Chapter 180 They held on again (First update)
Salim really wants to live, at least not right now.
Even if it meant certain death, he would find a way to drag the other person down with him; this was the last stand of an intelligence officer.
Perhaps in the end, the family can even get a generous pension.
Unfortunately, no matter how much he winked, it was no use; all he could hear was the boy's soft laughter.
"You'd rather be dead, wouldn't you? I'll trouble you to try it, sir. But... I'll be much more merciful than you soon enough."
Wu Youren actually wanted to be ruthless, but he couldn't because the time was too tight.
The Little Snake controlled several parasitic wasps, which quickly stung the other's face and chest many times, laying a large number of eggs.
"We need to use some of your Resentment Qi Crystal; these kinds of strange objects are perfect for this situation!"
"Just use it, senior," Wu Youren replied with a smile. "It doesn't matter if you run out; this was captured, and I still have Resentment Qi Crystal."
"Use the Resentment Qi Crystal to make parasitic wasps lay their eggs on me!" Salim felt a sharp pain in his chest, and his vision blurred again.
"Roar, roar, roar roar..."
"There's no need to use it all," Chen Quanxu said calmly. "Wouldn't that leave me covered in insect eggs? Besides, it would be a waste of my energy."
"It's really not worth it for such a minor character."
"What a pity for these parasitic wasps," were the last words Salim heard. "They're exhausted; they won't survive the day."
Immediately afterwards, he felt his body slowly sinking.
He struggled violently, but to no avail, and soon he was plunged into complete darkness...
Watching the sand engulf the person, the Little Snake sighed softly, "Aren't your spells very energy-consuming?"
"Not small," Wu Youren replied casually. This was the second spell he had mastered Fireball Spell, which he had only barely perfected half a month ago.
As for why I chose this one? Let me mention it again: that half-baked Ability User Ershan, from last time.
Although that guy was suspected of being associated with Fallen Ability User, his " Quicksand Spell " left a very deep impression on him!
The opponent's spells are easily interfered with, and their effectiveness is inconsistent.
But Wu Youren could never forget the despair he felt at the time—the feeling that "this time I might fail."
Therefore, after mastering the Fireball Spell, he prioritized earth-based spells when facing other offensive and defensive attacks.
This technique can not only be used for attack, but also to slow down the enemy's pursuit when you are escaping.
Moreover, as long as he doesn't show off, his opponents might not be able to determine who launched the attack.
Unlike other spells, once cast, the caster can usually be identified.
Wu Youren enjoyed the feeling of swindling people without them even realizing it. As a hostage, why would he want to show off? Did he want to die even faster?
There is no good or bad in magic techniques; the most suitable one is the one that allows you to develop stealthily!
"But destroying the evidence is very effective, isn't it?"
"That's burying someone alive," the Little Snake replied casually, "But you don't need Resentment Qi Crystal?"
Wu Youren recalled the mysterious object in the Azure Qiu Cave, "Some strange objects... are still needed."
"Youth is wonderful," Chen Quanxu, no longer wanting to talk about it, "It holds endless possibilities. Sigh, shall we go?"
"Wait a moment," the boy said, standing still, "I need to suppress the feeling of advancing."
"Advanced... advanced?" The Little Snake shuddered, almost falling off its wrist guard. "Advanced to what level, Great Ability User?"
"I'm not even Ability User," Wu Youren said, though his body was immobile, his mouth was still moving.
"That's true, his energy is surging violently," Chen Quanxu sensed the change in him, "Why so suddenly?"
Salim should still be alive! Wu Youren knew this.
As Knight, and without suffering a fatal injury, even if his tendons were severed, it would still take at least half an hour for that guy to die.
This wave of experience points came out of nowhere, most likely because something has changed in Tianjing again.
The less likely scenario is that he has too deep an entanglement with the Court of State Ceremonial, so the reward of his luck is also higher.
However, no matter what, he couldn't bring up any topic related to luck.
That was his deepest secret, and the very foundation of his life!
