Chapter 276: A Glimmer of Hope

Chapter 276: A Glimmer of Hope

"Did you come here with that Iron Lion?"

Hearing the slightly unfriendly tone in Chu Ning's voice, Shi Feng's demeanor, which had been formed by his long-held position of power, completely subdued.

"This senior's surname is Chu?" Shi Feng bowed respectfully to Chu Ning, surprisingly addressing himself as a junior.

"Senior Chu, it's true that I came here with that Iron Lion, but we've only just met. He wanted me to help him with something and promised to join me in killing the Iron Rock Beast here. That's why we're together," Shi Feng explained.

Chu Ning nodded slightly after hearing this and asked again, "You wanted the Iron Rock Beast? I've already killed it!"

Hearing that the Iron Rock Beast had also been slain by Chu Ning, Shi Feng's expression changed slightly once more.

The Iron Rock Beast had extremely strong defense, and even if he joined forces with the Iron Lion, killing it wouldn't be that easy. Yet, Chu Ning spoke of it as if it were a trivial matter.

Recalling how the Iron Lion had been helpless against Chu Ning's three punches earlier, Shi Feng immediately composed his expression.

"I did have my eyes on that Rock-armored Beast before. But since Senior has taken a liking to this demon beast, I won't be so ignorant as to insist," Shi Feng said.

Chu Ning had originally planned to use the Rock-armored Beast to bargain with Shi Feng, hoping to obtain some of the items left behind by the cultivator from a thousand years ago. But now, he didn't rush to bring up those conditions. Instead, he directly asked Shi Feng, "What favor did the Iron Lion ask of you just now? Did he also want to see the remnants left by the cultivator from outside the island a thousand years ago?"

Shi Feng was surprised that Chu Ning had guessed correctly, and after glancing at Xie Xianhai, he realized that Chu Ning already knew the general situation. So, he decided to be honest and said, "Indeed, Senior has a keen eye. The place where that cultivator lived before is indeed within the scope of our Giant Stone Tribe, and there are indeed quite a few things left behind. Senior, if you are interested, you can come to our Giant Stone Tribe to take a look."

Chu Ning was quite surprised by Shi Feng's cooperation and could only sigh in his heart, "In this world, strength is everything!"

Since the other party was so accommodating, Chu Ning naturally wouldn't refuse. Immediately, he dragged out the corpse of the Iron Rock Beast from behind the stone.

The three people from the Giant Stone Tribe couldn't help but have flickering expressions when they saw Chu Ning dragging the corpse of the Iron Rock Beast.

Chu Ning then said to Shi Feng, "I'll go take a look at the place where the cultivator lived first. If this Iron Rock Beast is of no use to me, I'll give it to your tribe."

Hearing this, Shi Feng was naturally delighted.

The group immediately descended from the Hundred Beasts Mountain.

Along the way, they encountered some demon beasts, but as the experts of their respective tribes, they easily took care of them without needing Chu Ning's help.

During the journey, Chu Ning sensed a third-rank demon beast and took the initiative to kill it, presenting it to Xie Xianhai as a token of gratitude for their hospitality.

Then, Chu Ning went to the Donglin Tribe to pick up Shi Xueyong.

Shi Xueyong, hailing from the prestigious Guiyuan Zong, had a broader range of knowledge than Chu Ning.

Chu Ning himself didn't know what the cultivator from a thousand years ago had left behind, so it was better to have Shi Xueyong along. After all, an extra person meant an extra pair of eyes and hands.

After leaving the Donglin Tribe's gate, Chu Ning glanced at Shi Feng, who was waiting at the foot of the mountain, and then turned to Xie Xianhai, who had seen him off, and said with a faint smile, "Clan Chief Xie, I'll go take a look at the things left by that cultivator first. I'll definitely be back to bother you later."

Perhaps due to first impressions, Chu Ning still felt more comfortable with Xie Xianhai compared to Shi Feng.

Hearing this, a delighted expression appeared on Xie Xianhai's face, and he said, "Senior Chu will come back? Then I'll wait for you in the village!"

Ever since Shi Feng addressed Chu Ning as a senior, Xie Xianhai also followed suit and no longer acted arrogantly.

