Since it was determined that the Southern Forest wasn't too dangerous, Shu Han willingly decided to go.

With just one cultivator at the initial stage of Core Formation, the trio, when combined, wouldn't just hold their ground but would also have an easy time ensuring their safety.

Moreover, Shu Han heard that the Southern Forest to the north of the Great Cloud was famous for its unique and exotic flowers and plants. Perhaps he might find out the whereabouts of a pure wood spiritual herb within the forest.

However, all of this depended on whether Song Changyi was also willing to go.

Without him, the top expert from the Heavenly Fire Leaderboard, the danger would drastically increase. Besides, he is the son of Sect Leader Song Jinglun. By mentioning Song Jinglun's name, most Core Formation cultivators in the north of the Great Cloud would show some respect.

Wei Haolong, seeing that Shu Han wasn't an issue, turned to Song Changyi, "If junior brother Song insists on knowing the reason, then please follow me. However, I would ask you to keep the matter confidential!"

"I will surely keep it a secret."

Wei Haolong shot a stern look at Shu Han, "You must also keep this secret! You're the one with the loosest lips!"

Shu Han, indignant, retorted, "Damn! Another secret to keep! Pay me for my silence, or no deal!"

Wei Haolong, exasperated, said, "Always looking for an opportunity to benefit, eh? What do you want?"

"Pure Ice Formation's core formation patterns!"

"What?!"

Wei Haolong immediately shook his head, "I don't know! That's my father's top secret, how would I know about it?"

Seeing Wei Haolong's reaction, Shu Han made a guess.

It seemed like his relationship with his father wasn't good, so it was natural for him not to know certain secrets.

Shu Han sighed, "If you don't know, then forget it. Looking at you, you don't seem to have anything valuable anyway. Before, you had a stash of women's clothing, but now even those have been burned."

Hearing this, the pain was evident on Wei Haolong's face. Just as Wei Haolong was about to leave with the two, a staggering figure approached from the distance.

Upon seeing the figure with his Clear Bright Spiritual Eye, Shu Han recognized the mad elder. He thought to himself, as soon as he left the mountain, the elder was bound to appear. He then said to Song Changyi, "Brother Song, get ready. Cross-dresser, you wait a moment!"

Wei Haolong, understanding the implication, quickly left the scene.

Soon after, the mad elder, with his shaky steps, came in front of Shu Han and Song Changyi. Shu Han gave a respectful bow and then turned to Song Changyi, saying, "Brother Song, watch my duel with Master closely. If he defeats me, you must immediately step in. If Master leaves, we won't be able to stop him!"

Song Changyi looked at the mad elder, a hint of red in his eyes, his fists clenched.

The mad elder, with his murky and vacant eyes, couldn't help but shift his gaze to Song Changyi. An emotional ripple seemed to appear in those lifeless eyes.

Shu Han gave a formal salute and initiated his usual sparring session with the mad elder.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

Song Changyi quickly stepped back to give the two enough space to spar.

In the fast-paced duel, Shu Han noticed that the mad elder seemed somewhat distracted lately.

Although his moves were still sharp and Shu Han's dark patterns were slowly increasing, the overwhelming oppressive feel from the past was absent, allowing Shu Han to hold his ground for quite some time.

He was well aware that it wasn't because of his increased skill.

No matter how much he improved, in front of the mad elder, his abilities were insignificant.

The duel lasted for an hour, leaving Song Changyi and Wei Haolong dazzled.

Song Changyi felt exhilarated as he watched from the side, eager to jump in. Soon, the Black Abyssal Fire essence within Shu Han began to wane. Sensing the depletion of Shu Han's internal fire essence, the mad elder didn't hold back and sent him flying with a punch.

Shu Han shouted, "Brother Song! Now's the time!"

Song Changyi, already eager, adopted the martial arts taught by Shu Han, using his palm as a sword and aimed for the gap left by Shu Han. He launched a continuous attack on the mad elder.

