[Hmm… how long do you think the Sect will take before announcing you as their new Core Disciple?]
‘Who knows, I’m not in need of the Core Disciple Identity right now anyways, my strength should be in the Upper Middle tier among the Core Disciples if I’m not wrong.’ He replied internally.
[That is true as well, you should increase your cultivation base after returning from the Fire Region. As well as improve your Alchemy and Blacksmithing mastery.]
‘Sigh so much work to do, hmm is there any clone technique in the shop with which I can do all this stuff at once?’ His eyes lit up as he thought of the perfect plan.
[There are many such techniques, but it would be better for you to look at a Physique which can do this, as that will help you in the long run.]
‘I will look into it later then.’ He finished his talk with her as they had reached the main gate.
Shen Yuan turned towards the disciples guarding the gate and began to register his leave for the Volcanic Fire Region.
…
After leaving the sect, they walked on the stone path towards the city. Han Qingyu glanced at Shen Yuan with a curious expression. “Brother Yuan, have you been outside the sect much since joining?”
Shen Yuan shook his head, “I can count on the fingers of my hand the number of times I have exited the sect since joining. One time was for Mystique Realm and another to complete a Sect mission. This will be a good chance to stretch my legs.”
Wan Ling chimed in with a soft voice. “The Volcanic Fire Region is a few days journey from here if we take the Spirit Beast from the city. We can leave them in the city near the Fire Region while we explore that place.”
Han Qingyu nodded, “True, the closer we get to that region the harsher the conditions will become.”
Shen Yuan smirked. “Don’t worry. I’ve come prepared for that.”
[Prepared? By that you mean you bought out nearly the entire Inner Sect Market, right?]
Yue Lan playfully chimed in.
Ignoring her, he looked towards the city on the horizon and said “Well for now, let’s head to the city to get a few mounts for ourselves.”
Han Qingyu and Wan Ling nodded their heads in agreement before they all went to the city.
…
“Wow! These are the Northern Wind Horses! One of the finest mounts available in the market.” Han Qingyu exclaimed while riding the horses.
“Haha, I took these the last time I headed out for the mission.” Shen Yuan laughed and said. Explore stories on empire
[You could have just used your ship to go there you know?]
Yue Lan asked as she thought he would take the ship since it will get them there in at most an hour.
‘What’s the fun in that? We are out for an adventure, not only for training. We can afford to delay our journey by a couple of days.’ He softly smiled and said back.
“So from what route will we go to the region?” Wan Ling asked while galloping on her horse.
Shen Yuan reached into his spatial ring and pulled out a map. He unfolded it and traced their route with his finger.
“We’ll follow this path for the first day. There’s a tavern marked here, near a forest. We can take a break there before continuing.”
Han Qingyu came near to see the map with her horse, “That’s a good plan. But what if we encounter trouble along the way like the last time? The closer we get to the fire region, the more likely we’ll run into rogue cultivators or wild beasts.”
“The same thing will happen to them, as what happened to the last bandits who crossed our path.” He said calmly before addressing the two of them. “And you two can also practice with them.”
…
As the group continued on their way toward the tavern marked on Shen Yuan’s map, the dense greenery around the path became sparse, turning into uneven rocky terrain.
[Hehe, looks like you have some company.]
Yue Lan’s laugh filled his mind.
Shen Yuan’s eyes narrowed slightly. ‘They are trying to mark their presence to encircle us. Looks like they want to cut off our path of escape.’
Han Qingyu and Wan Ling seemed to have sensed it too, as their mounts grew restless. Han Qingyu tightened her grip on the reins, she turned to face Shen Yuan and spoke with a wry smile, “Brother Yuan, seems like what we feared happened.”
Wan Ling glanced nervously toward the trees and bushes on the path, “Bandits?”
Shen Yuan nodded, “Yeah, most likely. They are trying to encircle us. Stay sharp since you will be the ones dealing with them.”
They slowly moved forward as the air grew thicker with tension. Finally, a group of figures emerged from the shadows of the trees, blocking the path ahead.
There were seven of them, all armed with weapons ranging from swords to spears. Their leader, a burly man with a scar running down his face, stepped forward with a smirk on his face.
“Well, what do we have here? A group of younglings out on a nice stroll. Leave your treasures behind, and we might just let you all go unharmed,” his voice rumbled toward the group, his eyes scanning the three of them.
His gaze lingered on Han Qingyu and Wan Ling for a moment longer, and his smirk widened. “Or perhaps you ladies can stay for a… longer chat.”
Wan Ling’s face flushed with anger, and Han Qingyu’s expression darkened.
Before Shen Yuan could respond, Han Qingyu dismounted from her horse, her silver hair shining in the sun like a war goddess, “Brother Yuan, let me handle this one.” she said confidently.
Wan Ling clenched her fist tightly before dismounting as well, her gaze resolute. “I’ll help.”
Shen Yuan proudly looked at the two of them, a faint smile playing on his lips. “Fine. Show me what you’ve learned in the sect. And do not forget that I’m here, go ahead and fight to your heart’s content.”
He reached into his spatial ring and pulled out a sleek black bow, casually notching an arrow. His aura didn’t fluctuate a single bit, but his eyes turned sharp as he observed his surroundings for any possible ambushes.
The bandits burst out laughing, their leader barking, “Oh, this is rich! The little ladies think they can take us on. Boys, let’s—”
Before he could finish, Han Qingyu moved.
Her Azure Phoenix Physique blazed with a faint silver glow as she lunged forward, her spear appearing in her hand with a sharp burst of Spear Qi.
‘Oh? A spear user huh, she didn’t use her Spear arts against me while sparring.’ Shen Yuan’s eyes flashed briefly with surprise before he focused back on the battle.
The bandits were caught off guard by her speed as her spear struck one of them squarely in the chest, sending him flying backward into a tree with a thud.
Wan Ling followed suit after Han Qingyu, her movements without any excess motion. She summoned her radiant sword as she engaged two bandits at once, her strikes completely precise.