"I really admire you. I hear that you’ve just condensed qi in two spiritual sources, yet you are already bold enough to enter the Valley of Immortal Fate. But ultimately, your spiritual power is weak, so you should follow Little Sister Su Ci and I so we can show you some care." Along the way, Tang Batian chattered non-stop. He really could talk.
Su Ci did not seem to pay him much attention, but he seemed happy enough filling the conversation.
"No matter what, when I find an immortal root this time and give it to Su Ci, she will definitely agree to be my dao companion!"
Becoming husband and wife was the mortal way of speaking. For martial cultivators, they sought someone with the same interests to ascend the path of immortalhood together with. They would support and depend on each other, striving to become like the immortal companions of legend.
However, because of differences in quality and one's own way of dao, it was fairly difficult to find someone who could truly complete you. For example, if one person had already wasted away in the Qi Condensation Realm, while the other had a bright future ahead, then both would be very seriously affected by the separation of death.
Also, one had to exercise prudence in choosing a dao companion. The right choice would see mutual benefit, whereas the wrong choice would result in mutual harm. A majority of martial cultivators, in order to avoid the risk, distanced themselves from emotional relationships, willing to go their way alone.
Wu Yu had just begun his journey on this path of dao and had not spared much thought about this. Love was an eternal thing, and it depended mostly on one's fate. At least for now he had no one in mind who he wanted to grow old and have children with.
Su Yanli was very beautiful and elegant and could move Wu Yu's heart at times. But for the most part, she was his senior sister. Wu Yu felt respect for her, but little more.
Pssht!
A few green vipers reared, and Su Ci cut them down with her immortal treasure longsword. Her immortal treasure was called “Diffraction Blade.” With two major Weapon Spirit Designs, it was superior to Wu Yu's own Demon Subduing Staff.
Just at this moment, they walked into a strange rock valley.
Weng!
The ground suddenly shook, as though their footsteps had triggered some mechanism.
Kacha!
The strange stones were smashed into dust by some huge force. A beast howled. Wu Yu and the others saw a giant bear that stood many zhang high. Its body was a dull yellow and looked both wooden and metallic at the same time. It was extremely savage.
Of course, this was not a real bear. Only demonic bears could grow to this size. This was the mechanical beast, the Five Affinities Giant Bear.
Wu Yu had not met the Five Affinities Giant Bear in the Dao Querying Pagoda, but they had met it here!
Roar!
The Five Affinities Giant Bear possessed prodigious strength. One coarse limb shoved, causing the strange rocks to collapse, thudding onto the ground. The huge beast shambled forward, charging towards them!
Wu Yu suddenly saw that there were five symbols on its chest. This was the mechanism spirit design, which operated the mechanics that animated the Five Affinities Giant Bear.
"Die! I'll show you Uncle Tang's prowess! Wu Yu, Su Ci, stand back!" Tang Batian's eyes lit up. His chance to prove himself before his lady had finally come.
Tang Batian retrieved a dark red gourd from his Sumeru Pouch. His spiritual power was contained within, and he cast it to the skies, crying, "Five Affinities Giant Bear, lower your head before Uncle Tang!"
The gourd sprayed red mist that shrouded the Five Affinities Giant Bear.
"You've been hit by my Psychedelic Vapor! You now see a she-bear!" Tang Batian's pudgy hands were planted on his waist as he spoke.
Roar!
Just as he thought that he had finished off the Five Affinities Giant Bear, there was a huge roar. The Five Affinities Giant Bear actually charged out from the Psychedelic Vapor. More terrifying was the layer of golden armor that covered its body, causing it to be unbelievably strong. The huge claws raked towards Tang Batian's head, powerful enough to pulp him!
"Is this the dao technique of metal among the five affinities?!"
The marvel of mechanical beasts had Wu Yu both curious and admiring.
"Ah, Uncle Tang had forgotten. Mechanical beasts are unaffected by my Psychedelic Gourd!" Tang Batian screamed as he scrambled back.
Wu Yu and Su Ci moved simultaneously!
Wu Yu unlimbered the Demon Subduing Staff and stepped forth. The Demon Subduing Staff seemed to become an extension of himself. A Staff to Ascension!
Ping!
Wu Yu batted aside the paw of the Five Affinities Giant Bear, saving Tang Batian's life.
And at this instant, Su Ci gripped her Diffraction Blade, separating it into numerous lightsabers. Each of them hummed and sawed at the limb of the Five Affinities Giant Bear. With a few sizzles, the limb was taken down by Su Ci.
An armored Five Affinities Giant Bear was extremely durable. That she could accomplish this much showed that she was about as strong as Jiang Junlin.
Huo!
Wu Yu channeled his power to the fullest.
From top to bottom, the two of them clashed with the Five Affinities Giant Bear for a while. After all, it was a non-living thing, and was easily dealt with. Wu Yu shattered a leg, causing the mechanical beast to topple over. Although it could still attack, but it could not move quickly, easing their movements.
"There's no need to waste energy on this mechanical beast. Fighting will only attract demons. Let's go!" Su Ci looked sharply at Tang Batian and turned to leave. Tang Batian hurriedly scrambled up, hastening to explain himself. "Little Sister Su Ci, please don't get me wrong. I'm really quite powerful. The thing is, this mechanical beast specially counters me. When a demon materializes, I'll definitely beat him thoroughly!"
