Chapter 6: My mountain‑splitting palm is no joke!

The night was very deep.

Wang Shan's figure moved quickly through the winding alleys of Luo Bay County, his whole body seeming to merge into the heavy darkness.

He didn't dare go straight back to the Wang Family Courtyard.

Doing that would be too dangerous.

Who could guarantee those two black‑clad fellows hadn't come after him, or were hiding somewhere nearby waiting for him?

He had to be careful.

So he took a especially large detour, constantly changing his direction of advance, using various corners and piles of debris to conceal himself, while carefully checking that no one was following behind.

The wound at his waist kept throbbing in waves, each step feeling like fire.

His right arm ached to the point of piercing pain, barely able to lift.

His steps were a little unsteady; moonlight on his face made him look especially pallid.

Only when he saw in the distance the familiar shadow of his own courtyard and truly confirmed he had shaken off any possible pursuers did Wang Shan finally relax a little, then quietly approach the gate.

Just as one foot stepped into the range of his family courtyard, a wave that others couldn't feel lightly swept over his whole body.

It was the Misty Spirit Gathering Array!

This array had been quietly running ever since it was set up.

Upon stepping into the area shrouded by the array, any outside means of peeking or tracking one's aura were instantly cut off, feeling like entering another independent little world.

At the same time, Wang Shan clearly felt that the heavenly earth spiritual qi in the surrounding air had increased a little.

Although the increase was slight, it caused his constantly tense nerves to completely relax all at once.

He was safe—at least for the time being.

He was exhausted, leaning against the wall behind the gate, gulping big breaths several times.

Then he barely managed to straighten his body, dragging his injured self toward his room while trying to make no sound.

He didn't want to wake the children now, afraid they'd worry if they saw him like this.

He pushed open the room door, then pulled it shut with his backhand, blocking the cold wind outside.

Wang Shan didn't light a lamp.

He used the faint moonlight filtering in from outside the window to feel his way to the bedside, then sat cross‑legged with great effort.

He didn't bother to tend to his external wounds, immediately focusing his mind and beginning to circulate the Duant Body Art he had only just learned.

A very faint spiritual qi, like a small stream, slowly flowed through his injured meridians, attempting to repair his bodily injuries bit by bit.

This process was especially slow and extremely painful; each circulation of spiritual qi brought a needle‑like pain.

He felt a movement in his mind and took out a Xisui Flower from the system's backpack.

This was left over from when he opened the novice gift pack last time; he never expected to need it again so soon.

He hesitated not at all, directly stuffing the faintly fragrant Xisui Flower into his mouth, chewing it once and swallowing.

A very gentle medicinal power quickly dissolved in his body, spreading throughout, like a cool spring nourishing his wounded spots, letting his injuries heal faster.

Wang Shan focused his spirit to examine his internal condition.

The situation was a bit worse than he had thought.

Near where his ribs had been sliced by a dagger, he could clearly "see" several fine cracks.

Those were produced when he had forcibly blocked a palm strike from the black‑robed Jia.

His five viscera and six bowels also suffered a severe jolt.

Although they weren't ruptured, the uncomfortable sensation of his organs seeming to have shifted was still very obvious.

Several places in his meridians were damaged, making spiritual qi flow difficult; clearly he had suffered a serious trauma from that violent impact.

Body Refining Eighth Layer!

Is this the true strength of a Body Refining Eighth Layer cultivator?

Just a casual strike like that made him, a Body Refining Fifth Layer fighter who had risked everything and even used tricks to barely escape, end up with such severe injuries.

Wang Shan felt a sudden pang of fear in his heart.

If it weren't for the fact that he had already gotten started with the Duant Body Art, making his body considerably sturdier than an ordinary Body Refining Fifth Layer cultivator, that blow just now would have been more than a mere heavy injury.

He might have died on the spot!

The strength of those two black‑robed people really weighed on his heart like two great mountains, heavy and oppressive.

