It wasn’t that they hadn’t tried to avenge Jiang Ping, but they could never find any trace of the Five Tigers of Profound Saber.
"Senior Brother Jiang Ping, you can rest in peace now!"
Sun Tao, not caring about the grim nature of it all, placed the head on the table and poured out some tea as a tribute to Jiang Ping. A knot of frustration in his heart untangled, and he felt as if even his injuries had improved slightly.
Regardless of whether Lu Ren was trying to rebuild his image or genuinely repaying a past kindness, he had, in the end, slaughtered the Five Tigers of Profound Saber who had killed Jiang Ping.
"By the way, how did Lu Ren change so much?"
Once the tribute was over, Sun Tao finally remembered Lu Ren’s transformation.
The Lu Ren from before had been suffused with a hostile aura, like a lone wolf.
But the Lu Ren he had just seen was high-spirited and brimming with self-satisfaction. It was as if he had reverted to being the celebrated genius of Qingyuan County.
Xu Yang said, "He joined Li Fire Peak, displayed an exceptionally high talent for Forged Soldier, and was accepted by Elder Tie Fu as an Inner Disciple. Naturally, he’s returned to his former self."
Sun Tao’s eyes widened in realization. "No wonder..."
Having become Elder Tie Fu’s Inner Disciple, Lu Ren’s star was on the rise again. Even if his character had some flaws in the past, few people would hold it against him now.
To become an Inner Disciple without even reaching Marrow Cleansing Minor Achievement... one could only imagine how high his talent for Forged Soldier must be for a peak’s Elder to make an exception.
"It would be great if Junior Brother Zhang Yong also had a talent for the Exotic Beast legacy of Beast King Peak."
The Four Peaks of the Purple Sun Sect each had their own legacy: Medicine King Peak had Alchemy, Li Fire Peak had Forged Soldier, and Beast King Peak had the raising of Exotic Beasts. No matter which path, as long as one had the corresponding talent, one could make a good life in the Purple Sun Sect.
In fact, Xu Yang was also interested in the Exotic Beast legacy of Beast King Peak, but he didn’t have any spare contribution points to exchange for it.
After chatting with Sun Tao for a while longer, he said his goodbyes, found Xu Qing, and gave her two Gathering Essence Pills before returning to Li Fire Peak.
Having not slept for two days, he collapsed into bed and slept soundly. When he awoke, it was already the next morning.
While he was washing up, Gao Lin came looking for him. He informed Xu Yang that they were heading to the Earth Vein Fire Valley today to set things up and transport the Spirit Iron Ore and other supplies. He was to gather at the Fire Cloud Elder Hall shortly.
’Has it begun?’
Xu Yang was calm. He strapped Cold Abyss to his back, packed a cloth bag with the Gathering Essence Pills and Crystal Lotus Root he would need for the next half-month, and then slowly headed out.
The Spirit Medicine, Crystal Lotus Root, was something he kept in case of injury.
Spirit Medicines had extraordinary effects. They weren’t just for Breaking Through; in case of injury, they were also supreme healing aids.
After eating in the dining hall, he rushed to the Fire Cloud Elder Hall. By the time he arrived, the others were already there—about ten people in total.
Of course, he and Zhuang Tao were the main characters of this operation; the rest were there to help them transport the materials.
Soon, after Elder Huoyun opened the warehouse, a furnace covered in intricate carvings and boxes upon boxes of Spirit Iron Ore were brought out. The ten or so people picked up the items and headed for the Earth Vein Fire Valley.
After a journey of about two hours, the familiar valley appeared before them, still as desolate as ever.
Gao Lin directed everyone to move the ore and the furnace into the cave and begin setting up. Meanwhile, Xu Yang and Zhuang Tao started cleaning their own rooms.
By the time the two of them finished cleaning, the cave had also been set up. Gao Lin walked over, handed a package to Xu Yang and Zhuang Tao, and said, "These are signal flares. Set one off if anything goes wrong.
"The other items are Vein-Protecting Pills and Ice Spirit Pills. You two will be responsible for selling them to the Outer Disciples. You can keep one percent of the earnings."
Xu Yang’s eyes lit up. One percent was not a small amount.
He remembered how Song Runshu and Liu Youzhen used to sell these two Elixirs, raking in several thousand taels of silver every day. In half a month, the two of them had sold forty to fifty thousand taels’ worth, only for it all to end up in the hands of the Blood Lotus Sect.
At the time, he had thought it was their own business. Now, it seemed they were just working for someone else. The real boss was probably Elder Huoyun.
Soon, Gao Lin and the others left, leaving only Xu Yang and Zhuang Tao in the valley.
"Junior Brother Xu, how about you take the first half of the night watch, and I’ll take the second?" Zhuang Tao suggested.
Although their third and fourth senior brothers were hiding in the shadows, Zhuang Tao didn’t dare to be negligent. He gave the safer first half of the night to Xu Yang, taking the second half, when trouble was more likely to occur, for himself.
Since he had a Minor Achievement in Bone Marrow Cleansing Cultivation, it was safer for him to stand guard during the latter half of the night.
"Alright!" Xu Yang agreed.
