Living as a Mortal: Grinding Experience Starting from the Underworld

Along the way, Zhang Feng encountered no obstacles and did not even see a single Yinming Beast.

Hongtu Village was much larger than Zhang Feng had imagined.

Its area is nearly ten times that of Huangtu Village, its city walls are also taller and stronger, and there are more stone houses inside the city.

The stone city gates were tightly closed, and a group of armed mortals patrolled the city walls.

"This red soil village is heavily guarded!"

Zhang Feng observed the situation in Hongtu Village from a distance.

In comparison, Huangtu Village is much less impressive.

After a moment's consideration, Zhang Feng decided to wait where he was and enter at dawn to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings.

Zhang Feng found a high platform from which he could observe the village, and sat down to carefully examine the layout of the village.

Of course, the main focus is on the layout and arrangement created by the cultivators.

In the center of the village is a huge circular plaza, and in the center of the plaza stands a stone pillar several meters high, with stone patterns of the eyes of an unknown giant beast carved on the pillar.

A Yinming Beast Crystal was embedded at the top of the stone pillar, but it was too far away for Zhang Feng to determine its grade.

However, the beast crystals used to control this formation are probably no less powerful than the second-tier Yin-Yang beast crystals in his possession.

The cultivators in Red Earth Village, capable of hunting second-tier Netherworld Beasts, are not to be underestimated.

Zhang Feng pondered whether to team up with the powerful cultivators in the village to climb Storm Mountain.

After thinking it over carefully, he decided to drop the idea.

The scene of my teammate backstabbing me when I was catching the Spirit Fish is still vivid in my mind.

Although the three siblings of the Li family have all been executed, the whereabouts of their junior sister, Mei Xin, are still unknown.

He still found it hard to believe that his junior sister had betrayed him that day and wanted to get to the bottom of it.

If there were no hidden reasons, he would have gotten revenge even if it meant being scolded by his master.

Boom boom boom!

A series of hurried footsteps.

"Little sister, run! We're almost at Red Soil Village. Once we enter Red Soil Village, these Fire-Scaled Beasts won't dare to chase us anymore!"

The clear, urgent female voice carried far in the quiet night.

"Did anyone else enter Hongtu Village at night?"

Zhang Feng, who was practicing body tempering, had exceptionally sharp senses. He turned his head and looked around, searching for the source of the sound.

"Sister, I can't go on! I'll hold off these fire-scaled beasts for you, you must escape!"

"No, your senior brother hasn't been found yet, how can he collapse here?"

"No, sister..."

The intermittent conversation allowed Zhang Feng to pinpoint the other party's location.

In the distance, Zhang Feng saw two beautiful figures being chased by a group of fire-scaled beasts under the night sky.

Zhang Feng glanced at the other party, confirming that they weren't heading towards him, and sat down on the spot, showing no intention of making a move. They were not related, and his goal of entering Red Soil Village and climbing Storm Mountain was more important.

"The Beast Crystal Compass is reacting, sister, there are cultivators nearby!"

A fiery red figure held a black compass in her left hand, the black pointer shaking violently.

A fire-scaled beast seized the opportunity to pounce, but was repelled by the beast wielding its long whip with its right hand.

"Really? I'll hold them off for a moment. Sister, confirm my location. One more person is enough to deal with these few Fire-Scaled Beasts."

The female cultivator, dressed in plain clothes, swiftly shot out her short blade, repelling the approaching fire-scaled beast.

The pointer on the black compass slowly stopped, and the round surface with the character "贰" (two) engraved on it was raised.

"Carry a second-tier beast crystal, little sister, stay close to me. As long as we reach that senior, we'll be saved."

The red-clad figure ran excitedly toward the stone platform where Zhang Feng was meditating.

"good!"

The woman in plain clothes followed nimbly.

Boom boom boom!

The footsteps grew closer, and Zhang Feng opened his eyes in confusion.

Two figures led a large group of fire-scaled beasts to his location and rushed straight towards him.

trouble!

Zhang Feng frowned. The situation here was still unclear, and he did not want to reveal his body-refining strength for the time being.

Besides, it was for no reason at all...

"Fellow Daoist, the situation is urgent. Please provide a second-tier Yin-Yang Beast Crystal to help us defeat the Fire-Scaled Beast. We will be rewarded afterward!"

