Chapter 26: Laying Bare One's Heart

Lu Qingyun still felt a measure of skepticism in his heart, yet he reasoned that with the protection of his enchanted garment, there was no cause for excessive worry.

He held the small box and stepped forward, and sure enough, a miraculous scene unfolded. The poisonous mist, thick as sludge, swirled rapidly into the small container. The chaos ahead began to clear, revealing a path that looked like an ordinary forest. Lu Qingyun glanced at Meng Li beside him, who slowly shook her head.

"I truly cannot fathom how a young man with such talent could be so poorly nurtured by his family; it is astonishing how ignorant you are. You do not even recognize a divine artifact like this? It is merely a low-grade spiritual vessel. Have you really never heard of such things?"

Lu Qingyun had grown accustomed to this woman; her sharp-tongued nature was not something that would change overnight, so he simply chose to accept it. After all, the miraculous nature of this box was something he had neither seen nor heard of before. He curled his lip and replied, "I have indeed never heard of or seen it before. If I am not mistaken, this box has a limited capacity, doesn't it? It cannot sustain us all the way to the depths of the forest, can it?"

"Once it absorbs enough poisonous gas, it converts it into spiritual essence, which we can then use for cultivation, right? Since your father gave this item to me, it originally belonged to your family; I won't shortchange you on the refined essence."

Lu Qingyun had no particular feelings for this woman, nor did he have any interest in her. If the City Lord hadn't insisted that she accompany him, Lu Qingyun would never have agreed to come here with her. Seeing him march ahead, Meng Li had no choice but to follow closely; she was unsure of the consequences if she were to continue her biting remarks.

They moved quickly, Lu Qingyun sticking strictly to the designated route. However, he knew this map could not be current; over the passage of time, the terrain would inevitably have shifted. In a forest as complex as this, a stream could appear where there was none, or a bottomless swamp might suddenly emerge.

After walking for a while, droplets of spiritual liquid, resembling tiny pearls, began to form at the bottom of the box. Although Lu Qingyun did not know the name of the artifact, he knew that whoever could create such a marvel was no ordinary person. The journey had been uneventful and dull, so he asked Meng Li, "Did your father create this box?"

In this world, there were many gifted individuals who, unable to cultivate, chose other paths. For instance, blacksmiths, alchemists, or physicians could all attain high status. The creator of such an artifact might not even be a cultivator—perhaps just an ordinary person without any internal power. Yet, if someone possessed such skill, countless people would surely vie to protect them. A single creation could change a person's destiny or even establish a sect that would dominate the continent. Thus, by mastering a single craft, one could become whoever they wished to be.

Meng Li shook her head slowly, her demeanor softening slightly. "If my father had such talent, the City Lord would never have captured him. Our family did inherit such techniques, but the knowledge was lost by the time it reached my father's generation. The City Lord captured him precisely because of this..."

The City Lord was a man of unfathomable depth; no one could guess his true intentions. Even Lu Qingyun found him impossible to read. It was often said that men of his stature were dim-witted, but that was merely a fantasy held by others. After a moment of contemplation, Lu Qingyun said, "I see. It seems the City Lord has done truly heinous things to your family; otherwise, why would you risk so much to oppose him?"

"But with the strength of the two of us, how could we possibly be his match? Now that it has come to this, will you not tell me the truth? Can you not see that I have no intention of serving the City Lord?"

Lu Qingyun did not necessarily need to reveal his inner thoughts to her, but an extra ally meant an extra glimmer of hope. Since their goal was to oppose the City Lord, perhaps they could achieve it together. He had wanted to ask this on the road but remained silent for fear of being tracked. However, in the toxic depths of the Dark Forest, it was unlikely that anyone else would appear. This place was one of the continent's forbidden zones—not because entry was strictly prohibited, but because those who entered rarely returned alive.

***

Meng Li’s perception of Lu Qingyun seemed to have changed. Seeing the expectancy in his eyes, she pondered for a moment before speaking slowly. "The City Lord is a corrupt and brutal tyrant. He did something unspeakable to our family, which is why our techniques were lost and my father was crippled."

"This time, I brought the last remaining artifact of our family, hoping it would help me increase my strength. I never imagined our tracks would be discovered, forcing us to go into hiding on Lake Heart Island under the guise of playing music. Yet, all of that was part of the City Lord's plan. We were like fools, being toyed with by him..."

The City Lord’s cunning was indeed beyond reach. Lu Qingyun nodded slowly. "I see. That is a truly tragic memory, and it is no wonder it left such a deep mark. The City Lord’s mind is something I cannot fathom."

"For now, we must find a way to survive. As for the rest, we can only consider it later..."

After walking further, a foul, fishy stench wafted toward them. Lu Qingyun shouted, "Watch out! Fall back!"

