Chapter 102: Ready

Senior Sister Tao Yu chuckled softly. "Why do you say that, Senior Brother?"

With his hands tucked in his sleeves behind his back, Senior Brother Wei Yu slowly flew over to Senior Sister Tao Yu. He frowned slightly and let out a soft sigh.

His eyes were sincere, and his tone carried a hint of pleading. "Junior Sister, please stop teasing me. This is very important to me."

Senior Sister Tao Yu's eyes flickered with an unreadable emotion as she turned her head aside. "Yes, he asked me for a map. He wants to leave."

Senior Brother Wei Yu lightly lifted his sleeve and rubbed his fingers together. "Did you give it to him?"

"Of course. Why would I stop him?" Senior Sister Tao Yu smiled mysteriously.

"He never liked this place anyway. Leaving is only a matter of time for him."

"Besides, it just happened moments ago. He already completed my request and obtained the map." Senior Sister Tao Yu rested her arm on her leg, lightly propping up her head.

"Just moments ago?" Senior Brother Wei Yu pursed his lips, a hesitant look on his face. "To think he actually got it so quickly…"

"What's wrong, Senior Brother? Can't bear to see Junior Brother leave?" Senior Sister Tao Yu's eyes narrowed slightly.

"No… I just haven't figured out how to send him off yet," Senior Brother Wei Yu softly denied.

"Moreover, with him being only in the early Foundation Establishment stage, how can he possibly make it through all the dangers along the way?"

"Junior Sister, you know as well as I do that Golden Core spirit beasts have unpredictable temperaments and elusive movements. With even the slightest carelessness, encountering one could mean being killed on the spot."

"Why didn't you explain the dangers to Junior Brother and try to stop him?"

Senior Sister Tao Yu shrugged. "Don't blame me, Senior Brother. I made everything perfectly clear to him."

"But he insisted on leaving. What else could I do?"

"I couldn't very well break his legs again to keep him from leaving, could I?" Senior Sister Tao Yu said playfully.

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Since you're so worried, Senior Brother, why don't you go and persuade him yourself?"

After a long silence, Senior Brother Wei Yu flicked his sleeve and left. He could sense the abnormality in Senior Sister Tao Yu's attitude and the underlying meaning in her words.

But he didn't understand how things had suddenly turned out this way.

He had thought he still had a few days to consider his options, but now it seemed he had to make a decision as soon as possible.

…

The bright moon hung high in the sky, casting its pristine light over the eaves of the wooden cabin like a thin, white veil.

Knock, knock.

After dealing with the Giant Lizard, Junior Brother Bai Ming didn't waste a single moment and rushed straight to Senior Brother Wei Yu's residence.

Now, possessing a Golden Core scale and the map to the exit, he had everything he needed to make his escape.

"Senior Brother, open up quickly! I have an important matter to discuss," Junior Brother Bai Ming said, his face filled with joy.

The wooden door creaked slightly as it was pulled open from the inside.

Senior Brother Wei Yu's eyes flickered slightly, and a smile appeared on his face. "What has made you so happy? Please, come in and let's talk."

The two entered the small wooden cabin and closed the door.

The moment he stepped inside, Junior Brother Bai Ming said impatiently, "Senior Brother, I got the map!"

He took out his Storage Bag, holding a jade slip that gleamed brightly in his palm.

Senior Brother Wei Yu lowered his gaze and glanced at it. "Oh… Junior Brother, you are incredibly fast. Didn't you say it would take a few more days before you could get it?"

"It should have been, but everything went so smoothly that I got it today," Junior Brother Bai Ming shared.

He handed over the jade slip. "Senior Brother, take a quick look and see if you can memorize it."

Senior Brother Wei Yu's eyes flickered with a strange light. "Alright, I'll try and see if I can memorize it."

He pinched the pristine jade slip, closed his eyes to focus his mind, and sent his consciousness into it.

The surface of the jade slip changed, emitting a faint white light.

Junior Brother Bai Ming asked eagerly, "How is it?"

"It's not working," Senior Brother Wei Yu shook his head slightly and returned the jade slip.

"That makes sense. I heard that due to the strange terrain of this place, it's impossible to memorize the route in one's mind out of thin air," Junior Brother Bai Ming sighed.

He turned and looked at Senior Brother Wei Yu. "Senior Brother, I'm ready. We can leave tonight."

Senior Brother Wei Yu stared at the comb on the wooden table, avoiding eye contact with Junior Brother Bai Ming. "Junior Brother, are you really ready?"

Junior Brother Bai Ming was puzzled. "What do you mean by that, Senior Brother?"

