Moonlit Night Travel, Undercurrents Stir

The night breeze swept through, carrying the faint scent of blood from the recent battle, along with the damp, fresh fragrance of the forest's vegetation. The weak, gasping voice from inside the carriage saying, "Thank you, senior, for saving my life," sent barely perceptible ripples through Lin Chen's heart, like a pebble dropped into a still lake.

The voice was still clear and pleasant, just as it had been three years ago, but it lacked the innocence and playfulness of the past, now tinged with the weariness of worldly experience and an lingering weakness.

Lin Chen's gaze paused for a moment on the closed carriage curtain before he casually shifted it away, as if the thanks were merely the ordinary sound of wind rustling through the treetops. He didn't respond, not even showing a flicker of expression. This deliberate coldness was the best disguise for his current identity.

"Senior, this place isn't safe for long. Should… should we set off as soon as possible?" Su Lie, seeing Lin Chen's lack of reaction, grew more anxious and cautiously stepped forward to inquire. He had placed all his hopes on this mysterious and powerful "senior," fearing that the slightest impatience might cause him to leave.

Lin Chen nodded slightly, signifying agreement. His gaze swept over the three Scaled Earth Dragon Beast skeletons lying on the ground, their flesh long gone, and the two shriveled Green Wind Demonic Wolf carcasses. He said, "These monster bones are still somewhat useful. If you don't find it too troublesome, you can take them."

The bones of the Scaled Earth Dragon Beast were hard and contained faint earth elemental energy. While not as valuable as their flesh or scales, they still held some worth for ordinary martial artists, whether for sharpening weapons or for medicinal use. As for the Green Wind Demonic Wolf bones, though less valuable, they were better than nothing. Lin Chen himself had no use for them, but giving them to the Su Family people was a small token of "reward," lest they feel too indebted later and cause further trouble.

"Yes! Yes! Thank you, senior, for your generosity!" Su Lie's face immediately lit up with gratitude. Their expedition had suffered heavy losses, and bringing back anything of value was always good. He quickly directed a few guards with lighter injuries to dismantle the massive skeletons, selecting the most essential parts and bundling them up for transport. The others swiftly packed their belongings, buried their fallen comrades with simple rites, and did their best to reinforce the severely damaged carriage.

With all preparations complete, the surviving Su Family guards, surrounding the simple carriage, set off again under Su Lie's lead.

Lin Chen did not walk at the front or the rear, but maintained a moderate distance, following the group like a ghost, silently trailing along the flank. This position allowed him to survey the entire situation and react to any potential dangers, while also keeping a certain distance from the Su Family members to avoid unnecessary contact.

Moonlight filtered through the sparse branches, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. The Green Peak Mountain Range, stripped of its daytime bustle, appeared exceptionally tranquil under the night sky, yet it harbored greater, unknown dangers. The chirping of insects, the calls of night owls, and the occasional distant roars of unknown beasts added an eerie and tense atmosphere to the quiet night.

The Su Family guards were clearly seasoned veterans. Despite their exhaustion and injuries, they maintained a high level of vigilance. They held their weapons, their eyes sharply scanning the surrounding darkness, their steps light, making as little noise as possible.

Su Lie walked at the very front of the group, his expression grave. He kept glancing back at the black-clothed youth beside and behind him, who seemed to blend into the night. While feeling somewhat reassured, he was also filled with awe and curiosity. The strength of this "senior" was unfathomable, and his methods were even more unpredictable. The way he dealt with the monster corpses was simply unheard of. What was his origin? Why was he in the depths of the Green Peak Mountain Range? And why was he willing to help?

Countless questions swirled in Su Lie's mind, but he dared not ask, nor even dwell on them. The most important thing now was to escort the young lady safely to "Luofeng Gorge" as quickly as possible.

Lin Chen appeared to be following the group casually, but in reality, his senses were heightened to the extreme. After integrating the Myriad Dao Furnace with the Nine-Orifice Black Stone, not only had his physical defense greatly increased, but his five senses and six perceptions had also far surpassed those of martial artists at the same level. Every rustle of grass within a few hundred meters could not escape his detection.

He could clearly hear the suppressed breaths of the guards, smell the subtle scents of different plants in the air, and even sense the probing gazes of the weak nocturnal creatures lurking in the darkness.

