In the following days, Zhang Yong spent his time learning from Wu Ruxian, which unexpectedly proved useful.
She explained arrays to him in such detail that perhaps even Master Gu didn't know, including how to merge arrays to create entirely new and different ones.
In addition, she taught him alchemy and some other methods.
It seemed their relationship was getting closer—not that Zhang Yong had dropped his guard, but he knew that if he acted as he usually did, things would turn bad.
If he didn't make compromises, actions might be taken against him.
So, he allowed her to do as she pleased but kept boundaries. He could tell she was trying to get closer to him, though he didn't know if she had prior knowledge of this place or if it was simply luck.
But since the place was sealed, there was no escape.
Moreover, Wu Ruxian was his sword training partner inside that confined space.
On the surface, they looked like a harmonious pair, but deep down each was scheming against the other, searching for opportunities.
After more than twenty days, Zhang Yong sat cross-legged, using the truth of the Eternal Dream Technique to temper his mental energy.
This time, his stay inside lasted five seconds longer.
Increasing mental energy didn't necessarily mean one could last longer—it depended on the toughness of the mind itself. That was why someone with a firm mentality like Wu Ruxian could endure for seven seconds, while Zhang Yong had only managed four seconds at first.
When he opened his eyes again, he exhaled quietly, clenching his fists.
"Middle stage of the Truth Realm… still far away, but this progress is really fast. Finally, the seed has been digested as well."
On the other side, Wu Ruxian was still meditating before opening her eyes too.
"By the way, did you practice the technique I gave you that day?"
Zhang Yong turned his palm, revealing a scroll.
"You mean this one? No, I haven't."
He opened the scroll and looked through its contents as Wu Ruxian explained calmly:
"It's called the Tyrant Body. It uses the blood of beasts to temper your flesh."
After some research, Zhang Yong realized that body-cultivation techniques were something rare in this world.
"That's actually pretty amazing. Wu Ruxian, I have a question—can people be resurrected?"
Zhang Yong had always wanted an answer to this question. With Wu Ruxian's three hundred years of experience, if anyone knew, it had to be her.
She replied quietly:
"In fact, yes. The hardest part of resurrection is the soul itself. Most souls vanish from the material world. If they remain,even if they were strong souls , that only give them some time before they become ghosts, never returning to being souls , But if you had an artifact capable of storing a soul, then it's possible. Then there's the body, which must be made from rare materials. But compared to keeping the soul, gathering those materials is easier."
Zhang Yong's eyes narrowed slightly. It seemed there was no solution at all. He sighed with some sorrow. Didn't this mean it was impossible without the soul? In that case, it was entirely useless.
Suddenly, the whole place began to shake. Both stood alert.
Wu Ruxian shouted:
"The worms have found a way in!"
In an instant, the ground beneath them cracked and erupted.
They both jumped away immediately, drawing their swords.
Two giant worms burst from the hole, seething with hatred, as if holding grudges against them both.
Zhang Yong lunged at one, throwing a grenade straight into its mouth, then stepped on the air and leapt upward.
At once, his body was covered by the Muramasa aura, unleashing a blade strike that left a shallow wound on the worm.
He snorted softly, then noticed Wu Ruxian. Her aura shifted, and she moved faster, cutting into the hide of the other worm with precision.
Pressing harder on his sword, Zhang Yong slashed again, leaving another shallow wound.
Suddenly, violent winds erupted from the worm's body, hurling both Zhang Yong and Wu Ruxian against the wall.
The space was tight, making evasion nearly impossible.
At once, the worms clashed their massive jaws together, forming a drill head, then spun rapidly and charged at them.
Wu Ruxian stepped forward instantly, golden light flashing from her body, blocking both worms by herself.
They ground against her barrier furiously but couldn't break through, spinning violently all the while.
She quickly shouted to Zhang Yong:
"Run from here!"
At that moment, Zhang Yong looked at her and smiled inwardly. Perhaps this was his chance to get rid of Wu Ruxian.
He leapt away, kicking off the walls, supported by Muramasa's energy, attempting to collapse the entire cavern on all of them.
