“It’s like the world’s last wild dance before the end…”
Walking along the path, Hua Jian felt that the situation in several resource zones had already spiraled completely out of control.
Everyone was desperately grabbing at every bit of profit they could find, yet there was also an unexpected kind of harmony to it all.
Something felt off, but everything fit the standards of reality.
If they didn’t seize this opportunity to snatch resources now, did they expect to go back to scurrying about like rats in the shadows after those great sects returned?
Everyone knew what the right choice was.
“There are more and more white flowers along the roadside, how strange.”
Beyond the chaos of the resource zones, there was something else that struck Hua Jian as odd.
Those little white flowers were multiplying.
Whereas before, it took more than half a day of walking to spot a single blossom, now she ran into one every two or three steps, as if hinting at where this mountain path was leading.
“We’re already deep within the mountains. These little white flowers are a local specialty here, so it’s perfectly normal to see a lot of them, isn’t it?” Shiqi didn’t find the increase in white flowers strange at all.
Every region has its own specialties, right?
At most, it just meant this path might lead to that legendary sea of flowers.
“In any case, let’s stay alert… Be careful, there’s movement up ahead!”
Faint sounds of fighting drifted from the front.
Hua Jian quickly signaled the two girls behind her to suppress their auras and observe the situation before acting.
They had already passed the last resource zone along the way, and ahead was the spot marked on the map.
Anyone fighting here had come for the rare spirit treasures. There wouldn’t be a single soft-hearted soul among them.
The three crept toward the source of the noise.
Soon, they saw a stretch of forest flattened by battle, with more than ten Spirit Masters fighting, not counting the Cultivators lying motionless on the ground.
The thing driving such feverish competition was a golden spirit flower in full bloom.
“Jinfenghua? An old acquaintance!” Hua Jian immediately recognized the flower; she had once tricked someone with a Jinfenghua and was very familiar with this species.
This was the finest Jinfenghua she had ever seen, likely already at the Lingwang Realm. No wonder so many Spirit Masters were fighting over it.
Shiqi had already drawn the sword at her waist, quietly aiming it at the Cultivators who were gradually gaining the upper hand.
The uniforms of these Cultivators were marked with a giant wolf’s head—it was the Gang Wolf Legion.
How ironic—searching high and low, and they show up right here! Shiqi had held back for days, and now she finally encountered Gang Wolf Legion Cultivators again. Her killing intent was barely contained.
“Hua Jian, I want to take them out.” Shiqi’s gaze was burning as she sought Hua Jian’s permission.
Knowing to report in even at a time like this, Hua Jian was quite satisfied with Shiqi’s performance.
“Mm, go ahead.” Naturally, Hua Jian wouldn’t refuse Shiqi’s request.
This was Shiqi’s own business. She and Linglong were just traveling companions—their goals were different.
If Shiqi wanted to take revenge on the Gang Wolf Legion, then so be it. It was even better if she drew some of their attention away.
Shiqi nodded gratefully, then charged at the Gang Wolf Legion Cultivators who were cleaning up the battlefield.
Her movements were light and quick. Before the Gang Wolf Legion Cultivators even noticed, she was at their side, sending death’s blade their way.
This was Hua Jian’s first time seeing Shiqi in a real fight.
Last time, when Shiqi battled the Giant Axe King, she was under the effect of Hua Jian’s mist, which couldn’t be counted as a proper fight.
This time, unaffected, Shiqi’s full strength lived up to Linglong’s praise.
Fast and quiet, Shiqi was born an assassin. But unlike the typical fragile types who failed once discovered, her head-on fighting power was also strong.
Anyone qualified to join the Gang Wolf Legion was no weakling—within the Spirit Master ranks, they were top-notch, which was why the Gang Wolf Legion was gaining the upper hand here.
But against Shiqi, they seemed as weak as chicks. She ambushed one from behind, and although the others reacted, even many versus one couldn’t touch the hem of her clothes.
After watching for a bit, Hua Jian saw the reason for Shiqi’s beautiful display—her familiarity with Gang Wolf Legion tactics was absolute; their every move was in Shiqi’s grasp.
