060 – Discovered

“It’s coming!” Gao Xiang shouted as he unsheathed his sword and fixated his stare on the ferocious bird that was currently flying towards them.

Lu Mingshu pulled on the knot to make sure the rope was fastened tight enough to support their body weight before throwing the rope over to Gao Xiang. “Let’s go on together.”

“Un!” Gao Xiang solemnly nodded.

The two tacitly cooperated as they pulled the rope and swiftly stepped onto the cliff with their feet. Even though there was obviously only one rope, the two worked so well together they didn’t have any problems.

At the same time, Lu Mingshu also used the Light Body Technique.

They could not go up the precipice as fast as the Harmonization Realm senior brothers and sisters who could move so quickly it seemed as if they were flying, but with the rope, they were still able to ascend swiftly.

Gao Xiang first stepped onto the rock, and with continuous strikes of his sword, he forced the ferocious bird to retreat. Afterwards, he pulled the rope, hauling Lu Mingshu up onto the rock as well.

Lu Mingshu looked towards the other side. Fu Mingtang’s group was copying them as they also found a rock and was currently casting their rope.

She lifted her head to look at her side. The thorny vines were so densely packed that there was limited space for them to tread on. She hurriedly said, “I’ll leave these birds to you while I dig out more foot holds.”

“Okay.”

While the two groups were mutually competitive on this side, Zhou Yinru, who was on the other side, was already flying into a rage.

“Gao Xiang? Why would he encourage Mingtang?” She was well aware of Fu Mingtang’s personality. The child had always been obedient so there was no reason why he would act this rash unless he was prompted to. What does the Willow Woods line want?

People started discussing, “Who is on the other side?”

“He seems to be Elder An’s disciple.”

“Then who is the one with him? It seems to be a little girl.”

“Ah, that one. I recognize her!”

“Who?”

“She was previously in the same team as Yi Jiao. Uh, you know, the one from Green Jade Valley …”

“So it’s her. She is really brave …”

The moment she heard the three words ‘Green Jade Valley’, Zhou Yinru’s face darkened to the point where it seemed like black clouds were looming over her head. She glared at the other side. Isn’t that Mingshu? It is! She must have provoked Mingtang, which is why he ran off! Once this hunt is over, see how I’ll settle this bastard!

Zhou Yinru had already forgotten her attendant’s words from earlier by selective memory.

“Quick! Send someone over to provide support! If any harm comes to the eldest young master, all of you are to watch your backs!”

Rui Xiang’s back dripped with cold sweat. “Second miss, we’ve just drawn the ferocious beasts out and the elders are currently encircling them. It won’t be easy to pass through.”

The precipice was far from the frontline. Not long after the few kids had gone over, the ferocious beasts were lured out. In order to get to the precipice, they would have to rush through the middle of the warzone. Even though Spirit Realm was just a realm after Harmonization Realm, their fighting ability was vastly different. It was extremely difficult to cross the warzone.

Pah! Rui Xiang once again received another slap and her face began to swell up again.

Zhou Yinru stated clearly, “Are you not going just because it’s hard? If any harm befalls the eldest young master, which one of you will take responsibility?”

Rui Xiang bit her lips tightly in order to endure the pain. “Yes, this servant will get people to be set off right away.”

On the other side, Lu Mingshu and Gao Xiang were caught up in an arduous and difficult battle.

The ferocious birds ignored them when they were at lower ground. Once they climbed onto a rock that protruded out, the resting ferocious birds at the precipice became alerted.

What was even more annoying was that they could not touch the thorny vines. Considering that they had nothing else to support them except the rope and the fact that the precipice was absolutely vertical, it was impressive that they could even use half of their full strength.

Right now, they could only pray that they did not alert the countless Harmonization Realm ferocious birds, otherwise all the odds would be against them. Furthermore, if the rope snapped at the height they were at, it would be a miracle if they lived.

