Ding!
[The host led his Tiger Generals, killed Li Yebai, killed Zhang Qingyang, and wiped out the disciples of Luofu Mountain.]
[Such fierce battle achievements are truly astonishing.]
[After system evaluation, the host's battle record is glorious. Reward: 20 pieces of Marrow-Washing Divine Jade.]
Marrow-Washing Divine Jade?
This was without doubt a huge surprise.
Even in the Divine Realm, Marrow-Washing Divine Jade was a rare treasure sought after by countless cultivators.
It could cleanse the bones and temper the marrow, improving innate aptitude.
Not only that, it contained vast energy.
For a god, this energy was nothing. But for a martial artist of the Wasteland Realm, it was priceless.
"Claim reward."
Yang Cheng willed it, and the 20 pieces of Marrow-Washing Divine Jade were stored into his Heaven-Earth Spatial Domain.
Then he joined the others in absorbing the Five-Colored Flowers.
A few miles away, on a hill.
The members of the Bian'an Divine Sect were filled with terror.
"Divine Son, your foresight was brilliant."
"Yang Cheng grows more terrifying by the day. Even Zhang Qingyang was tricked to death by him."
"Luckily we ran fast, otherwise we would've ended up just like him."
They spoke with lingering fear.
"Go. Keep moving farther away," Nangong Yi ordered.
Yang Cheng's presence had already carved a deep shadow in his heart.
Inside the Five-Colored Valley.
Yang Cheng and the others were immersed in the wondrous effects of the Five-Colored Flowers.
Even Yang Cheng, whose spiritual power was already near the level of a Martial Emperor, was rising at a rapid pace.
Boom!
It didn't take long before Yang Cheng's spiritual power broke through to the Martial Emperor realm.
By the time every Five-Colored Flower in the valley was consumed, his spiritual power had reached the very peak of Martial Emperor level.
The twelve men behind him also reaped immense benefits.
Though spiritual power was not the same as true qi, having stronger spiritual power would make their future cultivation of martial arts far more efficient.
"Head to the next place," Yang Cheng said.
"Yes, Your Highness," the Tiger Generals responded, brimming with excitement.
Following the Crown Prince had boosted all of their strengths dramatically.
Yang Cheng led them onward, hunting down more demon beasts.
Their strength kept climbing.
Suddenly—
A blood-soaked figure staggered toward them.
"That's Wei Haoran?"
Yang Cheng recognized him instantly.
Wei Haoran was Wei Roujia's cousin. In the future, he was supposed to be the brother-in-law of Heaven's Mandate Emperor Yang Xiu.
Wei Haoran hadn't expected to encounter anyone here.
At first he was on guard, but the moment he saw Yang Cheng at the head of the group, his expression turned to wild joy—like a drowning man clutching a life-saving reed.
"Your Highness, the Crown Prince…"
"Save… save my little sister."
"Cough… cough…"
Wei Haoran was gravely wounded. After only a few words, he couldn't help but cough up blood.
Yang Cheng's eyes narrowed.
Without hesitation, he flicked a healing pill into Wei Haoran's mouth.
After swallowing it, Wei Haoran's breathing slowly steadied.
A dozen breaths later, he had regained some strength. He spoke urgently, "Your Highness, my sister is trapped on a rocky mountain. There are countless demon beasts there. I beg you to save her."
"Can you walk?" Yang Cheng asked.
Wei Haoran froze, then quickly realized what Yang Cheng meant. His face lit up with joy. "I can walk!"
"Good. Lead the way, and explain as we go."
Yang Cheng spoke calmly.
Although he didn't have deep ties with Wei Roujia, her fate had indeed been altered because of him, and she had even helped him complete a mission.
So, within his ability, Yang Cheng was more than willing to help her.
On the way, he asked, "Tell me the details. Why is Miss Wei trapped?"
Wei Haoran replied, "We were hunting demon beasts in a giant mountain. At first it was fine, but then a flood dragon appeared."
"We couldn't withstand it, so we hid inside a cave. But we realized staying there meant certain death, so several people sacrificed themselves to protect me while I broke out to seek help."
"My sister told me, Your Highness, that you are the one most worthy of trust. If I could find you, I must beg you to act. If not, then I'd seek others."
"You're sure it's a flood dragon?" Shen Muxue asked in shock.
"I fought it myself," Wei Haoran said bitterly. "I couldn't even block one casual strike, but I can confirm it was a flood dragon. And I must not hide this from you—this flood dragon is a true Demon Emperor. Its strength is terrifying. If you change your mind, I will have no complaints."
"No need to think so much. Just lead the way," Yang Cheng said flatly.
A flood dragon… a giant mountain?
Hearing this, he already guessed that Wei Roujia was trapped at the Heaven and Earth Pillar within this Qingqiu Secret Realm.
In the future, it was precisely when that Heaven and Earth Pillar was shattered that the Qingqiu Secret Realm collapsed into the Nether Abyss.
Wei Haoran froze. "Your Highness, no matter the outcome, my Wei clan will be forever grateful to you."
"No need for such words," Yang Cheng replied.
"Why?" Wei Haoran was stunned.
"I act only by my own will," Yang Cheng said. "I chose to save Miss Wei simply because I want to. Your gratitude has nothing to do with it."
"Likewise, if I didn't want to, even if you offered me the whole Wei clan, it would be useless."
Wei Haoran was dazed.
Willing to risk his life to save someone, just because he wanted to?
In that moment, he understood a little better why his sister trusted the Crown Prince so deeply.
Tianzhu Mountain.
Inside a dim stone cave, Wei Roujia's beautiful face was pale.
A shocking wound cut across her shoulder, and her body was bloodstained in several places.
Around her, the geniuses of the Wei clan were in no better condition.
Even in such dire straits, they kept fighting.
Because at the cave entrance, demon beasts kept trying to rush in.
They had lost count of how many waves they had repelled.
But the beasts had overwhelming numbers.
No matter how many assaults they drove back, the monsters launched new attacks almost immediately.
"Miss, we can't hold on much longer," a Wei clan warrior cried in pain.
His arm had already been bitten off by a beast.
The others wore expressions full of fear and despair.
Wei Roujia bit down hard on her red lips.
Outside the cave echoed the ferocious roars of beasts, while inside was suffocating panic and gloom.
The atmosphere was crushing.
'Am I really going to die here?'
Wei Roujia felt her heart sinking lower, as if about to fall into an abyss.
"Wait—someone's coming!"
Suddenly, a Wei clan warrior shouted in surprise.
"It's Haoran! Elder Brother Haoran has returned."
"And he brought reinforcements. Brother Haoran found help!"
"That's His Highness, the Crown Prince!"
The Wei clan disciples' faces lit up with hope for an instant, but just as quickly turned dim.
If it had been at the start, the Crown Prince might have saved them.
But now… it was too late.
"The Crown Prince?" Wei Roujia's body trembled.
She quickly looked outside and indeed saw a group approaching. The most striking among them was Yang Cheng.
But instead of joy, her eyes were full of worry. She cried out toward the entrance, "Your Highness, don't come closer! Besides the flood dragon, several other powerful demon beasts have appeared!"