Chapter 38

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Spirit-Level Martial Technique

Bodies were piled up in the cave, each one drained of all vitality.

Under the mysterious influence of Shi Yan's soul, these bodies were not only completely shriveled, but the fresh blood on them had also rapidly coagulated.

With the blood coagulated, the stench in the cave was no longer as overwhelming.

But Shi Yan was still uneasy.

After some thought, he hurriedly took out a packet of powder from his backpack and without hesitation, scattered it throughout the cave.

The powder was called "Purifying Powder," which had an extremely strong adsorption capacity. It could adsorb impurities in the air, including toxins, thick blood odors, and poisonous smoke.

As the packet of "Purifying Powder" was scattered, the stench in the cave magically disappeared.

The "Purifying Powder" floated in the air, adsorbing the blood, and formed tiny, bright red granules, as if they were drops of blood reduced by several times.

"I'll find some cover."

Seeing that the stench in the cave was under control, Shi Yan still did not relax. He quietly went to the cave entrance and slowly pulled the shrubs and branches from both sides of the entrance inward.

Although the six men had forcibly occupied the cave, they knew that the entrance needed to be covered, so they had not destroyed the shrubs and branches outside the cave.

However, the shrubs at the entrance were shattered by the "Star Thunder," but the sides were not affected.

What Shi Yan needed to do was to cover the center of the entrance with the shrubs from both sides.

Breathing evenly, Shi Yan held his breath and focused, carefully pulling the shrubs inch by inch toward the entrance, fearing that the beasts outside would notice any abnormalities.

The roars of the beasts grew more frequent, and the valley outside was filled with an unknown number of them.

Shi Yan's face was solemn, and sweat began to seep through his forehead, even soaking his back.

When he finally pulled the last large patch of shrubs into the entrance, his arms trembled slightly, as if it had taken a great deal of effort.

"What's wrong?" Dian Yan called out softly.

"Nothing, just a bit tired."

Shi Yan shook his head, his face pale. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "Be careful. If we are discovered by the beasts, you must guard the entrance!"

Dian Yan nodded, concerned, "I understand... What's wrong with you? I saw you resist that expert in the Human Rank Realm just now, so why are you like this now?"

"Because I resisted him, I am this weak." Shi Yan sat cross-legged on the spot but did not explain further.

At this critical moment, he closed his eyes and began to rest.

This was the side effect of "Rage"...

Every time he used "Rage," his body would bear immense pressure.

The "Rage" martial technique required the release of various negative forces from his acupoints. This force was a double-edged sword, allowing him to possess strength beyond his realm for a short time, but it also left him extremely exhausted afterward.

After all, those negative forces were too evil and bizarre...

When these forces flowed out of his acupoints, they also harmed his body. When the "Rage" state ended, the fatigue would flood his body, making him rapidly weaken.

Sitting there, Shi Yan felt weak in his limbs and his acupoints were extremely painful.

The essence of the six new corpses had all flowed into his acupoints, filling them with surging power. As his acupoints rapidly purified these essences, the negative forces would also act, slowly corroding his mind.

At this moment, he could not fully utilize his strength, and his acupoints were still purifying the essences. If his nerves remained tense, his body would not recover well.

Therefore, he wisely chose to ignore everything and focus on recovering on the spot.

Dian Yan and Mu Yudie, seeing him close his eyes to recover, also became solemn and began to observe the outside carefully.

Beasts moved about in the valley, and some were even near their cave entrance, seemingly searching for something.

Dian Yan and Mu Yudie, on edge, guarded the entrance without relaxing.

Dian Yan tightly gripped her short sword, peering through the gaps in the shrubs, wary of any beasts that might suddenly approach.

Both knew that beasts had a keen sense of smell and were worried that they might be drawn by the stench. They understood that if even one beast discovered the cave, they would have to immediately defend the entrance.

"Thud! Thud!"

A three-headed dog, shaking its three large heads, seemed to have noticed something and slowly approached. Its six eyes scanned the area, as if it had found something...

Oh no!

Dian Yan's face changed, her grip on the short sword tightening, and sweat beaded on her palms. Her eyes remained fixed on the three-headed dog, not daring to relax for a moment.