His gaze occasionally swept over the slowly moving carriage.

The curtain remained tightly closed, isolating everything within. But Lin Chen could faintly sense the weak yet uniquely rhythmic aura of Su Ling'er within that confined space.

What was she like now?

Was she sitting quietly in a corner, looking timidly outside, just like before? Or was she curled up on the cushions, her face as pale as paper, tormented by illness?

Three years was enough time to change many things.

The innocent and lively little girl who used to follow him around was now the "young lady" requiring heavy protection from the Su Family. And he, once a genius, had become an outcast of his family, struggling for survival in desperate circumstances.

The unpredictability of life was truly profound.

A complex, unidentifiable emotion flickered through Lin Chen's mind, but he quickly suppressed it.

Now was not the time for sentimentality.

Su Ling'er's changes, and the Su Family's objectives, were merely fleeting clouds in his eyes. The reason he agreed to escort them, besides a negligible trace of past affection, was primarily due to practical considerations.

Firstly, to use the Su Family's caravan to conceal his movements and avoid premature exposure to the Lin Family or Wang Family.

Secondly, to extract information from Su Lie about the depths of the Green Peak Mountain Range, especially around "Luofeng Gorge." Reliable maps or intelligence on specific areas would be crucial for his upcoming trials.

Thirdly, the so-called "Purple Cloud Mushroom." Since the Su Family went to such great lengths to obtain it, it must be a valuable spiritual medicine. If he could find out its specific effects and where it grew, it might be useful to him as well.

As for Su Ling'er herself, Lin Chen did not wish to get too involved with her for the time being. Past grievances and the current disparity made it difficult for them to return to how they were. Maintaining distance and not interfering with each other was perhaps the best course of action.

"Senior..."

As Lin Chen was lost in thought, Su Lie slowed his pace, approached, and offered a waterskin with a respectful smile: "Senior must be tired from traveling. Please have a drink."

Lin Chen glanced at him indifferently, did not reach out to take it, and merely asked, "How far is it to Luofeng Gorge?"

Seeing this, Su Lie was not embarrassed. He sheepishly withdrew the waterskin and replied respectfully, "Reporting to senior, at our current speed, if all goes well, we should reach the outskirts of Luofeng Gorge before dawn. Luofeng Gorge is strategically important, easy to defend and difficult to attack. Moreover, there is a secret trade route within the gorge that our Su Family has operated for many years, making it relatively safer."

"Secret trade route?" Lin Chen's heart stirred, but his expression remained calm. "It seems your Su Family has put considerable effort into operating in the Green Peak Mountain Range."

Su Lie showed a wry smile. "You mock me, senior. Business is difficult these days, especially making a living in these perilous mountains. If we don't have a few fallback options, we'd likely have been devoured by monsters or ill-intentioned individuals long ago. To be honest, this trade route was opened and maintained at great cost. Normally, only our Su Family's core caravans use it."

"Oh?" Lin Chen raised his eyebrows slightly and asked casually, "Then your trip deep into this area to collect the 'Purple Cloud Mushroom' was also for business related to the trade route?"

Su Lie's expression changed slightly upon hearing this, a flicker of vigilance and hesitation in his eyes. Clearly, the matter of the "Purple Cloud Mushroom" was their core secret.

But he glanced at Lin Chen's deep, indifferent eyes and felt the invisible pressure emanating from him. He couldn't help but feel a chill. This "senior" had unfathomable strength and had saved his life. Concealing information might displease him.

After a moment of consideration, Su Lie sighed and lowered his voice, "To be honest, senior... the Purple Cloud Mushroom wasn't for business, but... but to save my young lady's life."

"Oh? To save her life?" Although Lin Chen had his suspicions, he was still slightly surprised to hear Su Lie confirm it. "What serious illness does your young lady have?"

A look of sorrow crossed Su Lie's face as he shook his head. "I'm not entirely sure about the specific illness. I only know that three years ago, the young lady suddenly contracted a strange illness. Her body grew weaker day by day, and even renowned physicians were helpless. Later, the family head happened to find a fragment of an ancient book, which mentioned that a rare medicine called 'Purple Cloud Mushroom' might grow in the depths of the Green Peak Mountain Range, and it might be able to... might be able to suppress the young lady's condition, or even cure it."

