What puzzled Li Fan was that, according to his previous research, this secret methodology should have been subjected to the restrictions of the world's rules once the practitioner’s strength reached a level equivalent to the Golden Core realm. At that point, progress should begin to slow.
Yet, on Ye Feipeng, Li Fan did not see these restrictions taking effect. At least, not yet.
Is it because of his demonic beast bloodline? Or is there some kind of preferential treatment? Li Fan was somewhat baffled. Perhaps I can find an opportunity to test this.
Rubbing his chin, Li Fan began to make plans.
***
During these two months of Ye Feipeng's rapid growth, Zhang Haobo and Su Xiaomei left the Congyun Sea and arrived within the borders of Jiushan Province, near the junction with Shilin Province.
The two of them gazed at the White Mist Barrier that stretched across heaven and earth, endless and unbroken.
Seeing such a wondrous sight for the first time, their minds were greatly shaken. They stood and watched for a long time before continuing their journey towards the ruins of the Chaoyuan Sect in Jiushan Province.
Awed by the magnificent spectacle, Su Xiaomei felt her own insignificance for the first time. Along the way, she began to rein in her emotions, keeping a low profile and simply hurrying along on their journey. This allowed Zhang Haobo to breathe a sigh of relief.
With her hot temper, this young lady was truly a headache to look after. Furthermore, this was her first long journey since growing up, and she loved to get involved in anything interesting she encountered.
Others, seeing her trying to act like an adult despite her childlike appearance, sometimes couldn't help but tease her with a word or two. But she had absolutely no patience for it. In a flash, she'd be ready to fight. This had already happened several times along the way.
Fortunately, Su Xiaomei was only hot-tempered, not stupid. She would only strike first after confirming her opponent was a Foundation Establishment cultivator she could defeat.
Once Su Xiaomei was in a fight, Zhang Haobo couldn't just stand by and watch. He had no choice but to join forces with her to teach the other party a lesson before hastily leaving.
I hope this period of calm lasts a little longer. Zhang Haobo thought to himself, looking at the unusually quiet Su Xiaomei.
Unfortunately for him, it was the norm for things to go contrary to one's wishes.
After traveling through Jiushan Province for a while and arriving before the first transverse mountain range, Su Xiaomei began to grow restless again, reverting to her old ways.
A checkpoint had been set up before the mountain pass through the first mountain, Shixi Mountain. Any cultivator wishing to pass had to pay a certain number of contribution points or spirit stones before being allowed through.
According to the information marked on the map Ye Feipeng had provided, each of the nine mountains of Jiushan Province possessed its own mystical properties, and flying above them was out of the question. Therefore, unless one was willing to undertake the arduous and risky journey of climbing over the peaks, the only way to cross Shixi Mountain was to take these mountain passes that cut through the range.
The two of them had naturally prepared some spirit stones before their departure. They had also taken a few from their previous conflicts, so they weren't lacking.
However, seeing Su Xiaomei staring intently at the person collecting the spirit stones ahead, her large eyes darting around as if plotting something dangerous, Zhang Haobo's heart immediately leapt into his throat.
Without some strength or backing, who would dare set up a toll checkpoint in a place like this? These people were clearly not to be trifled with. He quickly tugged at her sleeve, using his eyes to signal Su Xiaomei not to cause trouble.
Su Xiaomei rolled her eyes at him and transmitted her voice, "Am I that stupid? Look at all these people choosing to pay obediently, even those Golden Core cultivators. It's just a few spirit stones. Why would I rashly stir up trouble?"
Zhang Haobo was somewhat taken aback. "Then what are you plotting?"
"Hehe, I don't need to step forward myself. Someone else will." She grinned.
"Look at that man!" Su Xiaomei subtly pointed towards a cultivator ahead.
Zhang Haobo followed her thumb and saw that this person was already nearing the spirit stone collection point.
The man wore a constant expression of disdain on his face, appearing to look down on the cultivators who had obediently paid their fees earlier.
"This should be good," Su Xiaomei said excitedly, always one to relish a bit of chaos.
Zhang Haobo's interest was piqued as well.
He knew the technique his younger sister cultivated made her highly sensitive to the emotional shifts of those around her.
If she said this, it meant this cultivator was almost certain to clash with the toll-collecting organization.
What made Zhang Haobo curious, however, was this: the man clearly appeared to be only at the Foundation Establishment realm. Where did his confidence come from? Could he be a powerful expert concealing his cultivation?
Fortunately, he didn't have to wait long.
"One hundred low-grade spirit stones."
The man stood before the toll collector with his chin high, making no move for a long while.
The black-robed toll collector grew impatient at the sight and urged, "Well?"
The man snorted coldly, looking down his nose at the collector.
"I don't have any!"
"Don't have any? What's a pauper like you doing here, making a scene? Get lost!" The black-robed cultivator's eyes widened, and he made to drive the man away.
Yet, upon meeting the other's gaze, his hand faltered, and he hesitated. The man was looking at him as if regarding an insect.
In this line of work, discernment was crucial. In the mixed and treacherous waters of Jiushan Province, countless cultivators had offended the wrong person and been casually swatted to death.
Judging by this fellow's demeanor, he was either out of his mind or he had concealed his cultivation and came here specifically to pick a fight.
The black-robed cultivator pondered for a moment, not rushing to act.
Instead, he took a slight step back, putting some distance between them. Then he began calling for reinforcements.
After all, he was just hired help working for points. It wasn't worth risking his life for such meager pay. Even if he couldn't handle it himself, someone else naturally could.
"Just you wait!" he spat out a threatening line before retreating further into the protective array within the mountain pass.
Soon, four or five cultivators emerged from within the pass in succession.
Leading them was a long-haired Nascent Soul cultivator with delicate features.
He approached the troublemaker and examined him with keen interest.
"You're an interesting one. If you have no spirit stones, you should just turn back. What's the meaning of this?
"Surely you don't think our Spiritual Origin Sect is an easy target."
The delicate-featured man spoke with a smile, but his eyes were full of killing intent.
Above his head, a peach blossom grotto-heaven suddenly manifested.
Pink petals drifted down with the wind, and the immense pressure unique to a Nascent Soul cultivator instantly spread throughout the area.
Many Foundation Establishment and Golden Core cultivators caught in the pressure instantly turned pale, and their bodies trembled.
What surprised every cultivator present was that this Nascent Soul pressure seemed to have no effect whatsoever on the troublemaker.
On the contrary, he smiled slightly and directly exposed the delicate-featured man's identity: "Shen Yurou, you're still so effeminate."
Shen Yurou's face paled dramatically at the words. The Peach Blossom Grotto-Heaven above his head vanished abruptly. His expression turned severe, his entire body radiating wariness as he stared at the provocateur before him.
"Who are you, really?"
The man patted his robes, his tone casual. "After changing my clothes, you don't recognize me anymore?"
As he spoke, the simple blue cloth garment he wore suddenly shimmered with a golden light, then transformed into a suit of gleaming golden armor.
Shen Yurou froze for a moment, then, as if remembering something, uttered with a mix of shock and dread, "I Am Invincible?"
In an instant, his figure shot backward in a violent retreat. After putting a considerable distance between them, he suddenly halted.
He turned his head, looking at I Am Invincible with a deeply suspicious expression. "Didn't you break through to Spirit Transformation? How have you reverted to the Foundation Establishment realm?"
I Am Invincible shrugged, his manner utterly nonchalant. "I felt like I was cultivating the wrong path, so I just started over."