Chapter 92: Fierce Battle
Wang Xing’s expression changed: “No way, we absolutely won’t betray Senior Brother Yin.”
Although Yin Ruguang was no good.
But he had some tricks, and the like-minded junior brothers under him had all been won over by him.
Moreover, with both favors and threats, quite a few betrayers had been secretly dealt with.
In this situation, Su Yan’s empty words naturally couldn’t make them betray.
“So tough?”
Seeing him like this, Su Yan instead laughed.
He was someone who played with bugs, with plenty of methods, specializing in curing stubborn mouths.
With a point of his finger, several Blood Bees appeared before the three.
A Blood Bee flew out and landed on one’s face, right in front of him, drilling into the skin and flesh, opening a bloody hole in the flesh and blood.
“Ah!”
Xie Feiying screamed endlessly, but the Blood Bee showed no sign of stopping, following the skin and flesh into the abdomen, turning everything upside down inside.
The bulges under the skin and the Blood Bee’s movements tormented him endlessly in pain and fear.
Wang Xing was terrified in his heart, already thinking that if he didn’t speak, he would likely be the next to suffer this torture.
However, before he could hesitate.
The disciple with the pierced thigh had already shouted loudly: “Let me go, I’ll talk. Senior Brother Yin agreed to gather at the old banyan tree where the stream valley splits, to hunt disciples from Hundred Herbs Hall and Golden Ape Martial Arts School.”
He only mentioned Golden Ape Martial Arts School, not saying a word about the ambush specifically targeting Su Yan.
“Thanks for the news.”
Su Yan gave the order, and the White Bone Poison Centipede and Red Armored Mad Scorpion instantly opened their bloody maws and bit the three to death, devouring them clean.
Even the bones were completely absorbed by the White Bone Poison Centipede.
“Those who mix in the martial world must pay back. Since you wanted to act against me, don’t blame me.”
Su Yan had originally planned to find some precious things himself and see how things developed.
But he didn’t expect Yin Ruguang and the others to be so eager; they probably hadn’t come in just for the Miasma Valley’s mountain guarding rights.
But this was fine too—who was robbing didn’t matter?
If Seven Blades Martial Arts School could act like Zhang Mazi, couldn’t he Su Yan?
“Some things still need caution. Can’t let the White Bone Poison Centipede and the others handle large-scale actions fully; they’ll leave traces, easy to expose the vest. Need to change methods.”
His eyes flickered, then he dismissed the White Bone Poison Centipede and Red Armored Mad Scorpion, sending them to gather herbs in the mountain valley.
As for him, he waved his hand, releasing three hundred Blood Bees, which dispersed into the miasma fog.
“Golden Ape Martial Arts School’s guts are too small; they actually teamed up.”
In the dense forest, while Seven Blades Martial Arts School’s people were searching for Golden Ape Martial Arts School’s tracks, they also noticed something off.
If alone, their several people ganging up would naturally have the advantage.
But in situations where strength was similar, even if they ambushed, they might not get the upper hand and had to carefully seek opportunities.
“Find that Su Yan, surrounding and attacking him is also merit. He has a Dark Flower bounty from Little Mountain Association, not to mention Senior Brother Yin promised a bottle of Marrow Washing Pills for discovering his tracks.”
Seven Blades Martial Arts School’s disciples huddled together, searching in the fog, completely unaware that a Blood Bee had quietly arrived behind them.
As they explored, suddenly one with sharp eyes immediately spotted an old ginseng attached in a rock crevice.
The old ginseng faintly emitted golden mist, its ginseng roots embedded in the crevice, showing golden patterns, like pure gold.
“Second-order Treasure Plant Golden Ginseng!”
The three immediately showed ecstatic expressions and quickly stepped forward, carefully plucking the Golden Ginseng.
They carefully held the Golden Ginseng, immediately picking fern leaves and bark to wrap it, not daring to damage even half a ginseng root.
“We’re rich. Second-order Treasure Plants are seven or eight hundred taels and up.”
“More than that. Looking at this quality, it’s probably worth a thousand taels of silver.”
They couldn’t afford second-order Treasure Plants themselves, but the money from selling could be exchanged for pills like Bone Forging Pills and Body Tempering Pills.
Such resources, even split evenly, were enough to advance them further in the Blood Moving Realm.
“Put it away first.”
As they were about to store it, they suddenly heard footsteps from behind.
They immediately became alert, turned around, and showed surprised expressions.
“Good, double blessings.”
The leader immediately laughed; he recognized the newcomer as Su Yan.
“Looks like your luck is good, actually encountering Golden Ginseng.”
Su Yan had seen them harvesting the ginseng, and now his face carried a smile.
“Kill him.”
The Seven Blades Martial Arts School leader ordered, and the two junior brothers had already drawn knives and pounced toward Su Yan.
The men reached Su Yan, only to see Su Yan’s figure flash, dodging the saber light.
The two panicked and swung their knives to chase.
Su Yan swept out with an elbow, smashing into the neck of the one on the left, snapping it with a crack.