Not to mention, the other party has already focused on the word "luck," so he absolutely cannot elaborate on this aspect any further.
He answered softly, "Perhaps I've been oppressed too much, and now all the pent-up emotions in my heart have dissipated, and my mind is at peace... That's it."
"It's highly likely," Chen Quanxu. "Mental state can indeed affect cultivation progress; I only recently realized that myself."
"Thoughts clear, hmm, good explanation... No wonder there's strange energy surging from beneath my feet."
"Feet... feet?" Wu Youren was already unable to move, and now he was even more stiff. "Senior, are you sure?"
"I'm not entirely sure, but I have this feeling," Chen Quanxu said, adding that neither labor nor management is clear about the situation.
"I mean, you don't understand your own cultivation system?"
The young man could only smile wryly upon hearing this. "System... you overestimate me. It's just pure guesswork. What system is there to speak of?"
"Then why don't you just start one?" the Little Snake said casually. "It's not difficult at all, and you don't need to feel pressured."
"You just need to propose a theory; it doesn't need to be perfect. Leave the rest to the younger generation!"
Wu Youren fell silent for a long time before finally asking, "Is creating a martial arts technique so easy now?"
"It's not that easy, but it's not difficult either," the Little Snake replied casually.
Ultimately, it comes down to whether you have the money and the ability to promote it.
"I knew it," Wu Youren said with a wry smile, "Those who can make a significant impact either have money or connections... Wait, it can move now?"
"Then why aren't you leaving yet?" The Little Snake's tone changed instantly. "You really think this is a nice place to chat?"
The figure disappeared into the vast night rain the next moment.
As dawn broke, Wu Youren was still two or three kilometers away from the camp.
The website address for this novel is. ".". The website owner has only one website; other websites may be discontinued at any time.
"It's a bit of a stretch to rush back like this," he thought, so he slowed down and calmed his breathing.
"There's a group of five on the left; they should have spotted you by now," Chen Quanxu, true to his reputation as a big shot, added. "And... Ability User Apprentice?"
"It's good that there's no Great Knight," Wu Youren now didn't take the Ability User Apprentice seriously anymore.
For both of them, the Knight was likely a greater threat than the Ability User Apprentice.
Once the Little Snake makes its move, let alone an apprentice, even against a full-fledged supernatural Ability User, as long as there are enough strange creatures, it can at least guarantee not to lose!
"I shouldn't be so likely to provoke you," Chen Quanxu, showing no intention of making a move, but he didn't hesitate to offer his assessment.
"Then... let's walk a little further," Wu Youren said hesitantly, he really couldn't take it anymore.
They didn't rest all night, and in addition to the high-intensity travel, there were also short battles and cleanup operations of even higher intensity.
The most critical issue is that this wave of experience points is incredibly powerful and persistent, making it extremely difficult to suppress.
But now that someone is paying attention to him, it's best to leave as soon as possible. He's not afraid of trouble, but he can't just cause trouble, can he?
After walking nearly another kilometer, I felt the faint gaze disappear; it was already dawn.
"Hopefully they haven't... uh," Wu Youren sighed, giving a wry smile, " Hong Da."
The Instructor Hong appeared 500 meters away, watching him indifferently from a distance.
The distance between the two people alone reveals the other's attitude.
Before leaving that night, Instructor Hong had instructed him to be prepared to provide backup.
So their attitude is understandable.
The young man hesitated for a moment, then slowly spoke, "Some Weird Race approached tonight, so I went to hunt them down."
His gaze was clear, though tinged with weariness, but Instructor Hong wasn't buying it.
She uttered three words calmly, "Where's the watch?"
"It's damaged," Wu Youren said, spreading his hands and looking at the other person calmly.
He had long suspected that the watch Red Pine had provided for him might have a hidden backdoor.
However, he believes that even if the perpetrators have the means, it is impossible to trigger the scheme so frequently.
Subsequent events proved this to be true; he encountered almost no problems related to watches.
When it feels unsafe, switch to vibrate mode, or even turn it off.
