Meanwhile, the Ghost King was also secretly plotting against Lu Xuan. After all, this was an invincible being as described by You Ji. It was impossible for him not to be curious.
Unfortunately, although he could clearly see Lu Xuan's face, he couldn't glean any information from it. Only a young, handsome face. Nothing else. His entire being seemed shrouded in some invisible mist. Not a single useful detail could be found.
“If you’ve come for your daughter, then there’s no need for this. I can tell you definitively that she’s alright. Although she’s trapped at the foot of Mount Kongsang, her life is not in danger. My apprentice is with her. They will both suffer a bit, but they will also have a great opportunity.”
Hearing this, the Ghost King felt inexplicably relieved. Although he didn't completely trust Lu Xuan, after hearing You Ji's description, he knew that this mysterious cultivator adored his daughter and had even gifted her a top-tier magical artifact. He figured Lu Xuan wouldn't lie to him about this.
"Thank you for your explanation, senior. However, I still need to go and check it out before I can feel at ease."
"Do as you please. I didn't come to stop you. I just wanted to ask you something. Is there a cultivator named Mr. Ghost in your Ghost King Sect?"
"Mr. Ghost?" The Ghost King's expression changed slightly. Mr. Ghost was a very mysterious person; indeed, there was such a person in his Ghost King Sect. Even the Ghost King did not know this person's true identity. He only knew that Mr. Ghost was a learned man who knew many secrets and had helped him decipher the ancient characters on the Dragon-Subduing Cauldron.
Mr. Ghost uses an extremely ancient and rare supernatural power. He is said to be the sole inheritor of this power.
That was all the Ghost King knew about Mr. Ghost. Mr. Ghost said nothing more, and the Ghost King didn't ask. He knew Mr. Ghost must have his own plans. But to him, as long as someone was useful, the Ghost King didn't care if they had their own agenda.
"Yes, senior, there is indeed a person named Mr. Ghost."
“Great, I’ll go see him when I have time.”
Lu Xuan didn't say anything more, leaving behind a vague and ambiguous statement before disappearing from the Ghost King's sight. The Ghost King couldn't even discern what kind of escape technique Lu Xuan had used.
The Ghost King summoned his men, who then sighed. There was nothing he could do; no matter how cunning and resourceful the Ghost King was, ordinary mortals felt utterly powerless against a cultivator like him, leaving him utterly disheartened.
However, he regained his senses after only a few breaths and led the team to continue their journey.
At this moment, at the foot of Mount Kongsang, Zhang Xiaofan and Biyao were studying the first volume of the Heavenly Book in the Dripping Blood Cave.
Biyao was also causing trouble around him.
"Still looking? This is the supreme secret scripture of our Holy Sect. How could you righteous people possibly understand it? Besides, with your cultivation level so low, what use would it be for you to read it?"
However, Zhang Xiaofan ignored her and stared at the first volume of the Heavenly Book with a puzzled expression.
His cultivation progressed extremely slowly, leading others to believe he lacked talent. Only he himself knew that the Hidden Immortal Sect's cultivation methods were based on Taoist principles, but he also possessed the Buddhist Great Brahma Prajna within him. The two methods conflicted, which was why his progress was so slow.
But now, gazing at the heavenly book before him, Zhang Xiaofan felt a strange, vague sensation.
And the Taoist and Buddhist practices within his body seem to have a subtle tendency to merge.
Zhang Xiaofan's cultivation path in this life is much simpler than in the original story. This is because Lu Xuan not only taught him the techniques but also explained the underlying principles in detail. This makes Zhang Xiaofan's theoretical understanding far more advanced than in the original work.
After reading it several times, he actually sat cross-legged and began to cultivate.
7017k
------------
Chapter 426 Escape
When trapped underground, Zhang Xiaofan wasn't actually that afraid. This was because the Hidden Immortal Sect's Five Elements techniques were extremely comprehensive, and almost everyone knew some of them. He knew the Earth Escape Technique, which allowed him to pass through soil and rocks and return to the surface.
The problem was that he was hit by a boulder when he fell off the cliff. Lacking strength, he couldn't escape to the surface in one breath. Biyao was also seriously injured, and the two temporarily put aside their argument to recuperate in the cave.
