Chapter 75: Clearing the Outer Perimeter of the Hundred-Thousand-Mile Mountains

Chapter 75: Breaking Through the Outer Perimeter of the Hundred-Thousand-Mile Mountains

A month had passed since Lin Shengzun left the team. Li Hongshen and Li Bingbing had formed their own group and continued their journey through the wilderness.

Perhaps Lin Shengzun took the misfortune with him when he departed, or perhaps Li Hongshen had rediscovered his caution, or maybe the dangerous areas had been thoroughly cleared by their senior brothers. Whatever the reason, their progress over the past month had been remarkably smooth. Even several beast hordes were easily defeated, yielding not only a bounty of blood crystals but also a variety of spiritual plants and treasures.

Yet the urgency of time weighed heavily on Li Hongshen's mind. In the early days, they had squandered too much time. Now, with nearly half of the Long Summer already gone, he had only just reached the depths of the outer perimeter of the Hundred-Thousand-Mile Mountains, still a long way from his final destination.

If he failed to reach that city this year, he would miss out on the grand prize awarded by the school, leaving him anxious.

His impatience showed in his leadership; where once he allowed generous time for rest, now he strictly managed their schedule and urged the team onward.

If not for the airspace regulations established by the mighty figures in the Endless Wilderness, who monitored every Lord’s Heart;

If the Lord’s Heart was not placed on the altar but kept within the Lord’s body;

If a lord dared to stash it in their lordly space and ride a fierce bird swiftly to their goal—

Then every minute spent in the air would cost a certain amount of source points. If their source points were insufficient, blood crystals could be used to make up the difference. If that too failed, they'd be expelled from the Endless Wilderness.

Thanks to this rule, a Lord named Sun became infamous. Five hundred years ago, before these regulations existed, he used fierce birds to rapidly relocate his territory, drawing so much attention that other lords reported him to the Ministry of Education.

In the end, airspace rules were imposed across the Endless Wilderness, blocking any shortcut for rookie lords. Countless newcomers, once thrilled by the joy of flying during their migration, cursed their luck and the new restrictions.

Li Hongshen, when reading the history of cheating in the wilderness, thought Lord Sun deserved his fate, and applauded the Ministry of Education for their decisiveness.

But now, having entered the wilderness himself, he felt like cursing. He possessed a fierce bird capable of carrying people, but could not make use of it, leaving him frustrated and stifled.

That day, as they rested in Reception City No. 588, Li Bingbing came up behind Li Hongshen.

"You seem a bit anxious lately. Is it because of the time pressure?"

"Yes, you noticed. I'm sorry."

"Pfft, no need to apologize! Whenever you do, I remember that misunderstanding when we first met. Thinking about it always makes me laugh. You were anxious then, too."

Li Hongshen turned and rolled his eyes.

"Can you stop bringing that up? It's been years. Any normal person would have forgotten by now."

"We're lords, not normal people! Besides, time in the wilderness leaves no mark on us, so I still remember it. I recall you planned to trick me, even discussed it with Zhao Yun, making your warriors look so brutal and dim-witted—like they couldn't follow your commands. If you hadn’t exposed your Lord’s talent, I’d have believed you couldn’t control your people. Your acting was so convincing it even fooled Sophia. Luckily, you scared yourself and ran off after defeating that tribe, skipping the second act. Otherwise, you would have tricked me for sure. Later, at the virtual market the following year, you avoided me, didn’t want to meet, afraid I'd use you. In the end, I had to barge into your hut and clear up the misunderstanding face-to-face. I still remember your shocked expression and the awkward look after we resolved it—so amusing. Come on, say something! If you’re holding something in, talking about it will help relieve the pressure."

"Anything worth saying, you’ve already said. What else can I add? Really, it was your fault for not scouting ahead and having incomplete information—that’s what caused my misunderstanding."

"Wow, you say I have a good memory, but look at yourself! I didn’t do it on purpose. I’ve already apologized, what more do you want? Still holding onto it after so long—how petty!"

"Don’t worry, I’ll remember this for a while. If I get the chance, I’ll let you experience my pettiness firsthand."

"Haha, just joking! Don’t take it seriously. It’s getting late, I need to find Sophia—she’s still waiting for me. See you tomorrow."

Watching Li Bingbing’s retreating figure, Li Hongshen’s tightly furrowed brows finally relaxed. He had known Li Bingbing for several years.

He admired this female lord—capable, decisive, though she had set him up twice, but he was partly to blame. She was straightforward, willing to acknowledge her mistakes, accept Li Hongshen’s suggestions, and make adjustments.

Yet their relationship was more like partners, ordinary friends. Li Hongshen had no desire to pursue anything further, for he had a childhood sweetheart waiting for him and was deeply sincere in matters of the heart.

Before joining Pengcheng First High, he and she had already pledged themselves to each other. Although he had a cheat, it was as good as nonexistent; his golden finger was timid and hardly impressive.

On the surface, he was nothing but a military orphan, relying only on his parents’ connections and inherited assets. As for the so-called genius candidate, the title was merely a projection of others’ hopes for his future, not a reflection of his current strength.

In their civilization, those with real power were called outstanding youths, big shots, or mighty figures—not “genius candidates.” That title was reserved for newcomers like Li Hongshen.

If he did anything reckless at his age, sullying his reputation, he’d have to endure public humiliation all over again.

After another half-month of arduous travel, they finally reached the last Reception City on the outer perimeter of the Hundred-Thousand-Mile Mountains—Li Hongshen’s first target, and Li Bingbing’s ultimate goal.

After claiming his rewards, Li Hongshen gazed at his map with mixed feelings, finally able to breathe easier.

From half a month ago until now, as they neared the midpoint, Li Hongshen had been carrying a heavy burden. The number of beast hordes was on a completely different scale from before.

After the elves suffered several losses, Li Hongshen took over all reconnaissance, having the Storm Eagle patrol the surroundings frequently, which helped reduce Li Bingbing’s casualties.

"Hongshen, I have a gift for you—a queen spirit bee, bred especially for you. Thank you for keeping your promise and escorting me here, not abandoning me midway."

Li Bingbing approached and handed him a box. Li Hongshen accepted it naturally, without protest.

"You know I was bearing the brunt. But rest assured, I finish what I promise. Now that the contract is fulfilled, I feel a little relieved."

He shook hands with Li Bingbing.

"Keep moving forward—this isn’t your destination. I won’t accompany you from here on. Thank you for your help, and I wish you success ahead. Good luck."

"Thank you. It’s been a pleasure working together. Hope we meet again. Farewell."

Taking the queen bee, Li Hongshen waved to Li Bingbing and set off without a trace of reluctance. His journey was not yet over.

Emmm, this is the author’s first attempt at writing romance. Please bear with it and feel free to offer suggestions.

(End of chapter)