The other was startled by the change and wanted to pull back, but Su Yan gathered blood qi in his hand and grabbed directly.
The wrist was like clamped by an iron hoop; Su Yan twisted, breaking it, bone splinters piercing out with flesh and blood.
The man screamed endlessly; Su Yan punched the temple, killing him.
‘How is he so strong!’
The disciple holding the Golden Ginseng turned and ran; he was only slightly stronger than his two junior brothers and couldn’t defeat the opponent so casually like Su Yan.
His reaction was not slow; in an instant, he had rushed into the forest.
Swoosh
But before getting far, Su Yan had already drawn his bow and shot an arrow; a Blood Qi Arrow like a White Bone Poison Centipede shot straight at the back heart, piercing him.
Su Yan strode over and took the Golden Ginseng from in front of the body.
Then, without using the White Bone Poison Centipede to devour the corpse, he quickly left the area.
Su Yan moved quickly through the Miasma Valley like a hunter.
The White Bone Poison Centipede and Red Armored Mad Scorpion kept sending information, either finding Treasure Plants or spirit herbs, or discovering powerful Feral Beasts.
Sealed for five years, the Miasma Valley had not only grown more Treasure Plants with extremely strong medicinal potency but also allowed many Feral Beasts to grow continuously.
Su Yan found a few blood-dripping pears that enhanced blood qi near a cave, only to be attacked by a Bone Green Boa.
The Bone Green Boa was twelve or thirteen meters long, thick as a water bucket, with strength approaching First-order Perfection, equivalent to a Spirit Nurturing Realm martial artist.
Copper Skin Iron Bones, hard for ordinary martial artists to withstand.
But Su Yan didn’t tangle with it, directly ordering the White Bone Poison Centipede and Red Armored Mad Scorpion to attack together.
The three joined forces and killed it.
Along the way, not just this Bone Green Boa, but also poison-toothed lynxes and burrowing beasts were Late First Order or even First-order Perfection Feral Beasts.
The deeper in, the more dangerous, and naturally the greater the gains.
Even second-order Treasure Plants, Su Yan found two himself.
The Blood Bees sent movement again; Su Yan hurried over, hiding behind shrubs, and immediately spotted Seven Blades Martial Arts School’s people.
Two were fighting a Brown Green Bear; one Blood Moving, one Muscle and Bone, cooperating to gradually suppress the Brown Green Bear.
Su Yan’s gaze passed over the Brown Green Bear and saw a clump of pitch-black Lingzhi Mushroom.
“First-order High-grade Nine-Turn Black Lingzhi; it’s fated to be mine.”
Without politeness, he drew his bow and shot two arrows, directly piercing the two from Seven Blades Martial Arts School.
The Brown Green Bear sensed something wrong and charged over.
Su Yan’s eyes focused; he shot two consecutive arrows straight at the Brown Green Bear’s eyes, piercing them.
Su Yan took the items, collected the Brown Green Bear’s corpse, and headed to the next location.
Less than half a quarter-hour later, several people hurried over.
Seeing the corpses on the ground, their expressions changed drastically.
They rushed forward, checked the pulse with a hand, and knew the people were beyond saving—shot from behind.
“Senior Brother Zhang is dead too. Damn it, someone is ambushing us.”
They had found more than one place with battle traces along the way.
Several of Seven Blades Martial Arts School’s teams had died.
“Notify Senior Brother Yin; we can’t go on like this.”
The few looked grave, fearing sudden attacks from shrubs or miasma.
Hearing the suggestion, they almost immediately agreed, quickly sounding the whistle, then hurrying to the agreed meeting point.
In the stream valley, Yin Ruguang’s face was frighteningly gloomy.
Nearly two quarters of an hour had passed since the whistle to gather, yet only fewer than twenty Seven Blades Martial Arts School disciples had arrived.
More precisely, only seventeen people.
Two Spirit Nurturing Realm martial artists, Yin Ruguang and Zhong Han; five Blood Moving Realm, and the remaining ten disciples only at Great Accomplishment in Muscle and Bone.
“Are you all trash? Thirteen dead, and not a bit of news got out.”
Yin Ruguang directly cursed; the junior brothers didn’t dare look up, fearing the furious Yin Ruguang would cleave them with a saber.
Zhong Han’s gaze was icy: “Senior Brother, the dead were either shot or punched. Besides Golden Ape Martial Arts School, who else? Don’t you know Bai Yun’s archery?”
Yin Ruguang’s face was also cold: “She’s in the dark, we’re in the open. How to find her?”
“Kill. I don’t believe all of Golden Ape Martial Arts School is gathered together.”
Zhong Han was always ruthless: “We didn’t come in just to seize mountain guarding rights anyway. Kill them clean. We brought two Mountain-Sitting Dogs; I don’t believe she can hide anywhere.”
Yin Ruguang’s eyes flickered, nodding: “Good, as you say. Chase and kill Golden Ape Martial Arts School on one side, first go meet Little Mountain Association’s people.”
The two decided, releasing the Mountain-Sitting Dogs they had with them, which rushed into the shrubs and headed in one direction.
