Urban Extraordinary Immortal Doctor
Chapter 1429: Leaving the Palace

Chapter 1429: Chapter 1429: Leaving the Palace

Among the five, in terms of cultivation level, Sun Lin, who had just advanced to the Foundation Establishment Realm, naturally ranked first.

Although Fang Bai’s cultivation level was comparable to Shi Ming and Zheng Hong, his exceptional strength, showcased during the battle with Ye Renjie, earned him fame within the External Courtyard Department, securing him the indisputable second place.

Next came Shi Ming, who possessed an Innate Earth Spirit Root, followed by the External Courtyard gatekeeping disciple Zheng Hong and the menial servant disciple Huang Zhong.

Thus, the five-person team was led by Sun Lin to venture out for training and experience.

Before departure, the five visited the External Affairs Hall to greet Elder Wu Zhihua, who presided over the hall.

Elder Wu merely advised them to stay cautious on the road, to remain calm in the face of challenges, and to avoid causing unnecessary trouble.

During this time, Elder Wu privately pulled Fang Bai aside and surreptitiously handed him a few bottles of Spirit Pills and Spiritual Liquid for use during the journey.

Although the Spirit Pills and Spiritual Liquid were of limited utility to Fang Bai, he appreciated Elder Wu’s gesture and kept it in mind.

Fang Bai, always generous, took out the Spirit Pills and Spiritual Liquid Elder Wu had given him after bidding the Elder farewell. Keeping a few for himself, he distributed the remainder to Shi Ming, Zheng Hong, and Huang Zhong as a gesture of goodwill.

Earlier, when Sun Lin bid farewell to her grandmother, Sun Jing—an Elder of the Elixir Hall—Sun Jing naturally gave her no small amount of Spirit Pills and Spiritual Liquid.

Seeing Fang Bai share his Spirit Pills and Spiritual Liquid, Sun Lin imitated him by keeping some for herself and insistently handing the rest to Fang Bai and the other four.

This small act immediately strengthened the bond among the five.

Zheng Hong and the others, who had initially thought Sun Lin to be the cold, aloof, and hard-to-approach type, were pleasantly surprised to find out she was actually easygoing, cheerful, and fond of joking—much like most of the female disciples in Lingxu Palace.

The five arrived at Lingxu Palace’s Spirit Beast breeding grounds and each obtained a Wind-Chaser Steed, then set off toward the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range.

In the Three Thousand Great Worlds, martial artists above the Foundation Establishment Realm possessed the ability to utilize Flight Imperial Instruments, but those below the Foundation Establishment Realm had to rely on flying birds or Spirit Beasts for long-distance travel to preserve their spiritual energy and stamina.

The Wind-Chaser Steed was one such Spirit Beast.

In appearance, the Wind-Chaser Steed resembled the Swiftwind Horse found in Minor Worlds, but it was far superior in endurance and speed. Its glossy black coat shimmered under the light, and when it sprinted, it resembled a streak of black lightning cutting through the skies.

Mounted on their Wind-Chaser Steeds, the five rode in single file out of Lingxu Palace’s mountain gate. Only after passing the gates did they lash their steeds into a gallop, speeding off like the wind.

As the group disappeared from view, two figures emerged from behind a large boulder to the left of Lingxu Palace’s mountain gate.

Judging by their clothing, one was an External Courtyard disciple and the other an Inner Court disciple.

The External Courtyard disciple was tall, handsome, and none other than Ye Renjie, whose right leg’s meridians had been crippled by Fang Bai not long ago.

The Inner Court disciple next to him was Ye Renjie’s cousin, Ye Xiong, an early Foundation Establishment expert ranked tenth on the Inner Court disciples’ battle strength leaderboard.

Ye Renjie and Ye Xiong, with their respective followers, wielded considerable influence within Lingxu Palace’s Inner and External Courts, and few dared offend them.

However, in his duel against Fang Bai, Ye Renjie had been defeated, and nearly half of his combat strength had been crippled. Consequently, he’d become a laughingstock in the External Courtyard, causing his followers to scatter like birds and beasts.

