"The Cloud Pattern Star Spear was just given to us like this? Could it be fake?"
On the road down from Cloud Pattern Mountain.
Liu Su, with an incredulous look, was flipping through "The Cloud Pattern Star Spear".
Qiu Zhihe replied calmly, "Itâs real."
Si Minglan frowned, "Then why would Yun Li, who painstakingly wants to keep you here, hand over the Cloud Pattern Star Spear, his best bargaining chip, so easily?"
Qin Gengyun looked back to the mountaintop, feeling a bit sentimental:
"Actually, both Yun Zhen and the second leader harbor no ill will towards us."
Liu Su smirked, "They definitely have no ill intentions, but who knows if they have other motives. After all, with a handsome guy like the young master, the young girls might not be able to resist your charm, right Miss?"
Qin Gengyun quickly glanced at Qiu Zhihe and glared at Liu Su, "Susu, what nonsense are you talking about! Yun Zhen and I are completely innocent, thereâs absolutely nothing else!"
"Really? She even showed you the Shameful Clothes, completely innocent indeed!"
Liu Su mocked with a sarcastic tone.
"Enough!"
Qiu Zhihe snorted coldly, shoving the "Cloud Pattern Star Spear" into Qin Gengyunâs arms:
"From today on, diligently practice, and before entering the Immortalâs Relic, you must fully master both volumes of the Cloud Pattern Star Technique and exhibit forty percent of the Heaven-Reaching Staffâs power!"
"Moreover, you must reach the Fourth-Layer of Foundation Establishment before entering the Immortalâs Relic!"
Qin Gengyun widened his eyes, "Wife, when are we entering the Immortalâs Relic?"
Qiu Zhihe snorted again; the so-called "Immortalâs Relic" was actually the relic of her Cyan Lotus Sect, located in the deepest part of the Northern Wilderness. If they rushed at full speed, it would only take just over a month.
However, they couldnât proceed so directly; they had to pretend to search around before taking her husband to the actual relic.
By that account, itâd be roughly three months.
"Two months."
Qiu Zhihe initially intended to say three months but changed her mind when she thought about Yun Zhenâs gaze at her husband on their way down the mountain.
"Two months?"
Qin Gengyun was stunned and pleaded:
"Wife, isnât that too tight a schedule?"
Qiu Zhihe paused, gently adjusted his collar, and patted it softly:
"Husband, the fiftieth on the Beauty Ranking fell for you at first sight and even willingly sent you the clanâs supreme treasure. With such charm, whatâs a little cultivation? Itâs no difficulty."
"I have confidence in you. If you canât reach it, then donât come near me again."
Saying this, she turned and walked off.
"Serves you right for being a flirt!"
Liu Su made a face at Qin Gengyun and followed Qiu Zhihe.
Si Minglan covered her mouth and chuckled, "Train well, great master of love."
The Hammer Maiden walked past him, waved her hammer, grinning fiercely, and followed along.
Qin Gengyun hurriedly chased after them, "Wife, can you give me an extra month?"
...
Cloud Pattern Mountain.
The residence of the tribe leader.
Slap! Slap! Slap!
Yun Zhen was kneeling on the ground, a clansman behind her wielding a whip, striking her back again and again.
The well-toned, firm back was marred with alarming streaks of blood.
Yun Zhen bit her lip tightly, her body trembling, yet still kneeling upright.
On the offering platform before her lay a shining spear.
If Qin Gengyun and Qiu Zhihe were here, they would instantly recognize it as the spear given five hundred years ago by Sheng Tanglian to the little girl on Cloud Pattern Mountain.
For five hundred years, the Cloud Pattern Tribe took root on Cloud Pattern Mountain, and the Cloud Pattern Star Technique transformed into the Cloud Pattern Star Spear.
And that spear had been passed down, held only by each generationâs leader.
But now, the spear lay lonely on the altar.
Because its master, the leader of this generation of the Cloud Pattern Tribe, Yun Zhenâs mother, had died valiantly a month ago fending off Spirit Corpse Mountainâs attack.
