With Heart Controls Sword, and the might of a Fierce Tiger to intimidate the enemy!
The Fierce person from the Five Poisons Sect suddenly felt everything before his eyes blur, as if his opponent were not a young Constable, but a Colorful Fierce Tiger that could subdue elephants and defeat lions.
Its claws and fangs were sharp, its eyes like torches, its Physique mighty, and its strength enough to uproot mountains.
Fear arose in his heart. The short saber in his hand lost its sharp spirit, and the feint meant only to intimidate had no follow-up move. He met the attack with just two-tenths of his strength.
Saber Light cleaved through the air, Silvery White radiance flashing. His entire body erupted in agony, and only then did he realize that he had not been fighting a Fierce Tiger, but merely a young man.
He had been careless!
After that, he knew nothing.
Xiang Yuan brought One Blade down. Seeing the corpse on the ground with its eyes wide open, he felt the base of his Right Hand's thumb grow sore and numb, and was overwhelmed by lingering fear.
“Strange. What happened just now? Suddenly, I just…”
It was As if his Saber technique had improved.
Thinking of how he had imitated Liu Jingsheng with such precision, and how he had exercised absolute control over his Aura, he had performed the Five Tigers Severing Gate Saber almost perfectly. He could not help but Suspect that he was a Martial Arts Genius.
Xiang Yuan had no time to think too much. He had used excessive force, and the hideous, terrifying corpse frightened him as well. His legs went weak, and he staggered over to prop himself against his saber and sit down.
“Not bad, kid. You’ve rendered meritorious service by killing an enemy. You’re about to receive your reward money.”
Old Liu hurried over. Seeing Xiang Yuan’s Pale Face, he Touched him all over. “It’s nothing serious. You were simply too badly frightened. Everyone is like this the first time. You’ll get used to it later.”
Those who killed people frequently all knew that killing a few more would solve the problem.
Xiang Yuan nodded stiffly. After Old Liu helped him up, the Sound of wind suddenly thundered ahead, violently dispersing all the Poisonous miasma in the forest. More than ten Constables dressed like members of the Six Doors appeared in haste. After seeing the situation at the scene, their Expressions all became Unpleasant.
Despite the tight encirclement, the Robber had still escaped. The Six Doors bore Responsibility for their failure and carelessness, while the local Constables bore Responsibility for lacking sufficient Strength.
Once the matter was investigated, everyone would bear Responsibility.
Now was not the time to shirk Responsibility. If they captured the Fierce person from the Five Poisons Sect, everything could still be salvaged.
“Where is your Captain Liu Jingsheng?”
“Captain Liu…” An old Constable stepped forward and explained the situation.
“Pursue them! All of you, stand up and pursue them!”
Liu Jingsheng protected all the Constables and treated his subordinates extremely well. The Six Doors, however, would not do that. They only cared about handling cases and arresting people, not the lives of the local Constables.
It did not matter whether one should avoid entering a forest, or whether one should not pursue a desperate enemy. The escaped Robber had to be captured, or all of you would be held accountable!
Of course, the Six Doors would not go too far. Injured Constables could rest where they were, while every uninjured Constable received a Spirit Calming Pill.
They placed it beneath their tongues to ward off the Poisonous miasma.
It could not be said to neutralize ten thousand poisons, but it was certainly better than having nothing at all.
Xiang Yuan was uninjured. He and Constables such as Old Liu were placed under the command of the Six Doors. This was the Six Doors’ Privilege: as long as they displayed their Token, every Yamen throughout Western Chu had to obey their orders and cooperate.
Soon, a vast encirclement spread out. More than a hundred scattered torches illuminated all four sides of the Mountain forest as they searched along the route for traces of the Fierce person from the Five Poisons Sect.
They discovered many valuable things in Zhao Family Village: Pills from White Cloud Villa, sharp weapons from Forget Sword Villa, and Cultivation Manuals of the Jianghu purchased from two separate Shops. This was a major case involving the People's Livelihood and Public Security along the entire Southern Border of Western Chu. The bandit leader involved had to be Arrested. Only by capturing him could they interrogate him under torture and force him to reveal whom the Five Poisons Sect was working for.
Xiang Yuan followed beside Old Liu, holding up a torch to scout the way. The mountain was not high, but the terrain was rugged and filled with shrubs. There were also Poisonous Insects, snakes, and ants, making it extremely dangerous. At first, he could still see Old Liu’s torch, but later everything before his eyes turned completely dark, and not a single living person remained around him.
The absence of living people was not important. What he feared was encountering ghosts. He had heard that this terrible World truly contained ghosts and Monsters.
At the edge of the sky, Black Cloud grew denser. The waning moon was hidden, and the vast Mountain forest became even darker.
Xiang Yuan walked for an unknown length of time. The Spirit Calming Pill beneath his tongue had completely dissolved. His head spun and his vision swam, and he did not know when he had been ambushed. The torch in his hand also went out. He only wanted to find a Safe Place to rest his feet.
