Chapter 64: Setting Off Again

Hearing this news, there was no surprise on the faces of Song Qingming and the cultivators at the scene.

Lu Yunfei had injured his internal meridians this time. He would not be able to recover as before without three to five years, and the Flying Cloud Guard would certainly send new cultivators to take over his position.

As the direct disciple of Liu Xingfeng, one of the three elders of the Flying Cloud Guard, Xu Cheng Ziyan's cultivation had also reached the ninth layer of Qi Refining. With her strength, taking over Lu Yunfei's position was certainly more than enough.

Next, Xu Cheng Ziyan introduced the several Xiaoyao Sect disciples who had newly joined the eleven guards to everyone. After seeing Xu Cheng Ziyan, the fellow sect sister, they changed the arrogant posture they had just had toward Song Qingming and the others. Their faces not only became much more serious but also added a few smiles.

Although Xu Cheng Ziyan and Song Qingming and the others had already met several times before, at that time everyone was facing the pressure of the demonic cultivator Yang Wuqi, and after returning to the camp, they were busy destroying the seized demonic cultivator supplies, so they had no time to understand each other.

Now that Xu Cheng Ziyan had become the captain of the eleven guards, it was inevitable that she would need to get to know everyone again. Fortunately, although this person was also a Xiaoyao Sect disciple, she was naturally more approachable and unlike those Xiaoyao Sect disciples who thought they were superior, quickly winning the approval of everyone.

Because Song Qingming and these loose cultivators had their lives saved by Xu Cheng Ziyan, they naturally had a few more good feelings toward her, and those Xiaoyao Sect disciples also had lower cultivation than her and respected her very much.

After an introduction, Xu Cheng Ziyan also slowly became familiar with everyone, and then she also found an opportunity to announce the new mission issued by the Flying Cloud Guard.

Their eleven guards would soon set off again. The destination of this mission was another unexplored location in the Fuyun Mountain Range.

A few days later, Qingming followed the new eleven guards of the Flying Cloud Guard and came to the Fuyun Mountain Range again. However, the location of this mission was slightly closer to Guiyunfang. According to everyone's walking speed, it would take at most seven or eight days to reach the new camp.

When each team of Flying Cloud Guards performed a mission, they needed the Flying Cloud Guard elder directly under them to explore the second-grade demonic beasts in the area first, and then allocate the specific area responsible for each team of Flying Cloud Guards below.

Then, they were notified by sound-transmission spirit talismans to go to the divided area to explore the information of other demonic beasts in the area in detail.

After entering the Fuyun Mountain Range for a few days, Song Qingming and the others walked to a small river fifty to sixty feet wide. Seeing that the sun was setting in the west and it was getting late, Xu Ziyan asked everyone to set up camp and rest here tonight, and continue on their way after dawn the next day.

After quickly using spiritual power to rush on the road for a day, everyone was somewhat exhausted. After nightfall, everyone made a fire to cook some spirit rice, replenished their spiritual power, set up a few temporary tents, and began to meditate and rest.

Song Qingming and several other cultivators of the original eleven guards who were relatively familiar with each other shared a tent to rest.

After meditating until the second half of the night, Song Qingming got up and walked out of the tent. To prevent sudden attacks by demonic beasts, Xu Cheng Ziyan arranged for everyone to take turns guarding outside the camp at night these past few days.

This time just happened to be his turn to guard. Song Qingming arrived at the campfire in front of the tent, wanting to replace Wang Shouyun who was guarding.

After arriving, he found that besides Wang Shouyun, there was also a beautiful red figure sitting by the fire. Seeing Xu Cheng Ziyan here, Song Qingming hurriedly cupped his hands and greeted her.

Seeing Song Qingming coming to replace him, Wang Shouyun also smiled at Xu Cheng Ziyan, lowered his head, and cupped his hands.

"Senior Sister Xu, I'll go back first."

Xu Cheng Ziyan got up and nodded. Wang Shouyun turned his head to look at Song Qingming before quickly leaving here.

Wang Shouyun was a Xiaoyao Sect cultivator who had newly joined the eleven guards and had always been indifferent to loose cultivators like Song Qingming. Song Qingming had long been used to this, so he did not speak, just nodded politely.

