"Great Demon?!"
Chu Lingwei was startled by her senior brother's words.
The Profound Sky Continent was not only home to spirit cultivators but also demons, monstrous beasts, and ghost cultivators. These beings usually stayed within their own territories and never appeared on the Profound Sky Continent.
Her master had said that these sects would appear during the Centennial Competition, but the competition was still three years away, and they shouldn't be on the Profound Sky Continent yet.
Leng Xingzhi's communication talisman had already flown out. He said to Chu Lingwei, "I've already sent word to the academy; someone will come to investigate. Let's continue on our way."
Chu Lingwei followed Leng Xingzhi onto the flying artifact. This time, she didn't return to her room to cultivate. Instead, she sat on the deck of the artifact.
"Senior brother, you didn't notice the appearance of the Great Demon just now?"
"I found nothing," Leng Xingzhi replied frankly. He genuinely hadn't sensed any spiritual fluctuations.
Chu Lingwei was speechless. If even her senior brother hadn't noticed, this Great Demon must be incredibly powerful.
"Little junior sister, don't worry. The demon race signed a pact with humans long ago and won't come to the Profound Sky Continent to kill innocents." Seeing that Chu Lingwei had no intention of returning to her room to cultivate, Leng Xingzhi took out a table and chairs, prepared spiritual fruits and tea, and sat down to talk with her.
"I didn't sense any spiritual power from that sixth-rank giant eagle," Chu Lingwei knew about the pact her senior brother mentioned, which was signed to ensure that different races wouldn't engage in widespread slaughter. They had willingly entered into this pact.
Leng Xingzhi nodded, his eyes showing no doubt. "This is indeed a little strange. Even a Great Demon should possess spiritual power."
This was exactly Chu Lingwei's point. The matter was indeed peculiar. Neither of her two small beasts had noticed anything unusual. The giant eagle that was killed seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.
"Don't think about it if you can't figure it out. Someone will handle it." Leng Xingzhi smiled faintly and looked in the direction of the Myriad Miles Forest. "We need to enter the inner region on this journey. Little junior sister, you must remain vigilant and not be careless."
Leng Xingzhi's meaning was clear: he wouldn't interfere with Chu Lingwei's training unless her life was in danger.
"Yes, I understand."
Chu Lingwei pulled her thoughts away from the giant eagle and looked towards the Myriad Miles Forest, a place where countless heroic spirits of human cultivators had already been buried.
Danger and opportunity always coexisted there, and it never lacked human cultivators.
Three days passed quickly.
The flying artifact was already flying over the Myriad Miles Forest.
The Myriad Miles Forest was like a primeval forest, with towering trees and the occasional roars of various spirit beasts. Even the air was filled with a sinister and profound aura.
"From here on, we cannot use the flying artifact."
Leng Xingzhi stopped before a lake. They had entered the boundary of the Myriad Miles Forest's inner region. The spirit beasts inside were almost all sixth-rank and above. Using a flying artifact would only expose their whereabouts.
"Senior brother, there's a spirit beast."
As Chu Lingwei had just jumped off the artifact, a powerful and violent aura charged towards them rapidly. Without even needing to use her spiritual sense to probe, she could feel that the aura was directed at them.
Leng Xingzhi let out a soft hum and casually walked to the edge of the lake, admiring the stunning scenery.
Chu Lingwei drew her Ice Jade Frost Sword, preparing for battle.
In less than two breaths, a sixth-rank Steel Earth Bear appeared before Chu Lingwei and charged directly at her.
The Steel Earth Bear's hide was as hard as iron and impervious to blades and spears. Chu Lingwei's first sword strike at its chest was instantly deflected, causing no damage to the Steel Earth Bear.
"The Steel Earth Bear's hide is like iron, and its spiritual power is even more concentrated. Relatively speaking, you have no chance of winning."
Leng Xingzhi's voice drifted over, already uttered after Chu Lingwei had tried various forceful methods.
Chu Lingwei dodged a wave of the Steel Earth Bear's earth-shattering spiritual attack and swallowed a Spirit Nourishing Pill. She hadn't inflicted any damage on it, but she had already lost a large portion of her spiritual power.
"Thank you for the reminder, senior brother." Direct confrontation was impossible; only strategy would work.
Chu Lingwei cast the Dragon Binding Art. Ice shards transformed into a thousand ice ropes, trapping the Steel Bear within them.
Feng Ming, standing at the side, saw that Wei Wei couldn't hold it back and his eyes were filled with worry. He leaped forward, intending to help.
As soon as his body flew into the air, he froze in mid-air. A gentle reprimand echoed in his mind, "Anyone who dares to step forward to help will be killed without mercy."
Feng Ming and Huan Mao, the two small beasts, couldn't help but tremble. A fear that originated from the depths of their souls enveloped them tightly.
Wei Wei's senior brother is so terrifying!
Chu Lingwei was unaware that her two small beasts had been scared stiff. She used the Dragon Binding Art to temporarily trap the Steel Earth Bear and then struck the Steel Earth Bear with the Profound Sky Burning Fire, which contained no spatial power.
The ice shards shattered, and the Steel Earth Bear crashed to the ground.
A smile appeared on Chu Lingwei's lips. The Profound Sky Burning Fire was indeed formidable.
Leng Xingzhi watched his little junior sister's actions but showed no sign of praise.
"You two, go clean up the battlefield."
The two small beasts seemed to have received a pardon and rushed towards the lifeless Steel Earth Bear, collecting all its useful parts.
"Weiwei, come here."
Hearing her senior brother call her, Chu Lingwei quickly approached him. "Thank you for your reminder just now, senior brother."
She felt a little ashamed. If not for her senior brother's reminder, Chu Lingwei would have taken more time to deal with the Steel Earth Bear.
"Little junior sister, your combat style is too monotonous."
Leng Xingzhi directly pointed out Chu Lingwei's weakness. All her current combat techniques were derived from her own practical experience in the Profound Fire Abyss, along with the Profound Sky Burning Fire.
"I haven't had the chance to learn anything else yet."
There were many types of combat techniques: formations, talismans, spirit beasts, curses, and artifacts could all be used in combat.
Chu Lingwei lacked none of these, but she knew what her senior brother was referring to.
"I have a set of sword techniques here that would suit you well. I'll teach it to you now." Leng Xingzhi extended his right index and middle fingers and gently touched Chu Lingwei's forehead. "Close your eyes."
Chu Lingwei complied, closing her eyes. A sword technique incantation, accompanied by virtual sword moves, was demonstrated in her mind.
"This is the Nine Heavens Sword Technique. Study it well; it will be sufficient for you to face the Centennial Competition three years from now."
Leng Xingzhi withdrew his hand and looked at the woman with her eyes slightly closed. A spirit flower happened to land on her forehead, pristine and unstained, like distant mist from the heavens, resembling a goddess.
An inexplicable pull caused his heart to flutter.
Leng Xingzhi closed his eyes slightly, then slowly opened them, his moment of distraction gone.
"Thank you for teaching me the sword techniques, senior brother."
Chu Lingwei opened her eyes. Even just remembering the sword technique in her mind, she could feel its exquisite nature, no less remarkable than her Profound Sky Burning Fire.
This set of sword techniques was likely a Profound-grade cultivation method.
"You are my junior sister; there's no need for pleasantries." Leng Xingzhi's gaze softened. "This sword technique requires comprehension through the heart; do not be impatient."
"Yes."
Chu Lingwei could not wait. She picked up her sword and began to practice the sword technique repeatedly.