https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-439-Choices-White-Tiger-Tri-Union-Part-2-/12981665/
Chapter 439: Choices, White Tiger Tri-Union (Part 1)
Chapter 439: Choices, White Tiger Tri-Union (Part 1)
On the contrary, Little Bear seemed to feel that he had changed significantly and made considerable progress. He happily circled around Fang Che's calves several times, showing great affection.
It wasn't until Yan Bei Han gave him a cold stare that he reluctantly circled around Yan Bei Han's legs a few times.
His half-heartedness was quite obvious.
This made Yan Bei Han's chest feel stuffy with anger.
Clearly, I treat it better, right? Why does this little guy prefer Fang Che over me? What am I lacking?
Yan Bei Han grabbed Little Bear by the back of his neck and dragged him to the lake to give him a bath.
This little guy had slept in Fang Che's tent last night, and Yan Bei Han couldn't tolerate it. He had to be thoroughly cleaned.
"The weight hasn't changed; it's still fourteen and a half pounds."
Yan Bei Han spoke as she washed him.
"You can be so precise to the ounce?"
Fang Che was a bit surprised.
"Hehe." Yan Bei Han chuckled.
Feeling that she had nothing in common with such a rough man, she thought, I even felt a few days ago that this guy was thoughtful and delicate. It must have been an illusion.
"This little guy has eaten at least several hundred thousand pounds of food in the past half a year..."
Fang Che was worried, "Yet it's still only around thirteen pounds. Where did the rest go?"
"It's better if it doesn't grow up!"
Yan Bei Han had no such concerns and instead felt delighted, "Such a tiny little thing is so cute. If it grows up, it'll be ugly and fierce. What's the fun in that?"
Fang Che was stunned, "Are you raising this thing just for fun?"
"What else?"
Yan Bei Han turned to ask.
"..."
I wanted a combat pet... Fang Che thought to himself.
Once again, he felt that men and women truly had no common language. If it's just for fun... No, why would one raise an animal just for entertainment?
If not for food, then it must be for combat.
Fun?
I don't have that word in my vocabulary.
Noon.
The weather was clear, with not a cloud in the sky.
Fang Che and Yan Bei Han reached the treetop and looked at the distant mountains soaring into the clouds. Both of them had an expression of awe at the sight.
To understand the terrain of this land, climbing up and looking down would be the quickest way.
But they dared not.
"As long as we stay here and remain undetected by those powerful monster beasts, we'll be safe for now. Those giant pythons shouldn't dare to chase us here."
Fang Che said, "But does that mean we'll just stay cooped up here?"
Yan Bei Han furrowed her brows.
This was a problem that needed to be addressed.
After a moment, Yan Bei Han said, "We have two choices. The first is to stay here and live cautiously. The second is to cross the lake again and face the relentless pursuit of the giant pythons and flying centipedes."
"Which one do you choose?"
Yan Bei Han stared intently at Fang Che.
Fang Che groaned and lay down on the ground.
He didn't want to choose either.
"You choose then." Fang Che said.
"I don't want to choose either."
Yan Bei Han felt the same.
Neither choice was appealing.
The giant pythons were slow and not very agile, but when it came to escaping, they were still dangerous.
Now, with the addition of the flying centipedes, the danger had multiplied. Moreover, the flying centipedes were just the first wave; both of them could sense that there would be even greater threats ahead.
Staying here meant nine deaths and one life. Returning meant one life and nine deaths.
What's the difference?
"How did we end up in such an awkward situation..." Yan Bei Han sighed deeply, "This is supposed to be a trial for ordinary low-level disciples. It's truly..."
She didn't finish her sentence.
Fang Che chimed in, "It's truly fucked up!"
"Crude!"
Yan Bei Han's face turned red.
"Well, it's crude, isn't it? This Heavenly Palace and Netherworld are truly fucking messed up!"
Fang Che felt powerless, his face contorting, "They're not only messing with others, but they're even messing with their own people."
Yan Bei Han almost laughed out loud and rolled her eyes, "It's not necessarily that the Heavenly Palace and Netherworld are messing with us. As you said, they wouldn't mess with their own people. Maybe it's you who messed with them."
Yan Bei Han's words were purely a joke.
Because from any perspective, the one messing with others would never be Fang Che—how could he mess with others when he knew nothing?
Fang Che himself also felt that this had nothing to do with him!
However, he never expected that he was the one who had caused all of this.
It was as if his words had come back to haunt him: messing with others and messing with himself.
But at this moment, no one knew that this little boy was also involved.