He paused, his voice growing deeper. "However, the Purple Cloud Mushroom has extremely demanding environmental requirements. It only grows in places inhabited by monsters of the seventh rank and above, absorbing the essence of moonlight. Furthermore, its maturity period is very short, and harvesting it is extremely difficult. We ventured deep into this area with only a sliver of hope, not expecting..."

He didn't finish the sentence, but the meaning was clear. They not only failed to find the Purple Cloud Mushroom but almost perished.

Lin Chen fell silent.

So that was it. Su Ling'er's "strange illness" was so severe that it required a rare medicine grown in a perilous region to save her life.

Three years ago...

This timing coincided with shortly after he had been crippled.

Could her illness be related to the events that transpired between the Lin Family, the Su Family, and the Wang Family back then?

Lin Chen's mind involuntarily conjured the beautiful yet cold face of Su Qingyao, and the arrogant and overbearing figure of Wang Teng.

His crippling back then was indeed due to the infighting within the Lin Family, but the Su Family and the Wang Family's instigation had also played a significant role. Especially Su Qingyao's annulment of their engagement and her kicking him while he was down had dealt him a devastating blow.

As Su Ling'er was Su Qingyao's nominal "sister" (though from a collateral branch), could her strange illness be the result of someone secretly poisoning her to solidify their position or eliminate a potential threat?

Or perhaps, this so-called "strange illness" wasn't an illness at all, but some kind of... special physique awakening? Yet, due to it being unknown or lacking proper guidance, it was instead placing a huge burden on her body?

The more Lin Chen thought about it, the more he felt that things might not be as simple as they appeared on the surface.

The Su Family's attitude towards Su Ling'er also seemed rather telling. On one hand, they spared no expense in sending people deep into dangerous territories to find medicine for her. On the other hand, they seemed vague about the "cause of her illness."

There were likely significant secrets hidden within all of this.

However, these were all just his speculations. Without concrete evidence, they were merely conjectures.

"I see." Lin Chen suppressed the many thoughts in his mind, his tone remaining calm. "Since it's to save someone, you should be even more careful in your actions."

"Yes, senior, your lesson is well-taken." Su Lie quickly responded.

Just then, from the carriage that had remained quiet, another bout of uncontrollable, violent coughing suddenly erupted!

"Cough... cough cough..."

The cough sounded exceptionally painful, as if she were coughing up her lungs. It was intermittent, carrying a heart-wrenching weakness.

Su Lie's face instantly turned pale. He rushed to the carriage in a few steps and anxiously asked in a low voice, "Miss! Miss, how are you?!"

"I... I'm fine... Uncle Su... cough... it's an old problem..." From within the carriage curtain, Su Ling'er's voice came out intermittently, filled with gasps. Although she tried her best to sound relaxed, the weakness that had seeped into her bones could not be concealed at all.

"Miss, don't force yourself! Here, take this 'Dew Condensing Pill,' it will help alleviate it a bit." Su Lie took out a small jade bottle from his embrace, poured out a crystal-clear pill that emitted a faint fragrance, and carefully passed it through a gap in the curtain.

There was a moment of silence from inside the carriage, as if Su Ling'er had taken the pill. After a while, the violent coughing finally subsided, but faint gasping could still be heard.

"Miss... you..." Su Lie was still worried.

"Uncle Su... I'm really fine... we... we should continue our journey... cough... we can't delay... senior's time..." Su Ling'er's voice remained weak, but carried a hint of undeniable persistence.

Su Lie looked at the closed curtain, his eyes filled with worry and helplessness. In the end, he could only sigh and return to the front of the team, though his expression was even more somber than before.

Lin Chen saw and heard all of this.

Dew Condensing Pill? That was a rather gentle medicinal pill for healing and replenishing vital energy, and it was quite valuable. It seemed the Su Family had indeed invested a considerable amount to maintain Su Ling'er's physical condition.

However, since even the Dew Condensing Pill only provided temporary relief, it showed how severe and stubborn the "illness" within her body was.

He could even feel that the violent coughing just now had further weakened the already frail aura within the carriage, like a candle flickering in the wind, liable to extinguish at any moment.

