Translator: CinderTL
Xu Sanyan pondered to himself. Qi Liang's faction was undoubtedly the strongest, boasting two cultivators at the Peak Stage of Foundation Establishment and over forty at the Mid and Initial Stages. No other faction could stand against them alone, so avoiding them was the wisest course of action.
Apart from Qi Liang, Xu Sanyan was confident he could hold his own against anyone else, even Tu Wanshan, ranked second, and Mengdie, ranked third.
"Let's move out," Xu Sanyan declared, waving his hand. The group immediately fell into formation behind him.
Xiang Tan pursed her lips and hurried to catch up with Xu Sanyan. "Senior Brother Xu," she said, "I never knew you were so powerful!"
Xu Sanyan glanced sideways with a teasing smirk. "Oh? Haven't you already witnessed my prowess? Have you forgotten so quickly?"
Xiang Tan blushed bashfully, adopting a coquettish tone. "Stop it! That's not what I meant..."
Xu Sanyan had no time for her teasing. He pinched her cheek lightly. "Behave yourself. I hope to see you again when we get out of here."
With that, he pulled out his Compass of Direction and strode ahead, leading the way.
"Um..." Xiang Tan's lips moved, wanting to say something more, but she didn't know how to begin.
She had intended to ask Xu Sanyan if he succeeded in becoming the Holy Son, could he reserve one of the coveted supporter positions for her? But Xu Sanyan gave her no opportunity to speak.
Even if she had managed to voice her request, Xu Sanyan wouldn't have agreed. Over twenty people were vying for the five positions, and one was almost certainly reserved for Chi Yu. With only four spots remaining, how could he jeopardize such a grand undertaking for a mere trivial favor?
If she possessed even half of Chi Yu's capabilities, reserving a position for her might be justifiable.
Alas, she didn't. Instead, she possessed a unique talent that far surpassed Chi Yu's, making him look like an amateur.
Meanwhile,
Seeing Xu Sanyan depart, Gong Niang rose with her group and followed. A junior sister in a blue robe whispered to Gong Niang, "Senior Sister, if the Holy Son Token is truly hidden within those ruins, then we..."
Gong Niang shot her a sidelong glance. "Do you not know why you're here?"
The junior sister immediately understood.
For now, both groups maintained a semblance of harmony, but only because the Holy Son Token had yet to surface. The moment one side found it, the fragile truce would shatter instantly.
Chi Yu led the way, Compass of Direction in hand, while Xu Sanyan guarded the rear, keeping a watchful eye on Gong Niang and her group. The Jin Brothers flanked them, and the rest of the party followed closely behind.
The group pressed onward in silence, heads bowed in focused determination.
As a sliver of light pierced the horizon, Chi Yu exhaled deeply and pointed into the distance. "Senior Brother Xu, we've arrived. That's the ruins."
Xu Sanyan raised his gaze. Before them stretched a vast stone forest, its towering pillars of rock rising amidst the dense woodland. Largely obscured by the trees, only glimpses of crumbling architectural outlines could be seen through the canopy.
Countless stone columns dotted the sprawling stone forest, some snapped in half, others weathered by centuries of wind and rain yet still standing tall.
Xu Sanyan frowned. "This place is huge. If someone hides the Holy Son Token carelessly, it'll be a nightmare to find."
Gong Niang and the others caught up. "Junior Brother Xu," she said softly, "let's split up and search individually. Whoever finds it first keeps it—no disputes, to preserve our camaraderie. What do you think?"
"Alright, let's follow Senior Sister's suggestion," Xu Sanyan agreed without hesitation.
It was just empty courtesy, of course. Xu Sanyan knew that if Gong Niang found a Holy Son Token first, he would definitely try to take it from her.
There were only five Holy Son Tokens in the Ten Thousand Demons Mountain, each incredibly precious. Missing this opportunity might mean never getting another chance. He couldn't afford to let one slip through his fingers.
