Stepping out of Kongfang City, Qian Duoduo immediately spotted two figures standing outside the city amidst the pure white snow.
One wore a blue robe, the other an orange robe, both embroidered with the copper coin symbol of their sect.
As he approached, the blue-robed figure turned out to be an old acquaintance, Yu Yixiang.
Her blue robe was bulky underneath, clearly indicating she was wearing a fur coat.
“Why is she here? Is she using this mission to get revenge on me?” Qian Duoduo couldn't figure it out.
The orange-robed person was a stranger, tall and appearing to be in his twenties, with a prominent nose on his face.
Judging by his aura, he was much stronger than Chu Tianqi, at the Ninth Level of Qi Condensation.
“Senior Brother, Senior Sister!” Qian Duoduo bowed to them.
Yu Yixiang frowned, “Why is it you? Aren’t you supposed to be managing the shop?” Without waiting for Qian Duoduo’s reply, she closed her eyes, indicating she regretted speaking and didn’t want to talk to him anymore.
To her, Qian Duoduo was the most annoying person in the Refining Spirit Sect.
Earlier, when Qian Duoduo left the sect’s shop, he told the shop assistants that he was going out to handle some business and that everything in the shop should continue as usual.
The Magic Treasures he had refined for the shop would last them a while.
The duty of managing the shop was to ensure the shop’s business thrived.
“Junior Brother Jin Buhuan?” The big-nosed man scrutinized Qian Duoduo, and seeing him nod, introduced himself: “Shen Yezhen, Inner Sect Disciple.
I will be leading this mission.”
Qian Duoduo had heard of Shen Yezhen’s name!
When the Gold Vault personnel were evacuated, Huang Guiren was brought to Kongfang City by Shen Yezhen.
After a few days, Huang Guiren’s hundreds of thousands of accumulated wealth were gone, and he owed over a million more.
“It's all up to Senior Brother.” Qian Duoduo replied respectfully.
He didn't know what relationship Yu Yixiang had with Jin Buque, but he knew that Shen Yezhen was absolutely Jin Buque's dog.
A biting dog, a vicious dog that would bite someone to death.
Qian Duoduo instinctively judged: this mission, finding Wang Longyu, was fake; killing him, Jin Buhuan, was the real objective.
He sneered inwardly, looking at Jin Buhuan inside the Golden Toad.
He had made many preparations over the past three days.
During his time in Kongfang City, Qian Duoduo’s cultivation had been on the verge of Breakthrough, but he had suppressed it.
For safety, after accepting the mission, he released the suppression and broke through to Qi Condensation Level Six.
After the Eternal Wealth and Lasting Nobility Technique transformed all the Spiritual Veins into plum green, they began to change into holly green.
Holly green was the sixth level.
Only one Cold Flame Pure Snow Spear was refined, as it consumed too much Spiritual Qi and was beyond Qian Duoduo's current Realm to control.
Three Spring Breeze Yin-Yang Scissors were refined.
These were life-saving items; one more meant one more chance.
Over two hundred Spirit Increasing Pills, Qi Return Pills, and trauma medicines were prepared.
He had wanted to find a better sword and armor, but after several attempts, none were as good as Liu Boli’s Golden Rooster Sword and Golden Claw Armor.
Qian Duoduo’s current cultivation was perfectly suited for this sword and armor.
The improved turtle shell tent was also brought along.
“Hmph, hmph, it’s good that you know the rules.” Shen Yezhen’s mouth turned down in a sneer as he looked down at Qian Duoduo, “When executing missions outside, unity is paramount.
If anyone is disloyal or disobedient, I have the right to execute first and report later.”
“Senior Brother Shen, everyone’s here, let’s depart quickly.
Let’s go and return swiftly.” Yu Yixiang’s tone was not much more polite to Shen Yezhen, despite him being an Inner Sect Disciple.
She was annoyed by Qian Duoduo and wanted to end this awkward trio trip quickly.
Shen Yezhen turned to her with a slight smile, flicked his hand over his Storage Pouch, and a streak of orange light shot out, transforming into a chariot with two wings.
“A Winged Vehicle!” Qian Duoduo couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
Sect chariots, at their core, were Magic Treasures.
However, this was Qian Duoduo’s first time seeing such a winged chariot.
As an Artifact Refiner, he was very curious to understand how the wings were connected to the chariot.
Yu Yixiang turned her back, opened the door, and sat in the very front of the chariot, her face turned away, clearly not wanting to see Qian Duoduo's rustic behavior of touching the Winged Vehicle's wings.
“Get in.” Shen Yezhen sat next to Yu Yixiang, slammed the door shut, and shouted loudly.
