Chapter 174: Securing the Liuyun Dew · Unraveling the Yin-Yang Mystery

Chapter 174: Securing the Liuyun Dew · Unraveling the Yin-Yang Mystery

Seventy-five minutes had passed since the start of Lishan Zhu Yun.

Ye Fei felt immense pressure.

So far, he hadn’t spotted a single liuyun (drifting cloud).

Time ticked away, meaning fewer clouds remained for the taking.

What troubled him more was his position—based on past competitions, he was already trailing behind Tafeng Sanren by at least three clouds.

He couldn’t help but sigh, “Hezhou truly teems with hidden masters.”

Ye Fei had believed his fusion of talismans and escape techniques would shine brightly in this contest. At the very least, he wouldn’t fall too far behind.

But today, reality had humbled him.

Now, chasing first place seemed futile. His only hope was securing one or two clouds to avoid returning empty-handed.

As he thought this, he glanced to his right.

Beside him, a white-robed figure rode a circular Jade Pendant—Ning Haochen, the current first-seat disciple of the Spirit Origin Sect.

Once a top contender, Ning now relied solely on his magical artifact to keep pace with Ye Fei, equally empty-handed.

Ning’s pressure was even greater. To outsiders, he represented the Spirit Origin Sect’s younger generation. His performance directly reflected the sect’s prestige. Failing to secure even a single cloud would not only shame him but also tarnish the sect’s reputation.

As the first-seat disciple, Ning’s escape technique was a top-tier legacy of the Spirit Origin Sect, refined under guidance from multiple elders. Except for his relatively short cultivation time—currently at the Mastery Realm—he had no weaknesses.

Yet he never expected Tafeng Sanren, who had secluded himself for fifty years, to reemerge this year, showcasing a shocking breakthrough.

This competition might set a new historical record, leaving them all as mere foils to Tafeng Sanren’s brilliance.

Ahead, Tafeng Sanren himself wasn’t as relaxed as others assumed.

Despite sensing no one overtaking him, he’d failed to catch even one liuyun.

Now, he wore a puzzled expression, wondering if something had gone awry.

Had he flown the wrong direction after secluding himself for too long?

Or had Lishan Zhu Yun secretly changed its rules without notifying him?

The second-tier cultivators trailing behind didn’t dwell on such thoughts.

They merely lamented the overwhelming competition, resigned to another year of futility, wondering when they’d finally claim a cloud and earn a ranking.

Another fifteen minutes passed.

Tafeng Sanren remained empty-handed.

Just as self-doubt gnawed at him, he spotted a slow-moving sword beam returning from ahead.

It was Xiao Chen!

Though they’d never met, Tafeng Sanren recognized him from old friends’ warnings about rising stars like Xiao Chen and Ye Fei.

But why was Xiao Chen ahead of him?

He halted abruptly, asking, “Cultivator Xiao, where are you headed?”

Deep down, Tafeng Sanren already suspected the answer. But he waited for confirmation.

Xiao Chen bowed with a smile, “The competition’s concluded, Fellow Cultivator. You may return.”

This light remark struck Tafeng Sanren like thunder.

The contest was over?

For sixty years, he’d been the one declaring this to others. Now, he was the listener—and the words stung.

He’d believed his secluded cultivation perfected Windescape Technique, that he’d dominate Hezhou’s foundation-building realm upon his return.

Yet two days after his comeback, he’d been utterly outclassed.

The tide of youth surged ever forward, replacing old generations.

Snapping back to reality, Tafeng Sanren realized he was now a “veteran” over a century old.

The glory of his ten consecutive victories felt fresh, yet it had been fifty years since then. Now, it was the young generation’s era.

“Congratulations, Cultivator Xiao.”

Soon, they encountered Ye Fei and Ning Haochen.

Hearing that Zhuyun (cloud-chasing) had ended, both gaped in shock.

Already?

Ye Fei felt a pang of disbelief, studying Xiao Chen with quiet confusion.

