"Where's the thief?" In the canyon cave, the stunningly beautiful girl looked around the empty cave and became furiously angry. In just a short moment, the thief had disappeared.

"Miss, let him run if he has escaped," Dong Mei suggested.

"He's injured and can't have gone far. He's also hit by the Thousand Ants Heart-Piercing Needle in his leg. We should chase after him," the beautiful girl said coldly, putting down the wild animals she had just hunted, and immediately set off to chase out of the cave.

"Miss, wait for me," the maid Dong Mei hurriedly followed.

"It's the young miss! We finally found you," a figure leaped into the air and landed in front of the beautiful girl. It was Elder Wu, clad in a white robe.

"Elder Wu, why are you here?" The beautiful girl was surprised to see the hundreds of people and Elder Wu in the canyon. She didn't expect them to arrive so quickly.

"Young Miss, we've been looking for you for over a month. It's good that you're safe. Let's go back. If you don't return, the sect master might come himself," Elder Wu said.

"Miss, let's go back," Dong Mei said, relieved to see Elder Wu and the others. She had been on edge every day during this period.

"But the thief has escaped. I must catch him first," the beautiful girl said indignantly, still preoccupied with Li Lin.

"What thief?" Elder Wu asked in confusion.

"It's nothing, just a beast," the beautiful girl's face flushed slightly, embarrassed to reveal the incident of being spied on while bathing.

"Just a beast. When the young miss breaks through to the Martial Soul level, you can choose a beast with good bloodline as your mount. There are no worthy beasts in this Misty Mountain Range."

"Thief, if I see you next time, I won't let you off," the beautiful girl muttered resentfully.

"Miss, let's return," Wang Mingyue and Elder Sun approached the beautiful girl and urged her.

Meanwhile, in the canyon, hundreds of young male disciples from Wudu City gazed in awe at the beautiful girl. Such a stunning beauty was a rare sight for them. They had never seen the young miss of the sect, as they had no chance to visit the Yunyang Sect themselves.

Some male disciples even started to nosebleed but could only secretly indulge in their fantasies, as the young miss of the sect was beyond their reach.

"Forget it, there's nothing fun in this Misty Mountain Range. I'll return to the sect and prepare to break through to the Martial Soul level. Then, I'll find a good mount to play with," the beautiful girl said lightly.

"The young miss still has three years. In three years, it will be the time for the once-every-fifteen-years competition among the three sects and four schools. The young miss can then make a good showing for the Yunyang Sect," Elder Sun said.

Li Lin kept running frantically, his blood churning and his injuries worsening. He only managed to heal twenty percent of his injuries, and now they had worsened again. His legs were also limp, and he looked utterly disheveled. Unaware of what was happening in the canyon, Li Lin wouldn't have run had he known, as Wang Mingyue could have confirmed his identity as a disciple of the Yunyang Sect.

Not knowing how long he had run, Li Lin dared not stop as his condition worsened. Blood gushed from his mouth.

"I must keep going. I can't let that venomous woman catch up with me. This mountain range isn't safe. I need to find a place to stay," Li Lin thought to himself. In his current state, he could easily become a target for teams or mercenary groups.

Fortunately, Li Lin didn't encounter any more misfortunes along the way and didn't run into any teams or mercenary groups.

"Ah..." Not knowing where he was, Li Lin stumbled and fell down a hillside. He rolled through thick grass and bushes, tearing his clothes and scratching his back.

Li Lin landed in a small, secluded valley. The valley was small but completely covered by trees and bushes.

"Ptui..." Li Lin spat out blood and got up, looking around the valley. This secluded place was exactly what he needed for a hideout to recover from his injuries.

Surveying his surroundings, Li Lin found the valley filled with numerous rocks, and the rock walls had several weathered cave entrances. One of them was quite spacious, large enough to accommodate someone.

Li Lin entered the cave and immediately took two third-grade healing pills, then sat cross-legged to meditate. His injuries were severe, and his priority was to recover.

As time passed slowly, Li Lin lost track of it while meditating. With the substantial aid of the two third-grade healing pills, his recovery was neither slow nor fast, considering the severity of his injuries.

