"So this was a mental attack talisman—a rare type indeed. Fortunately, Senior Lin was there to assist me, otherwise... Wait, Su Zhan emerged from the black light even faster than I did?"
Su Zhaoyue stepped out of the dissipating darkness, her face pale as she whispered to herself. When she noticed that Su Zhan had broken free with apparent ease, surprise flickered across her features.
She had only managed to escape quickly because of Senior Lin's assistance. Did Su Zhan also possess the remnant soul of a powerful expert guiding him?
Confusion swirled in Su Zhaoyue's mind, but now wasn't the time for such questions. She gripped her crimson flame-colored sword with cautious determination, keeping her attention fixed on Yang Tiangui.
BOOM!
As both cultivators emerged from the black light, the massive Ghost King manifested by the talisman shattered and dissolved into nothingness.
Yang Tiangui stared at Su Zhan, then at Su Zhaoyue, his expression reflecting mounting frustration and disbelief. He had been confident that this mental attack talisman could terrorize even Peak Yuan Condensation Realm experts, yet even a woman at merely the early stage of the Qi Sea Realm had endured it for three full seconds!
Meanwhile, Su Zhan had dismissed it entirely...
What kind of worthless talisman did the sect master give me?
"Is this supposed to represent the strongest trump card of the Tianque Sect?" Su Zhan observed Su Zhaoyue's complete recovery before adding with casual mockery, "Perhaps you should try wearing a ghost mask instead—with your hideous appearance, that might actually surprise me!"
"You!" Yang Tiangui trembled with rage, his desire to slice Su Zhan into a thousand pieces barely contained.
He withdrew a pink blood pill from his storage pouch and swallowed it immediately. In an instant, the strength lost from his injuries returned in full.
"Su Zhan, as the most favored disciple of the Tianque Sect, this person surely possesses other dangerous tricks. Be cautious!" Su Zhaoyue warned, gripping her sword with renewed seriousness.
"I understand," Su Zhan replied, his gaze sharp and focused.
He was well acquainted with combat pill usage—it typically signaled that an opponent was preparing to stake everything on their next move.
"Ah, so your name is Su Zhan... Su Zhan! I, Yang Tiangui, will remember this humiliation! I'll be waiting for you outside the ruins!" Yang Tiangui roared as he turned and fled, his body enveloped in a crimson mist of blood energy.
"He's actually running away?" Su Zhan felt momentarily surprised before immediately pursuing with his Wind Step technique.
However, the pill's effects had dramatically enhanced Yang Tiangui's speed. Su Zhan could only close the distance slightly before unleashing a sword strike in a final attempt to stop his opponent's escape.
Heavenly Frost Sword Intent!
The frigid sword energy erupted toward Yang Tiangui's retreating form.
Sensing the explosive sword intent approaching from behind, Yang Tiangui didn't turn to defend but instead twisted his body with desperate agility.
Despite his evasive maneuver, the razor-sharp ice blade still managed to slice deeply into his left arm!
"Aarrgh! Su Zhan! I will definitely repay this debt a hundredfold!" Yang Tiangui's face went ashen as he immediately channeled his true qi to stem the bleeding, leaving behind words filled with venomous hatred as he disappeared into the forest at maximum speed.
"I can't pursue him any further," Su Zhan muttered, watching Yang Tiangui's figure fade into the woodland depths with slight frustration.
He returned to the valley entrance and asked Su Zhaoyue with genuine confusion, "If he had taken a recovery pill, why did he still choose to flee?"
Su Zhaoyue regarded Su Zhan seriously. "Perhaps he wasn't quite ready to die yet?"
Su Zhan fell silent at her matter-of-fact response.
After that brief exchange, they proceeded toward the Extreme Yang Valley.
Ten minutes later, they successfully located the Ziyang Flowers beside a natural pond within the valley. The spiritual plants resembled purple grass with four lustrous leaves growing along the water's edge.
"The quantity of Ziyang Flowers throughout this entire valley is abundant—enough to sustain our cultivation until we reach the Yuan Condensation Realm," Su Zhaoyue observed while reaching toward one of the precious plants.
ROAR! ROAR!
Suddenly, thunderous roaring echoed from behind them.
A massive wolf measuring five to six meters in length charged toward their position!