Over the past year, his cultivation progress equaled decades for others—battles against demonic cultivators, chance encounters, and rare opportunities had transformed him from a novice to a Foundation Building Peak prodigy who shook Hezhou.

Yet if Ye Fei’s growth was a leap, Xiao Chen’s was a boundless soar.

Xiao Chen not only outpaced him but stayed perpetually ahead.

Ye Fei couldn’t fathom how Xiao Chen cultivated.

He secretly suspected Xiao Chen possessed an extremely rare Dharma Body, or even a legendary hidden Spiritual Constitution.

Otherwise, how could he be this formidable?

Ning Haochen, after initial shock, felt a flicker of relief.

Xiao Chen’s reputation as a “False Core” prodigy had already spread across Hezhou. Losing to him wasn’t shameful.

Even Tafeng Sanren, with his ten consecutive victories, had been crushed.

As a junior, facing a once-in-a-century False Core cultivator, losing was perfectly reasonable.

Let anyone who disagreed challenge Xiao Chen themselves.

The other cultivators along the way shared similar thoughts.

As the group returned to Lishan’s summit, Yao Dehai, the overseer, looked baffled.

By past experience, the competition should’ve lasted at least another half-hour.

Why had they returned early? Had something happened?

Then he saw only Xiao Chen approaching, holding two differently colored Jade Vials.

One brimmed with liuyun, compressed nearly into liquid.

Yao Dehai asked instinctively, “Cultivator Xiao, did you collect all this alone?”

Xiao Chen nodded, “Yes, twelve liuyun. They’re all here.”

“You used your own vial? The ones we provided were too small.”

The surrounding elders exchanged stunned glances, unsure how to respond.

Xiao Chen had secured all twelve liuyun!

The news spread like wildfire.

All cultivators observing Lishan, whether Foundation Building or higher, erupted into excitement.

A record without precedent had been born today, and they were all witnesses.

“Heavens! No wonder he’s a False Core elder—truly extraordinary!”

“Unbelievable! Senior Xiao claimed all the clouds! No one in thousands of years has achieved this!”

“Past or future, no one will surpass this record.”

Han Ziyan overheard the crowd’s chatter and immediately abandoned her budding plan to ambush Xiao Chen.

A False Core cultivator’s might was terrifying.

No wonder her master assigned a seduction mission—against Xiao Chen’s peerless talent, same-stage cultivators stood no chance.

Numbers wouldn’t solve this. Even a hundred Foundation Building Peaks couldn’t catch him with such a gap in escape techniques.

But now, how could she complete her task?

The more powerful Xiao Chen seemed, the more troubled Han Ziyan became.

Yet Qiu Qichen held the opposite view.

The stronger Xiao Chen appeared, the more assured Qiu Qichen felt about their upcoming operation.

If not for circumstances, he’d rush to retrieve the Spirit Tortoise Egg tomorrow.

Under Yao Dehai’s supervision, a grand ceremony celebrated Xiao Chen’s first-place victory.

Twelve liuyun dew drops were awarded. Two went to the first-place cultivator and the traditional offering to Lei Yin Zhenren.

The remaining ten drops all went to Xiao Chen, sparking another wave of congratulations.

On his return, Xiao Chen stopped at the Lucky Bet House, reclaiming 12,000 spirit stones in principal and interest.

Chang Shunping retrieved 7,200 spirit stones, netting a 1,200 spirit stone profit.

His grin stretched wider than Xiao Chen’s.

Back at Yuan Ci Peak, Xiao Chen immediately refined a liuyun dew drop.

But he didn’t feel the miraculous sensation he’d imagined—just a regular spiritual elixir with abundant energy.

Strange. Wasn’t liuyun dew supposed to enhance escape techniques?

He descended to the mountain foot, circling Yuan Ci Peak.

No change in his Dun Su (teleportation speed).

“Hmm, could it be too little?”

He refined a few more drops.

This time, he finally sensed a slight speed increase.

