Chapter 180 - I will Try to Fool Him for the Rest of My Life
Everyone was stunned.
The sudden plea for assistance echoed with a feminine urgency, the word “Help!” piercing through the air.
It prompted a questioning of one's auditory senses, such was the abruptness of the cry.
Given the island's association with the Martial Monarch's legacy, its concealment ensured only capable cultivators ventured here. Following encounters with the tomb's menacing automatons, who among them would exhibit such timidity to solicit aid…
Admittedly, the possibility of encountering a profoundly distressing or life-threatening situation couldn't be dismissed. Nevertheless, the appropriateness of such a plea seemed dubious.
Presently, caution gripped everyone. Gazes met, yet no one moved.
Amidst this tense standoff, the two factions crossed paths on the narrow trail. Hostilities lingered, each side wary of the other's intentions. Meanwhile, an enigmatic stone tablet awaited exploration.
The appeal for help introduced an unsettling dilemma. Sending aid would necessitate leaving someone to guard the area, a decision fraught with suspicion. Moreover, diverting resources to assist could prove costly.
Trust being a scarce commodity, any rescue attempt posed significant risk.
Dong Yuan's lips twitched, poised to remark on the unclear circumstances. Prioritizing investigation of the stone tablet seemed prudent. As for the rescue mission… They weren't altruists working for the Soul Haunt Ship. Profit motivated their actions.
Before he could interject, the opposing youth proposed, “Brother Tang, let's prioritize the rescue. The rest can attend to the tablet!”
Dong Yuan hesitated momentarily, observing Guo Fan leading a group with a determined air, ready to depart.
“Yijun, you're swifter. Saving them takes precedence!”
The resolute white-clad young woman nodded, accelerating suddenly. With agile grace, she darted into the distance.
Her burst of speed rivalled a cultivator employing the Wind Travel Technique. Dong Yuan and his companions were astonished anew.
In the mortal realm, she'd rank akin to Gu Min, a martial arts luminary, capable of traversing the martial world with ease.
Despite her slender frame, suggestive of a body cultivator, her agility belied traditional assumptions.
Dong Yuan surmised her physique boasted innate strength surpassing the ordinary.
In the Upper Central Realm, such prodigies weren't unheard of, nurtured within sects or noble families to optimize their inherent potential from birth. While not on par with those blessed with innate bloodlines or spirit bodies, they attained heights beyond average cultivators.
Some could even achieve Foundation Establishment from birth.
Such notions were beyond Dong Yuan's humble origins in the middle-lower echelons.
The origins of this girl were shrouded in mystery, while the young man commanding her with ease was regarded as someone from the immortal lineage.
Pann Xiaoying, a striking figure, pondered if Guo Fan was a scion of an obscure sect undergoing training, coincidentally intersecting with their task.
Meanwhile, Dong Yuan's concern deepened, prompting him to reassess the capabilities of their counterparts.
In a scenario where Spiritual Energy was limited, Yijun's prowess stood out starkly, akin to a wolf amidst sheep.
“Please halt, fellow cultivator! The situation ahead is uncertain. The distress call might be genuine or a lure by those eyeing the Martial Legacy, posing a risk to your safety. Wouldn't it be wiser to remain here with us?”
Dong Yuan felt compelled to intervene.
He was driven by an inexplicable urge to keep them within his view, sensing that something was amiss.
Guo Fan briefly showed a reaction, musing over the fortune that the individual didn't bear the surname Shen. He then turned, embodying a moral righteousness, proclaiming, “Ignoring a plea for help is inexcusable. We must prevent potential misfortunes from occurring. With great power comes great responsibility. We, as cultivators, are tasked with using our strengths for the salvation of others.”
His statement, infused with empathy, unity, and stoicism, echoed the valor of countless souls. Upon concluding, he hurried towards the source of the plea, unhesitating.
The Soul Haunt Ship's crew was left in awe, Dong Yuan's gesture hanging as he watched Guo Fan depart, eventually remarking, “To abandon the stele now and rush to aid upon hearing a cry for help, he truly is a noble soul…”
Pann Xiaoying, regaining her composure, mocked, “So such naive individuals exist among cultivators. I presumed only those from the Soaring Wisdom Sect harbored such ideals.”
Dong Yuan suggested a shift in focus towards inspecting the stone monument for any leads.
Despite a thorough examination, their search yielded no insights, leading them to only replicate the pattern at the monument's base.
On the other hand, Guo Fan internally criticized his gullibility, recognizing a pattern of being easily deceived throughout his life, which felt akin to resuming an old profession.
Upon his initial arrival in this realm, he had deceived individuals like Cheng Liuxian from the Wide Ocean Sect, Mao Li, and a figure epitomizing the ‘ineffectual protagonist' archetype. His familiarity with such deceit hinted at refined acting abilities.
His goal to covertly infiltrate all sects seemed increasingly attainable.
The urgency of his journey here was not spurred by a surplus of compassion.
Instead, it was the intelligence about a mortal woman, devoid of any martial or cultivation prowess, being coerced into this situation.
Notably, there was an absence of any frail woman's body among the previously discovered corpses.
At that moment, a distress call from a woman echoed from within the secret realm.
Could it be a coincidence?
“Big tough guy, when did you become so considerate? Are you getting anxious because there's a girl involved?” Si Mi mumbled beside him.
Guo Fan found himself in a quandary, unsure whether to laugh or sigh. He couldn't fathom being so flustered merely by the sound of a woman's voice, could he?
Before he could interject, Hammer chimed in.
The Demonic Dragon smirked, “You're truly clueless, little fox. Master has a bevy of women in his company, and his standards are sky-high. It's not like he loses his senses at the sight of a woman.”
Si Mi was taken aback, suddenly realizing that this adorable little cat was also a demon.
Upon hearing about the numerous women, the little fox pursed her lips.
“Cut it out.” Guo Fan affectionately patted the hammer's head.
“Meow…” The haughty Demonic Dragon promptly changed demeanor, rubbing its cheek in a flattering manner.
Guo Fan halted, observing a palace of white jade ruins nestled within the forest. The structure lay in disarray, with collapsed bricks and overgrown weeds. Yijun engaged in combat with a mechanical doll nearby.
On the opposite side, a woman garbed in a light blue gown sat demurely. Her figure was slender, her long black hair intricately styled, adorned with a golden hairpin. She remained hidden, casting timid glances from the sidelines.
Drawing from his extensive experience, Guo Fan presumed her to be a beauty.
The illustrated handbook remained inactive. She was not a character he had encountered or subdued previously.
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