The bonfire blazed fiercely, the aroma of wine and meat wafting in the air. A cacophony of voices filled the space, where the glow of the fire starkly contrasted with the surrounding darkness of the forest, as if they were two different worlds.

Yu Ci, without any hesitation, took the wine gourd from the hand of a nearby herb gatherer and took a generous gulp. The homemade wine, brewed by the herb gatherers themselves, was spicy as it went down the throat, yet carried a medicinal aroma, a unique combination indeed.

The judgment of Lu Bing was indeed trustworthy. The group he associated with were mostly herb gatherers, born and raised in Sheer Cliff City. For a decade, they had traversed between Sky Rift Valley and Sheer Cliff City, becoming experts in harvesting Shrimp Whisker Grass and gaining some understanding of the White Sun Mansion.

Such a group was unlikely to engage in treacherous acts, ensuring a level of safety.

After a simple dinner, the group of twenty or so people, with nothing else to do, began to chat aimlessly. For some reason, both parties intentionally avoided the topic of their harvests. Yet, they couldn't completely ignore it, and thus, after several twists and turns in the conversation, people from Sheer Cliff City began to share tales and anecdotes about the White Sun Mansion, creating an atmosphere of joviality.

The topic circled back to the Shrimp Whisker Grass, focusing on the medicinal value of this herb.

More than half of the individuals present were professional herb gatherers who knew about medicinal properties. Even those who didn't could make educated guesses. Thus, everyone shared their recipes and pills, forming several factions that gradually shifted from discussion to debate, and then to argument, heating up the atmosphere.

At a stalemate, suddenly someone shouted, "All of you are just talking nonsense, it's not that simple!"

The moment these words were spoken, all eyes turned to the speaker. It was a man from Sheer Cliff City, apparently named Li Hong, who seemed to have drunk too much. His face was flushed, and he probably didn't even know what he had just blurted out.

Seeing his inebriated state, his companions nudged him to sober up. But Li Hong, caring about his dignity and being quite drunk, became even more enthusiastic after his outburst. He began to spill a big secret he had heard:

"Don't you dare not believe it, this Shrimp Whisker Grass is only used in ordinary prescriptions to cure headaches and fevers. But for the powerful White Sun Mansion, this herb, even in hundreds, is no different from common weeds. Why would they go to the trouble of hiring us to gather it?

"The truth is, in our hands, this grass is just grass, used as a folk remedy. But in the hands of White Sun Mansion, it can turn stone into gold..."

At this critical point, he intensified his tone, yet paused, feigning mystery. This attitude was annoying, but what could they do with a drunk?

At this moment, the herb gatherer sharing the wine gourd with Yu Ci chuckled, "Old Fourth Li has a sister who married a servant in the White Sun Mansion. He hears the most of these secondhand rumors..."

Yu Ci found this amusing and was about to learn more when Li Hong, having built up enough suspense, feeling immensely satisfied, laughed heartily under the urging of the crowd...

"Truth be told, it's not much of a secret. White Sun Mansion's interest in Shrimp Whisker Grass is solely due to their ability to produce a certain potion. By immersing a substantial amount of Shrimp Whisker Grass into it for a period, the most pristine and well-preserved specimen among them might just be revived...

At this, seven or eight people questioned, "Revived?"

"Heh, whether it's truly revived or not, I can't say. All I know is that my brother-in-law once told me that this revived Shrimp Whisker Grass would absorb the medicinal properties of all the other herbs into itself. If the medicinal strength is potent enough, this Shrimp Whisker Grass would undergo a metamorphosis, much like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly, becoming a new type of herb. At that point, the Shrimp Whisker Grass would no longer be called Shrimp Whisker Grass, but... Fish Dragon Grass!"

"Fish Dragon Grass?"

There was a brief silence around the bonfire before it erupted into a cacophony of voices. People began asking Li Hong about the uses of Fish Dragon Grass. However, Li Hong had exhausted his knowledge on the topic. After a few more forced words, he started to answer questions with unrelated replies. Yet, the atmosphere was already heated, and the lack of definitive answers only spurred wild imaginations. They began to attribute all sorts of miraculous abilities to the Fish Dragon Grass, fantasizing about the benefits they would receive if they got their hands on such a treasure.

