Martial Peak

Chapter 2214, Acting Separately

“Is it because we’re in our Soul Avatars…?” Murong Xiao Xiao considered it as she answered.

“Probably,” Chen Mu Ji nodded in agreement.

Since they were in their Soul Avatars, they were unable to use many skills and Secret Techniques that they were accustomed to using. They were also unable to use their typical artifacts, which naturally meant that everyone would feel uncomfortable during battle.

Additionally, these types of Soul battles were typically avoided by all cultivators as much as possible.

Normally, if the two cultivators were at about the same power level, they wouldn’t choose to fight with their Divine Senses because such a fight was far too dangerous. A moment of carelessness would be enough to lead to the loss of one’s consciousness or becoming an idiot.

However, they didn’t have the choice of being able to fight in other ways in this Divine Ascension Mirror World. In that case, many problems that they had never considered or happened upon, would now appear.

For instance, when they were attacked in the outside world, they could instantly cancel out the attack, or even counter it, by meeting it head-on with their own strength.

However, in this place, when a strong attack was launched at them, everyone’s first reaction was to dodge… so that their Souls wouldn’t get injured.

“It seems that there’s still much room for us to grow,” Xia Sheng wryly smiled as he added. “Let’s not think about it for the time being. This Soul Source…” He glanced at everyone before he stopped at Chen Mu Ji, “Junior Brother Chen, you take this one.” He then looked at Yang Kai and inquired, “Brother Yang, you don’t have any objections, right?”

“I have none!” Yang Kai shook his head.

Xia Sheng nodded.

Chen Mu Ji didn’t refuse. He thanked Xia Sheng and immediately took the Soul Source as he began to cultivate and absorb it.

Not long after, he finished absorbing the Soul Source.

Although it wasn’t too evident, Chen Mu Ji’s Soul’s strength had indeed increased slightly. It could be seen by the look of delight on his face.

It was a peak Eleventh-Order Monster Beast, after all. The person absorbing the Soul Source would be able to feel their own increase in Spiritual Energy.

“Let’s continue…” Xia Sheng said as he led the way forward in search of prey.

Two days passed by in the blink of an eye.

In these two days, Yang Kai and the others supported each other in the Heavenly Monster Mountains. They met many Monster Beasts, but they were able to safely kill these enemies each time. Under Xia Sheng’s leadership, the spoils of battle, Soul Sources, were divided up relatively evenly.

Yang Kai absorbed a total of nine Ninth-Order Monster Beasts, five Tenth-Orders, and two Eleventh-Order Monster Beast Soul Sources…

His Spiritual Energy was evidently stronger than when he first entered this place.

The others had also obtained good harvests.

For instance, Chen Mu Ji had the weakest Spiritual Energy among them, but his growth was evident for all to see.

There really were countless Monster Beasts in the Heavenly Monster Mountain. The beasts mostly roamed freely, so there was no need for the group to intentionally search for them as they were easy to find.

The group had no intentions of killing Monster Beasts that were too weak, since they wouldn’t gain much even if they did kill such beasts, and basically only targeted existences that were Ninth-Order and above.

Maybe it was because they were still only on the outskirts of the mountains, but they hadn’t met any Twelfth-Order beasts as of yet.

Of course, if they actually did meet a Twelfth-Order Monster Beast, they would only be able to run away.

As the group fought difficult battles over the past two days, their conditions also improved greatly. It was evident that they had acclimated significantly to this new world and if the five of them were to meet an Earth Tortoise again similar to the one they first encountered again, with their current strength and experience, they would likely only need half a cup of tea’s time to kill it.

In other words, everyone had become completely accustomed to this place and their Soul Bodies, along with the way of fighting required here.

As the group rested, Xia Sheng suddenly spoke up, “Everyone, I have a suggestion, but I don’t know if I should say it or not.”

“Is it to act separately?” Xiao Bai Yi had an expression of ‘I know exactly what you’re thinking.’

Xia Sheng smiled, “Xiao Bai really understands me best! Although it’s definitely safer for the five of us to work together, acting as a group like this is rather inefficient. Elder Gao said before that we only have one month in this world, and that the token’s seal will activate after that time and forcibly take us back to our world. It may be a long time before we are able to enter the Divine Ascension Mirror again, so we must properly take advantage of this great opportunity in order to treat ourselves!”

“Rather than acting together for safety, this Senior Brother prefers to act separately. Although there will be a certain amount of danger, our potential… isn’t it always forced out when we’re in danger?” His eyes shone with mysterious confidence and excitement, “If we keep growing up in a safe environment, it will be too late if we meet with actual danger in the future.”

“Actually…” Xiao Bai Yi suddenly spoke up with a slow tone, “I agree.”

His implicit meaning was that he had some worries about saying this idea out loud before.

“Separate?” Murong Xiao Xiao hesitated slightly, but she soon resolved herself and nodded, “Good.”

Xia Sheng saw that even she agreed, so he turned to look at Chen Mu Ji.

Chen Mu Ji smiled and said, “Senior Brothers and Senior Sister don’t need to worry about me. Although I have the lowest Soul cultivation here, I will do what I can based on my own strength. I’m still a disciple of the temple after all!”

