Chapter 55: Benefits

The duo of Dahu and Yiyi was quite formidable. Inexperienced, low-level cultivators could easily be intimidated by a talking demonic beast, and riding Dahu for travel was undoubtedly a very appealing prospect.

The journey to the Crimson Blood Sect's outpost was long, and Lu Ye was unsure when he would arrive. Riding Dahu would allow him to conserve stamina and even cultivate during the trip. For him, this was an excellent choice. After all, his cultivation level was still low, and his priority was to increase his strength. Traveling on foot would prevent him from cultivating along the way, wasting considerable time.

He hadn't initially planned to bring along the spirit and the tiger. Telling Yiyi that he'd be swayed by three sentences was merely a pretense; his original intention was to refuse her regardless of what she said. However, he now found that Yiyi's words had somewhat swayed him...

"So, what do you think?" Yiyi gazed at Lu Ye, her eyes brimming with eagerness, as if afraid he might utter a refusal.

"It's not entirely out of the question..."

Before Yiyi could cheer, Lu Ye's tone shifted: "However, we need to lay down three conditions!"

Yiyi looked puzzled. "What three conditions?"

Lu Ye held up a finger. "First, I will be the one in charge. If our opinions diverge on anything, you must defer to me."

Yiyi nodded. "That's perfectly fine." Having already decided to seek refuge with Lu Ye, both she and Amber were mentally prepared for such an arrangement.

"Second, there might be times I ask you to perform tasks. As long as they are within your capabilities, you cannot refuse. Naturally, I won't ask you to do anything life-threatening. Should such a situation arise, you are free to exercise your own judgment based on the circumstances."

"Understood."

"Third, if ever you decide you no longer wish to stay, please let me know. Do not leave without a word."

"We won't," Yiyi replied, shaking her head.

"If all of that sounds acceptable, then... a pleasant cooperation?" Lu Ye extended a hand toward Yiyi.

Yiyi tilted her head, looking at him with a puzzled expression. Nevertheless, she mimicked his gesture, extending her own hand. Lu Ye took it and gave it a gentle shake.

Yiyi understood his meaning, her eyes narrowing as she smiled. "A pleasant cooperation!"

Behind her, Amber let out a soft rumble.

Yiyi hopped onto Amber's head, then looked at Lu Ye. "As a gesture of good faith in our cooperation, I have something valuable to offer you!"

"Something valuable?"

When Yiyi uttered three words, Lu Ye's interest was immediately piqued.

Deep within Azure Cloud Mountain, in a region adjacent to Amber's territory, Amber and Yiyi led Lu Ye to a very secluded cave entrance. The cave mouth was obscured by a thick growth of weeds and overgrown bushes. Unless one was intimately familiar with the terrain, it would be difficult to discover this entrance.

"Is this it?" Lu Ye peered into the cave entrance. It was pitch black inside, and he couldn't see a thing.

"Yes." Yiyi and Amber took the lead, gesturing for Lu Ye to follow.

Lu Ye had a long saber at his waist, his hand resting on the hilt, ready to react to any sudden developments.

According to Yiyi, a serpent demon resided deep within this cave. She and Amber had once ventured inside and suffered a setback at the serpent demon's hands. However, they had also uncovered a secret in the process. That secret was the valuable item she intended to give Lu Ye.

The cave sloped sharply downwards. Lu Ye estimated he had descended at least dozens of zhang underground, yet he still hadn't reached the end, highlighting the cave's immense depth. By this point, the refreshing coolness had vanished. Instead, waves of heat continuously surged from further ahead. The deeper they proceeded, the more intense the heat waves grew.

Yiyi was already panting heavily and eventually stopped. "I can't go any deeper," she said. As a spirit form, this scorching environment was extremely hostile to her.

Lu Ye had a sudden realization. "So, you were injured last time because you came here?"

Yiyi nodded. "That item is only found here. Amber will go in with you; the serpent demon isn't very strong. With Amber assisting you, you should be able to defeat it."

"Then wait here," Lu Ye said, nodding. He continued on with Amber.

They proceeded for a considerable distance further. Lu Ye suspected he had descended at least a hundred zhang underground. The scorching heat here was incredibly intense; even with spiritual energy protecting him, Lu Ye found the heat unbearable. As for Amber, its tongue was lolling out, and it looked utterly listless, resembling a dog suffering from heatstroke.

A short while later, they finally reached the cavern's end. It was an underground grotto, quite spacious. Standing at the entrance, Lu Ye immediately spotted a large serpent coiled deep within. Its body was likely as thick as his thigh, its length unknown. It held its head high, exhaling and inhaling toward a small tree roughly half a person's height.

The small tree was entirely crimson, resembling a glowing hot iron. It bore two fruits, each the size of a baby's fist, and a peculiar, refreshing fragrance permeated the entire grotto.

Barrier-Breaking Fruits!

This was the valuable item Yiyi had mentioned earlier. An ordinary item might not have impressed Lu Ye given his current standing, but Barrier-Breaking Fruits were different. They played an enormous role in helping cultivators break through their Spiritual Aperture barriers. Essentially, as long as one's Spiritual Apertures weren't fully opened, these fruits would always be useful.

Lu Ye had consumed a Barrier-Breaking Fruit once, and his advancement to the Spirit Stream Realm had been entirely due to that very fruit. So, the moment Yiyi spoke of it, he became keenly interested.

The Barrier-Breaking Fruit Yiyi had given him previously was snatched from this very location. As a spirit form, she could appear and disappear without a trace. Although the serpent demon occupied this area, it couldn't guard against her. However, this environment was extremely dangerous for her. Last time, Yiyi wouldn't have risked coming here if there had been any other choice. Though she successfully acquired the fruit, Yiyi remained severely weakened for several days before recovering.

She and Amber already had a long-standing grudge against this serpent demon. Previously, they lacked the strength for revenge. Now, with Lu Ye as their powerful ally and their departure imminent, Yiyi naturally desired to settle scores and avenge their past grievances. At the same time, this would also provide Lu Ye with two Barrier-Breaking Fruits, deepening their bond and solidifying their cooperative relationship. It was truly killing two birds with one stone.

The serpent demon was coiled around the Barrier-Breaking Fruit tree, using its body to obscure it. Its head was held high, and as it inhaled and exhaled, visible streams of fiery-red spiritual energy flowed into its nostrils, appearing as if it were cultivating.

Two uninvited guests disturbed its tranquility.

With a furious roar from Amber, the serpent demon abruptly lifted its head, its forked tongue flicking rapidly. Amber lunged forward like a whirlwind. However, in the very next instant, the serpent demon sprang out, its mouth gaping, and bit Amber on the neck. Amber cried out in pain and roared, biting the serpent's belly in return. However, their strengths were unequal; Amber bled profusely from the bite, while the serpent remained completely unharmed. Fiery-red demonic energy permeated the serpent demon's body, forming a protective layer that Amber found impossible to bite through.

In a single exchange, the formidable Amber suffered a severe setback. Furthermore, the serpent's several-zhang-long body swiftly coiled around it, instantly trapping Amber like a tightly bound zongzi. Instantly defeated! Though both were demonic beasts, the disparity in their power was significant.

Fortunately, Lu Ye was still there. As Amber lunged, he used the beast's body as cover and charged forward. With the two fierce creatures now entangled in battle, it was the perfect moment to strike. As his long saber flashed from its sheath, Lu Ye channeled spiritual energy to imbue the blade with a Sharpness Spirit Rune. In an instant, a dazzling saber light flared, and blood splattered.