Chapter 503

Lou Lan carefully carried the unconscious Ai Hui down from the Metal Basket Sword Pagoda and poured the long since prepared medicine into Ai Hui’s mouth .

The dark, inky medicine emitted a thick, choking smell .

Each time the members witnessed Lou Lan feeding Ai Hui medicine, they would have a sympathetic look . Compared to Ai Hui’s medicine, their elemental soup was practically a delicacy .

Gu Xuan sipped on his soup, occasionally glanced over at Ai Hui, and prostrated himself in admiration .

Training until unconscious… what kind of realm was this?

Whatever it was, he couldn’t do it .

Not only him, but everyone in the Sword of Lightning was unable to do it . Everyone was utterly convinced of Ai Hui’s capability . There had been some who were concerned that he would injure himself and that their future would fall into uncertainty . No one was worried any longer .

Even if Ai Hui hadn’t recovered . Even if he did not have the least bit of elemental energy .

To be honest, Gu Xuan was unable to imagine how a person without elemental energy could possibly fight . It went against his common sense . He was so absorbed in his thoughts that the fragrant soup almost seemed less alluring . He continued sipping on it subconsciously .

It was true that Ai Hui had no elemental energy, but over these past few days of training they had yet to bump into issues .

The seven sword pagodas operated very smoothly . No, even smoother than before!

This was something Gu Xuan simply couldn’t understand and something he felt was the most illogical .

Could it be that elemental energy was unnecessary for swordsmen?

He found it hard to belief since it violated conventional knowledge . Yet, a live example had been placed before him . What method was Boss using to operate the sword pagodas?

“Do you need my help with your soup, Old Gu? It seems like you’re having a little trouble!”

A coarse voice interrupted Gu Xuan’s train of thought .

Gu Xian regained his senses and noticed a bright bald head approaching . He scolded jokingly, “What do you want, Old Xu! Trying to get a free bowl of soup from me? No way!”

Exposed, Old Yu responded without getting angry, “It’s because you’re drinking without tasting it!”

Gu Xuan rolled his eyes . “Even then, you’re not gonna get it!”

Old Yu was somewhat curious . “What have you been thinking about these two days, Old Gu? So preoccupied . “

Apart from the fact that everybody was impressed by Ai Hui’s promotion into the Master realm, within the Sword of Lightning, Gu Xuan’s abilities were second only to Ai Hui . However, they had seen Gu Xuan’s recent abnormal behavior and were rather worried .

While Gu Xuan wasn’t well versed in worldly affairs, he was able to tell good from bad and could feel the concern of Old Yu and the rest . He explained, “I don’t quite understand something . It’s a fact that Boss doesn’t have elemental energy, so why is he still able to control our sword rays?”

Old Yu paused for a moment, but quickly found it funny . “That’s all?”

“Yes, just this!” Gu Xuan looked at Old Yu, adding, “You’ve thought about it too? Any idea?”

Old Yu answered matter-of-factly, “How is he able to control our sword rays despite not having elemental energy? Very simple eh, it’s because he’s the boss . If he can’t then who can?”

Gu Xuan was speechless and unable to refute .

Old Yu continued, “You’re overthinking, Old Gu . Let’s talk about swordsmen . They existed in the past when there wasn’t any elemental energy, so why must they have it now?”

Gu Xuan was stunned . That was right! Swordsmen had a longer history than the Avalon of Five Elements and there wasn’t any elemental energy back then, so why must they have it?

He fell into a daze .

Just then, Ai Hui’s voice could be heard . “Everyone gather!”

Unknowingly, Ai Hui had woken up from his coma .

People raised their heads, somewhat flabbergasted . They had just been resting for a short while and had yet to recover their elemental energy .

The sword moves everybody practiced weren’t complicated, but as long as someone wasn’t following the tempo, the moves would usually fail . This was also why they had to maintain extreme focus at all times . Waving their swords around during such high focus required astonishing physical strength .

After each round of training, everybody had to rest in order to recover their elemental energy and physical strength before starting the next round .

The Sword of Lightning’s training was very dull, much drier than their individual training .

All kinds of complaints emerged . For example, they found the sword moves limited and even boring . As such, a popular phrase surfaced within the Sword of Lightning .

“Are we really swordsmen? I don’t think so . Which swordsmen have such few moves? If we were to use them individually, not even a chicken can be killed . A swordsman unable to kill a chicken shouldn’t go out there and claim to be a swordsman!”

If not for the fact that Ai Hui had personally released the power of the sword pagodas in Lemon Camping Ground, there probably wouldn’t be anyone willing to press on .

Ample rest was extremely crucial, as learned by everybody during this period of harsh training . Without rest, they wouldn’t even be able to engage in high intensity training and would commit errors more frequently, hence hindering their practice .

So when Ai Hui ordered everybody to gather, they were extremely surprised .

“Something’s up . “

These words alerted everyone . Elementalists who were still alive weren’t rookies . They had rich experience . In this chaotic world, not only did they have to face dire beasts, they had to face all kinds of danger, greed, riches, and disputes .