But it was already too late. A beast resembling a crocodile lunged out from directly ahead. Meng Li gasped, "A Death-Venom Crocodile!"

The name was blunt and terrifying, representing not just death, but lethal poison.

[Ding! Killing the Death-Venom Crocodile may grant a reward.]

*May grant?* Lu Qingyun was baffled. Either there is a reward or there isn't; what does "may" mean? Was the system glitching? But there was no time to ponder; the beast was formidable. Its thick hide and the toxic breath it exhaled meant that even if one weren't bitten to death, the poison would kill them. By rank, this was certainly a mid-tier beast.

Meng Li drew her longsword, channeling her spiritual energy to charge forward. She did not summon her martial soul, suggesting her base strength was not simple. Having traveled far and wide with her father, it was natural that she possessed significant power; otherwise, how could she have survived this long while protecting an artifact?

Lu Qingyun did not stand by. He charged forward, his eyes burning with killing intent. The beast was clearly starving; survival in such a harsh environment was never easy. The crocodile’s tail, lined with razor-sharp barbs, lashed out. A strike from that would mean death or grievous injury.

Meng Li, being closer, swung her sword at the tail, but the beast's power was immense. She was sent flying, and just as she was about to crash into a tree, Lu Qingyun caught her.

"In this situation, you still won't summon your martial soul? Are you still holding back trump cards?" Lu Qingyun asked sternly, before instantly summoning his Azure Dragon martial soul.

"ROAR!"

The moment the Azure Dragon appeared, it was extraordinary. The roar was deafening, enough to make one's very soul tremble. Meng Li felt the terrifying pressure, but the beast seemed unaffected, accelerating its charge toward them. Its four short, muscular legs moved with horrifying speed.

Lu Qingyun’s voice was low, his expression grim. "You damned beast, such audacity! Do you not know that this Azure Dragon is the ancestor of your kind?"

All things in the world trace back to their origins. While these creatures were terrifying, their forms were derived from ancient divine beasts; otherwise, how could they share such similar traits? Lu Qingyun gripped his sword, infusing it with the power of the Azure Dragon. A force like a surging ocean erupted outward.

With another dragon roar, the Death-Venom Crocodile froze in its tracks, confused as to why it had been stopped. This was the effect of bloodline suppression. The Azure Dragon martial soul appeared to manifest, opening its maw as if to swallow the crocodile whole.

"BOOM!"

A massive vibration shook the ground, causing countless strange fish to leap from the nearby swamp. The crocodile writhed in agony, its cries piercing the air. Purple blood, reeking of rot, poured out as its body shriveled rapidly. A pearl glowing with a vibrant purple light lay revealed before them. Just looking at that gaudy color, one could sense the immense toxicity contained within.

Meng Li hurried over. Compared to Lu Qingyun, she was far more knowledgeable. "Quick, put the bead in the box!"

Lu Qingyun realized this was not the beast's inner core, but it contained a terrifying amount of energy. He placed the small wooden box over it and flipped it shut. He could feel the box vibrating violently as it began to refine the toxic bead.

Seeing Lu Qingyun’s astonishment, Meng Li asked, "I truly cannot understand how you possess such a powerful martial soul. How did you obtain it? Did your family really let you come out to train alone? If it were any other family, they would have hidden you away to ensure your safety, waiting for the day you could shock the world and claim a position of high status!"

Meng Li hailed from a grand family; the fact that her ancestors could create divine artifacts proved their prestigious standing. Lu Qingyun smiled faintly. "It is all born of necessity. If my family were harmonious, why would I be out here risking my life? Better to die out here than to die at home."

"I am indeed ignorant, but I hope we can cooperate on this journey. Let us have no more pointless quarrels; even if our goals differ, we need not be enemies!"

Lu Qingyun was a straightforward man who never beat around the bush. To trade sincerity for sincerity would never yield lies. Hearing this, Meng Li’s expression was no longer as severe as before; it had changed significantly. After a moment of hesitation, she said, "Since you are being honest with me, I have no reason to hide the truth. The City Lord took the most important item from our family. With it, the Meng family could return to its peak."

"I do not know your true motives, but since you are not truly serving him, let us cooperate from here on out!"

She realized that if Lu Qingyun had not acted in that critical moment, she would have died. Since he had saved her and spoken with such sincerity, it would have been excessive to maintain her hard-hearted attitude.

Lu Qingyun nodded slowly. He did not state his intentions or reveal his next move, but said earnestly, "We are very close to the first poisonous herb. Should we take a moment to rest? Once the box refines this spiritual liquid, we can continue. If you have any thoughts, feel free to share them."

Meng Li fell into a moment of hesitation, stammering for a long time before finally saying, "Can you do me a favor?"