When Chen Jianghe set foot on Hundred Herb Peak, dusk had fallen.
He didn't stop, walked straight through the familiar medicine field, and pushed open the ajar gate.
In the main hall, the green lamp was still on, swaying with a dim yellow glow in the growing darkness.
"Soaring Wood Court's disciple Chen Jianghe, please see Court Master."
There was silence in the hall for a moment, and then the old voice came. "Come in."
Chen Jianghe pushed the door open, stood three steps in front of the long desk, and saluted with clasped fists.
Han Shuitian sat cross-legged on the futon, slowly opened his eyes, looked at him, and frowned slightly.
"Didn't you take leave and go down the mountain? Why did you come back so soon?"
Chen Jianghe Go straight to the point. "Court Master, Grade C-5, No. 6, and No. 7 Hunting Grounds, the strange beasts were frightened at the same time last night."
Han Shuitian's cloudy old eyes flashed with a glimmer of light.
Chen Jianghe continued, "The disciple returned, and senior brother Shi Ming is already there. According to what he said, at three o'clock last night, three strange beasts roared and crashed into the fence at the same time, and lasted for nearly two hours. The disciple personally inspected the East District fence. The claw marks are all real, and there are no traces of forgery by anyone."
"Three strange beasts, all of different types, but all going crazy at the same time?" Han Shuitian repeated in a low voice.
"Yes:" Chen Jianghe nodded; "No. 5 Grounds mainly feeds Iron-Backed Bear and Earth-Splitting Tiger; the No. 6 farm feeds Gale Wolf and Crimson Flame Python is the main one, and No. 7 Arena is a mixed breed of Iron-Backed Bear and Green Wood Ape. The three have very different habits, and their activity ranges are tens of miles apart, but they rioted and collided at the same moment."
Han Shuitian Silence.
Those turbid old eyes narrowed slightly, looking through Chen Jianghe and towards the darkening sky outside the hall, without saying a word for a long time.
After a long time, he slowly said, "This matter cannot be investigated by you deacons in Field No. 567."
Chen Jianghe raised his eyes to look at him.
Han Shuitian stood up from the futon, walked to the window, and stood with his hands behind his hands.
"There are only three possibilities for strange beasts to be frightened. One is natural disaster. Earthquakes, mountain fires, and thunderstorms can frighten strange beasts. But as you just said, there were no natural disasters last night."
"Second, man-made. Someone sneaked into Hunting Grounds and used drugs or secret methods to stimulate the strange beasts. But you have checked and there are no traces of man-made things."
"Third..." He paused and lowered his voice, "It's because the alien beasts sensed something that makes them instinctively afraid."
Chen Jianghe felt a chill in his heart.
Instinct fear.
What is it that can make strange beasts fearful at the same time?
Han Shuitian turned around and looked at him, a complex light surging in those old eyes.
"It's good that you can come back and report." He said slowly, "I will go to the sect personally to report this matter. The five, six, seven and three linkages are too extensive and require joint investigation by multiple agencies. Just go back and wait for the results, and don't act rashly."
Chen Jianghe cupped his fists. "Disciple understands."
He turned around and exited the hall, walking down the mountain road in the dusk.
In the afternoon of the next day, Hunting Ground No. C-7.
Chen Jianghe was practicing shooting in the courtyard when rapid footsteps came from outside the courtyard door.
Shi Ming strode into the hospital, his Thick Earth Court outfit stained with dew and mud, obviously he had traveled all night.
"Junior Brother Chen!" He cupped his fists and said, "There is news from the sect."
Chen Jianghe put away his gun and asked him to come in and take a seat.
Shi Ming took the hot tea from Wang Tiesheng, drank it in one gulp, wiped his mouth, and said in a deep voice, "Criminal Law Hall, we have reached an agreement with the four houses. This matter is led by Golden Pivot Court Minor Mastery of Gang Force disciple Xiao Yi, Cangming Court Minor Mastery of Gang Force disciple Zhu Jingyi cooperates in the investigation.