He suspected Gong Niang felt the same way. Perhaps her suggestion was merely a ploy to lower his guard?
Xu Sanyan shook his head inwardly. "Let's split up and search. Two people per group, but don't wander too far."
"Understood," the others replied.
The group dispersed.
Xu Sanyan ventured deeper into the mountain. After a moment's hesitation, Chi Yu followed. Xiang Tan watched their retreating figures, then turned to Junior Sister Chu. "Junior Sister, let's team up."
"Sure!" Junior Sister Chu readily agreed, and the two set off to explore a different area.
Gong Niang glanced at Xu Sanyan's receding back, her eyes flickering with calculation. She subtly signaled to the girl behind her, who understood immediately and led her three companions away.
Xu Sanyan stood before a massive boulder, craning his neck to gaze upward. The rock's surface was riddled with countless holes of varying sizes, packed so densely that they sent shivers down his spine.
"What's inside these holes?" Xu Sanyan asked, pointing to the honeycomb-like structure.
"Bloodthirsty Demon Bats," Chi Yu replied. "Individually, they're weak, probably only at the second-tier realm. But they're social creatures that swarm in groups of tens of thousands, led by a Bat King, usually at the fourth or even fifth-tier realm."
The second-tier realm corresponded to the Inner Qi Realm in cultivation, while the fourth and fifth tiers spanned from Foundation Establishment to the Dao Seeking Realm. Xu Sanyan grew wary; these creatures posed a significant threat.
"They venture out to hunt roughly once a month, spending the rest of their time resting in the caves. As long as we don't provoke them, we should be safe."
Xu Sanyan nodded, his gaze shifting to Gong Niang. She met his eyes, and they exchanged nods and seemingly harmonious smiles.
"Junior Brother Chi," Xu Sanyan said, turning to Chi Yu, "take the Jin Brothers and keep an eye on Gong Niang's group. Prevent them from pulling any tricks. If you notice anything suspicious, act immediately without hesitation."
He retrieved the Stone General from his storage pouch and pressed it into Chi Yu's hand, his expression sincere. "Keep this for now. Protect yourself. I don't want anything to happen to you."
"This... Thank you, Senior Brother Xu!" Chi Yu stammered, accepting the Stone General.
A warm current surged through Chi Yu's heart as he thought, "Senior Brother Xu is truly kind. Luo Yu kept the Stone General for so long, yet he never parted with it. People really are different."
"Go now," Xu Sanyan said, waving his hand.
"Mm!" Chi Yu nodded firmly.
Watching Chi Yu's retreating figure, Xu Sanyan narrowed his eyes before turning back to resume his search.
There were three reasons for giving the Stone General to Chi Yu. First, it was of little practical use to Xu Sanyan himself. Although the Stone General possessed the strength of a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, it was still insignificant to him.
Second, Chi Yu had proven exceptionally useful and easy to command, and Xu Sanyan didn't want anything to happen to him.
Third, it was to win Chi Yu's loyalty. Although the Demonic Seed had already been planted, reinforcing his allegiance remained crucial.
Moreover, when Xu Sanyan eventually became the Holy Son, he would need capable subordinates to manage affairs. He couldn't handle everything personally.
Chi Yu was Xu Sanyan's first chosen subordinate. The Jin Brothers were provisional candidates; if they performed well during this expedition, they too might receive the Demonic Seed.
As for Xiang Tan and others of her ilk, Xu Sanyan couldn't bear to waste a Demonic Seed slot on them.
On the other side of the ruins, Xiang Tan and Junior Sister Chu cautiously examined the stone pillars. "Senior Sister," Chu asked, "do you think Junior Brother Xu is really connected to the Hall Master?"
Xiang Tan shook her head. "I don't know. Sigh, let's not dwell on it. We need to find the Holy Son Token quickly."
For them, survival depended on finding the Holy Son Token and proving their worth.
(End of the Chapter)
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