41: Chapter 41 Ancient Cultivator's Mansion

Forest clearing.

The lead man in black robes had his Adam's apple bob, letting out a "gulp" sound.

It wasn't like he had never seen people killed.

His own hands were stained with blood.

Yet, right before his eyes, a Spirit Gathering Realm brat instantly killed a Spirit Sea Realm companion with a single move. Such a thing was something he had only seen in the Sect's oldest scrolls, within legends about ancient prodigies.

Today, he experienced it firsthand.

"Attack together!"

A raspy roar broke the silence.

"Slay this brat first!"

Fear was replaced by an even more intense killing intent.

This brat was too bizarre; if he wasn't eliminated today, he would definitely become a grave threat in the future.

The remaining man in black robes instantly understood. Forming a triangular formation and abandoning Lin Bingyao, whose lamp was running out of oil, they transformed into three streams of black light, pouncing toward Zhao Ruoan simultaneously from three directions.

The pressure of three Spirit Sea Realm Cultivators intertwined, forming an invisible giant net that locked down the space around Zhao Ruoan tightly.

"No!"

Lin Bingyao let out a cry of alarm.

She forcibly suppressed her churning blood and Qi, squeezing out the last trace of her already dried-up spiritual power using a secret technique.

The crimson longsword ignited with flames once again. With a flash of her figure, she tried her utmost to block in front of one of the men in black robes.

"Your opponent is me!"

She thrust out with a sword, and the flames on the sword body transformed into a fire serpent, lunging straight for the opponent's face.

That man in black robes merely sneered, casually striking out with a palm. Black Qi surged, easily scattering the fire serpent.

He was not in a hurry to resolve Lin Bingyao at all, merely entangling her in the most effortless way to prevent her from getting away.

The other two had already closed in on Zhao Ruoan.

One of them wielded a ghost-head broadsword, slashing down from above. Black Qi lingered on the blade's edge, as if it could tear apart a person's soul.

The other circled around to Zhao Ruoan's flank and rear, forming claws with five fingers, and chilling claw wind directly targeted Zhao Ruoan's back.

Facing this fatal pincer attack, Zhao Ruoan's actions were hair-raisingly simple.

He neither dodged nor avoided.

He didn't even make a blocking motion.

"Clang!"

A loud sound of metal clashing rang out.

That heavy and powerful ghost-head broadsword chopped solidly onto Zhao Ruoan's shoulder.

However, the scene of flesh and blood flying everywhere that had been anticipated did not appear.

The broadsword felt like it had chopped onto a piece of ten-thousand-year mysterious iron. Where the blade's edge made contact with Zhao Ruoan's skin and flesh, a string of sparks even splashed out.

The sword-wielding man in black robes only felt an incomparable backlash force transmitted from the hilt, shattering the web between his thumb and index finger, numbing his arm, and making the ghost-head broadsword almost fly out of his hand.

"What the Hell is this!"

He discovered with shock that beneath the youth's clothes sliced open by the blade, ancient and ferocious black demonic markings had surfaced on his skin, slowly flowing as if they were living things.

The Physical Body hard-resisting a Magical Artifact?

Is this fucking still a person?

The very moment his mind trembled violently.

Zhao Ruoan moved.

With a backhanded sword thrust, he pierced toward the other man in black robes who was launching a sneak attack from the flank and rear.

It was that dazzling golden sword ray once again.

But this time, the man in black robes who had experienced a companion's death was prepared.

He knew there was trickery hidden within this golden sword ray.

But he didn't know that the trickery could still be upgraded.

Behind the golden sword ray, not only was there a hidden ink-colored sword shadow, but it also carried an incomparably sharp Sword Intent.

Twin sword techniques, Sword Intent stacking.

The sneaking man in black robes let out a strange cry, black Qi surging across his entire body as he attempted to fend it off.

"Pfft!"

The golden ray and Sword Intent crushed forward head-on, tearing apart his protective black Qi like dry weeds and smashing rotten wood.

The ink-colored sword shadow that followed closely behind, like bone-gnawing maggots, silently grazed across his chest.

The man in black robes stiffened, his movements pausing mid-air.

He looked down at the second sword wound that appeared on his chest—one golden, one ink-colored. Two distinct types of Sword Qi were running amok inside his body.

"You..."

He only had time to spit out a single word before his internal organs were shredded by the violent Sword Qi, cutting off his vital breath.

Zhao Ruoan did not pause.

With a shake of his shoulder, he shook off that ghost-head broadsword.

Amidst the sword-wielding man's terrified reaction, he took a step forward, closing in on him.

Hand up, sword down.

A fine head soared into the sky.

The second one.

The third one.

From the two-person pincer attack to the two of them meeting their execution, the entire process occurred in the blink of an eye.

