Chapter 93: The Woman in the Painting
Inside the ancient hall, Lin Feng sat cross-legged on a cultivation stone bed. As the surrounding Origin Stones were continuously consumed and the spiritual energy absorbed cleanly, Lin Feng opened his eyes and stopped his cultivation.
On the path of martial arts, it was not true that continuous cultivation would always lead to breakthroughs in one's realm. Besides absorbing enough Heaven and Earth spiritual energy, one's state of mind and comprehension also needed to keep pace with the realm in order to break through smoothly.
Lin Feng felt that the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy within his body was already sufficient for him to break through to the Third Layer of the Spirit Martial Realm. What he lacked now was merely an opportunity. When the chance came, the breakthrough would happen naturally.
"It seems I've been in this ancient hall for seven days now."
Lin Feng calculated the time in his mind, then stood up, looked around the ancient hall once, and stepped out, walking toward the exit.
With Lin Feng's current strength, he could not fly through the air, so naturally, he could not leave through the sheer cliff. He had to take the other exit—a deep and narrow passage.
Moreover, in Lin Feng's view, this passage should have been excavated by the ancestors of the Cloud Sea Sect. The owner of the ancient hall would not have had the leisure to dig such a long tunnel leading to Black Wind Ridge.
The ancestors of the Cloud Sea Sect probably intended to use it in times of crisis for the sect. But they never imagined that this time, the people of the Cloud Sea Sect would not even have a chance to escape. They were caught in a net, slaughtered to the last, their blood flowing like rivers.
Lin Feng walked for several hours before reaching the end of the passage. Here, it was dim and lightless, the space narrow. When he stood up straight, his head touched the stone above.
Pushing the stone slab above his head aside, Lin Feng crawled out from the gap. The light of the full moon poured down, falling upon Lin Feng, carrying a hint of coolness.
This place was a mountain peak, rugged and uneven with jagged rocks.
"To place the exit here—truly safe." Lin Feng silently admired the meticulous thinking of the person who had arranged this exit. This was Black Wind Ridge, a place rarely visited by humans, mostly inhabited by demon beasts. The demon beasts in the mountains were large in size. Even if they discovered the cave entrance, they could not enter the ancient hall through this narrow passage.
Furthermore, even if someone or a demon beast discovered it and could enter, who would be willing to walk through a dark, narrow passage for several hours to reach an unknown place?
Lin Feng did not need to move the stones himself. As he came out, the surrounding rocks began to roll toward the cave entrance, filling it up.
Lin Feng sat on the rocks, looked up at the full moon hanging in the sky, and a trace of melancholy appeared in his eyes.
Walking alone in this foreign world was so lonely and desolate.
In the past, when he left Yangzhou City, he rode his horse singing, wielding his sword as he roamed the martial world. But back then, he never imagined that the martial world would be full of treachery, blood, and storms.
Of course, no matter how dangerous the road ahead, he could only hold his three-foot green blade, sing to the heavens, and poke a hole through the sky and earth.
The cold night wind blew, stirring the clothes on Lin Feng's body, but his body sat firmly on the rock, motionless, like a statue.
At that moment, the surrounding Heaven and Earth spiritual energy suddenly began to fluctuate. Following the flow of Lin Feng's limbs and bones, it surged into his body, very mysteriously.
Lin Feng himself was completely unaware. He still gazed at the moonlight, mindless, emotionless, without desire or ambition. At this moment, he seemed to have forgotten everything, cast aside everything.
"Hmm?"
After a long time, Lin Feng snapped out of his trance and couldn't help but be stunned.
He extended his hand, and milky-white Heaven and Earth spiritual energy swirled in his palm, far denser than before.
"Broke through?"
A look of surprise appeared on Lin Feng's face. He had deliberately cultivated but was stuck at a bottleneck. Unexpectedly, a moment of meditation had allowed him to break through. This was probably what they called state of mind and opportunity.
"Third Layer of the Spirit Martial Realm, plus my various trump cards. If I encounter Duan Han again now, I should be able to defeat him steadily."
Thinking of Duan Han, a cold look flashed in Lin Feng's eyes. Both father and son of the Duan Clan must die. They were the culprits behind the annihilation of the Cloud Sea Sect.
"Who's there?" At that moment, Lin Feng suddenly shouted. His body spun around instantly, and his pupils contracted sharply.
At this moment, a figure appeared before him, yet it gave him an unreal feeling.
This was an incredibly beautiful figure. The moonlight shone upon her, allowing Lin Feng to clearly see her breathtaking face.
Beautiful—like a beauty from a dream or a fairy tale. This silhouette wore a thin white garment. Under the cool moonlight, it made one want to feel pity for her, to hold her and care for her tenderly, yet without giving rise to the slightest improper thoughts.
"Too perfect."
