Chapter 160: The Daoist Scripture Reacts Again

Beneath the veil of night, three figures sped swiftly through the mountain forest.

One was fleeing, while two pursued.

The man in flight was none other than Li Wenxin.

The two pursuers were precisely the Marquis of the Bai clan and the old woman who had earlier met with Li Wenxuan.

Li Wenxin’s aura was weak and withered; he had taken a palm strike to his back, from which wisps of green vapor continually wafted.

This was a poisonous palm strike, delivered by the old woman.

"I have no grievances with either of you! Why push me to such extremes and hunt me down relentlessly? If it is the Ink Jade Ganoderma you want, I can give it to you right now!"

Li Wenxin shouted aloud as he fled, his voice carrying far into the distance, hoping to alert anyone nearby.

He could not fathom why these two were pursuing him so relentlessly, determined to take his life.

At first, he assumed it was because of the Ink Jade Ganoderma, as he had been fortunate enough to acquire two stalks previously.

Yet now, it was clear that their intent to kill him went far beyond mere Ganoderma.

With gloomy expressions, the Marquis of the Bai clan and the old woman kept up a desperate chase.

They had miscalculated, underestimating Li Wenxin’s true strength.

On the surface, Li Wenxin primarily practiced a first-rate spear technique, having cultivated it to the realm of perfection. On the Martial Marquis Leaderboard, he ranked thirty-fifth.

Such strength had not caused them much concern; eliminating him ought to have been a simple matter.

Only when combat commenced did they discover that, alongside his spear technique, Li Wenxin had also mastered a movement art, and to an extremely profound degree—reaching the absolute peak of mastery, merely a hair’s breadth away from ultimate perfection.

To cultivate two first-rate martial arts to such heights marked him as a true martial prodigy.

It was precisely by relying on this movement art that Li Wenxin had managed to escape their grasp in the first place and maintain his flight all the way here.

"Shall we use that power?"

The Marquis of the Bai clan whispered to the old woman.

The old woman shook her head.

Naturally, what they referred to was the power of their Martial Spirits.

Once invoked, their strength would surge dramatically, making it easy to kill Li Wenxin.

However, in the dead of night, walls have ears.

Should anyone happen to be hiding in the forest and witness them unleashing their Martial Spirit powers, it would spell utter disaster.

Their current aristocratic clans would no longer have any place for them.

Unless driven to absolute desperation, they would never resort to that power.

"Li Wenxin has been struck by my poisonous palm. Given his bone strength, he cannot hold out for much longer. Once his bone strength is exhausted, he will be completely at our mercy."

The old woman said.

"I only fear we might run into others."

The Marquis of the Bai clan frowned.

Kunwu Mountain spanned a hundred miles, a vast and sprawling domain.

With seventy-two people entering the grounds, they were widely scattered. For ordinary people, encounters were indeed rare, but top-tier martial marquises like themselves had entered to hunt for rare treasures and exotic beasts, roaming about wildly, which drastically increased the probability of crossing paths with others.

"Could it be that today I am destined to perish here? Who on earth is it? Who has the clout to dispatch these two to kill me? Could it be Li Wenxuan? Does he possess such influence?"

Li Wenxin muttered to himself as he ran.

At that very moment, a peculiar, subtle fragrance drifted to his senses.

It came from the front left.

"Someone is there!"

Li Wenxin’s spirits lifted.

No matter what, a drowning man grasps at straws. He would rush over and check. Encountering others would surely make the Marquis of the Bai clan and the old woman hesitate.

Hidden high up in the branches of a massive tree, Lu Yan stared unblinkingly at the Phoenix Fragrance incense burning a few dozen meters away.

Only a tiny sliver of the Phoenix Fragrance remained, yet it had still failed to lure out a Phoenix Blood Worm.

"It seems my luck has truly run out."

Lu Yan smiled with helpless resignation.

Right then, he caught the sound of footsteps rapidly approaching his position.

Immediately afterward, a figure came scrambling past in a disheveled state.

"The Phoenix Fragrance didn't attract a Phoenix Blood Worm, but it drew in a person. Ah, it's Li Wenxin."

Lu Yan was momentarily stunned.