In addition, Flame Chen Court's newly appointed Grade C-6 Field Deacon Ji Fan will also participate."
He paused and looked at Chen Jianghe: "The three of us are responsible for leading the way and assisting. Senior Brother Xiao and Senior Sister Zhu are both Minor Mastery of Gang Force. With them here, we only need to explain the situation, take them to the place where the incident occurred to check, and then bring the information back to the sect."
Chen Jianghe nodded. "When will you leave?"
"Tomorrow at nine o'clock," Shi Ming said, "Senior Brother Xiao and Senior Sister Zhu will arrive this evening. They will rest here overnight and set off early tomorrow morning. Over there, Ji Fan, I have sent a message, and he will meet directly at No. 7 Arena tomorrow."
Chen Jianghe pondered for a moment and suddenly said, "Brother Shi, are you familiar with Xiao Yi and Zhu Jingyi?"
Shi Ming smiled bitterly, "Xiao Yi is a member of Golden Pivot Court. You also know that Golden Pivot Court's group of gun practitioners always have their eyes high. Xiao Yi has been in the business for eight years, Minor Mastery of Gang Force is considered a top figure among Golden Pivot Court's peers. Zhu Jingyi belongs to Cangming Court. He has been in the profession for ten years and is also Minor Mastery of Gang Force. He has excellent swordsmanship and a very cold temperament, and is not very talkative."
He sighed and lowered his voice and said, "These two are core disciples of each academy. They usually have little contact with marginal people like us. For this cooperation, we just need to do our part and don't offend anyone."
Chen Jianghe nodded and asked no more questions.
As dusk fell, two figures appeared outside Grade C-7.
The man walking in front was about 27 or 28 years old, with a slender figure, wearing a Golden Pivot Court outfit, with a stern face, and an arrogance between his eyebrows that would repel others thousands of miles away.
He held a bright silver spear in his hand, with a bright silver body and a snow-white tassel, which complemented his stern face.
It is Golden Pivot Court Minor Mastery of Gang Force disciple Xiao Yi.
The woman following him was about twenty-six or seventeen years old. She was wearing a Cangming Court blue dress with a cold face. Her firm and slender legs were vaguely visible at the slits of the skirt. She had a three-foot green sword hanging from her waist. She walked lightly and landed silently.
She is Cangming Court Minor Mastery of Gang Force disciple Zhu Jingyi.
Chen Jianghe and Shi Ming were already waiting outside the hospital. When they saw them arriving, they both clasped their fists and saluted.
"Soaring Wood Court Chen Jianghe, I have met Senior Brother Xiao and Senior Sister Zhu."
"Thick Earth Court Shi Ming, I have met Senior Brother Xiao and Senior Sister Zhu."
Xiao Yi glanced at the two of them, stayed on Chen Jianghe's face for a moment, and nodded slightly as a return gift.
Zhu Jingyi just glanced at them lightly and said nothing.
The atmosphere was slightly awkward.
Shi Ming coughed dryly and turned sideways to lead the way. "You two have had a hard journey, please come inside and have a rest. Hot tea is ready in the house..."
"No need." Xiao Yi interrupted him with a cold voice, "Let's see the scene first."
Shi Ming was startled for a moment, then nodded. "Okay, okay, Senior Brother Xiao is right. Junior Brother Chen, shall we take Senior Brother Xiao and the others to East District right now?"
Chen Jianghe nodded and raised his gun to lead the way.
The group walked through the dense forest and soon came to the East District fence.
Xiao Yi squatted down and rubbed his fingers along the inside of the claw marks for a moment. He stood up and turned to look at Zhu Jingyi.
Zhu Jingyi nodded, took a few steps forward, his eyes stayed for a moment on the broken wooden piles, and then looked up at the deep forest on the inside of the fence.
"It was indeed caused by the collision of alien animals." She said with a cold voice, "There are no human traces."