This drastic fall from status left Ye Renjie on the verge of a breakdown, prompting him to seek out his cousin Ye Xiong to demand revenge.

Upon hearing Ye Renjie’s account, Ye Xiong did not rush to act. Instead, he gathered information on Fang Bai through various channels. Learning that Fang Bai possessed an Innate Spiritual Root, was personally mentored by Elder Wu Zhihua from the External Affairs Hall, and was highly favored by Elder Sun Jing from the Elixir Hall, Ye Xiong felt a measure of apprehension.

Ye Xiong was far more calculating than his cousin. He understood that someone like Fang Bai—with outstanding talent and qualifications—would inevitably surpass him in strength in the future and ascend to Lingxu Palace’s upper echelons effortlessly. The last thing Ye Xiong wanted was to provoke someone like him.

However, almost everyone in Lingxu Palace’s Inner and External Courts knew that Ye Renjie was Ye Xiong’s cousin. If Ye Xiong failed to avenge him, he risked being mocked as weak and incompetent, which would greatly tarnish his reputation in Lingxu Palace.

As Ye Xiong fretted over this dilemma, he unexpectedly learned that Fang Bai and his group were heading out on a training mission. Delighted, Ye Xiong felt as if divine providence had intervened.

Thus, Ye Xiong informed Lingxu Palace’s upper echelons of his intention to venture out simultaneously, planning to trail Fang Bai’s group secretly. He intended to seize the opportunity to catch Fang Bai alone and teach him a harsh lesson.

Ye Xiong harbored no life-or-death feud with Fang Bai, so he didn’t intend to kill him. He reasoned that since Fang Bai had crippled one of his cousin’s legs, he would cripple both of Fang Bai’s legs to avenge his cousin.

Although the group included Sun Lin, who had recently advanced to the Foundation Establishment Realm and joined the ranks of Inner Court disciples, Ye Xiong regarded her with disdain.

After all, Sun Lin had only just advanced, her realm was unstable, and she posed no threat to him, a seasoned Foundation Establishment expert.

"Cousin, you must teach that Fang Bai a harsh lesson! I’ll wait here in Lingxu Palace for your good news!"

Standing beside Ye Xiong, Ye Renjie gritted his teeth as he gazed in the direction of Fang Bai and his group.

"Relax. Within Lingxu Palace, with Elder Wu and Elder Sun protecting him, I wouldn’t dare act. But outside these walls, I have many ways to deal with him!"

Ye Xiong said, turning to glance at Ye Renjie’s malicious expression, then snorted coldly and warned, "This matter remains between us. Heaven knows, earth knows, you know, and I know. Never reveal it to a third party. Otherwise... you and I will both face expulsion from Lingxu Palace!"

Ye Renjie nodded solemnly. "Don’t worry, cousin. I’ll keep my lips sealed!"

A moment later, Ye Xiong summoned a blade-shaped Spiritual Artifact and stepped onto it.

The blade-shaped Spiritual Artifact emitted a soft hum, gleaming with radiant white light as it carried Ye Xiong through the skies, transforming into a streak of white brilliance that chased after Fang Bai and his team.

The Myriad Beasts Mountain Range was only three thousand miles from Lingxu Palace. Riding their Wind-Chaser Steeds, Fang Bai’s group traveled leisurely with cheerful conversation, reaching the edge of the mountain range within two days.

"This Myriad Beasts Mountain Range truly lives up to its name!"

For Huang Zhong, who was a menial servant disciple, it was his first time venturing into the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range. Staring at the towering peaks piercing the clouds and the fearsome birds soaring through the skies alongside the fierce beasts prowling the dense forests, he felt both exhilarated and apprehensive.

If not for the presence of Fang Bai and the other four, Huang Zhong, with his relatively weak cultivation level at Innate perfection, would never have dared set foot in the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range. Otherwise, he’d likely be devoured entirely, leaving no trace.

The fearsome birds in flight and the ferocious beasts lurking amidst the trees, even the weakest among them, could rival Huang Zhong in strength.

If Huang Zhong were alone and encountered two or three of these predatory creatures, he would have no choice but to flee. If luck favored him, he might escape; if not, he’d undoubtedly become their feast.