Chapter 257

Why bother knowing that a group of people followed a small mountain valley path, rushing straight ahead, flying swiftly, they had traveled for half an hour's worth of distance, finally stopping in a mountain valley.

The valley was not large; around it were set up prohibitions and formations against poisonous insects and ferocious beasts, and inside a clean area had been cleared.

At this moment, over a hundred people were either meditating or chatting in small groups of three to five.

Seeing them return, they all rushed forward to greet them: "Senior Brother He, Junior Sister Zixi..."

He Buzhi nodded, looked toward the innermost part of the valley, where seven people lay in a natural stone cave, while a group of Primordial Dan Realm experts examined their injuries.

They were precisely the second-ranked Xiao Yujian of the Luoxia Valley's earth rankings, the second-ranked Jiang Ruyan of the Baowang Sect's earth rankings, and Monk Tiancong of the Mituo Temple, among others.

"How are they?" He Buzhi stepped forward first, reaching to feel the pulse of one of the unconscious beautiful girls.

"The poisonous gas is about to attack the heart—have you gotten the Crocodile King's spiritual herb?" Monk Tiancong asked.

The girl with the beauty‑bun hairstyle who had followed them, Zixi, hastily produced that lingzhi, angrily saying: "I did get it, but it was originally a twin, and then a bastard in armor and a mask snatched half of it, still trying to blackmail us, cheating us out of tens of thousands of low‑grade spirit crystals."

Monk Tiancong immediately took the lingzhi, leading a few people aside to prepare an antidote.

Jiang Ruyan tidied the hair beside her ears, exuding feminine charm, glanced around, and asked, "Oh? Who is it?"

He Buzhi rose and said, "It's probably not someone from our batch; this person's cultivation is around the ninth level of the Qi Hai Realm, but their spiritual power and aura are far stronger than an ordinary ninth‑level Qi Hai Realm cultivator."

"Void Dan?" Xiao Yujian hugged his sword, his face icy, his tall, slender frame making him seem like a sword himself.

He Buzhi shook his head: "It's not Void Dan, but somewhat stronger than that; in any case, his aura is very strange, and yet, with only a Qi Hai Realm cultivation, he actually managed to drive a large drum‑type magical treasure, briefly stunning us, and then, within just ten breaths, escaped the range of my spiritual sense."

"There are still people like this?" Jiang Ruyan frowned slightly, asking, "Have any other sect disciples arrived here?"

Zixi said: "We've arrived! We saw Senior Sister Yu Qiuyi of the Great Expansion Sect; their group must have passed other trials and also made it here!"

Jiang Ruyan said: "Then it must be someone from that group; this person deliberately disguised himself, seized the spiritual herb, obviously fearing exposure of his identity."

"However, the ability Junior Brother He described is quite amazing!"

He Buzhi nodded and said, "Although our contact with him was brief, I can clearly sense that he is eloquent, his methods are extraordinary, and with his deliberate attire and disguised voice, he must be a celebrity!"

Not far away, Monk Tiancong, who was boiling lingzhi soup, turned his head and said, "Junior Brother He, why do you keep thinking about this person? Are you angry?"

He Buzhi gave a wry laugh: "Indeed I'm angry—my lungs feel like they're about to explode!"

"Hearing Junior Brother He say that, I'm also curious!" Xiao Yujian leaned against the cliff wall, suggesting, "Why not summon Junior Sister Yu Qiuyi and her group, gather everyone together, and ferret out this person!"

Jiang Ruyan also said, "Exactly, let's call them over; first, we can ferret out this person, and second, we can together discuss how to break through this stage's relic trial."

He Buzhi said, "Good! Senior Brother Xiao and I will go look for them."

Xiao Yujian nodded.

The two figures flashed and rushed straight out of the valley.

……

At dusk.

He Buzhi and Xiao Yujian led a group back.

They were precisely Yu Qiuyi, Niu Wanli, and a group of others.

However, at this moment the group had only ninety‑seven people left.

Yesterday, while crossing the shore at the sea, the water was truly bitterly cold and sinister; twenty or so low‑rank disciples couldn't endure it, surfaced, and were all sucked dry into desiccated bones by the demonic gnats.

