Chapter 46

“What’s wrong with that? I’m young—I don’t need this Life-Preserving Jade Elixir, but you’re older. Let me offer it as a disciple’s filial gift, isn’t that fine?” Xia Daoming smiled.

“But these were all taken by you… Master…” Liang Jingtang’s hand trembled as he held the jade vial.

He was past sixty, and over the years had spent vast sums on tonics just to slow the decline of his blood and vigor.

Yet with age, the rate of decline in blood and vigor only accelerated.

But with this Life-Preserving Jade Elixir, a potent remedy, at his age, he might maintain his strength well into his seventies before it waned again.

Moreover, this Elixir extended lifespan and promoted longevity.

Who among martial cultivators doesn’t wish to retain their strength? Who doesn’t desire a long life?

Liang Jingtang felt unworthy to accept it, yet inwardly he couldn’t bear to let this great opportunity slip away.

“Hehe, if you say that, then you’ve contributed greatly on this trip too. You take the Life-Preserving Jade Elixir, I’ll take these Frost Rabbits and Frost Purple Shouwu—fair and balanced.” Xia Daoming chuckled.

“Enough, I won’t argue with you. With such an outstanding disciple, I don’t want to embarrass you, and I want to live a few more years to see how you’ll expand our Hidden Dragon Martial Hall!” Liang Jingtang finally let out a bold laugh, then carefully stowed the vial.

“That’s the spirit!” Xia Daoming smiled, then bent down, grabbed the corpses of Xu Zhiji and Xu Shisen, and hurled them straight over the cliff.

Liang Jingtang watched silently, a sudden chill rising from his soles straight up his spine.

Those were elder Xu clan members and the clan’s most promising youths—thrown like trash over the cliff by Xia Daoming!

Yet Liang Jingtang knew this was the cleanest, most efficient way to destroy the bodies.

Besides, Xu Zhiji and his grandson were arrogant and cruel, their hands stained with countless lives—this was merely justice served, nothing to pity.

“Master, let’s go!” Xia Daoming picked up the sack and bundle and said.

“Alright!” Liang Jingtang nodded.

The two soon left the peak of the mountain, vanishing into the dense forest.

Not long after they departed, people gradually emerged from the mist at different points along the cliff.

Each had pale faces, splattered with blood.

Six days later.

Nightfall.

In a dilapidated courtyard of a deserted village at the foot of Cangmang Mountain, a bonfire burned.

A large pot sat atop the fire.

Inside, three Frost Rabbit hearts and a Golden Crow herb bobbed and swirled in the boiling water.

Xia Daoming and Liang Jingtang sat beside the fire, continuously adding firewood.

After about an hour.

The three Frost Rabbit hearts and the Golden Crow herb had boiled into a thick broth.

Xia Daoming scooped a small spoonful, tilted his head back, and swallowed it.

As the broth entered his throat, a surging energy spread through his organs, limbs, and bones.

“How is it?” Liang Jingtang asked, tense.

“Excellent!” Xia Daoming replied happily, then scooped a small bowl and drained it in one gulp, before sitting cross-legged, closing his eyes, and activating the Dragon-Snake Scripture.

Liang Jingtang leapt up, landing lightly on the roof, then sat cross-legged without closing his eyes—his gaze sharp as lightning, watching all directions from above.

To Liang Jingtang, the Golden Crow Return Soup was an extremely potent remedy; any distraction could cause the medicinal power to run wild and damage the meridians—he could not allow even the slightest disturbance to Xia Daoming.

The Golden Crow Return Soup’s power was indeed fierce.

But Xia Daoming was different: if he could endure the first step, his meridians rapidly strengthened and upgraded, allowing him to withstand even more medicinal power.

So on the first day, he drank only a small bowl.

On the second day, he drank two small bowls in succession, making Liang Jingtang’s heart rise to his throat.

On the third day, he drank three small bowls in succession.

On the fourth day, he downed the entire remaining half of the broth in one go.

By then, Liang Jingtang was numb to it!

That night, Xia Daoming not only used the medicinal power to complete the ninth-level meridian strengthening of the Sixth Rank realm, smashing through his seventh meridian to become a Seventh Rank Great Martial Master, but also achieved slightly more than one full level of meridian strengthening.