Following closely behind, he spotted the two pursuers.

The scene made it obvious at a glance that Li Wenxin was being hunted down.

"Should I save him?"

The thought crossed Lu Yan's mind, and he made his decision instantly: yes.

For now, he still needed to rely on the Li clan.

If Li Wenxin died, Li Wenxuan would undoubtedly ascend to power, a development thoroughly disadvantageous to him, and he could forget about remaining in Herb City.

Li Wenxin could not be allowed to die just yet.

Swish!

Lu Yan vaulted into the air like a bat of the night, leaping over a hundred meters to land directly between Li Wenxin and his pursuers.

The gazes of the Marquis of the Bai clan and the old woman sharpened.

"Step aside!"

The Marquis of the Bai clan threw a punch straight at Lu Yan.

Lu Yan met the blow with a fist of his own. With a resounding crash, the Marquis shuddered, drifting back more than ten meters as he stared at Lu Yan with a mixture of shock and suspicion.

Although he hadn't used his full strength in that strike, he had still channeled seventy percent of his power, yet he had been overpowered by Lu Yan.

The old woman was likewise startled, halting her steps and eyeing Lu Yan with extreme caution.

Taking advantage of the opening, Li Wenxin produced a piece of martial dried meat to chew on while circulating his bone strength to suppress the poison.

"Your Excellency, this matter has nothing to do with you. Step aside."

The old woman’s voice was crisp yet bone-chillingly cold.

Lu Yan shook his head. "No."

"You know Li Wenxin?"

Asked the Marquis of the Bai clan.

"Indeed."

Lu Yan nodded. "Therefore, I must ask the two of you to take your leave."

"Then we shall kill you along with him!"

The old woman snapped coldly, suddenly striking as she flung her hands outward, scattering two clouds of green powder toward Lu Yan.

Lu Yan was quite familiar with this sort of tactic; it instantly reminded him of chili powder.

Yet the green powder before him was clearly not chili powder, but venomous dust, countless times more lethal.

Ever mindful of unknown poisons, Lu Yan retreated swiftly the moment the old woman moved, his palms striking out to generate fierce gales that blew the toxins away.

Simultaneously, the Marquis of the Bai clan made his move, drawing a pair of hooked swords.

With the twin swords joined, he lunged at Lu Yan.

The hooked swords resembled ordinary blades, yet one side featured a curved talon capable of stabbing, hooking, and slashing, shifting endlessly with bizarre and treacherous moves.

It was Lu Yan’s first time encountering such a weapon. At first, unsure how to counter it, he could only rely on his footwork to dodge.

Yet after a dozen exchanges, Lu Yan had roughly grasped their opponent's patterns.

Swish!

The Crimson Blood Saber slashed out. With two crisp clangs, the Marquis of the Bai clan suffered a violent shock and was forced to retreat.

Just as Lu Yan moved to press the advantage and finish off the Marquis in one go, the old woman’s hands flickered repeatedly, sending dozens of flying darts raining toward Lu Yan.

Hidden within the swarm of darts were fine, needle-like projectiles.

Be it the darts or the needles, all gleamed with an oily green sheen, clearly coated in virulent poison.

Lu Yan swept his saber, weaving a dense barrier of blade light before him that deflected every single dart and needle.

"Your Excellency, I have come to lend a hand."

Li Wenxin arrived at Lu Yan’s side, grasping a short spear and preparing to join the fray.

Lu Yan glanced at him sideways. "You are still riddled with poison that hasn't been fully forced out. Focus on expelling the toxin; I can handle these two."

With that, Lu Yan surged his bone strength and stepped forward.

The old woman flicked her wrists again, unleashing another handful of toxic powder.

Hidden within the dust were concealed weapons that cut through the air with barely a sound. Combined with the pitch-black night, the attack was utterly silent.

The old woman’s mastery of hidden weapons was truly transcendent; even those stronger than her would find it difficult to evade.

Lu Yan continued to swing his saber, layers of blade curtains repelling all the hidden projectiles and toxic dust.

"Let's see how many hidden weapons and poisons you actually carry."

Lu Yan pressed forward once more.

