"Ning Beichen, are you alright?" Chen Mingyue called out from a distance, not daring to approach.
"I'm fine, don't come over, it's not safe in here," Ning Beichen quickly replied. He wasn't sure if the malevolent presence had receded, and if it were to suddenly attack Chen Mingyue, he would be powerless to help her.
Heeding Ning Beichen's warning, Chen Mingyue dared not enter rashly, but she didn't stray far either, waiting anxiously outside.
Ning Beichen kept Chen Mingyue out for two reasons: concern about the malevolent presence and a desire to keep certain secrets from her.
Currently, Ning Beichen was weak and stood still, slowly recovering his strength. He hadn't expected that just the first sword strike had depleted all his internal energy and nearly turned him into a dried husk.
However, looking at the huge gap in the wall, Ning Beichen felt a surge of excitement. Although his sword strike couldn't compare to the demonstration in his mind—not even one percent of its power—he was already satisfied. He knew the reason he couldn't unleash the full power of the first sword strike from the demonstration wasn't that the demonstration was exaggerated or false, but rather his insufficient cultivation, which had made him barely able to withstand even that single strike.
Yet, even at less than one percent of the demonstrated power, the strike had carved a massive opening in the wall. He knew these walls were not like ordinary ones; without this strike, it would have been difficult for Ning Beichen to even leave a mark, let alone break through.
This strike, however, was not without its drawbacks. The current price was the complete depletion of Ning Beichen's internal energy. This was something Ning Beichen was unwilling to accept, as after one strike, he himself was effectively incapacitated.
"Actually, I don't need such destructive power right now. If I could control its release, this sword strike would be perfect."
Ning Beichen began to ponder intently, searching for a way to reduce the drain on his internal energy from this strike, completely forgetting about Chen Mingyue outside. After all, without his permission, she wouldn't dare to rush in.
Time ticked by. Chen Mingyue's legs grew numb from waiting outside. But as Ning Beichen remained silent within, she didn't dare to enter, finding a spot to sit and continue her vigil.
Meanwhile, Ning Beichen had immersed himself in the Songshan Sword Technique, constantly experimenting on how to successfully execute the first strike without completely depleting his internal energy. After repeated attempts, Ning Beichen finally succeeded. Now, using "Yi Jian Jing Feng Yu" (One Sword Startles Wind and Rain) would no longer drain all his internal energy; instead, he could control its power output according to his will.
Lost in his excitement, Ning Beichen suddenly came to his senses, remembering that Chen Mingyue was still waiting outside. He quickly gathered his thoughts and went to find her. Chen Mingyue had been waiting for nearly an hour. Seeing Ning Beichen finally emerge, she quickly stood up and inquired about the situation.
Ning Beichen gave her a brief explanation, stating that he had encountered something malevolent inside. He said not a single word about the bronze ancient sword or the Songshan Sword Technique. It wasn't that he didn't trust Chen Mingyue, but rather that he didn't trust the Chen family patriarch. The Chen family patriarch was a member of the Sect Master Alliance. If they were to learn about the bronze ancient sword, even if the patriarch himself had no covetous intentions, what about the rest of the alliance? Therefore, Ning Beichen never wished to test human nature. Moreover, whatever he found inside was his own fortune, unrelated to anyone else. Just as he wouldn't covet Chen Mingyue's fortune if she found it, he expected the same reciprocity.
Upon hearing Ning Beichen's mention of malevolent presences, Chen Mingyue became fearful and urged him to leave. After all, this was merely a underground prison, and there were no treasures to be found; why risk his life? Ning Beichen, on the other hand, was not particularly afraid of malevolent presences. While there was nothing else of value inside, he did take with him the four chains that had been used to bind the skeletal remains before they left. Although Ning Beichen couldn't discern their immediate use, the fact that they could bind a powerful individual, coupled with the mysterious ancient script on the chains, convinced him to take them back for study.
Soon, the two of them left the underground prison and returned to their original location.
"Ning Beichen, I feel like something's not quite right," Chen Mingyue said shortly after they emerged.
"What do you mean, not right?" Ning Beichen asked.
"Don't you think it's too quiet? We've been here for quite some time, and no one should have come looking for us, yet there's no one around."
"Perhaps they've gone to explore elsewhere," Ning Beichen replied after sensing the surroundings and finding no one.
"Maybe. By the way, Ning Beichen, we've searched this area and haven't found the Po Zong Pill. Should we leave or keep looking?"
"Our objective was to find the Po Zong Pill, and we haven't found it here. I suspect it's because we're still in the outer region. I plan to explore deeper," Ning Beichen stated. "Chen Mingyue, I don't want to hide anything from you. This place is very dangerous, and even I might not be able to retreat unscathed. If you wish to leave, I can escort you out first, and then I'll return to continue exploring. But rest assured, if I find the Po Zong Pill inside, I will still adhere to our original distribution plan. So, you don't need to worry."
"No, I want to stay with you," Chen Mingyue said without hesitation. After all, she was a prodigy and wouldn't give up halfway.
"Alright, we'll rest here tonight and continue exploring tomorrow," Ning Beichen said, not forcing her. Although they couldn't distinguish day from night here, they both had watches. It was already ten o'clock at night, and neither of them had eaten anything. Not only was Chen Mingyue exhausted, but Ning Beichen also needed time to recover. Furthermore, venturing into the inner areas held unknown dangers, so Ning Beichen needed to face them in his best condition. Fortunately, houses were abundant everywhere, so the two found one and took out their food.
After eating their fill and resting for a while, Ning Beichen began to cultivate, while Chen Mingyue, having not expended much internal energy, sat quietly nearby, guarding him.
Unbeknownst to them, three hours passed. Ning Beichen was still cultivating, but Chen Mingyue was becoming restless. The reason was her urgent need to relieve herself. If they had been alone, Chen Mingyue wouldn't have minded taking care of it there. The problem was Ning Beichen's presence, which made her feel too embarrassed.