The tranquil lake suddenly erupted with the sound of breaking water. A lone figure climbed out from inside the lake.
"That really was dangerous." Su Xing shook his head vigorously, using his Star Energy to evaporate the water clinging to his entire body. He sat upon a rock, panting, while he sized up the surrounding environment. There did not appear to be anyone else, but in an area not too far away, there were several fallen corpses. It seemed that a battle previously took place here.
Su Xing turned his head back to look at the lake. His own thinking was not wrong; the Flower Dragon Cave's lakes were all interconnected with one another. Fortunately, this was what let him break away from Cultivator Wu, otherwise the outcome from facing an entire group of Nebula Stage cultivators encircling him would have been unpleasant.
At the same time, it was not as if he did not gain any rewards this time. Su Xing's lips carried a smile as he brought out a blue Astral Bag. When he charged that blue-clothed youth, he used the sword to stab him to divert his attention, and taking advantage of that, he snatched away this bag more easily than he had imagined it would be.
Su Xing mobilized his Divine Intent, opening the Astral Bag.
Time to see just what kind of toys were inside this Nebula Late Stage Cultivator's bag.
A copy of "Water Droplet True Technique,"1 a Heavenly Water School Flying Sword and a set of what seemed to be Eagle Talon Chains,2 an Intermediate Grade Artifact known as "Shark Claw Hook"3 and a High Grade Artifact "Shark Scale Shield";4 more than three hundred Ice Break Talismans,5 a single Water Escape Divine Talisman,6 more than six thousand liang of gold, two bottles of Return Spirit Liquid7 that could restore a bit of magic energy, some supplementary pills; odd refining utensils used to concoct pills out of materials that were not few in number as well as twelve Thunder Water Flowers. It seemed the Heavenly Water Sword School gave a share of the Thunder Water Flowers they plucked to him for safekeeping, but that let Su Xing take a big score for cheap.
Apart from this, there was still a transparent bottle half-filled with transparent what looked to be water droplets. These droplets were very odd. They were obviously a liquid but they were also single, separate droplets linked together like frog eggs, somewhat disgusting. Sniffing it, it did not seem to be a wonder drug, but rather something like what that blue-clothed youth spat out.
Fighting against the Blooming Water Demonic Python and the Heavenly River Sword School's that one person wasted a large portion of Su Xing's Star Energy, but it was just the right moment to use that bottle of Return Spirit Liquid to replenish his power.
Tidying up a bit, Su Xing soon afterwards set out towards the Flower Dragon Pond in a hurry.
After some period of time and experiencing the twists and turns of a daunting experience without a major mishap, he arrived at Flower Dragon Pond. Su Xing's person was not carrying an additional two Astral Bags and eight more Thunder Water Flowers. These were all "offerings" from a few careless cultivators he encountered along the road. Su Xing did not feel like dealing with nonsense. Regardless of gender or age, those that obviously evilly moved a hand against him were sent back to meet their maker,8 directly and cleanly turned to dust.
More than twenty Thunder Water Flowers in addition to a Thunder Water Flower Flower Snake Crown, the Su Xing who had originally thought he would never seize these things had a harvest that was nevertheless far greater than anyone else's.
Arriving at the the Flower Dragon Pond, Su Xing saw a graceful white figure.
Gong Caiwei sat beside the lake, her outstretched hand playing idly with a small white flower to pass the time. At first glance, she looked like a woman waiting to rendezvous with her sweetheart. Su Xing said to himself that this Immortal Hero Princess could really be sensual, but would it not be her own fault for being treated as a target, standing at the center of the Flower Dragon Pond like that?
Su Xing wrinkled his brow, tempted to see just what sort of skills Gong Caiwei had, disappearing to the side.
Not a moment later, five, six cultivators discovered the eye-catching figure of that beauty.
Not saying much of anything, they went directly to killing.
Flying swords, flying daggers, and any flying artifact that could attack all without exception took flight. The moment the small white flower in Gong Caiwei's hand broke into pieces, that beautiful figure swayed only slightly, dodging the artifacts' attacks. Tracing Snow in hand, it brandished a wide, snowy light.
The attacking artifacts were then all cut down.
"Careful, it's Snow Soul Sword Arts. She's from the Heavenly Ice Sacred Palace, a military cultivator!!"
A cultivator that saw clearly cried out loud.