For some reason, a strange feeling stirred within Lin Chen's heart once more.

It wasn't sympathy, nor was it pity.

It was a... more complex emotion.

Perhaps it was a slight touch of empathy for the fragility of life in the face of illness?

Or perhaps, it reminded him of the despair and helplessness he had felt when he was crippled in the past?

He shook his head slightly, casting these chaotic thoughts out of his mind.

He was not a savior, nor was he a sentimental person. He had his own path to walk, his own revenge to exact. Su Ling'er's fate had nothing to do with him.

He refocused his attention on his surroundings.

Night deepened, and there was still some time before dawn.

The road ahead seemed to become more rugged and difficult. Towering ancient trees blocked out the sky, preventing even moonlight from penetrating, making the forest even darker. The air was filled with a damp, decaying scent, and the fallen leaves underfoot became thicker and softer.

"Everyone stay alert! We're approaching the 'Black Marsh Forest'! There's a lot of miasma and poisonous insects here, be careful!" Su Lie raised his voice, warning his guards.

The team's speed slowed down again, everyone held their breath, carefully navigating through the darkness.

Lin Chen's brow also furrowed slightly.

Black Marsh Forest? He seemed to recall fragmented information about this place from Lin Bao's memories. It was said to be perpetually shrouded in toxic miasma, inhabited by many venomous snakes, insects, and rodents, and even some low-level demonic beasts adept at stealth and ambush. For ordinary martial artists, it was indeed a considerably dangerous area.

However, for him, this miasma and poisonous insects posed little threat. With the Myriad Dao Furnace operating, he couldn't claim to be immune to all poisons, but ordinary miasma and toxins couldn't get close to him.

He was just worried about Su Ling'er in the carriage.

Given her current frail condition, could she withstand the miasma erosion within the Black Marsh Forest?

Just as this thought crossed his mind.

Chii!

An extremely faint, whistling sound like a viper's hiss suddenly erupted from behind a giant ancient tree to his front left!

A shadow, dark green and only as thick as a finger, shot out like an arrow, swift as lightning, directly at Su Lie at the forefront of the team!

"Careful!"

Almost the instant the whistling sound occurred, Lin Chen's icy voice exploded!

Simultaneously, his figure flickered like a phantom!

He was faster than the attack!

A fierce and unparalleled finger wind, carrying a piercing whistle, accurately struck the dark green shadow!

Puff!

A muffled sound!

The dark green shadow in mid-air suddenly stiffened, then, like a kite with a broken string, it fell powerlessly to the ground.

Only then did the members of the Su Family react!

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a small snake, entirely dark green, with a triangular head, and only about a foot long! The snake's head had already been pierced by Lin Chen's finger wind, and it was deader than dead!

"It's... it's a Seven-Step Fall Snake! A highly venomous Seven-Step Fall Snake!" a knowledgeable guard exclaimed, his face instantly turning deathly pale!

Seven-Step Fall!

A notoriously venomous demonic snake in the Green Peak Mountain Range! Although its rank wasn't high, only equivalent to the fourth or fifth level of the Body Tempering Realm, its venom was so potent that it was practically instantaneous upon contact with blood! Even a martial artist at the seventh or eighth level of the Body Tempering Realm would find it extremely difficult to survive if bitten by accident!

If Lin Chen hadn't intervened in time just now, the consequences would have been unimaginable!

Su Lie also broke out in a cold sweat, filled with lingering fear! He had been completely focused on the road ahead and hadn't noticed the poisonous snake hidden behind the trees!

"Th... Thank you for saving my life, senior!" Su Lie clasped his hands in thanks to Lin Chen, his voice trembling slightly, still shaken.

Lin Chen waved his hand, signaling that no formalities were needed. However, his gaze sharply swept towards the deeper, darker parts of the surrounding jungle.

The appearance of that Seven-Step Fall Snake just now was too sudden, and too precise.

Was this really an accident?

Or...

A barely perceptible cold glint flashed in Lin Chen's eyes.

This seemingly simple escort mission might... not be as peaceful as he had imagined.

The Black Marsh Forest ahead, and Luofeng Gorge further on, might still hide other... dangers.