Fang Che was confused, and even he didn't realize that he had gotten himself into this predicament.
After two days of staying in fear and cultivating, both of them broke through their cultivation levels.
Fang Che made a remarkable breakthrough to the Martial Commander Fourth Rank, while Yan Bei Han broke through to the Martial Marquis Third Rank, almost without any difference in their progress.
"Our strength has increased significantly."
Yan Bei Han felt a sense of awe as she assessed her newfound power.
When cultivating at the headquarters of the Only Righteous Sect, she had never felt such joy in breaking through a cultivation rank.
This trip had truly made her experience everything she hadn't in her life.
"The increase in strength is real."
Fang Che sighed, "But this progress is of no use."
Yan Bei Han's joy from her breakthrough was instantly crushed by these words.
She couldn't even muster the anger to respond.
She could only sigh, "Who's to say otherwise?"
Fang Che discovered a great advantage of Yan Bei Han's: as long as you didn't provoke her, she usually wouldn't throw a tantrum.
Such a woman was practically a rare animal in today's society.
So Fang Che also began to restrain himself.
After all, angering a mother tiger would only bring trouble upon himself.
"Next, let's cultivate by the lakeside for a few days."
Fang Che suggested, "We should try to get closer to the lakeside. First, the spiritual qi here is richer, and second, it will be easier to escape if needed. It’s better to prepare for the worst."
"Alright."
Yan Beihan said, "I have only two questions. First, why does the little guy always crawl into your arms instead of mine when we practice?"
Fang Che blinked, "How should I know?"
In fact, he understood that the little guy was drawn to his Boundless Dharmic Scripture.
Yan Beihan said, "Second, my constitution is the top-tier Phoenix Body. While yours is also top-tier, it’s at most on par with mine. But why, when I use aids and resources to cultivate, is your cultivation speed still no less than mine?"
Fang Che’s face twisted, "Sister, you’ve broken through to the first tier of Martial Marquis, while I’ve broken through to the fourth rank of Martial Commander. The amount of true qi required, you can’t be unaware of the difference, right? Do you need to ask this? Are you trying to humiliate me?"
Yan Beihan was stunned for a moment, then he apologized, "Right, right, I overlooked that."
The topic was glossed over.
After a while, Yan Beihan thought: But that still doesn’t make sense. I’ve used so many resources, while you just absorb from the surroundings, and yet the speed is still incomprehensible.
But he didn’t feel like asking again.
He kept it to himself.
With this reason, Fang Che’s face grew thicker, and he kept extending his hand, "Lend me some cultivation resources, and I’ll return them when we get out."
"You don’t want me to be too weak and hold you back, leading to both our deaths, right?"
"Just a little, and it’s a loan. Don’t worry, I’ll definitely return it when we get out. As the chief steward of the grand hall, do you think I’d renege on my debts?"
"Besides, I can’t afford to offend you."
"……"
Fang Che’s silver tongue worked overtime, presenting all sorts of reasons.
Yan Beihan, knowing Fang Che’s identity as a Night Demon, deliberately yielded. Gradually, Fang Che borrowed more and more, the debt piling up.
Over time, even Yan Beihan himself was confused about how much he had lent.
With nothing happening over several days, the two of them grew even more reluctant to leave.
It was safe.
And the spiritual qi was too rich.
"That powerful existence dominating this place shouldn’t care or notice us, right?"
Yan Beihan said hopefully.
"Hopefully." Fang Che sighed, "But that powerful existence hasn’t even left an ant behind. You can see how strong its possessive nature is."
Yan Beihan’s good mood, which he had just managed to coax himself into, was shattered by Fang Che.
He was momentarily speechless.
"You really can’t say a single nice word."
Yan Beihan said angrily.
"It’s not that saying nice things will change the environment. If it were that easy, I’d bless you every day."
Fang Che pondered, "I’m just considering a problem. I can’t figure it out."
"What problem?"
"Based on the traces we found, insects and ants and such have existed here for several decades, right?" Fang Che asked.
"Right. If it had been more than several decades, those traces would be almost impossible to find. They are too subtle." Yan Beihan nodded.
"But the powerful beast dominating this place should have a long lifespan, right?"
"Right."
"So, this powerful beast has dominated this area for a long time, not just a short period, right?"
"Right, of course."
"Then why didn’t it clear out everything before several decades ago?" Fang Che asked, "Why choose this specific point in time to clean its territory?"
"……" Yan Beihan was stunned.
"It’s not possible that this powerful beast only settled here a few decades ago, right?" Fang Che asked again.
"That should be impossible."
