The fierce battle that had raged for over an hour around the mountain peak housing the Spirit Spring finally began to subside. Of the hundreds of cultivators originally gathered here, some were dead, others had fled, leaving scarcely a hundred behind.
These remaining cultivators were essentially the most powerful. Besides a few Golden Core cultivators, most were at the late Foundation Establishment stage, with a small number being lucky survivors who had avoided the fighting or latecomers who had arrived after the conflict.
With the fighting ceased, the survivors tacitly occupied their own patches of territory. Some cultivators, unwilling to give up, still searched for the rumored treasure. Most, however, had abandoned the search, settling instead for the next best thing: sitting cross-legged right where they were to cultivate.
The towering white beam of light that had connected heaven and earth, enveloping the entire mountain, had vanished just a short while ago. This didn't raise much suspicion, as the previous phenomenon hadn't lasted long either. Few would guess its source had already been claimed.
Though the Spirit Spring itself was gone, the incredibly dense spiritual energy that had previously overflowed still saturated the surrounding hundreds of meters. The ambient spiritual energy here was thick beyond belief, an environment these cultivators could hardly dream of under normal circumstances. To cultivate here now was an immense, unexpected boon.
Even one of the Golden Core cultivators, an early-stage Golden Core rogue cultivator, gave up searching for the treasure and began cultivating, leveraging this environment far richer than a third-grade Spirit Gathering Array could provide.
A short while later, finding nothing despite their searches, most of the remaining cultivators also began to cultivate. In the end, only four Golden Core cultivators remained unwilling to give up, meticulously sweeping the area with their spiritual senses.
Some had tried digging down into the earth during this time. Digging a certain distance yielded nothing, except for one Golden Core cultivator who, by sheer luck, chose the correct position and direction. After digging a stretch into the mountainside, his spiritual sense immediately detected the hidden passage within. Elation surged within him. However, when he descended into the underground tunnel, he found only a scene of utter devastation. It was completely empty. Even the corpses of the Long family Foundation Establishment cultivators killed earlier by the Ice-Eyed Python had been disposed of—incinerated by Lin Feng and the Swordsman before they left.
...
Meanwhile, hundreds of meters away from the mountain peak, in a secluded spot behind a large tree within a patch of deep shadow, the ground suddenly glowed with an orange light. A luminous sphere about two meters in diameter rose from the earth. The light faded, and two figures materialized where there had been nothing before.
These two, needless to say, were Lin Feng and the Swordsman.
They had emerged via earth-gliding, surfacing far from the crowd. During their ascent, aided by the effects of Recovery Pills and the surrounding rich spiritual energy, they had managed to restore most of their depleted true essence.
Once above ground, the Swordsman scanned with his spiritual sense to confirm they hadn't been detected. After a brief discussion, they decided to meditate briefly to fully recover before heading back to Starfall City.
Another half-hour passed, and both men were essentially back to full strength. They then set off casually towards Starfall City.
It was the pre-dawn hour, the sky tinged with the first grey light of morning. On their way back, they occasionally encountered cultivators heading towards the mountain from the direction of the city—latecomers hoping to catch the tail end of whatever event had occurred. These were mostly Foundation Establishment cultivators. With the Swordsman's spiritual sense scouting ahead, they deliberately avoided them.
...
"Hmm?! Careful!!"
About ten minutes later, as they crossed a flat stretch of land approaching a small grove of trees, the Swordsman's expression abruptly shifted. He halted instantly, throwing out an arm to stop Lin Feng.
"Chirp!!"
"Hiss!!"
Simultaneously, warning cries sounded almost in unison—one muffled from within Lin Feng's robes, the other sharp and clear from the Swordsman's right sleeve. Xiao Qiu didn't emerge but peered out through a gap in Lin Feng's clothes, its tiny eyes wide with unmistakable alarm. The Ice-Eyed Python, however, slid several inches out of the Swordsman's sleeve, its body coiling slightly. Its icy-blue eyes locked fiercely onto the woods ahead, a flicker of anger seeming to burn within them.
"What is it?!"
Lin Feng, the only one in their group who hadn't sensed anything, felt a pang of inadequacy. He tensed, eyes fixed on the ominous grove, turning to the Swordsman beside him.
The Swordsman's face was grim. He had already drawn his Exquisite Pagoda and his longsword from his storage ring. "People!!" he murmured urgently. "Golden Core cultivators!!"