Just then, the system's cold, emotionless voice sounded in his mind.

【System Prompt: "Host detected encountering a strong enemy, life under threat. Advised to quickly raise cultivation or exchange defensive/offensive items."】

The system's prompt was simple and direct, but it also reminded Wang Shan.

Yeah, relying solely on his current puny strength to take on those two Body Refining Eighth Layer fighters is practically like hitting a stone with an egg.

A head‑on clash is definitely out of the question.

While continuing to circulate the Duant Body Art and using the Xisui Flower's medicinal power to heal his wounds, he forced himself to calm down and began thinking of ways to cope.

We aren't completely lacking the ability to resist.

The Wang Family Courtyard has the Misty Spirit Gathering Array protecting it—that's an advantage.

Although he doesn't know how long this array can hold off a Body Refining Eighth Layer strike, at least it can provide some buffering and protection.

Besides the array, the only recourse is to rely on external objects.

His thoughts once again entered the system mall.

All kinds of product lists flashed before his eyes.

There were various pills, talismans, magic artifacts, and materials for laying arrays…… so many that his eyes blurred and his heart felt like it was bleeding.

These things, each one costing a fortune, required a huge amount of Spirit Plant Points to exchange for.

His gaze finally settled on two kinds of talismans.

【Thick Earth Talisman】: a one‑use Defensive Talisman. When activated it creates a barrier of thick earth that can block a full‑force strike from a Body Refining late‑stage (layers 7‑9) cultivator. Exchange price: 1000【Spirit Plant Points】.

【Sharp Metal Talisman】: a one‑use Attack Talisman. When activated it releases a particularly sharp metal‑type attack, very powerful, able to threaten even a Body Refining late‑stage cultivator. Exchange price: 1500【Spirit Plant Points】.

These two talismans are exactly what he needs most right now!

One can save his life, the other can wound the enemy!

If he had these two talismans in hand, combined with the family's array, he might actually be able to hold off those two black‑robed men, even… strike back at them!

But when he saw the frighteningly high price, Wang Shan's heart sank again.

He now has only a pitiful 100 Spirit Plant Points left in his hand.

This amount of points is nowhere near enough, far too short.

He must quickly obtain Spirit Plant Points!

This idea became intensely strong and urgent in his heart.

Wang Shan's gaze involuntarily turned to the window. He wanted to see the ten‑mu spirit field and the Qiankun Bag he had just obtained.

Inside the Qiankun Bag are the spirit medicines he obtained from Chen Tianfeng! And the Spirit Blood Branches from his family's third of a field are growing well!

These are his hope for obtaining Spirit Plant Points! Time is short; those two black‑robed men may come soon!

As dawn approached, the Xisui Flower and the Duant Body Art worked together, and Wang Shan's injuries recovered thirty to forty percent. His face was still pale, his breath weak, but he could move and use spiritual energy.

He immediately got up and summoned his four sons to his room. Wang Zhizhe, Wang Zhitao, Wang Zhiche, and Wang Zhihai saw their father looking weak, with bloodstains on his body, and they all felt tense.

"Father, what happened to you?" Wang Zhizhe asked first, his voice worried. Wang Shan waved his hand, telling them not to panic. He briefly recounted last night's events, without mentioning that he had overheard the Myriad Beast Law and the virgin blood sacrifice; he only said he had encountered experts from the Wan family aiding the Chen family, the opponents were very strong, he couldn't beat them, but he escaped.

Wang Shan spoke lightly, but the words "Body Refining eighth layer" and "Wan family experts" still startled the sons, their faces changing.

"What? The Wan family sent an eighth‑layer Body Refining expert to deal with us?" Wang Zhitao was the most anxious, blurting out with anger and disbelief. "Dad! How are your injuries?" Wang Zhihai cared more about his father's condition.

