Chapter 45: Unless the Other Person Is a Fool

"People from the Alliance of the Righteous?" Tiger-Dragon remained impassive, as if the insults just now hadn’t been directed at him at all.

"So, you’re also a cultivator, but you hide your face and skulk in the shadows. Could it be you’re a demon sect fiend, too cowardly to show your true self?" The righteous cultivator paused, only now realizing his opponent was also of their kind.

With Tiger-Dragon’s beggar’s appearance, no one at first glance would ever connect him with the world of cultivation.

Yet, before the righteous cultivator could react, Tiger-Dragon struck without hesitation, swift and merciless.

He frowned, sighed softly, and with a force like splitting mountains, he snapped the throat of the man who had spoken just moments before.

It all happened too quickly. None of the Alliance members had time to respond—then, all was silent.

A chill ran through the group; even the elder in the Nascent Soul stage had been unable to withstand the demon’s blow.

As for these mere Golden Core and Nascent Soul cultivators… compared to ants, they were less than nothing.

Under Tiger-Dragon’s gaze, even fleeing had become an unattainable luxury.

In the blink of an eye, they were all beheaded.

Tiger-Dragon reached into the void and seized the corpse at his feet, sneering, "I happen to be looking for a ghost minion—your timing is perfect."

So saying, he willed his divine sense to force the man’s soul from his sea of consciousness.

"Spare me, senior!"

But Tiger-Dragon showed no hesitation, opening his maw and swallowing the soul whole.

He smacked his lips; the taste was passable.

Then he began to cast a spell to transform the soul into a ghost minion.

After a moment, Tiger-Dragon smiled in satisfaction, then reached into his robes and pulled out a yellowed jade communication token.

He would have liked to keep the opportunity to himself, but given his current circumstances, that was impossible.

The girl’s spectral image appeared again, her expression grim. "Did you lose your quarry?"

"Not quite…" Tiger-Dragon replied, summarizing the events.

A trace of suspicion flickered in the girl’s eyes, but the facts were before her, and she had no choice but to accept them.

Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off…

The appearance of this treasure was just too oddly timed.

After pondering for a moment, the girl spoke slowly: "Wait here for a day. If I don’t arrive within that time, you need not wait further—don’t let it delay the main affair."

...

Late at night, beside a roadside inn.

"Why is it that nothing has happened since I started cultivating the Celestial Maiden Sutra, yet you broke through so quickly…" Zhao Qianxue was stunned, then whispered the question softly.

Su Ji’an smiled. "My cultivation is lower than yours, so breakthroughs come more easily."

In truth…

[Your Dao companion, He Hansu, has advanced slightly in cultivation; you have gained cultivation through sharing.]

Though abrupt, it was a natural progression.

After cultivating the Celestial Maiden Sutra twice with Zhao Qianxue, his own level had improved; then, with several rounds of cultivation sharing from He Hansu over the past few days, reaching the late Golden Core stage was inevitable.

Zhao Qianxue nestled into Su Ji’an’s arms, greedily drinking in his scent.

Su Ji’an grew intent once more, and the two resumed their practice of the Celestial Maiden Sutra.

...

Within the endless, lightless void.

He Hansu gritted her teeth. "Thief!"

When had she ever suffered such humiliation? Not only was she trapped in this accursed place, but her cultivation had also fallen below the True Immortal realm.

Worse still was the portion of her cultivation that vanished with every session.

Perhaps she’d grown accustomed to it. Setting aside her grievances, she felt only a numb acceptance.

She didn’t regret her choice; even if given another chance, she would still descend to the lower world.

She had traversed the most perilous paths, and now, with only this final step remaining, how could she possibly give up?

With this thought, He Hansu once again activated the Dao Companion Sparring mode.

[You have engaged in a duel with your Dao companion Su Ji’an. He is no match for you; with a single blow, you send him flying several yards, unable to rise.]

“Hmmph!” He Hansu let out a pleased hum, her frustration easing somewhat.

By now, she’d lost count of how many times she’d used the Dao Companion Sparring function.

It had become her sole amusement.

She was utterly enamored with this feature.

...

[Your Dao companion He Hansu has used the Dao Companion Sparring function a thousand times and earned the title ‘In the Eyes of a Lover, She is the Fairest of Them All.’]

Su Ji’an’s lips twitched. He cursed inwardly, "You damned system, are you mocking me on purpose?"

This was reverse mockery, and he felt genuinely offended.

It seemed his unseen bride harbored deep resentment toward him.

Surely it wasn’t passionate longing, only that she could vent her bitterness through the sparring feature.

Yet, Su Ji’an remained unruffled. He had benefited from the exchange of cultivation; her resentment was only natural.

Unless she was a simpleton…

But this was no real problem. With time and proper guidance, it could all be resolved.

At dawn the next day, Su Ji’an and Zhao Qianxue resumed their journey.

The road ahead was peaceful, and the scenery along the way was beautiful; no further interference from the Alliance of the Righteous disturbed his mood.

...

Under the noon sun, Tiger-Dragon lay sprawled on the bedrock, a ghost minion fanning him at his side, when his gaze sharpened.

He sensed the young lady’s arrival immediately and hurried to meet her, a fawning smile plastered across his face.

"Master, this Cloud Crane is truly remarkable—to cover thousands of miles in a single day!"

The girl’s expression was indifferent; she waved him off without a word and walked straight to the bedrock.

She swept it with her divine sense, her expression turning to puzzlement. "There seem to be signs of life within… but this thing blocks my senses, so I can’t be sure."

Tiger-Dragon, seeing her indifference, was not offended. He explained eagerly, "Master, this thing is immune to all methods. I’ve tried everything, but I couldn’t so much as scratch it."

The girl frowned and raised her hand, striking with all her might.

With a thunderous boom, the ground shook beneath Tiger-Dragon. The surge of spiritual energy affected him as well, but he reacted quickly enough to avoid injury.

The entire bedrock slid a full yard.

But it showed no real damage.

The girl’s eyes flashed with surprise; glancing at the now pale Tiger-Dragon, she cursed him as useless under her breath.

Tiger-Dragon reminded her, "Master, the Alliance of the Righteous has already set their sights on this thing. This is no place to linger… We are too few in number to risk offending them openly."

The girl shot him a glance, then commanded, "Return to your beast form and carry it."

Tiger-Dragon’s face grew awkward.

He had tried this from the start…

He could barely lift it, for it weighed tens of thousands of pounds.

If he carried it all the way to Yingdu, his body would be on the verge of collapse.