Chapter 291: The Mountain Hermit Yunhe Lies in Wait to Ambush Haoxuan

Feeling the chilling aura on the Mountain Hermit Yunhe’s face grow even heavier, the group of rogue cultivators quickly shut their mouths, their hearts filled with even greater admiration. ‘Venerable Ancestor Yunhe is truly a powerhouse who possesses a flying sword. He is imposing without being angry. And the aura around him is chaotic yet uncoagulated, with a faint sense of his blood qi leaking internally. Could it be that his vital blood is leaking due to an unhealed injury? Impossible. The Mountain Hermit Yunhe is a great power with a flying sword, who could possibly injure him? It must be because he’s practicing some new cultivation art. It’s said that some demonic arts can cause this feeling of internal blood qi leakage. In fact, this is a sign that one’s cultivation has reached an extremely high realm! Sigh, just this aura alone is enough for us to ponder for a long time!’

If the Mountain Hermit Yunhe knew what these people were thinking, he would have slapped each and every one of them to death. ‘Practicing a new cultivation art, my ass! The reason my aura is chaotic and my blood qi is leaking is because my injuries haven’t healed. Although there are no scars on the surface, my vital blood is constantly draining away inside!’

“Senior Yaowang is here. He is currently meditating in the rear camp,” one of the rogue cultivators said, his eyes lighting up. “Venerable Ancestor Yunhe, please, follow me.”

Under the guidance of this rogue cultivator, the Mountain Hermit Yunhe went with him to find Sun Yaowang.

The rogue cultivators who were in a meeting in the main command tent, discussing how to ambush and kill Qin Haoxuan, had naturally also heard the Mountain Hermit Yunhe’s earlier shout. Their faces were flushed with excitement!

They did not know that the Mountain Hermit Yunhe was at that very moment passing by their command tent.

“Venerable Ancestor Yunhe, he is a true powerhouse with a flying sword, at the Spirit Tree Realm of cultivation. It’s said that he is in no way inferior to those flying sword elders of the Taichu Sect!”

“With Venerable Ancestor Yunhe’s help, our counterattack on the Taichu Sect’s main camp is just around the corner. We won’t have to be afraid even if the Taichu Sect sends their flying sword elders!”

“That’s right! For the past few months, I’ve been worried every day, wondering when the Taichu Sect would send a flying sword elder to annihilate us. I was afraid that while I was cultivating or sleeping, a flying sword would suddenly come and take my head! Now that Venerable Ancestor Yunhe is here, I can finally sleep peacefully!”

“Haha, with Venerable Ancestor Yunhe here, those few elders from the Taichu Sect are nothing to be afraid of, let alone that brat Qin Haoxuan. So what if he killed thirty of our men in one day? One strike from Venerable Ancestor Yunhe’s flying sword would be enough to kill that bastard a thousand, even ten thousand times over!”

The Mountain Hermit Yunhe, who was passing outside the tent, keenly heard three words—Qin Haoxuan.

This was the person he gritted his teeth about even in his dreams, the one he wished he could kill immediately. His original plan had been to find Sun Yaowang, get the medicinal herbs, refine and consume them to recover, and then use his influence among the rogue cultivators to have them help him find Qin Haoxuan.

Now, he could even skip the search. Hearing what these rogue cultivators were saying, that bastard Qin Haoxuan was right here on the Seven Zhang Abyss battlefield, in the Taichu Sect’s camp, and he had even achieved the glorious record of slaying thirty rogue cultivators in a single day?

‘That kid is cunning and has a lot of tricks up his sleeve. It’s not that strange for him to be able to kill thirty rogue cultivators in a day!’ the Mountain Hermit Yunhe thought with deep hatred. ‘But now that I’ve found you, so what if you’re formidable? What other life-saving trump cards could you possibly have?’

His mind clouded by hatred, thinking of the Qiankun Talisman he had lost and his entire life’s fortune, the Mountain Hermit Yunhe forgot all about finding Sun Yaowang. He ducked into the bustling command tent and asked directly, “Where is Qin Haoxuan?”

“You are… Venerable Ancestor Yunhe?” Jiang Luofeng, the Fortieth-Leaf Spirit Sprout Realm rogue cultivator who had met him once before, recognized him at a glance. He quickly knelt on the ground and performed a grand salute. “This junior pays his respects to the Venerable Ancestor!”