The old woman retreated in haste, falling back to stand beside the Marquis of the Bai clan as they continued their tactical withdrawal, staring at Lu Yan with heightened caution.
"What now? This fellow’s bone strength far exceeds mine; I fear we are no match for him unless we—"

The Marquis of the Bai clan murmured in a low voice.

"Unwise."

The old woman shook her head.

She knew full well what the Marquis wanted to say: they should resort to the power of their Martial Spirits.

Yet she felt that even invoking their Martial Spirits might not guarantee victory over Lu Yan.

Worse still, it risked exposing their true identities.

"The Hour of the Ox is fast approaching; our primary mission takes precedence. Whether Li Wenxin lives or dies is inconsequential. I suggest we fall back for now."

The old woman stated.

"Agreed."

The Marquis of the Bai clan nodded.

The two continued to back away, and once a safe distance from Lu Yan had been established, they turned and bolted.

Lu Yan did not give chase.

His objective had been to rescue Li Wenxin, and since that goal was now accomplished, there was no need to risk his life for the man's sake.

"Many thanks, brother, for stepping in to help. Otherwise, my life would have been forfeit."

Li Wenxin walked over, cupping his fists in gratitude.

"Think nothing of it, a mere flick of the wrist."

Lu Yan replied.

"May I ask how brother is addressed?" Li Wenxin asked.

"Lu Ren."

Said Lu Yan.

"So you are Lu Ren."

A flash of realization crossed Li Wenxin’s face, followed by an inner wave of puzzlement. He and Lu Ren were complete strangers; he could not fathom why the other man had intervened to save him.

Ordinarily, no one would risk their life against two powerful experts merely to save a stranger.

Could this Lu Ren recognize him?

Or perhaps some friend of his knew him and had mentioned him?

Noticing that Lu Ren had no intention of elaborating, he tactfully refrained from prying further.

"Brother Lu, this debt of saving my life is unforgettable. If you ever have need of anything in the future, come find the Li clan in Herb City. Within my capacity, I will never refuse."

"Furthermore, not long ago, I was fortunate enough to acquire two stalks of Ink Jade Ganoderma. Allow me to gift one to Brother Lu as a token of my profound gratitude."

Li Wenxin untied his bundle, produced a Ganoderma that looked as though it had been carved from black jade, and handed it to Lu Yan.

"Ink Jade Ganoderma."

Lu Yan’s eyes lit up.

This was the second most crucial ingredient for cooking Ink Jade Heart Pearls, second only to the Heart Pearls themselves. On the open market, it commanded a staggering price of eighty thousand silver liang, making it exceedingly rare and coveted.

"Then I shall accept it without pretense."

Lu Yan took it directly and stowed it away.

"Brother Li, someone clearly intends to have you killed. If you remain here, the danger will be immense."

Lu Yan cautioned.

He feared Li Wenxin might still end up dead in Kunwu Mountain.

Li Wenxin nodded, his expression turning dark.

Nine times out of ten, it was the work of Li Wenxuan.

"Once I suppress the poison within my body, I will leave Kunwu Mountain."

Said Li Wenxin.

Lu Yan nodded. "I have matters to attend to; farewell."

Turning away, Lu Yan made his way back to the patch of crimson-red soil, only to find that the Phoenix Fragrance incense was on the verge of burning out entirely.

"It seems even deep within Kunwu Mountain, Phoenix Blood Worms are exceptionally scarce. Finding one right at the start was truly pure luck."

Lu Yan shook his head with a faint smile.

Seeing that the incense was about to extinguish itself, he didn't linger, leaping away from the spot.

Half an hour later, Lu Yan paused before a vast sea of flowers.

The petals resembled tiny pearls, creating a dazzling and breathtaking sight as far as the eye could see.

"What kind of flowers are these? Quite pretty. If they were back on Earth, during those so-called Valentine's Days, they'd probably cause no end of grief for poor fellows."

Lu Yan chuckled, casting a casual glance before striding directly into the sea of blossoms.

Passing through the floral expanse revealed a dense, overgrown jungle.

Choosing a random direction, Lu Yan pressed forward, but he hadn't even covered a single mile before he stopped abruptly, a look of startled doubt crossing his features.

