A Mortal's Start in the Spirit Beast Mountain

Chapter 302 Plotting Against Jin Leizhu

Upon hearing this, the bearded man abruptly turned his head, his eyes flashing with a fierce light. "They're so fast? Did those puppets and restrictions along the way pose no obstacle to them at all?"

The Yin Ancestor's face also darkened, and he said grimly, "It seems that these three guys have found some kind of shortcut or special method to avoid or quickly pass through those puppet guards and complicated restrictions!"

No wonder that old Taoist priest Wan Tianming was so 'confident' at the entrance, refusing to fight Brother Man and spouting nonsense about 'taking turns to take the treasure.' It turns out he had already decided to take the treasure ahead of time!"

The bearded man snorted angrily, "We've been tricked by these treacherous fellows! No wonder they ran faster than rabbits; they were hiding this trick!"

Despite their anger, the three realized that the situation was somewhat unfavorable for them. Not only had their opponents arrived first, but they had also entered the core area of ​​Hanlitai at their peak.

On their side, they had just gone through a series of fierce battles, and their magical power was greatly depleted. In particular, Barbarian Beard and Ancestor Jiyin had put in a lot of effort in breaking the last two powerful restrictions, and their condition was not at its best at the moment.

"Wan Tianming and his two companions went in first, and they are probably trying to retrieve the cauldron right now."

The Yin Ancestor's eyes flickered as he pondered, "We are not in good condition right now. If we rashly rush in and clash head-on with them, we will likely suffer losses. Even if we win, it will be a Pyrrhic victory, and it may even affect our subsequent efforts to obtain the treasure."

He paused, looked at Manhuzi and Qingyi, and suggested, "Anyway, the Void Heaven Cauldron is protected by the Azure Ice Flame, so it is not something that can be easily taken. Even if Wan Tianming and the others arrive first, they may not be able to succeed in a short time relying solely on the Golden Silkworm."

"Perhaps... we should rest and recuperate here first, recover some of our mana, and get ourselves into peak condition before entering. It might be safer to wait and see."

"Brother Wu is right." Qingyi Jushi nodded in agreement. "That Azure Ice Flame is no ordinary thing. Even with the help of a spirit beast, it will take time to retrieve the treasure. We should be able to recover in time."

Although the bearded man was hot-tempered and eager to seize the treasure, he wasn't brainless. After a moment's thought, he realized that he wasn't in good condition and forcing his way in wasn't the best strategy. He glanced at the towering Hanli Terrace and the milky-white light barrier, gritted his teeth, and muttered:

"Fine! Let those few bastards cause trouble for now! I'll deal with them when I've recovered!"

With the plan settled, the three of them no longer hesitated. They each found a relatively flat and secluded corner near the Cold Li Terrace, sat down cross-legged, and began to seize the time to regulate their breathing and recover, swallowing pills and refining their medicinal power, hoping to restore their condition to its peak in the shortest possible time.

Xuan Gu seemed to have little interest in the Hanli Terrace in front of him. Seeing the three Nascent Soul elders begin to regulate their breathing, he silently walked to the side, found a rock to sit on, closed his eyes to rest, and his calm aura made it impossible for others to see through him.

Wu Chou, on the other hand, was filled with longing and curiosity, craning his neck as if he wished his gaze could pierce through the milky-white light barrier to catch a glimpse of the legendary Void Heaven Cauldron. This was the number one treasure of the Chaotic Star Sea, an opportunity that countless cultivators dreamed of! He was itching to get closer and take a look.

However, the moment he made a move, he was met with a cold, warning glance from the Yin Ancestor, who was meditating. It was as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over him; he immediately lowered his head, no longer daring to look around, and obediently found a place to sit down. He took out a pill and began to recover his magical power. But out of the corner of his eye, he couldn't help but glance at Luo Ming and Han Li in the distance.

Unlike the others, Luo Ming and Han Li did not immediately adjust their breathing. Instead, they stood a little further away, looking around and surveying the magnificent "Hanli Terrace," as well as the surrounding environment, the traces of the remaining restrictions, and even some inconspicuous ancient patterns on the ground.

"Hmph, two country bumpkins who've never seen the world!" Wu Chou sneered inwardly. "Having come to such a treasure trove, instead of seizing the time to recover, they're just looking around aimlessly. What can they possibly figure out? Utterly foolish!"

He withdrew his gaze, no longer paying attention to the two, and focused on refining the medicinal power. In his view, Luo Ming and Han Li's actions were nothing short of a waste of time.

Luo Ming and Han Li stood seemingly casually a dozen feet apart, their gazes aimlessly sweeping over the towering, cold "Hanlitai" stone wall, the ancient patterns on it, and the faint spiritual energy remnants belonging to Wan Tianming and the others that had not yet completely dissipated in the air.

Their postures were relaxed, as if they were simply curious about this legendary treasure land, or perhaps they dared not move around freely because the Nascent Soul Ancestors were meditating, and could only "stroll" like this.

However, beneath the surface of calm, the two were secretly communicating telepathically using an extremely discreet divine sense technique that was almost undetectable to cultivators of the same level.

"Brother Luo, judging from the current state of Barbarian Beard and Old Ancestor Jiyin, and their eagerness to recover their magical power, when they enter the light barrier and meet Wan Tianming and the others, a fierce battle is probably inevitable."