Zhang Xiaofan had plenty of dry rations. There was water in the cave, and the two of them nursed their wounds while also discovering the secrets of the Dripping Blood Cave.
The first volume of the Heavenly Book wasn't really a true cultivation secret method. Rather, it was a general outline, more like a general treatise. After several attempts, he couldn't understand it at all, and it was almost impossible to cultivate it. However, Zhang Xiaofan vaguely sensed the terrifying power of this Heavenly Book. After all, someone capable of fusing Taoist and Buddhist techniques was no ordinary person.
He was engrossed in his cultivation in the cave, even losing track of time. Biyao watched the lowly boy's practice with boredom. She was also extremely shocked. After all, she came from the Ghost King Sect and was its little princess. She had free access to all sorts of cultivation manuals and scriptures within the sect. Yet even she couldn't understand this celestial book, and this boy could?
The key point is that this thing is so obscure, yet this kid has already started cultivating it. Isn't he afraid of going into qi deviation?
However, what shocked her even more was yet to come. At first, Zhang Xiaofan seemed to be making no progress. But after three days, it was as if he had suddenly gained enlightenment, and his cultivation level began to increase visibly.
In just over ten days, Biyao sensed that Zhang Xiaofan had broken through his previous realm and entered a higher realm. Although he was still not as good as her, at this rate, he would surpass her in less than a year or two.
The thought that his cultivation surpassed hers, and that she was to marry him, filled Biyao with shyness. At the same time, her gaze towards Zhang Xiaofan became complicated.
Zhang Xiaofan didn't regain consciousness until all the rations were used up. He felt the two cultivation techniques merging within his body. He was both surprised and puzzled.
Biyao said this was a celestial book from the Demonic Sect. However, she couldn't cultivate it, while he could. The information revealed in this made him feel vaguely terrified.
"Hey, don't blame me for reminding you. We're out of rations. If you keep cultivating like this, we'll both starve to death here."
At some point, when Biyao said the word "we," it no longer felt wrong. Zhang Xiaofan also seemed not to notice anything amiss.
"Then let's leave."
"Leaving? Easier said than done. This place is at least a thousand meters underground. How are we supposed to leave? Or do you know there's a secret passage here, but you didn't tell me?"
“No secret passage is needed. I can use Earth Escape Technique to take us away.”
"Earth Escape?" Biyao couldn't help but be surprised. This world didn't have such a Five Elements Escape Technique. In fact, apart from flying on a sword, the development of escape techniques in this world was extremely slow.
Earth Escape is a very common technique among the Five Elements Escape Techniques. However, this technique also has different levels of skill. The most basic Earth Escape Technique is Earth Splitting. Literally, it means using magic to separate earth and rocks, allowing a person to pass through the middle.
This most basic escape technique is simple to use. However, it is slow, even slower than flying. Furthermore, it is easily detected and blocked.
However, if one could master the art of earth-遁 (earth-遁 is a type of escape technique), one could achieve a mysterious and profound escape method, merging the entire person with the earth. In the blink of an eye, one could appear anywhere. However, even Lu Xuan could not achieve this level of earth-遁. He could only escape within a small area.
Zhang Xiaofan had only barely learned the most basic earth-遁 (earth-遁 is a technique in Chinese fantasy novels). Traveling over a thousand meters at a time was already quite difficult for him, let alone carrying another person. Halfway through, he was already completely out of breath. However, his will was strong, and he forced himself to continue, carrying the two of them upwards.
Biyao, nestled in his arms, watched as he, utterly exhausted, still refused to let her go. A slight thought stirred within her; she lifted her sleeve and gently wiped the sweat from his brow. Zhang Xiaofan, completely absorbed in his work, didn't feel this touch. He was solely focused on desperately drawing upon all his spiritual energy to activate his earth-遁 (earth-遁) technique.
When the two reappeared, he didn't utter a single word and collapsed to the ground.
Unable to discern directions underground, they emerged deep within the Kongsang Mountains. Neither the Qingyun Sect members lying in wait nor the Ghost King Sect members searching for them had discovered them.