At this point, a fellow drinker passed the gourd to him, inviting him to share a drink while grinningly asking, "Brother, if you had this Immortal Grass, what would you exchange it for?"

What Immortal Grass? This man was clearly drunk.

Yu Ci glanced at him, ignoring the disappointment on his drinking companion's face, and downed the homemade wine in the gourd in one gulp. The fiery liquor, laced with the scent of herbs, rushed to his head, filling him with sudden exuberance. Overcome with mirth, he laughed heartily and declared:

"I desire immortality and eternal youth. Who can trade that?"

The area around the fire fell silent, then erupted into boisterous laughter and playful jeers. Nine out of ten people took Yu Ci's words as a joke. Despite their brief acquaintance, they found Yu Ci to be not only handsome and capable but also generous and amiable. They responded to his jest with good-natured laughter, pushing the atmosphere to a climax.

However, a few could sense Yu Ci's genuine desire, or at the very least, understood that his aspirations were far from ordinary. Lu Bing, sitting across, raised his gourd in a toast, to which Yu Ci responded with a smile, all without uttering a word.

As the lively atmosphere continued, Yu Ci found himself disengaging, staring at the dancing flames of the bonfire, slightly lost in thought. Had he been so drunk as to reveal his true feelings so easily?

Or had his inner longing reached such an extent?

As a young boy, Yu Ci had not fully grasped the true meaning of "immortality", but he was acutely aware of its price - the countless skeletons beneath the Twin Immortal Palace were the best testament to that.

Initially, it was just fear, but as he grew older and bolder, the fear gradually faded, leaving only deep-seated scars etched into his heart. Meanwhile, the Twin Immortals’ ability to command the wind and rain, to fly and burrow into the earth, was like a seed planted deep within those scars. Over the long years of wandering, it sprouted, grew, and eventually became a towering tree deeply rooted in his heart.

Unbeknownst to him, the concept of "eternal life" had seeped into his bloodstream, becoming an instinct. An instinct to pursue, without contemplating the so-called "meaning", because eternal life itself was the embodiment of all meanings.

This was how Yu Ci understood it.

The strong liquor stirred his desire. He yearned to break into that world, his blood boiling, intending to break through the invisible barrier, but always falling short - he could already hear the lid above his head clanging.

Ever since he entered the Acupoint Developing Upper Stage and mysteriously opened the "Spirit Orifice", sensing his own Divine Soul, this feeling had been growing day by day. During his days in the Sky Rift Valley, it felt as if he was in a crucible about to explode.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

Yu Ci knew this was a sign of a breakthrough, but he was missing a catalyst. Relying solely on his current strength, he was always a bit short. Fortunately, he had ample patience and resilience, accumulating power at this level until the moment of breakthrough.

While he was lost in thought, those around the bonfire had moved on from his "delusions of eternal life" and returned to the issue they cared about most. However, after a heated debate, they still couldn't figure out whether it was the Shrimp Whisker Grass or the Fish Dragon Grass that was truly useful. After a long period of fruitless discussion, the crowd began to lose interest. Just as the conversation was about to die down, someone sneered:

"Who cares what it's used for, what matters is how much it's worth."

The statement was straightforward. Yu Ci came back to his senses, initially thinking it was Li Hong making another grand statement, but he quickly realized something was off. The speaker's voice was clear and forceful, with a metallic ring to it, vastly different from Li Hong's previous vague tone.

Shifting his gaze, he suddenly realized it was Yan Daoist.

This man was also from the group in Sheer Cliff City, but he wasn't a dedicated Herb Gatherer. Instead, he joined halfway, which was somewhat similar to Yu Ci's situation. Dressed in Taoist robes, he claimed to be a Taoist, but he had a rugged face, a full beard, and sharp, bell-like eyes. Yu Ci had estimated earlier that among these Herb Gatherers, only this man had the highest cultivation level, probably also at the Acupoint Developing Upper Stage, surpassing the others.

All eyes were on him. Someone laughed, "Is this grass comparable to the Three Yang Talisman Sword?"

When Yan Daoist introduced himself earlier, he openly stated that his goal was the Three Yang Talisman Sword, the same as Yu Ci's, hence the comment.

