Chapter 18

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...

Bathed in the dim moonlight, the black figure could be vaguely discerned. Its long sleeves fluttered, and it moved silently, soon reaching the ridge. Just as it was about to continue forward, it suddenly paused and bent down to examine something.

In the pile of extinguished ashes, a wisp of smoke still rose.

The figure slowly took two steps back and laughed aloud, "Hehe! Fellow Wudao, why don't you show yourself..."

Wujiao, hidden in the tree, remained motionless but couldn't help but curse inwardly.

At this moment, there was no need to look further; the wild and unrestrained laughter was enough to identify the person. The sneaky fellow was none other than Mushen. Since he was so fixated on the so-called treasure, he certainly wouldn't give up easily. Indeed, he had taken advantage of the night to return, intending to cause trouble. Fortunately, this young master had promptly hidden in the tree, and he might not have noticed.

Mushen, with his hands behind his back, paced on the spot and said smugly, "In the forest, even with the Wind Control Technique, one can't travel far. Guli, Yutao, and Hongnü are resting fifty miles away. I lied about going out to relieve myself and returned to this spot, specifically for you, hehe..." He chuckled again and added, "I was afraid you might get lost or wander off. If that were the case, you would surely regret it! But you've come here, saving me the trouble..."

Wujiao remained silent, silently observing the movements below. Trying to trick this young master into showing himself? That's just a child's game of hide-and-seek!

Mushen continued talking to himself, but no one responded. He didn't seem to care and slowly approached the tree, suddenly looking up and smiling, "Do you think climbing a tree can hide you from my divine senses..."

Wujiao, who had been feeling lucky, suddenly felt a chill in his heart.

He had no interest in what divine senses were, but the fact that the guy had already noticed him was unexpected. Now that his presence was exposed, even though he was hiding high up, his situation was awkward. If the guy set a fire, what could he do?

Just as a hint of foreboding flashed through Wujiao's mind, he saw Mushen take out a talisman and wave it high, a sinister smile on his face, "Hehe, quickly return the treasure, and you might keep your life. Otherwise, I'll make you vanish completely..."

Mushen chanted and waved his hand, and the talisman instantly transformed into a fiery light, rising into the air. Guided by his hand gestures, the fiery light, several feet long, coiled around the tree like a dragon. Under the glow of the fire, the figure hiding in the branches was exposed. He became even more smug and taunted, "With a sword talisman in your hand, why don't you use it to challenge me, hahaha..."

Wujiao, leaning against the tree trunk, was at a loss. Surrounded by the fiery light, he was trapped in all directions. Even if he wanted to escape, there was nowhere to go. He had a talisman, but he didn't know how to use it. Was he going to be roasted like a pine nut next?

Mushen, confident of his victory, continued, "You might have killed my master by chance, and perhaps you've already exhausted your cultivation. I noticed that you didn't hide your true nature on the journey, acting like a real mortal. Now that you have no power, how can you use the sword talisman, hahaha..."

Wujiao, on the tree, was in a panic, scratching his head and ears, but had no plan. Suddenly, he remembered something and quickly grabbed the short sword. Whether he lived or died, it was up to fate!

Mushen's laughter grew colder, and he threatened, "Return my treasure..."

At the same time, a "flap, flap" sound of wings came from the sky, and several black shadows swooped down, "cawing" as they headed straight for the fire.

Wujiao, who was the first to see them, was so frightened that he almost fell off the tree. He clung to the trunk to steady himself.

They were large birds with beast heads, red eyes, sharp beaks, and hooked claws, with wings spanning over six feet. They flapped their wings, creating a strong wind. More importantly, they ignored Wujiao, who was clinging to the tree, and instead headed straight for Mushen, who was below.

Mushen's face changed drastically as he retreated, exclaiming, "Bloodthirsty Spirit Bats, they feed on spiritual energy and blood, and they hate fire. I was too careless..." Before he could react, the fire was extinguished, and several Spirit Bats swooped down.

The ferocity of the Spirit Bats was no less than that of real cultivators. If Wujiao were to be surrounded and attacked, his fate would be clear. For now, he would let the guy off and deal with him later!

Mushen, without hesitation, used the Wind Control Technique and ran. The "cawing" sound was piercing, and the black shadows pursued him relentlessly...

A moment later, Wujiao was still on the tree, stunned.

Could it be that cowards have dumb luck? Otherwise, how could he keep escaping death? First, the Linbao showed affection, and now the Spirit Bats protected him. When luck comes, it can't be stopped. Purple Mist Fairy, could it be that you are praying for me...

After the shock, Wujiao couldn't help but indulge in some self-pity. He didn't dare to stay on the tree any longer, so he picked up his bag and slipped down, crossing the ridge and heading into the dense forest. After walking for about an hour in the dark, he found a large tree, climbed up, and, seeing no movement around, slowly fell asleep, hugging the trunk.

...

