Volume Three: Rising Fame - Chapter Ninety-Five: No Hope Left

Tu Manxiang’s smile froze on her face as she cursed inwardly, "You’re the one who hasn't made any progress, your whole family hasn't made any progress!"

However, as her gaze fell behind the young man, she exclaimed in astonishment, "Isn't this that Mighty-Armed Ox from over there?"

"You know it? I just saw it by the stream and wanted to try how it tastes!" Li Yu patted the lifeless Mighty-Armed Ox with a beaming smile.

"This Mighty-Armed Ox looks a bit different, it's huge!"

"It is slightly larger than usual."

Hearing the low whispers of discussion among the people nearby, Tu Manxiang shook her head in helplessness. This Mighty-Armed Ox was clearly the leader of the herd they had encountered earlier, and if she remembered correctly, this beast was at the same cultivation level as her—the mid-stage of the sixth grade.

At this thought, she finally understood why Li Yu had remarked that her cultivation had made no progress.

"Alright, alright, you can discuss your questions later. Hand over your scores first!"

Li Yu scanned his surroundings, instantly quieting the five people who had been chatting animatedly just moments before. He remained silent, waiting with a faint smile.

"Aren't they friends with Tu Manxiang? Why are they still taking our scores?"

"I thought since they knew each other, he wouldn't target us!"

"Where on earth did Tu Manxiang find such a friend? How could he have the nerve to do this?"

Moments later, the murmur of discussion rose again, with the blame directed squarely at Tu Manxiang.

What was this? Moral blackmailing him?

Li Yu was slightly speechless. Weren't they participating in the mystic realm precisely for scores? Did these people come in here with the sole purpose of making friends?

With this thought, he grew impatient. He figured his roasted fish should be just about ready and needed to hurry back to process the Mighty-Armed Ox to add a dish to his meal.

"Quiet down. Hand over your scores quickly so I can leave. I have things to do!"

Li Yu released his spiritual domain, pressing his majestic aura down upon the group. With a flick of his finger, the person pointed at could only step forward tremblingly and hand over their token.

"Only three points? What kind of operation is this?"

Li Yu glanced at the score with some dissatisfaction, then waved his hand. "Next!"

The last one to step forward was a hesitant Tu Manxiang. Seeing her expression of wanting to speak but holding back, a thought flashed through Li Yu's mind, and he asked bluntly,

"Tu Manxiang, you haven't managed to earn a single score since we last parted, have you?"

"..."

Such words could be rather hurtful, to say the least!

Tu Manxiang's face flushed red as she nodded. "No... But I have a piece of news that you might be interested in!"

Ignoring the token being handed over, Li Yu looked directly at her face. "What news?"

He was indeed rather curious about what kind of news could make her think he would be interested. Could it be news about another treasure?

The probability was quite high. After all, among these six people, they had barely managed to pool together ten points, and three of them had zero points at all. It was clear these people had been having a miserable time, and perhaps none of them dared to make contact with anyone else in the outside world.

"News about Qing Yuan!" Tu Manxiang said.

Qing Yuan?!

At these words, Li Yu blinked a few times and said, "Now this piece of news is somewhat beyond my expectations!"

"It's true. I heard he found a treasure, which has stirred the desires of many people who want to snatch it away. They've already surrounded Qing Yuan's location. If not for the difficult terrain, the outcome would probably have been decided long ago!"

Given how matter-of-factly she said it, Li Yu felt it was likely not a lie.

Even if it were false, he wasn't afraid in the least. As long as he had the strength, there was nowhere he wouldn't dare to go and investigate!

"Is there any more detailed information?" Li Yu asked. Receiving an affirmative reply, he pondered for a moment and said, "Are you going to tell me here, or do you plan to come with me?"

This question wasn't unfounded. The information Tu Manxiang had given him last time had provided him with a clear direction, and he had indeed successfully obtained the Snow Fox Demon Vine he wanted.

Now, she was doing the same again, offering him a piece of news that piqued his interest.

Now that his strength had grown, Li Yu remembered that Tu Manxiang had previously expressed a desire to follow him. Since that was the case, he simply asked this question, which could also be seen as repaying her for the information she provided last time.

"I'll go with you!"

Tu Manxiang replied without the slightest hesitation.

These people lacked strength yet harbored malicious intentions toward her body; she had sensed that long ago. If not for the fact that her mid-stage sixth-grade strength was not weak—putting her above the bottom tier in this group of six—and her proficiency in subterranean tunneling, these people would have made a move long ago.

Besides, she wasn't a fool. While out scouting, she had seen clearly what these people had done to the other female member of their group; she had simply chosen to mind her own business.

Now that an opportunity to leave had presented itself—offered by the very person she had wanted to follow from the start—was this even a choice for her?

"In that case, let's go. My fish should be almost roasted!"

With a thought, Li Yu manipulated the lightning spiritual energy within his domain to condense into a platform beneath Tu Manxiang's feet, and the two of them departed directly through the air.

Neither of them spared a single extra glance at the remaining people.

Once they were far away, the remaining five began to converse. One of them spoke up furiously, "People really do climb to higher places! After spending all these days together, she didn't even mention us!"

"Exactly. Tu Manxiang was under our protection, yet she acts like this, completely disregarding our past ties!" The speaker was the man who had contributed three points to Li Yu, and he was also the leader of this group.

Possessing the peak sixth-grade cultivation base, he said angrily, "I truly never expected her to be such a person. Had I known, I would never have let her join our team in the first place!"

The woman standing to the side flashed a look of utter disdain.

If these people hadn't been coveting Tu Manxiang's tunneling ability, how could they have possibly let her join the team? Furthermore, they had clearly promised that any future scores would be given first to those with zero points.

Yet when they finally managed to obtain two points, these men had taken them under the fine-sounding excuse of "holding them for safekeeping"!

Given the chance to leave, she wouldn't hesitate either!

High in the sky, Li Yu looked at Tu Manxiang and asked, "Have you eaten? Would you like some later?"

"..."

What kind of damned conversation starter was this?

Tu Manxiang nodded. "I'll have some!"

She lowered her head, watching the scenery recede rapidly beneath them. Looking ahead, because they were so high up, she narrowed her eyes, feeling the immense expanse and openness before her with a vastly broadened horizon.

"Such a wonderful view. When will I ever reach your level and be able to roam freely between heaven and earth?" Tu Manxiang asked.

Li Yu thought for a moment. "You probably don't have a chance in this lifetime!"