We are only at the Core Formation stage, caught in the middle, facing immense danger. A single misstep could result in us being caught in the aftershocks of the battle and shattered to pieces. Brother Luo, what are your plans for the situation ahead?

Han Li was meticulous. He noticed that Luo Ming seemed quite "calm" throughout, and even had the leisure to "study" the environment. He couldn't help but probe him to see if Luo Ming had any trump cards or plans to save his life or escape.

Upon hearing this, Luo Ming remained expressionless, maintaining his "observational" posture, and replied telepathically, his tone calm yet carrying a hint of reassurance and certainty:

"I understand Brother Han's concerns. However, you don't need to be too nervous. Although these old guys look fierce at the moment, their real target is the Void Heaven Cauldron and the Heaven-Mending Pill. As for us..."

He paused, then said meaningfully, "To be precise, it's you, Brother Han. To them, your greatest value right now lies in the spirit beast you possess. They need your spirit beast to guide the legendary Void Heaven Cauldron."

"So before they successfully retrieve the Void Heaven Cauldron, they will not only not let us risk our lives easily, but will also protect us to a certain extent, especially you and your spirit beast. In the face of their core goal of retrieving the treasure, they don't really care about our 'life and death,' or rather, they don't have time to care for it for the time being. As long as we don't deliberately risk our lives and get involved in their struggle, we should be safe for the time being."

He abruptly changed the subject, his voice taking on a cold glint: "The real danger lies after we successfully retrieve the treasure! Once the Void Heaven Cauldron is taken out, or the Heaven-Mending Pill appears, the fragile 'cooperation' among these old fogies will instantly crumble. To fight for the treasure, they will inevitably turn on each other, risking their lives! That will be our best chance to escape!"

"Brother Luo is quite right. However, even at that time, it will probably not be easy to escape unscathed from the melee of Nascent Soul cultivators," Han Li transmitted his voice, his tone still cautious.

Luo Ming knew that after the Heaven-Mending Pill was produced, those old guys would stay away from Hanlitai for a while in order to compete for it. This was their opportunity, but he couldn't tell them directly, otherwise it would seem like he knew too much.

Luo Ming replied telepathically, his voice suddenly lowered and carrying an undeniable determination, "Brother Han, there's no need to worry too much. Those old guys don't pose much of a threat to us. On the contrary, if the treasure appears and the Nascent Soul cultivators are busy fighting over it, then Xuan Gu and Wu Chou will be our real troubles. Only by dealing with them can we retreat in peace."

"Moreover, that old fellow Xuan Gu has the formula for the Nine-Bend Spirit Ginseng. He is extremely cunning, and even if he gave me the formula willingly, I would not trust him. So I can only..." Luo Ming said calmly, but the meaning behind his words was already very clear.

"Brother Luo, do you mean... to take action against Xuan Gu?" Han Li asked telepathically, his tone filled with disbelief and surprise.

He knew all too well the terrifying power of the Profound Bone. He didn't want to face this former Nascent Soul cultivator, but he also understood the importance of the Nine-Bend Spirit Ginseng Elixir formula to him. Luo Ming's suggestion, though risky, wasn't without merit. He quickly weighed the pros and cons.

A moment later, Han Li replied telepathically, his voice regaining its usual calm: "Brother Luo's considerations are thorough. The matter of the pill formula is indeed crucial. However, Xuan Gu is... unfathomable. We need to plan carefully and find the best opportunity. At that time, I am willing to advance and retreat with Brother Luo."

"Good!" Luo Ming felt reassured. With Han Li, the "chosen one," joining forces, his chances of dealing with Xuan Gu had increased even more.

The two reached a preliminary consensus, and the tense atmosphere seemed to ease somewhat.

At this moment, Han Li seemed to have thought of something, and changed the subject, transmitting his voice again: "To be honest, before this, I really had no confidence at all. Facing these Nascent Soul stage monsters, our cultivation is really not enough. At that time, I'm afraid we will really have to rely on Brother Luo to be more understanding and make more plans."

His words were half truth, half humility, and also a test to see what Luo Ming had up his sleeve and what he relied on. Luo Ming's strength, knowledge, and even his composure that far surpassed that of his peers, which he had displayed along the way, all made him feel mysterious and curious.

Luo Ming sensed the probing in Han Li's words but didn't expose it. He simply smiled and transmitted his voice, saying, "Brother Han, there's no need to underestimate yourself. Your strength is already outstanding among cultivators of the same level, far surpassing the ordinary. Especially your set of cyan flying swords..."

He paused deliberately, then continued transmitting his voice, his tone tinged with a hint of amazement.

"If I'm not mistaken, the flying sword's material doesn't seem to be ordinary metal, but rather a special kind of spirit wood containing pure lightning-attribute spiritual power. Judging from its spiritual light and aura, it seems somewhat similar to the legendary Golden Thunder Bamboo. I wonder if Brother Han has any surplus materials of this kind of spirit wood?"

Han Li was startled upon hearing this! His body stiffened abruptly, and although he maintained perfect composure on the surface, his pupils instantly contracted. Golden Thunder Bamboo! This was one of his greatest secrets! The core material for forging the Azure Bamboo Bee Cloud Sword.

His first reaction was to deny it immediately! He absolutely couldn't admit it! Jin Leizhu was involved in a very serious matter; if it were leaked, the consequences would be dire!

However, Luo Ming's next words were hard for him to refuse.