Yan Beihan was very clear that for such a powerful beast to claim a vast territory as its own, a few decades wouldn’t be enough.
"If it had only arrived a few decades ago, the battles between beasts should not have ended yet."
"Yes."
Fang Che frowned, "So, the problem lies here: it has dominated this place for a very long time, at least several hundred to a thousand years, yet it only cleared everything a few decades ago. Why?"
Yan Beihan: "……"
"Another issue is… even the most powerful beasts need to eat."
Fang Che said, "It cleaned its territory so thoroughly, not even an ant remains. What does this beast eat? It can’t be a herbivore, eating leaves, right?"
Yan Beihan’s eyes widened, suddenly also surprised, "Right, what does it eat?"
The two of them looked at each other.
This was indeed a big problem!
Even if it could go into seclusion for several decades without eating or drinking, when it wakes up, it would still need to eat something, right?
"Some beasts can directly ingest the spiritual qi of heaven and earth, and they can survive without eating, becoming stronger over time… but we don’t know what level this beast is at."
Yan Beihan said, "And the spiritual qi here is very rich, the deeper in, the richer it becomes, like a spiritual qi vortex. This fits the phenomenon."
Fang Che frowned, "You mean… because it continuously devours the spiritual qi, it creates a spiritual qi void, which in turn attracts the spiritual qi from the surroundings more rapidly?"
"Right!"
Fang Che was silent for a while, then said, "It’s not impossible…"
Yan Beihan concluded, "So, from a few decades ago, a special situation appeared? Is this what you’re trying to say?"
"Right!"
Fang Che said, "This is the key point!"
"The key is what this special situation is." Yan Beihan frowned, "But these mysteries need to be asked of this beast… you go and ask it."
Fang Che stared, "You go, after all, your status and position are higher, you have more face."
"You go."
"No, you go!"
The two were coughing to pass the time when suddenly, the sky darkened.
A sense of impending doom abruptly rose.
Without time to look up, Yan Bei Han and Fang Che had the same reaction: they grabbed Little Bear and leaped into the lake.
Then, they quickly dove a few zhang deep before looking up.
Through the shimmering water, they saw two enormous birds flying from the cloud-covered mountain peak, casting a shadow over the sky.
Their wingspan was too wide to measure.
Anyway... when these two giant birds flew over, the sky darkened.
A clear cry pierced the air.
The two birds descended like arrows.
A tangible pressure bore down, and the water felt like solid ground.
Fang Che heard anger and battle intent in the cry, and he frantically pulled Yan Bei Han, diving deeper into the heart of the lake.
A roar echoed from behind, reverberating from the mountain peak.
Two formidable auras clashed in mid-air, and the lake erupted with towering waves, churning skyward.
Fang Che struggled to pull Yan Bei Han against the current, then dove deeper into the water. In an instant, they descended three hundred zhang.
Before they reached the bottom, it seemed there was a cliff beneath them.
Fang Che darted to the side, grabbing a rock with his hand, his fingers sinking deep into the stone.
Yan Bei Han did the same.
Both understood that the next collision would be a real battle between the giant birds and the local monster, and it would happen soon.
This collision was inevitable, but further descent was not. If they got knocked out and floated to the surface, it would be the end.
Sure enough, a thunderous boom sounded.
Even at a depth of over a thousand zhang, the two still felt the intense impact.
The surrounding water currents suddenly churned in various directions.
It seemed the entire sky was pressing down on the lake.
The two struggled, using their cultivation to protect themselves. Fang Che manipulated spirit energy to create a whirlpool, shielding them from the crushing water.
But...
A loud splat, and both simultaneously spewed blood from their noses.
They were horrified.
After this upheaval, Fang Che immediately pulled Yan Bei Han, and they continued to dive along the underwater cliff, heading deeper.
After such a collision, they should have been flung away, but before the next clash, there would be a brief respite.
This pause might only last a few seconds, but it was enough for them to descend several dozen zhang!
After diving again, they continued to grab onto the cliff's rocks and waited.
Indeed, the continuous collisions and upheavals kept coming, one after another, with almost no respite. But they could endure these shocks.
The underwater currents also became relatively calmer.
Yet, both could imagine how intense the battle above had become.
They were already over a thousand zhang deep! Fang Che breathed a sigh of relief, and amidst the tremors of battle, he calmly led Yan Bei Han deeper.
He stretched out his hand, gesturing, and smiled bitterly.
Yan Bei Han also stretched out her finger and smiled bitterly.
Yes, the spatial ring's crack had widened.
This meant the two had quickly seized the opportunity and overcome another life-threatening crisis.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
