Dual cultivation makes you stronger, everyone else is a prodigy, and I'm the only one slacking

Yu Luoning reached out to smooth his brows again, but before her fingertips could even touch him, Shi Shangxu's breathing became erratic.

His spiritual energy flickered, and his jawline was taut.

Yu Luoning's gaze remained fixed on his face, a vague unease creeping into her heart.

But then I heard him murmur softly in his dream.

"Senior brother, don't worry about me... Let's go... hurry up and go!"

Yu Luoning was stunned for a moment. It was Senior Brother Lin?

Is there something else behind the decline of forestry?

Yu Luoning dared not touch Shi Shangxu casually; the cultivator's nightmare naturally brought him back to his senses.

She calmed herself down, and as her finger hovered over Shang Xu's brow, she released a wisp of refreshing spiritual energy to help him stabilize his mind.

Meanwhile, Shi Shangxu's dream fell into the blood mist of Xiling on that day.

The veins vibrated, and the monstrous beasts from the earth surged out from the cracks through the fierce winds and dust.

The group was ordered to exterminate the demonic beasts, but Shi Shangxu discovered that the beasts were extremely strange. He had clearly already killed three Foundation Establishment stage underground demonic beasts, but then several more emerged and kept rushing towards him. Shi Shangxu frowned.

Logically, to avoid being slaughtered, the emerging monsters would desperately flee in different directions instead of focusing on one place.

As if something was calling them, he subconsciously glanced at himself.

Could it be that he's really had the worst luck imaginable? Why are all the underground monsters targeting him?

Before Shi Shangxu could think further, another demonic beast pounced. He raised his sword to meet the attack, and just as his spiritual energy was exhausted, Senior Brother Lin arrived.

A flash of light, and the longsword shot out from the sky.

The enormous body of the monster in front of them crashed to the ground.

Shi Shangxu staggered and fell to the ground, his face slightly pale, and his spiritual energy appeared disordered.

Lin Ye strode forward, his voice urgent: "Junior Brother, can you still hold on?"

Shi Shangxu nodded, and the two exchanged glances, instantly understanding that this place was not a good place to stay.

As they retreated, Lin Ye landed on him, his brow furrowed: "Junior Brother, don't you find it strange? All the monsters in this area are heading towards you."

Shi Shangxu's expression was solemn: "I've also discovered this. Not only are there skeletal monsters from underground, but there are also native monsters. Something's not right with these monsters; there are just too many of them."

"Senior brother, you must go find Master immediately. We need more manpower in this area. If these demonic beasts escape, the outer sect members and the people at the foot of the mountain will be in danger..."

Lin Ye's hand holding the sword trembled slightly. Before he could react, another group of monsters pounced on him.

His cultivation level was not low, having reached the Purple Mansion Realm, but the newcomer was actually a giant demon ape in the Golden Core stage from the underground.

The giant ape was extremely strong, its body was pitch black, and it exuded a murderous aura.

The setting sun was like blood, and Shi Shangxu's green robe was now stained with blood.

"Slay the Moon!" After a roar, his natal sword emitted a series of mournful cries.

Unfortunately, the spiritual energy within Shi Shangxu's body had long since dried up.

The sword beam barely managed to condense into a crescent shape.

The giant ape let out a roar.

An overwhelming pressure descended, and Shi Shangxu watched helplessly as the sword light he had painstakingly condensed shattered.

His entire body was flipped over.

Just then, Lin Ye stepped forward and shouted, and a protective golden light enveloped the two of them.

Unfortunately, their cultivation levels were practically suicidal compared to the Golden Core stage giant ape.

Before they could hold out for more than a few breaths, the protective golden light shattered on the spot, and a huge force poured in. The two were caught off guard and were thrown over ten meters away.

Shi Shangxu crashed onto the rock, coughing up a mouthful of blood.

Now that things have come to this, he has no choice but to use the "Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains" map that Luo Ning gave him.

Although the "A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains" painting can temporarily trap people within it, given the strength of the giant ape, it probably won't be able to hold them there for long.

"Senior brother, hurry and go find Master..."

Shi Shangxu forced himself to stand up and called out in the direction of the forestry department.

Immediately afterwards, he formed a hand seal, and the "Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains" painting slowly unfolded.

A gray-white swirling cloud emerges from the painting in the sky.

With lightning speed, the swirling cloud pressed down on the giant ape.

Once the giant ape was absorbed into the painting, the scroll closed up.

A powerful spiritual aura rippled around the painting, as the giant ape struggled frantically to break free from its confines within the artwork.

Shi Shangxu's face was pale.

It won't last long.

Lin Ye could naturally see that, but if he left at this moment, Shi Shangxu would not be able to deal with the giant apes that had broken through the scroll.

Even those who called upon his master only ended up collecting Shi Shangxu's corpse.

He couldn't bear to leave.

With trembling hands, Lin Ye took out a teleportation talisman and forcibly pressed it onto Shi Shangxu's chest.

Shi Shangxu was taken aback. "Senior brother, what are you doing?"

Lin Ye gave him a faint smile, a smile no different from his usual one.

Gentle and composed, like an older brother looking at his younger brother, his eyes filled with tender smiles:

"Junior brother, go find someone. I can hold on a little longer..."

Before Shi Shangxu could react, the teleportation talisman was activated on the spot, and Shi Shangxu's figure was instantly teleported away.

At the same time, the giant ape broke free from the painting, and the scroll of "A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains" scattered on the ground, becoming dull and lifeless.

A pair of angry, red eyes immediately locked onto the forestry worker.

The giant ape let out a deafening roar and pierced Lin Ye's chest with a single claw.

Not only that, it didn't stop. It smashed hard into Lin Ye's dantian, cracking his Purple Mansion Divine Pool inch by inch.

The troll ape was furious.

It punched again and again at the already lifeless man.

By the time the purple lightning burst forth and Elder Lei arrived, it was all too late.

On that dark, deep land, only a mass of bloody, mangled mud remained.

Shi Shangxu stared blankly at the mass of blood and mud, his mind completely blank.

He was overcome with grief, and a howl like that of a wild beast escaped his throat.

The gentle and refined young man has become a complete idiot.

The next moment, he fainted.

Yu Luoning was unaware of all this; all she knew was that Shi Shangxu returned covered in blood.

All she knew was that the moment Shi Shangxu saw her, he hugged her tightly.