Am I the only cultivator in this cultivation group?

Li Hu returned to the ancient temple.

His footing sank, and a flurry of crows fluttered overhead as several took flight from beneath the eaves of the dilapidated Buddhist temple. Their dark shadows swept across the night, their cries sharp and hoarse. The night wind followed, rushing into the courtyard, howling and whistling through the cracks in the broken walls, sending decaying leaves and incense ash swirling and flying. The temple's shadow pressed heavily over the courtyard, like a monster crouching in the darkness, coldly watching him.

It's the same place.

It's still just as eerie.

Unlike the first time, this time, Li Hu felt much more at ease.

Because he has a master now!

The moment this thought crossed his mind, a streak of light shot through the night sky in the distance.

laugh!

First, a sword light tore through the black mist and swept down from above the ancient temple. Bai Xiaoyu, controlling "Jade Cauldron Immortal," landed first, his red outfit fluttering, his long sword gleaming, the cold light at the tip still lingering. He looked spirited, as if he had just entered a dungeon and was ready to fight fiercely.

"My dear disciple, your master has arrived!"

As soon as she landed and saw Li Hu, she smiled.

Immediately afterward, a serene figure gracefully descended, landing almost without a sound—it was none other than "Fairy Yuxia." Upon arriving, Huang Yaoying ignored the others, her gaze quickly sweeping across the surroundings, from the courtyard walls to the Buddhist hall, from the dry well to the eaves, clearly checking for any spawn points or ambushes nearby.

Upon seeing the two, Li Hu's lingering unease vanished instantly, and he even straightened his back unconsciously, quickly stepping forward to pay his respects.

"Disciple greets Master and Senior."

"No need for formalities."

Bai Xiaoyu was amused by his serious expression and nodded repeatedly: "Not bad, not bad, you've already broken through the Transcendental Realm. At this rate, in a few more days, you might really be able to step into the Spirit Origin Realm. You're progressing quite quickly."

"If it weren't for Master's guidance, I'm afraid I might not have been able to break through the barrier of transcending the mortal realm even when my lifespan was exhausted."

Li Hu cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, his tone sincere and utterly genuine.

"I only gave you a pill," Bai Xiaoyu said with a smile. "Whether you can break through the barrier or not ultimately depends on yourself."

In the dormitory, Huang Yaoying glanced at her sideways.

"You're really into the role."

"What do you know? It's all about participation." Bai Xiaoyu replied, but her hands didn't stop. She adjusted the camera angle and the team's position. "I call this: if you're going to be a mentor, you have to act like one."

As they were talking, two more streaks of light lit up the night sky outside the courtyard.

One of them arrived most casually, dressed in a wide robe with flowing sleeves, holding a whisk, with clouds swirling beneath his feet. When he landed, he flicked his robes, exuding an air of otherworldly elegance. This was none other than "Guang Chengzi".

As soon as he landed, he smiled and looked Li Hu up and down, as if he were looking at something new and interesting.

"This is your new apprentice? He's quite interesting."

"Disciple, this is Guang Chengzi, a fellow Daoist of your master."

Bai Xiaoyu introduced him first, and then looked at another person.

When the person landed, the already dim light in the courtyard seemed to dim even further.

The newcomer was dressed in a gray-black Taoist robe, thin and slender, with a cold and hard expression. He carried an ancient lamp in his hand. The lamp was not large, and the flame was not bright, with only a dim yellow flame flickering inside. But for some reason, it was something that made people afraid to look at it for long, as if what was burning in the wick was not some kind of oil fire, but a wisp of dead soul.

"This is Daoist Ran Deng."

"My name is Li Hu. I greet you two seniors."

Li Hu quickly cupped his hands in greeting.

But upon seeing that, his heart skipped a beat.

These two are actually experts at the Innate Realm!

Compared to his master, he was in no way inferior.

