39: Chapter 39 The Pure Heart Bamboo: He's Determined to Obtain It

Lu Jinghan walked at the very front, his steps steady, his gaze constantly scanning the surroundings.

That dense Purple Bamboo Forest was far deeper than it looked from the outside, with bamboo stalks as thick as pillars.

Faint spiritual light flowed between the bamboo joints, as if some ancient power was hidden within every single stalk.

His Divine Sense had already spread out, carefully exploring every corner of this bamboo forest.

When he killed that Black Iron Bear variant just now, the "Late Twilight" sword strike had nearly exhausted eighty percent of his spiritual energy.

Although Zhou Tianchen's Spirit-Restoring Pill had helped him recover quite a bit, he still didn't dare to be careless.

In this Purple Bamboo Forest, there were far more things than just a Black Iron Bear that could kill them.

"Senior Brother, what does the heart-cleansing bamboo look like?" Qin Muchuan, following behind, couldn't help but ask in a low voice.

Without turning his head, Lu Jinghan lowered his voice: "The whole body is snow-white, as if carved from white jade. In this Purple Bamboo Forest, you'll recognize it at a glance."

Qin Muchuan nodded and asked no more, his gaze also beginning to scan the surroundings.

The four of them walked for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, and suddenly the view opened up.

The dense purple bamboo suddenly receded to both sides, revealing a clearing several zhang in diameter.

In the center of the clearing stood a strange stalk of bamboo quietly.

It was snow-white all over, without a single speck of impurity, its body as lustrous as jade, standing out exceptionally against the surrounding Purple Bamboo Forest.

The bamboo was about three feet tall with only nine sections, and a silver-white bamboo leaf grew on each section, with faint spiritual light flowing on the leaves as if stars were twinkling within.

"heart-cleansing bamboo!"

Zhou Tianchen's gaze narrowed as he spoke in a low voice.

Qin Muchuan and Su Fuguang's eyes also lit up.

Although they had never seen heart-cleansing bamboo before, the aura emitted by the bamboo before them made their spiritual platforms feel a bit clearer just by looking at it.

This was definitely a rare treasure.

Lu Jinghan did not rush forward but stood in place, his gaze carefully sweeping over every corner of the clearing.

His Divine Sense probed everything around them over and over again.

No Yao Beasts, no Restrictions.

There wasn't even a hint of danger.

This surprised him a bit.

In his past life, although he hadn't seen news of the heart-cleansing bamboo with his own eyes, he had heard many rumors.

Some said there were powerful Yao Beasts guarding the heart-cleansing bamboo, while others said it was surrounded by ancient Restrictions.

But the heart-cleansing bamboo before him just grew there quietly, as if it were just an ordinary stalk of bamboo.

"Could it be because the rules of the Purple Bamboo Forest have changed in this life, so the guardian Yao Beast of the heart-cleansing bamboo is also gone?"

Lu Jinghan thought to himself, and after observing for a moment longer, he finally stepped towards the heart-cleansing bamboo.

His steps were light and cautious, with the Jinghan Sword in hand, ready to respond to any sudden situation.

Lu Jinghan arrived in front of the heart-cleansing bamboo and reached out to grasp the stalk.

It felt warm and moist to the touch, as if he were holding a piece of warm jade.

With a gentle pull, the heart-cleansing bamboo was pulled out of the soil by its roots without encountering any resistance.

"That simple?"

Qin Muchuan's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief.

Su Fuguang was also full of doubt and couldn't help but look around, fearing something might suddenly leap out from the shadows.

Zhou Tianchen, however, looked calm, though his gaze remained fixed on the heart-cleansing bamboo, lost in thought.

Lu Jinghan put the heart-cleansing bamboo into his Storage Pouch and turned to look at the three of them.

"This place isn't safe for long; let's leave first."

The three nodded and followed Lu Jinghan as they quickly left the clearing.

Their figures soon disappeared into the purple sea of bamboo.

About half an hour later, several figures swept out from the depths of the bamboo sea and landed on the clearing.

The leader was dressed in a black robe, his gaze scanning the surroundings.

Behind him followed four or five young Cultivators, each with a strong aura, the weakest being at the Golden Core - Late Stage.

"It's here."

The black-robed youth crouched down, picked up a pinch of grayish-white powder from the ground, and sniffed it.

"Ashes of a Black Iron Bear, and a Nascent Soul Mid Stage one at that."

A yellow-clad youth behind him frowned: "To be able to kill a Nascent Soul Mid Stage Black Iron Bear, the opponent's strength cannot be underestimated."

"And by the time we arrived, the battle had already been over for a long time; the opponent's speed isn't slow either."

The black-robed youth stood up, his gaze falling on the fresh dirt pit in the center of the clearing, his pupils shrinking slightly.

"heart-cleansing bamboo."

He uttered those three words in a low voice, his tone carrying a bit of coldness and a bit of greed.

"It's been taken."

The people around him looked at each other, their eyes flashing with a bit of regret and a bit of wariness.

To be able to kill a Nascent Soul Mid Stage Black Iron Bear and take the heart-cleansing bamboo before them, the opponent was definitely not someone to be trifled with.

The black-robed youth turned around, his gaze looking deep into the bamboo sea, the corners of his mouth slowly curling into a cold arc.

"Interesting."

"To be able to kill a Nascent Soul Mid Stage Black Iron Bear in this Purple Bamboo Forest, the opponent shouldn't be a nobody."

He paused, his voice low: "Pursue them! We must find those people!"

"Yes."

The people behind him responded in unison, and their figures soon disappeared into the bamboo sea.

The black-robed youth stood in place, looking in the direction Lu Jinghan and the others had left, a cold light flashing in his eyes.

heart-cleansing bamboo, he was determined to get it.

——

There was no distinction between day and night in the Purple Bamboo Forest; the sky was always covered by a faint purple light curtain, making it impossible to tell if it was day or night.

Lu Jinghan led the three through the bamboo sea for a long time, and after confirming they weren't being followed, they stopped in a hidden cave.

"We'll rest here tonight."

He lowered his guard, sat cross-legged, and began to circulate his Cultivation Technique to recover his spiritual energy.

Qin Muchuan and Su Fuguang also found places to sit and closed their eyes to regulate their breathing.

Zhou Tianchen took out a small Pill Furnace from his Storage Pouch and began refining some simple recovery pills.

There were many Spirit Medicines in the Purple Bamboo Forest; they had picked quite a few along the way.

Lu Jinghan opened his eyes, took the heart-cleansing bamboo from his Storage Pouch, and examined it closely.

The heart-cleansing bamboo was snow-white and lustrous, with nine sections, each bearing a silver-white leaf with star-like points of light twinkling on them.

He divided the heart-cleansing bamboo into four sections and gave them to his three Junior Brothers.

Then he looked at the bamboo sea outside the cave, calculating their next route.

There were many Opportunities in the Purple Bamboo Forest, but even more dangers.

In his past life, he had stayed here for three months, experiencing countless life-and-death battles before barely surviving until the end.

In this life, he had the memories of his past life as a guide and strength far exceeding that of Cultivators of the same rank.

He not only wanted to get the greatest benefits for himself but also wanted Xiao Chuan, Xiao Guang, and Zhou Tianchen to get enough benefits as well.

"Tomorrow, we're going to the depths of the Purple Bamboo Forest," Lu Jinghan withdrew his thoughts and looked at the three of them.

"There lies one of the greatest Opportunities in the Purple Bamboo Forest."

The three's eyes lit up simultaneously.