Chapter Twenty-One: The Bat Cave

"Elder, we're about to enter the mountains. The car can't go any further—we should get out and walk," Tang Chuan said, stopping the car and retrieving a bundle of luggage from the trunk.

Zhang Xiao stepped out as well, just in time to see Zhang Hu hoisting a massive pack onto his back. Zhang Xiao chuckled, "Since we're heading into the woods, there must be plenty of monsters around. Carrying such a large pack can't be convenient, can it?"

Tang Chuan could only force a wry smile, thinking to himself, Of course I know that, but what choice do I have? The Bat Cave in Canglang Mountain is so far away—it'll take more than a day or two to get there. I have to bring some supplies for the wilderness.

As Tang Chuan was pondering his answer, Zhang Xiao tossed him a small cloth pouch, saying, "Here, a gift for you. Put your luggage inside."

This storage pouch was precisely the one the Ethereal Daoist had given Zhang Xiao. The herbs inside had already been taken out. For Zhang Xiao, a small storage pouch with only a dozen square meters of space was utterly trivial compared to his own bone ring, which contained a vast dimension. He had no interest in keeping it, so he might as well give it to Tang Chuan.

"Put it in? In here?" Tang Chuan turned the pouch over in his hands. It was barely the size of his palm, while his own luggage was nearly as tall as a person. This little sack couldn't possibly hold it all—never mind the pouch, even a suitcase wouldn't suffice.

Seeing the look of bewilderment on Tang Chuan's face, Zhang Xiao sighed and walked over. Taking the pouch, he opened it and placed Tang Chuan's entire bundle inside. He tossed the pouch back to Tang Chuan, who stood there gaping in astonishment. "This is called a storage pouch. It can hold quite a few things. Let's go."

Tang Chuan stared at the pouch in his hand, his mind reeling, only coming to his senses when Zhang Xiao reminded him. He hurried to catch up.

Though they hadn't yet reached Canglang Mountain, there were plenty of monsters along the way—mostly around level 20. Compared to the fiendish creatures in the rear hills of Mount Mao, these were little more than adorable animals. Zhang Xiao couldn't be bothered to act, leaving them all for Tang Chuan to handle.

Though only level 23 and newly advanced to the Spiritual Cultivation stage, Tang Chuan was a prominent figure among the outer disciples. Armed with a fine sword and skilled techniques, he dispatched the monsters with ease. He was delighted—before, after killing a monster, he could only carry away the most valuable parts, and profits were paltry. But with the storage pouch, he could collect entire corpses, multiplying his earnings several times over. His view of Zhang Xiao changed completely—now understanding the value of such a gift, he realized why even the branch leader treated Zhang Xiao with such deference. So this was a veritable god of wealth!

If Zhang Xiao knew Tang Chuan regarded someone with the authority of life and death over all outer disciples of Mount Mao as merely a god of wealth, he would probably cough blood from frustration.

As they traveled, Zhang Xiao would pause to admire the scenery, while Tang Chuan halted only to slay more monsters. But as they ventured deeper, increasingly formidable creatures appeared. Tang Chuan could just barely handle level 25 monsters thanks to his equipment and swordsmanship, but soon enough, level 26 beasts began to emerge, and he was quickly overwhelmed. After several close calls, he managed to slay a level 26 leopard, only to glance back and see Zhang Xiao, perfectly at ease, sitting and enjoying the view—not the least bit inclined to help.

This annoyed Tang Chuan, who approached and said, "Elder, I know where the Bat Cave in Canglang Mountain is, but my level really isn't high enough to handle this. Maybe we should go back and gather more people?"

Zhang Xiao smiled and nodded, making Tang Chuan think he agreed. But Zhang Xiao's next words nearly made Tang Chuan swallow his tongue: "The scenery here at Canglang Mountain is pleasant. It wouldn't be so bad to stay for a while."

Tang Chuan nearly leapt up in protest. Stay here? What a joke! There were monsters everywhere—a few were manageable, but at night, they would come out in droves to hunt. Staying here was tantamount to suicide.

Seeing Tang Chuan's pale face, Zhang Xiao lost interest in teasing him. He'd only meant to joke, but hadn't expected to frighten him so badly. Such was the difference in their abilities.

Zhang Xiao stood up. "Enough, let's move on. Which way to the Bat Cave?"

Seeing the calm composure on Zhang Xiao's face, Tang Chuan found his own fear dissipating. He pointed to a mountain ahead. "The Bat Cave is in that mountain, but it's crawling with level 40 monsters. The two of us—"

In truth, Tang Chuan's plan was to guide Zhang Xiao to the mountain's base; surely, once Zhang Xiao saw the hordes of level 40 monsters, he'd give up.

