"Don't speak yet, let me examine your injuries." Li Xuan flickered to Xi Chu Yun's side, placing his left hand directly on Xi Chu Yun's back. A surge of immense spiritual energy flowed into Xi Chu Yun's body.
After a brief examination, Li Xuan's heart stirred with surprise. While Xi Chu Yun's injuries were not fatal, they were nonetheless severe. He was on the brink of exhaustion, his internal spiritual energy depleted. It was evident that his battle with the black-robed man had been incredibly taxing.
Moreover, to sustain such a state, the opponent's strength must have been formidable. With this thought, Li Xuan channeled his own spiritual energy into Xi Chu Yun's body.
"Don't speak, concentrate on healing." Sensing a slight resistance from Xi Chu Yun's body, Li Xuan immediately cut off Xi Chu Yun's attempt to speak. His internal spiritual energy circulated rapidly, surging into Xi Chu Yun's body once more, swiftly mending his injuries.
As Li Xuan's spiritual energy infused him, Xi Chu Yun closed his eyes, cooperating with Li Xuan's healing. After a quarter of an hour, Li Xuan withdrew his hand and sat down to meditate nearby.
"Thank you." After several more minutes, Xi Chu Yun slowly opened his eyes. His first action was to nod towards Li Xuan.
Li Xuan waved his hand with a smile. "As friends, how could I not help you? However, I'm curious. With your strength, how did you end up in such a state? Is that person's power truly that immense? And from the looks of it, you emerged victorious. Did the person you fought die?"
Xi Chu Yun shook his head. "I could sense that his strength was not fully unleashed. Although I won this battle by sheer luck, that person did not perish here. In fact, I had a feeling that he still had some fight left in him."
Li Xuan's expression turned grave. If Xi Chu Yun's assessment was accurate, then that individual was undoubtedly incredibly powerful. It was clear that the man fighting Xi Chu Yun must have sensed a threat from other spirit masters, thus holding back and ultimately losing to Xi Chu Yun before retreating.
Had that individual disregarded all consequences, Xi Chu Yun would likely be in a far worse condition than just these injuries. Of course, Li Xuan also knew that killing Xi Chu Yun wouldn't be an easy feat. After all, as an heir to a continent, he would undoubtedly possess some means of self-preservation.
"This Sheng Yuan Continent truly is a land where dragons and tigers hide. Even I, on my way here, sensed several formidable auras." After a moment, Li Xuan sighed with a hint of contemplation.
Xi Chu Yun nodded slightly. "Only then can it be considered true training."
Li Xuan agreed, "Indeed. The stronger the opponent, the more we can unleash our infinite potential."
"It's rare to encounter so many evenly matched opponents on this Spirit Road. If we can engage in more battles, it would certainly be beneficial for our training. If we were to travel together, the effect would likely be minimal," Xi Chu Yun stated, his eyes showing a flicker of eagerness.
"What are your plans?" Li Xuan, noticing the fighting spirit in Xi Chu Yun's eyes, asked curiously.
"I intend to break through my limits on this Spirit Road," Xi Chu Yun replied earnestly.
Having lost to Li Xuan in the World Continent Rankings, Xi Chu Yun had harbored a simmering ambition. Witnessing the strength of his opponent now, his resolve to surpass himself grew even stronger.
"If that's the case, be careful with everything," Li Xuan understood Xi Chu Yun's intentions. He stood up, and his divine sense spread out rapidly, extending in all directions. Confirming the absence of immediate threats, Li Xuan finally relaxed.
"You too, Brother Li," Xi Chu Yun nodded.
"Farewell." Li Xuan smiled faintly, cupped his fist towards Xi Chu Yun, and then with a flash of spiritual light, shot forward.
Watching Li Xuan's receding figure, a knowing smile touched Xi Chu Yun's lips. Then, with a flash of golden light, he returned to his usual composed demeanor.
