orthodox Qi and demonic Qi had a unique reaction to each other. As long as one took the time to inspect, it wasn't hard to confirm which path of cultivation someone belonged to.

"The only saving grace for your friend is that he is still a mortal," Zhu Yi said with a sigh. "The one who captured him should be the one who had managed to sneak his dreadful seeds onto us, that caused all those vines to sprout. That means the person is in the Foundation Establishment Realm. Even if his technique steals life force from humans, using a mortal won't benefit his cultivation much. He will likely interrogate him for information or sell him to someone who has uses for him."

"Regardless, it's still a race against time. Hurry, Senior. Please summon your Skyrunner."

Zhu Yi nodded, no longer hesitating at her charge's desperate plea. A new Skyrunner materialized. One that was larger and had more sophisticated engravings.

The group didn't spare any time to appreciate it and quickly boarded it. They retrieved Li Lang's vehicle before flying off in pursuit of their captured ally.

They could only hope that wherever they were taking him, they wouldn't come across anyone they couldn't handle. Otherwise, by the time they call for reinforcements, it may already be too late.

Chapter 226 pursuit

"I shouldn't have forced him to come with us," Li Lang murmured weakly. "He could've stayed in the Crucible like he wanted. I forced him into a situation he knew he was unprepared for."

"Enough with that already!" Long Yi bellowed. "It's not helping. Save your energy for when we arrive."

Seeing the two young men agitated, Zhu Yi shook her head.

"Your friend is right. There's no time for reflection or second-guessing."

With a dreary mood, the group silently proceeded in the direction of where the Tracing Origin Art indicated Wei Ping was. They all knew what was to come. Being captured by a demonic cultivator who had suffered from cultivation deviation, otherwise known as deviators, could only lead to one outcome. They would have their life force sucked out of them in order to fuel their cultivation.

The people who captured Wei Ping operated in numbers. Following them meant intruding on their stronghold. It was expected that there would be even more deviators there, and they had to face them if they wanted to rescue Wei Ping.

With them using Zhu Yi's Skyrunner, they were making good progress, but they still couldn't see a shadow of anything. They were reaching deeper into the mountain ranges where Qi beasts reined. It wasn't a surprising location, as the wilderness on the border was the perfect spot for deviators to hide. It made it hard for anyone to track them down, and if any sect or organization tried to hunt them down, they could jump between territories to break their pursuit. It also allowed them to be near their favorite sort of prey, orthodox cultivators.

It wasn't that demonic cultivators could only use orthodox cultivators to advance their cultivation. Each technique was unique and came with different conditions. However, it was a fact that orthodox cultivators possessed purer Qi, which made it significantly easier and less risky to digest. 

If they absorbed the life force from other demonic cultivators, the negative effects the victim was suffering from their own cultivation technique could be passed on. It was like how humans preferred livestock that were herbivores. Carnivores face an additional vector of disease exposure through their diet.

As they traveled further and further into the mountain ranges, Li Lang composed himself. He began questioning his allies about their past experiences in dealing with these deviator hideouts.

"What should we do if they continue to flee into the righteous sects' territories? It's common for them to do that in order to escape, right?"

"Yes, but that is usually a last resort. They don't know we can track them down right now. By the time they find out, they won't have time to evacuate with their captives. It shouldn't be an issue if our objective is only to rescue people."

"Do they keep a lot of captives around? I thought they would be the type to immediately consume every drop of Qi out of whoever they captured."

"The more mindless among them do, but as you saw, these people were organized. Their type usually keeps a stock of feed around. It's their primary currency."

So they treat humans like Qi stones. Just perfect.

"Hmm, it seems like they've come to a stop. Their hideout should be just ahead."

This made everyone alert. Weapons were unsheathed as they prepared physically and mentally for the battle ahead.

Their Skyrunner soon came to a stop near the base of a mountain. They would approach the rest of the way on foot to remain undetected.

The four Foundation Establishment cultivators trekked through the thickets of the forest, on guard against any Qi beasts or lookouts. Surprisingly, they didn't encounter anything. It appeared as if the Qi beasts left these deviators alone.

