Chapter 44: Death
In order to investigate the whereabouts of his parents, Ling Zheng had no choice but to grasp the clue of the Cliff Valley even though he was extremely reluctant.
Since it was a transaction between two parties, even if the records of the Qionglin Sect were destroyed, there should be a backup in the Cliff Valley.
The weather is clear, by the Qingyi River.
The boatman on the way here was waiting for passengers on the shore. When he saw Wen Rensu and the other man walking away, a glimmer of joy suddenly appeared in his cloudy eyes.
The long pole moved a little faster, catching up with them. "Little brother, little brother! Do you still remember me?"
In fact, they had already seen the boatman from a hundred meters away, but they deliberately avoided him. Unexpectedly, the boatman's eyes were not blurry at all.
When Wen Rensu heard the boatman's shout, his eyes darkened, but soon returned to normal.
He and Ling Zheng exchanged a glance, then stopped and turned back with a smile: "Hey, Master."
The boatman smiled and said enthusiastically, "You want to take the ferry across the river? Come on board first, and we'll talk later."
Sitting on the boat, the swaying feeling of powerlessness was still hard to adapt to. Wen Rensu's expression became obscure and his hands were holding the edge of the boat.
The boatman rowed the boat and asked nonchalantly, "Have you seen my granddaughter again?"
Ling Zheng glanced sideways and, surprisingly, he, who usually didn't like chatting with strangers, took the initiative to say, "Yes, she did. She said she'll be back soon after completing her studies."
Telling white lies was not Ling Zheng's style, but he had begun to truly understand Wen Rensu and knew that he must be having trouble speaking. Ling Zheng was kind enough to help him out, as it was just a matter of talking anyway.
After finding the human trafficking book, they turned the master's bedroom upside down and saw the roster of disciples. Half of the names had been crossed out, including the boatman's granddaughter, Duan Ying. Her whereabouts were now obvious.
Upon learning that his granddaughter said she would be back soon, the boatman became full of energy. His long-bent back seemed to straighten a little, and he smiled, revealing the vicissitudes of life:
"Thank you, you don't have to pay for the ferry," he thought, feeling it wasn't enough. "How about you take the fish I caught?"
As he spoke, he pointed to the wooden barrel beside him. There was a fishing net on top of it, and there was a banging sound inside. It sounded like there were a lot of fish.
Wen Rensu pulled the corner of his lips: "No need, Master, you can eat by yourself, we have to hurry on our way."
After hearing this, the boatman had no choice but to give up.
A small boat sways on the sparkling river surface. A fisherman wearing a conical hat pushes the boat with a long pole and sings a fishing song with a local accent. The melody is melodious and cheerful.
Wen Rensu was gazing at the river view, facing the gentle breeze, his calm eyes filled with subtle ripples.
Three days later, in the Qianyuan Cliff Valley.
As the former protector, Wen Rensu was very familiar with the gaps between guards and easily sneaked in with Ling Zheng.
The sky above the Cliff Valley is filled with green miasma all year round. Ling Zheng saw the unique flowers, plants and trees in the valley, and never thought that one day he would set foot here again.
This familiar breath attached to his body and suddenly opened his memory box.
The excruciating pain of testing the Gu, the intrigues among the medicine men, and the bone-deep resentment from being pushed into the Gu pool...many nightmarish fragments intertwined in Ling Zheng's mind.
These negative emotions were like vines, tightly wrapped around his heart, and Ling Zheng's face was covered with a layer of haze.
Wen Rensu, who had put on his mask again, saw this and said calmly, "Ling Zheng, let's go."
"Yeah." Hearing Wen Rensu's voice, Ling Zheng was pulled back to reality. Everything was over, and he would not allow himself to be bullied again.
Heading towards the library, they carefully chose a less explored area and made a large circle to explore. Wen Rensu was in front and Ling Zheng was behind, sneaking through the lush forest. The only sound was the rustling of leaves in the wind, and their swift steps were almost silent.