Cultivators could be split into two types, artifact cultivators and military cultivators, not unlike Maiden Mountain's Star Maidens. The so-called military cultivators could also be called sword cultivators, and they were skilled with cold military weapons.Fighting using close combat arts, these cultivators often chased after the sublime "A sword in hand, at the top of the world"9 sort of spirit. Liangshan Continent had many varieties of sword schools, and the Blooming Water Sword Sect and the Heavenly River Sword School were both part of the same type. Of course, if sword cultivators really wanted to succeed in surmounting their limits, it was necessary for them to use everything they had, so most of the time, sword cultivators were also focused on using artifacts.
The cultivators promptly called their swords, and their flying swords moved violently around Gong Caiwei's whole body.
Tens of talismans were thrown out one by one, every kind of brilliant light swirling about her. Su Xing was considering if he should or should not intervene.
A faint, disdaining snort sounded out.
Gong Caiwei's eyes carried an expression of derision. She approached with light steps, her posture lightly revolving, Tracing Snow issuing a ray of cold light. A cultivator that was not defending was closed in on, and afterwards, by the time he reacted, he was already cut down by a sword.
"Sword Wind Condenses Frost!"10
The Flower Dragon Pond's ambient temperature plummeted, the water's surface froze over, and Tracing Snow fired a powerful intent that shook the attacking artifacts. Right after, the sword tip flew out from within Gong Caiwei's hand, drawing a circle in midair. This was the Immortal Hero Princess' last extraordinary sword power.
The cultivators collapsed, eyes wide open.
For a time, the atmosphere was cold, as if a northerly wind had passed through.
"You've arrived much too late." Gong Caiwei said softly.
Su Xing walked out from the rock face, lightly laughing. As expected, these Nebula Early Stage cultivators could not bring any sort of trouble to Gong Caiwei. This woman was quite troublesome.
"Seeing as how you were thoroughly enjoying yourself, I did not wish to bother you." Su Xing glanced at the corpses beneath him. Their necks had traces of frozen blood; this was a fatal wound.
Gong Caiwei was smiling, yet she was not. "Then can we leave?"
"En, the Flower Dragon Cave is almost about to disappear." Su Xing nodded, asking: "Where is that Heavenly Star Forbiddance?"
Gong Caiwei's expression briefly indicated towards the Flower Dragon Pond.
Gong Caiwei first used her Divine Intent to conduct a sweep on the surrounding hundred meters in order to avoid others disturbing herself. After seeing no one was around, she and Su Xing took their positions. Following her commands Su Xing complied, moving his Divine Intent.
The Astral Crest upon his forehead slowly glowed brighter and brighter.
Gong Caiwei's spotlessly white forehead also showed a gorgeous Astral Crest.
The two each recited "go," and their own Astral Crests and Divine Intents entered the Flower Dragon Lake.
The tranquil lake waters began to ripple and crash violently. The waters turned from a light blue to a dark blue color. Su Xing saw a incorporeal objects seemingly disappear from sight, and asking what they should do next, Gong Caiwei was then like a mermaid, leaping in a beautiful arc into the lake water.
Su Xing jumped down after her without doubt.
Just at the moment he jumped into the lake water, the water immediately disappeared.
Su Xing's legs then stepped onto a stone slab. The surroundings were an immense hall, with its interior brightly lit with fire. It was completely different from the Flower Dragon Cave. Su Xing had no way of believing this for a moment, for this felt like he just time traveled.
Turning his head around, he saw Gong Caiwei. The girl's body was thoroughly drenched, peerlessly beautiful.11 The white cloth soaked by water revealed the skin beneath it, her milky white undergarments also faintly visible.12
With her fine black hair dripping water, her brow wet with dew, she was just beautiful, absolutely too beautiful.
"Look any further, and I'll gouge those puppy eyes." Gong Caiwei said indignantly. It did not occur to her that she would actually touch water when she jumped down. Raising her hand, her body emanated a watery mist, and the water all over her body evaporated away.
Su Xing clicked his tongue, feeling considerable pity about the image of a beauty exiting the bath. A magic energy rolled by, and Su Xing promptly evaded. Seeing Gong Caiwei was somewhat resentful, he changed the subject: "Where is this?"
"Hmph, Flower Dragon Hall!"
Gong Caiwei spat out these words, a strange fervor within her eyes.
