Chapter 70: Pursued by the Dark Sorcerer

As these thoughts surfaced, her breathing steadied, and dazzling crimson light erupted upon the Flameblade Sword, sending a sword of light soaring skyward, connecting with the myriad stars above. The magic within her was drawn forth, rushing along the channels of the "Evolving Fire Incantation."
Foundation Establishment, when the moment arrived, was no more difficult than piercing a thin veil.
Her dantian brimmed with spiritual power, which continued to surge in, and she entered a wondrous state where heaven and man seemed as one. Her consciousness followed the crimson sword's radiance, reaching toward the starry sky.
The starlight was cool as water; the sword's glow no longer burned so fiercely. Starlight flowed along the Flameblade's radiance, pouring into her body, making her soul quiver as if experiencing the most exquisite moment atop Mount Wu in her previous life—an ecstasy between life and death.
Within the segmented space of the formation, spiritual energy trembled. Above her, a cluster of energy formed into the Three Flowers Crown, and the surrounding aura quieted eerily. As the energy merged into her crown, the space of the formation grew tranquil, like the dawn of chaos.
A satisfied moan slipped from her tightly bitten lips. Yu Youwei slowly opened her eyes, her vision broader, the world clearer. Yet she was still somewhat dissatisfied: "So there’s not much change after Foundation Establishment!"
"Master Bear said long ago, Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment are both beginner levels—no real difference," scoffed the little white bear nestled at Yu Youwei’s knee. Even though it had benefited greatly from the dense spiritual energy just now, nothing could dispel the disdain ingrained deep in its bones.
"If you don’t insult me, will you die?" Unhappy at being doused with cold water, Yu Youwei grabbed the scruff of the little white bear and gave it two rough shakes, then hurled it away with force.
The little white bear bounced off a tree, rebounding as the trunk splintered, waving its paws and roaring, "Damn it! Master Bear is just telling the truth. You’re bottom of the barrel, and you’re dragging along that fool from the Ning family, wasting your time and delaying Master Bear’s advancement to adulthood for who knows how long!"
Yu Youwei pursed her lips and asked, "I never stopped you from cultivating."
"Master Bear signed that damned contract. My advancement depends on your strength. The stronger you are, the faster I advance. If your power is weak, the contract rules suppress my progress—understand?" The little white bear spat as it shouted, its eyes bulging, making it clear to Yu Youwei that it was genuinely anxious this time.
"Don’t worry; I’ll work hard at cultivation." She hugged the little white bear to her chest, her eyes tinged with apology.
Unused to being embraced, the little white bear struggled for a moment, then suddenly found the posture comfortable, yawned, and said, "Fine, Master Bear will accept his fate."

"I still need to find Mo Fei. Living off the Ning family is far more comfortable than Thousand Poison Palace. Most importantly, the Ning family is stronger than the Yu family; in Ning territory, the Yu kin can’t bully Yuyan and my mother." Yu Youwei explained, her eyes turning red.
"Do as you like. Master Bear couldn’t care less." Nestled in Yu Youwei’s arms, the little white bear was growing sleepy. Flicking its eyelids, it mumbled, "As soon as you establish your foundation, Master Bear advances. Either go out and find that fool, or stay here and cultivate until Master Bear wakes."
"Your advancement is just sleeping?" Yu Youwei instantly felt this bear cub might be heaven’s illegitimate child. The joy of breaking through vanished, and she muttered, "You’re lazier than a pig—eat, sleep, repeat. I’ve never seen you cultivate, yet you advance just by napping. Truly, people are maddened by bears!"
"If Master Bear is asleep, you’ll have to wait for the Flameblade to fetch you if you want to leave. Are you sure you want to keep babbling?" The little white bear spoke drowsily.
Yu Youwei closed her mouth, followed its instructions to exit the formation space, and then stored it in her beast taming token. Surveying her surroundings, she flashed between the trees like lightning.
Suddenly, a streak of black light shot up from the decaying leaves on the ground. Yu Youwei sensed a surge of spiritual energy below and leapt back. The black light pursued her, about to strike when the Flameblade Sword pierced the earth.
A scream echoed. The thick layer of decaying leaves was flung aside as a black sorcerer burst forth. When he was three feet above the ground, his body split cleanly in two from the crown of his head, the cut neat and bloodless.
The chilling shrieks had barely faded when three more black sorcerers leapt out, surrounding Yu Youwei. She hurriedly summoned Green Frost, spinning it around herself into a dense web of sword light. Black sorcerers unleashed black rays one after another against the sword web, but it remained unscathed. The violent Flameblade whirled back, cleaving another foe in two—its power far beyond Green Frost.
"Flameblade, you're incredible!" Yu Youwei praised, her tongue holding back another phrase: and so bloody!
With the compliment, the sword spirit finally spoke, but gave Yu Youwei no face: "The bear cub was right—you’re far too weak. Hurry up and cultivate. Even my own power is suppressed by the rules of heaven. Damn, it’s infuriating!"
After being belittled by both her beast companion and her sword, Yu Youwei couldn’t swallow her pride. She retorted indignantly, "Were you always this powerful? Surely there’s a process!"
The Flameblade sword spirit answered gruffly, "I was born overpowering!"
"Keep bragging." Yu Youwei replied sourly.
A sharp whooshing sound pierced the air. She hadn’t noticed it until the black light was swatted away by the Flameblade, punching through the tree trunk behind her. She then leapt aside.

"Youwei!" Ning Mo Fei’s voice rang out suddenly, followed by the cry of a deer.
"Mo Fei, be careful—there are black sorcerers in the woods!" Yu Youwei shouted, revealing her position. Two black sorcerers lunged at her from different directions. The Flameblade met one head-on, while Yu Youwei grabbed a handful of spell-carved spirit stones, activated their formation, and hurled them fiercely.
With a thunderous crash, the spirit stones exploded, obliterating the black sorcerer. The Flameblade also cleaved its target in two. At that moment, the Crimson Cloud Deer King arrived, carrying Ning Mo Fei.
"Youwei, are you alright?" Ning Mo Fei was so anxious he was nearly in tears, his dark eyes shimmering with tears.
She swept over and nestled in front of Ning Mo Fei, feeling a sense of peace in his embrace. "I’m fine. Where’s Second Brother? Why didn’t he come with you?" she asked.
"Second Brother had something to do. I came with Flameblade and the others to find you."
"Nonsense, you must have sneaked out."
"No, Flameblade said Second Brother would be a burden if he followed, so we left him behind." Ning Mo Fei watched her carefully, afraid she’d be upset, as the Crimson Cloud Deer King pawed the ground and bounded ahead.
Yu Youwei wasn’t angry; her gaze was fixed on the gathering herd of Crimson Cloud Deer from the dense woods. The black sorcerers hidden among the trees were kicked out by the herd, fleeing like startled birds and beasts. Were these Crimson Cloud Deer stronger than the black sorcerers? The thought sent a shiver through her heart.