Chu Ning laughed and said, "Of course, I'll come back. Clan Chief taught me the 'Shadow Step Technique', and I haven't repaid this debt yet."

After he finished speaking, Chu Ning, accompanied by Shi Xueyong, walked downhill amidst Xie Xianhai's send-off.

Xie Xianhai's actions naturally aroused the curiosity of Shi Xueyong and the others from the Donglin Tribe, and they asked about the journey.

When the people from the Donglin Tribe heard about Chu Ning's strength, they were secretly amazed.

Especially Xie Yong, whose eyes seemed to glow with anticipation.

As Shi Xueyong accompanied Chu Ning downhill, she was stunned to hear that he had defeated the Iron Lion. "He was a late-stage Golden Core cultivator!"

Chu Ning sighed, "Yes, he was a late-stage Golden Core cultivator. If it weren't for the lack of spiritual energy on this Wuling Island, it wouldn't have been easy to defeat him."

As he spoke, Chu Ning's eyes flickered.

Previously, when he had killed Ao Langtian, he had relied on the Ice Soul Pearl.

The Iron Lion was even stronger than Ao Langtian, and if they had fought in a place with abundant spiritual energy, he wasn't sure if he could have defeated his opponent.

With the death of the Iron Lion, two late-stage Golden Core cultivators had perished at his hands.

At the same time, the two cultivators who might have known about the Golden Spirit Species in his body were also dead.

Hopefully, no one else knew about this matter, which would save him a lot of trouble.

If the Golden Spirit Species were in the hands of a late-stage Golden Core cultivator, then so be it.

But if people knew that the Golden Spirit Species was in the hands of a mere early-stage Golden Core cultivator like him, those Nascent Soul cultivators might not be able to resist the temptation to make a move.

Fortunately, he didn't have to worry about that for now.

The only thing left to do was to see if he could find a way out of this place.

Chu Ning introduced Shi Feng and Shi Xueyong to each other and then followed Shi Feng toward the Giant Stone Tribe.

The Giant Stone Tribe was nearly three hundred miles away from the Donglin Tribe, but with their speed, they arrived quickly.

After traveling for about a day, the group arrived at the Giant Stone Tribe.

The members of the Giant Stone Tribe were astonished to see Shi Feng leave with the Iron Lion but return with two outsiders.

And the fact that they addressed Chu Ning as a senior only added to their surprise.

Shi Feng didn't let anyone disturb them further and led Chu Ning and Shi Xueyong directly to a separate cave within the tribe's grounds.

"This place used to be the residence of Qi Lihuai, the cultivator who came to our Wuling Island a thousand years ago.

After our Giant Stone Tribe occupied this place, we have been guarding it carefully.

Only the tribe leader and a few high-ranking members are allowed access.

Moreover, we lost interest in many of the items here after studying them for a while, so we rarely come, and the things inside have been mostly untouched."

As the number one person on Wuling Island, Shi Feng pushed open the stone door and entered first.

Chu Ning and Shi Xueyong followed closely behind.

They soon discovered that this so-called stone cave was structurally very similar to the caves of cultivators in the outside world.

The two exchanged glances, and their eyes fell on the rows of striking words on the wall.

"My name is Qi Lihuai, an early Nascent Soul cultivator from the Zhengyang Pavilion of Beichuan Country."

Reading the first line on the wall, the two couldn't help but gasp.

"This person was actually a Nascent Soul cultivator!"

Chu Ning's expression turned solemn.

The other party was a Nascent Soul cultivator, yet he had been trapped on this island for over a hundred years.

Leaving the island was definitely not going to be easy.

Without saying a word, Chu Ning continued reading.

The subsequent records detailed Qi Lihuai's initial adaptation process after arriving on the island, including mentions of demon beast crystals and the Hundred Beasts Mountain.

Chu Ning and Shi Xueyong weren't particularly interested in these parts, so they skimmed through them quickly.

"In the third year after arriving on Wuling Island, I finally gained the trust of the Mendeng Tribe, the first tribe of this island. They supported me in my true quest to find a way to leave this island."

At this point, Qi Lihuai's words were filled with aspiration and hope. From then on, the records detailed the Nascent Soul cultivator's relentless search for a way to escape the island.