Night passed, and the jungle was eerily silent. Li Xuan knew that continuing his journey at this hour would likely attract unwanted attention. After resting for the night, as dawn broke, Li Xuan resumed his travel.
As Li Xuan flew between two towering peaks, a sense of danger washed over him. Reacting to this feeling, Li Xuan immediately halted his movement. Glancing left and right, he sighed in resignation.
"I've become a bit complacent after just one day. The beings on this Spirit Road are not weak. And this place is indeed an excellent spot for an ambush."
Li Xuan shook his head and then addressed the void ahead, "Several of you, since you've revealed yourselves, is there any need to continue hiding?"
Indeed, the moment Li Xuan stopped, a voice rang out.
"You discovered us? Youngster, you fly so carelessly, you must have some backing, right? However, facing the three of us, no matter how strong you are, you won't escape easily if you don't leave something behind today!"
As the voice faded, Li Xuan frowned slightly.
In front of Li Xuan, a man clad in crimson robes emerged from the void. On the two peaks above, two figures, one in black and one in white, also rose into the air. They formed a triangular encirclement, their expressions cold as they stared at Li Xuan.
Gauging their auras, Li Xuan's heart sank.
The man in the crimson robes was the strongest among the three, possessing the power of the peak Dao Integration realm. The other two also had the strength of the advanced Dao Integration realm.
Furthermore, Li Xuan sensed from the auras of the black and white-robed individuals that their energies were remarkably similar, as if they were one person.
Upon observing their appearances, Li Xuan realized they were twin brothers.
While Li Xuan had never encountered twin brothers cultivating together in the realm of spirit masters, he had heard many legends. It was said that twin brothers shared a telepathic connection.
In combat, they could fight beyond their perceived level, and their coordination was seamless, making it extremely difficult to find any flaws. Facing the two of them alone would be a formidable challenge, and with the addition of a peak Dao Integration realm expert, the situation was already leaning unfavorably.
"With such power, you resort to such a clandestine formation. Aren't you three afraid of being ridiculed?" Li Xuan understood that a difficult battle was inevitable, observing the expressions on their faces.
However, he still felt a sense of disdain for their actions. With their strength, they could dominate in many continents. Yet, they were engaging in such covert tactics, which Li Xuan found unseemly.
"Heh heh, what's reputation worth? Kid, judging by your demeanor, you haven't heard of our 'Black White Crimson Fiends', have you? Be smart and leave your toll, or my brother Bai will get rough, and you won't be able to handle it," the white-robed man sneered, showing no signs of shame, but rather a hint of arrogance.
"Black White Crimson Fiends? I'm sorry, I really haven't heard of you." Li Xuan was momentarily taken aback. He had initially thought the three were ambushing people to steal their Golden Seals, but it turned out they were extorting spirit stones for cultivation.
From their actions, it was clear their cultivation journey had not been easy, otherwise, they wouldn't be resorting to such acts during the Xuan Sect's disciple selection.
"Second Brother, I think this kid, arrogant in his strength, clearly doesn't take us three brothers seriously. The powerful individuals who have fallen at our hands are more than enough to spare one more at the intermediate Dao Yuan realm. From his appearance, he must be carrying many treasures!" the black-robed man's temper flared. As soon as Li Xuan finished speaking, the black-robed man's aura surged. However, his gaze finally rested on the crimson-robed man, as if deferring to his leadership.
"Let's finish this quickly!" the crimson-robed man said after a moment's thought, nodding slowly. As his voice fell, the auras of the three surged, and they attacked Li Xuan in a triangular formation.
"You dare to rob me? Don't you know I'm your ancestor?" Li Xuan shook his head slightly, and the next moment, his sword appeared in his hand.
Feeling the spiritual pressure from the three, Li Xuan's mind raced, and he unleashed a sword strike.
*Clang!*
A sword light flashed, and shock filled the faces of all three.
"How... how is this possible?!"