Chapter 2228 — Above the Mountain Range

If it was the second possibility, then things became rather awkward. The ancient sect was gone, so whatever they had stored away had naturally vanished along with it. Even if they found the place, would anything still be there?

Seeing Wei Zhao's furrowed brow, the Great Fire Lion grew curious. "You two — do you have some connection with the ancient sect that used to be here?"

"Not a connection, exactly." Wei Zhao shrugged with a bitter smile, and since there was no need to hide it, he told the Great Fire Lion how he had accompanied Sun Jingyan in search of her parents' belongings. Once they reached the Wulonghaote Mountain Range, the two of them had been completely in the dark. They had a map, yes, but it showed only the rough outline of the entire range, with just one detail map of a specific location!

To find that one specific spot within the whole mountain range was, for Wei Zhao, easier said than done! The Thunder Pig was a treasure-hunter, true, but hunting treasure was one thing — reading a map was quite beyond its abilities.

"Oh? You came here looking for something?" The Great Fire Lion paused a moment. "Then — might I have a look at that map of yours?"

"Of course!" Wei Zhao was only too glad to have the Great Fire Lion's help, especially since there was no conflict of interest between them whatsoever — and he was, after all, the Great Fire Lion's benefactor.

He took out the map and spread it flat before the Great Fire Lion.

The Great Fire Lion bent down and studied it carefully, while the Little Fire Lion and the lioness watched the map with curious eyes from the side.

"Judging by the shape of the range on this large map, this is indeed the Wulonghaote Mountain Range, no mistake." The Great Fire Lion had cultivated here for a thousand years, so one glance at the map told it this was the Wulonghaote Mountain Range beyond doubt.

But knowing it was the Wulonghaote Mountain Range was of no use. When it saw the approximate location marked on the map, the Great Fire Lion shook its head. "According to the position shown here, this place belongs to the upper range of the Wulonghaote Mountains. Our current position is in the middle range! Moreover, I have never seen the terrain on this small map before, whereas the terrain of the middle and lower ranges — well, I would not say I know it by heart, but I am thoroughly familiar with it. So I can be certain this is neither the middle nor the lower range!"

"The upper range... you have never been there?" Wei Zhao was somewhat surprised.

"No." The Great Fire Lion shook its head. "Our Fire Lion spirit beast clan had an agreement with the ancient sect that was here before. We do not go into their territory."

"But hasn't that sect disappeared? And rumor has it there are ancient spirit beasts in the upper range as well?" Wei Zhao said.

"The sect has indeed disappeared... but there are still people active up there, and Heaven Rank human experts at that..." the Great Fire Lion said. "Outside rumors cannot be trusted! It is true I had an agreement with the former ancient sect, but now that they are gone, there are still Heaven Rank experts who frequent the place, so to avoid unnecessary trouble, we have no desire to go up there! We keep to our own side of the river — not because the Fire Lion clan is afraid, but because we Fire Lions have sworn enemies in the middle range of these mountains as well..."

"Sworn enemies?" Wei Zhao was slightly taken aback.

"Another species of spirit beast. They have Heaven Rank spirit beasts too, and though their fighting strength is weaker than ours, their advantage lies in numbers!" The Great Fire Lion spoke only briefly, clearly unwilling to dwell on the matter. "As the saying goes, one mountain cannot hold two tigers. The cultivation resources and natural treasures produced in the middle range each year are limited, so conflict and contention are inevitable..."

"I see." Since the Great Fire Lion was unwilling to say more, Wei Zhao did not press. Spirit beasts had their own laws of survival, and he would not meddle in their quarrels.

"If the place you seek were in the lower or middle range, I could escort you there, but as for the upper range — forgive me, I can do nothing," the Great Fire Lion said. "Still, I advise you to be careful! It is not that Heaven Rank experts roam there at all times, but... there are always a few days each year when several of them go wandering about... and your strength, benefactor, is not enough to contend with them!"

The Great Fire Lion's words were a little blunt, but Wei Zhao knew well that honest advice grates on the ear. He could not even defeat the Fifth Protector, whose strength was at the peak of the late Earth Rank — let alone Heaven Rank experts.

"That I well understand..." Wei Zhao smiled bitterly.

"Of course, it may not be so unlucky as all that." Seeing Wei Zhao's grim expression, the Great Fire Lion chuckled. "At least those Heaven Rank experts are not there at every hour of every day! And if you cannot beat them, then run. So long as you make it back to me, I can still keep you safe! There are restrictive formations near my cave — even if ten Heaven Rank experts came, they could gain no advantage there! The precondition, though, is that you must succeed in running back."

Wei Zhao nodded. These ancient spirit beasts all possessed, to a greater or lesser degree, some remarkable powers. What these formations were and how they were made, Wei Zhao did not know, but the Great Fire Lion spoke with such assurance that they must be no simple matter.

"My internal injuries are not yet healed. I can only trouble you for the use of this place to recover for now!" Wei Zhao said.

"That goes without saying, benefactor. Please make yourself at home — you may stay here long-term if you wish," the Great Fire Lion said. "The spiritual qi of heaven and earth in the middle range and the upper range is much the same, and my cave has special formations that make it easier to absorb spiritual qi. You may cultivate here for a time first."

"Cultivation will not be necessary. Once my injuries heal, I must set out, lest more trouble brew with delay." Wei Zhao did not care at all about cultivating spiritual qi — with the jade pendant's space on him, what need had he of the qi of heaven and earth?

One might say the spiritual qi of heaven and earth was his in limitless supply, nothing to worry about at all.

"As you wish." The Great Fire Lion did not try to persuade him further. "I will stand guard for you. Rest easy — in my cave, no man or spirit beast dares enter lightly..."

Wei Zhao nodded and entered the jade pendant's space, beginning to heal his injuries. Earlier, he had released compressed true qi twice, and the true qi within his body had dwindled considerably, so he replenished it now as well...

Tagan Long and Lazi fled stumbling and tumbling down the mountain at great speed, and Tagan Long cursed Wei Zhao in his heart with utter hatred.