Yan Daoist grinned, "Three Yang Talisman Sword? That's hard to calculate. All I know is, ten Fish Dragon Grass can be exchanged for one Cold Jade Cleansing Heart Pill."

When these words were spoken, the crowd was at a loss, feeling that Yan Daoist's words were incomprehensible. Only Li Hong, whose drunkenness seemed to have subsided somewhat, began to feign thoughtfulness, saying, "Cold Jade Cleansing Heart Pill, it seems familiar?"

"It must have been from the White Sun Mansion."

Yan Daoist grinned, "The White Sun Mansion can produce hundreds, if not thousands of Three Yang Talisman Swords every year. Yet, this Cold Jade Cleansing Heart Pill, only a few are held in the hands of the Mansion Master. He carefully stores them in the Secret Chamber, with dedicated guards, fearing it would be stolen by thieves... Hehe, that's the gist of it."

"Hiss!"

The sight of over twenty people gasping in unison was quite spectacular, but Yu Ci seemed a bit distracted. For some reason, seeing Yan Daoist's smile made him uneasy, and a peculiar scent entered his nostrils. Before he could identify it, Yan Daoist laughed again:

"However, the Cold Jade Cleansing Heart Pill, as good as it is, is out of reach. Unlike the Three Yang Talisman Sword, which can be exchanged for a thousand Shrimp Whisker Grass, I prefer to keep my feet on the ground and take it step by step."

Huh? What did he mean?

Yu Ci keenly grasped Yan Daoist's change in tone, especially the interjected "I", which was quite peculiar. He was not the only smart one; Lu Bing also looked up, scrutinizing with a puzzled gaze.

At that moment, the scent in his nostrils intensified.

"Watch out!"

Yu Ci suddenly shouted, and while the others were still bewildered, he threw himself backward, lying flat on the ground. A moment later, a searing red light swept past his eyes, and a wave of heat scorched his forehead.

What followed were screams of agony and Yan Daoist's unrestrained laughter.

"Bastard!" It was Lu Bing's voice, accompanied by the clanging of swords.

Yu Ci rolled away, jumping up from a distance. During this time, the screams never ceased.

When he looked up, he was met with a horrifying scene of bodies strewn around the fire. The people who had been in a heated discussion by the bonfire were now mostly lifeless, their bodies sprawled on the ground. The Herb Gatherers, who had just shared a drink with him, were now split in half, still writhing and moaning on the ground. The large, charred wound was so horrific that it was even more terrifying than a scene of blood splattering everywhere.

The cause of all this was Yan Daoist.

He was laughing heartily, with a red glow pulsing in his hand. At first glance, it looked like a glowing short stick, round and edgeless. But upon closer inspection, one could see the condensed flame within, its aura as sharp as a sword. As the light radiated, waves of fire surged out, igniting the grass and trees on the ground without wind, quickly forming a fluctuating, huge circle of fire.

Within the ring of fire, Lu Bing's face was contorted, like a man possessed, as he relentlessly attacked Yan Daoist. His long sword emitted a cold light, far from ordinary, and his swordsmanship was as fierce as a storm, overwhelming in its intensity. However, Yan Daoist seemed unconcerned, his feet firmly planted, the red light in his hand slightly trembling, easily blocking Lu Bing's desperate sword light.

Moreover, Yan Daoist even had the leisure to turn his head and smile at Yu Ci, saying, "You are indeed vigilant. The Daoist priest merely had a thought, and you detected it. Otherwise, your pretty face would surely be split in half by me..."

Yu Ci's eyebrows shot up, this villain was too arrogant.

Of course, Yan Daoist did indeed have the capital to be arrogant. His deceptively clumsy swordsmanship was clearly far superior to Lu Bing's. However, Yu Ci was not afraid, his face cold, although he had no weapon in hand, he still summoned the Green Spirit Guide, preparing to rely on his talisman to join forces with Lu Bing to attack this beast.

Seeing Yu Ci's calm demeanor, Yan Daoist chuckled, then suddenly shouted:

"Cut him down!"

