Chapter 2289 — A Helping Hand

After everyone had entered, the ring of light lingered for a few more minutes before slowly fading away. The cave returned to its former dimness, bereft of the slightest breath of life, utterly still.

Once the ring had vanished completely, it was as though no one had ever come here at all. Apart from a few traces left behind by the fighting, there was truly nothing.

As for the teleportation formation, it had once been intact, radiating an eerie blue glow. But now it had gone dull and lightless, no different from an ordinary pile of rubble.

This was what had happened that night, and it was also why Wei Zhao and Sun Jingyan, upon reaching the cave and seeing the lightless formation, had found nothing strange about it.

After all, the formation had already been activated for the last time. After that, it was no different from a heap of ordinary stones, and Wei Zhao naturally could see nothing amiss.

And the Heavenly Thunder Boar had been right to say the Fire Lion Clan was no longer in the Ulonghot Mountains, for they had vanished in unison. Where they had gone, no one knew.

Without the help of the Great Fire Lion and the Heaven-Rank Spider, Wei Zhao could only rely on himself. Descending by another route would, according to the Heaven-Rank Spider, be even more dangerous. Better to take the normal path down. It was a little risky, but surely some other way could be found.

Further ahead lay the lower reaches of the Ulonghot Mountains. As one drew near the lower reaches, the danger increased considerably. Though various adventure teams still trained and gathered herbs there, one could not be sure there were no men of the Tagan Dragon Clan among them.

"Jingyi, put on the Thousand-Silk Mask," Wei Zhao said after a moment's thought. "If we see anyone suspicious, we'll split up. You go down the mountain first, and I'll find a chance to follow. Your appearance has changed. If you're careful, you should be able to slip past. But just in case, keep two Heaven-and-Earth Nets for protection!"

"Ah... the Heaven-and-Earth Nets? One is enough for me. Why don't you keep two?" Sun Jingyan said hesitantly.

"No need. I'll be fine. One is enough to deal with danger. If one isn't enough, two won't help much either," Wei Zhao said.

"Then... all right." Sun Jingyan hesitated a moment, then nodded.

The two of them passed through the middle reaches of the mountains and headed for the lower reaches, where the forest grew noticeably denser. Wei Zhao deliberately avoided several adventure teams that had come to gather herbs or train. Who knew whether any of them were of the Tagan Clan?

He could see through the strength of those adventurers at a glance, but it was always better to be careful.

Yet sometimes, what one tries to avoid is exactly what comes. Wei Zhao and Sun Jingyan had not gone far when they heard cries for help!

Wei Zhao frowned and looked into the distance. An adventure team was locked in a fierce struggle with a white tiger, blood flying everywhere—but the blood was not the tiger's, it was the adventurers'!

The tiger was no spirit beast. It had not even reached the Yellow Rank, nor was it half a Yellow Rank in strength. It had merely been steeped in the abundant spiritual qi of heaven and earth here, which had given it some of the traits of a spirit beast. In Wei Zhao's eyes, its fighting strength was about the same as that lion in the zoo.

But this adventure team was comparatively weak—not a single cultivator among them, not one who had reached the Yellow Rank. Only one among them, an external cultivator who looked somewhat capable, was locked in an inseparable struggle with the tiger!

Wei Zhao shook his head. With strength like that, they dared to climb the mountain? Then again, the Ulonghot Mountains were rich in spirit herbs. Even in the lower reaches, the herbs gathered were worth a fortune, and there was no shortage of greedy adventurers who formed teams and came up to strike it rich. With good luck, the money from the herbs they gathered could last them years!

And so this high-risk, high-reward trade had given rise to many such adventurers who gambled on their luck!

The members of the adventure team had spotted Wei Zhao and Sun Jingyan in the distance and immediately began shouting for help.

Adventure teams in the Ulonghot Mountains rarely crossed paths. Even when they met, they passed each other without so much as a greeting. After all, interests conflicted—each was simply seeking spirit herbs. And with the families and gangs seated at the foot of the mountain keeping watch, cases of killing for treasure were basically unheard of.

Of course, if one adventure team came under attack by a fierce beast, other teams generally would not go to their aid. After all, the adventurers gathering herbs in the lower reaches were all low in rank, barely able to protect themselves—who had the spare strength to look after others? Few among them were Yellow Rank experts, and Yellow Rank experts generally did not covet the money from such herbs anyway.

Yet as Wei Zhao took in the scene before him, his heart stirred slightly, and a plan took shape! This adventure team had just lost one of its members—a woman, mauled to death by the tiger. If Wei Zhao stepped in to save them and killed the tiger, then had these people take Sun Jingyan down the mountain, it would be an excellent choice!

One for one. The families and sects at the foot of the mountain might not check so carefully. And even if they did, Sun Jingyan's appearance had changed. Even if they remembered how many men and women in this adventure team had come down the mountain, they could not possibly remember every face!

Of course, Wei Zhao chose this team not only by chance, but also because they were weak—unlikely to be spies of the Tagan Clan. If they were Tagan Clan men, there would be no need to stage a bitter ruse in which someone actually died. After all, they could not have anticipated that Wei Zhao and Sun Jingyan would pass this way at this time.

Their situation was surely a genuine beast attack, and their identities genuine adventurers.

"Jingyi, in a moment I'll go help these people out of their trouble, and you go down the mountain with them. I'll go down alone!" Wei Zhao quickly instructed Sun Jingyan. "After you get down, find a way back to the border town we passed through earlier. Don't linger in Ruileida Town!"

"All right, I understand!" Sun Jingyan nodded. Now was not the time to weigh gains and losses. She worried about Wei Zhao, but this was the only safe course. If she stayed at his side, he would be hampered, forced to look after her as well.

Wei Zhao nodded, made his decision on the spot, and charged straight toward the adventure team. Then, with a light slap, he struck the tiger across the head, sending it flying into the air. It tumbled once in the sky and landed on the ground far off with a tremendous "bang"! (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to visit the novel site... and cast