The group rested for a long while. Once the three of them had fully recovered to peak condition, Zhang Deming finally said, "Alright, let’s get going. The road ahead won’t be so easy."
With that said, Zhang Deming pulled out a small, book-like map, glanced at it, and once again took the lead, heading forward. The other four followed close behind.
······
After they set out again, they left the previously cleared area. The number of Demon Beasts began to increase, forcing their pace to slow drastically. The five of them became much more cautious.
After traveling for the better part of the day, Zhang Deming, with his Spiritual Eye active, steered them around a great deal of trouble.
Within the group, everyone clearly sensed Zhang Deming’s mastery of Reconnaissance Techniques.
Because of this, no one had any objections to him leading the team. Just then, Zhang Deming, at the head of the group, came to a sudden stop. The four behind him halted in unison.
Zhang Deming observed for a moment before turning back to say, "I’ve spotted a Two-Star Medicinal Herb, a Red Silk Energy Grass. But it looks like a Demon Beast is guarding it. Should we go for it?"
"Red Silk Energy Grass? Isn’t that one of the main materials for the Business Dao branch? What kind of guardian Demon Beast is it, and how strong is it?" Nangong Cheng asked.
Zhang Deming took a closer look before replying, "It’s at the level of a Duality Third Transition. From the looks of it, it should be a Thunder Spirit Dog. However, its build is a bit strange. Its body is hairless and armored. It’s most likely a hybrid of a Thunder Spirit Dog and a Mountain-Piercing Mastiff."
Upon hearing it was at the Duality Cultivation level, Feng Mingyou immediately chose not to weigh in. Li Shifan looked at Zhang Deming, seemingly leaving the decision to him.
Tong Hou’s gaze shifted between Zhang Deming and Nangong Cheng. "What do Senior Brother Summoning Spirit and Fellow Daoist Speaking Lotus think?" he asked.
Zhang Deming said, "I’m fine either way. It’s up to you all."
Nangong Cheng hesitated for a moment before saying, "Let’s give it a try. A primary material is a decent prize. Even though it’s not a top-tier one, it at least ensures this trip won’t be for nothing."
Zhang Deming glanced at the other three. Seeing no objections, he said, "Alright then. Let’s give it a shot."
With that, Zhang Deming led the other four as they carefully crept forward.
The five of them cautiously made their way in that direction for several hundred yards before finally arriving at their destination.
They had arrived at a cliff in the forest. Amidst the endless jungle stood a rather tall mountain peak. At some unknown point in the distant past, the cliff face looked as if it had been cleaved by a single sword strike.
The towering cliff looked as if, starting from halfway up, a huge section had been sliced vertically from top to bottom with a single sword strike, causing the entire outer portion of the mountain to simply vanish.
All that remained was the bulk of the mountain, leaving one side a sheer cliff face several hundred meters high. After countless years of exposure to the elements, the cliff had developed its own unique ecosystem.
When Zhang Deming’s group arrived, the first thing they saw was this immense, sheer cliff face.
The group scanned the area. Tong Hou frowned and said, "The Demon Beast and the Spiritual Materials... I don’t see a thing."
Zhang Deming smiled and pointed to a corner at the base of the cliff. "Take a closer look over there."
Everyone looked in the direction he pointed, but all they could see was a patch of dense shrubs growing against the mountain at the base of the cliff.
They were momentarily baffled. Then, as Spiritual Light flickered in their eyes, they were just barely able to make out a massive cave concealed behind the shrubs.
Zhang Deming spoke up. "This fellow is pretty clever. And from the looks of it, it might even be a Home Beast. The Red Silk Energy Grass is inside the cave.
However, the Cave Mansion isn’t large, and the Demon Beast is inside right now. Sneaking in to steal it is clearly impossible. Our only options are to force our way in or leave."
The others simultaneously turned to glance at Zhang Deming’s eyes, which were shimmering with Spiritual Light. Over the course of the day, they had all come to know that he was highly proficient with Reconnaissance Techniques.
But to notice a place like this while moving at a rapid pace required not only meticulous attention to detail but also an exceptionally high level of skill in Reconnaissance Techniques.
Even a Cultivator who majored in the Reconnaissance Dao might not have the skill to discover Spiritual Materials under such conditions.
This incident alone gave the four of them a newfound appreciation for Zhang Deming’s reconnaissance abilities. ’No wonder he was able to find the hidden Tong Hou so easily before,’ they thought. ’With this level of Reconnaissance Technique, forget an Array Card—even an Array Master at the Tai Chi Stage proficient in Illusion Skills would struggle to get past his eyes.’
"So, what’s the plan? Are we doing this?" Zhang Deming asked. "That thing seems to have sensed us. If we’re not going to attack, we should turn around and leave right now."
Nangong Cheng said, "Let’s do it!"
With that one phrase setting the tone, Feng Mingyou was the first to act.
He made a grasping motion with his left hand, and a teacup materialized. He raised his right hand, and a nimble stream of water swirled in his palm before flowing into the cup.
"I have a tea, called: Augment!"
"I have a tea, called: Agility!"
"I have a tea, called: Protection!"
As he infused the teacup with three streams of Spirit Water, a dense vapor enveloped the other four and seeped into their bodies.
Having done this, he retreated without another word and vanished into the woods.
Zhang Deming and the other three, enveloped in the vapor, all felt a significant enhancement to their abilities. The feeling was quite substantial.
"Who’s making the first move?" Zhang Deming asked.
Tong Hou held up his hands. "If I go first, you’ll probably want to kill me."
Li Shifan took the sword he had been cradling in his arms and gripped it firmly. "I’ll do it," he said.
"Be careful not to destroy the Spirit Grass," Zhang Deming cautioned.
Li Shifan nodded. "Got it."
With that, he flicked his wrist, and the Long Sword shot from his hand.
Rune Technique: Sword Control Skill!
As he threw the Long Sword, its blade erupted with a powerful aura of energy and shot toward the shrub-covered cave entrance.