Shi Luo Ye

Chapter 742 The Terrifying Damage of the Torch

In the early morning, two streams of sword light descended amidst the clouds onto the front of the Daoist temple. It was Lin Zhao and Chi Zhongyu. Chi Zhongyu, after a night's rest within Fusu Great Wall and nourished by the Xia clan's spirit medicine provided by Qin Yu, had already healed most of his injuries. His spiritual energy had also returned to a vigorous state. Clad in a deep blue robe, with a handsome and elegant demeanor, he fully embodied the image of a sword immortal from the mountains.

This Star River realm cultivator seemed more like a sword immortal than an eleventh-realm sword cultivator.

"Lin Zhao!"

Within the Daoist temple, Xu Ming'an, possessing the highest cultivation, immediately rose and rushed out. Upon seeing Lin Zhao and Chi Zhongyu, his face lit up with joy. "You've arrived so early!"

"Yes."

Lin Zhao smiled. "Allow me to introduce my companion, this sword cultivator is Chi Zhongyu, hailing from Fusu Great Wall. He's a friend I made there. As Danxia Mountain is currently in turmoil, I've arranged for Chi Zhongyu to stay here to provide temporary protection for Danxia Mountain. Don't worry, Young Master Chi is a good person, not as arrogant and unruly as some other mountain dwellers."

"That's right, that's right."

Chi Zhongyu cupped his fists and smiled, "I am Chi Zhongyu. Greetings, Daoist priest!"

"What Daoist priest am I…"

Xu Ming'an scratched his head and chuckled, "Just a small Daoist tending to a broken temple. I apologize for the lack of hospitality, Young Master Chi. Please, have a seat. I'll prepare breakfast now. Would you prefer chicken soup noodles or wild boar rib noodles?"

"Either is fine."

Chi Zhongyu was not picky. He could even go without eating, as a cultivator in the Star River realm had long since achieved the ability to subsist on air. Eating or not eating made little difference; dining was merely an occasion to savor the atmosphere.

Lin Zhao nodded, instructing Chi Zhongyu to familiarize himself with the surroundings and chat with Xu Ming'an, Xiao Man, and Xiao Han. As for himself, Lin Zhao, riding a beam of sword light, soared towards a nearby mountain peak. From the Sword Concealment Lake, two flying swords shot out with a "swish-swish" sound. Mingyue and Haoran, transformed into cold beams, streaked through the air, instantly turning two gray wild rabbits that were grazing in the early morning into top-grade ingredients. With practiced ease, he picked up the rabbits, tied them to his waist, and followed the stream downstream, his steps tracing paths over fallen red leaves. Before him, a small deer lowered its head to drink from the stream.

These were all creatures of the mountain. Strictly speaking, one shouldn't engage in excessive killing. However, Lin Zhao had his reasons. The world itself was thus. If one hunted mountain creatures for food, it was understandable. But to kill for the sake of killing was unnecessary. Though Lin Zhao was considered a half-soldier, he didn't possess such a strong bloodlust, unlike Tang Guangjun, who, when bored, would boil water to flood anthills, and the dogs of his aunts and uncles in the town would receive a couple of slaps just for passing by the town entrance. While the soldier's bloodlust had been restrained, it remained overwhelmingly potent.

"Chi!"

With a thought, a flying sword from the third Sword Concealment Lake broke through the wind, transforming into a blazing lightning bolt that pierced the little deer's neck. It was a swift and painless death, taken instantly. He had used the Ghost Cry skill, inflicting over 800,000 damage. This deer was a neutral creature and killing it yielded no experience. Its health was only about 200,000, so the damage was far in excess.

"Hoo—"

Lin Zhao, holding the deer's leg, lifted it from the ground and returned on his sword. He took a deep breath, his mind calculating. The Ghost Cry from Xin Huo earlier had dealt over 800,000 damage. While the deer's defense was indeed low, 800,000 was still astonishing. If this sword strike were aimed at mainstream players today, given their damage reduction and defense, the damage would be at least 300,000. This implied that under the sharp edge of the flying sword Xin Huo, the game's balance mechanism had long since become a mere formality. In "Tianxia" currently, aside from Lin Zhao himself, perhaps no other player could withstand a single Ghost Cry attack from Xin Huo.

