Chapter One Hundred Thirteen: Encountering Mountains from the Past

Once Bai Shengyun saw that everyone had gathered, he boarded the spirit vessel and prepared to infuse more spiritual energy into the superior-grade spirit stone to make it fly faster.

He walked to the stern of the vessel and soon spotted the crystal-clear spirit stone emanating abundant spiritual power. Raising his hand, he poured a significant amount of spiritual energy into it.

In an instant, the spirit vessel radiated a brilliant light. As the spiritual energy burst forth, disciples of the heretical sect gasped in astonishment.

After all, this was their first time witnessing a spirit vessel capable of carrying passengers powered by such spiritual infusion. Usually, they rode on the backs of strange and exotic beasts, letting the creatures carry them over great distances.

Just then, Bai Qirui was about to call them aboard when a voice suddenly rang out, leaving everyone stunned.

“Let me go!”

His expression stiffened, and Xie Yingying’s face darkened further.

Ning Qingqing?!

Bai Qirui thought to himself: I almost forgot about this troublesome character!

Hearing the abrupt voice, others turned to look and saw Ning Qingqing, as graceful and ethereal as a celestial maiden. Several male cultivators couldn’t help but stare.

Within the heretical sect, they had never encountered a woman with such elegance. Upon closer observation, Ning Qingqing’s beauty rivaled Xie Yingying’s, but her unique aura made her stand out brightly amidst the many seductive and worldly disciples of the sect.

Soon, a few cold-faced disciples of the heretical sect pulled Ning Qingqing away.

The crowd had initially blocked her view, but once past them, Ning Qingqing saw Xie Yingying and Bai Qirui standing outside the sect’s gate.

On the spirit vessel, Bai Shengyun frowned upon seeing the group delay boarding for so long and leapt down.

When Ning Qingqing saw him, her eyes lit up. She hurried over and grabbed his hand, her face wet with tears as she said, “Young Emperor, these past days in the heretical sect have been truly terrifying…”

The other disciples nearby watched the scene with amused expressions, repeatedly glancing at Xie Yingying.

However, Bai Shengyun was irritated. Being suddenly clung to like that, and even brushed against a few times by Ning Qingqing, made him uncomfortable. He instinctively looked at Xie Yingying, who was preoccupied saying farewell to Yin Ling. His mood darkened further as he abruptly pulled his hand away.

He called out to the assembled group, “Board the spirit vessel.” Then he ignored Ning Qingqing, whose eyes were red from crying.

Huo Tianqing, witnessing their closeness and recalling what Ning Qingqing had said to him, frowned deeply, thinking: These two are truly hypocrites.

To prevent Ning Qingqing from causing more trouble, Bai Qirui grabbed her as they boarded the vessel, silencing her and pulling her aboard swiftly, fearing she might reveal some shocking secrets.

Bai Shengyun then approached Xie Yingying, speaking coldly, “What are you still chatting about? Once the spirit vessel sets off, I won’t stop midway to wait for you.”

Xie Yingying ignored him but still said to a sobbing Yin Ling in front of her, “Junior sister, I’m leaving now.”

Yin Ling was reluctant to let go, holding her hand tightly.

“Senior sister, please come back soon,” she said with worried eyes, her tone tinged with either intentional or inadvertent sarcasm. “Master said many in the Immortal Sect have wicked hearts. You must return safely!”

Bai Shengyun’s face darkened upon hearing this.

Indeed, although it was an Immortal Sect, some inside bore ill intentions.

Xie Yingying patted Yin Ling’s hand and nodded, “I will.”

Not wanting to witness any more delay, Bai Shengyun roughly pulled her toward the spirit vessel.

Huo Tianqing disliked this but boarded the vessel with Bo Meng nonetheless.

The spirit vessel officially set off. Initially, the group’s pace was slow, but thanks to the spiritual energy infused by Bai Shengyun and Bai Qirui, along with the superior-grade spirit stone as a medium, the vessel sailed out of the heretical sect’s territory within just two or three hours.

The Immortal Sect had not set up formations like the heretical sect’s grand array, so entering the Immortal Sect from the heretical sect required no concealment talismans or stealth formations.

Along the way, Ning Qingqing was annoyingly troublesome several times, enough to provoke a desire to strike her.

For example, when choosing rooms to rest, she insisted on selecting the room next to Bai Shengyun’s, but that room had already been taken by Bo Meng. She kept insisting, “I only want this room because it’s well-ventilated. If I stay in a poorly ventilated room, my cough will worsen.” Furthermore, she sneered, “You’re a Mist Demon, and this room is too windy—you might get blown away, right? I’ve heard that the Mist Demons especially like to act with the wind.”

After saying this, she even wore a mocking expression.

Such words made even Bai Qirui frown.

The reason Bo Meng was once falsely accused of theft was related to “wind”—rumors between the two sects claimed: “The Mist Demon clan, with their strong wind abilities, often hide within the wind and frequently commit murder, theft, arson, and other evils.”

Ning Qingqing clearly knew of these rumors.

Bo Meng wanted to yield the room, but hearing her words, she became angry and firmly refused.

The two quarreled, eventually disturbing Bai Shengyun who had just rested.

Bo Meng expected him to side with her, but to her surprise, Bai Shengyun silenced Ning Qingqing’s voice and flung her several yards away.

Then, frowning, he stared at her and said, “Noisy.”

With that, he entered his room to continue resting.

Ning Qingqing collapsed onto the floor, furious but unable to speak, finally putting on a pitiful look as if about to cry.

Bo Meng scoffed, and Xie Yingying looked on coldly.

After this brief farce ended, the two prepared to enter their respective rooms.

However, Xie Yingying took a step, her expression suddenly faltering into pain.

Instinctively, she covered a wound and then strode into her room.

Seeing this, Ning Qingqing smirked coldly, thinking: It seems… your body is quite weak.

By evening, the group caught sight of the peaks of Gu Feng Mountain, bathed in the glow of the setting sun.

The verdant and sturdy mountains looked especially gentle under the sunset.

The spirit vessel slowly sailed into the grand formation of Gu Feng Mountain. Soon, many streaks of light flew in like shooting stars, falling straight before the mountain’s gate.

Several spirit cranes arrived afterward. Bai Qirui and Bai Shengyun extended their hands, and the cranes obediently perched on them, gently nudging their hands with their heads.

Then, a flock of spirit cranes spread out along both sides of the vessel, flying in unison toward the mountain gate of Gu Feng Mountain.

Bai Qirui smiled softly. “We’ve arrived.”

Bo Meng closed her eyes slightly, took a deep breath, and felt the vibrant yang energy emanating from the mountain ahead. The spiritual power was abundant and profoundly soothing. “So this is Gu Feng Mountain!”

Xie Yingying nodded. “Yes.”

“It’s so beautiful!” she exclaimed. “I’ve never seen such scenery in the heretical sect!”