Xiao Yi said "hmm" and glanced at Chen Jianghe and Shi Ming: "Have you found any other abnormalities in the past few days?"
Shi Ming shook his head. "Junior brother, I was on duty day and night. Except for the strange beasts being frightened that night, there was no abnormal movement."
Xiao Yi looked at Chen Jianghe.
Chen Jianghe pondered for a moment and said slowly, "I have something that I don't know whether to talk about or not."
Xiao Yi raised his eyebrows slightly. "Say."
"Last month, there was an incident where strange animals were frightened at the Grade C-7 field." Chen Jianghe looked calm. "Afterwards, the disciples checked the fence and found that several claw marks were too smooth and were suspected of being forged. Looking back now, those claw marks are completely different from the ones tonight."
Xiao Yi's eyes narrowed. "Artificial forgery?"
Chen Jianghe nodded. "The disciple once suspected that someone was secretly worshiping him, but before he could conduct a thorough investigation, the claw marks were covered with new marks. Now there is no way to verify it."
Xiao Yi and Zhu Jingyi looked at each other, with a trace of solemnity flashing in their eyes.
"This matter needs to be reported to the Criminal Law Hall later." Xiao Yi said solemnly, "If Xiaoxiao is doing something secretly, it must be for me, Xingyi Sect."
He paused and looked at Chen Jianghe and Shi Ming: "Let's rest tonight. Tomorrow morning, we will conduct an in-depth investigation. You two will lead the way and alert you at any time if there is any unusual movement."
At Mao o'clock the next day, the sky was dimly lit.
Grade C-7 Outside the venue, five figures gathered.
In addition to the four people Xiao Yi, Zhu Jingyi, Chen Jianghe, and Shi Ming, there is another figure - disciple Flame Chen Court Initiation of Gang Force, Grade C-6's new deacon Ji Fan.
Ji Fan is about 25 or 26 years old, with a stocky build, Flame Chen Court is dressed in a red outfit, with a simple and honest face, and clear eyes that reveal a bit of agility. There is a thick-backed machete hanging from his waist, with a red blade, which complements the outfit perfectly.
Seeing everyone gathered together, he clasped his fists together and said with a smile, "Senior brothers and sisters, junior brother Ji Fan, I am new here, please take care of me."
Xiao Yi nodded slightly as a return gift.
Zhu Jingyi still looked cold and did not speak.
Shi Ming smiled and handed over his hand, "Junior brother Ji, you are so polite. We are all neighbors and we should take care of each other."
Chen Jianghe cupped his fists in return and said nothing.
Xiao Yi glanced at everyone and said in a deep voice, "The purpose of this in-depth investigation is to find out the source of the frightened strange beasts. We and the five of us were divided into two groups. One, Junior Sister Zhu and I will provide support from behind, Shi Ming, Ji Fan, and Chen Jianghe are advancing in three directions: left, center, and right. If in danger, retreat and do not fight. If found, give a warning with Message Transmission Talisman."
Chen Jianghe glanced at Xiao Yi and said to himself, "You are really stubborn!"
Seeing the others nodding in agreement, Chen Jianghe could only nod along.
Xiao Yi looked at Chen Jianghe and Shi Ming again. "You two are familiar with the terrain and are responsible for leading the way. Ji Fan, you have just taken over Field No. 6. If you have any questions, please ask Shi Ming for advice."
Ji Fan nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes, thank you Senior Brother Xiao for your guidance."
Xiao Yi said no more, waved his hand and said, "Let's go."
Five figures disappeared into the depths of the dense forest.
The forest is dark, with towering ancient trees and twining vines.
Chen Jianghe is walking in the middle, Shi Ming is on the left, and Ji Fan is on the right. The three of them are about twenty feet apart and are advancing forward in a fan shape.
Xiao Yi and Zhu Jingyi followed dozens of feet behind, their auras so vague that their presence was almost invisible unless they were consciously sensed.