In that battle, nearly all the able-bodied men from Cloud Pattern Mountain perished.
Their children were left orphans.
Yun Li decided to hide these children in a secret house, hoping they might escape if she and the others perished.
To revive Cloud Pattern Mountain in the future.
Of course, it would be even better if they could completely repel Spirit Corpse Mountain and secure peace for decades.
This is why Yun Li tried everything to keep Qin Gengyun and Qiu Zhihe and the others.
The current Cloud Pattern Mountain was isolated and helpless; the precious lifeline they seized, no matter its effectiveness, couldnât be let go.
Yet, Yun Zhen dared to give away the only bargaining chip, the Cloud Pattern Star Spear Technique, and let them descend the mountain with ease!
"Yun Zhen! Youâre going to cause the downfall of everyone in the Cloud Pattern Tribe! Can you face the people who died protecting our tribe?!"
Yun Li was furious, snatching the whip from the executer and striking Yun Zhen fiercely!
This strike tore a long, deep gash on Yun Zhenâs back, and she coughed up a mouthful of blood but remained upright without falter.
"Yun Zhen, quickly admit your mistake to the second leader!"
"Yes, Yun Zhen, donât be stubborn, just admit your fault!"
The surrounding clansmen couldnât bear it, urging her repeatedly.
"I did nothing wrong."
Yun Zhen spoke, her voice clear.
"You! Do you really think I wouldnât dare to use severe punishment?!"
Yun Li was so livid, her chest heaving, she gestured, and the spear on the altar swiftly flew into her hand.
"Second leader, please no!"
"Second leader, Yun Zhen is still young, please spare her!"
The clansmenâs faces turned pale, all kneeling, pleading.
Yun Zhen turned back, looking at the spear tip pointed at her chest, and smiled sadly:
"Aunt Li, my mother was at the Fourth-Layer of Foundation Establishment and still met such a tragic end. Qin Gengyun and his wife are merely at the First-Layer; staying here would only mean death!"
"Our Cloud Pattern Mountain is one of the hundred mountains of the Northern Wilderness, with a five-hundred-year heritage. Even if the legacy must be severed, we should die a grand and heroic death! Open and aboveboard, with a clear conscience!"
"Dragging innocent people to the grave, howâs that heroic?!"
"Yun Zhen! You..." Yun Li raised the spear, thrusting it down hard!
Amidst cries of alarm, the spear grazed Yun Zhenâs cheek, embedding slantwise in the ground!
Tears streamed from Yun Liâs eyes, "Big sister, itâs my fault, Iâve failed to protect the Cloud Pattern Tribe!"
Yun Zhen shouted loudly, "Aunt Li, why rely on others? I can also protect the tribe, I can also avenge my mother!"
Yun Liâs face turned deathly pale, shaking her head with a bitter smile, "Little Zhen, youâre too young."
At this moment, a Cloud Pattern clansman came running stumblingly, panicked and shouting:
"Second leader, Spirit Corpse Mountain, Spirit Corpse Mountain is coming again!"
Around them, the crowd was filled with dread. Yun Zhen stood up, shouting loudly:
"Good, today I shall avenge my mother! Clansmen, you all have relatives who died at the hands of Spirit Corpse Mountain, donât you wish to avenge them?!"
"Today, even if we all die, we must make Spirit Corpse Mountain pay the price!"
"Even if Cloud Pattern Mountain has just one person left, we must tear a chunk out of Spirit Corpse Mountain!"
At this moment, Yun Zhenâs hair fluttered, her stance tall, her voice extremely compelling, and all the Cloud Pattern clansmen raised their arms and cheered!
However, the next moment, Yun Zhen collapsed softly.
Yun Li retracted her hand, cradling the now unconscious Yun Zhen, instructing the nearby subordinate:
"Take Little Zhen to the house on the mountaintop and set up the Concealment Array."
The subordinate was taken aback, "Second leader?"
Yun Li looked down at Yun Zhenâs heroic yet tender face, fingers gently brushing over it, eyes glistening with tears.
"I must leave some bloodline for Cloud Pattern Mountain."