After Wang Shouyun left, Song Qingming walked to the side of the fire and sat down generously. With an extra beautiful fairy helping to guard, Song Qingming felt much more comfortable in his heart.

"Junior Brother Wang and the others have entered the sect to cultivate since they were young and have rarely come out for training, so their temperaments are a bit arrogant. I hope Fellow Daoist Song will not take offense."

Xu Cheng Ziyan sat cross-legged by the fire, her clear eyes flickering, and said to Song Qingming with some apology.

After hearing Xu Cheng Ziyan's words, Song Qingming smiled and waved his hand, "Captain is too polite. We loose cultivators have a low background and have long been used to this."

"I heard from Junior Sister Gao that Fellow Daoist Song also comes from Qinghe County and has met her in Qinghefang. Fellow Daoist should not be from a loose cultivator background, right?" Xu Cheng Ziyan blinked and said noncommittally.

Seeing that Xu Cheng Ziyan seemed to already know that he knew Gao Yuyao, Song Qingming suddenly revealed a look of surprise and answered somewhat awkwardly, "I am indeed not from a loose cultivator background. I come from the Song family of Mount Funiu in Qinghe County. This time coming to Guiyunfang is also to leave the family and come out for training."

This Gao Yuyao was really strange. When she came to find Song Qingming in the camp a month ago, she specifically instructed Song Qingming not to let outsiders know they knew each other before. How could she tell Xu Cheng Ziyan about this in the blink of an eye? Thinking of this, Song Qingming was also very puzzled.

"That night when Junior Sister Gao went to find you, she happened to meet me on the way back. I curiously asked a few questions, and only then did she tell me about knowing you. However, she didn't say much, and I am still very curious about the specific relationship between the two of you." Seeing that Song Qingming's expression was somewhat wrong, Xu Cheng Ziyan could not help but chuckle and explain.

"Captain, please don't misunderstand. My acquaintance with Fairy Gao before was just exchanging a few spirit items in the marketplace a few years ago. At that time, I didn't know she was a Xiaoyao Sect disciple. When I saw her during the great battle with the demonic cultivators that day, I was also very surprised." Hearing Xu Cheng Ziyan's explanation, Song Qingming finally understood the general cause and effect, so he chose to tell Xu Cheng Ziyan the truth directly.

He did not tell Xu Cheng Ziyan the specific spirit items he exchanged with Gao Yuyao, which could be considered not violating his promise to Gao Yuyao.

"Oh, so that's how it is. I see that Fellow Daoist Song is young, but your cultivation has already reached the sixth layer of Qi Refining, and your spiritual power is much more vigorous than Junior Brother Wang and the others. I don't know which cultivation technique you are practicing."

"Hehe, the cultivation technique I practice is the family-inherited Kunyuan Technique, and there is nothing special about it. On the contrary, Fairy Gao's cultivation has already reached the ninth layer of Qi Refining. I think it won't be long before I have to call you Senior, Captain."

Facing Xu Cheng Ziyan's curious questioning, Song Qingming really did not dare to answer too much and could only cautiously change the subject.

"Although I have already cultivated to the ninth layer of Qi Refining, my spiritual power has not yet been polished to the peak of Qi Refining, and I am still some distance away from Foundation Establishment. Besides, wanting to reach Foundation Establishment is not such a simple matter. There are many Qi Refining disciples in the sect, and every year there is no lack of talented disciples with outstanding spirit roots entering the sect, but not everyone has the opportunity to exchange for Foundation Establishment pills. My spirit root aptitude can only be considered average, even Junior Sister Gao's spirit root is more outstanding than mine." Xu Cheng Ziyan sighed and shook her head.

"As a direct disciple of Elder Liu, Elder Liu will not ignore your Dao path, right? I think when Captain reaches Foundation Establishment, Elder Liu will certainly come forward to speak for you."

"Then I will borrow your auspicious words, Fellow Daoist." Xu Cheng Ziyan suddenly smiled sweetly at him, which made Song Qingming somewhat stunned.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 65 =====