Chapter 70 – A Peaceful Night, Crisis Follows
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Inside the tree hollow, Yu Xian remained calm and alert, his eyes cautious and his ears attuned to every sound in his surroundings.
Those howls and shrieks outside—whatever creatures they came from—they were certainly not friendly.
With the stench of death and decay clinging to him, masking his living aura, and hidden securely within the hollow, he was almost undetectable by normal senses. But in this demonic valley, no one could say what strange methods these beings might use to hunt.
Time slowly passed.
Yu Xian crouched in silence inside the hollow, knees to chest, just as he had done the months following his mother’s death—curling up in bed and waiting for dawn, unable to sleep.
Hours ticked by.
Suddenly, a low growl echoed just outside the tree.
Yu Xian’s brows twitched, but he didn’t move.
He could sense a creature sniffing around the tree. It was careful—so careful that even he could barely hear its steps. It circled the tree several times, detecting a faint scent—decay, bones. Yet within that rot… was a sliver of life.
That trace of freshness piqued its curiosity.
But the tree seemed intact. The smell, too weak. Eventually, the creature gave a reluctant growl and departed into the night.
Peace returned.
Three such creatures approached during the night. But none found him.
Six hours passed. Then, just as the forest began to lighten, all the terrifying howls and cries vanished in an instant.
The darkness was retreating.
Light had come.
With a soft thud, Yu Xian dropped the bark panel and stepped out.
The sky was greyish and sunless, but the clouds now emitted a faint glow, illuminating the land.
A grey mist—formed from morning fog and demonic energy—drifted like a toxic haze through the trees.
Exhaling softly, Yu Xian resumed his journey.
In daytime, it was safer. The demonized beasts clearly favored the night—most likely nocturnal.
He remained cautious, but his pace increased noticeably.
The boots on his feet shimmered faintly, empowering his speed. With each step, he floated half a foot above the ground, moving several meters forward.
As the morning fog gradually dispersed, the hidden treasures of the forest began to reveal themselves—plants, shrubs, thorns, wildflowers… and spiritual herbs.
Suddenly, Yu Xian slowed. A flash of surprise lit up his eyes.
Under a withered tree, nestled in the undergrowth, a faint red glow shimmered.
A subtle fragrance wafted over.
Yu Xian immediately recognized it: Red Vermilion Spirit Fruit, a top-grade Tier 4 herb—crucial in refining the Essence Nourishing Pill.
He wasn’t surprised anymore why Medicine King Valley sent disciples into this perilous place.
To stumble upon a Tier 4 herb so easily—then surely, Tier 5, even Tier 6 herbs could be found here in abundance.
His heart stirred with excitement, but it lasted only a moment.
“What’s the point of getting excited?” he muttered bitterly.
Even if he found a Tier 9 herb, or even legendary immortality elixirs—it was meaningless if he couldn’t get out alive.
He stepped forward, reaching to pluck the fruit…
But just as his fingers approached, his pupils shrank!
In an instant, he stomped down and blasted backwards!
Ssshhhk!
A twig-like blur shot forward from beneath the grass—razor fangs and venom spraying toward where his hand had just been.
Without thinking, Yu Xian slashed down with his sword, Bì Lìng Sword, like chopping firewood.
A crisp swish sounded. A clean strike.
The creature was cleaved into two.
Now he could see it clearly: a four-foot-long gray serpent, its body twitching even in death. Venom dripped from its fangs, scorching and withering the grass.
Though not a true demon beast, its lethality rivaled a Tier 2 one.
A single bite could’ve been fatal.
He didn’t stop there—another quick slash, and its head flew off. He used the sword to sweep the grass again—no second serpent.
Then, he swiftly plucked the Red Vermilion Spirit Fruit and dashed away.
As he went deeper, the forest floor became littered with bones. Every few hundred meters, he found remains—disciples of Medicine King Valley who’d met their end here.
Those with storage bags, he searched.
He took famine pills, spiritual water pills—supplies that could keep him alive longer.
He ignored the low-grade spirit stones—his storage bag was already filled with hundreds of thousands of them.
Space was precious now.
Half a day passed. The forest grew brighter, but also livelier—swarms of bugs crawled over everything.
Yu Xian knew these were dangerous.
Even a single fresh corpse would be stripped to the bone in moments.
The deeper he ventured, the thicker the forest grew.
Dreadful auras became more common—pressure mounting with every step.
Even though it was day, the creatures that dwelled here had grown bold.
He became more careful, quicker. His target: the mountain up ahead.
But half an hour later…
A roar rang out behind him!
Yu Xian’s face tightened.
Something had discovered him.
No time for hesitation—he rapidly cast Wind Surge, Swift Gale Steps, and Soaring Cloud Technique—three mobility spells. His boots activated fully, shining bright.
Boom!
A shockwave exploded as he shot forward like lightning!
Run!
He didn’t look back. As long as the beast wasn’t already upon him, he wouldn’t fight it.
The creature behind roared again and gave chase.
Its speed was terrifying—slightly faster than Yu Xian’s!
He glanced back—around 800 meters behind, a massive beast resembling a wolf but with the body of a horse, black fur, and blood-red eyes.
Dark energy radiated from it.
Its aura… Tier 3 demon beast! Foundation Establishment level!
No choice—Yu Xian ran faster!
He sprinted with all his might, the beast closing the distance. But with a gap of 800 meters, it would take at least one incense stick of time to catch up.
And that beast, while chasing him, was also clearing the path—other monsters fled its aura.
Unless something stronger showed up…
Yu Xian ran for forty li (20 kilometers). The beast behind had nearly closed the gap—only about 100 meters now.
He prepared a high-grade talisman—a powerful strike from an early Core Formation expert.
Just as he was about to turn and unleash it—
A sudden shriek pierced the forest:
“GAAAH!”
A deafening sound wave shook Yu Xian’s ears—his mind buzzed.
Even the beast behind him halted immediately, roared in warning, then turned and fled!
Even it feared this new presence.
Yu Xian clenched his teeth, swapped the talisman in hand.
Now, a strike from a peak Core Formation cultivator—his master’s most powerful gift—was at the ready.
Another shriek rang out.
But the source did not approach.
It was warning him, not hunting him.
Understanding dawned.
He was trespassing in its territory—and it was driving him out.
Without hesitation, he bolted forward.
But he wasn’t leaving, he was trying to cross through!
A third shriek—so fierce, his eardrums nearly tore!
This monster was far too dangerous!
Yu Xian could no longer hold back—he jumped onto the Bì Lìng Sword and activated his Swordflight Technique.
Boom!
The sword howled through the air, doubling his speed!
Another shriek.
The guardian of the territory was enraged.
Three warnings had been ignored.
Even though still a thousand meters away, its aura—late Foundation Establishment stage—made Yu Xian’s head spin.
If it reached him, even with his strongest talisman, survival wasn’t guaranteed.
Still, he dared not look back—until finally, he couldn’t resist.
And what he saw made his blood freeze.
A monster with the head of a duck and the body of a massive toad, ten zhang (30 meters) in size, leaped forward—each jump covering hundreds of meters!
It was chasing him.
And it would catch him—unless he found a way out!
