The negotiation seemed to reach an impasse as Liang contemplated Lady Xue’s offer. After a moment of silence, he nodded, accepting her final offer. "Very well, Lady Xue. I agree to assist you in fixing the teleportation formation."
Lady Xue’s expression softened as she nodded in gratitude. "Thank you, Mr. Liang. Your assistance is greatly appreciated."
Liang shook his head, a sigh escaping his lips. "Helping others is what we should do."
Lady Xue felt a curse forming in her mind upon hearing this.
"Then, when do we leave?"
Lady Xue replied, her voice firm, "Now. You leave now."
"Huh, now?" Liang couldn’t help but feel a sense of déjà vu, as if he had heard those words before.
"What about the materials I was about to buy?" Liang asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
"It’s just one thousand elemental crystals. You can just take them, no need to pay," Lady Xue said dismissively, waving her hand.
"Xia will accompany you. Once you’re done with the formation, she will give you the crystals," Lady Xue added, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Liang sighed, realizing that there was no way he could delay the mission any further. He turned his head and looked at Xia, who had a radiant smile on her face.
"Very well, let’s proceed," he said.
Lady Xue nodded approvingly. "Thank you, Mr. Liang. I’m certain you won’t disappoint us."
With that, Liang and Xia silently exited the room, their footsteps echoing softly in the empty corridors. They knew that leaving the paradise city unnoticed was crucial for their mission’s success.
Gradually, they made their way through the city’s streets and eventually found themselves on one of the Heaven Peak City’s enchanting alleys.
Xia turned to Liang and spoke with a hint of concern, "It’s a good thing that you have just broken through, Mr. Liang. Otherwise, our situation would be much more complicated."
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Curiosity sparked in Liang’s eyes, and he asked, "Complicated? How so?"
Xia sighed softly. "You see, Mr. Liang, there are certain rules in Heaven Peak City that you may not be aware of yet. One of them is that upon reaching the Dao Integration realm, cultivators are given a hundred years to stay on the surface. After that, they are faced with three choices, each with its own consequences."
Liang’s brows furrowed in contemplation. "What are these choices?" he inquired.
Xia replied, her tone filled with solemnity, "The first choice is Ascension, which, in truth, is no different from courting death. Even for Void Transformation Cultivators, Ascension is very difficult."
Xia’s gaze turned more somber. "The second choice is to leave the Spiritdrift World, our current cultivation world, and search for another. However, without the ability to traverse the void, it would take tens of thousands of years to find a suitable new cultivation world. By then, I fear that most cultivators would have reached the end of their natural lifespan."
A smile appeared on Xia’s face as she explained the third option, "The third choice is the most viable one. It is to stay in the paradise city. Here, the four factions have found a way to extend their lifespan, allowing cultivators to continue cultivating for a prolonged amount of time. However, staying in the paradise city comes with its own challenges and trials."
Liang nodded, but a tinge of regret washed over him as he thought about the negotiation with Lady Xue. The realization that he could have demanded a higher price gnawed at him.
"I should have asked for a higher price," he murmured to himself, his voice filled with regret.
Xia’s lips twitched as she heard his self-critical muttering. In truth, a hundred and fifty thousand elemental crystals was an immense fortune, yet that insatiable devil still wasn’t satisfied.
Suddenly, Liang’s voice interrupted her thoughts, prompting her attention.
"Give me your hand," he said abruptly.
Xia raised an eyebrow, unable to comprehend the sudden request. There was a slight hesitation in her actions as she considered his words.
Sensing her uncertainty, Liang’s eyes flickered with a hint of amusement. "I need to grasp your hand so that I can teleport us from here. Traveling to the Hanging Cloud Abyss through conventional means would take us two weeks, and unfortunately, I don’t have that luxury."
With a lingering hesitation, Xia extended her hand toward Liang, allowing him to take hold of it.
Their hands connected, and a surge of warmth passed between them. Xia could feel her cheeks flush with embarrassment as she closed her eyes, trying to hide her reaction.
"You can open your eyes now," Liang’s voice sounded, breaking the momentary silence.
When she opened her eyes again, what appeared before her was a desolate and mist-covered place. The Hanging Cloud Abyss stretched out before them, a treacherous and dangerous abyss that was said to be filled with countless dangers and mysteries.
As Liang and Xia made their way towards the Hanging Cloud Abyss, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense. The Forbidden Grounds were notorious for their dangers, and the Hanging Cloud Abyss was no exception.
The Abyss was located in a desolate and rugged mountain range, shrouded in an eerie mist that concealed its true depths. The air was heavy with a foreboding aura, and the faint sound of howling winds echoed through the valley.
As they approached the entrance of the Abyss, the ground became increasingly treacherous and unstable. Gnarled trees and jagged rocks protruded from the earth, casting dark shadows that seemed to dance in the mist.
As they arrived at the entrance of the Abyss, an imposing stone archway adorned with inscrutable symbols greeted them. Xia’s eyes shimmered with anticipation, her expression radiating excitement. In contrast, Laing appeared unaffected by the mysterious environment, maintaining his cool composure.
With a wave of his hand, Liang activated his void sense, scanning the area for any hidden dangers or traps. Satisfied that there were no immediate threats, he stepped through the archway, followed closely by Xia.
As they ventured deeper into the Abyss, the terrain became more treacherous. The ground crumbled beneath their feet, exposing bottomless chasms that seemed to stretch into infinity. The mist grew thicker, obscuring their vision and making it difficult to navigate.
Liang’s void sense was their only guide, helping them avoid the countless traps and pitfalls scattered throughout the Abyss.
After what seemed like hours of precarious travel, they reached the location of the teleportation formation. It was located in a cavern bathed in an eerie, purple glow. The walls were covered in strange markings, pulsating with arcane energy.
Xia confidently took the lead, guiding the way into the cavern, while Laing, with his heightened perception, carefully surveyed the surroundings using his void sense. As his gaze shifted from Xia to the cave entrance, a cold glint flickered in his eyes. Slowly, a chilling smile materialized on his lips, and he quietly trailed behind her.