For at that exact moment, the Daoist Tome had reacted of its own accord, glowing brilliantly and radiating an intense yearning.

A Dao Food.

Furthermore, an exceptional-quality Dao Food was right nearby.

Since he hadn't actively communed with the Tome, yet it reacted autonomously, the treasure had to be extraordinary.

Without delay, Lu Yan sank his consciousness into the Tome, proactively establishing a connection. Instantly, he sensed the exact location of the Dao Food.

With a push of his feet, Lu Yan dashed like a gale-force wind toward the coordinates provided.

Two miles later, Lu Yan pulled up short atop a towering tree, gazing ahead with sudden astonishment.

Before him, a beast resembling a tiger was pacing back and forth.

According to the Tome’s guidance, the Dao Food resided within this beast—specifically, embedded within its flesh and bone.

How could a Dao Food be found inside a living beast? It was the first time Lu Yan had encountered such a phenomenon.

After scanning the surroundings and confirming there was no immediate danger, Lu Yan hesitated no longer, drawing his Crimson Blood Saber as he leaped down to attack.

Roar!

Spotting Lu Yan, the tiger beast let out a low growl, its sharp claws sweeping forward with hurricane force, sending gravel flying in a display of terrifying might.

Not daring to be careless, Lu Yan dodged the strike with a swift side-step, reappearing to the side of the beast and bringing his saber down in a vicious arc toward its neck.

Yet at that instant, the tiger’s tail lashed out like a steel whip.

Lu Yan neither ducked nor parried, driving his left fist outward while his right hand kept the Crimson Blood Saber in motion.

Bang!

His fist collided with the tiger’s tail in a dull, thunderous thud, sending a slight numbness rippling through Lu Yan's knuckles.

Such immense offensive power!

The tiger beast’s strength exceeded his expectations, far surpassing an ordinary fifth-tier martial marquis—at the very least equivalent to someone who had cultivated three strands of bone strength.

Thud!

The Crimson Blood Saber hacked into the tiger’s neck, biting an inch deep before getting wedged.

The beast growled low, its body suffused with a dense, crimson-red blood aura. Simultaneously, the subterranean blood-Qi of heaven and earth surged frantically toward the beast, fusing with its blood aura to manifest physically, hardening like a suit of armor across its hide.

The tiger’s strength surged dramatically. Twisting its head, its cavernous maw snapped toward Lu Yan’s arm.

Retreating in a flash, Lu Yan avoided those lethal jaws.

"Such formidable power! No wonder they say certain beasts grow far stronger within blood veins, capable of directly channeling subterranean blood-Qi to mount attacks."

Lu Yan marvelled.

Yet faced with the temptation of a Dao Food, he had no intention of giving up easily.

He still had a cluster of avatars waiting eagerly to be fed.

Unleashing all nine strands of bone strength, driving his Vajra Indestructible Art to its absolute limit, his entire body turned a radiant gold. With a powerful bound, he closed in once more, deploying the Nine Slashes Divine Thunder Saber technique in a furious onslaught.

In terms of sheer force, Lu Yan ultimately held the absolute advantage, pressing the tiger beast back step by step. On the seventh slash, his blade struck the tiger’s neck once again—hitting precisely the same spot as before.

This time, half the beast's neck was severed clean through, its head nearly tumbling off its shoulders.

The tiger whirled around and fled.

Lunging forward, Lu Yan overtook the creature and grabbed hold of its tail, yanking backward with brute force. The beast, weighing several thousand catties, was dragged right back as the Crimson Blood Saber fell in a final, decisive stroke.

This time, the tiger’s head parted entirely from its body.

The massive carcass crashed heavily to the earth.

"It should be in the ribcage."

Following the Tome’s resonance, Lu Yan sliced open the beast's abdomen, uncovering a peculiar rib.

This rib possessed two distinct colors.

One end was slightly crimson, blending in with the rest of the tiger’s ribs.

The other end, however, was stark milky white.

Lu Yan had the distinct sensation that this milky-white section of the bone had been artificially grafted onto the beast.

And the Dao Food sensed by the Tome was none other than this very segment of milky-white rib.

(End of this chapter)