Chapter 126: Turning Left

Dugu Yixiao reverted to his habit of speaking as little as possible, for he knew Lei Xiang must have a meticulous plan in mind, and there was no need for him to worry. "We cannot return to the Phoenix Inn, and this place is no longer secure. You have been hiding here for so long only because the Laughing Tooth organization hadn't sent anyone. Now that Qianqian and the others have arrived, it is only a matter of time before this place is discovered. I think it would be better for us to go somewhere safer to cultivate."

Seeing that Dugu Yixiao still did not speak, Lei Xiang had to ask, "As the saying goes, the greatest recluse hides in the city. I think it would be best to enter one of the local immortal cultivation sects. Firstly, we can cultivate openly; secondly, with so many people in the sect, Qianqian and her group won't find us quickly. Even if they do, the Laughing Tooth organization might not dare to openly antagonize an immortal cultivation sect. You have been here for a long time—recommend a few of the major ones."

Dugu Yixiao lowered his head in thought and slowly replied, "We are currently in the Cangqiong Kingdom, where spiritual energy is abundant and there are many cultivation sects. The most powerful are the Five Sects: the Bo Ruo Sect, the Universe Flow, the Hanging Void Flow, the Moon-Masking Sect, and the Crystal-Void Gate. All these sects recruit disciples from the mortal realm. The Bo Ruo Sect opens its doors in three months, followed by the Hanging Void Flow in six months. However, according to my research over the years, the Hanging Void Flow's location in the Hanging Sky Mountain Range is very likely the headquarters of the Laughing Tooth organization. I believe the Bo Ruo Sect should be our first choice."

"Bo Ruo Sect," Lei Xiang repeated. "Why does that sound like 'Pineapple Sect'? It's making me hungry." Seeing Dugu Yixiao's puzzled look, Lei Xiang pulled his thoughts back from his past life at McDonald's. "Fine, the Bo Ruo Sect it is. Let us begin our cultivation now, and in three months, we shall go to the Bo Ruo Sect to apprentice." With that, he raised his hand to summon the Hundred-Change Fantasy Pupil. A massive eyeball floated in the air, casting a wide beam of pale yellow light that enveloped them both. A flash of shifting radiance followed, and the two vanished into thin air. In reality, they were still sitting there, but to outsiders, the place appeared empty. Such was the illusionary power of the Hundred-Change Fantasy Pupil.

Three months later, in a dense primeval forest, two figures walked side by side: a middle-aged man in his fifties and a young man in his early twenties. Feeling the dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves, the young man flashed a grin, revealing his small canine teeth. "Finally, we can come out for some air. Those three months of cultivation almost suffocated me. Still, I’m quite looking forward to training in a new sect."

The middle-aged man’s granite-like face remained devoid of a smile, with only beads of sweat trickling down. "Lei Xiang, what if the Bo Ruo Sect refuses to take us in?"

Lei Xiang took another deep breath. "With talents like us—gifted and possessing such extraordinary bone structure—how could they not scramble to accept us? Don't worry, I have already increased the firing speed of my Immortal-Shooting Gun. We will hide within the Bo Ruo Sect to cultivate, and once I finish modifying the Heavenly Crystal Bullets, we will settle the score with the Laughing Tooth organization together."

Dugu Yixiao looked at Lei Xiang deeply; he knew his vengeance depended on him. In those three months, Lei Xiang had actually broken through to the second level of the Laughing Pride Covering Heaven Art and improved the firing mechanism of his weapon, while he himself had remained completely stagnant. At this rate, let alone the masters of the Laughing Tooth organization, even that fat woman Qianqian could easily slaughter him.

The journey passed quickly in conversation. They soon exited the dense forest and arrived before a high mountain. From the edge of the primeval woods, they were already on Bo Ruo Sect territory, so they dared not fly on their artifacts for fear of revealing their secrets. For this apprenticeship, Lei Xiang used the Imprisonment Technique to suppress their cultivation to the Qi Refining stage. He was certain that without a late-stage Golden Core cultivation, no one could see their true strength. As a lowly, newly entered disciple, the elder-level masters would hardly look down upon him, let alone pay him any mind. It would be easy to blend in.

Two rows of disciples in grey robes stood outside the forest. Seeing the pair emerge, a fair-skinned young man in the lead stepped forward, scanned them coldly, and said indifferently, "This is the gate of the Bo Ruo Sect. Are you here to seek apprenticeship? If not, please leave."

Seeing the disdain in the man's eyes, Dugu Yixiao’s face turned livid. Lei Xiang’s voice transmission reached his ears: "Although he hasn't reached Foundation Establishment, we are hiding our strength to join. It is natural for him to look down on us. Don't be impulsive, or we will give ourselves away." Before Dugu Yixiao could react, Lei Xiang stepped forward and bowed, "The Immortal Master is absolutely right. We are indeed here to seek apprenticeship."

Flattery never fails. The fair-skinned young man was pleased, feeling a sense of superiority in front of these new juniors, though he maintained a calm expression. "Oh, your aptitude is not bad, and you have reached the ninth level of Qi Refining. As long as you pass the next two trials, you will surely enter our Bo Ruo Sect. Very well, you two go to the left; that path leads to the trials. Good luck!"

Inside the gate, there were three fork paths. Lei Xiang and his companion chose the left without hesitation. It was a gravel-paved path, winding and twisting as if it had no end. After about a quarter of an hour, another junction appeared with two signs reading "Left" and "Right." They stopped. Lei Xiang’s eyes flickered with blue light as he observed for a long time, but he saw nothing; strong restrictions had been placed ahead, making it impossible to peek.

Lei Xiang sighed helplessly and resigned himself to fate, signaling Dugu Yixiao to take the left path. They proceeded with caution, spiritual energy at the ready. Suddenly, a massive black shadow appeared out of thin air. Before they could see what it was, it was already upon them. Lei Xiang, in the lead, reached for the handle of his Nine-Nine Immortal-Shooting Gun, but a thought flashed through his mind, and he lowered his hand. Instead, he pulled out a low-grade flying sword and thrust it fiercely at the shadow.

By then, they saw it was a white tiger with a single horn on its head, over ten meters long and three meters high—an exotic beast of at least the sixth level. It charged at them, carrying a gale of sand and stones. Before Lei Xiang’s sword could strike, it was shattered to pieces by the beast’s wind. Lei Xiang stood stunned, as if he had forgotten to deploy his Blue Lotus Disc or Nine-Treasure Lotus Staff. As Dugu Yixiao cried out in alarm, a streak of crimson-gold light shot out, and the beast, struck with pain, roared and turned to flee back the way it came.

Lei Xiang wiped the cold sweat from his brow and continued forward. In the following two hours, they encountered one fork after another. They chose left every time, meeting various dangers, yet Lei Xiang never used his true treasures. Every time they were in the greatest peril, someone would intervene to save them.

After narrowly escaping a pack of Essence-Night Wolves, Lei Xiang habitually wiped his sweat again, though a cold sneer played on his lips. "This Bo Ruo Sect is too arrogant, using these things to scare me. Ha, they haven't heard that I'm a graduate of the School of Hard Knocks." After nearly a day of trekking, they finally reached the end of the path: a dilapidated wooden shack. On the tattered door, a large character for "Demolish" was painted in a white circle.

Lei Xiang signaled, then stepped forward without hesitation. He began chanting a complex, obscure incantation. Suddenly, he pointed his sword, and a flash of cold light shot out. The rotten door shattered, and the wooden walls collapsed with a crash. A barrage of cold light erupted from within, plunging directly into the bodies of Lei Xiang and Dugu Yixiao.