"Ah!"

The final man in black robes who had been entangled with Lin Bingyao witnessed this hellish scene with his own eyes, and his psychological defenses completely collapsed.

He let out an inhuman scream, desperately driving all his spiritual power to blast Lin Bingyao, who was already heavily injured, flying away with a single palm strike.

Lin Bingyao crashed into an ancient tree, spraying a large mouthful of fresh blood, her aura wilting to the absolute extreme.

That man in black robes didn't even look at the battle results, turning around to pull a blood-colored Talisman from his bosom and crushing it in one grab.

"Blood Escape Talisman!"

A thick ball of blood mist enveloped him, and his aura rapidly disappeared, fleeing into the depths of the dense forest at an incredible speed.

Zhao Ruoan frowned slightly.

He looked in the direction where the man in black robes disappeared, ultimately choosing not to pursue.

His own attack power was sufficient, and his defense was top-notch; it was just that in terms of speed, it truly was a shortcoming.

If he couldn't catch up, there was no way to root out the problem completely.

"It seems it's time to get a movement technique Secret Manual."

He pondered to himself.

The crisis resolved, Zhao Ruoan sheathed his sword and turned to walk toward Lin Bingyao, who had collapsed on the ground.

He took out a small jade bottle from his storage ring and handed it over.

"Healing medicine."

Lin Bingyao struggled to sit up, leaning against the tree trunk and looking at him vigilantly.

But when she came into contact with the youth's clean and pure aura, her guard inexplicably relaxed a bit.

She took the jade bottle and poured out a Medicinal Pill.

The fragrance of the pill assailed the nose, brimming with Spiritual Qi. It was a High Grade healing pill.

Without further hesitation, she consumed the Medicinal Pill.

A gentle medicinal force dissolved, rapidly repairing her damaged Meridians and internal organs, and her pale complexion also regained a trace of rosiness.

"Many thanks, Fellow Daoist, for saving my life."

Lin Bingyao stood up and solemnly bowed to Zhao Ruoan.

"My name is Lin Bingyao, a Disciple of the Chiyan Sect."

Zhao Ruoan returned the bow.

"Qingxuan Sect, Zhao Ruoan."

He thought for a moment and added a sentence.

"Just newly entered."

Lin Bingyao's aura, which had just calmed down, was sent into disarray once again because of these four words.

"Newly entered?"

Her voice even changed tune.

"Fellow Daoist, stop joking around."

A newly admitted Disciple at the Spirit Gathering Realm instantly killed two Spirit Sea Realm Cultivators and even scared one away?

How could this be possible?

How could this make her, a Personal Disciple who had cultivated for over a dozen years and was hailed as a once-in-a-century Genius of the Sect, bear to face this?

Zhao Ruoan did not over-explain on this issue, only asking: "What kind of people are they, and why did they intercept and kill you here?"

A trace of lingering fear surfaced on Lin Bingyao's face.

"I'm not clear on their origins either. I merely bumped into them by chance in the mountain, and without saying a word, they attacked me with every move meant to be fatal."

She sighed.

"The Sect elders often say that human hearts outside the mountains are treacherous, and today I finally know those words are not false."

Zhao Ruoan nodded.

This cultivation world was truly not some peaceful era; venturing outside, one could encounter this kind of unprovoked disaster at any time.

Lin Bingyao regulated her breath for a moment, and her condition improved a lot.

She looked seriously at Zhao Ruoan, as if she had made some decision.

"Fellow Daoist Zhao, words cannot express my gratitude for this great kindness."

"To tell you the truth, my lone venture into danger this time was not for training, but for an Opportunity."

Zhao Ruoan's interest was piqued.

"A few months ago, I accidentally obtained a fragmented map pointing to the depths of the Tianyao Mountain Range, where an ancient Cultivator's ruined mansion is hidden."

"I originally wanted to rely on my strength as a Personal Disciple to explore it alone. Now it seems I thought things over too simply."

A bitter smile appeared on her face.

"If I hadn't met you, I'm afraid I would already be a pile of withered bones today, let alone any ruined mansion Opportunity."

"Therefore," her tone shifted as she spoke with utmost sincerity, "I am willing to share this Opportunity with Fellow Daoist as repayment."

"You shall have priority in picking all the treasures inside the ruined mansion; even if you take them all away, I will have no complaints!"

An ancient Cultivator's ruined mansion.

This sincerity was given to the fullest.

Zhao Ruoan pondered for a moment.

For him, rapidly enhancing his strength was the current top priority.

Exploring such unknown Senior's relics was undoubtedly the best choice where risks and opportunities coexisted.

What's more, this was currently a free Opportunity.

He nodded.

"Alright."