“Very good!” Xia Sheng looked at him with satisfaction before turning to look at Yang Kai and grinning, “Brother Yang definitely has no objections here.”

“I’m fine with anything!” Yang Kai replied calmly.

It was a coincidental opportunity that he could enter the Divine Ascension Mirror to begin with, which was why he didn’t raise any objections or make any requests. If Xia Sheng and the others insisted on acting together, Yang Kai would cooperate, but since they were going to separate, he was happy to comply.

Of course, if he had to choose, he would prefer to separate.

There were many techniques that he didn’t dare to use when travelling together with Xia Sheng and the others, so the feeling of being restricted was quite bothersome to him.

“In that case, Senior Brother wishes everyone good luck…” Xia Sheng glanced at everyone with a serious expression, “Stay safe and return alive!”

“I’ll be leaving first,” Xiao Bai Yi was quite decisive, immediately setting off after it was decided that they would separate.

“Senior Brother, stay safe!” Murong Xiao Xiao then glanced at Yang Kai and Chen Mu Ji, “You two stay safe as well.”

“Sister Murong, you must also be careful!” Yang Kai smiled in response.

Murong Xiao Xiao nodded, her tender body flickering as she shot off in a different direction.

“I’ll be leaving as well then.” As Chen Mu Ji spoke, he stood up, nodded slightly at Xia Sheng and Yang Kai, then disappeared using his Movement Skill.

Soon, only Xia Sheng and Yang Kai remained.

Xia Sheng smiled as he looked at Yang Kai and asked, ‘Brother Yang, what direction are you going to choose?”

“That way!” Yang Kai pointed in a different direction from the others.

Xia Sheng narrowed his eyes slightly as he exclaimed, “You’re going deeper into the mountains… Brother Yang, you need to be careful. Elder Gao mentioned that there are many existences that even she doesn’t dare to antagonize in these Heavenly Monster Mountains.”

“I will also judge based on my strength. I won’t get greedy.” Yang Kai smiled.

“That’s for the best,” Xia Sheng nodded. “Then… this Xia shall take his leave. See you again when we leave this world!”

As Xia Sheng said this, he rose into the air and flew in a certain direction. His direction was also deeper into the Heavenly Monster Mountains, but different from where Yang Kai had pointed.

Xia Sheng’s figure soon disappeared.

Only then did Yang Kai slowly stand up, turn to the depths of the Heavenly Monster Mountain, and mutter in a low voice, “It’s time to let myself loose and do something big.”

…

At the same time, at the foot of the Heavenly Monster Mountains, a group of several hundred people arrived in grand fashion and stopped at an empty clearing.

This group was obviously a well trained military squadron, since even with several hundred people together, their formation wasn’t messy at all. They moved in an orderly fashion, and the several hundred people actually stood there without a sound. There was only a chilly aura that encircled them, like that of a hidden dragon that had just come out into the world to sit above the scattered clouds in the sky…

There was a large flag fluttering in the wind at the head of this squadron.

On the back of the flag was a vivid tiger descending the mountain. It showed fangs and a fierce aura that seemed like it was about to pounce out of the flag.

On the front of the flag was a large ‘Zhou’ character. The character was written with great energy that made it seem like a flying dragon.

This was the elite army of the Guardian of Divine Ascension Country, Zhou Dian’s subordinates.

At this moment, Zhou Dian was riding on a snow-white Nine Horned Dragon Beast. He wasn’t wearing any armour as he simply wore his regular clothes, but the murderous aura around him was still quite chilling.

Zhou Dian chuckled coldly as he looked at the nearby Heavenly Monster Mountains, “How nostalgic… the last time I came here was more than two thousand years ago. I never thought that I would return here again in my lifetime!”

As he talked to himself, not a single one of his subordinates dared to utter a sound.

A moment later, Zhou Dian suddenly shouted, “Lian Yan, Ban Qing, Yu Man, Yuan Qing!”

Four people stepped out together and cupped their fists in unison, “Subordinate is present.”

These four all possessed powerful First-Order Emperor Realm cultivations and were the four strongest warriors under Zhou Dian’s command. Zhou Dian had naturally brought them along since he was here on the King’s orders to capture the Star of Calamity in the Heavenly Monster Mountains.

There were three men and one woman.

Lian Yan had red hair that reached his waist. He looked rather ostentatious, and judging from the faint red light glowing on his body, his Spiritual Energy had some special attribute.

Ban Qing was short and had an ordinary appearance; however, he was highly skilled at assassination. Ban Qing was capable of getting close to even someone as strong as Zhou Dian for an attack if the latter wasn’t on guard.

Yu Man appeared to be about thirty years old and had a curvaceous figure. As she moved, a mature atmosphere seemed to waft from her. She had a high nose bridge that accentuated her elegant features and her alluring red lips caused people to have endless fantasies.

The last one, Yuan Qing, had cultivated some unknown Secret Technique or Secret Art that gave him a soft and shadowy feeling, and coupled with his feminine appearance, he was so beautiful that even most women couldn’t compare to him.