“If ten drops grant a 50% boost, that’s significant.”

Less than expected, but still a major enhancement.

In a life-or-death chase, even a 5% difference could decide victory or death.

Unfortunately, liuyun dew maxed at nine drops—no infinite stacking.

If its effects were limitless, the Spirit Origin Sect would’ve monopolized it long ago.

A cultivator from Li Zhou like him wouldn’t stand a chance.

Such was the balance of fortune and misfortune.

At 6:45 AM (Mao Hour, 5-7 AM) the next day, Qiu Qichen and two Qiu Clan elders waited at Yuan Ci Peak’s base.

Soon, two Foundation Building Peak cultivators arrived.

When Xiao Chen descended punctually, only he remained.

“I cultivated a while before dawn. Apologies for keeping you waiting, Fellow Cultivators.”

The two men immediately bowed before Qiu Qichen could respond.

“No problem at all—we’ve only just arrived ourselves.”

“Cultivator Xiao trains so diligently even at dawn. No wonder you’ve achieved such remarkable success.”

Their reaction now was utterly different from how they’d acted toward the Qiu family earlier.

Qiu Qichen stood there, momentarily stunned.

After a pause, he introduced the newcomers to Xiao Chen.

It turned out they were Qi Xingwen from the Qi family in Nansong County and Song Jingyi, a solitary cultivator who now served as Honorary Elder at the Spirit Origin Sect.

Qi was an expert in raising spirit beasts and would determine the quality of the Spirit Tortoise Egg. Song specialized in studying yao beasts and would guide their route to avoid encounters with golden core yao beasts.

Both were indispensable—without either, this mission would be impossible.

“Ah, Fellow Cultivator Qi! I saw your flying scarf yesterday at Lishan. Its technique was quite profound.”

Xiao Chen had seen Qi during yesterday’s journey, positioned at the top of the third tier. Since flying on a scarf was rare, he’d taken a second look.

“Cultivator Xiao flatters me,” Qi Xingwen waved a hand. “That’s just a minor trick. It pales in comparison to your golden escape technique, which is truly masterful.”

Xiao Chen turned to Song Jingyi. “Since Fellow Cultivator Song is an expert in yao beasts, we’ll rely heavily on your guidance through Wanyao Mountain Range.”

“To be honest, I know little about high-level yao beasts’ habits. If you don’t mind, I’d like to ask for your insights along the way.”

Song Jingyi readily agreed. “Cultivator Xiao is too polite. I merely have a niche skill. Feel free to ask anything that interests you.”

The two men were remarkably cooperative, and the atmosphere grew as warm as a reunion between old friends.

“Since that’s settled, let’s depart.”

Xiao Chen, seeing they’d reached Chenshi Yike, suggested, “Leaving early means returning early.”

The two men immediately agreed, bidding Qiu Qichen farewell before soaring northward as three streaks of light.

They soon reached Wanyao Mountain Range’s outskirts and descended, proceeding on foot to avoid attracting yao beasts.

As they ventured deeper, Song took the lead, slowing his pace and casting spells to scan their surroundings for traces of golden core yao beasts—their greatest threat.

Xiao Chen had studied ancient records at the Scripture Pavilion. From the outer ranges to the center, yao beast numbers surged dramatically. The deeper they went, the higher the risk of encountering golden core yao beasts.

Thankfully, most golden core yao beasts claimed distinct territories. In theory, they could slip through by skirting two territories’ edges.

But there were complications.

First, these boundaries were often blurred, requiring experience or refined spells to discern. Second, some golden core yao beasts wandered unpredictably—especially winged ones with sharp eyesight.

The spirit-shielding incense they carried could mask their spiritual sense but not their physical presence. If spotted, survival would be near impossible.

“Something’s off. Let’s hide.”

Song Jingyi frowned, digging a pit while scattering spiritual elixir around. This family-secret elixir masked cultivators’ auras, crucial since some yao beasts relied on smell as much as sight.

