The ordinary disciples of Shushan all wore the standard-issue flying sword bracelets of the sect, which could change form and be worn on the wrist. If someone carried their own sword on their back like this, it meant their sword was more powerful, and the person themselves was usually stronger as well.

The Golden Core stage seems to be only one major realm above the Divine Will stage, but in reality, there is a barrier between the Human Pass and the Earth Pass, which is an obstacle many people can never overcome in their lifetime—the gap is enormous.

The female disciple beside him wore a light yellow short jacket and skirt, with a plain white inner shirt and long pants, adorned with strings of tassels. She was petite and adorable, with a fair, oval face that looked very youthful, gentle eyes, and an overall timid appearance—just the kind of girl who easily evokes a protective instinct in others.

“This little junior sister is called Emily Thompson. We’re mainly here to accompany her, since it’s her first time going down the mountain for a mission.” Benjamin Lee smiled and said, “Her brother is our Jade Sword Peak’s senior disciple Daniel Thompson. Since Senior Brother Thompson has been in seclusion recently, we’re the ones taking her down the mountain.”

Daniel Thompson—as soon as this name was mentioned, Liam Carter understood.

The Shushan Sect had been in decline for many years, and compared to the other Nine Heavens Immortal Sects, it had far fewer outstanding young disciples. Of this generation, the few who became famous at a young age were Emily Foster, Daniel Thompson, and the like.

Emily Thompson, like Benjamin Lee, had just reached the early stage of Divine Will, having only recently broken through.

In fact, disciples who had just reached the Divine Will stage would usually participate in team missions like this for their first trip down the mountain, with senior brothers and sisters to guide them. Only a few, like Liam Carter, were so eager to go down the mountain alone to slay demons on their very first time.

As for the last male disciple, he was at the mid-stage of Divine Will, with an ordinary appearance, and was named Samuel Clark.

……

The group left the Sword Exchange Pavilion and came to the edge of Tongtian Peak. Emily Thompson raised her hand to form a seal and called out crisply.

At that, starlike lights appeared at her upraised fingertips, as if something was being summoned. Instantly, a loud, clear cry echoed from the distant sky.

Immediately after, a gigantic white bird, several zhang long, burst out from the sea of clouds, its body still shrouded in frosty mist, which dissipated completely as it landed with a flap of its wings.

This little girl actually had a spirit beast as a mount. With her cultivation, there was no way she could have raised it herself—it seemed her brother doted on her quite a bit.

“Hey—” The white bird immediately lowered its head, rubbing its soft, feathery neck against Emily Thompson. The little girl hugged it with a smile, then called everyone to climb onto the bird’s back.

However, after calling the people from Jade Sword Peak, she didn’t invite Liam Carter; she simply turned and went up herself.

Liam Carter didn’t mind and followed on his own.

For long-distance travel, even though flying by sword was fast, it was inevitably tiring and cold. Having a mount at this time was certainly a good thing.

Sitting on the white bird’s back, surrounded by long, soft white feathers, with the wind whistling past his ears, they quickly soared high into the sky. Their destination this time was called “Zhen Nan Domain Mountain.”

Zhen Nan Domain Mountain lay at the border between the Southern Domain and the Central Lands, stretching for eight hundred li, like a towering barrier separating the two regions. The mountains were high, the valleys deep, and the forests vast and dense, filled with countless legends of demons and monsters—few experts dared to venture deep inside.

However, the place they were heading to this time was only at the outskirts of Zhen Nan Domain Mountain, a small forest on the edge, not particularly dangerous. Plus, with a Golden Core stage disciple present, it shouldn’t be too difficult.

On the bird’s back, William Grant, Emily Thompson, and Samuel Clark sat in the front, while Liam Carter and Benjamin Lee sat in the back, quite far apart.

“This Jade Spirit Human-Face Flower, I hear, is a twin blossom growing from a single stem. It was first discovered by one of our Shushan seniors, but it wasn’t mature at the time and couldn’t be picked, so the matter was handed over to the Sword Exchange Pavilion. Now, with the blooming season approaching, it’s up to us to complete the mission…”

Benjamin Lee chattered nonstop beside him, explaining the details of the mission to Liam Carter. But Liam Carter realized this fellow disciple wasn’t particularly warm-hearted—he was simply a chatterbox.

Ever since they met, he hadn’t stopped talking, as if he suffered from some strange illness that made him uncomfortable if his mouth was closed.

Liam Carter even suspected that the reason the three people in front were sitting so far away wasn’t to isolate him, but to avoid Benjamin Lee…

Boom—

After about half an hour, the white bird arrived at the foot of Zhen Nan Domain Mountain. A surge of wild wind rippled out, and everyone landed smoothly.

“There are many demons and fierce beasts in Zhen Nan Domain Mountain. We can’t fly any further; from here on, we’ll have to proceed on foot,” the leader, William Grant, finally spoke.

“There are many plant spirits and monsters in this forest, and even during the day it’s filled with miasma. We must hold our breath and proceed with internal breathing. At that time, our true essence won’t be replenished, so we must be sparing with our strength.”

“I need to conserve my cultivation, so the task of clearing the way will be rotated among you three—Samuel Clark, Benjamin Lee, and Liam Carter. Any objections?” He issued his orders with a blank expression.

Although there was miasma in the forest, cultivators who had reached a certain level had clear and unobstructed meridians, so holding their breath for a long time was no problem. However, without being able to breathe, they couldn’t replenish their true essence, making everyone’s energy limited and precious.

But along the way, if they encountered plant spirits or monsters blocking the path, someone would always have to step up and clear the way.