Chapter 13: Unexpected Incident

"Speaking of which, I still don't know your surname, elder brother?" Xiao Yi asked.

"My surname is Zhang, just call me Zhang Wu." It's delightful that the elder brother of Yun Jing finally has a name!

The two shared Yun Jing's precautions along the way, heading deep into the Cloud Mine as if on an outing.

Feng Feng had endured it all along, but he could no longer bear it.

"Hey! You at least need some vigilance!" Feng Feng despised people who acted without regard for occasion, unless that person was himself.

"We're investigating what Yun Jing sensed; what if someone is lying in wait ahead?" Feng Feng perfectly played the reaction a novice should have when just leaving the thatched cottage.

"Ah? Um, I mean, junior brother, you don't need to worry." Xiao Yi felt his acting had fooled him, and for a moment he didn't react—no wonder he's a demon lord!

Zhang Wu also said, "It's fine. The one thing Yun Jing fears is the cloud beast, but when the great formation gathers cloud qi, anything is crushed into the most basic spiritual qi, then transformed into cloud qi that accumulates here. Even a cloud beast that appears later couldn't reach second rank in such a short time, so there's nothing to worry about."

Zhang Wu secretly laughed; obviously this guy only cares about cultivation and doesn't even know this basic fact.

"What about the second kind?" Feng Feng asked.

"The second kind, the second kind is even less something to worry about!" Zhang Wu laughed loudly.

"Besides cloud beasts, Yun Jing also fears slaughter-happy cultivators, or rather things like killing qi, but such things can't exist in the mine cave, as I said before—everything gets broken down into spiritual qi, then transformed into relatively gentle cloud qi, so there naturally won't be any killing qi." Zhang Wu paused after saying that.

"As for those cultivators whose killing qi is shocking, they certainly wouldn't come to the mine cave!" Zhang Wu's voice was full of disappointment.

"This place is too comfortable, no need to fight or scramble—abundant cloud qi is practically free. Cultivators' ambition gradually wears away in such ease, and eventually they end up like me, living out their lives in mediocrity."

Feng Feng and Xiao Yi looked at each other in silence—one risking his life for a grand plan, the other just trying to survive each day like walking on thin ice, unable to truly feel his sorrow.

"But who knows, maybe I'll eventually comprehend the carefree true meaning!" Zhang Wu daydreamed about the day he would prove the Dao and become a true immortal.

"That would definitely be a tragedy." Feng Feng complained.

"Ha, you brat, you don't just go around with a cold face!" Zhang Wu forcefully patted Feng Feng's shoulder.

Feng Feng rubbed his shoulder; this guy must be taking revenge—if his physique weren't decent, he'd surely have been slapped to the ground.

Seeing Feng Feng merely nonchalantly rub his shoulder, Zhang Wu was quite surprised that someone so young could have trained his body to this extent—no wonder he's a disciple of a great sect! He then shoved Feng Feng to the ground with even more force.

All right! Feng Feng realized—he was just taking revenge!

Xiao Yi watched the two horsing around, feeling uneasy— that guy really is a demon lord!

After days of interaction, he actually developed a bit of fondness for that demon lord—a very dangerous sign! He warned himself inwardly, and at the same time marveled, no wonder he's a demon lord—so easily he wins others' affection.

They continued along the mine cave for a while, finally reaching the end, yet still found nothing abnormal.

Zhang Wu took out his Yun Jing and glanced at it: "It's still inside; looks like a cloud beast is about to be born." He judged it to be a newly born cloud beast, after all, there couldn't be anything else in the nearly solid cloud qi.

"Let's dig!" Zhang Wu planted his flag, took out his pickaxe, and prepared to start digging.

Xiao Yi also found a spot to get ready, saying, "Junior brother, you go first—what are you going to do?" When he turned around, he saw Feng Feng roll up his sleeves and charge at the mine cave.

"What else can I do but mine?" Feng Feng had his Gather Cloud Sail on his back, and with a pair of fists he hammered the cave wall—after three or five punches, the cloud qi peeled off.

"Hey, this is actually a good way to train the body." Zhang Wu also admired this kid—tough on himself, strong in action, no wonder he could achieve such bodily refinement at this age.

This wasn't a sudden whim of Feng Feng's; it was an insight he gained while forging Spirit Cloud earlier.

Back then, when he wrapped his divine sense around his fists and struck while circulating his qi, he felt a change in himself.

The hammering not only forged the cloud qi, but the cloud qi also fed back a portion of its power, which simultaneously tempered him from body to divine sense.

Before that, he could only know his power through the attribute panel, like playing a game. But only just now, in that brief moment, did he truly feel his body—the addictive sense of strength.

Soon Feng Feng became addicted to the joy of punching; his Turtle Fist was vigorous and mighty, drawing the gazes of Xiao Yi and Zhang Wu as well.

"Has he had an epiphany?" Zhang Wu widened his eyes.

Xiao Yi on the other side was the same, though his mind was full of doubt—who was he putting on this act for? Could Zhang Wu have a problem? Too bad no one could answer his question.

Feng Feng's punches swung with increasing force; although still without form, no one would underestimate their power.

Especially when he self-taught the combination of divine sense and spiritual power, concentrating them in his fist, a blinding light shot out.

"Fist Blade!"*2

"Holy shit, Qi Gong Wave!"

The latter shout was Feng Feng's; when he came to his senses, he saw a light shoot out and couldn't help himself.

"Little Brother Feng, your future is limitless!" On the solid cave wall, a hole as thick as an arm and a foot long was punched out, yielding a large amount of cloud qi.

"Hmm, not bad— the rest is up to you!" Zhang Wu said. "I feel we're getting close; once you dig it out, I'll take care of it directly."

"Hmph, I doubt you'll need to lift a finger." Feng Feng was full of confidence; although he only controlled one-tenth of his bodily strength, he still couldn't help but swell with pride.

"Watch this!" Feng Feng gathered his energy for a moment, then a series of Fist Blades shot out, quickly carving a narrow passage.

Zhang Wu gave half-hearted praise from the side,

"Good!"

"Another one!"

"So awesome!"

Feng Feng's bragging gave people goosebumps.

Xiao Yi also took it easy, finding a cool spot to watch the show.

Suddenly he felt something was off!

"Who!" Zhang Wu suddenly shot a burst of spiritual qi backward, while his body pressed against the cloud mine wall.

Then two figures appeared, and a burst of killing qi erupted.

"Qi Family Brothers?" Zhang Wu recognized their identities.

Pop! The sound of a bubble breaking rang out, drawing their attention.

Following their gaze, Feng Feng maintained a punching stance, while in front of him a half-formed cloud beast was dissipating.

"We heard fighting noises and came specially to have a look." The older of the Qi Family Brothers answered Zhang Wu's question.

"If there's nothing, then we'll take our leave!" The Qi Family Brothers didn't waste words and immediately turned and left.

Zhang Wu muttered to himself, "Those two weren't supposed to be adventuring in the Cloud Sea? How did they come back?"

Fufeng still kept his punching stance, his attention completely shifted to the system's prompt.

【Demonic qi recovered, points +800】

【Demonic qi cleared, achievement points +2】

【Element 'demonic qi' detected, main quest opened】