When they reached the outer wall of the Valley Master's bedroom, Wen Rensu and Ling Zheng leaped lightly into the interior. They turned into a blind corner in front of the study as if they were familiar with the place, listened carefully but heard no movement inside, and then slipped in at a glimpse of smoke.
In tacit understanding, Ling Zheng was responsible for the books on the bookshelf, while Wen Rensu was looking for hidden compartments or mechanisms.
Ling Zheng opened a thick booklet, which read:
"Liangyi Sect - Requires three girls born during the Yin month and Yin hour. Reward: Five Body Tempering Pills.
"Lingshu Pavilion - Needs a pair of boys and girls with ethereal bodies. Reward: One Thousand Illusion Gu.
"Luo Mingxuan—Needs a male with a Pure Yang Body. Remuneration: fifty taels of silver."
“…”
Some orders were marked "Completed," while others remained blank. Before I could find any information related to the Qionglin Sect, I saw records of numerous human transactions between Cliff Valley and other sects.
At this moment, the sound of footsteps suddenly came. The next moment, the Valley Master and another guardian walked in. The Valley Master sat down on a chair and confirmed again: "You just said that something happened in the Qionglin Sect? Are you serious?"
Guardian Feng bowed his head and reported at the desk, "It is true. Valley Master, the alchemy site was destroyed by unknown persons, and Pan Junhong's whereabouts are unknown."
The Valley Master tapped the tabletop lightly with his fingertips and pondered, "So. Then where is Pan Junhong's alchemy furnace?"
"It was also destroyed." Protector Feng replied.
Hearing them talking about the Qionglin School, Ling Zheng and Wen Ren Su hid behind the bookshelf and eavesdropped with their ears.
"What a pity." The Valley Master shook his head and suddenly remembered something. "Where is the account book for the Qionglin Sect? I need to see if I've paid off the money."
Hearing this, Ling Zheng's eyes lit up. He wanted to turn his head to take a peek, but his shoulder accidentally bumped into the bookshelf, making a faint sound.
The conversation between the Valley Master and Protector Feng suddenly became quiet.
"Did Valley Master hear any sound?" Feng Hufa asked hesitantly.
"What sound? I didn't hear it." The Valley Master said this, but his eyes wandered in this space. He stood up silently and drifted to the only obstacle in the study, behind the bookshelf - there was no one there.
The sound of the wind? The Valley Master looked toward the carved window, walked back to his chair, and said to Guardian Feng, "You go out first. I'll check the account book."
Protector Feng nodded, clasped his fists, and strode out.
After watching the figure gradually walking away, the Valley Master did not check the account book as he said, but walked to the wall behind the bookshelf where many calligraphy and paintings were hung, opened one of them, and then his face suddenly changed.
The wall in front of me turned into a secret passage. The interior of the secret passage was made of stone walls. There was an oil lamp every ten steps, emitting a flickering light.
He had only come to check it out for safety reasons, as he was the only one who knew the mechanism that opened the secret passage. However, this scene now made him furious.
Who is it, who sneaked in!
There was movement just now, so the intruder must not have gone far. The Valley Master took a deep breath, and his legs slid swiftly. At the same time, he released thousands of poisonous insects, which flew in a black mass, faster than the lightness skill, and appeared in front of the Valley Master in an instant.
Wen Rensu and Ling Zheng ran forward, the buzzing of a swarm of poisonous insects becoming clearer and clearer. They exchanged a serious glance, knowing the Valley Master was chasing them.
In just a few breaths, a large wave of poisonous insects flew to them, forming an impenetrable wall of poisonous insects, blocking their way, which was creepy.
Wen Rensu and Ling Zheng stopped and turned quickly. The Valley Master had also arrived at this moment. Seeing the two of them, his eyes gleamed with a sharp light and a strange, twisted smile.