On the fifth day, as the master and disciple left the deserted village, Xia Daoming’s internal interface had changed to:

Xia Daoming—

Cultivation Base: Seventh Rank Realm.

Second-Level Meridian Strengthening Progress: 30%.

Walking along the mountain path, feeling the surging blood and vigor within, Xia Daoming was deeply satisfied with the fruits of this journey.

Not only had his cultivation broken through to Seventh Rank, he still had sixteen Frost Purple Shouwu left to fuel further meridian strengthening at this rank; most importantly, he now knew the location of the Transformation Dragon Fruit.

Thus, his path to the Transformation Qi realm was secured.

On the return journey, the master and disciple deliberately lingered, dragging out time.

Of their entire group, apart from themselves, perhaps only a handful might have escaped alive.

With such heavy losses and nothing gained, the Xu family would be furious and would surely interrogate the survivors.

Though Liang Jingtang and his disciple had already prepared their story, guilt weighed on them—they couldn’t guarantee they wouldn’t accidentally reveal a clue.

But if someone else returned to Li City first—especially a Xu survivor—and reported the “truth” first, the Xu family would form a preconceived judgment. Liang Jingtang estimated that once they reported in, they’d be cleared without needing to explain further.

Ten days later, the master and disciple arrived at Li City’s East Gate, “weary and dusty.”

“Liang Jingtang and his disciple are back!”

“Master and Young Master are back!”

“Master! Master!”

As soon as Xia Daoming reached the gate, he spotted Liu Qiaolian, weeping with joy among the crowd, along with his fellow martial hall disciples like Yuchi Xiao.

But several Xu family martial masters blocked them from approaching.

One Xu family steward stepped forward and led Liang Jingtang and Xia Daoming up to the city tower.

On the tower stood an elder of the Xu clan.

“You’re back. Any news of Elder Xu Zhiji and Young Master Xu Shisen?” The Xu elder turned slowly, his expression grave.

“The King Rabbit appeared, everyone scattered to flee. After that, we never saw Elder Xu Zhiji or Young Master Xu Shisen again.” Liang Jingtang bowed slightly in reply.

The Xu elder said nothing, turned away slowly, and waved his hand behind him without looking back.

Clearly, this was the outcome he had already anticipated.

“Your humble servant takes his leave.” Liang Jingtang bowed again with Xia Daoming, then turned and descended the tower.

“Master! Young Master!”

“Master!”

As soon as they reached the bottom of the tower, Yuchi Xiao and the others rushed over, excited.

Liu Qiaolian looked at Xia Daoming with tear-filled eyes, desperate to throw herself into his arms, yet held herself back.

“Let’s talk when we get home!” Liang Jingtang waved his hand.

“It’s good to be home!”

In the backyard of the Xia residence, after a spirited game of cards with Liu Qiaolian, Xia Daoming held her snowy body, utterly content.

“Master has grown even stronger!” Liu Qiaolian complimented him, equally satisfied.

“Of course!” Hearing this, Xia Daoming’s spirit surged—he flipped over, ready to challenge her to another round of cards, making her beg for mercy.

“Hehe, maybe next time!” Xia Daoming knew Liu Qiaolian’s physical condition couldn’t match his, so he relented.

“Shall I call in Xia He and Yue Gui?” Liu Qiaolian whispered in his ear, blowing warm breath.

“Do you think I’m that kind of man?” Xia Daoming stiffened his face, adopting the look of a chaste, unyielding man immune to seduction.

“Master!” Liu Qiaolian, deeply moved, clung tightly to Xia Daoming.

“No, no! I’m not human when I let loose!” Xia Daoming felt the heat of her body in his arms, struggling to restrain himself, nearly in tears.

The Ji family.

In the quiet courtyard of the western district of the Ji mansion.

“Thank heaven and earth—I knew Brother wouldn’t be harmed!” Ji Wenyue, hearing the report from her underling, let out a long breath, yet tears helplessly traced down her cheeks.

In recent days, rumors had spread wildly through the city about the disaster that befell Xu Zhiji’s group in Cangmang Mountain.

Only now did Ji Wenyue learn that Xia Daoming had accompanied Liang Jingtang—she had been so anxious she lost her appetite, couldn’t sleep, and had grown thin.

Now that she finally heard the news of Liang Jingtang and his disciple’s safe return, her heart finally settled.

PS: New book in PK—still seeking collections and follows.