"Rustle… rustle…"
Before the Swordsman's words fully faded, Lin Feng heard footsteps from within the trees, just dozens of meters ahead. Two figures emerged into view.
"It's them!!"
Seeing them, Lin Feng's eyelids twitched involuntarily. Surprise, followed swiftly by deep wariness, washed over him. The two men stepping out were disturbingly familiar—Wei Wuyi of the Absolute Sword Sect and Long Tian'ao!
Their intentions were immediately clear, radiating hostility. Long Tian'ao's gaze, fixed on Lin Feng, held a distinct blend of cruel amusement and malice.
While Long Tian'ao focused on Lin Feng, Wei Wuyi's piercing gaze went straight to the Swordsman—or more precisely, to the Ice-Eyed Python coiled around the Swordsman's arm.
"The Ice-Eyed Python!!"
Shock and profound confusion warred within Wei Wuyi as he stared at the serpent. His mind raced, instantly spinning through a dozen possibilities and deductions.
Wei Wuyi's eyes narrowed, flickering with calculation. Finally, he lifted his gaze to meet the Swordsman's, his voice low and dangerous. "You actually managed to subdue this beast?! Just who are you?!"
Hearing this, Lin Feng and the Swordsman exchanged a lightning-fast, horrified glance. Wei Wuyi's recognition of the python and the implication behind his words were chillingly clear.
—They were the other group who had breached the underground chamber after the Long family!
The realization struck them instantly, sending a cold dread through their hearts, their expressions darkening further.
The Swordsman ignored the direct question. Instead, he maintained a facade of calm, cupping his fist respectfully. "Junior pays his respects to Senior Wei of the Absolute Sword Sect. Might I inquire as to why you block our path?"
"Hmph!!" Wei Wuyi's eyes turned icy at the evasion. "Spare the pretense! Fine, I'll be blunt. I don't know what trick you used to tame that Ice-Eyed Python, but since you managed it, I presume you also claimed the entire pool of Spirit Spring water hidden beneath the earth?" His voice hardened. "We reached that cavern earlier and gravely wounded this beast before withdrawing temporarily. I don't demand all the spring water now. Hand over half, and we'll leave you be."
"Elder Wei…" Long Tian'ao, standing beside him, looked startled. In his mind, they should seize all the spring water. Why settle for half?
Wei Wuyi shot Long Tian'ao a sharp, silencing glare. He certainly desired to follow their original plan—kill and take everything. However, the sight of the subdued Ice-Eyed Python had injected a powerful dose of caution. The young man before him was only at the third layer of Golden Core, yet he possessed some formidable means to have tamed such a beast. Even if he rationalized that the python had been severely weakened by his own fourth-grade Gale Talisman, making it easy prey, Wei Wuyi still hesitated to attack outright. He opted for the 'lesser demand'—securing half the spring water first.
On the other side, hearing Wei Wuyi's proposition, the Swordsman's eyes flashed with a look that said 'Just as I thought.' All pretense of politeness vanished from his face, replaced by a cold sneer. "Senior Wei jests. We risked our lives for that spring water. For you to demand half, simply because you ask? That's asking far too much, wouldn't you agree?"
As he spoke, he gave Lin Feng an almost imperceptible signal with his eyes: Prepare to fight.
Lin Feng remained silent. His right hand flickered, and the Scarlet Soul Flying Sword materialized in his grip. The moment Wei Wuyi stated his demand, Lin Feng knew conflict was inevitable. Surrendering the hard-won Spirit Spring was unthinkable for both him and the Swordsman. Even if they did, he doubted these men would simply let them walk away.
"Hmph! Refuse, and you leave me no choice!" Wei Wuyi's killing intent erupted, a palpable wave of pressure rolling off him. A contemptuous sneer twisted his lips. "A mere third-layer Golden Core, and that crippled Ice-Eyed Python… you truly believe that's enough to stand against me?!"
"Heh. Whether it's enough or not," the Swordsman retorted, his defiance unwavering, "you'll find out soon enough, old fart! Don't think that just because I called you 'Senior' once, you're suddenly something special. Try taking what's mine—I dare you!"
"YOU SEEK DEATH!!"
Wei Wuyi's fury exploded. A surge of potent true essence erupted from him. His right hand flashed out blindingly fast. A streak of azure light—a flying sword—shot towards the Swordsman with terrifying, near-invisible speed!