Chapter 116: The Woman Who Flew Down from Spirit Mountain

Knowing about Shenfeng Mountain is one thing; finding it is quite another.

Shenfeng Mountain is not marked on any maps of the mountain ranges in China. In his past life, Xiao Cheng had heard of the place but had never been there, making the search incredibly difficult. He only remembered that it lay at the eastern foot of Mount Huang and was an isolated peak detached from any other mountain range.

Fortunately, he had prepared thoroughly before setting out. He had specifically cropped satellite maps of the area around Mount Huang from Google Maps and, based on the imagery, marked every suspicious-looking peak.

Last night, he had visited the underground city to give some instructions to Hong Jiuling before leaving Shanghai overnight. Thanks to his driving speed, he arrived at the foot of Mount Huang by early morning.

He parked his car at a three-star hotel, found an outdoor gear shop, and equipped himself with professional hiking and camping gear before heading into the mountains to check the suspicious spots on his map one by one.

Mount Huang is a world-renowned mountain in China, but it is not just a single mountain; it is composed of countless ridges and peaks. This layering of mountains significantly increased the difficulty of Xiao Cheng's search.

From morning until afternoon, Xiao Cheng spent his time ruling out various possibilities until he finally narrowed down the location of Shenfeng Mountain.

"I finally found it," Xiao Cheng muttered to himself while standing on a ridge.

Within his field of vision lay a vast, boundless forest valley surrounded by mountains. In the center of this valley stood a solitary peak, over a thousand meters high, disconnected from any other range, looking like a lonely giant standing in the cold autumn.

The moment Xiao Cheng saw this peak, he knew it was the Shenfeng Mountain he had spent the entire day searching for. It might sound mystical, but it was the truth.

In his previous life, Xiao Cheng had studied the arts of Feng Shui, mountain-traversing, and cavity-seeking under his master, giving him a keen eye for "observing the Qi." The location of this peak happened to be a secondary vortex of Mount Huang, a place where spiritual energy converged. Thus, at first glance, he was certain this was Shenfeng Mountain.

Xiao Cheng knew that Shenfeng Mountain was not just a mountain; it was home to a cultivation sect called the Zhongling Sect. The name implied a sect that gathered the spiritual essence of heaven and earth, though in reality, it was an obscure, minor sect.

He remembered clearly that in his previous life, the Zhongling Sect only gained fame due to the rise of Mu Hongru. Legend had it that after Mu Hongru accidentally consumed the Creation Heavenly Origin Fruit, he was saved by disciples of the Zhongling Sect. Later, after the sect leader passed away, Mu Hongru, whose cultivation level was the most profound, became the head of the sect, and the Zhongling Sect rose to prominence from then on.

Xiao Cheng remained skeptical about how Mu Hongru had become the sect leader. Being a conspiracy theorist by nature, he rarely believed in surface-level truths. Regardless, these things no longer concerned him, and the future had already been altered by his presence.

They say that looking at a mountain while traveling is a long journey. By the time Xiao Cheng reached the foot of Shenfeng Mountain, the sun was already setting.

From a distance, the mountain hadn't seemed like much, but standing at its base, Xiao Cheng couldn't help but feel a sense of awe. It was a giant peak stabbing into the sky, its rock faces as straight as if carved by a knife. Only halfway up did the terrain flatten slightly, revealing patches of vegetation. Above that, the mountain was shrouded in year-round clouds and mist, making it look ethereal. He couldn't see any buildings, let alone the location of the Zhongling Sect.

To the west of Shenfeng Mountain, a waterfall cascaded down three thousand feet, hanging like a rose-gold ribbon in the sunset.

The water from the waterfall gathered at the foot of the mountain into a mirror-like lake as pure as a sapphire. A light breeze stirred ripples like fish scales on the surface, and the crashing of the waterfall created a sense of profound silence, true to the saying that bird songs make the mountain seem even quieter.

Although Xiao Cheng had traveled to many famous mountains and rivers with his master, he couldn't help but marvel at the scenery before him; it was truly a blessed land. It had not been developed yet, but if it were turned into a tourist attraction, it would at least be a 4A-level site in China.

