Chapter 33

Hao Zhuang and Xu Jing's appearance took Yang Junshan by surprise, but hearing Hao Zhuang's urgent cries, it was clear that the two were in danger at this moment.

Yang Junshan pondered for a moment and decided to go and see if he could help. At the same time, a chill ran through his heart. In his previous life, Hao Zhuang had never left Bai Que Mountain. Could it be that he died at this time?

If that were the case, then Xu Jing must be related to Hao Zhuang's death, or at least she should know how Hao Zhuang died. However, in his previous life, Xu Jing was unaware of Hao Zhuang's death.

A chill ran through Yang Junshan's heart. Was Xu Jing lying, or had the course of history been altered due to Yang Junshan's rebirth? Whichever it was, could Yang Junshan change Hao Zhuang's fate by going over now?

"Ah—"

Just as Yang Junshan was lost in thought, a distant cry of pain from Hao Zhuang reached his ears. Yang Junshan's heart trembled, and he looked up to see a thicket of brambles blocking his view. The nuts hanging from the branches indicated that this was the thicket he was looking for.

"Jingjing, save me!"

Another cry of pain came from Hao Zhuang, this time calling for Xu Jing's help. However, Yang Junshan never heard Xu Jing's voice throughout the ordeal.

Not knowing the situation, Yang Junshan did not call out, but became more cautious as he approached the source of the sound.

"Xu Jing, save me, what are you doing...?"

"Don't run, come back and save me, please, save me, save me...!"

"Damn bitch, you'll die a miserable death! Help, someone, save me...!"

Yang Junshan turned around the thicket and found a small basin at the foot of the hill. In the center of the basin was a small patch of muddy swamp. As he appeared at the edge of the basin, a small figure darted into the woods on the other side. From the familiar back, it was clearly the girl from the same village, Xu Jing.

"Xu Jing, you bastard, save me, help, someone, save me...!"

Following the sound, Yang Junshan saw a figure struggling and shouting for help at the edge of the swamp on the other side of the hill. Despite being covered in mud, Yang Junshan, with his enhanced vision after awakening his spirit, could clearly recognize the figure as the young villager Hao Zhuang.

Just as he was about to rush over, Yang Junshan suddenly stopped, turned back to the thicket of brambles, and picked the strongest and longest vine. He cut it off with the tip of an iron-feathered arrow and then wrapped it in his hand, running around to the other side of the swamp where Hao Zhuang was.

Yang Junshan shouted as he ran, "Don't move, spread your arms, lean back, lean back!"

Hao Zhuang, who had already given up hope, suddenly heard Yang Junshan's shout, as if he had grabbed the last straw. He turned his upper body towards the sound and shouted at Yang Junshan, "Save me, save me quickly!"

Yang Junshan, seeing Hao Zhuang turn, watched as he sank further into the mud. He shouted, "Don't move, if you want to live, don't move, lean back, lean back! Did you hear me, stop shouting!"

Perhaps out of fear or because he was too far away, Yang Junshan could hear Hao Zhuang's cries clearly, but Hao Zhuang did not follow his instructions. Instead, he struggled more, sinking deeper into the mud, until his abdomen was no longer visible.

As Yang Junshan got closer, he saw a dark mass writhing in the swamp behind Hao Zhuang. The mass was stopped at the edge of the swamp by the mud.

These are black rot ants!

Yang Junshan's heart sank. They had encountered these creatures, but this also made him realize what kind of spirit Xu Jing had obtained in her previous life!

Black rot ants feed on decaying flesh and move quickly in the swamp without sinking. The decaying flesh in the swamp provides them with ample food, and the swamp also protects them from their natural enemies, making it a haven for their growth.

However, the queen of the black rot ants may carry a medium-grade spirit, which has a high affinity with the ear spirit acupoint in a cultivator's body. This spirit can often trigger innate secret techniques when a cultivator reaches a certain level.