There was no longer any point.

He shook his head. In truth, he couldn't be bothered with players, or PvP. If they don't provoke me, I won't provoke them. Nowadays, very few people are willing to offend Lin Zhao. Only Passerby Wuming, Ding Chunqiu, and those other notorious troublemakers. In fact, because of Lin Zhao's presence, very few guilds dared to offend the Scarlet Moon Knights. Although on the current level ranking, Lin Zhao, at level 151, only ranked sixteenth in the national server, which of the fifteen players ahead of him would dare to challenge Lin Zhao one-on-one? It would be an instant kill, without a doubt. Even someone like Passerby Wuming, after being instantly killed a few times, was unwilling to come and die again.

Morning.

By the small table in front of the Daoist temple, everyone sat together, enjoying breakfast in the morning light. Xu Ming'an served Lin Zhao a bowl of noodles that even contained a chicken leg bone with several pieces of chicken attached. But Lin Zhao felt too embarrassed to eat it and immediately gave it to Gu Xiaohan, saying, "Eat more. The higher you grow in the future, the higher your Daoist cultivation will be!"

"Brother Lin Zhao, is that true?" Xiao Han asked.

"Absolutely true."

"Mmm!"

Xiao Han ate ravenously.

Xu Ming'an smiled slightly, and Chi Zhongyu followed suit. In fact, after arriving at the Daoist temple, Chi Zhongyu had begun to like the place. On this mountain, his heart felt peaceful and detached. There was no trace of malice here, only the worldly aromas of the mountain and the profound bond of mutual dependence between Xu Ming'an and his disciples. All of this made Chi Zhongyu feel that this place was truly special. Here, Chi Zhongyu's state of mind could calm down. Although he still thought of that woman with the folding fan, his heart remained tranquil. If he thought of her, so be it. Even if one had to overcome romantic tribulations and vanquish inner demons, it wasn't necessarily required to first kill the person in their heart. Having her in his heart yet being able to cultivate with a calm mind, eradicating greed and desire, this was the great Dao that Chi Zhongyu sought.

Indeed, Chi Zhongyu felt that perhaps by cultivating in Danxia Mountain, he could break through his current realm and become the first in Baihua Tianxia to reach the Upper Five Realms, after the umbrella-wielding heart demon Wu Yuanzi.

Lin Zhao's state of mind became even steadier. Together with Xu Ming'an, he busied himself with preparing the deer meat. He was extremely proficient in this culinary art. Although he was a disciple of Qin Suihan and considered a scholar, and scholars adhered to the principle of "gentlemen staying away from the kitchen," Lin Zhao's situation was unique. He had grown up rough and tumble, having experienced hunger since childhood. He fished for fish and hunted for game, with no concept of "staying away from the kitchen." It seemed unnecessary to be too rigid about it. Humans, after all, must first survive before they are qualified to study, to pursue knowledge, and to understand principles.

As for how to deal with the despicable actions of Medicine King Valley and the Lu clan of Yunzhou, Lin Zhao was not in a hurry. If he were to lead people there now, Sun Tingxuan of Medicine King Valley would certainly not admit to stealing Xu Ming'an's medicinal formula. Forcing the issue would be unreasonable and would only push the Mountain Peak Villa into the spotlight. Therefore, Lin Zhao was not in a hurry. He would first establish an unassailable position, and then let the karma gradually reveal itself.

...

Morning, Medicine King Valley.

A magnificent spiritual boat pierced through the clouds, arriving from the Northern Region, and stopped outside the mountains of Medicine King Valley. A Nascent Soul stage attendant, holding a visiting card, floated down from the spiritual boat and presented it to the gatekeeper of Medicine King Valley, without any sign of presumption. On the spiritual boat stood a beautiful woman in a green dress, none other than Qingqiu, the master of Jubao Fang in Snow Domain Heavenly Pool.