Xiao Chen whispered, “Have we entered a golden core yao beast’s territory?”

They’d only traveled about 5,700 li—they should still be on the outskirts.

Song shook his head. “Not yet, but the spell reactions are strange. Let’s wait here.”

Better safe than sorry. Xiao Chen obediently crouched in the pit, closing his eyes to meditate on the Yin-Yang Synergy Manual’s heart sutra.

This was their seventh evasion since departure—and more would follow.

After roughly two hours, a late-stage Foundation Building wild boar passed by, eyeing the freshly dug earth suspiciously before lumbering off.

“Just that? No worries then. Let’s go.”

Song sighed in relief, sprinkling more spirit-shielding elixir on the trio. This was his seventh false alarm, but he seemed unfazed.

As they walked, Xiao Chen recalled the boar’s spines—prime material for magic artifacts, worth a fortune. But here in Wanyao Mountain Range, profit was a luxury.

They advanced another 3,000 li before Song halted at a shattered boulder, pressing his ear to its surface.

“This is it,” he murmured. “The golden eagle’s mark—no older than two years.”

Xiao Chen had known they’d cross three golden core territories. The first belonged to a golden eagle, likely still its master.

To evade patrols, they hid in caves by day—digging if necessary, camouflaging with vines from their storage bags—and traveled only between 9 PM and 3 AM, skirting the territory’s edge at the cost of an extra 1,300 li.

Xiao Chen memorized their route meticulously. If disaster struck, he’d need an escape plan.

The second golden core beast was a black-eyed bear, active from 11 PM onward. At Song’s command, they buried themselves in marshes or sand at dusk, emerging only after sunrise.

The final territory belonged to a purple crystal python. Its massive body left clear tracks.

“Good thing our intelligence was accurate,” Song relaxed slightly. “Purple crystal pythons hide in forests. Avoiding wooded areas should keep us safe.”

“We’ll travel daily at noon, hiding on mountaintops otherwise.”

Xiao Chen frowned. “Only one hour a day? This stretch would take ten days!”

Song explained, “Pythons are active by day, though briefly. But golden core beasts move fast. If we wait until they spot us, it’ll be too late.”

In short: noon was safest. Safety first.

With only one hour of travel daily, Xiao Chen found rare leisure. He’d meditated on the Yin-Yang Synergy Manual dozens of times, aided by the Yin-Yang Fish Compass and Wind-Thunder Pair Swords.

Perhaps due to his focus, or the inverted day-night cycle, or the items’ synergy, he’d sensed faint traces of yin-yang mysteries—like moonlight on water, elusive yet tantalizing.

He felt he needed just one spark to pierce the veil.

These ten days of patience had been invaluable. Even a sliver of insight into the Dao would aid him at any cultivation stage.

“Cultivator Xiao, Fellow Cultivator Qi—we’re likely safe now.”

Song cast his spell thrice before offering this cautious verdict.

They stood on a mountaintop overlooking a valley—the earth-storing spirit tortoise’s reported home.

Per Qiu family intelligence, the valley lay on the purple crystal python’s edge, likely free of other golden core territories. A little noise here wouldn’t draw attention.

Their plan: set up a formation at the valley’s mouth, lure two male tortoises out, then have Xiao Chen infiltrate to seize the Spirit Tortoise Egg.

But the critical step went awry.

Before they could act, four male tortoises emerged, wading in the valley’s stream. Worse, one bore two horns—a Mutated Spirit Tortoise!

Such mutations granted unique powers based on bloodline purity, growing stronger with cultivation. This mature specimen rivaled a False Core cultivator, its body housing a native Internal Elixir.

Song and Qi exchanged alarmed glances, then turned to Xiao Chen.

Subduing two tortoises was manageable. Four? Beyond their plan.

Though reaching here had cost them dearly, this was Qiu family intelligence’s failure. Neither man wanted to risk it.

But Xiao Chen turned to Song Jingyi. “How much noise can we safely make here?”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end