Everlasting

 

“Since I can escape from the Shadewind Scholar’s attacks, I am not fearful of him. Should he come looking for me, I will have my own means of dealing with him,” replied Chen Feng with a smile as he put on an inscrutable façade.

“Since Brother Chen have your own means to do so, we can rest easy,” said Ye Ziming with a smile.

“We are now in a state of chaos. For the Jade Ding Sky Grotto and Watermoon Sky Grotto to bring out their sect guardian Magic artefact means they must have found the Spring of Life. This has to be a critical juncture for them to not send anyone out. What we need to do right now is to find the Spring of Life immediately and snatch its water during the chaos,” said Ye Ziming.

“I have no objections. Let’s hurry,” Lu Ta said with a stiff voice.

“Hold up. Black Origin Mountain Range is very big. The important location that we want to find probably has a radius of hundreds to thousands of li. We will likely have a hard time finding it,” Chen Feng spoke what was in his mind (1 li = 0.5 km).

“That is simple. Just follow me,” said Ye Ziming with a smile.

Next, the three of them quickly moved forward. The sounds of battle reverberated down from the sky above without cease. However, the end result of the battle would undoubtedly be miserable losses on the loose cultivators’ side.

“A disorderly rabble. Truly, a disorderly rabble. More than 60 Concealed stage cultivators came for this trip, but I wonder how many of them had been either injured or killed?” Chen Feng was unable to stop himself from wondering that aloud.

“Deaths and injuries are a matter of course for most of them. Most of the cultivators at level 1 of the Concealed stage are likely dead already. Though, some of them may possess the means to allow them to escape. How unexpected. Blood Profound Daoist and Shadewind Scholar are insidious to the point of using living cultivators to be used as sacrifices. Tsk tsk! Even grade 9 Magic artefacts like the Purplejade Pill Ding and Watersurge Sword will have their hands full dealing with them. However, this also presents us with an opportunity,” said Ye Ziming.

The three of them quickly halted in unison. Some cultivators had appeared before them. Moreover, the number of cultivators there was not limited to two or less.

“There are some people up front,” whispered Chen Feng.

“They are the cultivators from the Six Great Sky Grottoes. It seems the six of them have joined forces to obtain the Water of Life. Later, when you are attacking them, do not go soft on them. It will be best if you can kill them,” Ye Ziming said towards both Chen Feng and Lu Ta before quickly making his way forward.

“Who goes there? Halt!”

The cultivators up ahead noticed Chen Feng’s group and two amongst them shouted out at the same time. Another two quickly made their move and a net made of countless intertwining sword beams moved to wrap around Ye Ziming.

Shua!

Ye Ziming suddenly disappeared and the net made of sword beams fell upon thin air. Next, Ye Ziming suddenly re-appeared amidst the group of cultivators. Potent energy beams rapidly shot out from his fingers and the cultivators from the Six Great Sky Grottoes fell down.

“Ah! Voidslip Skill! You are a member of the Xu Clan!” a cultivator from Watermoon Sky Grotto suddenly shouted out, a look of terror appearing on his face.

“You talk too much.” Ye Ziming’s hand shot out to fire a beam of potent energy forward and the cultivator instantly fell to the ground.

“Let’s attack as well.” Having said that, Lu Ta strode forward. In the blink of an eye, his one stride brought him before the Six Great Sky Grottoes’ cultivators. An iron staff, which flashed with silver light, had suddenly appeared within his grasp. Meanwhile, golden-coloured streams of energy flowed around his body to form a thick layer of defensive barrier. Golden-coloured light flashed all around him, making him look like a God of War in golden armour that had descended upon the mundane world.

Sou! Sou! Sou!

Three flying swords shot towards Lu Ta. There were also tens of steel needles flying alongside the flying swords. The steel needles were comparatively faster and harder to notice. A sneak attack using the needles made it harder for their target to notice them. Not to mention, some poison had been mixed into the needles during the forging process. The poison within the needles was also no ordinary poison. Rather, it was a high-grade poison capable of killing off Concealed stage cultivators.

Facing the incoming attacks, Lu Ta swirled the iron staff in his hand furiously to form a circle, unleashing a strong astral wind. Following a series of “pa pa” sounds, the small steel needles were all decimated.

Immediately after that, even the three flying swords were sucked towards the circle, seemingly due to an inexplicable force. Next, they were all shattered apart.

“Hah! The staff sweeps the army!”

With a thunder-like bellow, the staff in Lu Ta’s hands swept out and three cultivators were immediately sent flying.

“Powerful! These two fellows are fierce, especially Lu Ta. How unexpected. Despite his upright and honest face, his attacks are very fierce,” said the surprised Chen Feng.

Seeing the two of them attacking, Chen Feng did not remain idle himself. With a flash of his feet, he arrived before a cultivator. He was a cultivator from the Yin Yang Sky Grotto. By then, the cultivator had condensed out his Yin Yang Energy Blades. Seeing Chen Feng charging him, he quickly swung both his hands and his two energy blades left his hands as they shot towards Chen Feng.

This was not some ordinary primary energy takes form technique. Rather, it was a martial technique of a higher tier. It was the Yin Yang Sky Grotto’s technique, the Yin Yang Energy Blade. The energy blade condensed out using this method was tens to hundreds of times stronger than normal blades. It could directly be used to clash against Magic artefacts. Some of the stronger cultivators could even use it to destroy Magic and even Prized-tier artefacts.

