Chapter 137: The Hundred-Fragrance Pill
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At A Thread of Sky, the wind howled and moaned through the pass.
Two figures gradually emerged along the mountain path, one tall and one short, one stout and the other lean.
Each carried a bundle on his back. Their faces were weary and their clothes were tattered, clear signs that they had endured one battle after another in the mountains without a moment’s rest.
A glimmer appeared in the tall, thin man’s eyes.
“Brother Gao, once we pass A Thread of Sky, we’ll be down the mountain.”
“Move!”
The short, stout man was heartened as well.
The two quickened their pace and hurried down the slope.
Suddenly, the hairs on their bodies stood on end.
In the next moment, a long saber flew in from the distance and plunged into the ground before them.
Thud!
The earth trembled, and dust billowed into the air.
“Who is it?”
The two men were startled and hurriedly looked toward the direction from which the saber had come.
A black-robed man sat cross-legged atop A Thread of Sky, his robes swelling and snapping in the violent wind.
Yang Xing said calmly, “This road is closed.”
“Attack!”
A vicious glint flashed in the short, stout man’s eyes. He extended his hands, and two curved sabers appeared in his palms.
Whoosh!
Yang Xing unleashed the Cloud Dragon’s Three Turns. His body became a wisp of white smoke and landed instantly before the Ghost-Head Saber.
Fast!
Far too fast!
The short, stout man saw only a blur before Yang Xing appeared in front of him.
Splurt!
His eyes flew wide. A razor-sharp saber aura pierced his throat, and his body collapsed limply to the ground.
The tall, thin man reacted quickly. The moment he saw his companion die, he turned and fled into the distance.
Yang Xing raised a hand. A finely crafted throwing knife slipped from his sleeve into his palm.
Whoosh!
The knife traced a perfect arc through the air. The tall, thin man fell face-first to the ground.
Yang Xing retrieved the throwing knife, then examined the two men’s bundles.
Two manuals of Celestial River Sect martial arts: *Luo Smoke Palm* and *Six Yang Fists of the Celestial River*. There was also a thick stack of banknotes, along with the Celestial River Sect’s specially refined Jade River Pills and Hundred Fragrances Pills.
The two men’s personal weapons were there as well.
The Celestial River Sect’s alchemical techniques surpassed those of the Four Extremes Sect. The Jade River Pill and the Four Extremes Pill had nearly identical effects, while the Hundred Fragrances Pill could calm the mind and spirit. Taken over a long period, it could also stabilize the inner flow of martial energy.
“This Hundred Fragrances Pill is just what I need right now.”
Yang Xing’s heart stirred as he held the pill.
Although the Black Tortoise energy and Azure Dragon energy within him appeared to coexist peacefully, they had not yet reached the point of perfect harmony, where he could wield them as naturally as an extension of his own limbs.
He still needed a great deal of time to reconcile them, until they ultimately reached a state of unity.
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After tidying everything away, Yang Xing found a secluded corner and continued cultivating.
At noon, sunlight poured over the earth.
Several unwelcome guests arrived at A Thread of Sky.
They were five women ranging from their twenties to their thirties. The woman at their head wore a pale-red robe. She was reasonably attractive, and a fierce aura radiated from her entire being.
All five wore the uniforms of Vermilion Bird Hall.
The leading woman called out, “Is that Junior Brother Yang Xing of Black Tortoise Hall?”
Yang Xing leaped into the air and landed before the five women. He clasped his fists.
“Senior Sister Gu.”
The woman before him was none other than Gu Xuan, the chief disciple of Vermilion Bird Hall. She was one of the Three Heroes and Four Talents of Riverbend Prefecture, as well as the most outstanding member of the Four Extremes Sect’s younger generation.
Yang Xing had never met her, but he had seen her portrait.
Gu Xuan knitted her brows.
“Are you the only one here at A Thread of Sky? Where is Han Tiande?”
Yang Xing replied, “Uncle-Master Han took the other disciples up the mountain.”
Han Tiande and Cui Chong were both dead. Even if he told the truth, there would be no one to verify it. Han Tiande had been a veteran of the Four Extremes Sect, and revealing the matter would inevitably attract attention, especially since both men had possessed the strength of the Elixir Force realm.
More importantly, he might even be required to surrender the valuables taken from their bodies.
A female disciple standing behind Gu Xuan asked, “Have you been guarding this place alone for the past two days, Junior Brother Yang?”