"There are three or four Golden Core habitats marked on the map alone, and that's not even considering the fights and predation among Golden Core beasts." Senior Brother Wei Yu walked to the window and looked up at the moon.

"Do you understand? This means that as long as we encounter a single Golden Core spirit beast, we will highly likely end up dead in its jaws," Senior Brother Wei Yu said earnestly.

"I understand, Senior Brother. But if I have to stop in my tracks and live here for the rest of my life because of these dangers…" Junior Brother Bai Ming's eyes showed his reluctance.

"I would rather take a gamble." He continued, "Senior Brother, don't you think this place is like a cage? We have to live at the mercy of Elder Xuancao's whims."

Senior Brother Wei Yu fell silent for a long time. "Junior Brother, have you ever thought about cultivating to the Golden Core stage here before leaving?"

Seeing Junior Brother Bai Ming freeze, he pressed on. "The spiritual energy here is dense, spiritual herbs are inexhaustible, and there are no external threats."

"There is no need to fight and snatch like the rogue cultivators outside."

"Besides, once we reach the Golden Core stage, we won't have to fear Golden Core spirit beasts anymore."

Junior Brother Bai Ming lowered his gaze. "Senior Brother, you don't understand. I cannot stay here for even a single moment longer, and I certainly cannot endure those Poison Pills day after day."

"If we cultivate to the Golden Core stage, would Elder Xuancao really just let us break through?" Junior Brother Bai Ming shook his head. "No, he won't. At least, not for me."

"The day I break through to the Golden Core stage, my cultivation will be completely sealed off, locked forever at the early Golden Core stage."

He smiled bitterly. "And I will become his ultimate test subject for pills."

Junior Brother Bai Ming knew very well in his heart that Elder Xuancao only valued his special constitution—he was just an excellent guinea pig.

And how would Elder Xuancao deal with a tool that had the potential to escape his control?

Let him go? No, he would only add another layer of shackles.

He had no desire to test out Golden Core-grade Poison Pills.

Of course, there might be a chance for his cultivation to progress further, but that would definitely have to wait until Elder Xuancao broke through to the Nascent Soul stage.

By then, what difference would there be between Golden Core and Foundation Establishment?

Junior Brother Bai Ming's attitude was resolute. "Senior Brother, don't you understand? This is our best way out right now."

"We must leave while he still doesn't take us few Foundation Establishment cultivators seriously, and while he is careless and disdains to restrict us."

"This is truly the best time. While we are still far from forming our cores and haven't drawn his attention, let's escape together." Junior Brother Bai Ming tugged at Senior Brother Wei Yu's sleeve.

Looking at Junior Brother Bai Ming's anxious gaze, Senior Brother Wei Yu's eyes grew complex. He remained silent for a long time, thinking, weighing the pros and cons, and considering future arrangements.

Junior Brother Bai Ming grew anxious, his eyes carrying an unreadable emotion. "Senior Brother, are you not ready yet?"

Senior Brother Wei Yu hesitated for a moment, then gave a soft grunt of assent.

Junior Brother Bai Ming's mind worked quickly. "Are you waiting for that Grand Pill? Waiting for Senior Sister to finish refining it for you?"

Senior Brother Wei Yu was slightly taken aback. "Indeed. Pills that can assist in forming a core are rare to come by."

Junior Brother Bai Ming let out a long sigh of relief, thinking of the preciousness of the medicinal ingredients used for that pill. "Alright, for your sake, Senior Brother, I won't rush this either."

He grabbed Senior Brother Wei Yu's shoulders with both hands. "Once Senior Sister finishes refining the pill, we'll make our move."

Senior Brother Wei Yu nodded. "Alright."

Junior Brother Bai Ming's body relaxed, the anxiety on his face replaced by joy.

The two then had an in-depth discussion about the matters after their escape, planning their route and how to avoid detection.

Most of the time, it was Junior Brother Bai Ming speaking while Senior Brother Wei Yu listened. Only on rare occasions did Senior Brother Wei Yu offer a few suggestions.

The moonlight dimmed as the crescent moon retreated behind the scenes, leaving the entire sky as nothing but a black shroud.

Junior Brother Bai Ming prepared to leave. "Senior Brother, I'll head back first. We should still act normally these days to avoid raising suspicion."

Senior Brother Wei Yu nodded. "I'll be careful."

*Creak—*

The wooden door was gently closed, and the whistling sound of the cool breeze blowing outside drifted in.

Staring into the bronze mirror, Senior Brother Wei Yu let out a soft sigh.

How could she not want to leave? How could she not want to roam the world with Junior Brother Bai Ming?

But she couldn't.

If she left this place, she would die.