Still, that only made it easier for Li Lang's group. They carefully drew closer to the mountain. They cautiously scanned their surroundings, but all they found were trees and stones. There was nothing like an entrance into the mountain before them. If Li Lang hadn't picked up Wei Ping's signal from the Tracing Origin Art, they would've moved along already.

"This place is well hidden," Zhu Yi muttered. "It seems it won't be possible to take a covert approach."

"Senior, you plan to attack the mountain directly?" Li Lang asked with a frown. "Isn't that stirring the hornet's nest? Who knows what kind of experts reside here?"

"It's better than to wait here for who knows how long. We would've never been able to take their captives away without them noticing anyway. The stability of a deviator's mind is questionable, but it doesn't mean they are without intelligence. Their stronghold would naturally have plenty of defensives and ways to detect intruders."

Her words made Li Lang speechless. He never directly dealt with any deviators, so he couldn't refute her claims.

Seeing he had nothing to say, Zhu Yi and Ma Kong proceeded with their plan. 

"You two stay here and wait for my signal. We will try to keep as many of them occupied as possible. Depending on the situation, I may need you to invade their hideout or retreat from the area."

The two Nightmoon Valley cultivators went over the signals and then rose up into the air. Their aura began to increase, as they made themselves known to everyone in the vicinity. They followed it up by projecting their voice loudly across the entire area.

"Come out here, weaklings who have lost their way. We know you're hiding under this mountain like the scared rats you are. It's time for you all to pay for your sins."

No response came, and only the sounds of birds chirping in the distance could be heard. As if having respected this response, Zhu Yi began casting a powerful Qi art. 

A giant orb of darkness quickly formed above her. It was easily a hundred times her size. Once it stopped growing, the darkness began dripping down from it. It was as if the orb was being overfilled with gooey liquids. The darkness latched onto the ground and began to spill toward the mountain.

The eerie Qi art didn't produce any noticeable effects, but it expanded its coverage quickly.

"Still hiding like a turtle? Don't blame me for what comes next, then!"

When the darkness engulfed a sizable part of the mountain, it suddenly began to simmer. It started off gentle, but rapidly grew more active. Within the span of a breath, the tranquility of the area shattered as the ground erupted into a violent tremor.

It was only when the earth cracked that several figures appeared. A dozen people, with some riding on giant Qi beasts, came rushing in defense of their hideout. They charged at the two cultivators hovering above, choosing to skip past the talking and dive into the fighting right away.

Unfortunately for them, their attack was destined to fail. Ma Kong had been on guard this entire time. The newcomers were all in either the early or middle stages, so they weren't a match for him. He easily kept them at bay while his partner busied herself with channeling the Qi art that shook the mountain.

"Is that all of you? I remember there being more of you earlier," Zhu Yi yelled.

The deviators didn't reply. They only exchanged glances with each other before resuming their attacks.

Flashes of light filled the skies as the intensity of their fight grew. Li Lang and Long Yi carefully watched every second of it.

"Are you sure we haven't missed the signal?" Long Yi fretfully asked. "It's been some time. Maybe we should move to help them? Perhaps they are being pressured too much to even give a signal."

"No," Li Lang firmly declined. "We wait. It's not like we'd be much help in this situation, anyway. I'm not afraid to admit that we're too inexperienced. We'd only get in the way."

"That—if only I had an artifact! Not that I blame you or anything. It's just—"

"I understand, but it really is my fault. I promised you an artifact a long time ago, but I haven't been able to deliver."

The helplessness the two currently experienced wasn't completely useless, though. They burned every second of their experiences into their heads. The frustration that welts up would eventually be used to further their growth. The spectacle before them would prepare them for their future fights. While the artifacts they saw in action would be used as a reference for their future creations.

As they watched entire clusters of trees being blown to bits in the wake of powerful Qi arts, the two obtained a better grasp of what cultivators in their realm were capable of.

We're lacking an arsenal of techniques. And over there, that man is using a tamed Qi beast to fight. I want to learn how to do that as well. It'd be perfect for someone like me who isn't proficient in combat.

After several more rounds of exchanging blows, Zhu Yi finally gave a signal to her two allies lying in wait. When the two of them saw it, they both took in a deep breath. That was because it was the signal for retreat!