Night fell. After eating some dried meat, the two entered the Fire Cave. Zhuang Tao went to sleep, while Xu Yang sat down to meditate at the entrance, circulating his Golden Gang Skill to temper his Physique while keeping an eye on his surroundings.
’I can’t practice the Blood Prison Heart Blade Scripture for now.’
The Blood Prison Heart Blade Scripture consumed too much of his Heart Spirit. Every time he finished cultivating it, he would fall into a deep sleep. In a place like this, if something happened while he was asleep, all he could do was wait for death.
Besides, with Zhuang Tao right next to him, cultivating the Blood Prison Heart Blade Scripture would expose his true cultivation level.
[Blood Prison Heart Blade Scripture - Entry Level (1537/5000)]
In nearly a month and a half, his progress with the Blood Prison Heart Blade Scripture had reached 1,500. In three more months at most, he could cultivate this technique, worth one thousand contribution points, to Minor Achievement. At that point, he would be able to comprehend Sword Intent.
With the domineering power of his Golden Gang Qi, plus the Half-Spirit Weapon Cold Abyss, he might even be able to exchange a few moves with a Celestial Essence Strong Person.
Of course, this was all just his speculation. He had never seen a Celestial Essence Strong Person in action and had no idea how powerful that realm truly was.
But even if he couldn’t trade blows with a Celestial Essence Strong Person, he should have no problem cutting down a Martial Artist at Marrow Cleansing Great Success.
Glancing at the sleeping Zhuang Tao, he fully released his five senses, his Heart Spirit spreading out like a vast net beyond the valley.
One hundred meters!
Two hundred meters!
Three hundred meters!
His Heart Spirit didn’t reach its limit until it had spread out three hundred meters.
’Two gazes?’
In the darkness, he sensed two gazes fixed on the valley, carrying a hint of pressure.
He hastily withdrew his Heart Spirit.
’Third Senior Brother and Fourth Senior Brother... they should both be Martial Artists at Marrow Cleansing Great Success.’
Having two Martial Artists at Marrow Cleansing Great Success lurking in the shadows put him much more at ease.
Soon, it was the second half of the night. Zhuang Tao woke up to take his place.
The night passed without incident.
The next day, a series of footsteps heralded the arrival of Gao Lin, who led a dozen or so Outer Disciples into the valley.
Xu Yang and Zhuang Tao emerged from the cave. After greeting Gao Lin, Gao Lin led the Outer Disciples into the Fire Cave.
Qiao Yong kept his head down, hidden in the crowd, terrified of being noticed by Xu Yang.
’Xu Yang!’
He seethed inwardly. As the number one genius of the Ten Heroes, when had he ever been so humiliated?
But Xu Yang had already achieved Marrow Cleansing, while he was still in the Minor Success Realm of Gang Qi. He couldn’t afford to provoke Xu Yang in the slightest, so he could only bury all his humiliation and resentment deep in his heart.
Xu Yang and Zhuang Tao sat outside for a while before the sounds of banging, BANG BANG, echoed from within. Shortly after, Gao Lin came out, gave the two a nod, and left without another word.
"Junior Brother Xu, you keep watch. I’m going to get some sleep. When they come out later, sell the Ice Spirit Pills and Vein-Protecting Pills to them," Zhuang Tao said, finding an excuse to leave.
Xu Yang nodded. He got up to fetch the Vein-Protecting Pills and Ice Spirit Pills and started waiting in the valley.
Somewhere in the Yunling Mountain Range, a dozen figures sat around a campfire. On a rack above the flames, a wild boar was roasted to a golden brown, sizzling as fat dripped from it.
It was impossible to tell how long they had been living there, but the ground was already littered with piles of white bones.
Not far away sat several large, crudely assembled iron chests, their contents a mystery.
"The brothers have all performed well. When the Lotus Envoy appears, I will be sure to request merits for all of you!" Li Shao said with a laugh.
As he spoke, his gaze swept over the nearby iron chests. They were filled with goods he and his men had stolen from Purple Sun Sect disciples—medicinal herbs as well as special ores.
"Thank you, Blood Envoy!" the group exclaimed, overjoyed.
Li Shao said, "You all follow me, Li Shao, and I will naturally not treat you poorly. However, once this is all over, I hope you will all do me a favor."
"Please speak, Blood Envoy! Your business is our business," one of them declared, thumping his chest.
"Li Shao, are you thinking of going to kill Xu Yang to avenge your brother again?" The expression of Zhang Sai, who was beside him, changed slightly.
Li Shao’s face immediately darkened. "That Xu Yang has already achieved Marrow Cleansing. If I don’t kill him now, in a few years, I won’t even be qualified to seek revenge.
"If you try to stop me this time, don’t blame me for turning on you."
"WHOOSH..."
Zhang Sai was about to speak when he suddenly heard the sound of something cutting through the air. He didn’t have time to say more, instantly shooting to his feet with a SWISH, his entire body tensed.
"Careful, someone’s coming!"
The others also reacted, scrambling to their feet and scattering like phantoms to hide in the surrounding woods.
Li Shao narrowed his eyes, looking in the direction the sound had come from. He made a hand signal to his hidden subordinates, telling them to wait for his command before making a move.
A few breaths later, a figure completely shrouded in a black robe appeared, stepping lightly on the tree branches. A blood-red lotus flower was embroidered on their chest.