Those who managed to escape to the shore with difficulty ended up dazed and dispirited, mistakenly stumbled into a fox den, and were again slain by the Fox King, losing nearly another twenty.

One could say the group is practically the embodiment of tragedy!

In the depths of the valley, Jiang Ruyan, Monk Tiancong, and their group, upon seeing them, immediately went out to greet.

Seeing Yu Qiuyi's group, they were somewhat surprised.

Monk Tiancong said, "When we first descended from the Sword Sea Sect's gate, we should have been scattered, split into a dozen or so batches; is your batch's strength perhaps overly formidable?"

Niu Wanli, Yu Qiuyi, Ye Hongxue, Nun Yuanmiao, Shen Qiong, Du Qiyue, Liu Yu, and others are all top‑ranked Primordial Dan Realm experts from the various sects' earth rankings.

By contrast, their batch—just Jiang Ruyan, He Buzhi, and Xiao Yujian, three or four individuals who rank slightly higher in their own sects—shows a noticeable disparity in strength.

Who would have thought that if they hadn't heard this it would be fine, but upon hearing it, Shen Qiong, Yu Qiuyi, and their group almost burst into tears.

Ye Hongxue sighed to the heavens, "Don't mention it—I've never felt this low in my life."

"How so?" Jiang Ruyan asked in surprise.

Ye Hongxue gave a bitter smile: "Got any wine?"

Xiao Yujian said, "In my life I keep only two companions—my sword and wine; if you want to drink, I've got plenty!"

"Senior Brother Xiao, what a straightforward person!"

The two groups went together to the stone cave deep in the valley, where Xiao Yujian actually produced dozens of jars of fine wine.

Monk Tiancong somehow also managed to gather a heap of vegetarian fare.

The group ate the vegetarian food, drank heartily, and vented their pent‑up frustration.

He Buzhi harbored great resentment toward Heng Xian, his gaze constantly sweeping over Ye Hongxue, Yu Qiuyi, and the ninety‑seven others, yet he felt none resembled that "armored person," so he directly asked, "I don't suppose among you senior brothers and sisters there is anyone wearing armor and a cat‑face mask?"

No sooner had he spoken than Yu Qiuyi, Niu Wanli, Ye Hongxue, and the others all stared straight at him.

He Buzhi froze for a moment: "What? Is something wrong?"

Yu Qiuyi said in a low voice, "Have you seen him?"

Not far away, Zixi said, "We did—just today in the daytime, and he even snatched our spiritual herb!"

"How?" Jiang Ruyan looked around and also asked, "Is he not here?"

"He couldn't possibly be here!" Ye Hongxue took a swig of wine, declaring, "This guy is a divine person—he knows everything, he needs no companions; stealing your spiritual herb definitely has deep significance—you should be learning from him!"

Niu Wanli nodded: "Exactly! His intellect is transcendent; none of the various trials in the relic can stump him—at every tricky spot he can figure it out in advance!"

"This..." Jiang Ruyan, He Buzhi, and a few others exchanged glances, wondering, "Is there really someone like this, or is it just too exaggerated?"

"Not an exaggeration at all..." Yu Qiuyi recounted the miraculous maneuvers of the "Cat-faced Man" along the way.

Hebizhi hesitated for a moment: "In other words, your cultivation realms are completely useless in the first two stages?"

Moreover, this person not only calculated all the trials and rules within the relic, but can also make it impossible for you to act against him at every step.

Niu Wanli nodded: 'Exactly!'

The valley instantly fell silent.

Maoliannan's performance — among the nearly three hundred people from the two groups in the valley, upon self-reflection, not a single one could match it.

Jiang Ruoyan pondered, then asked: 'Do you think he could be Heng Xian?'

"We've discussed this before!" Ye Hongxue said, "But we're more inclined to think he is the beloved disciple-granddisciple of some elder from a sect; when they first opened the Jianhai Guji, that elder foresaw many things and told him in advance!"

Everyone nodded; this explanation made sense.

Monk Tiancong said: 'Since this person is miraculous, we might as well have two plans: first, jointly capture him; second, together break through this barrier!'

(End of chapter)