Seeing the two incoming Yin Yang Energy Blades, Chen Feng was not negligent in his response. Instead, he sent two punches out with lightning-like speed. However, he did not utilize the martial techniques of the Longevity Scripture for his punches. Instead, he had relied wholly on his own primary energy, blood energy and fleshly body for the attacks. Two fists, wrapped with red-coloured astral energy, slammed into the two Yin Yang Energy Blades.

Chen Feng wanted to test the true level of his strength with this move.

Bang! Bang!

Two dull sounds rang out as the two Yin Yang Energy Blades were instantly broken. At the same time, the astral energy wrapping around Chen Feng’s fists, too, disappeared. Two shallow marks could be seen on his fists.

What a strong fellow! If not for the fact that I am wearing the Sky Silk Gloves, even my bones would be damaged by the attack earlier. A shocked Chen Feng thought to himself.

Shua!

At the same time, a flying sword was closing in on Chen Feng from behind. The emanations coming off the sword energy undulating on the surface of the sword caused Chen Feng’s back muscles to twitch.

“Come on!” With a grasping motion, Chen Feng grabbed hold of the flying sword coming at him from behind. Next, utilizing his divine sense, he erased the imprint that the other party had left upon the flying sword.

Humph! Just a grade 1 Magic artefact. It probably can’t even break through the armour on my person. Thought Chen Feng.

Next, with a thought from Chen Feng, a seal stamp flew out. Under Chen Feng’s control, the seal expanded, growing to the size of up to three buildings combined before flying down upon the cultivators of the Six Great Sky Grottoes.

Rumble!

Trees broke down as both dust and gravel flew about. Although the seal was not a high-grade Magic artefact, the power behind its attack was sufficient. Two of the cultivators were seriously wounded from Chen Feng’s attack.

On the other side, Ye Ziming was utilizing his secret skill and he continuously appeared and disappeared by concealing himself within the void. Every time he appeared, at least one cultivator would go down from his sneak attacks. Add the godlike Lu Ta into the mix and it did not take long for them to utterly defeat the cultivators from the Six Great Sky Grottoes. In the end, the remaining cultivators dispersed as they ran off.

“There were 18 Concealed stage cultivators on their side. To think that we actually managed to beat them back,” Chen Feng blurted out those words in disbelief at what had happened.

“This is nothing. Although they had numbers on their side, all of them were cultivators at level 1 of the Concealed stage. Additionally, we had initiated a blitz attack on them. Their defeat was simply a matter of course,” said Ye Ziming.

“Having said that, they will certainly have stronger cultivators up front. Snatching the Water of Life will prove difficult,” Ye Ziming continued.

“That is all right. It would certainly be for the best if we could snatch the Water of Life. If it fails, however, I can just consider this an experience,” said Chen Feng with a smile.

“Brother Chen has a good way of looking at things.” Ye Ziming gave him the thumbs up.

Chen Feng understood the importance of the Water of Life. However, he also understood that, given his cultivation base at level 1 of the Concealed stage, the chances of him snatching the Water of Life from the Six Great Sky Grottoes was too small.

Soon enough, the three of them heard rumbling sounds coming from up ahead. They could also hear the roars of yao beasts amongst the sounds. Peering far ahead, they could even see wave after wave of powerful energy fluctuations rising high up into the sky, dispersing the clouds in the sky.

“A fight has started. It is likely a fight between the Six Great Sky Grottoes and the yao beasts here. Hurry, our chance has come. Don’t let others beat us to it,” shouted Ye Ziming excitedly. He increased his speed, leaving both Lu Ta and Chen Feng behind.

After nearly one joss stick’s worth of time, the three of them finally reached a strange-looking, rocky mound. The place was a very flat terrain, seeming like a flat land stretching out for tens of li. This was a rare sight within the rolling Black Origin Mountain Range. Stones of varying sizes were spread out on the ground and no plants could be seen growing there.

At the centre of the rocky mound, a group of cultivators were engaged in a fight against some yao beasts. It was a very intense battle. Even though they were observing the fight from tens of li away, Chen Feng could still feel the waves of formidable aura spreading towards them. The aura contained killing intent, sword intent and various emotions of greed.

“This is just a lifeless stretch of rocky mound. Could there be a Spring of Life in this place? This is simply unbelievable,” said Chen Feng while rolling his eyes.

“That is right. We can barely see a tuft of grass here. How can there be any Spring of Life here?” Lu Ta spoke up in agreement.

“Oh, it is here all right. You two do not understand. It is precisely due to the Spring of Life’s existence that this place have transformed into a desolate wasteland. Look at the terrain here. This is clearly a terrain of ‘dragons returning to its lair’, the ‘water flowing into the sea’. The life forces of everything within a radius of tens of li are gathered upon one singular point. That is how a spring is condensed. Within that spring, the Water of Life will be produced. If given another several hundred years, the life forces of everything within hundreds of li from here will be sucked into it.” Ye Ziming immediately grew happy while gesturing with his hands. Some of the words he had mentioned went way over Chen Feng’s head.

“Pity, pity!”

Suddenly, Ye Ziming sighed out several times in quick succession.

“Pity, for what?” Chen Feng asked curiously.

“The Spring of Life here is likely formed through extrinsic means. It is possible that someone had utilized a great deal of power to transform the terrain and set up an array to absorb the life forces of the Earth, thereby producing the Water of Life. Additionally, the grade of such a Water of Life will also be the lowest. Judging by the scale of this place, the amount produced will also be pitifully small,” said Ye Ziming as he observed the place.

“Formed through extrinsic means. What do you mean by that? Could there be intrinsic and extrinsic Waters of Life?” Hearing those words left Chen Feng in a somewhat puzzled state and he could not stop himself from asking.