Chapter 18

"Here we are!"

Huang He, who was standing in the center of the group, leaped to the front, his voice becoming increasingly agitated.

"Here already?" Zheng Shi Yi's brows furrowed deeply in confusion. According to Su Jing Dan's account, they still needed to cross three more mountains to reach their destination.

"That can't be right?" Wu Dong stepped forward bluntly, "Did you remember wrong? We should still have to cross a few more mountains, right?"

Su Jing Dan gracefully moved to the front of the group, her bright eyes surveying the surroundings. "There are a lot of spirit herbs growing here, but these aren't what I need for my advancement. Heavenly Spirit Grass, Heavenly Spirit Mushroom, Black Blood Ginseng... we still need to cross two more..."

"I said we're here!" Huang He's face turned from warm to cold, his voice shifting from initial excitement to a harsh tone, "Of course we're here!"

Su Xing floated beside Huang He with a sly smile, his voice cold and calculating, "Right! You've arrived..."

Su Jing Dan instinctively spread her arms, shielding the many martial artists behind her. However, her delicate and gentle appearance made it hard to feel any sense of strength or determination.

"Huang He, you did a great job this time."

A chilling voice, accompanied by a cold wind, emerged from a nearby cave, sending shivers down the spines of the martial artists. They all turned to look at the dark hole that seemed to devour everything.

"Thud... thud... thud..."

The cave emitted a slow, rhythmic sound, the footsteps carrying a sense of terror that could be felt by everyone.

Huang He and Su Xing, who had been previously arrogant, quickly turned to respectfully look at the cave entrance.

"Indeed..."

Zheng Shi Yi, his brows tightly furrowed, took a half-step back in the crowd, hiding himself deeper within the group, his eyes fixed on the figure emerging from the cave.

An old man? Zheng Shi Yi was surprised. The sharp, chilling voice from the cave actually belonged to a white-haired old man!

His face was covered in wrinkles, his eyes were brown, and a cold, sinister smile played on his lips. His body was hunched like a bow, and a large, four-foot-long, one-and-a-half-foot-wide saber, which he used as a cane, added to the eerie atmosphere as he walked slowly.

The old man's pace was slow, but he still emerged from the cave, shocking everyone.

A beam of light shone down from above, illuminating his forehead, causing him to raise his right hand to shield his eyes from the bright light.

The light filtered through his fingers, illuminating half of his face. Right in the center of his forehead was a crimson "Fire" character!

This was the unique brand of the Xuan Ming Sect! Only those who violated the sect's rules and were captured and thrown into the sect's prison would have such a brand!

"Fire? Brand? He! It's actually him!"

Everyone except Zheng Shi Yi instantly recognized the old man and screamed out in shock.

Qiu Tian Lang! One of the most talented disciples of the Xuan Ming Sect!

At the age of thirteen, he reached the Ninth Wheel of the Qi Wheel Realm! Before reaching the Qi Spring Realm, he became the last disciple of Elder Xuantong, one of the sect's founding elders!

Over the years, he mastered all of Elder Xuantong's skills, qualifying him to become a founding elder of the sect!

Later, suspecting that Elder Xuantong had hidden skills he hadn't taught him, he meticulously planned and killed Elder Xuantong, becoming a traitor who betrayed his master and disgraced the sect, landing him on the top twenty of the sect's wanted list.

During his escape, he was hit by a fatal blow from the Execution Hall Elder's "Xuanmo Palm"! Everyone thought he wouldn't survive for long.

No one expected that after being injured for several years, he was still alive!

"Seeing everyone's reaction, it's clear you still remember me..." Qiu Tian Lang's fierce face twisted into a satisfied smile, making him look even more terrifying, "It seems I haven't been forgotten by the Xuan Ming Sect."

He walked step by step toward Su Jing Dan, the无形的威压 (invisible pressure) from his body causing the surrounding martial artists to instinctively step back.

It was then that Zheng Shi Yi realized that Huang He's mission to protect Su Jing Dan was a ruse... his real goal was to bring Su Jing Dan to Qiu Tian Lang!

Qiu Tian Lang, leaning on his long saber, sat cross-legged at the front of the group and pointed at Su Jing Dan, "Come and cure my illness."

Su Jing Dan shook her head silently and firmly, "Your master treated you so well, and you still went so far as to harm him! If I cure you, this traitor who betrayed your master, won't I just be helping you harm more people?"

"Only the sect leader can resolve the 'Xuanmo Palm.' After being hit, you should have been rotting away. You're beyond saving! You should dig a hole and bury yourself while you can still move."

Qiu Tian Lang laughed and shook his finger, his eyes filled with contempt and coldness, "I know I can still be saved! The simplest method is to replace the rotten blood in my body! Although I will be very weak after the replacement, I will still survive."

"I also know that to replace the rotten blood, I need a lot of blood! Otherwise, I wouldn't have let Huang He bring so many people here."

Qiu Tian Lang's voice grew colder, and Zheng Shi Yi felt a chill run through his body, as if his blood had been instantly frozen by the cruel words.

The last sentence completely enraged Wu Dong. Ignoring his inferior cultivation, he pointed at Huang He and roared, "Huang He! You beast! You brought us here! Aren't you afraid of divine retribution?"

Huang He showed no sign of shame, only a look of satisfaction and resentment, "Those old fools in the sect didn't recognize my talent! The best cultivation techniques and rare spirit medicines were given to those with far inferior qualifications! If I don't find my own way to survive, I'll be the one to suffer divine retribution!"

"Fortunately, Senior Qiu appreciates me..." Huang He's eyes shone with increasing madness, "As long as I save him, he will help me break through!"

This guy is really insane! If this continues... even if I can escape, Wu Dong will be in trouble! I have to think of a way... Zheng Shi Yi, worried, stepped out of the crowd and said, "Pitiful... you are really pitiful and ridiculous..."

"What do you mean?" Huang He's madness turned into hostility and confusion.

Zheng Shi Yi mimicked Qiu Tian Lang's finger-shaking mockery, "A teacher for a day, a father for life, a simple truth even children understand! You don't understand this! If you don't understand what children know, aren't you pitiful?"

Huang He, feeling humiliated by the public ridicule, roared with a fierce expression, "How can a worm crawling on the ground understand the aspirations of a dragon soaring in the sky!"

Zheng Shi Yi laughed lightly, "Dragon? If there were real dragons in the world, they would laugh at you to death for comparing yourself to them with such filth."

"You are just a tool for him to restore his body. He killed his own master; do you think he will spare you? Fool!"

Huang He's eyes twitched several times, and he looked at Qiu Tian Lang with some unease. Seeing that the old wanted criminal showed no change in expression after hearing Zheng Shi Yi's words, he relaxed and sneered, "Do you think I would believe you?"

Qiu Tian Lang nodded, planting his long saber into the ground, "Huang He has excellent talent and is the best candidate to inherit my legacy! Why would I kill him?"

Huang He's fierce expression turned back to satisfaction, "Did you hear that? Senior Qiu not only won't kill me, but he will also pass on his legacy to me."

"Madman! Aren't you afraid we will inform the sect?" Wu Dong clenched his fists and roared in anger.