The giant beast possessed a peculiar third eye situated in the center of its forehead, making its appearance even more terrifying.
"This is a One-Eyed Wolf Beast—it's likely reached the late stage of the Yuan Condensation Realm! These monsters are most vulnerable to the scent of 'Lamp Fruit,' which is highly toxic to them! I prepared some beforehand, enough to drive them away—"
WHOOSH!
Before Su Zhaoyue could finish her explanation, a crescent blade of ice energy flew through the air and cleanly severed the beast's head.
The massive wolf immediately collapsed, its enormous body hitting the ground with a resounding thud!
"Why complicate things unnecessarily?" Su Zhan said with a casual smile.
Su Zhaoyue's mouth fell open as she witnessed this effortless display, then closed it with a slight frown of frustration.
She had prepared so many contingencies and strategies, yet since entering these ruins with Su Zhan, she hadn't needed to use any of them.
How could this person be so overwhelmingly powerful!
Su Zhaoyue released a soft sigh.
It seemed she could only hope to match Su Zhan's capabilities after absorbing the strange fire hidden within the Extreme Yang Valley.
Currently, the gap between them was simply too vast...
They spent the remainder of the day systematically searching the valley for Ziyang Flowers.
After half a day of thorough exploration, they had successfully collected every Ziyang Flower they could locate throughout the valley.
The total harvest yielded thirty-one precious flowers.
"Su Zhan, thank you for your assistance during this expedition. Therefore, you should take twenty-one flowers while I'll take ten," Su Zhaoyue offered, reaching toward the pile of Ziyang Flowers they had placed on the ground between them.
"That's unnecessary. I'll take sixteen, and you can have fifteen," Su Zhan replied, shaking his head firmly as he collected exactly sixteen flowers from their collection.
If not for Su Zhaoyue's guidance, he would never have found this location. Besides, he wouldn't stoop to taking unfair advantage of a woman.
"In that case, I'll gratefully accept. I do need to rapidly improve my cultivation now, and I'll definitely repay this kindness if the opportunity arises!" Su Zhaoyue accepted the generous distribution without further protest.
After a moment's hesitation, Su Zhaoyue continued, "Actually, the Ziyang Flowers aren't my primary objective here. There's still a hidden treasure within the Extreme Yang Valley that remains undiscovered. I'll be staying here for a while longer. This treasure is very special—only I can claim it. Su Zhan, if you wish to seek other opportunities elsewhere, please feel free to go."
"Another treasure?" Su Zhan considered this briefly before shaking his head. "I'll wait here! This is the perfect opportunity to refine the Ziyang Flowers."
"Very well. The treasure will manifest at noon tomorrow. If you can claim it, please do so, though the chances are quite small!"
"What kind of treasure is it?"
"That's a secret. You'll discover it tomorrow!" Su Zhaoyue smiled mischievously, her expression resembling that of a playful girl next door.
They positioned themselves five meters apart in the center of the Extreme Yang Valley and began refining their Ziyang Flowers.
"Ziyang Flowers provide significant benefits for those in the Yuan Condensation Realm, but they're also difficult to refine. We have until noon tomorrow. If I don't rest tonight, I should be able to completely process one flower petal. Su Zhan, your talent surpasses mine, so you might attempt two petals..."
Su Zhaoyue's advice was immediately interrupted when she witnessed Su Zhan swallow an entire Ziyang Flower in one gulp.
Well, you're truly extraordinary. I suppose one day is sufficient for you to refine a complete Ziyang Flower...
Su Zhaoyue regarded Su Zhan with slight exasperation, carefully consumed a single petal herself, and began her own refinement process.
"Ding! Achievement task 'First Time Obtaining and Refining Spiritual Medicine' completed! Unlocking a new halo: [Protagonist's Refinement Halo]!"
[Protagonist's Refinement Halo]:Significantly reduces refinement time, greatly enhances refinement effects, and dramatically improves the ability to process spiritual herbs, pills, and other cultivation resources. If you can't even refine the spiritual medicines you obtain, can you still call yourself a protagonist?
Su Zhan's lips curved into a satisfied smile as he began processing the Ziyang Flower.
I never anticipated that refining spiritual medicines would unlock a new halo...!