That old man who drank heavily every day had once told Lu Yuan:
If you encounter an evil obstruction in the mountain ravines, quickly search for a stone at the mountaintop bearing traces of thunder and fire.
Use the sharp edge of the stone to cut your fingertip, drip blood onto it, then run with all your might. The thunderfire stone will point you toward the 'path of life.' However, this method uses human yang qi as bait.
The cost is that for three days afterward, your entire body will feel freezing cold, as if plunged into an ice cellar. You'll need to bask in the scorching midday sun to recover but compared to staying alive, this price was insignificant.
Lu Yuan carried Zhao Qiao'er on his back, with a voluptuous figure like a top-grade honey peach, as he charged toward the pitch-black mountaintop.
Even with his robust physique like a small steel cannon, after continuous sprinting, turning back, and sprinting again, he had finally reached his limit.
His lungs felt like burning charcoal, every breath bringing searing pain.
Near the mountaintop, Lu Yuan's arms, which were holding Zhao Qiao'er's breathtakingly plump, fair thighs, had reached their limit of muscle fatigue and were uncontrollably beginning to slide down.
Zhao Qiao'er immediately noticed.
Lying on Lu Yuan's trembling back, her voice carried a sobbing tone and heartache.
"Good nephew, dear nephew, put Auntie down, Auntie can run herself..."
Lu Yuan didn't respond, only glanced back.
Down the mountain, in the darkness, countless pale and twisted shadows were converging, moving faster and faster.
Just then, an icy notification sound rang in his mind.
[Slaying jiangshi 'Old Master Xu' complete. Three-star reward settled: Physical constitution slightly enhanced.]
A warm current suddenly rose from his spine, instantly surging through his limbs and bones.
That power extinguished the burning pain in his lungs and dispersed the muscle fatigue.
Heaven does not abandon those who persevere!
"Ah!"
Accompanied by a short cry of surprise from Zhao Qiao'er on his back, Lu Yuan, whose strength had been completely exhausted, suddenly exerted force with both legs and launched a final charge toward the mountaintop once more!
Finally, more than ten minutes later, Lu Yuan carried Zhao Qiao'er up to the summit.
The moment he set Zhao Qiao'er down from his back, he collapsed powerlessly to the ground, his chest heaving violently as he gasped for breath in great gulps.
Zhao Qiao'er didn't care about herself and quickly crouched down, pulling Lu Yuan into her soft, fragrant embrace.
She hurriedly unbuttoned Lu Yuan's sheepskin coat and fanned cool air in front of him with her jade-like hand.
"Dear nephew, Auntie is so heavy, you must be exhausted."
Zhao Qiao'er's eyes were full of heartache as she looked at Lu Yuan's deathly pale face in her arms.
After recovering for quite a while, Lu Yuan finally managed a pale smile and stubbornly said, "Not tired, not tired at all."
"Auntie, your beautiful flesh is like freshly steamed white buns, soft and fluffy. Carrying you felt great, how could I be tired?"
Hearing this rascal's improper words, Zhao Qiao'er's beautiful, alluring face instantly flushed bright red.
What kind of talk is this~
What beautiful flesh... what big buns... and soft and enjoyable to carry...
She was too embarrassed to look at Lu Yuan anymore and quickly turned her head to survey their surroundings.
All around was pitch black, full of broken stones. She had no idea why Lu Yuan had brought her up here again.
Before she could ask, Lu Yuan in her arms had already gritted his teeth and struggled to stand up.
This was the place Wang Cheng'an had mentioned, where thunderfire stones could be found but this mountaintop was much larger than before. At a glance, jagged rocks were everywhere, completely indistinguishable.
He could only search for them one by one.
The evil spirits were still halfway up the mountain, climbing up following the scent. They had at most three to five minutes.
"Auntie Qiao'er, don't rest, hurry and look for thunderfire stones!"
Lu Yuan dropped this line and immediately plunged into the pile of rocks, quickly searching with his head down.
Zhao Qiao'er, wearing flat leather shoes, quickly followed.
"What are thunderfire stones?"
"Dark stones that look like they've been struck by lightning or burned by fire!"
Zhao Qiao'er quickly nodded and followed his example, carefully searching nearby yet she didn't dare stray too far from him, always maintaining a distance of just a few meters.
"Dear nephew... weren't we almost down the mountain just now? Why did we come back up to look for this?"
During the search, the nervous Zhao Qiao'er glanced at Lu Yuan nearby and asked.
Lu Yuan, still searching for stones without looking up, said, "There are too many evil spirits. They've completely blocked the path down the mountain. We can't break through on our own."
Hearing Lu Yuan's words, Zhao Qiao'er wanted to ask something else, but Lu Yuan explained further, "We need to find a thunderfire stone. The thunderfire stone will point out the path of life so we can break through."
Hearing Lu Yuan's words, Zhao Qiao'er parted her red lips, wanting to say something, but in the end, she remained silent.
Zhao Qiao'er wanted to ask, even if they found the thunderfire stone later...
Would... would Lu Yuan still have the strength to carry her down the mountain?
When they charged up here earlier, Lu Yuan had already been completely exhausted.
Even now, by the moonlight, Zhao Qiao'er could see Lu Yuan's steps were unsteady, starting to waver.
Even if they found the thunderfire stone later, could... could he still carry her down?
"Auntie didn't expect to drag you into this mess..."
"This matter, it's most likely someone set up a trap..."