A Familiar mountain path appeared before him. He looked up and was startled to see a Ruined Taoist Temple.
Little Morality Temple.
“How far did I walk through the mountains? How did I end up here?”
Xiang Yuan was Dizzy and truly could not keep going. He even Forgot the foremost matter of the Divine skill opportunity. With an umbrella on his back and a saber at his waist, he entered the Little Morality Temple and sat cross-legged in the corner.
To conceal himself, he borrowed the offering table of Dao De Tianzun and placed it around the corner.
Although the Mud Statue of Dao De Tianzun had long since disappeared.
The Southern Border was vast and boundless, its mountains rising and falling in an unbroken chain.
It was wild and desolate, with Clouds and Mist Swirling. Mysterious and unfathomable, it was rarely visited by people.
Although it had no peaks that pierced the heavens, it was filled with dangers capable of swallowing the earth. The mountains contained many strange rocks and secluded Valleys, while dense forests, ancient vines, and Entwined vegetation created a deep and shadowy landscape that inspired fear at a glance.
This place contained countless varieties of Poisonous Insects, each with a different form. Some hid in the Grass, some concealed themselves among the treetops, and some lurked in cracks between stones. They were everywhere. The fangs of Vipers were sharp as needles, and their Venom could seal a person’s throat with a single drop of blood. The pincers of Poisonous Insects possessed immense strength, and a single strike could tear flesh and split skin.
There were also mosquitoes and flies buzzing incessantly. The places they bit became red, swollen, and painful beyond endurance.
Poisonous miasma covered the land, spreading between the Valleys like smoke and mist, sometimes appearing and sometimes vanishing.
The miasma was formed from decaying leaves and rotting grass in the mountains. Combined with the steam of the damp heat, it became Poisonous fog. If a person accidentally inhaled it, they would suffer dizziness in mild cases, fall unconscious in serious cases, and might even lose their life.
There were many Poisonous Insects, but even more Fierce Tigers.
These were not Ordinary beasts. Many possessed an Extraordinary bloodline, could transform into human form, and bewilder travelers.
There were many Fierce Tigers, and plenty of fierce ghosts as well. There were also Evils hidden deep within the land, gathering all the great wickedness in the World.
That was precisely why Western Chu had not occupied the Southern Border, while constantly guarding against it.
Deep within the Valley and Dense forest, two Daoist Priests faced each other from afar. One possessed an immortal bearing, with a head of white hair, a flowing Long Beard, and Robe Sleeves untouched by even a speck of dust. His bearing was extraordinary; he truly seemed like an Immortal.
The other Daoist Priest was dressed casually. He was neither slovenly nor remarkable in any way. One could only describe him as Ordinary.
The Ordinary old Daoist Priest was Old Daoist Que Xin. He had come for Xiang Yuan’s Divine skill opportunity, and also to Clean up the sect.
He slowly spoke. “Daoist Lingguang, it has been ten years. You are still so Sanctimonious. At first glance, you look just like a human.”
“Que Xin, ten years have passed. This Daoist thought you would not come.”
Daoist Lingguang rested one hand on his Horsetail whisk. “What brings you here today? Do not tell me you have come to Clean up the sect. After ten years, This Daoist is now the Yellow Springs Path Left Emissary. If you and I take action, it will inevitably trigger strange phenomena throughout Heaven and Earth. The heroes of the Southern Border will all come, and This Daoist will have many Helpers. You will surely die.”
Having said this, he gave a Cold smile. If the sect had not been cleaned up ten years ago, then after ten years, it would be difficult to say who represented the Orthodox tradition.
“Senior Brother is right. Therefore, Before coming, This Daoist performed Divination for himself. This journey will bring No danger despite the scare, with only one disaster.”
“What disaster?”
The old Daoist Lingguang slightly furrowed his brows. Although he said nothing about Divination, he was deeply wary of his Simple-minded Junior Brother, Que Xin.
“There is a Senior Brother at the Mountain Gate named Lingguang. Today, he will suffer a Disaster of bloodshed…”
Old Daoist Que Xin wore a pained Expression. “Because This Daoist will Personally act, Senior Brother… he… he has no solution. He is certain to die!”
“How dare you, Demonic Daoist, flaunt your verbal tricks!”
Daoist Lingguang flew into a rage. He swept his Horsetail whisk, and three thousand White Silk Stockings rose toward the heavens, parting the Dark clouds to reveal the Bright moon. They pointed toward three thousand Stars and drew forth boundless radiance.
He pulled the Horsetail whisk back and forth, dragging down boundless radiance. Three thousand Stars Distorted Space, and in the blink of an eye, a Great Formation descended.
Within the Formation, the Profound mechanism lay hidden, and the Void concealed its depths. The Stars flickered, alternately bright and dim. Each star contained endless Energy, and under the guidance of the Formation, a destructive Nebula vortex devoured all things.
Even from outside the Formation, one could feel its terrifying Pressure. A Trembling rose from the Depths of the soul, as if Immense power were Pressing down from above, making it difficult to breathe.
“Do you Recognize this Formation?”