After walking for about half an hour, the forest gradually opened up, and a dry valley appeared in front of us.
Shi Ming's voice came from the left wing. "Junior brother Chen, after passing this valley, we are at the junction of fields No. 5, 6, and 7. I suspect that the strange beasts were frightened, and the first place to make any noise was in this area."
Chen Jianghe nodded and was about to speak when Ji Fan's voice suddenly came from the right wing, "Brother Shi, Senior Brother Chen, are you talking about this matter, could it be related to the Demonic Sect?"
Shi Ming paused and looked at Ji Fan through the trees. "Why did Junior Brother Ji say this?"
Ji Fan scratched his head, with an embarrassed smile on his honest face, "I'm just guessing. What happened with Feng Yan and Song Qi last month, although the spoils are unevenly distributed within the family, I always feel that it is not that simple. How come two Initiation of Gang Forces, who are so good, suddenly have internal strife? And they still die outside No. 7 Arena? What a coincidence."
Shi Ming was silent for a moment and sighed, "This matter is indeed strange. But Criminal Law Hall has made a conclusion. As disciples, it is better for us to talk less."
Ji Fan chuckled, "Senior Brother Shi is right, I just said it casually."
Chen Jianghe listened quietly and did not answer the call.
But in his heart, he paid more attention to Ji Fan.
This seemingly honest and honest disciple Flame Chen Court is far more alert than he appears.
The three of them continued moving forward.
After about a stick of incense, I still found nothing unusual.
Ji Fan scratched his head and whispered, "It's strange, those strange beasts are going crazy, there must be a reason, right? Why is there nothing?"
Shi Ming said in a deep voice, "Don't be anxious, just keep walking forward."
Zhu Jingyi suddenly stopped and looked at an ancient tree on the left. "There are traces there."
Everyone followed the sound.
There were several deep claw marks on the trunk of that ancient tree, extending from the bottom of the trunk to as high as a person.
The claw marks were so deep that they tore open the bark of the tree, revealing the dense white wood stubble inside.
Xiao Yi stepped forward to examine it for a moment, frowning slightly. "This is the claw mark of adult Blood Leopard. Looking at this strength, at least Initiation of Gang Force Chen Jianghe's heart skipped a beat.
It turned out to be the adult Blood Leopard, who relied on it to seriously injure Black Wolf, otherwise there would be no chance for him to counterattack Black Wolf.
He remained calm and continued to follow the crowd.
After walking for another hundred feet, Zhu Jingyi suddenly stopped again.
This time, her expression changed.
"Look."
Everyone followed her gaze.
Under an ancient tree in front, a huge corpse lay lying stunned.
It was an adult Blood Leopard, nearly three feet long, and covered with fur as red as blood.
At this moment, the fur had lost its luster and crinkled against the bones, as if the flesh and blood had been drained away by something.
What's even more weird is that its copper bell-like eyes are still open, their eyes are slack, but there is an unspeakable fear.
It was as if he had seen something extremely terrifying before he died.
Xiao Yi's face changed slightly and he stepped forward quickly.
He squatted down and put his hand on Blood Leopard's corpse. After a moment, the hole suddenly shrank.
"The essence and blood have been sucked dry."
As soon as this statement came out, everyone's expression changed.
Shi Ming took a breath of cold air. "The essence and blood are sucked dry? This... is this magic power?"
Zhu Jingyi's hand holding the hilt of the sword tightened slightly, but his voice remained steady. "The person who can suck the essence and blood of an adult Blood Leopard is at least Grandmastery of Gang Force."
Ji Fan's face turned pale, and the hand holding the knife was trembling slightly. "Gang, Grandmastery of Gang Force? Then let's..."
Xiao Yi stood up, his face extremely solemn.
He was silent for a moment and said slowly, "This matter has been handled by Non-Self."