Zhao Qiao'er lowered her head, seemingly wanting to explain the whole story to Lu Yuan. However, Lu Yuan had no intention of listening and no mind to listen, directly interrupting, "There's no dragging or not dragging. I'm willing to help."
"I've eaten your food, worn your clothes, and you know Auntie Meiqin. Whatever your reason, I have to help you!"
Zhao Qiao'er's heart trembled, and she gently nodded her delicate chin without saying more.
As time passed second by second, Lu Yuan grew increasingly anxious.
He couldn't find the thunderfire stone!
Meanwhile, the first small evil spirit had already silently climbed to the mountaintop.
With an angry roar, Lu Yuan backhandedly slashed it to pieces with his sword, grabbed Zhao Qiao'er, and ran across the mountaintop while searching.
Damn it!!
Where's the thunderfire stone!!
Could it be that there isn't one at all, and that little bastard Wang Cheng'an fooled him again?!
But that shouldn't be right!!
Thunderfire stones aren't found on every mountain. Wang Cheng'an would just say if he found one or not. There's no need to lie!
This... where on earth is the thunderfire stone!!!
Just then, a cold and eerie aura suddenly exploded behind him.
Lu Yuan whipped around.
Good heavens!
A six-star hanged ghost!
Then, from down the mountain came an extremely strange and sinister sound.
A five-star chang ghost had also arrived!!
Lu Yuan's scalp instantly exploded as he frantically scanned every inch of ground beneath his feet by moonlight.
Cold sweat soaked through his back.
It's over... if he couldn't find the thunderfire stone, they would really die here today!
At this critical moment, from the corner of his eye, Lu Yuan suddenly spotted a stone different from all the others in a pile of rubble!
It was jet black throughout, its surface covered with cracked patterns, as if it had once been fiercely pierced by heavenly thunder!
Good heavens!
Really good heavens!
He knew not everyone around him could be incompetent teammates!!
Lu Yuan's heart soared with joy as he grabbed Zhao Qiao'er's hand and rushed over like a madman.
Reaching the thunderfire stone, Lu Yuan rapidly chanted an incantation, pressing the pad of his right middle finger hard against the sharp edge of the stone and forcefully dragging it across!
Blood dripped down.
Buzz—!
In an instant, both Lu Yuan and the thunderfire stone burst forth with brilliant golden light!
Like a small sun, it drove back all the surrounding darkness and evil spirits!
Success!!!
Lu Yuan's face was filled with wild joy as he turned back and roared at Zhao Qiao'er, "Quick! Get on my back!!"
However, Zhao Qiao'er stood in place, motionless.
At the edge of the golden light, countless evil spirits had already completely surrounded them.
Terrifying, ferocious faces loomed in and out of the darkness, emitting tooth-grinding shrieks.
Too many, there were no gaps left at all.
Zhao Qiao'er turned back, looking at Lu Yuan with a face full of despair, tears sliding down her beautiful face.
"Dear nephew..."
"Auntie can't harm you anymore. You go down the mountain yourself and escape..."
There were too many evil spirits.
Lu Yuan had also long since run out of strength. During that last stretch up the mountain, Lu Yuan had almost failed to persevere, forcing himself up on his last breath.
Zhao Qiao'er had witnessed all of this with her own eyes.
Although Zhao Qiao'er didn't understand Daoist arts, she knew...
If she continued to be a burden, this half-grown child who had risked his life to save her would also die here with her.
Truthfully, Zhao Qiao'er was not a kind-hearted person.
As the president of the White Deer Commerce Association, one of Fengtian City's top merchant associations, she couldn't possibly be kind-hearted.
Over the years, those who had been schemed to death or ruined by Zhao Qiao'er were truly too numerous to count.
Perhaps she was moved by Lu Yuan's sincerity, or perhaps because she knew that today, even with her along, there was no escape.
In any case, at this moment, she truly couldn't bear it anymore.
So Zhao Qiao'er decided to give up on herself. At least that way, it would be more dignified.
Lu Yuan stared blankly at Zhao Qiao'er in front of him.
Zhao Qiao'er untied a jade pendant of brilliant green from her waist and held it out toward Lu Yuan.
"Dear nephew, take this jade pendant. After you escape, go find Wang Fu..."
"Tell him what happened today. If he still recognizes me as his president, he'll give you a large sum of money to ensure you live comfortably for the rest of your life..."
Crack!
With a crisp sound, the jade pendant Zhao Qiao'er extended with her jade hand was slapped away by Lu Yuan!
Before Zhao Qiao'er could react, Lu Yuan, gritting his teeth, viciously kicked her big, plump bottom!
Accompanied by a cry of pain from Zhao Qiao'er.
Zhao Qiao'er's entire body fell to her knees on the stone-covered ground then with fury on his face and teeth clenched, Lu Yuan drew back his arm.
Aiming at Zhao Qiao'er's voluptuous, round, plump bottom that was raised high because she was kneeling and nearly bursting through her qipao, he delivered two harsh slaps!
Smack!
Smack!
Two crisp, resounding sounds, accompanied by Zhao Qiao'er's irrepressible cries, completely stunned her.
Forget about her, even the surrounding shrieking evil spirits seemed to pause for a moment.
At this moment, Lu Yuan glared at Zhao Qiao'er with gritted teeth and shouted loudly, "You wretched woman!! You're just asking for a beating!!"
"I'm about to take you out of here right now, and you don't want to live?!"
"Where the hell were you earlier?!!"
"Get on my back right now!!!"
"Hurry up!! Or I'll beat you to death, you cheap woman!!!"