As Chu Ning read on, his expression grew increasingly grave. Qi Lihuai had attempted countless methods.

There was one particular section that caught Chu Ning's attention.

"For several months, I asked the tribe leader to kill several fourth-rank demon beasts, hoping to use their hides to make a boat to sail on the Boundless Sea.

However, it was futile. Whether it was a raft made of ordinary wood or demon beast hide, it would sink as soon as it entered the Boundless Sea.

Nothing can possibly float on the Boundless Sea."

Although Chu Ning had read in some ancient texts that nothing could float on the Boundless Sea, it was only now that he truly believed it.

Further on, the Nascent Soul cultivator continued to try various methods.

Then, Chu Ning's eyes landed on a line of large characters.

"Ten years! In ten years, I have traveled to every corner of Wuling Island, except for the Beast Mountain forbidden area, and tried countless methods.

But, I have found no solution. My lifespan is now less than a hundred years!

Perhaps, I can only grow old and die on this Wuling Island, or... venture into the Beast Mountain forbidden land!"

Chu Ning and Shi Xueyong exchanged glances, both sensing the despair that had crept into the Nascent Soul cultivator's words.

"Are we also destined to grow old and die alone here?"

Shi Xueyong murmured softly.

Chu Ning didn't answer her but continued reading.

"The Beast Mountain forbidden area is not a place I can enter without any cultivation. The hurricanes and spatial rifts there are similar to spatial forces.

Even Nascent Soul cultivators dare not touch these spatial forces lightly, or they will surely perish.

Perhaps the only opportunity is during the spatial storms that occur every half a year or so..."

Chu Ning read this section with utmost attention.

According to Qi Lihuai's records, the demon beasts were swept out by the spatial forces.

At the same time, these spatial forces also brought in some demon beasts into the Beast Mountain forbidden area.

That was why higher-ranked demon beasts kept appearing in the forbidden area.

Moreover, after years of observation, the Nascent Soul cultivator had discovered a pattern.

For about three days after a spatial storm in the Beast Mountain forbidden area, the spatial forces would weaken significantly.

Thus, he decided to take a chance and enter the forbidden area.

However, after venturing less than a hundred meters into the forbidden area, Qi Lihuai found that his body couldn't withstand the spatial forces.

So, the Nascent Soul cultivator had no choice but to retreat.

But, having been a Nascent Soul cultivator with extensive knowledge and experience, he drew a conclusion.

"If one has a body comparable to the Golden Core stage, one might be able to withstand the spatial forces during those three days?"

When Chu Ning read Qi Lihuai's deduction, his eyes lit up.

He did possess a body comparable to the Golden Core stage.

Eager to find out more, he continued reading without hesitation.

After exiting the forbidden area, the Nascent Soul cultivator started to focus on body tempering.

However, his lifespan was too short. After spending over twenty years, he realized that even if he exhausted his lifespan, he couldn't cultivate his body to a level comparable to the Golden Core stage.

Thus, he once again abandoned this plan.

Instead, he shifted his attention to researching other methods.

But, as Chu Ning continued reading, he couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

"Using demon beast crystals to restore one's cultivation!"

"What?"

Shi Xueyong, who was still reading the earlier parts, heard Chu Ning's exclamation and immediately looked up, her eyes widening in surprise.

"With the help of beast crystals from third-rank demon beasts and above, this device can slightly stimulate and restore one's spiritual energy. This discovery filled me with indescribable joy."

"However, with my current level of cultivation, I can only harness spiritual energy comparable to the third layer of Qi Refining, and that too, for only a few breaths."

"But I seem to see a glimmer of hope."

The subsequent writings documented the process of the Nascent Soul cultivator's research and improvements to the device.

Until, finally, there appeared a new section of text.

"Five years! It took a full five years, but I could only manage to harness spiritual energy up to the fourth layer of Qi Refining, and even then, I couldn't make any further progress."

"Moreover, the duration is still extremely short, lasting only a few breaths. With such limited spiritual energy and time, it is impossible for me to escape this place."

"I will grow old and die here!"

After these words, there were no more records left.