But before he could finish, Zhang Xiao seized Tang Chuan by the arm and stepped forward. The scenery flashed past in a blur, and in an instant, they were atop the mountain Tang Chuan had pointed to.

Tang Chuan had no time for surprise—he doubled over and vomited by the roadside. Zhang Xiao's use of the Divine Foot Technique was simply too astounding, and Tang Chuan's cultivation was far too low to withstand the side effects. Waves of nausea wracked him, and he wished he could empty his entire stomach.

Seeing this, Zhang Xiao finally recalled the negative effects of the Divine Foot Technique. If not for his own clear and unwavering mind, even he wouldn't dare use it so recklessly—covering several miles in a single stride. With that, he quickly sent a burst of true energy into Tang Chuan, instantly dispelling his nausea.

Only now did Tang Chuan truly grasp Zhang Xiao's power, and he no longer dared harbor the slightest disrespect, following behind with utmost reverence. Zhang Xiao easily detected the change in Tang Chuan, but couldn't be bothered to comment and pressed onward.

A loud roar echoed—a wild boar covered in spear-like bristles was grazing nearby. The moment it spotted them, it charged furiously.

"Iron Tusk Boar—a level 40 monster! Elder, we should run!" Tang Chuan's legs turned to jelly as he watched the beast barrel toward them. Though he knew resurrection was possible, the loss of attributes was not something he could easily bear.

Zhang Xiao patted Tang Chuan's shoulder and laughed. "Don't worry, there's nothing to fear." He gestured toward the charging boar, sending a flash of shadowy light at it. The boar shuddered, then collapsed, blood streaming from its eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.

Though the Iron Tusk Boar was a formidable creature, compared to those in the rear hills of Mount Mao, it was nothing. Zhang Xiao had used only a sliver of spiritual power, yet the beast's brain was reduced to pulp.

"You can have the corpse—take it back and you can make a fine set of leather armor," Zhang Xiao said. Overjoyed, Tang Chuan immediately stowed the carcass in his storage pouch.

Now he looked at Zhang Xiao with pure adoration. Since the world changed, only the strong command respect and glory. Zhang Xiao had more than proven his power. Along the way, every monster they encountered was dispatched by Zhang Xiao in an instant—Tang Chuan was elated, as the remains of these high-level beasts could be exchanged for many valuable items at the branch. His storage pouch, however, was only a common one, and it quickly filled up. Reluctantly, he discarded the corpses of lesser creatures to make room, but before long, the pouch was full again. Gazing at the bodies strewn across the ground, Tang Chuan's heart ached—if not for their size, he wouldn't have abandoned them even if he had to carry them himself.

They searched the mountain for several hours, and as dusk approached, finally found the so-called Bat Cave hidden among the rocks. The sinister aura wafting from within made Tang Chuan shudder. Zhang Xiao's expression grew grave. He had known that the Ethereal Daoist's quest for the Azure Violet Flower wouldn't be simple, but now it seemed even more difficult than expected.

Having cultivated the Supreme Yin Mystical Sutra, Zhang Xiao was extremely sensitive to deathly and yin energies. The miasma pouring from the cave was suffocating; anyone below the Qi Refining stage would be harmed just by entering.

Glancing at Tang Chuan, Zhang Xiao said, "All right, we've found the place. Let's go. Before it gets completely dark, I'll take you out of the mountains." Tang Chuan knew he was out of his depth here—staying would only be a burden to Zhang Xiao—so he offered no objection, letting Zhang Xiao use the Divine Foot Technique to whisk him away.

This time, Zhang Xiao slowed down, fearful that Tang Chuan wouldn't be able to cope. Each stride covered only a short distance, and though their pace was slower, Tang Chuan was able to endure it.

After two hours of traveling in starts and stops, Zhang Xiao brought Tang Chuan back to the car. "Elder," Tang Chuan said, "it's already dark, and we've found the place. Why not rest for the night and go in at dawn?"

Zhang Xiao nodded. Though Tang Chuan had initially lacked respect, he had a good heart. Zhang Xiao tossed him into the car, saying, "No need to fuss. Night or day makes no difference—best to get this over with quickly."

Watching Zhang Xiao depart, Tang Chuan was filled with envy and muttered to himself, "No wonder the branch leader said that if he were willing to teach me, I could live off that for the rest of my life." Only now did he feel a pang of regret, but Zhang Xiao had already vanished into the mountains. Freed of his burden, Zhang Xiao's speed doubled; with each stride covering miles, he reached the mouth of the Bat Cave in less than an hour.

Gazing at the cave, thick with yin energy, Zhang Xiao was about to enter when his ear twitched. He immediately stepped aside, hiding in the shadows.

The next chapter will begin with a major event. Readers, remember to leave your comments!