Xu Jing and Hao Zhuang must have ventured into the swamp and killed the queen, obtaining the medium-grade spirit. Unfortunately, while fleeing, Hao Zhuang panicked and fell into the mud, while Xu Jing, without hesitation, stepped on Hao Zhuang's shoulders to cross the swamp and escape, leaving Hao Zhuang to his fate.

In her previous life, Xu Jing quickly rose to prominence after obtaining the spirit, surpassing Zhang Huzi, Xu Lei, and Yang Junshan, becoming the top young cultivator in Tuqiu Village.

Fortunately, these creatures rarely leave the swamp. As long as Yang Junshan stood outside the swamp and threw the vine into the mud, he might be able to save Hao Zhuang.

As he ran, Yang Junshan finally closed the distance to Hao Zhuang. This time, Hao Zhuang heard Yang Junshan's shouts and raised his arms, trying to lean back.

However, Hao Zhuang's body was already submerged up to his chest, making it extremely difficult for him to lean back. He just cried out, begging Yang Junshan to save him.

Yang Junshan, however, did not respond. Instead, he ran faster, his eyes fixed on a small footprint on Hao Zhuang's shoulder.

In an instant, Yang Junshan understood what had happened. After the two of them risked their lives to kill the queen and obtain the medium-grade spirit, they were chased by the black rot ants. Hao Zhuang, in his panic, fell into the mud, and Xu Jing, without hesitation, stepped on his shoulders to cross the swamp and escape, leaving Hao Zhuang to his fate.

This was just a twelve or thirteen-year-old girl, yet she had such a ruthless and decisive heart!

Even with his hundred years of experience from his previous life, Yang Junshan felt a chill run through him at the sight of this young girl.

Hao Zhuang was already too deep in the mud, and any attempt to slow his descent was futile. Yang Junshan ran as fast as he could, but his heart sank.

Hao Zhuang's head and outstretched arms were the only parts of his body still visible above the mud, and Yang Junshan was still dozens of feet away.

Hao Zhuang, realizing he might not be saved, threw an object onto the grass at the edge of the swamp and cried out to Yang Junshan, "It's all Xu Jing's fault, she's trying to kill me. Please tell my parents, it's Xu Jing who's trying to kill me. Please ask the village chief to do justice for me!"

Yang Junshan reached the edge of the swamp where Hao Zhuang was, but by then, Hao Zhuang's head had already sunk into the mud, and his hands were still flailing outside.

Yang Junshan shouted, "Grab it!" and threw the vine towards Hao Zhuang's hands, but due to the panic, the throw was off, and Hao Zhuang's hands continued to flail, unable to grab anything.

Yang Junshan frantically reeled in the vine and threw it again. This time, it landed near Hao Zhuang, and Yang Junshan shouted, "Grab it, grab it quickly!"

Hao Zhuang's hands continued to flail, but he could not reach the vine. Yang Junshan realized that Hao Zhuang's head was already submerged, and he could neither see the vine nor hear Yang Junshan's shouts.

He had to throw the vine directly into Hao Zhuang's hands!

Yang Junshan quickly reeled in the vine again, but by the time he tried to throw it, Hao Zhuang's hands had stopped moving. When he tried to throw it again, even his hands had disappeared into the mud.

...

Yang Junshan carefully collected seven low-grade spirit grass mushrooms from the thicket. Although there was still half a day before the enclosure closed, he no longer had the heart to search for valuable items in Bai Que Mountain. He just sat in the thicket, lost in thought.

Yang Junshan was no stranger to death. In his previous life, he had seen countless battles and deaths, some even more tragic. Even after his rebirth, he had witnessed several young people die at the claws of a mountain tiger near the nest of a purple-striped pig.

However, these experiences had a natural resistance in Yang Junshan's heart. He could often ignore them with a detached, superior attitude.

It was not until Hao Zhuang, a familiar and same-aged villager, could not be saved despite Yang Junshan's efforts, that Yang Junshan truly realized that having the memories of his previous life did not mean he was immune to death. On the contrary, death was always so close to him.