Anyway, the places he had been to before weren't too afraid of being checked, and often had poor signal.
But this time, if he's going to take action against the person behind the Life and Death Knot, wouldn't wearing a wristwatch again be asking for trouble?
Leaving it at the campsite isn't appropriate either, so the only option is to destroy it and throw it away. At worst, we can just go back and replace it.
"Damaged..." Instructor Hong said indifferently, without adding anything further.
"Is it because you can't reach me?" Wu Youren hesitated for a moment, then took the initiative to ask.
"I don't want the camp to be destroyed. I also want to see if anyone is controlling the Weird Race."
He doesn't have to participate in tracking down the Barbarian Tribe; that's the business of the Liang people and the barbarians.
However, he could certainly get involved in investigating whether there were any human forces behind the Weird Race.
Given his taciturn nature, the fact that he could say so much can be considered a sign of a proper attitude.
Instructor Hong knew the boy's temperament, so he nodded slightly and glanced at the Little Snake on his wrist.
She had heard Manna and others mention the little earth snake, and felt that she didn't need to take it seriously.
So she simply asked, "Did you find anything?"
Wu Youren reached into his waistband and revealed a Resentment Qi Crystal. "It's a very small piece."
It will definitely be smaller, because Chen Quanxu used some of it.
"Huh?" Manna's figure appeared in the distance, her eyes lighting up. "There really is one?"
The boy looked at her with clear eyes, his lips moved slightly, and finally he mumbled softly, "I typed it myself..."
"You didn't meet us!" Manna said seriously. "Well, you can split the lion's share with Master!"
The Instructor Hong looked up at the sky speechlessly. This money-grubbing brain of his—how could he possibly put any more pressure on him?
She wasn't particularly upset about the boy leaving the camp.
Wu Youren hadn't informed her before, and this wasn't the first time he'd gone from Red Pine into the mountains; he wasn't anyone to her anyway.
As for hoping for a Knight Apprentice to provide backup—she's not crazy, why would she think that? It's just a piece of cake, better than nothing.
However, leaving the team without permission is definitely not something to be encouraged, and a little reprimand is necessary, but... sigh, this money-grubbing apprentice!
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Chapter 181 Finishing Touches (Second Update)
The next moment, Instructor Hong looked at Wu Youren again, his brows furrowing slightly, "Your aura?"
"I don't know either," the boy said with a wry smile, "It doesn't feel like a muscle strain..."
Often, there's no need to provide an answer. Past experience has taught him never to underestimate other people's ability to fill in the gaps in their imagination.
If the things you imagine are not good for you, then you can just deny them later; the consequences won't be any more complicated.
Manna glanced at the boy, then at her master. "How about... we head back first? We've been busy all night."
Hong Da shook his head, turned and left, muttering, "I gave you that information for nothing!"
It was clear that she had determined that the strange aura emanating from the other party did not belong to Ability User.
Wu Youren followed closely behind the two and spoke in a very low voice, "What does this mean?"
The Little Snake remained coiled motionless on his wristband, offering no response whatsoever.
They used to say they'd crush this and that, but now look what happened...
But that's understandable; everyone has moments of frustration.
Upon arriving at the camp, the female archer and Kenpa were somewhat surprised by the boy's condition.
Harvesting crystals is certainly a good thing, but what about this strange aura?
Fortunately, everyone had stayed up all night and was getting sleepy, except for Kenpa, who yawned and asked, "Isn't it about to awaken?"
The boy sighed, "Such a faint awakening... I suspect it's just a muscle strain!"
His aura was indeed becoming increasingly difficult to suppress, but he hadn't fully revealed it.
Only a tiny, uncontrollable trace leaks out; forcibly suppressing it will only make things worse.
This statement is highly questionable, and the others are not easily fooled either.
However, Wu Youren has been doing similar operations for far too long and is already very familiar with them.
This aura wasn't one they were familiar with, and everyone was exhausted...
"Who will take the first shift?" Instructor Hong also decided to take a break.
"I'll do it," the boy volunteered, "I have Little Ha to help."