Ten days later, the early morning in the Misty Mountain Range was shrouded in fog. The dawn broke through the sunlight, casting myriad hues of light on dewdrops, creating a dazzling display.

"Suddenly, the tranquility of the morning in the mountains was disrupted by footsteps. A figure in a black robe flashed by, covering hundreds of meters in just a few leaps.

The approaching figure was a black-robed elder, his right hand covering his bleeding shoulder, his face pale. Despite his severe injuries, he moved with ghost-like speed, indicating his extraordinary strength.

Half an hour after the black-robed elder disappeared, two other elders appeared, their cultivation also terrifyingly powerful.

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"This old poisoner is badly injured and won't get far," one elder commented, observing blood traces on the ground.

"We must find him, or he will become a big problem," the other elder said grimly, and the two vanished from the spot.

On a hillside, a black-robed elder surveyed his surroundings, and after a moment, seemed to have discovered something. He leaped down towards the valley.

In the cave, Li Lin was surrounded by a faint light, looking much healthier after ten days of meditation. On the sixth day, he had taken another third-grade healing pill, and his injuries were now eighty percent healed.

"Who's there?"

Li Lin sensed an unusual presence approaching. Before he could react, several hand seals landed on him. His true qi was sealed, and his meridians were blocked, rendering him powerless on the ground.

At that moment, Li Lin saw a black-robed elder, around fifty years old, with a pale face and sharp eyes. His robe was stained with blood, indicating he was not lightly injured.

"Young fellow, I need a place to heal. I don't want to kill today, so just stay put. Once I'm healed, I'll let you go," the elder said, glancing at Li Lin. He set up a black smokescreen at the cave entrance and took several pills before sitting down to meditate.

"Damn, I must be cursed this year. I just escaped one disaster and now I'm trapped again," Li Lin cursed internally. He felt his luck had been exceptionally bad recently, being captured inexplicably.

"Spiritual power, is he a spiritualist?" Feeling his meridians sealed by several strands of spiritual power, Li Lin was surprised. The elder was a spiritualist. Li Lin began to secretly refine the spiritual power within him using the Yin Yang Spiritual Martial Art.

Sensing the elder's formidable and eerie aura, Li Lin didn't dare make any noticeable movements and quietly continued his refinement.

A day later, Li Lin had refined the spiritual power seals in his body. The elder's strength was formidable, and refining the spiritual power had slightly enhanced Li Lin's own spiritual power.

Having refined the spiritual power seals and recovered eighty percent of his injuries, Li Lin still didn't dare to make any moves. He instinctively knew the black-robed elder was not to be trifled with. The elder's aura was much more intimidating than any other strong person Li Lin had encountered.

Li Lin covertly observed the black-robed elder. The elder's long black hair, slender figure, and body wrapped in dense black light were imposing.

"Spiritualist," Li Lin thought, watching the black-robed elder, whose cultivation level he couldn't fathom, but who was the strongest person he had ever encountered.

"Sigh..."

At that moment, the black-robed elder let out a faint sigh and suddenly turned to look directly at Li Lin with a piercing gaze, causing Li Lin to shiver inwardly, feeling as if the elder could see through his soul.

"Good lad, I didn't expect you to secretly undo my seal. But your little tricks can't fool me," the black-robed elder said, scrutinizing Li Lin.

Li Lin's heart sank, utterly surprised by the elder's formidable ability to see through him.

"I need someone at my side. Take this pill, or I will kill you," the elder said, tossing a black pill to Li Lin. His gaze was inscrutable.

Li Lin hesitated, suspecting the pill was not a simple tonic. Taking it could spell trouble.

"I'm not patient. You better not test my patience," the elder warned him coldly.

Li Lin realized he stood no chance against this elder, unlike the venomous woman he had encountered earlier. He had no choice but to comply unless he wished for death.

"I'll take it," Li Lin said lightly, swallowing the pill. As soon as the pill entered his mouth, a strange energy spread through his meridians and limbs. He could feel the energy adhering to his body.