Dian Yan was very nervous and had prepared for battle at any moment.

The three-headed dog was a third-level beast, equivalent to a Human Rank Realm expert.

This was a beast with an extremely keen sense of smell. The stench in the cave might have escaped the notice of other beasts, but it might not escape the three-headed dog.

Due to her tension, Dian Yan's pores seemed to stand on end, and her hand holding the short sword trembled slightly—a sign of rapid energy flow in her meridians.

"Roar!"

At that moment, a howl from a Silver-Winged Wolf echoed through the valley, drowning out all other roars.

"I am Gan Xiao of the Medicine King Valley. I came to the Dark Forest to gather herbs and never entered your lair! Silver-Winged Wolf, I know you are powerful, but I, Gan Xiao, am not afraid of you. If you continue to slaughter my people, don't blame me for being ruthless!" A cold voice suddenly came from a distance.

"Roar!"

The Silver-Winged Wolf howled again.

The three-headed dog, which was about to reach the entrance of the cave where Shi Yan and the others were hiding, suddenly stopped.

It paused for a moment, then abruptly turned and quickly ran in the direction of the Silver-Winged Wolf's howl.

The beasts gathered in the valley also began to leave, heading toward the Silver-Winged Wolf.

The Silver-Winged Wolf and Gan Xiao must be in battle...

Dian Yan's body went limp, and she sat down, drenched in cold sweat.

If the three-headed dog had moved just a few more meters, the cave would have been exposed. Once the three-headed dog discovered the cave, the other beasts in the valley would have followed.

If that happened, the three of them would surely not escape the beasts' clutches!

"Are you okay, Sister Lan?" Mu Yudie, holding a bloodstained handkerchief, wiped the sweat from her forehead and leaned against the rock wall.

"I'm fine." Dian Yan smiled lightly, sighing, "We are truly lucky. If the Silver-Winged Wolf hadn't targeted Gan Xiao and summoned the beasts, we might have been in grave danger."

"Yes, I was scared half to death just now." Mu Yudie's face was also pale, and she said softly, "I was even prepared to commit suicide."

"Don't have such thoughts unless it's the last resort."

Shi Yan grunted, suddenly opening his eyes and frowning. "Since you have nothing to do, search the backpacks of those six and see what they stole from the Silver-Winged Wolf's lair."

Dian Yan's eyes lit up, and her spirits lifted. "Good idea! The Silver-Winged Wolf is a seventh-level beast, one of the top beings in the Dark Forest! It is said to be very intelligent and has killed many powerful martial artists, collecting many treasures in its lair. Whatever they stole must be extraordinary!"

"I heard there is a cultivation method for a Spirit-Level Martial Technique..." Shi Yan said calmly.

"Ha!" Dian Yan smiled, her eyes sparkling. "Spirit-Level Martial Techniques are extremely rare. Even in the royal family of the Flame Empire, there are only five Spirit-Level Martial Techniques. A cultivation method for a Spirit-Level Martial Technique is invaluable, and it could even cause major families to fight over it."

"Search them thoroughly." Nodding, Shi Yan closed his eyes again, deep in thought.

He, of course, knew the value of a Spirit-Level Martial Technique.

In the Flame Empire, Divine Blessing Empire, and the Merchant Alliance, there were about a hundred martial artists who had broken through to the Nirvana Realm, but among these hundred, only a quarter possessed a Spirit-Level Martial Technique!

And among this quarter, some practiced the same Spirit-Level Martial Technique.

It was said that in the entire Flame Empire, Divine Blessing Empire, and Merchant Alliance, only eighteen Spirit-Level Martial Techniques had been revealed!

Each Spirit-Level Martial Technique was in the hands of powerful forces or those who dominated their regions.

...Like the Shi family.

The Shi family had many Ordinary and Mystic-Level techniques, but only one Spirit-Level Martial Technique. The family head, Shi Jian, treasured it greatly, and even the direct descendants of the Shi family did not know where he hid it.

"We are truly blessed."

Dian Yan's eyes were full of joy as she excitedly searched the leader's backpack and opened it.

A brilliant silver light suddenly burst from the backpack, turning the dim cave as bright as daylight!

"Hmm!"