Yang Fan rode forth, his whip crackling in the air as he galloped against the wind, serene as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting golden hues across the land. Yet, beneath his calm exterior lay a heart shadowed by melancholy.
Behind him, the dust-choked caravan had long since been left in his wake. He still had half the journey to "Xiuyuge" ahead. This time, Yang Fan was mindful of the condition of his steed, pausing briefly whenever he encountered patches of grass or water along the roadside.
Thus, as night fell, he had traveled a considerable distance. Tethering his horse to a tree, he resolved to cultivate his skills in the depths of the wild woods. During the day, he had healed the wounds of over fifty common folk, causing a slight increase in his spiritual energy. Now, he endeavored to consolidate his current realm while he trained.
In the early stage of Qi Refinement, though modest, this achievement was precious for Yang Fan, who had recently lost his magical powers. The nine realms of cultivation were a daunting ladder, each tier more challenging than the last, like endless mountains rising one above the other. Presently, standing at the lowest point of the Qi Refinement phase, he remained calm as water. He believed that, should he continue on this path, his continuous progress would eventually allow him to surpass the renowned masters and demonic figures of the cultivation world.
Hours passed, and Yang Fan felt the purity of his internal energy deepen. The mysterious life mist flowed through his meridians, blood vessels, and internal organs, even nurturing his soul. In this state, he harmonized with the surrounding environment, perceiving every blade of grass, every flower and insect, in his awareness. Within a radius of sixty paces, he sensed the ebb and flow of life with unparalleled clarity.
At that moment, a commotion erupted nearby, filled with potent spiritual energy and the unmistakable aura of life being extinguished. Yang Fan's mind jolted, abruptly pulling him from his profound state. He quickly rose and glanced into the distance, where he beheld two figures engaged in a fierce duel in a valley—the raging winds howled, and sand flew about, creating an imposing spectacle.
One was an elder, gravely injured, yet his eyes burned with intensity, emanating formidable spiritual pressure. The other, a young man, was brimming with vitality, his eyes glinting with brilliance, evading a direct confrontation with the elder.
"In this desolate wilderness, there are those who would gamble their lives against one another," Yang Fan thought, a shiver coursing through him. He promptly employed the "Concealment Technique" he had recently mastered. A mysterious aura rippled around him, causing his form to vanish as if he had melted into thin air.
"You ungrateful wretch! How could you commit such heinous acts? I devoted thirty years of effort to nurture you, only to produce such a disciple. To claim a Mid-grade 'Yunshen Dan,' you would kill my son and even turn your poison against your master!" The elder, despite his injuries, unleashed terrifying spells and artifacts into the void, creating a dazzling array of attacks that forced the youth to retreat repeatedly, unable to mount a counterattack.
"Mid-grade Yunshen Dan?" Upon hearing the name, Yang Fan's heart stirred. The Yunshen Dan was a miraculous elixir for cultivating soul power; it could significantly increase a Qi Refinement cultivator's chance of breaking through to the Spirit Gathering stage. A lower-grade Yunshen Dan would be one thing, but a mid-grade one was worth at least ten times that.
A mid-grade Yunshen Dan could offer a Qi Refinement practitioner a thirty percent chance to break through to the next level!
"Hmph, old man, you've entered the initial stage of Spirit Gathering and still wish to give your precious 'Yunshen Dan' to that unworthy son of yours. Do you not realize this elixir could allow someone like me, who has stagnated at the peak of Qi Refinement for many years, to advance to the Spirit Gathering stage?" The young man sneered. "It's precisely because of your favoritism that I killed your son and laid a trap for you. Now you are at your wit's end, first poisoned by the 'Moxian Powder' I purchased for twenty spirit stones and then struck down once again…"
Amid the fierce assault of the elder, the young man avoided a direct confrontation, focusing solely on evasion and defense, seeking not to gain but to escape unscathed. Despite the elder's considerable strength, he was hindered by his grievous wounds, forced to expend a significant portion of his spiritual energy to counteract the numbing effects of the "Moxian Powder."
Yang Fan, concealed nearby, observed the conflict with keen eyes. "A mid-grade Yunshen Dan certainly possesses an alluring temptation… Yet, knowing this elixir could decide the fate of the young man, it's no wonder he was driven to commit such an outrageous act." The young man had stagnated at the peak of Qi Refinement for years, and the mid-grade Yunshen Dan represented a chance to transform his destiny.
Yang Fan had no intention of involving himself in their battle; this affair was of no concern to him, and he saw no reason to invite trouble upon himself.
"Unworthy disciple, even if it costs me my life, I shall not let you succeed!"
The elder, with a gaping wound on his forehead, summoned a burst of spiritual light, shattering the hold of the "Moxian Powder" for a brief moment. Yang Fan keenly sensed the vitality and life force within the elder swiftly waning. The young man's expression shifted, his body hurtled like a kite cut from its string, sent flying by the elder's palm.
Immediately, the elder mobilized all his spiritual energy, commanding a dark iron sword in his hand. This sword, an exquisite magical artifact, became a vessel for the elder's life force and energy, emitting a chilling resonance.
With a thrust, the elder's dark iron sword transformed into a blur, lunging toward the youth. The young man, facing the towering sword, summoned a green brick out of nowhere and, as he spat blood onto it, inscribed a series of runes with frantic gestures.
Suddenly, the green brick erupted with immense spiritual pressure, elongating to nearly ten feet.
"Unworthy son! You dared to steal one of the town's spiritual artifacts from 'Jinhongmen!'"
Seeing this, the elder's face contorted with fury and determination.
Swish!
Channeling all his remaining energy and life force, the elder's dark iron sword morphed into an indistinct shadow, striking toward the youth. In response, the massive green brick swelled further, unleashing a heavy and oppressive aura.
Clang!
The collision between the elder's dark iron sword and the enormous green brick echoed with a heavy metallic sound.
Crack!
The elder's dark iron sword could not withstand the strain, shattering into fragments that scattered through the air.
"Ah!"
The young man, overwhelmed by the tremendous backlash, was hurled backward, blood spurting from his mouth. One of his arms even broke under the force, leaving him gravely wounded and battered.
After this clash, the elder collapsed to the ground, on the brink of death, his life force teetering on the edge of oblivion.
"Hahaha… Old man, even at the cost of your life, you could not kill me. Were it not for the pieces of the town's spiritual artifact, would I have dared to face you?"
The young man, drenched in blood, laughed maniacally as he staggered to his feet, advancing toward the elder.
Though the elder was on the verge of death, the light in his eyes still glimmered with determination as he cast a glance toward Yang Fan's concealed position. "You there, hidden… Fellow cultivator… I… only ask you…"
Before he could finish, the elder took his final breath, his life extinguished.
"Who goes there? Step forward!"
The young man's expression shifted, his gaze sharp as he focused on the spot where the elder had looked, sensing the flaw in the air.
Yang Fan sighed softly, releasing a wave of spiritual energy that unveiled his figure and cultivation level. He thought, "That elder truly was a master of the Spirit Gathering stage… even in death, he sought to drag me down with him."
At that moment, he faced a severely injured practitioner at the peak of Qi Refinement. The young man, seeing Yang Fan's appearance, lost his previous tension, his face contorting into a sinister grin, his eyes gleaming with malice: "A mere initial stage Qi Refinement cultivator! Since you've seen me, you shall accompany this old man to the grave!"
A thick, unbridled aura of murderous intent surged forth, unrestrained and oppressive.