Cultivation: I Can Traverse Otherworlds

In a dark subterranean channel.

A deathly pale Liuu Huang’er nestled in Zhai Qingfeng’s arms.

The ghostly light from the Nether Insects’ tails intertwined with the sound of flowing water in the channel, causing numerous phantoms to flash before her eyes.

A hundred years of life.

Scene after scene flashed by.

Her father’s loving expression as he stroked her braided hair, the thoughtful care of her senior brothers and sisters, the mutual support of her beloved.

In a daze,

the nightmare returned.

The exhaustion and hardship of wandering with her father as a child, the helplessness when her Sect faced disaster, the despair of being hunted down and cornered by the Demonic Demon People...

”It’s all right.”

Noticing her body tense and her eyes fill with panic, Zhai Qingfeng lowered his head to comfort her.

”We’re going to be okay.”

”Heh...” Liuu Huang’er gave a bitter smile.

In truth, they both knew there was no possibility of escape this time.

They had even stopped transmitting their coordinates long ago to prevent reinforcements from the Sect from falling into a trap.

”Master!”

”Elder.”

A female disciple spoke up, clenching her teeth.

”Don’t worry about us. We can’t escape anyway. The most important thing is that you get out.”

”That’s right,” a male disciple nodded. ”The only reason those Demonic Demon People haven’t killed us is to stop you from escaping.”

”Exactly!”

”Master, you have to escape!”

...

The disciples all spoke up, one after another.

They knew in their hearts that they had no chance of escape and didn’t want to be a burden to their two leaders.

”It’s useless.”

Liuu Huang’er gently shook her head.

”If we had abandoned you from the very beginning, we might have had a chance to escape. It’s too late now.”

”It’s like boiling a frog in warm water, or luring reinforcements into an ambush...”

”This must be the work of Joyful Sect cultivators!”

Of the Six Demonic Sects, the other sects, while powerful, wouldn’t bother with such intricate psychological schemes.

Only the Joyful Sect.

They are the most insidious and vicious of all!

Although the demonesses of the Joyful Sect aren’t skilled in direct combat, the threat they pose to the Righteous Dao is no less than that of the other five sects.

SWOOSH!

At that moment,

a figure poked his head out from the ground, leaped up, and landed before the group.

”Seniors.”

He cupped his hands and said:

”I found a fissure to the Earth Abyss down below.”

”Hm?”

Liuu Huang’er’s brows rose slightly as she slowly sat up straight.

”To think there’s even an Earth Abyss fissure here. Is there anywhere in the Ten Thousand Mountains that doesn’t have them?”

As the foremost of the Three Calamities of the Ten Thousand Mountains, the dangers of the Earth Abyss far exceeded those of the Void and beast tides.

After a moment of thought, a ruthless look appeared in her eyes.

”Perfect!”

”I have a method that can harness the power of the Earth Abyss. Later, I need you all to place a few Magical Artifacts near that fissure. If the Demonic Demon People attack and Qingfeng and I are powerless to stop them, detonate it.”

”Even in death, we’ll drag those Demonic Demon People down with us!”

The disciples looked at each other, then nodded grimly.

* * *

Ten Thousand Flowers Valley.

The former grounds of the Hundred Flowers Sect from centuries ago.

Even when heavy snow fell, flowers should have been blooming here, standing proud and undefeated against the harsh frost.

But now,

the view was one of utter devastation.

The once-countless Spiritual Plants had been dug up and stripped clean, and the remaining vegetation was scorched by demonic fire, unable to grow again.

Dong Yuelan suppressed her aura, relying on her familiarity with the valley’s terrain to sneak silently into its depths.

RUSTLE...

Dry branches rustled nearby as a female Qi Refiner cautiously emerged, her face fraught with anxiety.

”Xiaoyun!”

Hm?

The female cultivator named Xiaoyun stiffened at the sound of her name, then her face lit up with ecstatic joy as she saw Dong Yuelan approaching.

”Master Dong!”

”Mm.”

Dong Yuelan nodded and asked:

”Where is Junior Sister Xiao?”

”Master is inside,” Xiaoyun said hurriedly.

”We were being pursued by Demonic Demon People and fled all the way here. Master then brought us here to hide.”

