Chapter 188: Rest and Regroup at the Stronghold (Please Subscribe)

"Uh, this, I cannot completely deny it, because there really are people in the sect who would dare to do such a thing. Of course, the intent of the Solid Spirit Art itself is not like that. Spirit stones are naturally nurtured and carved by heaven and earth; they are round, pure, and naturally contain all sorts of profound principles."

Facing Du En's inquiry, Meng Changqing could only answer this way, trying his best to speak from an optimistic perspective.

"... After this matter is over, can you give me a high-grade cultivation art that can connect to it, but without this kind of possibility?"

"Sure, of course, no problem!"

Meng Changqing appeared very happy, because Du En had finally begun to make a positive gesture.

Establishing mutual trust, recruiting talent.

This initial stage of mutual probing and confirmation seemed to have reached its end.

But that did not mean it was over.

However, the current focus was still on the matter of the ruins.

The two then said nothing more.

Du En followed them and soon arrived at a stronghold.

Once here, due to various prior arrangements, it was possible to temporarily cut off the prying eyes of the resentful evils.

The feeling of horror that had been continuously swelling suddenly plummeted to a freezing point.

"How is it?"

"Although it suddenly dropped to the bottom, it is still slowly increasing, and it is vaguely fluctuating, likely wandering around somewhere."

Du En stated his current feelings, causing Meng Changqing to nod, and then shake his head: "It is a pity that although there are precautions here, it is not specifically specialized in this aspect after all, so it still cannot be completely eliminated. Next, I have to focus on preparations, and... it seems we will have to relocate later."

He was considering the next course of action.

For this, he needed to know more information to make proper arrangements.

Thus, he asked about Du En's specific movements from before.

Conversely, Du En looked at the guards, who were nearly twice as numerous as when he had left the team and were full of unfamiliar faces, and also asked about what had happened here before.

"What are your thoughts now?"

After Meng Changqing finished drafting the basic plan in his mind, he spoke up to ask this.

There could not be another disagreement and split-up like before, so it was better to clarify this matter first.

"No special thoughts, I just want to take advantage of the time you are preparing to break through my cultivation level."

"Fine, whatever resources you need, go directly to Fu Yong to ask for them."

Meng Changqing did not hesitate, appearing very generous.

Du En did not stand on ceremony either, turning around to find Fu Yong, who was setting up sentry posts.

Most of the guards were injured at the moment, either lightly or heavily; the heavily injured had already been arranged to start taking pills to heal their wounds.

Various types of pills were taken out and provided for them to consume. Now, basically everyone was taking them, often several kinds at once, and they were all at least third-grade low-tier, which seemed quite extravagant.

"You're here. Here, your allocated share."

Upon seeing Du En approach, Fu Yong's eyes still held a trace of complexity, but his movements were very brisk. He first handed him a set of third-grade low-tier pills meant for restoring one's state, totaling six bottles of six types, with one hundred pills in each bottle.

These had originally been scheduled to be given to Du En when entering the ruins, but they had scattered upon entering, and he had subsequently chosen to leave the team, so he only received them now.

"Hmph! You were quite self-willed before, but I won't probe into that now. In any case, I need to thank you this time. Although everything was the Duke's plan, you did indeed put in the effort to handle it well; it was handled beautifully, beyond reproach."

Fu Yong said this in a very awkward manner, making the few guards standing guard nearby unable to help but want to laugh.

"It's nothing, no need for that." Du En offered a slight polite remark, then went straight to the point: "By the way, do you have any pills for cultivation here?"

"For cultivation... after all, it was a rushed operation, so we didn't make preparations in that regard. However, I do have a few unopened bottles in my own stock. What about you guys? Any left?"

"I have some."

"We haven't had time to cultivate since arriving here, so we actually have quite a bit left."

"Here."

In an instant, over a dozen bottles of second-grade peak-tier cultivation pills were delivered in front of Du En.

"Thank you."

He was concise and comprehensive; after taking them, he began to shift his gaze, looking for a place to meditate.

Fu Yong and the others only said things like "no need to thank," "what are you thanking for," "we are all fellow practitioners," and "don't be polite."

The overall atmosphere was good, but they didn't say much else, focusing on their own duties.

Du En soon found a suitable spot.

"If you still need more, tell me again, and I will resolve it for you."

After saying this, the guard captain didn't wait for an answer and turned to walk off to attend to his own business.

He had to arrange sentries, check some of the setups, and then see how the other fellow practitioners were healing; if they were unable to heal themselves, he would lend a hand.

He was very busy, and his own aura was unstable, clearly showing signs of being wounded.

Du En watched his movements and state, judged that he did not need his own help, and turned to walk to the chosen spot, sitting cross-legged to enter a state of cultivation.

Time passed quietly, and people walked about in silence.

The Eight Trigrams Pagoda deep in a garden at the northern end of the Nancang Ruins had been dilapidated for ten thousand years and should have collapsed to become one of the many ruins, but because of the arrival of Meng Changqing and his group, it had been repaired and restored to a brand-new appearance.

At this moment, as various arrangements were triggered in an orderly fashion, light membranes, air currents, and spatial barriers appeared and then faded, making it look from the outside exactly like the collapsed and dilapidated state it was before.

Inside the pagoda, many people were sitting cross-legged healing their wounds, while outside the pagoda, on the sixty-four positions of the Eight Trigrams, sentries were keeping watch.

Meng Changqing left all sorts of matters to Fu Yong, while he himself had run off to a spot at the base of the pagoda, focusing on preparing his winning move.

The last person, Du En, was now sitting cross-legged at the side of the pagoda entrance in a spot that looked quite ordinary and would not obstruct others or the arrangements, silently cultivating.

Since the Solid Spirit Art had already been maxed out, then going straight for pills to pile up the accumulation of cultivation was the only choice.

He began to consume and refine the second-grade peak-tier pills.

At first it was just one, then a bottle, and feeling like it wasn't enough, he went straight for three bottles.

The guards who had recovered from their light injuries and had just come out to hand over their shifts so others could go back to heal were left dumbfounded, having never seen such a way of eating.

The second-grade peak-quality medicinal pills they were guarding were the best of the best, with medicinal power far exceeding that of similar pills available for purchase in local cities; generally, they could only be purchased normally at the front lines.

In the past, when cultivating, they would take them one by one, and it would take at least a short half-hour to fully refine one.

But with Du En, they were taken thirty at a time, a full thirty times the amount, and the refining time was even shorter—much shorter!

"It's very normal, no need to be surprised; after all, they are someone who can freely use the Hundred Control Art."

Fu Yong saw them stop and, wondering what was going on, hurried over to take a look.

(End of chapter)