Chapter 17: Side Quest (Additional Chapter 3/10 for Alliance Leader Lanruoruo)

“Does anyone still have resources? Lend me some—I’m only fifteen years of internal energy short of reaching three cycles!”

As Wei Cheng opened his eyes, he heard Hu Hailong quietly asking around; it seemed all the clear water and vegetable cakes he’d received had been depleted.

“Stop kidding. I’m only thirteen years short—what’s the point? Among us, only Cheng An has opened the third innate meridian; the rest are all the same,” Yu Liang sighed in a low voice.

“You guys practicing the Mountain-moving Heart Method are lucky. Han Dong and I are truly miserable. We poured so many resources into cultivation, yet only gained twenty years of internal energy, still forty years short!” Zhang Yong complained. After breaking through two cycles of internal energy, the strength generated in one round of cultivation sharply declined. It felt like reaching sixty years old prematurely, powerless, with even a breeze soaking your shoes—a truly infuriating sensation.

“Brother Wei, you’re awake.”

Everyone quickly looked over. Now, panic tinged the group, a nervousness born of uncertainty. In their current state, how could they tackle the fifth trial? Yet if they didn't attempt it, they’d simply be trapped forever in this mine.

“We’re probably facing a bottleneck—the upper limit of each person’s potential for growth. But even so, we have no choice; we must attempt the fifth trial,” Wei Cheng explained succinctly.

“Brother Wei, maybe we should try the branch trials first. If those two neighboring teams haven’t gotten there yet, we might have a chance,” Yu Liang suggested, and the others looked eager to try their luck.

Wei Cheng frowned, glanced around, then said, “The monsters in those branch trials must be similar to the Stone-dwelling Fiend—high agility types. Have you considered the consequences of being attacked by a dozen Stone-dwelling Fiends at once? This isn’t a game—it’s lethal.”

Hearing this, the group exchanged glances. No one spoke, but their expressions still betrayed hope and wishful thinking—even Brother Bald, usually honest and solid, had a flicker of longing in his eyes.

“Little Wei, it’s not that we don’t understand the risks. It’s that we’re trapped at a growth bottleneck. The only way forward is to use more resources to break through,” Old Xu said.

“Exactly, Old Xu’s right, Brother Wei. We’re preparing for the fifth trial. If we can’t even clear the fourth-level branch trials, how can we expect to pass the fifth?” Hu Hailong earnestly voiced his opinion.

“Brother Wei, I think it’s worth a try. So far, six of us have obtained the Golden Bell Armor technique, three have mastered Iron Shirt, and each averages over two cycles of internal energy. Even if we encounter high agility monsters like the Stone-dwelling Fiend, we have a fighting chance,” Zhang Yong chimed in, his courage revived like the days he danced in graveyards.

Wei Cheng listened, and seeing the hopeful gazes of Wang Wei, Cheng An, and others, he knew the decision was irreversible. Ultimately, he was a leader, and while the others needed him, he needed them too; he couldn’t guarantee passing the trials alone—what if there were a sixth or seventh trial?

“All right, let’s pick a branch trial,” Wei Cheng agreed.

“Brother Wei, can the best performer this time be the first to touch the Stele?” Han Dong suddenly asked, making everyone’s ears perk up. Everyone knew the advantages of being first to touch the Stele, but no one dared bring it up directly, because in the previous trials, they’d all relied on Wei Cheng to do the fighting. He was, without question, their greatest benefactor.

Everyone still cared about their dignity. Or even if they didn’t, they’d need to show strength equal to Wei Cheng’s.

Because the best performer was always Wei Cheng.

For a moment, the air seemed to freeze.

But Wei Cheng wasn’t angry. He looked at Han Dong and, after a long pause, smiled. “Fine, I’ll only touch the main trial’s Transmission Stele. As for the branch trials, we’ll go by performance. I’ll choose the most suitable candidate. In short, our team is seriously underdeveloped. We must consider the overall strength and weaknesses of the group.”

After Wei Cheng spoke, the atmosphere relaxed. Hope shone in everyone’s eyes, and even their enthusiasm for work surged.

Some even worried the two neighboring teams had already seized the branch trials.

However, as a sealed mine tunnel was opened, Wei Cheng—standing at the front—immediately sensed something was off: a feeling of being locked onto, unable to escape!

The powerful opposing team hadn’t conquered this place yet?

His thoughts shifted rapidly, and Wei Cheng suddenly unleashed his Mountain-moving internal energy. Four cycles’ worth surged like a tsunami, flowing through the Mountain-moving Visualization Diagram. In an instant, an unnamed current formed a symphony of dragon and tiger roars, then gathered in his lungs, ready to be unleashed.

“Command!”

Thunderous, his shout rippled outward like waves. The fourth tier of Golden Bell Armor gleamed, almost tangible.

Behind him, the illusion of layered mountains appeared, conjured by the Mountain-moving Visualization Diagram.

This was his strongest state!

Almost simultaneously, dozens of ice spikes as thick as arms whistled through the air at breakneck speed. Even Wei Cheng, despite his premonition, could not evade them—they were only slightly slower than the Stone-dwelling Fiend’s ambush.

Fortunately, Wei Cheng had no need to dodge.

The ice spikes crashed onto the Golden Bell Armor, the shock causing his blood and energy to surge and his Mountain-moving internal force to tremble violently. The protective gold shield rapidly cracked in dozens of places, seemingly on the verge of shattering.

At this crucial moment, Wei Cheng’s Mountain-moving internal energy proved overwhelming. Four cycles plus thirty years gave him ample reserves, and the mountain-shaped meridians formed by the Visualization Diagram provided extra depth.

So, though his blood surged and internal force fluctuated, he recovered quickly. Massive Mountain-moving internal energy rushed to reinforce the shield, making it shine once more—defense restored!

Almost immediately, several more ice spikes shot in like a cavalry charge, pounding the Golden Bell Armor. This time, they caused only minor ripples; not a single crack appeared.

The reason: fewer ice spikes, sharply reduced damage.

But if Wei Cheng hadn’t recovered quickly, if he hadn’t maintained the Golden Bell Armor, these seemingly weaker spikes could have been fatal.

The enemy was sly.

Most importantly, they were powerful—who else could withstand that initial storm of ice spikes?

Wei Cheng had cultivated the Golden Bell Armor to the fourth tier, possessed four cycles plus thirty years of internal energy, opened the fourth innate meridian, and had the Mountain-moving Visualization Diagram backing him.

The others?

In his team, whether it was Brother Bald or Hu Hailong, in that situation, they’d have been killed instantly.

As these thoughts flashed through Wei Cheng’s mind, he strode forward, entering the trial’s mine. The setup hadn’t changed—a Transmission Stele stood in the center, but there were fifty monsters, and not on the ground. They climbed swiftly, shaped like white-furred apes, their eyes blood-red and evil.

The snow apes shrieked, darting agilely across the ten-meter-high rock walls. Their flexibility was unmatched. Not only Wei Cheng, who practiced the Mountain-moving Heart Method, but even Zhang Yong and Han Dong, who trained in the Purple Mist Heart Method and used the Swimming Dragon Palm, couldn’t touch their tails.

Only those who practiced the Spirit Swallow Heart Method—and had cultivated at least three cycles—might have a chance.

How should this battle be fought?