This was an extremely dangerous bet. If they took one wrong step, their lives would be at risk. Fortunately these few kids were still young and fearless, meaning they didn’t really understand the weight of the consequences of their actions. If they were adults, they would definitely be breaking out in a cold sweat by now.

“There’s too many!” Gao Xiang called out. “We can’t go on like this!”

Lu Mingshu briefly observed the situation before saying, “Save up some mystic force to lure them all over.”

“We’re not fighting?”

“No, we’re not fighting.”

Gao Xiang let out a breath of relief. This is simple, we only have to utilize a sword technique to protect us from being attacked.

Under Gao Xiang’s intentional luring, they were quickly drowned by the ferocious birds which surrounded them. In the beginning, Gao Xiang was able to effortlessly deal with them, but as time passed by, he inevitably found it taxing.

“Is it done yet? There’s too many!”

“Hang in there a little more.” Lu Mingshu fished out an item, and threw it where the ferocious birds were gathered at.

Hong! With a loud booming sound, it burst open with power, blowing all the surrounding birds into pieces. The ferocious birds were practically wiped out with this one bomb. There were only a few left, which Gao Xiang quickly disposed off with a few shua shua shua strikes of his sword.

Once they were out of their predicament, Gao Xiang loosened up and asked, “What is that bomb thing? How is it so powerful?”

The item was the spirit talisman Lu Mingshu had exchanged for in the Heavenly Wheel. There was not many of them and she kept them on hand for emergency situations where she needed to protect herself.

“I’ll tell you in future.” Lu Mingshu looked to the other side and saw Fu Mingtang’s group also caught up in a tough battle. However, they had one extra person so they were not in such dire straits like they were in previously. Also, how could Fu Mingtang not have special items when he was considered the treasure of the Zhou family? Lu Mingshu saw him take out an object and shoot it continuously at the ferocious birds, leaving them to fall one after another.

Is that a crossbow? But ordinary crossbows are only really useful in controlled situations and it’s really difficult to have an accurate aim. Even if it was a crossbow, it has to be a revamped one. It would be great if I could just take a look at it.

After a slight break, the two continued to climb upwards.

At the same time, the people dispatched by Zhou Yinru were currently crossing through the warzone.

Headed by Teacher Zuo, they tumbled and madly rushed towards the precipice.

“Young master! Eldest young master!” They shouted out anxiously when they saw Fu Mingtang surrounded by ferocious birds in all directions.

Gao Xiang’s complexion slightly paled when he heard the shout: “Someone’s here!” He wasn’t a fool; he knew that his actions would be seen as undisciplined and out of control by the elders. Although it wasn’t him who proposed the bet, it was him that urged Fu Mingtang to join. If those people came, they would definitely not allow the bet to continue.

Lu Mingshu turned her head back to take a look and estimated the distance. “We’ll make it in time.”

“Really?” Gao Xiang skeptically asked. They had spent half an hour just to climb to where they were at now. It didn’t matter how slow a Harmonization Realm practitioner was, there was more than enough time for them to fight their way here.

“Un.” Lu Mingshu forcefully stabbed the dagger into a gap in the precipice to gain a strong holding. She fished out another spirit talisman from her chest and threw it upwards.

The divine light flashed and a long green rattan quickly climbed upwards along the cliff until it reached a small crack.

Lu Mingshu used force to pull on it in order to confirm that it was sturdy enough.

This whole scene left Gao Xiang’s mouth hanging wide open as he was speechless. “This … where did this come from?” He knew that unique mystic force could control botanical plants, but they were only in the Inner Breath Realm and could not even condense to make a protective armor. How was it able to condense into a rattan this thick?!

“We’ll talk once we’re back.” Lu Mingshu sighed in her heart. She knew that she could not hide it from Gao Xiang when they were together everyday. She did not want to use this tactic because she didn’t want to expose all of her strengths, but she couldn’t think of any other way.

“Let’s go.” Pulling on the rattan, she climbed up the cliff.