As soon as his words fell, Yu Ci saw a red line extending from the void. He opened his mouth, but before he could make any sound, he saw the sky full of sword light shatter. Lu Bing and his precious sword, both split at the same time, falling onto the burning grass, their life force extinguished.

Yu Ci's hand that was drawing the talisman in his sleeve suddenly froze.

All the screams and moans had disappeared. Except for Yu Ci, the remaining twenty or so herb collectors had all died at the hands of Yan Daoist. The murderer, not yet satisfied, turned his now red eyes towards Yu Ci, his gaze fixed on his face.

"Pretty boy, why aren't you coming up?"

Yu Ci realized that he had seriously underestimated Yan Daoist.

In terms of physical cultivation level, the difference between the Long Breath Realm at its peak and the Acupoint Developing Stage was not significant. Lu Bing, with his refined swordsmanship, was not much inferior in combat power. However, such a person was casually split by Yan Daoist's sword. This was certainly due to the strange and sharp effect of the fire sword, but Yan Daoist's own cultivation level must also have exceeded Yu Ci's expectations.

Exceeding the Acupoint Developing Upper Stage, wouldn't that mean he was a Nature-Connecting...Cultivator?

Yu Ci didn't say a word, he retreated and leaped three feet away.

Yan Daoist spat, not in a hurry to make a move, he strode forward to pursue.

Before retreating, Yu Ci had already surveyed the terrain. The place he fell was precisely where the mountain's slope turned. With a thud, pebbles flew beneath his feet. He used all his strength in his legs to support his body, turned at an angle, and moved at an even faster speed towards the layers of rocks behind him.

Yan Daoist laughed heartily: "Do you think you can escape?"

In the course of speaking, he had quickly crossed the corner. As he turned his face, he was taken aback.

Within his line of sight, only the swaying shadows of the dark forest in the distance were visible, while Yu Ci's figure had completely disappeared.

Yan Daoist's eyes widened even more, momentarily confused. Although it was deep into the night, his line of sight extended a mile away. The forest that could hide a person was probably at this distance. Even though the pretty twink was nimble, he wouldn't have such a fast method.

From here to the dense forest, the path was smooth, with hardly any rocks or vegetation to hide behind. If he wanted to hide, the probability of being discovered was even greater. Yan Daoist was taken aback for a moment, then sneered:

"Do you think the Daoist priest is easy to deceive, you slippery little fellow?"

He closed his eyes. Under the control of his Divine Soul, an invisible force swept over the area within a radius of ten feet. His eyes soon lit up.

With a sudden force exerted on his foot, a loud bang echoed as he kicked down a rock beside him, revealing a cave half a person high behind it. The cave was naturally formed, but the rock blocking it had been moved from elsewhere, camouflaged with thatched grass and low trees. At first glance, it looked like part of the mountain, but from the recessed bushes below, a person could squeeze in.

This arrangement completely deceived the human eye. However, for people like Yan Daoist, sometimes they don't use their eyes to judge!

However, Yan Daoist still had one question. The pretty twink was clearly just passing by, so how could he have arranged such an extremely hidden place in advance?

The question remained unanswered, but the more it was, the stronger his killing intent became. Without hesitation, he lowered his head and crawled into the cave.

"Even if the pretty twink turns into a big rat, he can't escape the Daoist priest's sword!"

Although the cave was dark, it couldn't stop the glow of the red fire sword in Yan Daoist's hand. After a few steps, the interior suddenly became spacious. There were indeed signs of human habitation inside, and Yan Daoist even saw scattered objects on the ground.

However, at this time, his face changed slightly because he clearly felt a breeze coming from the front, and there were two directions from which it came!

This cave actually had three exits. Counting the one he entered, there were two more. Heaven knows which way Yu Ci went.

"Really a rat that burrows..."

Yan Daoist laughed bitterly: "If it were someone else, you might have escaped. Unfortunately, you met Daoist priest me!"

He didn't waste any more time thinking, closed his eyes, and drove the Divine Soul again, sweeping over the two cave exits. The residual aura left by Yu Ci appeared like a faint flame. Yan Daoist quickly confirmed one exit and pursued it vigorously.

*******

I have also posted the following more chapters [All free] on: https://www.readgates.com/article/74a39e