The Spirit Birds Scroll still needed more research.
Qian Duoduo got into the Winged Vehicle, sat down in the back, and kept his eyes on the wings.
Would the wings be able to make the chariot fly in a moment?
“Stop looking.” Yu Yixiang spoke.
Although her face wasn't turned, Qian Duoduo knew she was definitely talking to him.
“Why?”
“Even if you look, you won’t be able to refine it.
A Winged Vehicle is a Dan artifact; only a Third-Rank Refiner can refine it.” Yu Yixiang chuckled softly.
In her memory, Qian Duoduo was only a First-Rank Refiner.
“A Dan artifact, that amazing?” Qian Duoduo burst into laughter.
Hearing her say that, he felt relieved.
As long as he got the Magic Treasure and materials, he could build a Winged Vehicle.
Qian Duoduo’s laughter made Shen Yezhen’s eyes narrow, and a wave of Evil Qi, completely undisguised, surged towards him.
“Please be mindful of your status.” The big nose was almost poking Qian Duoduo’s face.
“Did the sect rules say that Junior Brothers are not allowed to laugh in front of Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters?” Qian Duoduo knew that even though he hadn't seen the enemy, the war had already begun.
Shen Yezhen’s large nostrils flared, and after a moment, he turned back to the front.
The Winged Vehicle's wings flapped, and the chariot soared into the air with a whoosh, flying southwest.
Its speed increased rapidly, and the sound of rushing wind filled their ears.
A layer of light shimmered around the chariot, blocking the fierce winds outside.
The feathers on the wings now spread completely.
Beneath the feathers, Spiritual Qi fluctuated, and surges of power propelled the Winged Vehicle upward and forward.
The first Artifact Refiner to create a Winged Vehicle was truly a Genius.
Qian Duoduo secretly admired him.
He couldn't create such a complex Magic Treasure himself right now.
Qian Duoduo looked down from the chariot window; Kongfang City behind them had already become a mere dot.
In the four directions outside the city, there were four golden avenues.
Three of them led to the Refining Spirit Sect, Ba Ling Sect, and Shengling Sect respectively, and one led to Wuzhu City.
In front of the chariot, mountains stretched endlessly, one higher than the other.
This Immortal Cultivation World was truly vast!
In the mountain range, areas not covered by forests and snow revealed red rock.
This was probably the origin of the name Chifeng.
“Junior Sister Yixiang, Junior Brother Bu Huan, the Chifeng Mountain Range is ahead.
Junior Brother Longyu’s last sound transmission was from deep within the mountain range.
Beyond the Chifeng Mountain Range is the territory of the Ba Ling Sect.” Shen Yezhen’s steady voice rang out from the front, “This Winged Vehicle is fast, but it consumes too much Spiritual Qi.
Most of the time, we’ll still have to rely on our legs.”
Inside the chariot, Yu Yixiang sat cross-legged, meditating, lost in thought.
Qian Duoduo circulated the Eternal Wealth and Lasting Nobility Technique, silently compressing his Spiritual Veins to maintain his optimal state.
After three or four hours, as dusk approached, the Winged Vehicle slowly descended, landing on a mountaintop.
The forest below was dense and the grass deep, with snow about a foot thick.
“The Winged Vehicle has run out of Spiritual Qi; we will proceed on foot.” Shen Yezhen put away the Winged Vehicle, gazing at the forest ahead, and said slowly.
“It’s already dark; why don’t we rest first and then continue our journey?” Qian Duoduo suggested.
He had just released his Spiritual Awareness and sensed many powerful auras.
It was winter, and dinner time, so there was no need to rush and serve himself up on a Spirit Beast's plate.
“Ah, I also wish I could take it easy, but when I think of Junior Brother Longyu’s unknown whereabouts, I feel inexplicably anxious.
Every step we take is one more hope of finding Junior Brother Longyu, perhaps bringing us one step closer to him.”
If he hadn't known that Shen Yezhen was Jin Buque’s dog, Qian Duoduo would have almost believed his gleaming words.
Yu Yixiang gave Qian Duoduo a sidelong glance, “Selfish and cowardly.” She pushed off with her legs, leaped off the rock, and began gliding across the snow.
Shen Yezhen snorted, ignoring Qian Duoduo, and followed, leaping down as well.
“Sigh, this pit is bottomless, and I have to jump too!
If I don’t go down, these two could immediately concoct a charge and directly eliminate me.” Qian Duoduo felt utterly helpless.
The cold wind howled in his ears as he closely followed the two, rushing into the forest, his right hand pressed against the Golden Toad, the Golden Rooster Sword ready to be swung at any moment.