”Although the Ten Thousand Flowers Valley was destroyed, the Earth Vein is still intact. With a few adjustments, we can set up the old Array...”

”I know,” Dong Yuelan said, waving a hand to cut off her rambling explanation as she strode forward.

”This place is no longer safe. We need to leave as soon as possible.”

”Junior Sister Xiao!”

Her vision blurred for a moment, and over a dozen people came into view.

Aside from two or three familiar disciples, the others were mostly strangers.

And the gravely injured Junior Sister Xiao was lying in a corner, being carefully tended to by two Qi Refiners.

”Senior Sister!”

Seeing Dong Yuelan, a look of terror appeared in Junior Sister Xiao’s eyes. Her lips trembled as she struggled to speak.

”Run...”

’What?’

Dong Yuelan froze.

SWISH!

Behind her, Xiaoyun suddenly struck. A short sword appeared in her palm, stabbing straight for Dong Yuelan’s back.

DING...

The Sharp Gold Fang Armor manifested on its own to protect her, not only sending the short sword flying but also unleashing a wave of ferocious Qi.

PUH!

Struck by the ferocious Qi’s backlash, Xiaoyun coughed up blood. The light in her eyes dimmed, and her aura plummeted instantly.

’Run!’

Dong Yuelan’s eyes twitched. She shot into the sky, not even trying to save Junior Sister Xiao.

’A trap!’

The powerful Divine Soul Power of a Dao Foundation Cultivator allowed her to realize the situation in an instant.

’Junior Sister Xiao was captured by the Demonic Demon People long ago. Sending her coordinates all this time was just to lure me here.’

’With the methods of the Demonic Demon People...’

’Junior Sister...’

’She’s beyond saving!’

’And the others here, the familiar faces like Xiaoyun and a few other juniors, must have already defected to the Demon Sect.’

’As for the people standing guard by Junior Sister Xiao’s side, they were all Demonic Cultivators.’

Her decisiveness was undeniable, making her choice in an instant, but a trap had long been set for her here.

”Trying to escape?”

A cold snort came from a cliff to the side as several streaks of light intertwined in the air, attempting to block Dong Yuelan.

’Dao Foundation Cultivators!’

’And three of them, at that! One is even Late-Stage Dao Foundation!’

Dong Yuelan’s face paled. With a sharp bite of her Silver Fangs, her body erupted with an unprecedented brilliance.

SWOOSH!

The Fierce Soul hidden within the Sharp Gold Fang Armor leaped out, enveloping her and shattering the streaks of light as she fled rapidly.

”Eh?”

One of them exclaimed in surprise,

”The Blood Demon Sect’s Life Sacrifice Technique!”

”Don’t worry,” another person on the scene said unhurriedly.

”She won’t get away.”

”A Mid-Stage Dao Foundation with a Pure Yin Body... such a rare and potent tonic. The Yin Yang Elder would never let her go.”

*

*

*

TAP...

TAP!

Back in the dark subterranean channel.

Footsteps approached from the distance.

Liuu Huang’er’s eyes were already open. Her Top-Grade Spiritual Artifact, the Amber Bell Xia, spun around her body, and she gripped the Magical Treasure, the Dragon Capturing Pillar, in her palm. A look of grim determination filled her eyes.

Beside her, Zhai Qingfeng slowly drew his longsword, its tri-colored blade shimmering with a mysterious luster.

The group of Innate junior disciples were also prepared, ready for a fight to the death.

”Liuu Huang’er?”

”Zhai Qingfeng?”

The expected Power of Destruction never came. Instead, a gentle voice called out from the darkness.

Hm?

Everyone froze.

”Who’s there?”

Liuu Huang’er, her face filled with surprise, whispered to her husband,

”Do you know them?”

”No,” Zhai Qingfeng shook his head.

”I’ve never heard that voice before.”

With the memory and Perception Power of a Dao Foundation Cultivator, if he said he’d never heard it, he truly had never heard it.

”My name is Wukong. I was entrusted by Zhu Ju of your Sect to lead you out of here.” A figure slowly walked out of the darkness.

”Get your things. It’s time to go.”