If it worked, he was confident he would survive while the rest perished.
He struck again and again, the cavern shaking violently, ready to collapse.
Sensing the tremors, the worms changed direction from Wu Ruxian and rushed toward Zhang Yong.
He cursed himself—if only he were stronger and faster, this would have been easy.
The worms surrounded him, drilling toward him with terrifying speed, louder than a construction drill.
They slammed into his body in an instant.
At that moment, the pendant around his neck flared, wrapping him in a powerful barrier—
the same pendant Qing Feng had given him.
But the worms' force was far greater.
Boom!
The barrier shattered, sending Zhang Yong flying across the cavern, smashing him into the wall.
Slowly, he fell into the Origin water Lake below.
Wu Ruxian gripped her sword tightly, unleashing a storm at the worms, then charged, cutting into their bodies furiously.
Kicking off the ground, she soared upward, both palms glowing crimson as a massive black shadow appeared behind her, its eyes burning red like hell itself.
She struck with her palms, releasing blazing fiery handprints onto the worms, while her silver hair turned crimson.
Her sword ignited in flames, and with a sweep, thousands of fiery serpents surged forth, devouring the worms' flesh bit by bit.
Meanwhile, the Origin Lake swirled around Zhang Yong's submerged body, drilling into him from every direction.
Suddenly, a thunderous bolt crashed down like a colossal serpent of lightning, striking the cavern with overwhelming force.
Another descended, failing to pierce the earth.
Then the skies roared, as if the Lord of Thunder himself had grown wrathful. A bolt ten meters thick descended, vowing to shatter the earth.
Dozens of colossal lightning bolts followed, obliterating the land and exposing the cavern below.
Finally, the last bolt struck Zhang Yong in the lake, power so great it nearly tore him to shreds.
The air exploded, boulders splintering into fragments, the lake evaporated to nothing.
His body absorbed the lightning, blood igniting like fire, skin burning red as though roasted alive.
He fell to the ground, steam rising from his body as he gasped for breath.
(The body defying the heavens has ascended to the third level.)
(Strength +250
Endurance +250
Agility +250
Intelligence +100)
Zhang Yong stood slowly, gazing at his body before turning to Wu Ruxian.
Pressing lightly on the ground, his strength surged uncontrollably, propelling him forward explosively.
With a single punch, he slammed the worm into the wall, ripping its body apart with his bare hands until it died.
Then, leaping at the second worm, he smashed it into the wall, dragged its body to its own burrow, and forced it to devour itself.
Afterward, he sealed the burrow with a massive boulder.
Moments later, a violent kaboom! erupted from within—the grenades he had planted exploding.
Turning to Wu Ruxian, bitterness filled his mouth. He had failed to get rid of her this time.
He approached quietly. Her silver hair had returned to normal, and rain began to fall softly from gathering clouds.
Zhang Yong's gaze hardened—perhaps he should kill her now. She looked exhausted, her body faltering.
She stumbled forward and nearly collapsed but grabbed onto him.
"I… am exhausted…"
He didn't know if she truly was. Maybe it was a chance to finish her, but what if she had a trump card, a self-detonation technique, or something unimaginable? Of course, she wouldn't lower her guard even before Zhang Yong.
He helped her stand upright, and she responded coldly:
"We must leave. The destruction of the cavern has broken the natural array, and the aura of the fifth-rank beasts has disappeared. That will attract many other beasts—we must leave before they gather."
Zhang Yong sighed, having no choice, and turned.
"Get on. This way is faster."
He carried Wu Ruxian on his back and began running toward the broken exit of the Devil Valley.
While carrying her, he said only one thing:
"I thank you."
Wu Ruxian's eyes flickered with slight surprise.
"For what?"
Zhang Yong gave a false smile.
"Well, you helped me obtain the ginseng, and you protected me during battles with the beasts. I'll say it this once."
He didn't mean those words—he only said what Wu Ruxian needed to hear, so she might believe he had been tamed by her.
But in truth, while speaking, Zhang Yong was grateful to Yuan Ling.