Chapter 999 - 997: Ascending the Mountain
To alleviate the awkwardness, Chen Tianlong deliberately pulled Wu Mengting along as they moved forward. There were many small icy mounds here, scattered like little hills on the prairie.
As they approached the peak of the snow mountain, everyone grew tired and found a relatively clean place to sit down.
But just at that moment, dark clouds gathered, and strong winds began to blow, clearly signaling that it was about to rain.
No, to be precise, it was a mix of rain and snow.
"Not good, everyone hurry to the forest and find shelter, it looks like a heavy snow is coming," Chen Tianlong said urgently.
The group nodded and followed Chen Tianlong toward the nearby forest. While the forest seemed covered in white snow, many trees stood tall and resiliently sprouted many green leaves.
Within the forest, Chen Tianlong discovered a cave in a small hill about ten meters high. It should barely be called a hill, more like a large mound.
The difference was, this mound had a cave that could block the wind and rain.
"Whew..."
Taking a deep breath, Chen Tianlong finally led the seven ladies into the cave. Seeing it wasn’t damp inside, he was quite satisfied. Obviously, someone had been here before; there were some straw inside, and there seemed to be traces of an old bonfire.
Chen Tianlong didn’t think much, seeing that the weather outside signaled snow. He said to the ladies, "Everyone, stay inside for now. It looks like it’s going to rain later. I need to go out and gather some firewood to keep warm."
The group nodded, each hoping to be alone with Chen Tianlong, but no one dared to speak in the presence of Wu Mengting.
Chen Tianlong glanced at everyone, especially noting Lin Wushuang’s reluctant expressions. He chuckled bitterly before turning to leave the cave entrance. Before long, he reached the forest, finding it challenging to locate some branches in the snow. So, he climbed a tree to get some himself.
In no time, Chen Tianlong gathered a small bundle of branches, but as he was about to descend, he suddenly sensed a surge of strong True Qi around him.
Chen Tianlong closed his eyes, activating the Heart Method, and tuned into the movements around him.
Just ten meters ahead, hidden in a bush, was a beast. At first glance, it looked somewhat like a leopard, but upon closer inspection, it was pure white like the snow. If it weren’t for Chen Tianlong’s sharp eyes, he wouldn’t have noticed it.
Snow Leopard?
The term instantly surfaced in Chen Tianlong’s mind.
Encountering a Snow Leopard on a snow mountain is common, but this one was different; from the powerful Qi wave it emitted, he judged it to be a Spirit Beast Leopard.
For leopards, speed is their strongest weapon, hence the term "leopard’s speed."
After jumping down from the tree, Chen Tianlong quickly left holding the branches. It seemed this Spirit Beast Leopard did not dare approach him, perhaps recognizing he wasn’t an ordinary person.
Back in the cave, despite feeling unsettled, the appearance of such a Spirit Beast Leopard on Yannian Snow Mountain was not surprising. The spirit beast he saw earlier was only at a tunnel level, posing no threat to Chen Tianlong, who was now at Celestial Dao two stars.
"Chen Tianlong, what’s wrong?" Wu Mengting, ever observant, quickly noticed Chen Tianlong’s concern, so she asked with care.
Chen Tianlong smiled softly, leaned close to Wu Mengting’s ear, and whispered, "I just encountered a beast, a little worried."
He said this to avoid alarming the others. Given his close bond with Wu Mengting, it was fine to tell her.
Upon hearing, Wu Mengting nodded in understanding.
Sure enough, ten minutes later, a fierce wind arose outside, followed by a heavy snowstorm.
The climate of Ice City was truly peculiar. Not long ago, Chen Tianlong and others were basking in the southern sun, and now they stood amidst a northern snowstorm. This land of Huaxia was truly fascinating...
Japan, Black Alliance Headquarters.
After ingesting the two collected Super Qi Gathering Pills, the Red-eyed Eagle finally broke through to Celestial Dao five stars. However, compared to the former president’s strength, it was still lacking.
Back then, the founder of the Black Alliance, Mei Zifeng, wielded the power of Celestial Dao seven stars Great Perfection, dominating Huaxia, subjugating the eight great sects to his control, and eliminating all obstacles.
It was rumored there were three Jade Pendants in Huaxia, holding a great secret related to Extreme Dao’s shortcut method. This led to the extermination of the Chen Family and Wu Family and the tragic incident involving Fang Zun’s family.
Later, the Celestial Pill Sect’s Pure Heaven Daoist, under the guise of justice, expelled the Black Alliance from Huaxia, quelling the disaster. Yet, the eight great sects remained under the Black Alliance’s influence, not for any reason but because their leaders bore a Gu poison called Heart-Eroding Gu.
This Gu poison was not unfamiliar; it was the same wicked Gu Xue Kong used on Chen Tianlong, nearly costing him his life.
This Gu poison originates from Yunfu, and Mei Zifeng was from Yunfu. His parents were wrongfully accused and died in prison during his childhood. From then on, Mei Zifeng resented Huaxia’s system, fled to Japan, founded the Black Alliance, and returned for revenge.
"Whew... still a gap with others’ skills," thought the Red-eyed Eagle, who took two years to collect these two Super Qi Gathering Pills, finally using them upon reaching Celestial Dao one star.
To advance from Celestial Dao five stars further, two more Super Qi Gathering Pills were needed to ascend another level, making it evidently challenging.
"Knock, knock, knock..."
At that moment, the door knocked, and the Red-eyed Eagle said directly, "Come in!"
It was Lin Xiaoting, whom the Red-eyed Eagle had summoned through a subordinate. Although Lin Xiaoting had been dismissed, they remained best friends. The Red-eyed Eagle was accustomed to discussing matters with Lin Xiaoting, including this time’s intelligence on Chen Tianlong.
"Xiaoting, any news on that stinky brat Chen Tianlong?" Although the Red-eyed Eagle insulted Chen Tianlong this way, in Lin Xiaoting’s ears, it sounded different, as if the president had taken a liking to Chen Tianlong.
"Yes, after returning, he went to a place called Ice City. According to the spy’s report, Ice City is a gathering ground for intermediate cultivators in Huaxia, with many experts, although they are indifferent to mortal realm affairs." Lin Xiaoting shared the findings with the Red-eyed Eagle.
Yet, there were crucial details she withheld. It was heard Chen Tianlong had a girlfriend with a special physique, which attracted the Celestial Pill Sect’s attention. Furthermore, of the three much-sought Jade Pendants, two have been located.
One pendant was given to Chen Tianlong by Liu Ting, and another was with Mo Yun of the Mo Family.
The whereabouts of the final pendant remain unknown, so Lin Xiaoting decided not to inform the Red-eyed Eagle, as unfinished business within the Black Alliance always equated to trouble.
"Good, keep a close watch on him. If anyone suspicious appears around him, notify me immediately, especially women...." stated the Red-eyed Eagle sternly.
Initially listening intently, Lin Xiaoting nearly burst into laughter at the last sentence. Her friend was indeed adorable, making the situation sound so serious, all for worrying about diverse beauties appearing around Chen Tianlong. Why not just plainly state it instead of saying suspicious persons?