Chapter 21
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Chapter 21: The Benefits
“Now you see clearly?”
Duan Chenfeng turned to Ye Yun, wearing a gloating expression.
Ye Yun snorted coldly, sensing the overwhelming spiritual power he couldn’t hope to resist.
At that moment, Qu Yiping struggled upright, blood smearing his lips and dust coating his hair, his injuries severe.
“The spiritual power isn’t vastly beyond our cultivation levels—it’s just too swift to evade,” Ye Yun said after glancing at Qu Yiping, his gaze hardening as he faced Duan Chenfeng. “You want us to block it together?”
“Well said! You’re worthy of my interest.” Duan Chenfeng laughed but shook his head. “Yet the Spiritual Spring Wall holds more dangers than this.”
Ye Yun frowned. “What else?”
“See for yourselves. You two—climb up!” Duan Chenfeng murmured to Ye Yun before barking at the two servant disciples near Qu Yiping.
“Why should we?” one retorted angrily.
“Refuse and die.” Duan Chenfeng flicked his folding fan, its light piercing the disciple’s shoulder.
“I’ll go!” The other servant disciple scrambled to obey, terrified of sharing his companion’s fate.
“Defiance means death.” Duan Chenfeng pointed at another disciple, who hastily joined the first. Together they leaped toward the third opening.
Ye Yun’s expression darkened. Duan Chenfeng’s cruelty mirrored Liu Daolie’s. Allying with such a man would bring no future advantage in the sect.
As Ye Yun edged backward, shrieks erupted above. Two beams of spiritual power shot from the opening, striking the falling disciples.
“More climbers mean more attacks?” gasps spread through the crowd.
“Now you understand?” Duan Chenfeng asked carelessly.
Ye Yun narrowed his eyes. “The wall senses our presence?”
“Our cultivation levels can’t hide from an alchemy pill’s detection.” Duan Chenfeng smirked. “But did you miss the pattern?”
“The spiritual power strikes match our numbers… yet there’s a delay between bursts,” Ye Yun reasoned.
“Precisely.” Duan Chenfeng coldly snorted, studying the cliff wall. “The wall releases force equal to each climber’s full strength. Partners of equal cultivation must alternate blocks—unless you’re Jun Ruolan, needing no footholds.”
“One blocks two strikes while the other secures new holds, then switch roles?” Ye Yun’s eyes sharpened. A realization struck—had Duan Chenfeng’s earlier provocations sought a compatible partner?
“Finally you grasp it.” Duan Chenfeng’s piercing look deepened Ye Yun’s unease. Was this arrogance mere disguise for cunning?
“Understanding means nothing unless you can endure two strikes.” Duan Chenfeng sneered. “I’ve a spiritual weapon. You? Untested.”
“We’ll test it now.” Ye Yun shot toward the third opening without expression.
Without any surprise, a surge of overwhelming spiritual power crashed toward his chest.
Ye Yun had prepared himself. The instant the spiritual power rushed in, he threw a fierce punch forward while grabbing the upper edge of the opening.
A thunderous explosion echoed as Ye Yun’s body swayed sharply, yet he didn’t fall.
Seeing this, Duan Chenfeng grinned and instantly dashed to the opening.
Another wave of spiritual power erupted from the cave.
Ye Yun’s blood churned violently within him, his discomfort peaking. Sensing the incoming attack, he gritted his teeth, hunched slightly, and threw another punch.
When his fist met the spiritual power, black and white lights suddenly flickered inside him. A portion of the second wave’s energy was devoured by the lights. With a loud boom, the pressure on him drastically eased—far less taxing than blocking the first strike.
“What…?” Ye Yun stared in shock. The swallowed spiritual power had merged into the black and white lights rather than his body. He anxiously checked if the alchemy pill in the stone tablet reacted, but no changes surrounded him. Even upon closer inspection, his body showed no visible response.
“Good. My judgment was right.” Duan Chenfeng tapped the edge of the opening, then shot upward.
“He blocked two spiritual power strikes in a row? How is Ye Yun this strong?”
The servant disciples below gaped in disbelief.
“Such cultivation level… such a tough physique. Did he refine himself with spirit herbs?” Qu Yiping’s face darkened, eyes flickering.
Another explosion sent stone fragments flying.
Duan Chenfeng had located the fourth foothold above and shattered the opening.
Ye Yun swiftly followed him upward.
“Boom!”
Spiritual power surged out. Duan Chenfeng’s glowing gloves flashed as he steadied himself, blocking the impact.
“Wait. I forgot something.”
Just as Ye Yun prepared to charge upward for the fifth opening, Duan Chenfeng halted him with a shout, deflecting another spiritual blast.
“What?” Ye Yun paused.
“If you keep resisting with pure spiritual power, you’ll drain yourself halfway up this cliff wall.” Gripping the opening’s edge, Duan Chenfeng pulled a handful of middle-grade spirit stones from his storage pouch and passed them to Ye Yun. “Absorb these to replenish your energy. Shout when you’re near your limit—I’ll cover you.”
The dozen middle-grade spirit stones sparkled brilliantly.
“No wonder he scorns other servant disciples. Even Liu Daolie can’t match his casual use of middle-grade stones!”
Ye Yun frowned but pocketed the stones without refusal.
“If we clear the Hall of Refining the Heart together, these stones mean nothing. I’ll add two top-grade spirit stones afterward,” Duan Chenfeng added, as if reading Ye Yun’s mind.
“Just keep your promise.” Ye Yun agreed immediately. Since the black and white lights appeared, he’d desperately needed cultivation resources. He met Duan Chenfeng’s gaze and nodded.
