Chapter 50: Forging the Celestial Court

The Demonic Body Tempering Art, Second Stage!

In the critical moment between life and death, Zhong Shan had broken through. However, having utilized the Demonic Body Tempering Art on top of his initial foundation, his entire body was now wracked with pain. He needed a day or two of rest to recover, but once he did, his strength would undergo a qualitative leap, especially when employing the Demonic Body Tempering Art.

In the distance, Yun Qian was meticulously disassembling the corpse of the giant red serpent, as every part of the serpent's body was valuable.

"Zhong Shan, how are you feeling now?" Tian Ling'er immediately checked Zhong Shan's body, finding no missing limbs but still asked with concern.

"I'm fine. I just need a couple of days to rest," Zhong Shan replied, shaking his head.

Bei Qingsi stood not far away, glancing at Tian Ling'er and then at Zhong Shan. At this moment, Bei Qingsi felt extremely conflicted, unsure how to face Zhong Shan. She awkwardly stood aside, not saying a word, her eyes on Yun Qian but her mind focused on Zhong Shan.

"Where are the others?" Zhong Shan looked around, realizing only his group remained.

"I don't know," Tian Ling'er said, wiping her tears in confusion.

At that time, Tian Ling'er's entire focus had been on Zhong Shan and the giant red serpent, paying no attention to what was happening outside.

Seeing Tian Ling'er crying like a little kitten, Zhong Shan shook his head and smiled. He reached out to wipe her tears, but halfway there, he withdrew his hand, realizing it was covered in blood.

"Third Senior Sister, what happened earlier?" Tian Ling'er quickly turned to ask Bei Qingsi.

Bei Qingsi, forced to turn her head by Tian Ling'er's question, glanced at Zhong Shan. A flash of awkwardness crossed her eyes, but she tried to appear as if she had forgotten the events of that day.

"Hao San left under the protection of the Flood Dragon, the eunuch committed suicide, and everyone else went after Hao San," Bei Qingsi replied truthfully.

Seeing Bei Qingsi feign calmness, Zhong Shan nodded without further questions, sparing her additional embarrassment.

"I'll meditate for a while. Ling'er, can you look around for a pond? I need to wash up later," Zhong Shan said.

Wiping her tears, Tian Ling'er's previous sorrow quickly turned to joy. Naturally, she eagerly nodded at Zhong Shan's request.

"Mm-hmm," Tian Ling'er responded twice, then immediately ran off to search for a pond.

With Yun Qian busy dismembering the giant red serpent in the distance, only Bei Qingsi remained.

"I'll go look as well," Bei Qingsi said, feeling the awkwardness in the air. Without waiting for Zhong Shan to respond, she flew off in the opposite direction of Tian Ling'er.

Watching Bei Qingsi leave, Zhong Shan shook his head with a smile and closed his eyes to meditate.

This time, he was seriously injured.

Zhong Shan meditated for an entire hour. His body felt somewhat better, but his true energy was only about thirty percent of its usual amount.

Opening his eyes, he saw the three return, looking at him.

"Zhong Shan, how are you now?" Tian Ling'er asked, her eyes wide with concern.

"Much better. Did you find a pond?" Zhong Shan nodded.

"It's over there, about five li away. We can get there quickly," Tian Ling'er replied immediately.

"I'll take you there," Yun Qian offered.

"Thank you," Zhong Shan nodded.

Yun Qian turned his hand, and with a flick of his wrist, a flying sword appeared, transforming into a giant sword that floated in mid-air. The sword's back was as wide as a plank and emitted a faint green glow. Zhong Shan stepped onto it, and Yun Qian, controlling the sword, swiftly carried them to a distant valley where a pond lay nestled.

Upon landing, Yun Qian said, "You can wash here."

"Thank you," Zhong Shan nodded.

Regarding the giant red serpent's corpse, Yun Qian didn't mention it at all. Zhong Shan decided not to bring it up either. He removed his clothes and jumped into the pond, washing himself thoroughly.

In his storage bracelet, Zhong Shan had fresh clothes, but they had been corroded by the giant red serpent's stomach acid and were now unwearable. He had to wash his previous clothes and put them back on.

After washing up, Zhong Shan, although still gravely injured, looked much more refreshed.

He reunited with Tian Ling'er and Bei Qingsi.

"Senior Sister, before he left, Senior Brother instructed us to go to Cuiyun Mountain. He will definitely come within five days," Yun Qian said to Bei Qingsi.

"You can go and meet him yourself," Bei Qingsi replied, frowning slightly.

"But I already promised Senior Brother. Senior Sister, please wait. Otherwise, I won't know how to explain it to him. Besides, Senior Brother promised to accompany you to Bamen Mountain. If you leave now, isn't that..." Yun Qian looked troubled.

Frowning, Bei Qingsi pondered for a moment, then nodded, "Alright, we'll wait at Cuiyun Mountain for a few days."

"Cuiyun Mountain?" Zhong Shan frowned.

Within the Daqin Kingdom, there was a Cuiyun Mountain known as the most perilous peak. Ordinary people couldn't climb it because it was surrounded by sheer cliffs on all sides, resembling a tall stone pillar with only the summit covered in greenery like a patch of green clouds in the sky. Could it be that one?

"Eight hundred li to the west. We'll arrive by dusk," Yun Qian said after some thought.

Indeed, it was that Cuiyun Mountain.

Turning to look at Tian Ling'er, Zhong Shan frowned. He had promised to find her Senior Brother, but now that he was gone, they would have to wait at Cuiyun Mountain.

"What about you, Ling'er?" Yun Qian asked.

"We'll go with you and wait together," Zhong Shan replied.