The newcomer wore a black robe. He was tall and slender, and his face was hidden in the shadows of his hood, making it impossible to see him clearly.

Since he wouldn’t even show his face, it was impossible for him to gain their trust.

”Wukong?”

Liuu Huang’er snorted coldly.

”How come I’ve never heard of Senior Brother Zhu knowing someone like you?”

”I knew you’d say that.” Wukong’s voice was slow, almost robotic. He flicked his wrist and threw something over.

”He said you’d believe me once you saw this.”

CLACK!

A Jade Scroll fell to the ground.

Liuu Huang’er’s beautiful eyes flickered. She cautiously levitated the Jade Scroll toward her, and when she swept her Divine Thought across it, her expression changed.

”Huang’er,” Zhai Qingfeng said, his eyes still fixed on Wukong.

”What is it?”

”It’s a message from Senior Brother Zhu, for the two of us.” Liuu Huang’er passed him the Jade Scroll, her voice laced with confusion.

”It doesn’t seem fake, but I really don’t know this person.”

”Even if Senior Brother Zhu had fallen into the hands of the Demonic Demon People, he wouldn’t leave us a message in this tone,” Zhai Qingfeng said after reading the Jade Scroll, sheathing his longsword.

”Perhaps he’s a fellow Daoist that Senior Brother Zhu met in the East Sea. He should be trustworthy.”

”Fellow Daoist Wukong, did you come alone?”

”Yes,” Wukong nodded.

”Just me.”

”I’m afraid that won’t be enough,” Zhai Qingfeng sighed.

”To be honest, we’ve been targeted by the Demonic Demon People for a while now. The only reason they haven’t killed us is to lure reinforcements. You shouldn’t have come, fellow Daoist.”

”Oh?” Wukong chuckled faintly.

”It doesn’t matter.”

”Luring reinforcements into an ambush depends on the strength of the prey. I’m just afraid their teeth aren’t sharp enough for this meal.”

”Let’s go.”

He turned and started walking.

Liuu Huang’er and Zhai Qingfeng looked at each other, and after a moment’s thought, they nodded and chose to follow.

”Let’s move!”

With that command, the remaining disciples of the Bright Void Sect helped each other up and followed.

「A short while later.」

The group emerged from the dark subterranean channel.

After the snowfall, the outside world was a vast expanse of white. Sunlight scattered down, creating a shimmering halo before their eyes.

The bone-chilling wind howled, sending a cold shiver through their bodies.

Of course,

what was truly chilling were the four figures standing in the distance, and the powerful auras they were shamelessly unleashing.

Demonic Dao Foundation Cultivators!

One of them was even a Late-Stage Dao Foundation Cultivator.

”Heh...”

”So you finally decided to crawl out from down there.”

One of them sneered, his eyes fixed on the group.

”I was starting to think no reinforcements were coming. Good thing we didn’t waste our time. Another one to add to the blood feast.”

”Enough talk,” another one said.

”We’ve dragged this on long enough. We should have killed them ages ago. As we agreed, I get the corpses, you get the rest.”

”Fine!”

”No problem!”

The four of them nodded repeatedly, smirking as they watched.

In their eyes, Zhai Qingfeng and Liuu Huang’er were no threat. Both were gravely injured and had less than a tenth of their strength remaining.

As for the mysterious ’Black-Clothed Man’, even if he had a few tricks, he was no match for them.

SWOOSH!

Before their eyes,

Wukong abruptly vanished.

The four demonic cultivators froze simultaneously.

Behind one of the Mid-Stage Dao Foundation Cultivators, Wukong’s figure appeared without a sound.

The crucial thing was,

Wukong’s arm had phased through the Dao Foundation Cultivator’s chest and was now holding a still-beating heart.

The Magical Robe, the Protective Spiritual Light, and even his Blood and Heart Refining Magical Treasure had shown no reaction whatsoever.

No!

It wasn’t that they hadn’t reacted; it was that they’d had no effect on him at all.

”Instant Teleportation!”

One of them grit his teeth so hard they nearly cracked, his eyes trembling.

”This is impossible!”

A Great Divine Technique like Instant Teleportation... even among Golden Core Grandmasters, very few could master it.

And yet,

it had just happened right before their very eyes.

How was this possible?