The young snow harriers don't yet know how to use sound to warn others, but during the day, if they encounter an unexpected situation, they will grab the boy's shoulder.
Kenpa asked, "Weren't you busy all night too?"
Wu Youren smiled helplessly, "Given my current condition, I'm afraid that once I fall asleep, I'll never wake up again."
Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent, and their suspicions lessened somewhat.
Throughout history, countless martial artists and Ability User have developed problems due to their training.
Compared to his younger self creating a new cultivation system, people are more inclined to believe that he might have genuinely encountered trouble.
"Here's a wristwatch!" Instructor Hong casually tossed one over. "It's bound!"
Given that Wu Youren had left without saying goodbye, these individuals were in a state of light sleep during their rest.
Even so, it was better than nothing. Three hours later, Kenpa woke up and said he could switch shifts.
The boy, still suppressing his breathing, waved his hand and said, "You go ahead and rest, I'll handle it."
Later, some people woke up and then fell asleep again.
By the afternoon, everyone gradually woke up, and Wu Youren's breathing had mostly calmed down.
However, he refused to rest, saying he needed to consolidate his recovery before he could sleep soundly at night.
He didn't inquire about what the other four had experienced the previous night.
No one found it strange; the boy had always behaved this way.
Not only are they taciturn, but they also lack genuine kindness, especially when it comes to things they want to keep their distance from; they will absolutely not utter a single extra word.
Instructor Hong left again, while Manna clung to Wu Youren, wanting to know about his battle that night.
Wu Youren with a hint of helplessness, "I'm really tired. You want to know what kind of Weird Race could produce strange creatures, right?"
"I really don't know, it's purely based on luck."
No one went out that day, and everyone got a good rest that night.
The next morning, just as the four were saying they were leaving, Instructor Hong returned.
She looked at Wu Youren with a strange expression, "Where did you go the night before?"
"Roughly..." the boy drew a simple map on the ground, "It's this area, but I'm not entirely sure about the exact location."
"Is that so?" Instructor Hong looked at him meaningfully.
Wu Youren remained silent, saying nothing more, a hint of helplessness in his eyes.
Seeing this, Kenpa couldn't hold back any longer, " Hong Da, what happened?"
The Instructor Hong remained silent for a while before speaking, "How many more days do you plan to fight?"
She said "you all" but her gaze remained fixed on the boy with a faint expression.
" Hong Da, it's your decision," Wu Youren replied calmly. "Going back to adjust your side stitch is also a good idea."
Manna panicked, "Master, what happened?"
"Nothing much," Instructor Hong replied casually. "The barbarians caused a few fights the night before."
"What does that have to do with Little Wu?" the female archer asked, indicating that she didn't understand.
"Someone has a grudge against him," Instructor Hong sighed. "If others won't investigate, I will!"
Upon hearing this, the boy raised his eyebrows in surprise, "Me... who would have a grudge against me?"
Looking into his clear eyes, Instructor Hong was speechless, and couldn't help but ask himself: Have I been a little cruel to this child?
But in the end, she frankly asked, " The Court of State Ceremonial, does it count?"
The boy, with his clear eyes, rolled his eyes—a rare occurrence for him. "What they did to me... wasn't that part of their job?"
" The Court of State Ceremonial... should be in Red Pine, right?" Manna said.
Well-informed martial artists all know that the matter with the barbarians has drawn the attention of the Court of State Ceremonial Ceremonies for mediation, but shouldn't that be held within the Martial Academy?
"Outside the Red Pine," Instructor Hong replied after a moment's thought. This should be a confidential matter, even if the level of secrecy wasn't very high.
However, she didn't go into too much detail, "It's not far from the Martial Academy."
"Not far..." Kenpa repeated in a low voice, without saying anything more.
But there's something else going on: if the distance isn't far, even for Knight, how long would a round trip take?
Relying solely on his own two feet to run away, and even having time to start a conflict... aren't you overestimating him?
However, since it was Hong Da who spoke, others would have to be bold to question him.
