Chapter Seventy-One: Are You Confident?

Nangong Xue’s gaze sharpened, and that patch of black space suddenly twisted in a strange manner before rapidly dissolving at an astonishing speed. As the darkness faded, a familiar figure immediately appeared in her beautiful eyes.

A delicate face, a thin frame, and skin as fair and tender as that of a newborn—so much so that she was momentarily stunned.

Her clear eyes lingered on the person before her—undoubtedly Ye Cheng. Sensing the almost oppressive surge of blood energy radiating from him, as well as an indescribable, unique aura, Nangong Xue could discern the changes in Ye Cheng. She didn’t look away. Her pearly teeth bit lightly on her red lips, and then she spoke, her voice cool and even: “So you've completed the inheritance? It seems you are the greatest beneficiary this time.”

Her voice was as cold and detached as ever. On the surface, there was nothing to detect, but Ye Cheng still caught the faint trace of envy hidden within her words.

“Heh, I was just lucky,” Ye Cheng replied, his eyes meeting Nangong Xue’s, who watched him closely from not far away. He smiled softly. “But I should thank you. If you hadn’t given up on the inheritance, I might not have had this opportunity.”

“If it weren’t for urgent matters that prevented me from taking such a risk, I certainly wouldn’t have yielded this chance to you. But now, there’s no point in dwelling on it. Besides, opportunities like this are a matter of fate for everyone—and great chances often come with mortal peril. The fact that you succeeded is your own skill, so you needn’t feel grateful to me.” Nangong Xue spoke lightly, shifting her gaze away from Ye Cheng. She glanced around and, discovering that they were alone, frowned slightly before continuing, “Has that elder left?”

“Yes. He was merely a remnant of spiritual consciousness, destined not to last in this world. Once I completed the inheritance, he dissipated,” Ye Cheng replied with his eyes lowered.

He then looked at Nangong Xue, but saw her remain silent. From her eyes, Ye Cheng caught a glimpse of the faint sadness hidden deep within. It reminded him that, not long ago, when the master of this ancient cave gifted her a spiritual martial art, she showed no emotion at all. He had thought she was as cold and unfeeling as her appearance suggested, ice-cold as a mountain. But now he realized that wasn’t the case at all. This beautiful woman before him was clearly someone outwardly cold but inwardly passionate, merely concealing her emotions flawlessly within, not allowing outsiders to see through her.

“So, you’re not as cold as you seem after all,” Ye Cheng mused, a smile unconsciously appearing at the corner of his lips.

Noticing the half-smile on Ye Cheng’s face, Nangong Xue snapped back to herself, immediately hiding the emotions that had slipped through. Her gaze, now icy once more, fixed on Ye Cheng as she asked, “What are you smiling at?”

“Oh, nothing,” Ye Cheng replied with an awkward laugh, casting an extra glance at her. “I just thought you might not be quite as you appear on the surface.”

“Annoying,” Nangong Xue shot him a cold glance and ignored his teasing. She could feel the surging, awe-inspiring blood energy within herself, but compared to Ye Cheng’s, hers was as insignificant as a candle to a bonfire—the difference was stark. Nangong Xue had a distinct sense that if they had fought in the past, she would have been confident in her chances. But now, facing the current Ye Cheng, she no longer felt she could win.

“What level are you at now? Why is your blood energy so overwhelming?”

“The peak, I suppose,” Ye Cheng answered honestly. He had already condensed seventy-eight blood lines, exceeding the typical pinnacle of the Blood Energy Realm, but not yet reaching its perfection. Even with ninety-eight blood lines, one was still only at the peak, not the grand completion. Only by condensing ninety-nine, fully merging all blood and energy throughout the body, could one be considered a true master of the realm.

“No wonder,” Nangong Xue’s beautiful eyes narrowed at his reply, and she couldn’t help but mutter inwardly.

She remembered when she first met Ye Cheng—already at the advanced level of the Blood Energy Realm, yet his blood energy then already matched that of a peak cultivator in the same realm. Now, after only a few days of inheriting this power, he had made another leap, reaching the very summit. The intensity of his blood energy was now terrifying, enough to rival two ordinary peak-stage cultivators.

“This guy’s body is truly bizarre—his blood energy is unbelievably strong, far beyond what his realm should allow,” Nangong Xue thought. Suddenly, an idea flashed through her mind, and she murmured softly to herself, “Could it be that he, too, can reach that level?”

A wave of shock rippled through her heart, and her cool gaze wavered as she looked at Ye Cheng. But she soon dismissed the thought; few ever attain such heights. She knew well what that realm represented: limitless potential, but also a nearly impossible path. Only true prodigies might stand a chance. She had once met such monstrous talents, who possessed the staggering gifts needed to aspire to that realm.

Even she herself, despite her own extraordinary talent in martial arts, had to admit she was not quite on that level. She acknowledged that Ye Cheng’s talent was indeed remarkable—at her age, to reach the peak of the Blood Energy Realm and stand as her equal, he could be called a genius, but not yet a monster. At best, he was her peer.

But now, he possessed the Fire Physique, qualifying to cultivate with elixirs. In the future, he was likely to become an alchemist—a profession far superior to potion masters, highly esteemed and envied by countless people.

“He might be able to help me with this,” Nangong Xue muttered in a voice only she could hear. At that thought, she lifted her head, her clear, beautiful eyes fixed on the black-eyed youth before her, and asked abruptly, “Do you know where this ancient cave is located?”

“The Forbidden Land of the Demon Ape Clan. Why do you ask?” Ye Cheng replied, puzzled by her sudden question.

“That’s right, this is the Demon Ape Clan’s forbidden ground. To them, this is sacred and inviolable territory. Now that we’ve entered, the stone gate at the entrance—given your current strength, you should be able to open it. But outside, there’s a horde of savage brutes. Are you confident you can fight your way out? Don’t forget, there’s also a Silver-Furred Demon Ape out there.” Nangong Xue’s fragrant words drifted over, but Ye Cheng couldn’t discern her intentions.

“I’m not confident…” Ye Cheng shook his head, but before he could finish, Nangong Xue shifted the conversation, her calm words reaching Ye Cheng’s ears and making his eyes narrow.

“What if I told you I have a way?”