Hearing Zhong Shan's words, Yun Qian frowned. Who asked you to wait for Senior Brother? But with Bei Qingsi and Tian Ling'er both here, Yun Qian couldn't say much.

As for Tian Ling'er, she had no objections. Now that Zhong Shan was fine, waiting for Senior Brother wasn't an issue.

Only Bei Qingsi, glancing at Zhong Shan, felt a bit awkward but ultimately said nothing.

They flew on two swords, Bei Qingsi carrying Tian Ling'er and Yun Qian carrying Zhong Shan. They reached the summit of Cuiyun Mountain before dusk.

At the top of Cuiyun Mountain was a stone table and a few stone stools, looking very simple. The group landed at the summit, and Zhong Shan looked down from the mountaintop.

"Are we going to wait here?" Tian Ling'er asked, frowning.

"Yes, we'll wait here. It's only for a few days," Yun Qian replied naturally.

Zhong Shan sighed lightly. Waiting here foolishly for days? What if it rained or stormed? Wouldn't they be the first ones struck by lightning on this mountaintop?

"There's a manor at the foot of the mountain that I bought before joining the Kaiyang Sect. Why don't we wait there for the next few days?" Zhong Shan suggested.

"No, if Senior Brother arrives and can't find us, what then?" Yun Qian immediately shook his head.

Seeing Yun Qian's stubbornness, Zhong Shan frowned. Yun Qian's tone always carried an air of superiority. Although Zhong Shan's temperament allowed him to remain calm, he didn't want to endure this attitude for a minor figure.

"In that case, we'll trouble you to wait here. We'll go to the manor. When your Senior Brother arrives, notify us," Zhong Shan said.

Yun Qian turned his hand, and with a flick of his wrist, a flying sword appeared, transforming into a giant sword that floated in mid-air. The sword's back was as wide as a plank and emitted a faint green glow. Zhong Shan stepped onto it, and Yun Qian, controlling the sword, swiftly carried them to a distant valley where a pond lay nestled.

Upon landing, Yun Qian said, "You can wash here."

"Thank you," Zhong Shan nodded.

Regarding the giant red serpent's corpse, Yun Qian didn't mention it at all. Zhong Shan decided not to bring it up either. He removed his clothes and jumped into the pond, washing himself thoroughly.

In his storage bracelet, Zhong Shan had fresh clothes, but they had been corroded by the giant red serpent's stomach acid and were now unwearable. He had to wash his previous clothes and put them back on.

After washing up, Zhong Shan, although still gravely injured, looked much more refreshed.

He reunited with Tian Ling'er and Bei Qingsi.

"Senior Sister, before he left, Senior Brother instructed us to go to Cuiyun Mountain. He will definitely come within five days," Yun Qian said to Bei Qingsi.

"You can go and meet him yourself," Bei Qingsi replied, frowning slightly.

"But I already promised Senior Brother. Senior Sister, please wait. Otherwise, I won't know how to explain it to him. Besides, Senior Brother promised to accompany you to Bamen Mountain. If you leave now, isn't that..." Yun Qian looked troubled.

Frowning, Bei Qingsi pondered for a moment, then nodded, "Alright, we'll wait at Cuiyun Mountain for a few days."

"Cuiyun Mountain?" Zhong Shan frowned.

Within the Daqin Kingdom, there was a Cuiyun Mountain known as the most perilous peak. Ordinary people couldn't climb it because it was surrounded by sheer cliffs on all sides, resembling a tall stone pillar with only the summit covered in greenery like a patch of green clouds in the sky. Could it be that one?

"Eight hundred li to the west. We'll arrive by dusk," Yun Qian said after some thought.

Indeed, it was that Cuiyun Mountain.

Turning to look at Tian Ling'er, Zhong Shan frowned. He had promised to find her Senior Brother, but now that he was gone, they would have to wait at Cuiyun Mountain.

"What about you, Ling'er?" Yun Qian asked.

"We'll go with you and wait together," Zhong Shan replied.

Hearing Zhong Shan's words, Yun Qian frowned. Who asked you to wait for Senior Brother? But with Bei Qingsi and Tian Ling'er both here, Yun Qian couldn't say much.

As for Tian Ling'er, she had no objections. Now that Zhong Shan was fine, waiting for Senior Brother wasn't an issue.

Only Bei Qingsi, glancing at Zhong Shan, felt a bit awkward but ultimately said nothing.

They flew on two swords, Bei Qingsi carrying Tian Ling'er and Yun Qian carrying Zhong Shan. They reached the summit of Cuiyun Mountain before dusk.

At the top of Cuiyun Mountain was a stone table and a few stone stools, looking very simple. The group landed at the summit, and Zhong Shan looked down from the mountaintop.

"Are we going to wait here?" Tian Ling'er asked, frowning.

"Yes, we'll wait here. It's only for a few days," Yun Qian replied naturally.

Zhong Shan sighed lightly. Waiting here foolishly for days? What if it rained or stormed? Wouldn't they be the first ones struck by lightning on this mountaintop?

"There's a manor at the foot of the mountain that I bought before joining the Kaiyang Sect. Why don't we wait there for the next few days?" Zhong Shan suggested.

"No, if Senior Brother arrives and can't find us, what then?" Yun Qian immediately shook his head.

Seeing Yun Qian's stubbornness, Zhong Shan frowned. Yun Qian's tone always carried an air of superiority. Although Zhong Shan's temperament allowed him to remain calm, he didn't want to endure this attitude for a minor figure.

"In that case, we'll trouble you to wait here. We'll go to the manor. When your Senior Brother arrives, notify us," Zhong Shan said.