Wu Yu followed up as well. However, he was starting to have his doubts.
"Since this Su Ci isn't the slightest bit interested in him, why is she teaming up with him? For self-protection?"
After mulling it over, this was the only possible reason remaining.
From the battle just now, neither of them were any less capable than Wu Yu.
Having two more sources of strength beside him was definitely better than being alone in this foreign place. Therefore, Wu Yu followed behind the two, one desperately flattering, the other silent as stone.
"Uncle Tang must get the immortal root this time!" Tang Batian's eyes lit up with an intense fervor and a deep passion for Su Ci.
The party was still led by Su Ci. Wu Yu was constantly observing the Valley of Immortal Fate. This was a mystical place, and especially gloomy due to the dense fog. Therefore, it was difficult to ascertain direction. Without those two leading the way, he would probably be walking in circles, let alone finding any immortal roots.
"Looks like we have walked out of a region." Wu Yu looked around. It seemed like the chill had worsened. The ground below his feet was even softer, and poisonous insects crawled out from the mud around his feet.
All was quiet, while only Tang Batian continued to speak.
"Hey, hey, Little Sister Su Ci, when we become dao companions, let's have a child, and let him cultivate dao as well!" Tang Batian continued to fantasize.
"Alright. But you have to find an immortal root for me." Su Ci actually agreed. Wu Yu could not see her expression from behind, and had no idea why she would say something like that.
Some more time passed.
"We're here!" Su Ci stretched, as though a heavy burden had been lifted from her.
Wu Yu looked ahead. It seemed like there was a tall mountain ahead, from which water gushed to form a waterfall. The waterfall crashed down on a huge glacial lake. Normally, moving water was warmer than still water, but this lake was extremely chilly. It gave one a feeling that some monster of ice lurked below.
"Strange. Isn't this the Lake of Jade? Little Sister Su Ci, the Lake of Jade is at the periphery of the Valley of Immortal Fate. Why would you bring us here?" Tang Batian was stunned.
Su Ci shot him a glance, then gave a chilling laugh. "I intended to come to the Lake of Jade."
"Why?" Tang Batian was still reeling from the shock.
"You will find out soon!" Su Ci retreated a few steps.
Wu Yu sensed a threat. He retreated, but it was too late. It seemed like someone had been lying in wait for him for a while now. Suddenly, they were surrounded on all sides. Unless Wu Yu could fly, he was trapped.
"Su Ci!"
Clearly, the enemy was not just Tang Batian. He was within their sights as well.
To think that he had been trapped from the moment he entered the Valley of Immortal Fate. Wu Yu's expression was ugly. And from the threat level of his captors, he knew who was behind it.
Lan Shuiyue.
As expected, four people emerged from the fog. Lan Shuiyue, Ni Hongyi, as well as the green and blue-clothed disciples. Besides Lan Shuiyue, the other three had cultivated for 60 to 100 years. They were at the fifth tier of the Qi Condensation Realm, with five spiritual sources activated!
"Huh? What's going on? Why are you here?" Tang Batian was thoroughly perplexed.
"Wu Yu?"
After seeing Wu Yu, Lan Shuiyue and her group were startled, then pleased.
"What a surprise. A wonderful surprise. Su Ci, you're the best!" The green-robed disciple opened his arms, and Su Ci smiled widely, going over to embrace him. She said coquettishly, "Of course, don't you know whose dao companion I am? I had planned to bring this toad over for you to teach him a lesson, but then I actually stumbled upon Wu Yu. It's his own bad luck!"
Her words told Wu Yu how this was going to go down.
He understood what was going on between Su Ci, the green-robed disciple, and Tang Batian now. Seemed like this Tang Batian had been duped, done in by his infatuation. Su Ci had used him, luring him here as a companion, fully intending to break his heart along with his bones.
"You! All of you! Dao companion!?" Suddenly, Tang Batian crumbled to the floor, his face in abject misery. He bawled pitifully.
"You two, finish him off quick! What a nuisance!" Lan Shuiyue was the boss here. With a wave of her hand, she ordered the green-robed disciple and Su Ci to deal with Tang Batian, while she, Ni Hongyi, and the blue-robed disciple quickly moved to hem Wu Yu in.
"Su Ci has really brought me an unexpected pleasure. Wu Yu, your luck is just rubbish, for heaven to serve you right up to me today!" The events of the Myriad Treasures Valley were still fresh in her mind, and the shame had caused her to fume the whole night.
"Oh."
The odds were definitely unfavorable for Wu Yu in this situation.
But looking over at Tang Batian, he suddenly thought that his position wasn't so bad after all. The green-robed disciple and Su Ci were mercilessly attacking him, breaking his arm before too long, and throwing him into the Lake of Jade. He had been thoroughly bullied. Most terrible of all must’ve been his emotional trauma.
"One must always be careful when choosing a dao companion."
This was the conclusion that Wu Yu had drawn from his demise….
Tang Batian was helpless, and used the Beacon of Flame to leave.
Then the five of them actually surrounded him!
......