17: Chapter 17 A Disregard for Martial Morality: A Sneak Attack!

In a corner of the spacious underground grotto, a vine as black as ink was growing.

It was only one zhang long, with purple veins on its leaves, looking somewhat eerie and mysterious.

"A Rank Three Spirit Medicine, purple jade vine!?"

"That guy didn't lie to me; there really is a Rank Three Spirit Medicine here?!"

Ji Taichang was pleasantly surprised!

"Wonderful—"

"Sister Yang Yao will definitely like this gift!"

Ji Taichang had a joyful smile on his face as he spoke to himself, just about to bend down and pull the purple jade vine out by its roots.

Just then.

A dark shadow appeared silently behind Ji Taichang, holding a short black blade, and instantly stabbed it into the back of his heart!

Intense pain and a sense of crisis surged in his heart!

One cannot generalize about people's Physiques.

In a state of extreme rage, Ji Taichang exploded with amazing potential, striking back with a palm toward the enemy behind him. Violent firelight condensed into the shape of a fire dragon, surging forward!

Bang!

The opponent traded a palm strike with Ji Taichang and was eventually forced back five or six steps. Most of her clothes were scorched, and she was significantly injured, revealing a beautiful yet ruthless face.

She looked about thirty years old. Although she wasn't bad-looking, a sinister aura emanated from between her brows. Her lips were black, and black lines flickered on her forehead.

"Cough! Cough, cough... Dammit!"

"Old woman, you have no martial ethics, sneak attacking me!"

Ji Taichang held his longsword in one hand and covered his bleeding chest with the other, coughing up several mouthfuls of blood.

He used his thick spiritual power to forcibly suppress his injuries, staring coldly at the woman in black, his killing intent overflowing!

"Hehe... Fellow Daoist, don't be angry. This purple jade vine is of great use to me. Why don't you just give it to me? And while you're at it, lend me your flesh and blood as well..."

The woman in black licked her lips and let out a bell-like laugh, walking toward him step by step.

"Like hell I'll let you!"

Ji Taichang roared, his longsword erupting with fierce flames and Sword Qi, causing the temperature of the place to skyrocket as he slashed violently at the woman in black!

The woman in black was not afraid at all. She raised her short black blade and charged, engaging Ji Taichang head-on!

In just a few exchanges, two equally powerful spiritual forces constantly collided, causing the underground grotto to rumble and shake incessantly.

Ji Taichang, however, was at a disadvantage, and soon several more wounds appeared on his body!

This was because the woman in black was also at the Half-step Golden Core Stage, and her cultivation was even deeper than Ji Taichang's!

If Ji Taichang was only barely at the Half-step Golden Core Stage, having just touched that level.

The opponent had been honing her skills in this Realm for over a decade and was very close to the Golden Core Stage.

Furthermore, the woman in black had rich combat experience, and her strikes were ruthless and lethal.

By contrast.

Ji Taichang had possessed his powerful cultivation for too short a time, and his combat experience was somewhat lacking. Coupled with the woman's sneak attack and his severe injuries, he was naturally no match for her!

Seeing that he couldn't win.

Ji Taichang intended to retreat. He feigned being pushed back by the woman's blade, but in reality, he retreated to the side of the purple jade vine and grabbed it!

The woman's pupils constricted, and she immediately threw the short black blade at Ji Taichang's hand with great force, trailing a grim black light.

Ji Taichang grabbed the purple jade vine and yanked it hard, but it was cut in half by the short black blade, and he only managed to get half of it.

Ji Taichang wasn't greedy; clutching the half of the purple jade vine, he quickly retreated!

The woman's expression was somewhat gloomy. With a flash of her figure, she went to the corner of the underground grotto, picked up the other half of the purple jade vine and her short black blade, and then chased after Ji Taichang to kill him!

As the two chased and fled, they rushed out of the cave and back into the valley.

"Hmm?!"

"Isn't she the Wife of the Lin Family Head from Feiyun City? Why would she appear here?"

Some Cultivators recognized the woman in black's identity and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

Feiyun City is quite far from the Heishui Mountains, so her appearance surprised them greatly.

"The Wife of the Lin Family Head from Feiyun City?"

"Good, good, good... I'll remember this grudge!"

Ji Taichang's face was dark as he turned and slashed at the woman in black. A surge of flames erupted, also igniting the surrounding vegetation, causing thick smoke to billow and obscure their vision.

By the time the woman in black blocked Ji Taichang's strike, he had already used Fire Escape to flee.

The woman in black tried to pursue him.

But their cultivation levels weren't far apart, and with Ji Taichang running for his life, she couldn't catch up at all. The distance between them grew wider until she lost him!

Ji Taichang ran all the way to the vicinity of Heifeng City before finally stopping in a deserted forest. He swallowed several healing Medicinal Pills and grumbled while circulating his power to heal.

"The local Gangs are so impolite!"

Fortunately, Ji Taichang's cultivation was deep now and his body was strong, so his injuries were not fatal.

After a period of rest.

He suppressed his injuries, changed into a set of black clothes, and entered Heifeng City.

He sold all the equipment dropped by the Black-Handed Old Man, bought a bottle of Rank Two healing Medicinal Pills to completely stabilize his injuries, and then returned to the Qingyun Sect.

...

The night passed without a word.

Li Tiao's sudden disappearance hadn't caused any waves yet; even Li Si hadn't noticed.

Although it would be exposed sooner or later, Ji Taichang wasn't worried.

He stood before a mirror and began to meticulously groom himself.

To be fair, Ji Taichang was definitely handsome. He was 1.8 meters tall, with a tall and slender build, clear muscle definition, and a handsome, resolute, and upright face.

He changed into the white brocade clothes he had bought in Heifeng City, which enhanced his temperament and appearance even further.

Ji Taichang first went to Zuixiang Pavilion to buy a delicate breakfast before heading to the Alchemy Hall and knocking on the door of Yang Yao's Alchemy room.

Yang Yao seemed to have been refining pills all night. Her pure and pretty face showed a trace of fatigue, and she hadn't even changed her clothes.

"Xiao Chang?"

After seeing Ji Taichang, Yang Yao's heart raced for some reason. She quickly reached out to rub her face, her trembling figure swaying as she tidied her appearance.

"Eh?"

"Didn't I say not to buy me breakfast? You child..."

When Yang Yao saw the breakfast box in Ji Taichang's hand, she immediately showed a look of feigned anger, biting her lip slightly and rolling her eyes at him.

It didn't seem like anger, more like acting spoiled. Her glamorous appearance made Ji Taichang unable to help but swallow his saliva!

"This is a new product from Zuixiang Pavilion. I thought Sister Yang Yao might not have tried it and wanted you to have a taste."

Ji Taichang gave a gentle smile and casually placed the breakfast on the table.

"By the way, Sister Yang Yao, while I was out catching White-Winged Bats last night, I accidentally found this in their cave nest. Since you're an Alchemist, Sister Yang Yao, you should be able to use it. It's for you."

Ji Taichang took a box out of his Storage Ring.

"This is... a Rank Three Spirit Medicine, purple jade vine!?"

When Yang Yao opened the box, her heart was instantly shaken, and she showed a look of pleasant surprise!

Spirit Medicine of this level was too precious; even the Qingyun Sect didn't have much!