In terms of cultivation realm, Venerable Ancestor Yunhe was about the same as Sun Yaowang and the other Spirit Tree Realm rogue cultivators. In their presence, Jiang Luofeng would only bow deeply, never performing a full kowtow. But the Mountain Hermit Yunhe was a Spirit Tree Realm rogue cultivator who had been blessed with a great opportunity and obtained a true flying sword.

The difference in combat power between having a flying sword and not having one was immeasurable. No one thought that Jiang Luofeng was wrong to salute him and call him “Venerable Ancestor.” On the contrary, they all knelt down as well.

In the world of rogue cultivators, the strongest were always revered!

And the Mountain Hermit Yunhe was a powerhouse with a flying sword!

The Mountain Hermit Yunhe had no interest in accepting these empty formalities. He waved his hand and asked, “Tell me all the detailed information you have on this Qin Haoxuan—his appearance, strength, cultivation realm, and so on.”

With that, he walked straight to the chair that Jiang Luofeng had just been sitting in and looked down coldly at the rogue cultivators kneeling on the floor.

Jiang Luofeng did not hesitate to recount all the detailed information they had on Qin Haoxuan. As he spoke, he secretly observed the Mountain Hermit Yunhe, feeling extremely puzzled. ‘Why is the Venerable Ancestor interested in a disciple of the Taichu Sect? No matter how powerful Qin Haoxuan is, he’s just a Tenth-Leaf Spirit Sprout Realm cultivator. How could he possibly catch the eye of the Venerable Ancestor? And looking at his frosty expression and the killing intent in his eyes, their relationship seems to be anything but simple!’

After relaying all the information, Jiang Luofeng obediently closed his mouth.

After hearing the details, the Mountain Hermit Yunhe actually felt a flicker of curiosity towards Qin Haoxuan. ‘He is quite a talent, but it’s a pity he is certain to die!’

Whether it was the hatred from Qin Haoxuan killing several of his disciples, or him launching a sneak attack, snatching away the Variant Seed cultivator, and taking his Qiankun Talisman, any one of these reasons was enough for him to die a hundred times over.

At once, the Mountain Hermit Yunhe made a decision. “Tomorrow, I will personally lie in wait and kill this brat. You need not worry about it.”

The rogue cultivators, including Jiang Luofeng, were overjoyed, but at the same time, they were filled with doubt. ‘What is it about Qin Haoxuan that warrants the Venerable Ancestor taking action personally?’

But doubt was one thing, and flattery was another. The rogue cultivators’ joy was not feigned; they were genuinely delighted. “With the Venerable Ancestor taking action, Qin Haoxuan’s death is certain!”

“No matter how powerful he is, he won’t be able to withstand a single strike from your flying sword!”

“Fool, why would the Venerable Ancestor even need to use his flying sword to kill a Tenth-Leaf disciple? A single glance could kill him!”

“Exactly, with the Venerable Ancestor’s aura, one glare would be enough to doom him for all eternity. Why would he stain his immortal sword with such blood?”

“No need to even think about it. Dealing with a fellow like him, the Venerable Ancestor can do it with ease. He won’t even have a chance to resist! Many thanks to the Venerable Ancestor for helping us. This junior is endlessly grateful!”

“Yes, we must thank the Venerable Ancestor!”

The rogue cultivators here were stronger than the ones guarding the formation entrance, and their bootlicking skills were naturally a cut above. Their flattery made the Mountain Hermit Yunhe incredibly annoyed. ‘If my glares could really kill people, I’d stare you ignorant fools to death first! If it weren’t for Qin Haoxuan, I wouldn’t be in such a miserable state, having to swallow my pride and beg Sun Yaowang for medicine.’

Forcibly suppressing the urge to kill them, the Mountain Hermit Yunhe, unable to vent his anger, could only flick his sleeves and leave.

As he left, he nearly ground his silver teeth to dust. ‘Qin Haoxuan, if I don’t kill you, how can I still have the face to live?’

These reckless rogue cultivators had no idea they had just taken a stroll past the gates of hell. If it weren’t for the Mountain Hermit Yunhe’s concern for his reputation, he would have slapped every one of them to death. Seeing him leave in a huff, they thought their flattery hadn’t been up to par and shouted even louder, “A joyous farewell to the Venerable Ancestor! Take care, Venerable Ancestor! We wish you a triumphant victory, and may you stare Qin Haoxuan to death with a single glance!”

