Chapter 223: Chapter 217: Eldest Martial Brother, Look! This Place Must Hold a Profound Secret!
"Perfect."
Lin Qingfeng nodded in satisfaction.
’Now I don’t have to worry about this kid running off. Whatever he stumbles upon, I can just say: This item has an affinity with my Western—bah, with my Guixi.’
Dong Changsheng froze on the spot.
An invisible force traveled up the reins around his neck, causing the Spiritual Power in his body to stagnate.
’Huh?’
’What’s going on?’
’Why did I wake up with reins around my neck?’
On the other side, Su Ling’er also slowly regained consciousness.
She shook her head, a sharp pain lancing through her Divine Sense.
’What happened?’
’Why didn’t the Supreme Heart-Clearing Soul-Stabilizing Skill work this time?’
Her consciousness had blacked out after passing through that giant gate of light, and she was only just now waking up.
’So it seems even a Cultivation Technique like this can’t resist the mighty power of a secret realm inherited from an ancient demonic sect?’
The first thing she saw made her brain freeze on the spot.
Eldest Brother Lin Qingfeng was putting reins on Dong Changsheng.
Su Ling’er: "???"
’Wait, what is this situation?’
’Why did I wake up to such a bizarre scene?’
’Eldest Brother, what are you doing? Walking a dog? No, that’s a person you’re walking!’
’Is this some new demonic cultivation method?’
’Tempering one’s Dao heart by enslaving fellow disciples?’
’Or did Mr. Dong break some celestial law, so Eldest Brother is punishing him like livestock?!’
Wang Xiedi, who was beside her, also woke up. Seeing the vast scene outside and the spectacle before him, he too wore a dazed expression.
He rubbed his eyes, then pinched his thigh hard to make sure it wasn’t a hallucination before asking.
"E-Eldest Brother... Mr. Dong... What is...?"
"Could this be the legendary state of ’man-horse unity’?"
"Except this time, the horse is a man, and the rider is also a man?"
Wang Xiedi’s quiet remark reached Su Ling’er’s ears, making a vein throb on her forehead.
’Wait, is that the point?!’
’Aren’t your priorities a little skewed?’
Only Li Chunfeng, after waking up, merely glanced at his surroundings before immediately standing up and resuming his monotonous yet persistent action.
"CLANG! SHINK! CLANG! SHINK! CLANG! SHINK!"
Drawing his sword, sheathing it.
The sound of the Wooden Sword colliding with its scabbard.
Lin Qingfeng ignored the commotion from these NPCs.
He looked at the vast sea of trees before him, calculating in his mind.
’No mini-map, Divine Sense is suppressed, and flying is prohibited. Players can easily get lost and anxious in this kind of environment.’
’Forget this primeval forest; I even got lost a few times back when I was playing that Black Monkey game.’
’But now, it’s not a big problem.’
His gaze fell once more on Dong Changsheng, who was tied up with the reins.
’With this guy leading the way, the rest of us just have to follow him.’
’With his [Strong Luck] constitution, even if we can’t rush to the central area right away, we’ll definitely encounter plenty of hidden opportunities along the way.’
At the same time, to prevent anyone on his team from getting into an accident and being unable to find the group after reviving, he opened the team channel again.
[Guixi Secret Realm Channel (Team)]
[Lin Qingfeng]: All teams, listen up. Be sure to leave marks along the way that only our people can understand. Advance steadily, don’t get greedy or reckless, and share intel at all times!
After giving his instructions, he looked at Dong Changsheng, who was still in a daze.
Dong Changsheng finally recovered from his mental blank. He looked down at the reins around his neck, then up at Lin Qingfeng, his face a mask of confusion and humiliation.
"E-Eldest Brother... This... What is...?"
Lin Qingfeng didn’t answer, merely jutting his chin toward the vast forest ahead:
"Let’s go. You lead the way. Let’s see where you want to go."
"Huh?"
He pondered for a moment, and then it dawned on him.
"Eldest Brother! I understand!"
Lin Qingfeng: "?"
Dong Changsheng was heard saying in a tone as if he were imparting a divine secret:
"Eldest Brother is trying to tell me that a true expert must not only be able to lead others, but at critical moments, must also be willing to be a ’pathfinder stone’ and lead the charge!"
"These reins may seem like a restraint, but they are actually a sign of trust!"
"You’ve placed the fate of the entire team in my hands!"
"Eldest Brother, this great kindness is something I, Changsheng, will never forget for the rest of my life!"
Hearing the keywords "great kindness" and "never forget," Lin Qingfeng’s DNA stirred.
The expression on his face instantly froze.
’Feeling grateful, are we?’
Without another word, he swung his hand and slapped it across Dong Changsheng’s face, which was alight with "enlightenment"!
"SLAP!"
A crisp sound echoed through the forest.
Dong Changsheng was spun halfway around by the force of the slap. Five clear fingerprints instantly appeared on his cheek. The touched expression on his face froze, and his eyes were filled with disbelief.
Lin Qingfeng shook his hand and said with a deadpan expression:
"It seems your illness is quite serious. As your elder brother, I’ll help you clear your head."
"SLAP!"
Another slap.
"Still grateful?"
"SLAP!"
"Understand my good intentions now?"
"SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!"
The series of slaps made Dong Changsheng see stars. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and he was completely beaten into a stupor.
The logical chain of his "expert theory" was forcibly broken on a physical level.
Su Ling’er watched from the side, dumbfounded.
’What... what kind of move is this?’
’Weren’t you just putting horse reins on him a moment ago?’
’How did it suddenly turn into a one-sided beating?’
’What happened?’
’Are the rules of the demonic sect really this... whimsical?’
Finally, Lin Qingfeng stopped.
Dong Changsheng stood there, swaying, his cheeks swollen high.
He hung his head, letting his hair cover his eyes.
When he raised his head again, the "gratitude" in his eyes had vanished.
In its place were humiliation and resentment.
Seeing this look, Lin Qingfeng finally breathed a sigh of satisfaction, a great weight lifted from his heart.
’Good, that’s the look!’
’As long as he isn’t thinking about repaying any kindness, everything will be fine!’
"Now, lead the way."
Dong Changsheng turned and walked toward the dark, dense forest to the front left.
’Since he wants me to lead, then I’ll lead this group into the most dangerous-looking places I can find!’
The mist in the forest grew thicker, making the surroundings seem even more bizarre and fantastical.
After walking for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Dong Changsheng stopped.
Ahead was a cliff, its face covered in vines.
And growing in the gaps between the vines was a type of soft-glowing moss.
This moss snaked downward, outlining a small path in the darkness.
Dong Changsheng turned back, the resentment on his face concealed by false reverence.
He pointed to the mossy path.
"Eldest Brother, look! There must be a secret here!"
"The path of the strong is often hidden in treacherous places."
"I have a feeling... there might be a world-shaking opportunity hidden down there!"
"Honestly, the moment I saw it, I wanted to rush down myself! But I can’t!"
"Because Eldest Brother beat some sense into me! I can’t be that selfish anymore!"
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