Chapter 44: Daring to Defy Heaven

“That should be Xu Zhiji and Xu Shisen. Let’s avoid joining them—pretend we got separated and lost during our escape, so we won’t be drafted again.” Liang Jingtang followed Xia Daoming’s gaze and faintly spotted the two figures, his face darkening as he spoke.

“After being humiliated like this all along the way, doesn’t our Master want to reclaim some dignity?” Xia Daoming squinted at the grandfather and grandson, Xu Zhiji and Xu Shisen, climbing higher and higher.

“You… ” Liang Jingtang gasped, his body swaying violently, nearly tumbling off the cliff.

“Strike while they’re unprepared. Xu Zhiji is old—inflict a severe wound, and he’s dead for sure.”

“As for Xu Shisen, our Master must keep him occupied. When we return to Li City, even Xu family members will assume they died at the Rabbit King’s claws—no one will suspect us.” Xia Daoming spoke with icy calm.

Liang Jingtang felt a chill crawl up his spine, staring at Xia Daoming as if he were a complete stranger.

This disciple’s cunning and audacity made Liang Jingtang feel his entire life had been wasted.

“Do you have confidence? Xu Zhiji is an Eighth-Rank Great Martial Master!” After a long silence, Liang Jingtang swallowed hard and asked.

“If Xu Zhiji were wary of me, defeating him might be possible—but killing him? That’s far less certain.”

“But after spending so much time with him, I’ve consistently feigned weakness, showing only Fifth-Rank Great Martial Master cultivation. He won’t suspect me.”

“If he doesn’t suspect me, I can wound him severely—and leave him dead in Cangmang Mountain.” Xia Daoming said.

“So you’re not just Fifth-Rank?” Liang Jingtang’s heart leapt.

“Heh, my true cultivation is Sixth-Rank. And if I seize the Ice Rabbit and brew it with Golden Crow Grass into a medicinal soup, I’ll surely break through to Seventh-Rank. I have the Golden Crow Grass—but I still lack the Ice Rabbit.” Xia Daoming said.

“Sixth-Rank…” Liang Jingtang opened his mouth, stared at Xia Daoming for a long moment, then said: “Actually, you’ve already revealed it—just now, the situation was too dangerous, and I didn’t pay attention.”

“But I’ve heard the medicinal soup made from Ice Rabbit and Golden Crow Grass is extremely potent—it requires a young Seventh-Rank Great Martial Master with vigorous blood and qi to withstand its power!”

“Heh, Master, rest assured—I’m naturally strong-bodied, no problem at all. And during our escape just now, you must’ve felt my blood and qi are far more vigorous than yours!” Xia Daoming said.

“True! Your blood and qi are far stronger than mine—no weaker than a peak Seventh-Rank Great Martial Master!” Liang Jingtang nodded, then swallowed hard, moistening his dry throat, his eyes flashing with ruthlessness: “If it can make you Seventh-Rank, damn it—let’s do it!”

As the master and disciple spoke, they did not stop climbing.

By the time Liang Jingtang decided to risk a big score, they had already reached the steepest cliff face.

From here, they needed vines or ropes to continue climbing the peak.

As the two looked for vines, Xia Daoming’s eyes suddenly brightened.

He saw a patch of mist lingering stubbornly in the distance—yet logically, at that high elevation, sunlight should have dispersed any mist.

“Could it be Ice-Purple Shouwu?” Xia Daoming’s heart leapt; he quickly moved sideways toward it.

As he drew closer, through the dense mist, he faintly glimpsed purple vines and leaves.

“It’s Ice-Purple Shouwu!” Liang Jingtang, following behind, exclaimed excitedly.

“That’s right! Who’d have thought our master-disciple pair’s luck would strike here!” Xia Daoming smiled, stepped forward, and swept away the mist—revealing a single Ice-Purple Shouwu.

The Ice-Purple Shouwu grew precisely atop a crack, where accumulated soil anchored its deep roots.

Xia Daoming took out a small knife and carefully dug up the entire plant—vines, leaves, and roots intact.

The Shouwu had subtly taken on a humanoid shape.

As he pulled it free, the surrounding temperature dropped sharply.

“Gulp!” Liang Jingtang swallowed hard, excited: “This… this must be four or five hundred years old!”

“Four or five hundred years!” Xia Daoming’s face lit up with excitement.

A hundred-year Ice-Purple Shouwu already greatly benefited him—previously helping him strengthen his meridians by one level.

A four- or five-hundred-year Shouwu would be vastly more potent.

“Master, let’s go. Xu Zhiji will be thrilled to see a four- or five-hundred-year Ice-Purple Shouwu.” Xia Daoming quickly regained his composure and smiled.

Liang Jingtang froze, then realized what Xia Daoming meant.