While Zhang Feng hesitated, the clear, cold female cultivator's voice came through.

How did she know she had a Tier 2 beast crystal?

Zhang Feng was puzzled.

"Fellow Daoist, please lend a helping hand."

A familiar voice came from behind him, and Zhang Feng suddenly looked up. The junior sister he had just been talking about appeared out of nowhere.

After thinking for a moment, Zhang Feng took out a second-tier Yin-Yang Beast Crystal, and slightly infused it with Yin-Yang power to activate its strength.

bass!

The beast crystal trembled slightly, emitting bursts of energy that vibrated continuously.

Swish swish!

Sensing the presence, the Fire-Scaled Beasts stopped in their tracks, not daring to advance, and gradually retreated after a moment.

"Thank you for your help, fellow Daoist. I am Wan Qing, and I am very grateful."

Wan Qing, holding a black compass, bowed slightly to the stone platform where Zhang Feng was standing.

"This humble woman, Mei Xin, thanks fellow Daoist for her help."

Mei Xin also bowed in greeting.

Zhang Feng remained silent on the stone platform. Suddenly encountering Mei Xin, he seemed somewhat at a loss, unsure whether to be angry, questioning, or…

"Junior Sister Mei, it's been a year! You're still as charming as ever!"

Zhang Feng stood up, his voice emanating softly.

"What?"

Mei Xin was first startled, then overjoyed. But when she thought back to that day, she was overwhelmed with mixed feelings of joy and sorrow and couldn't say a word.

"What? The senior brother that Sister Mei has been searching for?"

Wan Qing was somewhat surprised, but judging from the attitude of the two when they met, she felt uneasy.

"Gentlemen, isn't it a joyous occasion to meet in this underworld? Why...?"

"Junior sister, don't you have anything to explain?"

Zhang Feng sighed softly; betrayal by those closest to you is the hardest thing to let go of.

"Alas~ Senior brother, it's all my fault. I was persuaded by Li Ning and became greedy, which is why I stood by and did nothing when you were in danger."

Mei Xin's lips moved, her voice weak.

"A moment of greed, and you've disregarded our twenty years of sibling bond?"

Zhang Feng suppressed his anger.

"Junior sister didn't want to either, but for us unaffiliated cultivators, the chance of obtaining Foundation Establishment Pills is so slim. Junior sister really can't resist the temptation."

Mei Xin's voice was somber, tinged with sadness.

"Ha! To obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill by disregarding morality and loyalty and breaking an oath, aren't you afraid of being attacked by inner demons and dying on the spot?"

Noticing that the Fire-Scaled Beast had completely dispersed, Zhang Feng put away the second-tier beast crystal and snorted coldly.

"I... Senior Brother is right. Falling into this dark and gloomy place, all our greed and schemes have come to naught. Isn't this a punishment for Junior Sister?"

"Fortunately, I can see that my senior brother is safe and sound."

"Senior brother, I know I was wrong. I'll do anything for you as long as you forgive me."

Mei Xin spoke earnestly, her voice trembling with tears.

Zhang Feng remained unmoved. What was there to admit as wrong? It was merely a matter of chance; his plan failed, he couldn't obtain the Foundation Establishment Pill, and he had no choice but to admit his mistake.

He cherished relationships very much, whether it was the bond between teacher and student or the bond between fellow disciples.

But once betrayed, there is never any possibility of forgiveness.

Wan Qing listened from the side and felt a headache coming on. She had thought that her sister's constant talk about her senior brother meant she had a deep affection for him and missed him very much.

The result was guilt after the betrayal.

The compass showed that Zhang Feng had a second-tier beast crystal, which, combined with Zhang Feng's performance when facing the attack of the Fire Scale Beast horde, indicated that he possessed a second-tier beast crystal.

Although Wan Qing was unsure of this person's true cultivation level, he was at least a powerful cultivator in this Yinming Land.

He needed the help of such a powerful person to climb Storm Mountain and escape the Dark Land.

Wan Qing glanced at Mei Xin, then looked up at Zhang Feng, unable to contain himself any longer.

What kind of friendship do you have? Let it go.

Help me climb Storm Mountain and escape the Dark Lands is the most important thing.