Just as Shu Han was concerned about how long Song Changyi could last against the mad elder, the normally sharp elder suddenly slowed down, being pushed back by Song Changyi's assault.

"What..."

Song Changyi was also stunned. His punches and kicks became even more forceful, but they couldn't harm the mad elder at all. Instead, the impact made his hands ache.

He was genuinely angry and exclaimed, "What do you mean by this? Are you unwilling to teach me, or do you look down on me?"

The mad elder's lost gaze was unfocused. Shu Han's pupils dilated in alarm, sensing trouble. He knew that this was a sign that the mad elder was about to go berserk.

Shu Han quickly warned, "Brother Song, retreat! Master is about to go crazy again! We'll try next time!"

Despite Shu Han's warning, Song Changyi, anger in his heart and determined, continued his assault on the dazed mad elder. "No! Since I promised my mother, I must learn the 'Heavenly Fire Body Refining Technique' from him! I won't stop until I do!"

Suddenly, the mad elder's murky eyes flashed with a sharp brilliance. Shu Han's heart raced with alarm, wanting to pull Song Changyi back, but both his spiritual power and physical strength were drained.

Boom!

The mad elder threw a punch, breaking through Song Changyi's defense and hitting him squarely in the chest.

The force of the punch sent shockwaves through the air, causing a violent explosion. Like a leaf caught in a stormy wave, Song Changyi was blown away, landing a hundred meters away.

Shu Han was taken aback. Such a powerful strike would be challenging even for him to bear, let alone a novice like Song Changyi.

"Brother Song! Retreat now! We can try again next time!"

But Song Changyi stood still in shock. He clearly felt an overwhelming force hitting him earlier and assumed he'd be severely injured. However, not only was he unharmed, but he also felt more energetic than before.

He looked at his wrist and noticed some red patterns pulsating. He could feel an incredible latent power within these markings.

"Is this the 'Heavenly Fire Body Refining Technique'?"

Song Changyi's gaze towards the distant mad elder was complex.

"Why didn't the attack from this madman harm me?"

Without dwelling on these thoughts any further, he gathered his strength and charged at the mad elder again.

The hundred meters distance was closed in an instant. This time, the mad elder seemed to showcase his real skills. Moving at a speed too fast for the naked eye, he repeatedly hammered Song Changyi with punches and kicks. The scene was utterly brutal.

Wei Haolong swallowed hard and moved closer to Shu Han. Watching Song Changyi being hammered and tossed around, he couldn't help but say, "Isn't this too cruel? Poor junior brother Song! He's being treated worse than a punching bag. Should we grab him and run?"

"No!"

Shu Han stopped him. His Clear Bright Spiritual Eye opened and he said, "It may seem like Master is brutally beating Brother Song, but in reality, he's using a secret method to cleanse his body. Through the Clear Bright Spiritual Eye, I can see Master's essence being channeled into Brother Song's meridians with each punch and kick."

"Wow, that sounds incredible! Can I go get beaten up next?"

Shu Han was shocked, "If you go, he might genuinely kill you!"

"Why?"

Shu Han commented, "Haven't you noticed that Brother Song looks a lot like his mother?"

"What's so strange about that?"

Shu Han explained, "That's the point!"

He had previously heard Tang Shan'er's account and realized from her tone that she held a deep affection for his master's past. It seemed his suspicions were correct.

He deduced that before Tang Shan'er married Song Jinglun, she and the mad elder were a pair.

It made sense then, why the sight of Song Changyi would make the elder distracted.

Wei Haolong, confused, asked, "What the hell does that mean? What are you hinting at?"

Shu Han replied, "It's a deep secret of the Fiery Cloud Instant Sect. My master's junior sister forbade me from revealing it."

"Who is your master's junior sister? How would you know the deep secrets of the Fiery Cloud Instant Sect when you've only been in the sect for a few years?"