Lin Feng's gaze was dazed. Even with his current firm will, seeing this figure, he could not help but be moved. This woman, detached from the mundane world's worldly affairs, was like a fairy descending to the mortal realm.
Liu Fei was also beautiful, beautiful in a real way.
But the woman before him gave Lin Feng an illusion—beautiful to the point of being unbelievable, like... a woman in a painting.
"Who are you? How did you get here?"
The stunningly beautiful woman spoke, her voice like heavenly music. But this voice pulled Lin Feng back to reality. He hadn't been mistaken—this was no woman in a painting, but a real person, just breathtakingly beautiful.
"My name is Lin Feng. Where is this place, and how did you come to be here?"
Lin Feng asked in confusion. This should be Black Wind Ridge. A beautiful woman appearing here late at night was something he couldn't understand.
But just now, Lin Feng hadn't noticed her until she approached. Clearly, this beautiful woman was not as delicate as she appeared; her strength must be considerable.
"Lin Feng!"
The woman murmured to herself, repeating Lin Feng's name, then said, "I've always lived here. You came here, yet you ask me where this is?"
"I don't know how I ended up here either."
Lin Feng shrugged, somewhat helpless. Even he might not believe those words himself.
"Then you should leave quickly," the woman said indifferently.
"But right now, I don't even know where I am, nor how to leave." Lin Feng smiled bitterly. Coming out of the ancient hall's passage, he had no idea where he was.
"Is this Black Wind Ridge?" Lin Feng asked.
The woman glanced at Lin Feng again. He didn't even know if this was Black Wind Ridge?
"Yes, and it's deep in the heart of Black Wind Ridge."
"..." Lin Feng was stunned. The heart of Black Wind Ridge?
"Old Man Bei probably never walked through this passage either."
A wry smile appeared on Lin Feng's lips. The outer areas of Black Wind Ridge were already full of powerful demon beasts. In the heartland, demon beasts roamed freely. Getting out would not be easy.
If Old Man Bei knew about this situation, he might not have thrown Lin Feng into the ancient hall and let him come out through this passage.
"You said earlier that you've always lived here?"
Lin Feng suddenly remembered what the beautiful woman had said and froze again. Someone lived in the heart of Black Wind Ridge?
"Yes, I've lived here with my mother since I was a child."
The woman nodded.
"Never been out?" Lin Feng asked.
"No."
"..." Lin Feng didn't know what to say. If such a stunning woman walked out, it would probably cause quite a bit of trouble. Since ancient times, beauty has been a source of calamity, especially for someone as breathtaking as the woman before him.
"Perhaps her mother is as beautiful as she is, which is why they live in seclusion here."
Lin Feng guessed silently in his heart, then asked, "Are there no demon beasts nearby?"
"No," the woman shook her head again.
Lin Feng nodded slightly. It made sense that she could live here all along. In the vast Black Wind Ridge, it was normal for there to be a place without demon beasts.
"Do you want to leave?"
The woman suddenly asked Lin Feng, a strange look flashing in her eyes.
"Of course. I plan to leave tomorrow morning."
"I'll take you in the direction you need to go. I'll lead you out."
The woman spoke again, making Lin Feng feel a bit strange. She would lead him out?
Black Wind Ridge was a world of demon beasts. Although this woman should have decent cultivation, she looked about his age and couldn't be too strong. Getting out would be no easy task.
He himself had the Illusory Demon Beast Martial Soul, which could disguise him, making it easier to leave.
"You don't believe me?" The woman seemed to read Lin Feng's thoughts.
"Honestly, no. Black Wind Ridge is full of dangers. Getting out isn't easy, especially since you said you've never left before."
"I may have never left, but I know Black Wind Ridge like the back of my hand. I even know which paths to take to avoid demon beasts and easily walk out of Black Wind Ridge."
The girl's tone remained cold, devoid of any emotion.
Know Black Wind Ridge like the back of her hand? And know how to avoid demon beasts?
Lin Feng's gaze fixed, looking suspiciously at this overly beautiful girl. If that were true, having her lead him out would indeed be much safer.
"You're willing to lead me out?" Lin Feng asked.
"Yes. I've never been out before, and I want to see the world myself. Once we leave Black Wind Ridge, I'll need your help too," the girl said innocently, as if without any guard.
"And your mother..."
"She's out. I don't know when she'll be back. Don't worry about her."
Lin Feng pondered for a moment. If this was the heart of Black Wind Ridge, with countless powerful demon beasts, it would indeed be very difficult for him to leave alone.
Nodding, Lin Feng asked, "When do we set out?"
"Now," the girl replied succinctly.
"Alright. I need to head toward the Cloud Sea Sect. Do you know the way?"
Lin Feng nodded and stood up.
"I know. I know Black Wind Ridge and everything around it, but once we leave the Black Wind Ridge area, I know nothing."
The girl's answer was still so straightforward, as if she had no scheming at all.