Everybody threw the bowl in their hands on the ground and stood up .

With his full body wrapped in bandages, Ai Hui’s eyes were bright enough to light up the night sky .

Earlier, his spirit and mind had entered a very unique state where he could “see” very far away . He’d never seen such a faraway place before and could detect its dangerous aura .

It was as if the danger was close by . He then “saw” some shadows concealed amid the night .

About 60 miles away from Fishback City, Xia Houjun stopped in his tracks .

A vigilant look flashed across his face . “What’s going on?”

While they were both fickle, the fact that they could remain alive until this point and live so comfortably was enough to show that they were capable individuals .

Xia Houjun asked in a low voice, “Seems like someone is spying on us . Do you feel it?”

“No . ” Xia Houjie shook his head, the alertness on his face remaining . He scanned his surroundings . “A strong expert?”

“Not sure . ” Xia Houjun continued hesitantly, “Only in that instant, but it disappeared very quickly, so I can’t be sure . “

“It’s good to be more cautious,” Xia Houjie said in a low voice, his eyes flickering . ” We’re not the only ones eyeing the snow lava . There might be powerful experts, so we can’t be complacent . “

“Mhmm . “

The duo raised their guard and slowed down .

Any mistake on the battlefield would only lead to one ending–death . They’d seen too many powerful experts die from a small oversight . Failing to obtain the snow lava simply meant that their mission had failed . They weren’t ready to gamble their lives away for it .

In Fishback City, Gu Xuan led a group of people back and forth within the city .

Boss’s orders were very strange . He’d asked for all lights within the city to be lit . Bonfires had to be started wherever possible .

He couldn’t quite understand the meaning behind this . A strategy to mislead the enemy? But the opponent would immediately notice something fishy they moment they arrived .

Nevertheless, he carried out Boss’s orders to the letter .

It was strange . It was only natural that everybody followed Boss’s orders when he was a Master .

Yet, now that he was severely injured and had yet to recover, it was strange how everybody still complied subconsciously .

Gu Xuan had traveled extensively and been to many cities . All along, he spoke with his fist . Anything a Master possessed would go up in smoke the moment his base level crumbled .

No one would listen to his orders anymore and all respect would be gone .

Yet, this did not happen to Ai Hui .

Gu Xuan also tried thinking from his own perspective . Why was he still listening to Ai Hui? Could he control the sword pagodas? No . He didn’t even know how to train, so needless to say he wouldn’t be able to lift the pagoda . Could he replace Boss? No .

Gu Xuan believed that in everyone’s eyes, there were inconceivable things going on in Ai Hui’s mind .

There was something about Ai Hui that gave people faith .

As for the fact that Ai Hui was no longer a Master, Gu Xuan realized that he did not really mind . In his eyes, Ai Hui would definitely return to his status as a Master, just like Senior Le Buleng had . Ai Hui was merely facing a low point in life .

Gu Xuan was highly confident about this, even more so than the possibility of him becoming a Master .

So damn strange!

Gu Xuan shook his head . He could only console himself . People who could become leaders usually had special traits .

The lights in Fishback City shone brightly, and everybody took the chance to go to the top of Blackfish Mouth Volcano . Right by their side was the sword pagoda that Lou Lan had brought up .

The mountain wasn’t as magnificent at night . The red glow from its volcanic crater was blocked by thick rolling smoke .

The night breeze brushed across Ai Hui’s face . He was like a mummy who had just crawled out from his sarcophagus . He looked into the distance, his eyes sparkling like stars .

Gu Xuan and the rest followed Ai Hui’s line of sight, but saw nothing .

“Everybody take this time to rest . The enemy is coming soon . “

Ai Hui’s voice made everybody nervous . They quickly meditated and recuperated .

The volcanic crater quietened down and only Lou Lan was left by Ai Hui’s side . He gazed into the horizon .

It was extremely quiet around them .

At this point, Ai Hui felt something he hadn’t before . He felt as if he’d melted into the night . He could see the metal wind blowing from afar . The almost undetectable rippling layers . The ground beneath his feet and the blue dome of heaven above his head seemed to be one with him . His gaze spanned across the mountains and the blue dome of heaven, as if overlooking the field and bearing the weight of all living things .

No one noticed that the moment the wind came close to Blackfish Mouth Volcano, it would become abnormally docile . Only Lou Lan sensed it . He turned around, the red glow in his eyes flickering for a short while before calming down .

Behind them, the bubbling snow lava appeared to be flattened into folded layers by an invisible hand . Its was smooth and glossy like a heated metal mirror .

An obsessed look appeared on Ai Hui’s face . This was beyond a wonderful experience .

In his eyes, the world wasn’t just elemental energy .

Some time passed, then he sensed something . Immediately, he separated himself from that marvelous state of mind . He felt somewhat regretful and felt it would be good if he could experience this state once more .

With a murderous spirit surging within his bright eyes, he threw away all distracting thoughts .

“Enemy is coming . “