Chapter 1090 — Going Up the Mountain to Visit
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
In Zhong Yongliang's heart, however, another thought was turning. What he was thinking was this: Brother Black Panther had once used a single internal-energy method to force his level up from that of an ordinary man to the early Yellow-rank — that was simply outrageous. Could a sect that possessed such a secret art be an ordinary sect?
True, the price was the sacrifice of one's allotted years, but the people of other sects might not be able to manage even that. So Zhong Yongliang had always placed great hopes on Zhang Naipao — though he had never explained any of this to Gao Xiaofu.
After they had walked a while longer, the three came to a place where the mountains and waters were very beautiful, flowers blooming on every side, and yet not a soul to be seen.
Beautiful as the scenery was, Zhong Yongliang shivered for no reason at all. There seemed to be an evil aura dwelling here that made him deeply uncomfortable. Gao Xiaofu felt the same — a trembling chill crept over him.
"This is the place!" When the young man reached this spot, his own face had gone somewhat pale; plainly he was not faring well either. "Junior brother Naipao is training just ahead. The concentration of evil aura here is too great, and my strength is not enough to withstand it, so this is as far as I can bring you."
"Ah? It's so cold and so evil here — if even you can't go in, how can we?" Zhong Yongliang said cautiously. "Brother, why not call out to Naipao? Tell him to stop training for a moment?"
"No. To disturb junior brother Naipao at his training is a grave offense — I wouldn't dare," the young man shook his head vigorously. "If you want to call him, call him yourselves. If junior brother Naipao takes offense, I'm not the one who can bear it."
"That... well, all right," Zhong Yongliang nodded. "But first you have to tell me — where is Zhang Naipao?"
"Right there!" The young man pointed not far off. "That's junior brother Naipao."
"Ha?" Zhong Yongliang was struck dumb. He looked where the young man pointed, but what he saw astonished him utterly. What met his eyes was a dark, shapeless mass!
On the lovely lawn there was a black object; without looking closely, one would take it for a rock. But the Zhang Naipao the young man pointed to was that very thing, which left Zhong Yongliang thoroughly puzzled. "Brother, you're saying Naipao is... that?"
"Yes..." the young man nodded.
"Oh..." Zhong Yongliang found it quite incredible, but all the same he shouted at the black rock: "Zhang Naipao!"
Zhang Naipao was in the midst of his training. Hearing someone call him, he knit his brows at once, none too pleased. After all, while he trained, no one whatsoever was permitted to disturb him; even the men Patriarch Mad Bull sent to fetch him would wait until he had finished and withdrawn his power before calling him.
And yet, that voice... seemed very familiar. Zhang Naipao's eyes flew open. He remembered the owner of that voice and was suddenly thrilled; he sprang to his feet and waved a hand, scattering the black mass from his body...
So the black layer clinging to the surface of Zhang Naipao's body was in fact a swarm of black poisonous bees!
What was astonishing, though, was that although the poisonous bees clung to the surface of his body, they had not stung a single welt out of him. Apart from a certain swarthiness, Zhang Naipao's upper body showed nothing amiss at all!