He turned to everyone and said in a deep voice, "Go back and report this matter to the sect immediately. The death of Blood Leopard is definitely not the work of an ordinary beast. If it is true that the remnants of Sun-Moon Divine Cult are worshiping in secret, then their plan may be bigger than we imagined."
Everyone looked at each other and nodded.
On the way back, the atmosphere was much more solemn than when we arrived.
The five people walked forward silently, each with their own concerns.
Shi Ming suddenly sighed and said in a low voice, "I feel ashamed to say that I have been working in Thick Earth Court for more than ten years. I thought that Initiation of Gang Force could be considered a figure in this Changxi Prefecture. But after seeing the death of Blood Leopard today, I realized that my own cultivation is not enough in front of those truly strong people."
Ji Fan scratched his head and said in a naive voice, "Senior Brother Shi is right. When I was at Flame Chen Court, I often heard my senior brothers mention that we Changxi Prefecture are after all. In the place under the jurisdiction of Yu Province, only those truly top geniuses have the opportunity to go to Yu Province and see the real world. With qualifications like ours, it is good to be able to spend an ordinary life in the sect."
Zhu Jingyi said softly, "Junior Brother Ji, don't belittle yourself. It is not easy to step into Gang Jin at such an age. As for those top geniuses... everyone has their own destiny, and you can't force it."
Xiao Yi snorted coldly, with a bit of arrogance in his tone. "Even so, as a warrior, if you don't even have the thought of competing, then why should you practice martial arts? I, Golden Pivot Court Chief Disciple disciple Shen Yunhe, 27 years old Grandmastery of Gang Force, will go to Yu Province next year to participate in the selection of disciples of the Shenxing Sect. If you can be selected, you will truly reach the sky in one step."
Shi Ming smiled bitterly, "Senior Brother Xiao is right. But how many of these geniuses can be produced in the entire Changxi Prefecture five sects and two aristocratic families?"
He paused and lowered his voice. "Speaking of which, have you ever heard of the genius Taiji Sect who owns Twelve Forms Tiger Bone?"
Zhu Jingyi frowned slightly. "Senior Brother Shi is talking about...Lin Jingzhe?"
"Exactly." Shi Ming nodded, his voice getting deeper and deeper, "That Lin Jingzhe, born Twelve Forms Tiger Bone, became strong at the age of twelve, and Initiation of Gang Force at the age of eighteen. Rumor has it that he He practices Taiji Sect two internal training methods of yin and yang. The yin and yang are practiced together, and their power is astonishing. At the age of twenty-two, he has already entered the Minor Mastery of Gang Force and is known as a once-in-a-century genius of the Taiji Sect."
Chen Jianghe's heart skipped a beat.
Yin-Yang Dual Gang Qi.
His face was calm, but his ears were pricked up.
Shi Ming sighed and continued, "Unfortunately... he died three years ago."
Ji Fan exclaimed, "Dead? How did you die?"
Shi Ming shook his head. "The specific reason is unknown to outsiders. I only heard that something went wrong in his practice Yin-Yang Dual Gang Qi. The yin and yang conflicted, and Gang Qi backfired. All his meridians were severed on the spot, and he bled to death. Taiji Sect said to the outside world that he was possessed, but there are rumors... there is another hidden secret."
Zhu Jingyi said softly, "I have also heard about this. It is said that after the death of Lin Jingzhe, Taiji Sect blocked the news from top to bottom, and even his master kept the door closed. Some people said that he was killed by his enemies, while others said that he was forcibly fused with the two Gang Qis and became obsessed. There are different opinions, and there is no consensus."
Xiao Yi snorted coldly, "No matter what the truth is, it is a fact that Lin Jingzhe is dead. It is extremely dangerous to practice two kinds of Gang Qi. If you can succeed, you are a peerless genius; if you fail, it is a lesson learned from the past. If you don't have great opportunities, great perseverance, and great wisdom, it is better to just follow one path honestly."
Chen Jianghe listened silently, his face as calm as water, but his heart was filled with turmoil.