“You… I truly misjudged you!” Liang Jingtang caught up to Xia Daoming, deeply moved.

“Is misjudging you bad?” Xia Daoming asked.

“No, of course not! Ha ha! The best thing I’ve ever done in my life is probably taking you as my disciple!” Liang Jingtang paused, then burst into laughter.

At the peak of the mountain.

Xu Zhiji and Xu Shisen stared down, pale and grim.

Xu Zhiji’s left arm bore a horrifying wound—as if sliced by a sharp blade, flesh torn open, though the blood had frozen.

“Granduncle, are you alright?” Xu Shisen asked.

“I won’t die! I never expected a Rabbit King to exist beneath this valley!” Xu Zhiji’s voice trembled with lingering fear.

“What do we do now?” Xu Shisen asked.

“Wait here. See if any Xu family members make it up here.” Xu Zhiji replied.

“What about the others?” Xu Shisen blurted out.

“Others? If it were you, would you eagerly come to regroup?” Xu Zhiji sneered.

Xu Shisen thought for a moment, then shook his head: “No. Joining us on the return journey would only make us cannon fodder.”

“Better to pretend we got lost fleeing the Rabbit King—and slip back to Li City ourselves. Then we won’t have to hunt them down later.”

“You’re not entirely stupid!” Xu Zhiji nodded.

Saying no more, Xu Zhiji leaned against a massive tree, pulled out wound ointment, and applied it to his injured arm.

Earlier, carrying the Ice Rabbit’s heart and Ice-Purple Shouwu, he’d drawn the Rabbit King’s full attention—multiple ice arrows had struck him. Had his cultivation not been profound, he’d already be dead in the Ice Valley.

Even so, one ice arrow had grazed his arm.

The sharp, freezing arrow nearly crippled his left limb.

“Granduncle, let me help you apply the ointment!” Xu Shisen hurriedly said.

“No. Watch below—see if anyone’s coming up. Also watch for the Rabbit King leaving the valley.” Xu Zhiji said.

“Yes, Granduncle!” Xu Shisen nodded.

Thus, one watched the valley below, the other tended his wound.

Soon, Xu Zhiji finished treating his arm and rose—when suddenly, footsteps echoed from the forest ahead. He saw Xia Daoming and Liang Jingtang approaching.

Upon seeing Xu Zhiji, Xia Daoming and Liang Jingtang’s expressions changed instantly; they darted behind a large tree.

“Hmph. Liang Jingtang, you and your disciple have quite the luck.” Xu Zhiji sneered.

“Cough, cough… So the clan elder and Young Master Shisen have returned! We were just about to seek you out!” Liang Jingtang stepped out from behind the tree, his face unnaturally stiff.

“Really? I think you were trying to avoid us!” Xu Shisen mocked.

“How could we?” Liang Jingtang said, clearly insincere.

As Liang Jingtang spoke, Xia Daoming remained hidden behind him, quietly shifting the bulging sack on his back further behind.

“Young man, what’s in your sack?” Xu Zhiji’s eyes flickered with surprise, his tone casual.

“Nothing, nothing—just the Ice-Purple Shouwu the clan elder gave me earlier in the valley.” Xia Daoming stammered, avoiding eye contact.

“Heh, Xia Daoming, the Ice-Purple Shouwu our Granduncle gave you wasn’t nearly this big! Open the sack!” Xu Shisen hissed coldly.

“It really is just…” Xia Daoming insisted.

“Open it!” Xu Zhiji cut in sharply, leaving no room for refusal.

“Yes.” Xia Daoming sighed, reluctantly unslung the sack.

“Clan Elder, you said earlier that for any Ice-Purple Shouwu we harvest, we only need to surrender half—we may keep the other half. You’re an Eighth-Rank Great Martial Master, a clan elder—your word is binding, isn’t it?” Xia Daoming set down the sack, hesitated, then looked up at Xu Zhiji.

“Of course! Open it quickly.” Xu Zhiji replied without hesitation, genuinely curious now about the sack.

“Alright.” Xia Daoming gritted his teeth, trembling hands untying the sack.

Instantly, cold air radiated outward—a faint mist formed around the sack.

“Half-human-shaped Ice-Purple Shouwu… this… this must be four or five hundred years old!” Xu Zhiji leapt to his feet in excitement.

“Clan Elder, you must keep your word!” Xia Daoming clutched the sack tightly, his posture ready to destroy it if Xu Zhiji reneged.

“Rest assured, I always keep my word. Bring the Ice-Purple Shouwu here—let me examine it closely to confirm its age.” Xu Zhiji urged eagerly.

“Alright.” Xia Daoming stepped slowly toward Xu Zhiji.

Xu Zhiji’s gaze burned intensely on the sack in Xia Daoming’s hands.

Xu Shisen’s did too.

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