On the third level of the Dragon Tooth Flying Boat, Zhang Yan sat around a table of withered vine and green roots with Xie Zongyuan and Liu Tao. Although three white jade tea cups were placed on the table, they were all empty.
Here, apart from the spiritual energy that nourished the chest and lungs, there was no other captivating scenery, which instead added a touch of bleakness.
Xie Zongyuan stood up and cupped his hands toward the two, apologetically saying, "This place is humble, and I cannot entertain my two senior brothers well."
Zhang Yan smiled and said, "Don’t speak so, Senior Brother. Finding joy amid hardship has its own charm. Moreover, with us riding on your Dragon Tooth Flying Boat, we needn’t fear uninvited troubles. What more could we ask for?"
Off to the side, Liu Tao laughed, "These past few days, Senior Brother Xie’s Dragon Tooth Flying Boat has truly been a lifesaver. Each time our lives were spared, it was thanks to this boat."
"This boat was a gift from my uncle..." Xie Zongyuan sighed, lamenting, "I originally planned to return to my family onboard as a Xuan Guang Practitioner, but I did not expect so many troubles to arise."
The rules of the Mingcang Sect dictate that only Xuan Guang Practitioners may pilot a Dragon Tooth Flying Boat. The flying speed of this vessel matches that of Xuan Guang Practitioners, which is why, over the past ten days, Xie Zongyuan and his group relied on it to evade Li Weide’s pursuit time and again.
The last time they managed to lure Li Weide away, it was thanks to having this flying boat. Even though they couldn’t win in a fight, at least they could escape.
Liu Tao glanced at Zhang Yan and remarked emotionally, "Brother Zhang truly has great fortune. Having formed the Xuan Guang Seed, it won’t take more than a year or so before you enter the Xuan Guang Realm."
Zhang Yan knew this was Liu Tao’s indirect way of probing where he had been recently. He smiled faintly and replied, "That day, I descended into a Sea Eye and encountered two disciples of the Blood Essence Sect pursuing me. Forced to flee, I ended up in a remote cave. Unexpectedly, it was an excellent place to train. I focused on cultivation for several days, and when I emerged, I had formed the Xuan Guang Seed. It was quite a stroke of luck."
Senior Brother Xie clapped his hands and laughed heartily, "How can you call that luck? It’s clearly your destined opportunity; others can only envy it."
Liu Tao nodded, though inwardly, he didn’t believe Zhang Yan’s success was merely due to "opportunity."
Over these past few days, their group had been hiding and dodging, evading the pursuit of Blood Essence Sect disciples. Even though the Demon Cave was rich in spiritual energy and they had the Dragon Tooth Flying Boat, which ensured they wouldn’t be easily caught, the constant tension kept their minds on edge, making it impossible to truly settle down and cultivate.
Zhang Yan, alone, was able to accomplish this, proving his mental resilience far surpassed theirs. No wonder he could become a True Disciple – Liu Tao privately admitted his own inferiority.
"Brother Zhang, in the battle fifteen days from now, what do you think our chances of success are?" Among the three, Zhang Yan had the highest cultivation, so Xie Zongyuan sought his opinion.
Liu Tao also turned his gaze toward Zhang Yan, looking intent and expectant.
After a brief period of contemplation, Zhang Yan slowly said, "Eighty percent."
Xie Zongyuan exclaimed in surprise, "That high?"
Zhang Yan maintained a slight smile and said, "It’s not that I’m speaking rashly. As long as one of us manages to break through, this battle will count as a victory."
Xie Zongyuan was momentarily stunned before his face showed a look of thoughtful understanding.
Liu Tao’s eyes flickered. In a serious tone, he said, "That’s right. The Blood Essence Sect disciples only want to kill us to conceal the information about the Demon Cave’s external passage. If just one of us makes it out, their efforts to hunt us would lose all meaning."
Zhang Yan nodded and said, "Senior Brother Liu speaks wisely. Additionally, once our sect learns of this information, they will certainly send practitioners of high cultivation here. If the Blood Essence Sect refuses to withdraw, their fate will be easily foreseen."
Xie Zongyuan agreed, "That’s reasonable. But in Brother Zhang’s opinion, among us... who should be the one to break through?"
Zhang Yan glanced at the two and replied with a faint smile, "That’s not for me to decide. If everyone desires to break through, then no one will succeed. However, if we agree in advance to focus all efforts on sending one to three people out, there’s a glimmer of hope. And it’s not up to just us. Without Senior Brother Fang’s Five Fire Divine Weapon Circle clearing a path, who dares claim they can successfully escape?"
After pondering for a moment, Xie Zongyuan said in a solemn tone, "You’re right. It seems this is a decision beyond us. We should discuss this with Senior Brother Fang as soon as possible. Time is of the essence – I’ll go find him immediately."
Just as he was about to rise, Liu Tao pressed him back down and said, "Senior Brother Xie, stay here. I’ll call everyone to come."
Not long after Liu Tao stepped out, the time it takes for a single meal to pass, he returned with Fang Zhen and the others in tow. Not only that, but he had also brought Cheng An, Mrs. Chen, and the rest. Along with the initial group of Zhang Yan and the others, there were now ten people sitting here in total.