“Uncle-Master Han only went up the mountain last night.” Yang Xing smiled faintly. “I have guarded this place alone for no more than a day.”
Several of the women glanced at the corpses lying not far away and exchanged looks.
This newly promoted Elixir Force disciple of Black Tortoise Hall was clearly no ordinary man.
They had heard that many powerful fighters had come this time, including several veterans of the older generation.
The Four Extremes Sect’s experts were guarding the other paths. Even without fighting to the death, they had suffered heavy casualties, leaving numerous gaps in their defenses.
“You have worked hard.”
Gu Xuan nodded without expression and led the others up the mountain.
“Yang Xing seems quite strong, and he certainly has courage.”
“He looks like a man with considerable potential.”
“I heard he originally wanted to join Azure Dragon Hall, but they refused him. After that, he tried to enter Vermilion Bird Hall.”
“Oh? Then why didn’t he come to Vermilion Bird Hall?”
“Exactly. Is our Vermilion Bird Hall not far superior to Black Tortoise Hall?”
The Vermilion Bird disciples murmured among themselves.
“That’s enough!”
Gu Xuan’s brows drew tightly together as she barked, “Entering Jade River Mountain is exceedingly dangerous. Do not allow yourselves to become distracted.”
The Vermilion Bird disciples promptly fell silent.
They knew that their senior sister was very much like the head of Vermilion Bird Hall. Not only was she exceptionally powerful, she was also forceful and domineering.
……
Jade River Mountain, the dense forest.
“Kill them. Leave no one alive!”
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Lu Shaoyou and several disciples of Black Tortoise Hall, including Wang Dong, had surrounded several disciples of the Celestial River Sect.
The Celestial River disciples were not weak, but after fleeing throughout the night, they were exhausted to the point of collapse.
“Break through in different directions!”
One of the Celestial River disciples shouted, and the group scattered in every direction.
Lu Shaoyou and Wang Dong charged toward one of the female disciples.
She possessed the cultivation of the lower Elixir Force realm and wielded the Celestial River Sword Aura with considerable skill. Lu Shaoyou, however, was at the peak of the lower Elixir Force realm. He had opened four meridians and stood only a single step from reaching the middle Elixir Force realm.
In the end, Lu Shaoyou struck the woman’s shoulder with a palm, sending her crashing heavily to the ground.
Wang Dong stepped forward and sneered. “A heroine of the Celestial River Sect, aren’t you usually so proud?”
The female disciple’s face was deathly pale, without a trace of color. Her lips trembled.
“Please… spare us…”
“If you want to live, it isn’t impossible.”
Wang Dong looked at the woman’s beautiful face, and his heart stirred.
She had once been an exalted heroine of the martial world, someone who ordinarily would not even have spared him a glance.
Lu Shaoyou also walked over, apparently interested.
“Oh? Do you mean that?”
“Of course.”
Seeing the expressions on their faces, the woman lightly lifted her skirt with one delicate hand, exposing a large expanse of snow-white skin.
Wang Dong was young and vigorous, his blood running hot. The moment he saw the thigh white as jade, his mind went blank, while a flame surged through his belly.
So white…
Even Lu Shaoyou’s eyes flashed with interest.
In the next instant, a sharp glint appeared in the woman’s eyes. The sword at her waist shot toward the throats of both men.
This is bad!
Wang Dong was still dazed. By the time he saw the sword coming, it was already too late to dodge.
Just as the female disciple of the Celestial River Sect believed she was about to succeed, she suddenly felt all strength leave her body. Looking down, she saw a fist-sized hole in her chest and abdomen.
Wang Dong was drenched from head to toe, as though he had just been dragged from the water.
“Senior… Senior Brother…”
Lu Shaoyou said calmly, “When traveling the martial world, always beware of women—especially beautiful ones.”
Unwillingness filled the woman’s eyes.
“Senior Brother Duan… Duan Anyu will avenge me…”
With those final words, she fell to the ground with a thud.
“Duan Anyu?”
Lu Shaoyou’s heart jolted. He thought of the disciples who had just fled in different directions and immediately shouted, “After them!”
Without bothering to deal with the aftermath, he chased after them.
Duan Anyu was a renowned young prodigy of Riverbend Prefecture, one of the Three Heroes and Four Talents.
He had mingled among the crowd without making a move, clearly because he had been seriously wounded.
This was a very large fish.