Yin-Yang Dual Gang Qi, fellow practitioners of Yin and Yang.
That Lin Jingzhe, twenty-two-year-old Minor Mastery of Gang Force, died due to the conflict between yin and yang.
In addition to the wood attribute Gang Qi, there is also a ray of fire attribute power and a ray of water attribute power hidden in his body.
Although it is just strength at present and is far from being condensed into Gang Qi, if one day, these two skills will also be cultivated to "Mysterious Insight"...--
Chen Jianghe took a deep breath and suppressed the uneasiness.
Shi Ming then said, "It's strange to say that not long after Lin Jingzhe died, Taiji Sect had a conflict with the Blazing Sun Sect. The two families fought hard outside Changxi Prefecture City, and many people died. Later, it was the patrol envoys sent by the Shenxing Sect to Changxi Prefecture who came to mediate and suppressed the situation."
Xiao Yi sneered, "The five major factions are fighting openly and secretly, and it's not just two days a day. Taiji Sect A genius has died, Blazing Sun Sect can't wait to applaud. It would be strange if the two families don't become enemies."
Zhu Jingyi sighed softly, "In the final analysis, it's all about the resources. Changxi Prefecture is so big, with five sects and two aristocratic families crowded together, who doesn't want to take more points?"
Shi Ming nodded. "Senior Sister Zhu is right. Our Xingyi Sect is pretty good. With the Green Rock Mountain Range as our Hunting Grounds, we have more resources. But if the next generation of disciples cannot produce top figures, our ranking at the Shenxing Sect will drop, and the resource quota will also be reduced accordingly."
Ji Fan scratched his head. "Senior Brother Shi, is Shenxing Sect... really that powerful?"
Shi Ming glanced at him with a bit of awe in his eyes. "Shenxing Sect, a top-grade sect, one of the seven major forces Yu Province.
Our Changxi Prefecture five sects and two families, to put it bluntly, are all subordinate forces of the Shenxing Sect. Every three years, Shenxing Sect will select a group of disciples from each government to start practicing. If you are selected, you will jump over the dragon gate and reach the sky in one step."
He paused and smiled bitterly, "It's a pity that when we wait for the opportunity, it won't be our turn. The only ones who can go to Yu Province are the real top geniuses of each sect. With qualifications like you and me, being able to practice to Gang Force Peak and become a sect elder is already a merit accumulated by our ancestors."
Everyone was silent.
Although this is cruel, it is true.
Chen Jianghe listened silently, but an indescribable emotion surged in his heart.
Yu Province.
Shenxing Sect.
Top grade sect.
That is the real big world.
But those places are too far away from where I am now.
He retracted his thoughts and his eyes unintentionally scanned the dense forest ahead.
Suddenly, his steps stopped.
"Wait."
Everyone stopped and followed his gaze.
Thirty feet ahead, under an ancient tree, there was another corpse lying on the ground.
No, more than one.
It's two bodies.
And it's... a human corpse.
Xiao Yi's face froze, and he quickly stepped forward with his gun in hand.
Everyone followed closely behind.
Walking closer, he saw clearly the appearance of the two corpses. Even though he was a stern person like Xiao Yi, his pupils couldn't help but shrink slightly.
The two corpses, one male and one female, were both well-dressed. Judging by their clothing, they were both disciples of the Xingyi Sect Golden Pivot Court.
The state of their death was exactly the same as that of Blood Leopard. Their whole bodies were shriveled up, their essence and blood had been sucked dry, leaving only skin and bones.
What's even weirder is that their faces were distorted and their eyes were full of fear, as if they had experienced extremely terrible things before they died.
Zhu Jingyi's hand holding the hilt of the sword turned slightly white, but his voice remained steady. "This is... magic power."
Shi Ming's face was ashen and he said solemnly, "And he just died not long ago. The body has not yet decomposed."
Xiao Yi took a deep breath and made a decisive decision. "Go back to the sect immediately and report this matter. The matters here are beyond our control."