On a hillside, three people were sitting in silence. Suddenly, Guli opened his eyes and looked back. Then, Taozi and Hongnü also showed signs of awareness.

A moment later, a figure stumbled out of the forest. He was ragged, disheveled, and covered in blood, looking very miserable.

Guli was surprised, "Brother Mu, why are you in such a state?"

Taozi glanced at him and said, "Brother Mu went to relieve himself but took a long time to return. Could it be that he couldn't find a place to relieve himself, hence this awkward situation, hehe..." He found his words amusing and smiled at Hongnü, who pouted but couldn't help laughing.

Mushen, reaching the three, plopped down on the ground and shook his head, "Don't laugh at me! I got lost on the way and accidentally encountered several Bloodthirsty Spirit Bats. I had to use my last few Fire Talismans to escape!"

Guli was taken aback, "Bloodthirsty Spirit Bats..."

Taozi and Hongnü lost their playful mood and became tense.

Mushen waved his hand, "The Spirit Bats have gone far. They won't come back unless they are attracted by fire or blood."

Guli nodded, "Brother Mu has extensive knowledge and must have a remarkable background!"

Taozi agreed, "If not from a noble family, he must have been taught by a great master..."

Mushen took two pills and swallowed them, smiling bitterly without further comment.

Guli then asked, "You said that person is hiding his true abilities, but why does he always seem like an ordinary mortal?"

Mushen was taken aback and remained speechless.

...

In another valley, ancient trees towered, and wild grass grew abundantly.

A figure slowly moved through the dense forest, using a branch to clear the way. He occasionally pushed aside obstructing vines and grass, and his expression was cautious. The direction was unclear, and the air was hot and still. His forehead was drenched in sweat, and his clothes were soaked through, with two tears from thorns. He looked very miserable.

"Thud"

Unaware, his feet sank into the ground, and when he pulled them out, his shoes were covered in rotten leaves and mud. He grimaced, moved cautiously forward, and reached for his shoulder, sighing. He had encountered several unexpected incidents, and even lost his bag. The venomous snakes were manageable, but the strange-looking wild animals were hard to deal with. Fortunately, he had managed to escape in time, saving his life. It seemed his luck was still good, at least he hadn't encountered fierce beasts like wolves or tigers.

However, he had been walking for over ten days and had crossed several valleys. Why hadn't he managed to leave the Yunling Mountains yet? And that guy, Mushen, hadn't come back since their encounter under the moonlight. Had he been eaten by the birds, or had he gone far away?

This person was Wujiao. His once clear and handsome face was now dirty and disheveled. He rested for a moment and continued his difficult journey.

Soon, the sound of a stream could be heard.

Wujiao's spirits lifted, and he quickened his pace.

This seemed to be the edge of the forest, and the terrain ahead was gradually opening up. A stream could be seen winding down the hill.

"Hehe, with mountains and water, it's a beautiful scene..."

Wujiao jumped and skipped, about to escape the forest, but suddenly paused, feeling something tugging at him. He was surprised, pulled hard, and looked back, grimacing.

It turned out his hair had gotten tangled in a branch. The sudden force had broken the green ribbon, causing his scalp to hurt. He had scared himself for nothing.

Wujiao, now with disheveled hair, didn't care and jumped out of the forest.

On the nearby hillside, the grass was lush, and wildflowers bloomed. The stream flowed, and a breeze blew, making the place feel incredibly pleasant.

Wujiao rushed to the stream, knelt down, and drank deeply. After a moment, he immersed his upper body in the water and then raised his head, splashing water everywhere.

"Refreshing..."

He moaned in pleasure, swept his long hair out of his face, and looked up.

The stream flowed down the hill and converged into a lake about ten miles away. The lake, like a mirror, added to the scenery. Beyond it was a canyon. The sun was high in the sky, and the surroundings were peaceful and devoid of people.

Wujiao washed his messy hair in the stream and then took off his clothes, placing his short sword nearby and rolling out some wild fruits from his bag. After a while, he held the short sword in one hand and his damp clothes in the other, and sat down on the grass, still feeling unsatisfied.

He tied his hair up with a strip of cloth torn from his shirt, no longer caring about mending his clothes.

Wujiao picked up a fruit from the grass and ate it, looking at his still strong and fit body, and nodded in satisfaction. Years of travel and living outdoors had been tough, but he hadn't collapsed and was even more energetic. He looked at his feet and smiled. His shoes, with multiple layers of soles, were worn through.

If Purple Mist Fairy saw me like this, would she feel pity, hehe...

Wujiao couldn't help but touch the waistband of his undergarments, where a small cloth bag was sewn, containing some silver coins and things he considered valuable.

After drinking from the stream and eating some fruits, his hunger and fatigue were gone.

Wujiao spread his clothes on the grass to dry and then felt around his waist, pulling out a piece of animal skin.

This was one of the relics left by Mushen's dead master, which seemed to be quite significant...

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