Translator: CinderTL
Ye Bing and her companions had vanished without a trace, leaving only a solitary Giant Flying Ship suspended in mid-air.
The ropes binding Song Wen and Yan He had been carelessly tied to the ship's railing.
It was clear that Ye Bing and her group had deduced Song Wen and Yan He's predicament from the taut ropes. Since they were already near the edge of the mountain range, they abandoned their companions and fled silently.
Whether they left the ship behind to distract the demon beasts or for some other reason remained unclear.
With no one controlling the ropes, their power dissipated. Song Wen quickly freed himself from the coils around his waist.
"Gou Jun, what should we do?" Yan He asked, her voice trembling slightly as she untied her own restraints.
Song Wen initially considered following Ye Bing's example: abandoning Yan He to distract the five-colored spiders while he slipped away to escape the mountain range.
But a moment later, he dismissed the idea.
Ye Bing and her group had fled without fighting because they didn't realize they were being pursued by a swarm of poisonous spiders, none stronger than the fourth-tier.
Song Wen, however, knew the spiders' strength. He saw no reason to flee. The best course of action was to break through their encirclement and escape the mountain range directly.
Moreover, Ye Bing and the others' decision to take a detour wasn't necessarily a wise move.
The route provided by the Dual Polarity Sect had been verified by predecessors. Barring unforeseen circumstances, Divine Transformation Stage cultivators following this path had a high probability of reaching Qicang Domain safely.
While Ye Bing and her group might have secured temporary safety by altering their course, they had also exposed themselves to unknown risks.
Besides, if Ye Bing and her companions could use Yan He to scout ahead, why couldn't he do the same?
Song Wen turned to face the surging tide of five-colored poisonous spiders, his expression grim.
"Relying on others is never as reliable as relying on oneself!" he declared. "Ye Bing and her group were merely using us from the start. Now that they've abandoned us, it's actually a blessing in disguise. We no longer need to risk our lives for them. If we can break through this spider blockade, we'll quickly escape the mountain range and be one step closer to successfully crossing the Rotting Miasma Ridge. Once we reach Qicang Domain, the sky will be the limit for us! Who knows? One day, we might even reach the Divine Transformation Realm ourselves, surpassing Ye Bing and her companions in cultivation and finally avenging this humiliation!"
Yan He felt deep sympathy for Song Wen's words.
But as she watched the poisonous spiders closing in, her eyes filled with worry.
"Fellow Daoist Gou Jun, you speak truly! To survive in this Immortal Cultivation World, we must rely solely on our own strength. But among these poisonous spiders are many fourth-tier specimens. How can we break through their encirclement?"
"Fellow Daoist Yan He, I will draw away the spider swarm shortly. Seize the opportunity to escape."
Yan He stared at Song Wen in disbelief. They had only met briefly, making it hard to believe he would risk his life to help her.
"Fellow Daoist Gou Jun, how will you escape afterward?"
Song Wen replied, "Rest assured, I am well-versed in escape and concealment techniques. I have my own methods for getting away."
As they spoke, the pair continued to retreat.
Yet the spider swarm relentlessly pursued them.
Song Wen waved his hand, and the Dark Scale Shield shot forth like a massive spinning wheel, smashing several charging spiders aside.
Then, a torrent of Corpse Qi erupted from his body, coalescing like dark clouds into a black mountain dozens of meters tall.
The mountain crashed down with earth-shattering force.
Hundreds of poisonous spiders were crushed beneath its weight.
Among them, the lower-tier spiders were instantly reduced to bloody pulp.
Several fourth-tier poisonous spiders survived, though trapped beneath the black mountain, struggling violently to overturn it.
The poisonous spiders behind the mountain, untouched by its collapse, leaped forward, swarming the mountain and tearing at it with frenzied bites, seemingly desperate to rescue their buried kin.
"Yan He, now's your chance! Go!" Song Wen roared suddenly.
Simultaneously, a torrent of black Corpse Qi erupted from his body, swirling toward the poisonous spiders on the mountain.
Yan He glanced deeply at Song Wen, still puzzled by his motives for helping her.
But self-preservation comes first!
This was indeed the perfect moment to escape. She swiftly ascended, leaping over the corpse qi mountain Song Wen had conjured, and fled toward the outer reaches of the mountain range.
The moment Yan He departed, a figure emerged from the miasma fog behind Song Wen.
The newcomer's face was identical to Song Wen's.
The two Song Wens exchanged a glance and a faint smile.
The Song Wen who had just appeared was, of course, the real one.
Beneath his feet, an endless Blood Sea surged forth, rapidly engulfing the Corpse Qi mountain and the surrounding area, drowning the poisonous spiders within its crimson depths.
The poisonous spiders' vast numbers meant their blood essence and souls were valuable cultivation resources—none could be wasted.
Yan He sped away, covering dozens of miles before slowing down when she realized the poisonous spiders weren't pursuing her.
She glanced back, but only saw thick miasma swirling behind her. She shook her head slightly.
I hope he managed to escape safely, she thought to herself before cautiously continuing forward.
She had barely flown a few dozen feet when a voice called out from behind.
"Fellow Daoist Yan He..." The voice sounded weak.
Yan He immediately recognized it as Gou Jun's.
She whirled around to see Song Wen rushing toward her.
A smear of blood stained the corner of Song Wen's mouth, and his breathing was ragged, clearly indicating he had sustained serious injuries.
"Fellow Daoist Gou Jun, what happened to you?" Yan He hurried to meet him, her voice filled with concern.
Song Wen waved dismissively. "It's nothing serious, just some internal injuries. This place isn't safe. We should leave as soon as possible. I'm not in good shape right now, so I'll need you to scout ahead."
Yan He nodded. "Alright!"
She turned to resume her flight, but suddenly stopped.
A black chain materialized in her hand.
One end of the chain coiled up like a spirit serpent and extended toward Song Wen.
"Fellow Daoist Gou Jun, you're severely injured and shouldn't take any risks. Let's each hold one end of this chain. I'll lead the way, and you follow behind me. If I sense any danger ahead, I'll transmit the information to you through the chain."
After a brief pause, Yan He continued, her expression thoughtful.
"Pulling the chain forward signals you to join me as quickly as possible. Violent shaking means I've encountered an insurmountable danger—retreat immediately."
Song Wen was taken aback. Yan He's plan was entirely for his benefit. He even suspected she had become addicted to scouting ahead.
"Fellow Daoist Yan He, how can I allow you to take such risks alone?" Though pleased by her consideration, Song Wen's face remained firm as he resolutely rejected her proposal.
Yan He replied, "I've cultivated for centuries. Though not a virtuous person, I repay debts. You saved my life; clearing a path for you is my way of returning the favor."
"No..." Song Wen began, but a sudden mouthful of blood erupted, staining his chest crimson.
Yan He said, "Fellow Daoist Gou Jun, there's no need to insist."
Song Wen's expression darkened, as if finally acknowledging his dire condition.
"Then I'll leave it to you, fellow daoist. In my current state, accompanying you would only burden you. If you encounter danger, don't hesitate to abandon me and escape. We've shared hardship together; at least one of us must survive this Rotting Miasma Ridge." Song Wen spoke with an air of noble self-sacrifice.
(End of the Chapter)
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