Urban Divine Doctor Descends the Mountain

Chapter 2657: Chapter 2656: Lost the Courage!

Inside the cave, it was completely dark.

The voice of the Sword Obsession Hermit was deep and powerful, carrying the weight of years as he slowly recounted the unbearable past.

"It was a stormy night. We five, filled with hope, embarked on a bamboo raft, preparing to cross the seemingly calm but treacherous sea. At that time, we were unaware of the impending dangers, only thinking of leaving this bizarre space as soon as possible."

A trace of pain flickered in the Sword Obsession Hermit’s eyes, but he continued recounting the past.

"The bamboo raft swayed in the waves, and our hearts also rode the waves with unease. However, just as we were about to see the dawn of hope, night fell, and the sea beasts seemed to be awakened by some force, emerging from the water and launching fierce attacks on us."

His words were filled with reminiscence of the past and reverence for life.

"The bamboo raft was instantly overturned, and the five of us were thrown into the icy sea. At that moment, fear and despair engulfed each one of us. Two companions who couldn’t swim quickly disappeared in their struggle, swallowed by the merciless sea water."

Speaking of this, the Sword Obsession Hermit’s voice trembled slightly, clearly showing how deeply painful the experience was for him.

"My remaining two companions and I, driven by a survival instinct, swam fiercely, trying to evade those ferocious sea beasts. But the sheer number of sea beasts and their tremendous strength far exceeded our imagination. In the end, my two companions couldn’t escape their fate either and were each swallowed by the sea beasts."

A trace of sorrow flickered in his eyes, and the expression on his face was extremely bitter.

"As for me, perhaps it wasn’t my time to die. Relying on my familiarity with this sea and some inexplicable force supporting me, I miraculously returned by the same path and escaped back to the shore." The Sword Obsession Hermit’s words revealed a sense of surviving against odds and reflection.

Upon hearing this, Lin Dong’s face became even uglier, his heart filled with shock and unease.

"The sea is already so dangerous, what about that mountain?" Lin Dong’s voice was low and heavy, recalling the towering Mountain of Darkness he saw when he first fell into this space.

The peak stood like a giant at the edge of the sea, its awe-inspiring height intimidating all.

"Even knowing how to get out, without inner qi, it’s still too difficult to accomplish this." Lin Dong’s heart was filled with frustration and helplessness.

He knew well how small and fragile they would be when facing the various trials of nature without inner qi.

"No matter how difficult the road ahead, we must persevere." Yun Ruoxian’s voice was gentle yet firm, "Lin Dong, don’t lose heart."

Looking at her, it seemed she had some ideas.

The Sword Obsession Hermit advised: "I advise you not to venture into the sea or climb the Mountain of Darkness like us. Without inner qi, there’s little difference between us and the natives here."

"Going there is just to die early."

"I see you two entered together as a pair. You could live here for a lifetime, even raise a family."

Upon hearing this, Yun Ruoxian blushed.

While Lin Dong said, "Senior, you were once a Second Heavenly Realm Martial Artist, how could you say such things?"

Yun Ruoxian also responded, "Indeed, Senior, we were once Heavenly Realm Martial Artists. How can we resign ourselves to spending a lifetime in this bizarre space, in this dark world?"

"This is no different from merely surviving."

Hearing this, the Sword Obsession Hermit shook his head and said: "That’s because you haven’t tried yet. Once you’ve tried and failed, you’ll realize how correct my advice is."

"Though we lost inner qi, we can live here longer than the natives, perhaps reaching one or two hundred years."

"Living is everything."

"I still advise you to give up exploring the sea and climbing the Mountain of Darkness. Without inner qi, it can’t be done!"

Both Lin Dong and Yun Ruoxian felt sad for the Sword Obsession Hermit.

Decades of losing inner qi had extinguished his heart of a martial artist entirely.

No longer the Heavenly Realm Martial Artist, he is merely a cowardly person now, just living to stay alive.

"We will definitely try to get out." Lin Dong said.

Yun Ruoxian also nodded heavily.

At this moment, a tall native walked over.

"Esteemed guests, the clan chief specially instructed me to invite you to tonight’s welcome evening banquet." The native’s voice was coarse and powerful, piercing through the night’s silence and reaching Lin Dong and Yun Ruoxian’s ears.

The Sword Obsession Hermit stood silently on the side, seemingly uninterested in such an occasion.

Upon hearing this, Lin Dong looked up at him, smiling and nodding to show acceptance of the invitation. Yun Ruoxian also smiled softly, with eyes sparkling with anticipation, evidently curious about the tribe’s traditional culture and customs.

"Sword Obsession Hermit, would you also like to join us?" The native invited the Sword Obsession Hermit, but the latter just lightly shook his head and said, "I’m used to tranquility, so leave the evening banquet for you to enjoy."

After saying this, he prepared to return to his cave.

But before entering, he warned Lin Dong and Yun Ruoxian one last time.

"Let me give you another piece of advice, don’t venture into the sea and climb the Mountain of Darkness lightly. Keep your life, live well, that’s more important than anything."

"If you change your mind, come find me. I have something to discuss with you."

After finishing, he entered the cave without turning back.

Hearing what he said, Lin Dong and Yun Ruoxian both shook their heads helplessly.

Thinking that this Sword Obsession Hermit is completely desolate now.

No courage left to break through!

"Hello, I’m Ah-Lei. I’m the first warrior of the tribe." At this moment, the native man who came to invite them introduced himself.

This Ah-Lei’s posture was upright, his muscles strong and knotted, indeed much stronger than the previous natives Lin Dong and Yun Ruoxian had seen.

Both Lin Dong and Yun Ruoxian politely nodded to him.

At this moment, Ah-Lei’s gaze fell on Yun Ruoxian.

Yun Ruoxian stood there, although only dressed in a plain outfit, her peerless elegance was undeniable.

Her skin was as delicate as the first snow, crystal clear. Her features were elegant and transcendent, as if a fairy had descended.

Such a woman couldn’t be compared with the women in their tribe.

Ah-Lei’s eyes flashed with amazement and admiration, as he had never seen such a beautiful woman, and an indescribable emotion arose in his heart.

"Respected guests, let’s go, the clan chief and others have been waiting for a long time." Ah-Lei made a welcoming gesture.

Both Lin Dong and Yun Ruoxian nodded and followed Ah-Lei, heading for the evening banquet location.

Along the way, although Ah-Lei tried his best to maintain proper etiquette, his eyes still occasionally sneaked glances at Yun Ruoxian.

Yun Ruoxian seemed to feel this attention and frowned slightly, moving closer to Lin Dong.

"Lin Dong, why don’t you carry me? I feel my leg still hurts a bit." Yun Ruoxian said.

Actually, this was a side indication to the native Ah-Lei, that they were two close outsiders, implying not to look at her and take advantage of her.

It was, in essence, a declaration of belonging...