The sounds of flattery were endless in his ears. Fortunately, Sun Yaowang’s tent was nearby, and he reached it quickly. Otherwise, he might have really turned back and killed them all.

The rogue cultivator camp at the Seven Zhang Abyss was in a state of excitement. Qin Haoxuan, who had been like a dark cloud hanging over their heads, had now vanished from their minds.

Meanwhile, on the Taichu Sect’s Nameless Peak, Master Xuanji, who had seen Qin Haoxuan off, had been meditating all day and also thought of him. He sighed softly, “After using the forbidden art twice, I’ve only managed to retrieve the first part of the ancestor’s Dao legacy. If this continues, I’m afraid I’ll die before I can get all of it!”

Master Xuanji was troubled. He could feel his health deteriorating day by day, and thinking of the future of the Nature Hall, he couldn’t help but feel a little desolate.

He picked up the cup of tea that Qin Haoxuan had brewed for him before he left. Although the tea was now completely cold, when he lifted the lid, a clear fragrance assailed his nostrils. This fragrance was even finer than the incense the Sect Master himself used. After smelling it, he felt refreshed, and the stagnation in his blood qi actually eased a little.

Master Xuanji’s eyes lit up. He looked at the tea; it was clear and of a normal color. He remembered what Qin Haoxuan had said before he left: “Master, you must drink this tea.”

It suddenly occurred to him, could there be something special in the tea?

At once, he took a small sip. He instantly felt a cooling sensation flow into his abdomen, and then his entire body felt comfortable and relaxed.

“What is this? How does it have such a miraculous effect… It seems… it seems to have a life-extending effect!” Master Xuanji looked within himself and found that his immortal seedling, which had been somewhat withered and was showing increasing signs of decay, was now once again bursting with vigorous life.

Master Xuanji’s eyes grew moist. “That boy, Qin Haoxuan…”

“That boy, Qin Haoxuan!” Li Jing slammed his teacup on the ground, shattering it to pieces. His hands trembled with rage as he looked coldly at the few subordinates standing before him.

‘Never! Ever since I became a Purple Seed, no one has ever dared to treat me like this!’ Li Jing’s breathing became exceptionally heavy. ‘If I had known it would come to this today, back then in the Taichu Sect, when I sent people into the confinement room to kill him, I should have tried harder, bet more heavily, and killed him then!’

The next morning, as the sky was just beginning to lighten, Qin Haoxuan, who had slept wonderfully, woke up with excitement. He took Xing and Lan Yan, bid farewell to Ye Yiming, and began the journey to the royal capital.

The Thousand-Mile Talisman was fast, but he couldn’t just show it off to everyone he met. A thing like that was a hidden trump card and could not be widely known.

The three of them each took a swift horse from the military camp, mounted up, and began to head towards the royal capital.

Chi Lian’s two disciples, Xi Mufan and Linghu Gang, watched the three of them mount their horses and leave with cold eyes.

Linghu Gang said, puzzled, “Senior Brother, Qin Haoxuan and the others have gone out again. They left on horseback today. Do they plan to kill people on horseback? Should we follow them?”

Xi Mufan shook his head. “Qin Haoxuan is very famous here now. Don’t be fooled by the elders who usually don’t meddle. With the war in such a tense state, Qin Haoxuan is a precious treasure in their eyes. If we were to touch this precious treasure and they found out, we wouldn’t be able to clear our names.”

Linghu Gang sighed, full of resentment. “This is so damn frustrating. It’s so much trouble just to catch a weak seed!”

“Don’t underestimate this weak seed.” Xi Mufan’s eyes narrowed slightly, a sharp glint flashing within them. “He is no ordinary weak seed. Yesterday, he killed thirty enemy rogue cultivators. Thirty! That’s a glorious achievement that even I couldn’t easily accomplish! Qin Haoxuan is not simple!”

With that, Xi Mufan added, “Perhaps before long, we won’t even be a match for him!”

“A hasty, direct attack would likely leave traces, and it would be very troublesome if the sect investigated. We can only find a suitable opportunity to ambush him on the road,” Xi Mufan sighed softly. They needed an opportunity.

(End of Chapter)