A few seconds later, the female archer muttered softly, "I never expected the Court of State Ceremonial to be located outside Red Pine. It's a bit unsafe."
Instructor Hong was taken aback for a moment before looking at her. "What do you mean 'didn't expect it'? So you've learned to speak indirectly now?"
"I haven't heard of it either," Manna understood. "I don't even know, how could he know where the Court of State Ceremonial is?"
Instructor Hong was genuinely having a headache with her. "I issued his pass, so I'm asking him a few more questions to find out what's going on!"
"I can accept it," the boy said calmly. " Hong Da was only trying to help me. Once things are cleared up, everything will be fine."
There's no real resentment involved. Facing Instructor Hong's questions head-on is better than facing the doubts of others in the Life and Death Knot!
Manna frowned. "Can't you even argue back?"
The boy remained silent for a few seconds, then chuckled, "Heh, arguing... I don't even know what happened."
"Alright, that's enough about this," Instructor Hong said. "Let's clear away the Weird Qi for two more days, then we can go back."
"How about we go back today?" The female archer glanced at the boy. "He doesn't look well."
"Let's wait two more days," Wu Youren said silently. " Hong Da is doing this for my own good."
"Hmm," Kenpa nodded upon hearing this, "If something happened the night before last, and we're coming back today, it seems like we're guilty."
As an observer, he saw the situation clearly. Although Instructor Hong appeared strict, he still had a protective instinct towards the boy deep down.
Over the next two days, as if the Weird Race knew they were coming back, multiple Weird Qi appeared before them.
After eliminating seven stocks in two days, I actually managed to get two more crystals. This time, I made a considerable profit.
That evening, the four finally broke camp and drove their off-road vehicle back to Red Pine.
It was already dark when we arrived at the quarantine site.
Three of the four were instructors, but since they had recently been clearing away the Weird Qi, they were also required to quarantine.
However, the conditions for the four were much more relaxed. After the Weird Qi detection was completed, they didn't move in at all, but instead built a shed nearby.
That evening, Manna contacted Red Pine and had a sumptuous dinner delivered.
Even while I'm in quarantine, food delivery is still available; family really makes a difference.
Halfway through the meal, Daiqisi and Ranxue came over and sat down to eat and drink together.
Their main goal was to find out how much these people had gained.
After discussing their gains, they couldn't help but mention the news of Namuzha's death—after all, they had just fought together in the Bellflower Mountain.
"This isn't much of a gain," Daiqisi sighed as she drank. "Another one dead. These barbarians are really... who are they?"
"We're looking for someone," said one of the two Knight and two Knight Apprentice who arrived, pointing at the boy, "We need to get some information from him."
"Get out of the way!" Daiqisi waved her hand. "Can't you see we're drinking?"
" From the Court of State Ceremonial," the leading Knight flashed his identification badge, "Don't cause trouble... you can't afford to mess with them."
As Ranxue was lamenting Namuzha's death, and realizing he had missed the meat feast, he was filled with mixed emotions.
Hearing this, he became a little annoyed. "Didn't Salim tell you?"
The Knight paused for a moment, then spoke, "We've come because of Salim's disappearance."
" Salim... missing?" Ranxue exclaimed in astonishment, "The Knight who went missing from the Court of State Ceremonial, was it him?"
"Hmm," the four people opposite weren't in a good mood either, pointing at the boy, "He's been in the wasteland the whole time, he's a prime suspect."
"He has no suspicion whatsoever!" Ranxue retorted irritably, " Salim wouldn't dare to make things difficult for him!"
He was the one who drove Salim away a while ago, and he even pointed out the influence of the New Army. In his view, the matter was over.
"He's been with us the whole time," Manna said. "He didn't have a chance to do anything, Hong Da can testify to that."
The four who arrived remained silent for a few seconds before the leading Knight spoke up, " Salim wouldn't dare to cause trouble, what do you mean by that?"
"Go find out for yourself," Ranxue his hand impatiently. "Go away, don't disturb our drinking!"