"The pill you swallowed is the Blood Devouring Bone Dissolving Pill. Without the antidote within a year, you'll die as your meridians break apart. I doubt anyone can neutralize the poison I've concocted. Look at your palm; you can leave anytime if you wish to die. But if you don't want to die, obey my commands," the elder said.

Li Lin looked at his palm and noticed a black dot the size of a bean. He realized he was poisoned and wondered if the elder was bluffing.

"Just tell me what you want me to do. But how do I know you'll give me the antidote? If you don’t, I'm doomed anyway. I might as well die than be controlled by you," Li Lin said, thinking of all the possibilities. He recalled that Uncle Jiang's strength was not inferior to this elder, and the jade slip Uncle Jiang gave him had various antidotes, though none for this specific poison.

"You want to bargain with me?" The elder glared at Li Lin with a chilling gaze, exerting an invisible pressure on him.

Li Lin felt as if he'd been struck hard, his soul suppressed, and the pressure intensified the more he struggled, threatening to tear his body apart.

"If you like to bully the weak, I have nothing to say. You can kill me," Li Lin challenged, relying on the elder's need for him and his unfinished business.

The elder's expression twitched slightly, then he asked, "Aren't you afraid of death?"

"Of course, I'm afraid. Who isn't? But before I can be sure I have a chance to live, I'd rather not be controlled by anyone. Better to die early," Li Lin said, sweat beading on his forehead but still lifting his head defiantly.

"Ha! The strong prey on the weak; that's the rule of the world. Your words are meaningless. The dead are not pitied. The winner takes all. Don't you understand?" the elder laughed heartily. "But seeing your spirit, you don't seem like a coward. Once I'm healed, I'll help you detoxify. I, the Soul Poison Commander, won't deceive a kid like you."

"I believe you. What do you need me to do?" With the invisible pressure gone, Li Lin felt a sudden relief throughout his body.

"I need you to find a medicinal herb called Dragon Beard Grass for me. I need it for refining a pill," the elder stated.

"Dragon Beard Grass." Li Lin was momentarily taken aback. Dragon Beard Grass was often used for concocting fourth-grade pills or higher, and despite not being a main ingredient, it was extremely valuable, costing at least 20,000 gold coins. Li Lin didn't have that kind of money, and the herb wasn't something one could just stumble upon.

"Dragon Beard Grass isn't easy to find. Even if I come across it, I might not be able to bring it back with my abilities," Li Lin expressed his concerns. However, he recalled that the space bag of the giant leader from the Violent Wolf Mercenary Group contained a Dragon Beard Grass, along with other medicinal herbs and gold coins, valued around a hundred thousand gold coins in total, with the Dragon Beard Grass being the most expensive.

"You seem to know a lot. But I urgently need Dragon Beard Grass for a pill I'm concocting called the Poisonous Miasma Pill. If you find yourself in danger, just crush it. No one will dare to chase you then. Here's the antidote. Take one and you won't be poisoned," the black-robed elder said, handing Li Lin two pills, a Poisonous Miasma Pill and an antidote.

Li Lin accepted the pills, then said, "It might take a year to find the Dragon Beard Grass. I think I’ll try buying it from mercenary groups, but I don’t have enough gold coins."

"I don't have gold coins, but here's a fourth-grade Spirit Enhancement Pill. It should be enough for five Dragon Beard Grasses. Get the herb quickly, or you can forget about the antidote," the elder said coldly, throwing Li Lin a pill that emitted a rich medicinal fragrance.

"Understood," Li Lin replied, inwardly elated at receiving a Spirit Enhancement Pill, a valuable item for enhancing spiritual power and consolidating the soul, crucial for spirit practitioners advancing to the spirit marrow stage and worth over a hundred thousand gold coins.

Holding the pill, Li Lin left the cave and wandered the valley before leaving. He sat on a towering tree in a forest, contemplating his options. If Uncle Jiang could cure the poison, he could return to Qingyun Town. But if not, he would be doomed. Li Lin didn’t want to risk it, as his own life was at stake.

Resigned to his ill fortune, Li Lin sighed inwardly, deciding not to return immediately. Returning too soon might arouse the Soul Poison Commander’s suspicion. It was better to wait a day or two before going back.