Wang Zhiche and Wang Zhizhe said nothing, but they clenched their fists, their expressions grave. They were angry that the Wan and Chen families were pressing too hard, using ruthless means, and they also worried about their father's safety and the future of the Wang family.

At the same time, they all had the thought: Father actually managed to escape from two eighth‑layer Body Refining experts?! That's unbelievable!

They looked at Wang Shan; besides worry, their eyes held more shock and admiration. Just how many secrets does their father hide?

"Don't panic!" Wang Shan said in a low but stern voice, "I've only suffered some injuries; I'll be fine after a few days of rest." He glanced at his four sons and continued, "Don't be afraid, the sky hasn't fallen. The enemy is strong, but we're not easy to bully. Don't forget, our family has an array; they'll find it hard to get in!"

Wang Shan remained calm, his words full of confidence, like giving his sons a reassurance pill; their hearts steadied a little.

"What's most important now," Wang Shan said with a graver tone, "is to be prepared to respond. From now on, without my permission, no one may leave the Misty Spirit Gathering Array. Understand?"

"Yes, father!" the four replied together. "Zhizhe," Wang Shan said to his eldest son, "you must quickly get the ten‑mu spirit field in shape, restore its fertility, and not waste it."

"Zhitao," he said to his second son, "you should quickly find a way to sell the spirit medicines the Chen family compensated with, exchange them for spirit stones and cultivation resources; be quick, the price can be lower."

"Yes!" Wang Zhizhe and Wang Zhitao promised. "I need to recover my injuries quickly and increase my strength." Wang Shan continued arranging, "First use the family's Spirit Blood Branches for me."

He paused, looking toward his family's third‑mu spirit field. "I'll go take a look." Having said that, Wang Shan rose and went to the spirit field in the back courtyard.

Although it's only a third of a mu, after being transformed with Jade Spirit Liquid it is a low‑grade spirit field. The Spirit Blood Branches in the field, nourished by spiritual energy, are growing well, their leaves glowing with a blood‑red light.

Wang Shan looked at the Spirit Blood Branches, feeling a bit reluctant. But he didn't hesitate, directly telling the system: "Use 100 Spirit Plant Points to hasten the maturation of some Spirit Blood Branches!"

【Spirit Plant Points: 0】 The last 100 Spirit Plant Points were spent; a surge of energy entered the field, and several of the most mature Spirit Blood Branches immediately emitted a deeper blood‑red glow, their fruit quickly ripening.

Wang Shan immediately went over, carefully plucked the ripe Spirit Blood Branch fruit, sat at the field's edge, and ate it. A wave of heat spread through his body, quickly replenishing his qi and blood, nourishing his injured form, and his wounds healed faster.

Comfortable! Wang Shan exhaled, feeling much better in his body. He thought he must, before those two black‑robed men return, quickly recover his injuries and boost his strength.

At least, he must return to the peak of Body Refining fifth layer! He also needs to quickly sell the spirit medicines for spirit stones, then find a way to earn Spirit Plant Points to exchange for Thick Earth Talismans and Sharp Metal Talismans to preserve his life!

Time is pressing! While healing his wounds, Wang Shan didn't forget cultivation. He took out that thin manual of the Pishan Palm.

Although his injuries weren't healed yet and he couldn't practice the moves, he could still imagine them in his mind, sensing the essence of the palm technique. For Pishan Palm, what matters is momentum and explosive power.

He repeatedly simulated the Pishan Palm in his mind.

He imagined the movements of the palm.

Feel how the spiritual energy flows through the meridians in his arms.

Ponder how to exert force.

He wanted to make the only martial skill he knew even more formidable.

To maximize the power of the Pishan Palm.

"What about an eighth‑layer Body Refining cultivator?"

Wang Shan slowly opened his eyes.

There was a hint of ruthlessness in his eyes.

"You've really driven me to desperation."

"Even if I have to give up this life."

"I will still make you pay the price!"

"My Pishan Palm."

"It's not for show!"