Observing his rare, fidgety demeanor, a thought struck Feng Zikang: could this involve some entanglement of the heart? If there was genuine feeling involved, perhaps even this late-stage Golden Core master was not entirely invulnerable.
He covertly studied Elder Yun, noting his eyes were clear, harboring only a faint trace of memory and wistfulness, making judgment difficult.
“That, Little Feng Zi…”
Feng Zikang was irked by the address, but this old man clearly used it for everyone at the Dragon-Tiger Mountain military faction; he could only grit his teeth and bear it, leaning in to hear what the elder intended to say.
“Since you took my Heart-Piercing Nails, you’d better work for me diligently…”
“That is only natural!”
“…And you must absolutely not breathe a single word of it to anyone.”
“This disciple swears to the heavens!”
Seeing Elder Yun’s face grow steadily redder, Feng Zikang inwardly rejoiced. It seemed his guess was correct. He hadn’t expected this elder, who had lived six or seven hundred years yet acted like a mischievous child, to harbor such a hidden romantic affair. This was something he could certainly exploit.
Feng Zikang swore his oath sincerely, finally easing Elder Yun’s anxiety.
The elder lowered his voice, speaking conspiratorially, “You must keep this matter absolutely secret, no matter what. If a word gets out, old Yun will lose all face! When that happens, I’ll wring the neck of you, you little bastard!”
“Certainly not, certainly not…”
Elder Yun wasted a lot of breath, circling around to emphasize that Feng Zikang must never reveal the purpose of this trip. Feng Zikang wondered if his old flame was that much of a secret.
After much stalling, Elder Yun finally began to speak.
“For this journey to the Southern Barbarian Lands, among the Thirty-Six Caves, there is one called Frost Mountain Cave, the southernmost point of the entire region… Further south is nothing but endless, barren sand, leading to who knows where. Old Yun once scouted deep into it; I flew for three full months without seeing a single thing, starving and parched, so I had to return. I truly wish I could fly there for another year or so someday…”
Finally reaching the main point, he drifted back into reminiscing about the past. After a long, rambling detour, he returned to the objective.
“It is in that Frost Mountain Cave, on a small peak called Little Frost Mountain, there is a bamboo hut. Once you reach that bamboo hut, you just need to tell the resident…”
Elder Yun’s voice hitched, his face contorting with profound dejection.
“Just say that the bet from three hundred years ago, Old Yun lost!”
Having finally forced the words out, Elder Yun’s face turned bright red, hands covering his face, writhing uncontrollably.
“J-just this?”
Feng Zikang nearly burst out laughing. He had assumed it was some tangled romantic affair causing the elder’s fidgeting, only to find out at the end that he simply couldn’t bring himself to admit defeat. Seeing his behavior, he truly resembled a child returning to his second childhood.
“What do you mean, ‘just this’!”
Elder Yun, mortified, instantly erupted in anger, delivering a sharp rap on Feng Zikang’s head.
“Frost Mountain Cave lies deep within the Southern Barbarian Lands. The paths there are treacherous, fraught not only with all sorts of fiends but also countless demonic beasts and monsters. Even Old Yun has to tread carefully when going there. How dare you, a mere Fourth Layer Qi Condensation disciple, speak with such a lighthearted tone?”
Feng Zikang stiffened. He hadn't expected this task to be simple, but hearing this, entrusting him with a mission to Frost Mountain Cave seemed even more perilous than assassinating Wuduyai. After all, a single Barbarian King could be killed, but fighting a multitude of fiends and beasts would be incredibly difficult; the journey would hardly be peaceful.
“If the path is so arduous and I am unable to complete this entrustment, then I would feel too ashamed to keep the Heart-Piercing Nails. I request Martial Uncle-Ancestor take them back…”
Feng Zikang began his strategic retreat, though his hand made no move toward his storage pouch.
“No, no, no! The journey is hard, but we can find ways around it, hahaha!”
Elder Yun chuckled dryly several times, beginning to rummage inside his sleeve again.
Feng Zikang’s gamble had paid off once more. This trip to the Southern Barbarian Lands seemed exceptionally important to this Martial Uncle-Ancestor. Perhaps for so long, he hadn't found a suitable candidate to carry it out, and by sheer coincidence, Feng Zikang had stumbled right to his door. If he didn't press for a steep price now, how could he stop?
“This bottle of Genesis Elixir contains nine pills in total. Their function is to mend bones and regenerate flesh, to reconnect meridians. As long as the injury isn't fatal, one pill will…”
“Thank you, Martial Uncle-Ancestor, for this generous gift!” Before he could finish, Feng Zikang snatched it away. This was a rare treasure. His own Master had been completely devoted to him, giving him only three pills when he first entered Qi Condensation—which was already extraordinary treatment. Many other disciples hadn't even smelled a Genesis Elixir before.
Elder Yun taking out nine pills at once showed he was truly spending heavily.
Feng Zikang tucked them away, fully satisfied, yet still feigning a troubled expression.
“Martial Uncle-Ancestor, although this medicine can save my life, my cultivation is low, and I am slow in flight. If I am pursued…”
“Here, take this pair of Cloud-Treading Boots. Once you wear them, your speed in manipulating artifacts will greatly increase. Not all those demonic creatures are fast runners, so escaping should not be an issue for you…”
Feng Zikang accepted them without pretense and tucked them away.
“…However…”
“Enough!”
No matter how foolish or childlike Elder Yun was, he was starting to catch on now. Seeing Feng Zikang still pretending to be in peril, his nose wrinkled with anger. He thought this boy looked honest, but he was incredibly cunning—one truly couldn't judge a book by its cover. The saying, 'dragons breed dragons, phoenixes breed phoenixes, and mice breed burrowing children,' sometimes proved wrong. How could his Master, such an honest and benevolent gentleman, have taught such a slippery rogue?
Of course, the fact that Feng Zikang wasn't Ye Tiansheng's offspring didn't even enter the Elder's calculations.
“Don’t even think about tricking another thing out of me!”
Elder Yun clutched his sleeves, looking vigilant, shaking his head repeatedly.
“Hurry and go handle this matter for me! You took so many good things from old Yun. If you don't get this done right, hmph hmph…” Elder Yun tried hard to set his face into a stern mask, attempting to shoot a cold glare from his eyes, but his beard was still wildly disheveled from his earlier temper, leaving him with absolutely no imposing majesty.
“Then we’ll see how I deal with you!”
Feng Zikang quickly widened his eyes, feigning ignorance.
“Why would Martial Uncle-Ancestor say such a thing? How would this disciple dare to disobey your command? Naturally, I will go to Frost Mountain Cave and relay the message of surrender… Anyone who could defeat Martial Uncle Yun must surely be a hero of their generation. Imagining that glorious prestige fills me with longing…”
“Enough! Enough!”
Elder Yun stamped his foot in fury, “You little bastard, get out of here far away, quickly! Old Yun doesn’t want to see you again today!”
“Yes! Martial Uncle-Ancestor, this disciple will take his leave now!”
Feng Zikang bowed respectfully, turned, and departed.
Leaving the Hall of Meritorious Deeds, he used his artifact to fly away from Sunset Peak. The mountain mist hung thick and hazy. Soaring through the air, experiencing the joy of a free-flying bird, he finally let loose a burst of unrestrained laughter!