——
“Steward Gu, by the time, Hundred Herbs Hall’s people have started entering.”
In the Miasma Valley, Little Mountain Association’s group of thirty all wore inner armor, held blades and short crossbows, silently guarding behind a small slope.
A gaunt yellow-faced man told his estimate to the cold-faced Gu Changfeng.
Gu Changfeng’s gaze swept over everyone, saying to Steward Mo Feng beside him: “Mo Feng, you and I each lead a team to siege Hundred Herbs Hall, how about it?”
“The big gang leader has already ordered; just follow Brother Gu’s instructions.”
“Good, then move out immediately.”
The thirty split into two, each leading a team, knives in hand, lightly stepping straight to the several entrances into the valley.
They wouldn’t attack right at entry; that would easily leak news and let Hundred Herbs Hall contact outsiders.
Even if it was said that fights and deaths in the valley were fair game, at such close distance, blocking them would be too easy.
No one would let them kill like that.
Only after Hundred Herbs Hall entered the Miasma Valley and gradually dispersed would be their good chance to strike.
On Hundred Herbs Hall’s side, lead steward Yang Ruhu and Song Qi led the team into the Miasma Valley.
Both had solemn expressions, instructing: “You’ve all memorized places where second-order Treasure Plants might grow. Two per group, head straight there. Be extremely careful of Little Mountain Association’s people.”
“Understood.”
Everyone nodded and dispersed, hurrying quickly toward the depths of the Miasma Valley.
They too knew Little Mountain Association would likely cause trouble in the Miasma Valley; they didn’t linger on must-pass roads, just dispersing quickly to avoid easy encirclement.
The two groups each schemed, constantly moving through the dense forest of the Miasma Valley.
Unbeknownst to them, like two waves, they were converging toward one direction and would collide.
——
In the Miasma Valley, Su Yan blocked three tall, muscular men.
All three were sturdy, holding thick-backed cleavers or a heavy hammer, faintly showing inner armor, eyes fixed on Su Yan.
“Friends from Golden Ape Martial Arts School, what do you mean by this?”
“Martial world rules: split half on meeting.”
Su Yan smiled, but this smile made the Tian Feng Weapon Shop people across sink their faces.
“Hmph, such big talk. You think you can take our Red Gold Stone?”
Tian Feng Weapon Shop people, if seeking Treasure Plants, couldn’t compare to Hundred Herbs Hall.
But for identifying ore and finding ore, Yun Cang Town’s number one name was well-deserved.
Even after coming to the Miasma Valley who knows how many times, they got lucky and identified the hundred-jin Red Gold Stone behind them.
Though it needed refining to become Red Gold, at this size, the final value was no less than a First-order High-grade Treasure Plant.
“Then let’s fight.”
Su Yan didn’t use the Fine Steel Longbow, striding forward.
The lead man was one of Tian Feng Weapon Shop’s leaders.
He shouted: “Let me see Golden Ape Martial Arts School’s skills.”
He charged, muscles bulging, huge fist straight at Su Yan.
Tian Feng Weapon Shop’s own body tempering method was Iron Armor Technique, honing strength and skin membrane, an excellent Skin Refining cultivation manual.
Deng Chongshan’s punch came with blood qi connection, truly impressive aura.
Su Yan didn’t dodge, meeting it with a punch.
Overreaching!
The two behind saw this and sneered coldly; even Deng Chongshan showed a bit of contempt.
Fists met, like great strength clashing, emitting a loud muffled bang.
Deng Chongshan felt his arm go numb as great strength surged in.
His broad shoulders shook, barely unloading the force; looking at Su Yan, his stance was steady, only upper body moving slightly.
Bad, a tough one.
As Deng Chongshan thought this, Su Yan had already punched out, moves exquisite, attack rhythm flowing like water.
Deng Chongshan lost initiative and could only defend, constantly blocking attacks.
Tian Feng Weapon Shop’s martial skills were all in Iron Arm Fist and Cape Hammer, heavy and steady like mountains.
Now suppressed, he barely blocked, parrying Su Yan’s attacks.
But compared to Su Yan’s mastery of fist techniques, he was much weaker.
After successive attacks, he took several punches, true essence consumed much.
“Senior Brother, I’ll help you.”
A junior brother wanted to join; Deng Chongshan’s face changed: “Don’t come up.”
Su Yan wasn’t an ordinary Great Accomplishment Blood Moving Realm; Deng Chongshan knew.
The junior brother helping was fine in principle, but he saw the Black Shadow Saber at Su Yan’s waist.
Now Su Yan was only using fists, which he could still parry; if the junior brother came and forced Su Yan to use the real blade, people would die.
After twenty or so exchanges, Deng Chongshan was suppressed even more.
Su Yan had figured out his patterns in the fight.
Deng Chongshan punched out, forcing Su Yan back a step, then shouted: “Half each, stop here.”
“Good.”
Suddenly a whistle sounded; Su Yan frowned: ‘Golden Ape Martial Arts School’s signal—trouble?!’
“I’ll note the items here; come get later.”
With that, he leaped away, rushing toward the sound’s direction.