Standing by the lake, Xiao Cheng cast his gaze around, examining the mountain over and over, but after a long while, he found no sign of the Creation Heavenly Origin Fruit. He wasn't disappointed, though; if the fruit weren't hidden so well, it wouldn't have been Mu Hongru’s destiny to find it in his past life.

As the sun set, Xiao Cheng set up his tent, deciding to resume the search tomorrow, as it was inconvenient to continue in the dark.

He checked his phone; it was 6:30 PM. Just then, he heard a faint sound of wind in the air. He instinctively released his divine sense to scan the area but found nothing. Looking up, his expression tightened.

High in the sky, a large lantern emitting a glow of fire appeared, slowly descending from the mountain. What was even more peculiar was that someone was hanging from it.

Xiao Cheng stared at the lantern, his mouth agape in surprise. He had been curious about how people from the Zhongling Sect, located at the peak, managed to get up and down the sheer cliffs. He had imagined steel cables, hidden tunnels, or even helicopters, but he had never expected a large lantern.

Calling it a lantern wasn't quite accurate; it was more like a Kongming lantern. It worked on the same principle as a hot air balloon. The transportation tool for the Zhongling Sect was actually a giant sky lantern.

The lantern descended slowly, hovering over Xiao Cheng's tent. It was clearly targeting him.

Only then did Xiao Cheng see that the person hanging below was a young woman. She was beautiful, with a graceful figure, and her light green dress fluttered in the wind, giving her a truly ethereal, otherworldly air. However, because she was wearing a skirt, looking up from below revealed some unexpected sights.

Xiao Cheng took one glance, silently telling himself not to get an eye infection, and looked away. He released his divine sense and discovered that the woman actually possessed the cultivation of a fifth-stage Condensation realm.

The lantern touched the ground, and the woman stepped off, sticking out her tongue as if relieved.

Only then did Xiao Cheng see her clearly. She was about sixteen or seventeen, with a lovely face. A pair of phoenix eyes added a touch of charm to her already beautiful features, and her light green dress gave her a fresh, natural aura.

As Xiao Cheng looked at her, his pupils constricted slightly. Wasn't this Liu Yiyi, whom he had seen in his past life? Although they hadn't had much interaction, he had seen her a few times and heard that she was a good person.

"Are you… a human?" Liu Yiyi approached, her delicate brows furrowed as she scrutinized him. She looked frightened, gripping her sword tightly and watching him as if facing a great enemy.

Hearing her question and seeing her wide, sparkling eyes filled with wariness, Xiao Cheng found the situation absurd. It was the first time in his life he had been questioned about his humanity. He could only nod helplessly.

Seeing him acknowledge that he was human, Liu Yiyi relaxed slightly. She gathered her courage and asked, "Are you from the outside world?"

Xiao Cheng nodded.

"Are you… a man?" Liu Yiyi blinked her phoenix eyes, testing him.

Xiao Cheng hesitated for a moment before nodding again.

For the first time, he felt defeated. He had such distinct masculine features, yet Liu Yiyi still questioned it. He finally realized she must have grown up here and never ventured outside, which explained her naive questions.

"What are you holding? Are you planning to ambush me? Men in the world truly aren't good for anything!" Liu Yiyi stepped back nervously, looking at him with hostility.

Xiao Cheng couldn't help but rub his forehead, feeling completely bewildered. He wondered to himself, *Who did I offend? A moment ago she was asking if I was a man, and now I’ve been branded as a 'bad thing.' Does she think 'man' is synonymous with 'evil' in her mind?*

"This isn't a weapon; it's a mobile phone, a communication device," Xiao Cheng sighed, explaining. He couldn't believe such isolated people actually existed, knowing nothing of the world.

"A mobile phone? Throw it over here, let me see!" Liu Yiyi looked curious, staring intently at the glowing square object in his hand. She had indeed heard her master mention the word "mobile phone," but she had never seen one.

Xiao Cheng felt a sense of pity. Liu Yiyi was so grown up, yet she didn't even recognize a man or know what a phone was; it was truly pitiful. He casually tossed the phone to her.

After throwing it, he suddenly felt a strange sensation.