C9 The Change in the Blackwoods

"Senior Brother Du, let's head back! There's no need to drag me along for woodcutting! I've made a vow never to leave the sect!"

Aboard the wooden boat, Gu Xiaoxing was on the verge of tears, pleading earnestly.

Du Siyu, however, sported a mischievous grin and said nonchalantly, "Sure! I'm not holding you back. Go ahead, jump! Leap down and make your way back to the sect."

Hearing this, Gu Xiaoxing couldn't help but glance downward, feeling a wave of vertigo. He gulped, quickly turned back, and resumed his pleading.

But Du Siyu seemed to ignore his pleas, maintaining her cool, detached demeanor. It wasn't until she heard the sound of sniffling that she glanced over, and a chuckle escaped her lips, a sound so warm it could thaw the spring snow.

"Crying, are we? Look at you, so little spirit. The Blackwoods are within the sect's territory; you're not truly leaving the sect. Relax, there's no danger. And should any mishap occur, I'm here. There's nothing to fear!"

Despite Du Siyu's reassuring words, Gu Xiaoxing felt little comfort. He would have believed Taoist Bai, who he had witnessed effortlessly slay a basis-building demonic beast with a mere gesture. Could Du Siyu's prowess really compare to that level of mastery?

He recalled traversing the boundless mountains with Taoist Bai, the fearsome creatures hiding in the woods, and the mighty demonic beasts capable of rending the very earth.

Afraid?

Of course, he was afraid!

Cursed luck!

As Gu Xiaoxing gazed at her with deep resentment, Du Siyu couldn't help but be amused. Suddenly, she found his company not so disagreeable after all.

The wooden boat sped on, and though it couldn't match Taoist Bai's velocity, it was impressively swift.

Out of nowhere, a bizarre elephant emerged into their view. It stood amidst the lake waters, towering dozens of feet tall, its body a fiery red, with two trunks and formidable tusks. Gu Xiaoxing thought it looked powerful enough to topple a mountain with ease.

"This is the Djinn Elephant. It's only at the Foundation Stage, but within the Devouring Spirit Sect's domain, all creatures bear the sect's mark. They recognize our disciples and won't attack unprovoked. There's no need for concern," Du Siyu stated calmly.

"Such a huge creature, and it's only at the Foundation Stage?" Gu Xiaoxing's eyes remained wide with shock. Suddenly, his expression turned to one of sheer terror. "Why is it looking this way? What's it going to do?"

The Djinn Elephant seemed to have spotted the wooden boat soaring above. Its twin trunks lifted high, and in an instant, it unleashed jets of water. The streams resembled massive torrents, barreling towards the boat. Gu Xiaoxing clutched the edge of the boat tightly, his hands white-knuckled with fear. If they weren't mid-air, he might have leapt off to flee.

But Gu Xiaoxing's fears were unfounded. The water pillars, though imposing, were too distant. By the time they reached the boat, they had dissipated into a fine mist, devoid of any threat.

"It's merely saying hello," Du Siyu remarked, observing Gu Xiaoxing's shivering form with a puzzled look. He was nearing the Qi Condensation Fourth Layer; how could he still be so faint-hearted?

He lacked the grandeur and boldness expected of a cultivator, resembling more a craven beggar than a seeker of the Dao.

Du Siyu shook her head, somewhat disdainful.

On the rest of their journey, they encountered several fierce demonic beasts, but as Du Siyu had mentioned, none of them attacked the boat flying overhead.

Five hundred miles passed quickly, in just a little more time than it takes an incense stick to burn. Soon, they were facing a vast expanse of darkness—the Blackwoods.

Touching down from the boat, Gu Xiaoxing felt a surge of relief wash over him as his feet met solid ground. Yet, peering into the foreboding darkness of the dense forest ahead, a sense of unease began to drum in his chest.

"Come with me," Du Siyu said, casting a glance at Gu Xiaoxing. She had fully recognized his cowardly disposition throughout their trip.

They quickly reached an area where the forest grew thick with towering black trees reaching skyward.

"Step back a bit," Du Siyu instructed, her hand flashing with light as a long sword materialized. The sharpness was so intense that Gu Xiaoxing felt a stinging pain in his skin and flesh from just a fleeting touch, prompting him to quickly step back.

With the sword in one hand, Du Siyu's spiritual energy surged around her, transforming her aura dramatically. She swept her sword across, and the blade's light streaked through the air like a shooting star, the spiritual energy causing dozens of large trees ahead to snap in unison.

Witnessing such an astonishing display, Gu Xiaoxing couldn't help but be dumbfounded. His own strength had seen a tremendous shift, particularly in his physical form. Thanks to the dual nourishment from the fish and the kitchen, his body hadn't gained much weight, but his strength had soared.

Even the notoriously tough blackwood could be cleaved in half by Gu Xiaoxing's axe when he exerted his full power, and his cultivation had become much smoother. Yet, when compared to Du Siyu, the disparity was stark.

Gu Xiaoxing swallowed hard, a newfound reverence in his eyes, especially after catching Du Siyu's glance—whether intentional or not—that sent a cold sweat down his forehead, sensing an underlying threat in her gaze.

"She may appear serene and demure, but she's a fierce tigress in disguise! And she practices a bewitching cultivation technique—definitely not someone to cross," Gu Xiaoxing thought, decisively setting his resolve.

The sword light continued to dance through the forest, and within moments, hundreds of large trees lay toppled. Only then did Du Siyu sheathe her sword and pull out a lounge chair. She yawned, settled into the chair with a languid grace, and casually tossed a storage bag to Gu Xiaoxing.

"Go on, clear away the excess branches and gather them in this bag. Make sure you're back at the sect before the sun sets."

"Got it!" Gu Xiaoxing agreed without hesitation. Despite the allure of Senior Brother Du's peach blossom eyes, her stunning beauty, and her indolent posture, Gu Xiaoxing remained unaffected. He hoisted his axe and strode off.

A small, knowing smile played on Du Siyu's lips. Now that she understood his timidity, she knew exactly how to handle him.

"Hmph... Disobey, and I'll resort to intimidation and domination!"

At high noon, despite the clear skies, the Blackwoods cast a shadow so dense it seemed to block out the sun itself. The forest was shrouded in darkness, and Master Gu toiled on, wiping the fine sweat from his brow. He cast a weary glance at the nearly hundred large trees still dotting the ground around him, his face etched with bitterness.

Boom!

Suddenly, a thunderous roar echoed from the distance, making Gu Xiaoxing shudder.

Du Siyu's eyes snapped open, her brow furrowing slightly. She leapt into the air and floated above the treetops, where she could see a dark cloud looming in the distance. It appeared as though lightning was striking repeatedly, and she could just make out the distant sounds of a battle.

Gu Xiaoxing tried to peer in the same direction, but the thick blackwood trees obscured her view, revealing nothing.

As Du Siyu descended, her face took on a grave expression. She flicked a yellow talisman toward Gu Xiaoxing, instructing, "Place this Aura-Concealing Talisman on yourself and find somewhere to hide. I'm going to investigate."

Gu Xiaoxing felt an urge to protest, to suggest they return and report to their sect for the sake of caution. But Du Siyu had already vanished from sight.