Chapter 922: Chapter 42: Summit of Mount Tiangang
Xuan Yue giggled and whispered into Ah Dai’s ear, "Don’t worry, just inject your Sacred Aura-infused True Qi into my body, and I won’t feel cold anymore. Plus, I can cast Divine Blessing on myself! Then I can just sleep on your back. Let’s go, and don’t let that guy look down on us." She referred to Liao Yi as ’that guy’, yet she didn’t consider that Liao Yi was actually older than both her and Ah Dai.
Ah Dai nodded and said, "Alright then, we’ll leave now and rest well once we get to the Tian Gang Sword Sect."
"Yan Shi brother, do you need to rest too?"
Yan Shi shook his head and replied, "Since this brother has said to leave now, let’s do just that. I’m also eager to meet Teacher Xi Wen soon. With this brother leading the way, we will avoid many detours."
Liao Yi said, "Alright then, follow me closely, I’ll lead the way." After saying that, he tapped the ground lightly with his feet and floated gently forward. Ah Dai, carrying Xuan Yue, and Yan Shi hastily followed. Though the three of them were stronger than Liao Yi in terms of power, they were unfamiliar with the path. With him leading the way, they didn’t have to worry about the direction and the journey was much easier.
As they proceeded, Liao Yi became increasingly alarmed. Among the fourth generation disciples of the Tian Gang Sword Sect, he was considered exceptional. However, compared to these young individuals from the Alien Race of the Federation, he clearly sensed a significant gap. Even the stout man who looked robust was keeping up with him effortlessly. His previous disdain vanished completely and he slowed down a bit, heading towards Tian Gang Mountain.
Night fell and a faint chill enveloped everyone. Afraid that Xuan Yue might freeze, Ah Dai continuously injected True Qi into her body to dispel the chill of the deep night. In reality, Xuan Yue wasn’t that susceptible to cold since she was bundled up more than the others and had the warmth from Ah Dai’s back. Yet, the feeling of having True Qi within her body was very comforting. In a short while, she had actually fallen asleep. Feeling secure with Ah Dai, Xuan Yue’s heart was filled with a sense of safety. Though the position wasn’t great, she slept very soundly.
It took nearly half the night, and by deep night, Liao Yi had led them to the foot of Tian Gang Mountain. Being late at night, they could only vaguely make out a high mountain in front of them which was much gentler in slope than any they had seen before. Liao Yi stopped at the base of the mountain, and a shadow passed as Ah Dai and the others landed beside him. Yan Shi focused on the mountain and said, "Is this Tian Gang Mountain? Why is there no path at all?"
Liao Yi flashed a slight smile and explained, "Tian Gang Mountain covers a vast area, and only the side facing the Empire of Huasheng has the main road leading up the mountain. If we took the official route, it would be a long detour. This is just the back of the mountain, which has a small trail leading to the summit. We can climb from here to reach the top."
Feeling the steady breathing of Xuan Yue behind him, Ah Dai tightened his grip and said, "Brother Liao Yi, please lead the way then."
Liao Yi nodded and led the three through the dense woods at the base of Tian Gang Mountain. Just as he had said, there was a winding path through the woods. The four of them moved along this path, and though they were climbing, it felt like walking on flat ground for them, rapidly ascending. Halfway up the mountain, Liao Yi finally stopped again, sat down on the ground to catch his breath, and said, "It’s still early, let’s rest for a while." His True Qi had only recently reached the third Realm, and the long climb had depleted what he had. Yan Shi and Yan Li were also somewhat tired. Although their fighting spirit was robust, it did not have the continuous characteristics of True Qi and they sat down for a moment to catch their breath. Among them, only Ah Dai, who was carrying Xuan Yue, seemed fine. Though he was a bit tired, the ceaseless circulation of his True Qi, constantly transitioning from liquid to gas and back, provided a continuous source of energy.
Ah Dai carefully placed Xuan Yue’s legs down, gently turned around, and held her in his arms, sitting beside her. The mid-mountain area of Tian Gang Mountain was even colder than below, and he was wary lest Xuan Yue be affected by the chill. Holding Xuan Yue, he placed a hand on the sacred spot on her back, slowly injecting True Qi into her body. A gentle white light enveloped the two, vividly apparent in the darkness of night.
Liao Yi stared at Ah Dai, fully aware of the capabilities of True Qi. Ah Dai’s emitted True Qi had reached the Realm of Light Conversion and Gasification, indicators of the fifth level of Cultivation! He rubbed his eyes in disbelief, moved closer to Ah Dai, and asked in a hushed tone, "Little brother, are you using our Tian Gang Sword Sect’s True Qi?"
Ah Dai nodded, gestured for silence, and indicated that Xuan Yue was sound asleep, and he didn’t want to wake his sweetheart.
Liao Yi lowered his voice, somewhat excitedly, and said, "Then, may I ask which uncle or granduncle’s disciple you are? I seem to have never seen you before! Your True Qi seems to have already reached the fifth level, almost equal to my master’s, how can this be possible?" In the Tian Gang Sword Sect, the second generation disciples generally maintain their Cultivation at the seventh or eighth level. The third-generation disciples are between the fourth and fifth levels, with only one or two early-starting, talented disciples reaching the sixth level. Including Liao Yi, only three among the fourth generation disciples have entered the third Realm. Even so, they have all received praise from the Sect leader Xi Wen. The characteristic of True Qi is that it’s extremely difficult to Cultivate, but each advancement significantly enhances power, creating a strong foundation which usually overtakes other sects in the later stages.