Especially the Taoist Ran Deng, who stood like a nail driven into the night, exuding an incredibly cold and hard aura. Even the lamp in his hand emanated a chilling sense of oppression. The nearby cold wind seemed to weaken slightly when it blew towards him.

The Taoist Ran Deng glanced at Li Hu indifferently, his voice as cold as ice water hitting the ground.

"You can take him with you, but don't let him run around."

Just one sentence sent a chill down Li Hu's spine.

"Randeng Daoren, what kind of attitude is this?" Guang Chengzi stepped forward with a smile, speaking up for Li Hu, "He's a newbie player, we should show him some compassion."

As he spoke, he casually put his arm around Li Hu's shoulder and pulled him into his arms.

Li Hu instinctively tried to struggle, but found that he couldn't move at all. It was as if his whole body was being pressed down by an invisible force, and he could only be pulled closer by him.

hiss!

Is this the method of a master at the Innate Realm?

He immediately dared not move and could only force a dry smile: "Thank you for your kindness, senior."

"Interesting, very interesting." Guang Chengzi laughed heartily. "It's been a long time since I've encountered a demon as interesting as you."

"Alright, stop wasting time," Huang Yaoying interrupted them. "This ancient temple instance is quite difficult, so stay close."

As soon as she finished speaking, she leaped into the air and flew towards the depths of the ancient temple.

Without uttering a single unnecessary word, the Taoist Ran Deng picked up his lantern and followed.

"Wait for me."

With a flick of his whisk, Guang Chengzi's figure was lifted up by the white mist beneath his feet, and he leisurely caught up.

"Come on, my good disciple, we can't fall behind."

As Bai Xiaoyu spoke, she reached out and picked up Li Hu, then lifted him into the air with her feet.

Li Hu froze instantly.

The night breeze whistled past him, yet there was a solid warmth in front of him, and he could smell a very faint fragrance. His mind went blank for a moment, then his heart began to pound uncontrollably, and even the tips of his ears felt hot.

For so many years, he has been enduring and hiding all by himself. When has he ever had such close contact with anyone?

So this is what it feels like to have someone to rely on.

He barely regained his senses after landing.

"There's a barrier ahead; we can't fly." Huang Yaoying stared ahead, her tone still steady. "From here on, we can only fight our way in."

The group landed one after another.

Only then did Li Hu have a chance to look around.

They were now standing at the very foot of the mountain, outside the ancient temple. Rocks littered the ground, and ahead lay the temple's main gate. The stone pillars were weathered, the plaque crooked, half the lintel collapsed, and behind them stretched a dense, dark forest. The shadows of the trees overlapped, their branches intertwining like the hands of ghosts. The night overhead was as dark as inky black, not even a glimmer of starlight or moonlight could penetrate.

It turns out that the courtyard where Li Hu had been staying earlier was not actually within the true boundaries of the ancient Buddhist temple.

"Who dares to make such a fuss here!"

Suddenly, a loud shout exploded from behind the shadows of the mountain gate.

A menacing monk from the ghost temple swayed his enormous body and strode toward them.

[Spiritual Origin Realm - Initial Stage]

"It's that again?"

Li Hu was startled.

Didn't this wicked monk already die once before?

Before he could figure it out, flames suddenly erupted ahead.

boom!

The Taoist Ran Deng merely raised his hand, and the dim yellow flame in the ancient lamp suddenly leaped, a blazing fire engulfing the fierce monk out of thin air. The flames raced wildly along the monk's robes and flesh, instantly turning him into a ball of fire.

The ferocious monk was not quite dead yet; his eyes were bloodshot, and he roared as he continued to charge forward, his body engulfed in flames.

"How dare you trespass into this ancient temple! Die!"

It charged forward with great strides, shaking the ground slightly. But after only a few steps, the fire had already burned through its flesh. Its shoulders collapsed first, followed by its chest exploding, and its entire tall body crumbled rapidly in the flames like a paper doll.

In just a few breaths, the vicious monk, along with his bones, crumbled into ashes.