"What did you say? Lin Tian has taken the Blood Spirit Herb mission?" Upon hearing this news, a faint smile crept across Luo Qing's face. He had certainly heard the rumors circulating in recent days, and he fully believed in their authenticity.
Now, hearing that Lin Tian had left Xuanwu Sect without even bringing his Spiritual Power Gun, an idea immediately formed in Luo Qing's mind. In the past, Lin Tian had relied on the might of his Spiritual Power Gun to utterly humiliate him in the Outer Sect competition. Moreover, the reward for this competition was immensely generous. To Luo Qing, it had seemed like an easy prize he was destined to claim. But with Lin Tian's sudden appearance, that prize slipped right through his fingers. Such a turn of events left him with a simmering resentment. Especially now, with the rise of Wu Xuan, a talented new figure in the Formation Peak, his position as the first of the Formation Peak felt increasingly threatened. It left him feeling thoroughly frustrated.
At this moment, if he didn't seize an opportunity to release his pent-up emotions, it would certainly cause him great distress. And with Lin Tian out on a mission, unarmed and vulnerable without his most powerful weapon, how could Luo Qing miss the chance to teach him a lesson?
Without a second thought, Luo Qing made his way directly to the Mission Hall. Just as he was about to take on a task, Duan Qingqing suddenly appeared beside him.
"What brings you here?" Luo Qing glanced at Duan Qingqing in confusion. In his memory, Duan Qingqing had no apparent grudge against Lin Tian.
"That's none of your concern. Just know that I'm here to help you," Duan Qingqing replied coldly.
"Well then, let's go together," Luo Qing said without hesitation. Duan Qingqing was one of the most talented disciples of the Symbol Peak, and with her assistance, he would undoubtedly be able to accomplish much more.
"Isn't that Yu Qingdi?" But when the two arrived at Maple Leaf Forest, they only saw Yu Qingdi alone. The exchange of glances between the two was filled with a trace of confusion. Before they left, they had received word that Yu Qingdi was supposed to be on this mission with Lin Tian. Yet now, in the forest, there was no sign of Lin Tian, only Yu Qingdi.
"Could it be that Lin Tian abandoned him?" Luo Qing wondered aloud, clearly not having anticipated this situation. After all, they had come for Lin Tian. If Lin Tian was not here, then their mission was pointless.
"How could Lin Tian be so unreasonable?" Duan Qingqing could not help but speak out. When Lin Tian had first gained fame in the Outer Sect competition, Duan Qingqing had admired him immensely. However, as rumors about him began to spread throughout Xuanwu Sect, her admiration turned to revulsion. This was why she had chosen to team up with Luo Qing for this mission. Part of her aim was to teach Lin Tian a lesson, and another was to see if the rumors about him were true—that he was as despicable as they claimed.
For the longest time, Lin Tian had been elusive in Xuanwu Sect, and even when Duan Qingqing had tried to find him, she had no means of doing so. Now, witnessing his actions firsthand, her disgust toward him deepened.
"Yu Qingdi may be capable, but the spirit beasts in Maple Leaf Forest are no pushovers. We're fellow sect members, so we should help him out," Duan Qingqing suggested, her voice softening slightly. Despite her cold exterior, she had a kind heart. Seeing Yu Qingdi struggling to defeat a spirit beast, her gaze softened with sympathy.
At the moment, Yu Qingdi was still some distance away from where the Blood Spirit Herb grew. Although there were fewer spirit beasts during the day, the further one ventured into the forest, the stronger the beasts became. By the time they reached the area where the herb grew, the beasts would be of a higher cultivation—reaching the eighth level of Qi Condensation.
Given the current situation, Yu Qingdi might just barely manage against a spirit beast of the seventh level, but if he encountered one of the eighth level, his only option would be to flee.
"You make a valid point, Qingqing. But for now, we should wait. After all, the sect assigns tasks to allow us disciples to gain experience. If we intervene now, it might do more harm than good for Yu Qingdi," Luo Qing explained.
Duan Qingqing nodded in agreement. Luo Qing's reasoning made perfect sense, and she could not help but acknowledge it.
However, not long after, as the two followed Yu Qingdi deeper into the forest, a massive gray serpent emerged, its body resembling a mass of rocks. Upon seeing this serpent, Yu Qingdi's expression changed instantly.
Before coming to Maple Leaf Forest, he had heard from the disciples in the Mission Hall about a particularly ferocious spirit beast called the Rock Armored Snake. Its scales were as tough as iron, and its cultivation could reach the eighth level of Qi Condensation once fully grown. Even a peak-level Qi Condensation practitioner would retreat at the sight of this beast.
When Yu Qingdi saw the Rock Armored Snake charging toward him, his face paled. His spiritual energy surged in his palm, and a red glow appeared as he slapped his palm out. However, when his palm collided with the snake's head, it was as if he had struck solid metal—the force couldn't penetrate the snake's armor.
In that instant, the enormous strength of the snake's attack slammed into him, pushing him backward with overwhelming force.
"Poof!" A mouthful of blood spurted from Yu Qingdi's mouth, and his body flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the ground. The Rock Armored Snake, undeterred, rushed forward. Yu Qingdi's face twisted in fear as he struggled to rise, but his body felt drained of strength, unable even to lift himself from the ground. He could only watch helplessly as the snake approached.
Just as the serpent was about to strike, a series of spiritual seals suddenly appeared, emitting brilliant white light that halted the snake's advance. At the same time, a barrage of spiritual talismans launched toward the beast, exploding on impact. The Rock Armored Snake's once indestructible scales cracked, revealing faint lines of vulnerability.