Soon after, a group of people flew out from a courtyard deep within Medicine King Valley and landed outside the protective formation. The one leading them was Sun Tingxuan. Behind him were Mr. Su Zhe, then the twins Sun Xingchun and Sun Yunnuan, followed by all the managers, household servants, and attendants. Sun Tingxuan cupped his fists towards the spiritual boat and said with a smile, "F坊主 Qingqiu, your esteemed presence graces Medicine King Valley. Sun Tingxuan has failed to extend a proper welcome!"

From the spiritual boat, Qingqiu descended gracefully and smiled, "Patriarch Sun, it has been a long time. Jubao Fang intrudes without invitation; please forgive us."

"Not at all, not at all!"

Sun Tingxuan chuckled, "F坊主, please. We will be hosting a banquet for you in the valley at noon. We shall not return until we are drunk."

"Good."

At this moment, Qingqiu exuded a superb aura. As a Star River realm cultivator, she possessed not only a hint of the refined demeanor of a mountain immortal but also the shrewdness and wisdom of a human merchant's daughter. Her eyes twinkled with a smile. In terms of receiving and interacting with people, Qingqiu was undoubtedly an expert. It was precisely because of Qingqiu's abilities that Jubao Fang, renowned as the foremost merchant guild in the human realm, dispatched her to serve as the master of the crucially important flagship branch in Snow Domain Heavenly Pool. It could be said that, aside from the overall master of Jubao Fang's headquarters in White Emperor City, Qingqiu was currently the second most influential figure in Jubao Fang, holding immense prestige.

With the arrival of Jubao Fang's people, the chefs and servants in Medicine King Valley became busy. Sun Tingxuan ordered a banquet to be held, and the level of the banquet was the highest, demonstrating the significant importance placed on Jubao Fang.

At noon, the Sun family solemnly hosted a banquet for Qingqiu and all the members of Jubao Fang. Sun Tingxuan, Su Zhe, and the twins were all in attendance.

...

In a courtyard not far away, the members of the Lu clan from Yunzhou were staying in Medicine King Valley.

"Tsk tsk, what a lively scene!"

Hu Qi, an attendant sitting on the wall and watching the spectacle, chuckled. "The people from Jubao Fang are having a grand celebration, feasting and drinking merrily in Sun Tingxuan's residence, while we, the Lu clan of Yunzhou, are relegated to this side chamber, waiting for their scraps. Perhaps the dishes sent over later will be leftovers from Jubao Fang's meal. Tsk tsk..."

"Enough."

Lu Shaoyan frowned. "Old Hu, come down first."

"Mmm."

Hu Qi twisted his body and floated down into the pavilion, sitting beside Lu Shaoyan. He smiled and asked, "How is it?"

"Mr. Shen."

Lu Shaoyan looked at Shen Wu, a scholar sitting opposite him, and asked, "What should we do now?"

"With the arrival of the Jubao Fang people, the situation has already taken a sharp turn for the worse."

Shen Wu frowned. "Young Master, consider this: Jubao Fang is the foremost guild in the human realm, with branches in various regions of the human territory, and even businesses in some vassal states beyond the Great Merchant Dynasty. Their business network is too vast. If Medicine King Valley truly collaborates with Jubao Fang and entrusts them with selling the Zhenyuan Pill, what business will our Lu Merchant Guild have?"

"Indeed..."

Hu Qi revealed a cold smile. "Business in the mountains also depends on individual strength. Our merchant guild can only be considered the foremost in Yunzhou. We are no match for a paramount merchant guild like Jubao Fang. If Medicine King Valley finds a better option, they will undoubtedly abandon us."

"Then let them have no choice!"

Lu Shaoyan lightly punched the table, his brow furrowed. "After lunch, shall we take all the attendants capable of wind manipulation out for some fresh air?"

"Alright!" Hu Qi's smile deepened.

Shen Wu narrowed his eyes, his voice like a gentle breeze. "The Deer Forest area has higher terrain and is the inevitable route for Jubao Fang's spiritual boat to return. Most of the magical artifacts used by the cultivators of Medicine King Valley are engraved with Medicine King Valley's emblem. Qingqiu is the second most important figure in Jubao Fang. If she can be killed, then kill her. There is no need to keep her alive..."

"Understood."

Lu Shaoyan's smile grew even more pronounced.