“Know yourself and know your enemy. Shiqi understands the Gang Wolf Legion too well,” Linglong murmured.
These major forces taught their Cultivators all sorts of spirit arts and sword techniques, far superior to those the wandering Cultivators could get.
So those within the sects practiced these arts until they were second nature.
Shiqi’s skills were tailored to counter these people; to her, ordinary Gang Wolf Legion Cultivators were just toys.
With one sword after another, Shiqi finished off the Gang Wolf Legion Cultivators.
But after killing her enemies, she felt no particular thrill—these were just small fry. The ones she truly wanted were at the top of the Gang Wolf Legion.
The Cultivators who’d been beaten senseless by the Gang Wolf Legion moments ago stared at Shiqi’s astonishing performance and didn’t dare provoke this killing god.
The Jinfenghua was precious, but their lives were precious too.
Fighting Gang Wolf Legion Cultivators, they could still run if they lost.
But with Shiqi, this killing god, there’d be no escape—the blood-drenched Gang Wolf Legion bodies on the ground proved it.
With her, running wasn’t even an option.
“You all want to die too?” Shiqi’s gaze swept the remaining Cultivators.
Under her eyes, the Cultivators turned and fled, terrified she’d change her mind and keep them here forever.
Just a Jinfenghua? Take it!
After clearing out the bystanders, Shiqi turned toward the forest, calling out to Hua Jian and Linglong, “You can come out now. Take this spirit flower.”
In truth, before Shiqi even finished, Hua Jian had already emerged and unceremoniously squatted by the Jinfenghua.
Shiqi was clearly a fighter, not a collector—she definitely wasn’t as skilled at harvesting spirit items as Hua Jian.
So Hua Jian went ahead with the collection. By now, she was smooth and skilled at it—no need to use her hands, just a few vines did the job.
Fully automatic, truly convenient!
In about five minutes, Hua Jian had uprooted the Jinfenghua without leaving a trace.
Her efficiency was leagues ahead of ordinary Cultivators. Others struggled just to uproot it, let alone finish so quickly.
After collecting the spirit grass, Hua Jian felt something, glancing suspiciously behind her.
Was it just her imagination, or was someone watching her from the shadows?
But when she looked back, nothing was there—just a cluster of small white flowers growing under the shade.
It couldn’t be the little white flowers watching her, right? These flowers weren’t even spirit creatures, so there was no way they could see.
“What’s wrong?” Linglong noticed Hua Jian’s movement and looked in the same direction.
Finding nothing, she asked in confusion.
Hua Jian shook her head. “I feel like something’s watching me, but I can’t find what. Could it be my imagination?”
To be honest, as she said the words “could it be my imagination,” Hua Jian felt it was unlikely to be just that.
Characters in those novels always said it was a hallucination, only to discover something really was there.
Now that she’d said it, it was bound to be real.
“In any case, we should be careful. If something really is watching us, it’s a being far stronger than us… Well, such an existence shouldn’t be our concern.”
Hua Jian paused, once more feeling the reassuring presence at her back.
At worst, this mysterious thing was a Lingzun. She had the Fenghua Venerable behind her—if they encountered a real powerhouse, Fenghua Venerable would handle it.
Such a super bigshot was definitely beyond her or Linglong’s capabilities. The Venerable had to step in.
Linglong understood her meaning. “Indeed.”
Only Shiqi was left in the dark. What were they even talking about? It sounded like, “The enemy is too strong—now we can relax.”
How was that logic?
“If you don’t get it, good. It doesn’t concern you—just keep chasing your enemies.” Hua Jian patted Shiqi’s shoulder, telling her not to overthink it.
Shiqi snorted, then took a white cloth from her storage pouch and wiped the blood from her black sword.
After ensuring not a trace of blood remained, she sheathed it.
“Huh?” Hua Jian made a soft sound. Just then, that prying gaze seemed to leave her for a moment.
Strange. What was going on?
She couldn’t make sense of it. Surely the gaze hadn’t shifted to Shiqi? If so, why?
She was completely baffled!
……
“To refine a human body with the blood of living beings—do you know what you’re doing?”