C88 It Was Unintentionally Showing off Its Strength.
The gleam of light revealed the true form of the creature to Lee Shiyan. Its upper body bore a human head, yet it lacked the normal facial features, possessing only a gaping, bloody maw. Its lower half was akin to the tentacled legs of an octopus, writhing incessantly on the ground.
Jiang Su's actions were relentless. As his formation struck the beast, it was torn asunder in an instant, sending the scene into momentary chaos.
None of the trio had anticipated the creature's revolting nature.
Lee Shiyan, unable to stomach the sight, whirled around, braced himself against a tree, and bent over to retch. Murong Qi and Jiang Su managed to hold their composure, though their pallor suggested otherwise.
The stench of fresh blood mingled with the odor of decaying flesh was overwhelmingly nauseating.
Jiang Su silently recited the incantation, and the Life Sword emerged once more, hovering in midair. He mounted the sword first, then gestured with his eyes for Murong Qi and Lee Shiyan to join him.
Lee Shiyan, still reeling from the stench, felt the urge to vomit again, but his stomach was empty, yielding nothing more.
Having regained his composure, Lee Shiyan turned to see Jiang Su standing atop a three-foot ink-black sword, an ethereal figure. Jiang Su beckoned him aboard. Glancing at Murong Qi, Lee Shiyan noticed his companion's stunned silence.
"Eldest Senior Brother, aren't you just at the Mid Period of Foundation Stage? How are you capable of sword-riding flight?" Lee Shiyan exclaimed, astounded.
The monster's grotesque form was unlike anything documented in the ancient tomes of the Cultivation World's Demonic and Devil Beasts. Yet, Jiang Su had vanquished the formidable creature with an ancient formation. Witnessing Jiang Su's calm demeanor, Lee Shiyan couldn't help but internally scream in awe.
He would be ecstatic to possess Jiang Su's strength at the Foundation Stage.
Murong Qi gave Jiang Su an admiring once-over, the surrounding stench forgotten.
"Eldest Senior Brother is incredibly powerful!" thought Murong Qi.
Both Murong Qi and Lee Shiyan were acutely aware of the Hidden Space's might. Moreover, they had lost Xi Junrong along the way. They complied without hesitation and stepped onto the sword.
Back home, Lee Shiyan and Murong Qi were coddled scions, no strangers to sword flight. However, those who wielded the swords were either masters of swordsmanship or Nascent Infant Stage Experts, with their cultivation levels at the Golden Core Stage or higher.
In a moment of confusion, they found themselves at a loss.
Lee Shiyan, with a look of concern, said, "Eldest Senior Brother, we've lost Xi Junrong. He's only in the Body Forging Stage and possesses a mere Quinary Spiritual Root. What if he encounters a monster like the one we just faced? We need to find him quickly."
The spiritual energy within this Hidden Space was exceedingly sparse. Jiang Su, carrying Murong Qi and Lee Shiyan aloft on his sword, had to expend a significant amount of his own spiritual force just to keep from plummeting.
Surrounding them were trees in every direction—some lush, some bare, and others just a tangle of dead branches. The area ahead, where Lee Shiyan and the others stood, was a thicket of gnarled roots and flourishing canopies.
This was a zone where Sword-riding Flight was impossible.
As Jiang Su maneuvered the sword, he attempted to sense the spirit breath of the Hidden Space with his divine sense, but to no avail. It was as though only three living beings existed in this place.
Feeling a sense of dread, he inquired, "Master Shangguan, what's happening?"
Shangguan Yue, transformed into a sword and overwhelmed by the weight of the three, gasped for breath. After a moment's thought, he responded, "I'm at a loss as well. Normally, your divine sense is among the strongest in the Cultivation World; it shouldn't fail to locate Xi Junrong. The anomaly must lie either with this Hidden Space or with Xi Junrong himself. Yet, he is certainly alive."
Jiang Su had set his sights on Xi Junrong from the very beginning. Having a Quinary Spiritual Root was no hindrance—Senior Chen Pingsheng had the same and still rose to become the mightiest swordsman, ultimately achieving Ascension. In Jiang Su's contemporary world, Senior Chen Pingsheng was the quintessential hero of any novel.
What was it about Xi Junrong that could shield him from divine sense detection?
"Disciple, let's descend. The spiritual energy is far too scarce up here. We'll find a solution on the ground," Shangguan Yue advised.
Privately, Shangguan Yue reflected, "You've unwittingly entered a Hidden Space that many desperately seek to flee. I have my doubts that you can make it out, much less with three disciples in tow."
Lee Shiyan watched as Eldest Senior Brother furrowed his brow, a clear sign of distress. He knew that if a formidable person like Eldest Senior Brother was troubled, the matter at hand must be exceedingly difficult.
He bit his tongue, choosing silence over speech. His life depended on it.
Eldest Senior Brother was his rock, his foundation. Any distraction could disrupt his thought process, and the consequences would be dire—Eldest Senior Brother wouldn't hesitate to strike him down.
Jiang Su's gaze was fixed on a particular area. He had a nagging feeling that Xi Junrong was there.
Despite employing his Heavenly Eye and Orange Divine Sense, Jiang Su couldn't pinpoint Xi Junrong's location. Now, if he wanted to find him, Jiang Su had two options: scour the area by sword-riding flight or trust his gut instinct.
"Are you certain that Xi Junrong entered the fog-enshrouded area with you?"
Upon hearing Jiang Su's inquiry, Lee Shiyan responded, "I'm not even sure anymore. This Secret Realm is bizarre. Ever since we left that initial spot, the figure shadowing us might not have been Xi Junrong at all, but rather a monster akin to that vile creature."
Murong Qi offered no counterargument to Lee Shiyan's words; he found them logical.
"Why doesn't Xi Junrong ever speak? If a monster has taken his place, his silence wouldn't give him away. The fog is so dense we can barely make out a person's face. How could we discern whether he's been replaced by a monster?"
Suddenly, Jiang Su's attention sharpened as he spotted a young man in a black robe among the dead branches.
Despite the distance, he recognized the figure instantly.
"Is that Xi Junrong?"
Without hesitation, Jiang Su mounted his sword and soared toward the figure. Monster or not, he had no fear; he would simply eliminate the threat.
The only thing that mattered was verifying Xi Junrong's whereabouts.
Lee Shiyan called out, "Eldest Senior Brother, be careful!"
Throughout it all, Murong Qi's expression remained impassive, but inside, he was in turmoil. He couldn't help but wonder if his father would grieve should he fail to escape.
But he doubted it. The likelihood of his father mourning for him was even slimmer than the chance of the Female Ruler coming to his rescue.
Gradually, they drew nearer to the figure ahead.
Jiang Su came to a steady halt on the ground. Now, they were only a short distance from the individual.
"Is that Xi Junrong, or a monster masquerading as him? I'm too scared to approach," Lee Shiyan recalled the creature he had previously encountered, his fear palpable.
He genuinely feared that the figure cloaked in black might be faceless or some other horror.
As Lee Shiyan watched Jiang Su cautiously advance, he clung to Murong Qi and murmured, "What if, when Jiang gets there, the person's head just topples off?"
Murong Qi thought to himself, "I have no idea if the guy's head is going to drop. But if you don't stop talking, I might just twist yours off. You're the one stirring up this tension."
He habitually kept his thoughts to himself, hence he remained silent.
That's why those who didn't know him well perceived him as particularly aloof.
"Xi Junrong," called out Jiang Su, pausing to gauge a reaction.
He appeared composed, yet his hand was already resting on the hilt of his Life Sword, ready to act if this seemingly lifeless person before him exhibited any odd behavior.
