Tang San waited until the latter half of the night, when nothing but the rising and falling sounds of breathing remained in the dense forest. Only then did he silently slip out of the grass, a Yama's Invitation pinched between his fingers.
But the next second, an icy voice suddenly sounded beside his ear. "Where do you think you're going?"
Tang San shuddered violently and turned his head, only to see a Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator in black robes staring coldly at him.
Tang San's heart clenched. He immediately put on an embarrassed, sheepish smile in just the right measure, bowing and cupping his hands. "Please forgive me, sir. I've only just arrived and can't stomach the damp chill in the forest. My stomach's acting up, and I can't hold it anymore. I only came out to find a secluded place to relieve myself."
The Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator frowned and glanced sideways at him. Seeing how weak his breath was and how timidly he behaved, the man recognized him as the most inconspicuous low-level cultivator in the group. He waved a hand impatiently.
"Low-level cultivators are such a nuisance. Get lost and go take care of it in the ditch west of the forest. Don't go near the main camp and disturb the sect leader's rest. Ten of you wouldn't be enough for him to chop up."
"Thank you, sir, thank you." Tang San bowed and thanked him repeatedly, then lowered his head and turned away in the direction of the ditch.
Only when the Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator leaned against the tree trunk and resumed dozing did Tang San slowly relax the hand hanging at his side.
That encounter had been nothing more than a minor episode in his plan. It hadn't rattled him in the slightest.
The entire demonic camp was fast asleep, and only the rustling of leaves in the wind could be heard. Under the cover of the deep shade, Tang San silently made his way to where the Late Qi Refining Stage demonic cultivator who had helped him was resting.
After three days on the road, the man had long since been exhausted, and he hadn't been the least bit wary of the independent cultivator who had just joined the group. He was sitting in meditation against an old locust tree, even the Qi protecting his body loose and scattered.
Tang San held his breath and circled around to the blind side of the tree trunk. The Yama's Invitation, coated with the Tang Sect's most potent and extraordinary poison, was already held firmly between his fingers.
Having lived two lives, from stealing into the scripture pavilion as a youth to pilfer the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record to fighting his way through Slaughter City with the blood of hundreds and thousands staining his hands, he had long since carved the words "the strong reign supreme" into his bones and blood.
In his eyes, this was nothing more than a stepping stone the weak offered the strong. His greed for cultivation arts and eternal life had long since gnawed away every last shred of gratitude for that earlier warning.
Without the slightest hesitation, he flicked his fingers. The Yama's Invitation cut through the air with a faint hiss, shooting straight toward the man's brow. The demonic cultivator sensed the threat and jerked his eyes open, only to see the Yama's Invitation and Tang San's icy gaze.
"You..." Before the demonic cultivator could finish, the deadly poison spread through his body in an instant, and he slumped forward.
Tang San caught the corpse before it fell, silently dragged it into the nearby bushes, and began searching it.
Soul-Devouring Zhenren was an independent demonic cultivator with no sect, so naturally he couldn't afford to provide things like storage bags. Naturally, everything the demonic cultivator carried could be found by searching him directly.
The heavenly screen showed the entire process of Tang San's secret murder, leaving the whole Douluo Continent in an eerie silence.
In Shrek Square, Yu Xiaogang's face flushed red as he was the first to jump out and speak. "That demonic cultivator was a murderous fiend with the blood of innocents on his hands to begin with. Little San killed him only to carry out heaven's justice, and he had no choice but to take the cultivation art so he could eradicate the demonic path in that world someday!"
Flender and Liu Erlong hurried to echo him, but few people around them joined in.
In Spirit Hall's Worship Hall, Qian Daoliu let out a cold laugh. "What a wolf-hearted wretch! He may have been a demonic cultivator, but he did save you once, at least. Yet you actually chose him as your target. Utterly shameless."
Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo Chen Xin exchanged a glance, each seeing a measure of silence in the other's eyes. The little goodwill they had once felt toward Tang San was now shrouded in gloom.
Tang San kept his head down and held his breath, his fingers quickly searching the demonic cultivator's body. After some time, he found only two things.
One was a small thread-bound booklet with a wrinkled, bloodstained cover: the Soul Refining Art, the demonic cultivation art the man had practiced. The other was three dull gray low-grade spirit stones. There was nothing else.
Clutching the thin cultivation manual, Tang San's face darkened at once, and he couldn't help cursing inwardly. He had taken such a great risk to kill and steal, yet all he had gained was this tiny amount of worthless stuff.
He suppressed his impatience and quickly stuffed both things into an inner pocket. Then he pushed aside the thick layer of fallen leaves and loose soil nearby, dragged the corpse in, and buried it. He carefully erased every footprint and trace around him, making the place look untouched.
By the time he finished, a thin layer of sweat had soaked his back. He had left camp alone earlier, and now someone had died. When the group counted heads the next morning, he would be the first one suspected.
Rather than stay where he was and wait for Soul-Devouring Zhenren to seize him, he might as well flee now, while it was still deep in the night and everyone was fast asleep.
With that thought, he hunched over and slipped silently into the depths of the forest, soon vanishing from sight.
Meanwhile, as Tang San fled for his life, all was peaceful over on Sword-Seeking Peak.
Three days had been enough for Qian Renxue to memorize the entire diagram of the body's acupoints by heart. In the courtyard, she regulated her breathing according to the Lingtian Qi-Guiding Art and tried to sense Qi.
Although Sword-Seeking Peak wasn't the place with the richest spiritual Qi in the Primordial Sect, people rarely came here, so fortunately the spiritual Qi was still sufficiently dense.
But Qian Renxue followed the method for nearly half an hour without feeling anything. For a moment, she wondered whether she had been practicing a fake cultivation art-or whether Ye Lingtian had lied to her.
Qian Renxue quickly shook her head. What was there to lie about in a matter like this? She opened her eyes and frowned at the cultivation manual before her. Recalling what Ye Lingtian had said, she hesitated for a moment, then straightened her robes and followed the mountain path toward the sword cottage.
"Martial Uncle, sorry for the trouble of making you come all this way." Before she entered the sword cottage, she saw a disciple of the External Affairs Pavilion respectfully handing a jade token to Ye Lingtian.
"Tsk, just put it down for now," Ye Lingtian said helplessly, without so much as looking at the jade token.
"Yes. Then I won't disturb you any longer, Martial Uncle." The disciple acted as though he hadn't heard Ye Lingtian's irritation. Noticing someone's approach, he bowed and quickly withdrew.
His gaze swept over her striking golden hair, and he paused, his face full of bewilderment. How could an ordinary person be on Sword-Seeking Peak? But out of respect for Ye Lingtian's authority, he ultimately didn't dare ask. He merely scratched his head and went down the mountain.
"Sorry to disturb you, young master. Have I come at a bad time?" Qian Renxue asked awkwardly as she approached.
"No, you've come at just the right time." Ye Lingtian chuckled. "Good thing you came, or who knows how long he would have stayed here pestering me."
Qian Renxue was rather puzzled. That disciple had clearly seemed very respectful toward Ye Lingtian, so why was Ye Lingtian annoyed with him?
"Because whenever he comes, it's bound to be bad news." Ye Lingtian offered no further explanation. In any case, Qian Renxue couldn't do anything about it as she was now.
"Why don't you tell me what you came for first? Have you finished memorizing the acupoint diagram?"