Chapter 202 - 152: Arriving at the Small City

Chapter 202: Chapter 152: Arriving at the Small City

Summer was drawing to a close, and the temperature was no longer as scorching as it had been in June or July. The once-vibrant green leaves of the forest were faintly tinged with yellow, and only those at the very tops of the trees, bathed in the most sunlight, remained as brilliant as jade.

Dewdrops on the wild grass at their feet glimmered like brilliant, translucent jewels.

Before they knew it, the sky was beginning to brighten. Their perception of time had been warped by the Blood Egg.

"Thank you. You’ve saved me again," Shen Yunjiao said. The few minutes it had taken to return were enough for her to compose herself, and her tone was intimate, yet tinged with guilt.

"You were the one facing danger with me this time, so there’s no need to thank me," Zhao Zuo said reassuringly.

Shen Yunjiao glanced back at the pitch-black cave entrance, a lingering fear still in her heart. Then, as if remembering something, she took two Cleaning Talismans from her Storage Bag, placed them on her body, and activated them. The foul odor clinging to her quickly dissipated.

"Why weren’t they draining your blood?" Shen Yunjiao asked, confused. She clearly remembered that her own wrist had been dripping blood when she woke up, but Zhao Zuo seemed completely unharmed.

"I think it might have struggled to control two Late Period Qi Cultivators at once, or perhaps it intended to control my mind and use me for hunting," Zhao Zuo said, his thoughts turning to the Burrow Spider Mother.

In reality, he knew that slim chance of survival had been thanks to his Creation Points and the inherent strength of his Soul from the Soul-Forging Technique.

Shen Yunjiao considered his explanation for a moment and, finding it plausible, nodded.

The two of them sorted through the contents of the Storage Bags they had recovered from the cave. Most of the Pill Medicines had lost their medicinal properties, becoming useless Wasted Pills.

They also found several scrolls detailing Magic Skills, some Artifact Refining materials, medicinal herbs, and a few Magical Artifacts.

The Magic Skills and two Pill Formulas were of no use to Zhao Zuo. A person’s energy was finite, after all.

Zhao Zuo had already poured a great deal of his Heart Power into mastering the Path of Artifact Refining, and he had no intention of dividing his focus by learning other trades.

He gave all the miscellaneous items to Shen Yunjiao to deal with, keeping only the Magical Artifacts, Spirit Stones, and Artifact Refining materials for himself.

Shen Yunjiao consumed the well-preserved Pill Medicines, and the weakness from her blood loss vanished at a rate visible to the naked eye.

Evidently, the Taotie Secret Technique amplified her recovery abilities.

The only thing left to deal with was the extremely bizarre Blood Egg.

THUD.

The Blood Egg landed on the ground, smashing a crater about thirty centimeters deep. It was clearly incredibly heavy.

Zhao Zuo placed his palm on the eggshell, intending to infuse it with Mana, but he instinctively pulled back. He sensed an extremely dangerous Energy lurking inside.

SWISH.

The Sky-Breaking Saber flew out from the opening it had created. But immediately after, the gash healed at a rate visible to the naked eye, and the spot once again resembled a blood-red eyeball.

Zhao Zuo jumped in fright, his Mana instantly ready to be unleashed. However, after a few seconds, the giant Blood Egg made no other movements and remained perfectly still.

"This thing is rather strange," Zhao Zuo muttered. He drew his Black Flame Saber and struck the Blood Egg again. This time he held back some of his strength, and the blow only left a shallow white mark on the shell.

"Let me handle it," Shen Yunjiao said, her eyes burning with eagerness and desire. When the Sky-Breaking Saber had flown out, she had sensed an incredibly dense and pure Spiritual Power.

"Alright."

He had originally intended to destroy and dismantle the bizarre Blood Egg, but since Shen Yunjiao was able to handle it, he was more than happy to let her take over.

Shen Yunjiao took out her own Magical Artifact and plunged the blade into the spot resembling the blood-red eyeball. She felt some resistance, but it wasn’t overwhelming. Those "eyeballs" were its weapons, but also its weak points.

Immediately, a demonic, blood-colored Energy surged out along the blade. It was less that she was absorbing it and more that the Energy was actively flowing into her body, creating a sinister and foreboding sight.

"Haaa..." Shen Yunjiao let out a low moan of immense relief.

After a moment, Shen Yunjiao stopped, having reached her absorption limit. The wound on the Blood Egg’s surface healed at a rate visible to the naked eye. This blood-colored Energy was exceptionally suited for the Taotie Secret Technique; as she absorbed it, she could feel her body growing stronger with every second that passed.

"This Energy is truly incredible," Shen Yunjiao said softly, though her eyes held an unconcealable excitement. She had never absorbed such pure and abundant Energy before.

"But it’s dangerous. You still need to be cautious," Zhao Zuo warned earnestly.

Not long after they had entered the cave, they were both controlled by the bizarre Blood Egg. During that time, Zhao Zuo’s Spiritual Sense had offered no warning whatsoever. Even though his Sky-Breaking Saber had already extinguished the Vitality within it, he remained deeply wary of the egg.

"Let’s rest for a bit before we set off again," Shen Yunjiao said. She then sat down and began to circulate her Mana to absorb the blood-colored Energy, her aura growing steadily stronger as time went on.

Zhao Zuo also took the opportunity to rest for a moment, restoring his slightly depleted spirit and Mana.

As dawn broke, the two set off once again.

They traveled until evening before stopping to rest again. The journey was uneventful. Although they encountered Demon Beasts twice, they successfully avoided them both times.

Until she finished absorbing the Blood Egg, Shen Yunjiao had no intention of hunting any more Demon Beasts.

"In another two days, we should reach the small city near the battlefront."