It was unknown whether the Nascent Soul cultivator had given up all hope or if his lifespan had simply come to an end.

As Chu Ning and Shi Xueyong finished reading, their eyes shone with a faint light.

A rewarding discovery!

Just from the words inscribed on the wall by this Nascent Soul cultivator, the two had gained valuable insights.

At this moment, Chu Ning turned his gaze towards Shi Feng, who had been standing at a distance.

"Clan Chief Shi, did this senior leave behind any items? If so, have they been preserved?"

Shi Feng didn't seem surprised by Chu Ning's question and immediately led the two into a stone chamber.

Chu Ning and Shi Xueyong stepped inside, their hearts filled with anticipation.

The stone chamber contained only a stone table, but upon it rested several items that felt strangely familiar to Chu Ning and Shi Xueyong.

There was a storage bag, as well as various artifacts and treasures, including jade bottles and boxes.

Although the artifacts of a Nascent Soul cultivator would usually be quite enticing to the two, their attention was now focused on finding the device that could convert beast crystals into spiritual energy.

Both Chu Ning and Shi Xueyong had some knowledge of artifact refinement, and they quickly zeroed in on a metal gauntlet-like object among the pile of artifacts.

As they had expected, there was a slot on the gauntlet designed to accommodate a beast crystal.

Next to it lay a small stone tablet that provided instructions for its use.

Chu Ning immediately embedded the earthen-yellow beast crystal he had obtained from the Hundred Beasts Mountain into the gauntlet.

However, when he donned the gauntlet and attempted to channel his spiritual energy, nothing happened, causing his expression to shift slightly.

"Brother Chu, what's wrong? Doesn't it work?" Shi Xueyong asked, her face tense with worry.

Chu Ning shook his head, a slight frown creasing his brow.

After a moment's thought, he turned to Shi Feng and asked, "Clan Chief Shi, do you have any other beast crystals of different attributes? May I borrow them?"

Shi Feng didn't refuse and promptly handed over several beast crystals of different attributes to Chu Ning.

Chu Ning tried embedding the fire and wood attribute beast crystals into the gauntlet, but still, there was no reaction.

Shi Xueyong, meanwhile, surveyed the artifacts and pills on the table and remarked, "Brother Chu, it seems that the items used by this senior are more suited for metal-attribute cultivation techniques. Perhaps the device he created is specifically designed for metal-attribute practitioners?"

"Hmm?" Chu Ning's eyes lit up at Shi Xueyong's suggestion.

"Miss Shi, you cultivate a metal-attribute technique, don't you? But we don't seem to have any metal-attribute beast crystals."

Shi Xueyong smiled and said, "Who said we don't? Don't you remember the necklace I gave you before?"

Chu Ning recalled the necklace, which indeed had beast crystals of various attributes, including metal.

He took out the necklace and Shi Xueyong plucked a golden beast crystal from it, embedding it into the gauntlet.

Curious, she slipped the gauntlet onto her hand.

Chu Ning watched her intently, his eyes filled with anticipation.

In the next moment, Shi Xueyong raised her hand slightly, and a faint golden light appeared at her fingertip.

"Spiritual energy!"

Chu Ning's eyes widened at the sight of metal-attribute spiritual energy emanating from Shi Xueyong's finger.

Shi Xueyong quickly slapped her waist, causing a multitude of items to appear on the table.

However, as she performed this action, the golden light at her fingertip vanished, and the metal-attribute beast crystal embedded in the gauntlet crumbled into powder.

The duration was indeed extremely short, but it was enough to fill both Chu Ning and Shi Xueyong with relief.

Chu Ning surveyed the array of items on the table and picked up a spirit stone first.

But after a moment's consideration, he put it down, realizing that the spiritual energy within was as inaccessible as the spiritual energy within his own body.

"These spirit stones may not be of immediate use, but there are definitely some useful items in our storage bags. Now that we can open them, we have a glimmer of hope."

Chu Ning held the spirit stone in his palm, his gaze shifting towards the outside of the stone chamber.

Regardless, they had found a ray of hope.

If Qi Lihuai's writings were accurate, having a body comparable to the Golden Core stage would enable them to resist the weakened spatial forces.

He had to test this theory!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end