"Protector Wenren, why are you back again? Are you reluctant to leave the Cliff Valley?" The old voice that did not match his middle-aged appearance trembled like a broken gong, making people feel uncomfortable.
Wen Rensu said without emotion: "What do you think?"
The Valley Master still smiled, but a cruel light flashed in his eyes: "How did you know this secret passage?"
"Guess?" Wen Rensu's lips curled up slightly in a playful arc.
Of course, in the original novel, when Ling Zheng came back for revenge, the Valley Master fled in panic. It clearly described how the Valley Master opened the secret passage, but he was just a trapped beast fighting to the death.
Seeing Wen Rensu's refusal to cooperate, the Valley Master snorted coldly, "You're looking for death!"
After saying this, he waved his right hand, and the Gu wall dispersed, attacking Wen Rensu from all directions. The Valley Master did not rush to confront him head-on, but instead used the Gu insects to deal with him.
Seeing this, Ling Zheng opened all the Gu jars and summoned a large number of Gu insects to fight against the Valley Master's Gu insects.
The Valley Master narrowed his thin eyelids, slightly surprised. He had never taken him seriously before, but he had never expected this delicate-looking herbalist to be a Gu Master?
With Ling Zheng's restraint, the pressure was reduced by half. Wen Rensu's sword was powerful, and the cold light of metal flickered in the secret passage. The corpses of the poisonous insects controlled by the Valley Master fell like heavy rain.
However, even though the insect was dead, its venom splattered everywhere, instantly filling the already stifling air with a sour, foul smell. Wen Rensu quickly held his breath, his exposed skin causing a slight burning sensation.
As for Ling Zheng, he did not collect as many poisonous insects as the Valley Master. In addition, although he tried hard to train the poisonous insects, he could not match the Valley Master's skills that he had accumulated for most of his life.
His stock of poisonous insects was reduced by more than half before he finished clearing out the poisonous insects that the valley master had released at will.
When the Valley Master was about to release the second wave, Wen Rensu leaped forward and swung his sword to stop the Valley Master's action.
The Valley Master dodged lightly, tapped the tip of his toes on the rock next to him, and used the force to leap off the ground. With another wave of his hand, countless poisonous insects swooped down, with dark green venom already hanging on their mouthparts, flashing a dangerous luster.
Damn it. Wen Rensu’s jaw tightened, a dark light flickered in his eyes.
As the Valley Master fell, Wen Rensu flashed, his longsword striking directly at his vital point. The Valley Master kicked the wall, twisting his waist incredibly, and with a flick of his wrist, he launched a poisoned dart.
It was too close. Wen Rensu barely dodged the dart, but it still tore through his sleeve. He frowned, a bad feeling rising in his heart.
He glanced at Ling Zheng and found that under the overwhelming attack of the Valley Master's poisonous insects, Ling Zheng's poisonous insects had been exhausted.
At this time, the Ziwu Yuanyang Yue was swung to the left and right, turning into two silver streams of light. He nimbly cut down the approaching poisonous insects, but if he continued like this, sooner or later his internal strength would be exhausted and he would be in a desperate situation.
Seeing that a poisonous insect was about to get close to Ling Zheng, and he had no time to pay attention to it, Wen Ren Su turned around and chopped the poisonous insect into two pieces.
This disrupted Wen Rensu's response rhythm. A sound of breaking air approached, and he turned around quickly to block it, but it was too late, and he was hit by the Valley Master's palm on the chest.
This palm strike triggered an old injury Wen Rensu had sustained, a wound he'd accidentally received during his previous duel with Pan Junhong. Suddenly, his internal organs spasmed and throbbed, his blood churning, and a surge of heat surged up his chest and out his throat.
Wen Rensu wiped his hands, leaving them covered in blood. His eyes narrowed, and he turned to Ling Zheng and said, "Don't worry about me. Just leave."
When Wen Ren Su was helping him escape, he had seen him fighting with the Valley Master. At that time, they seemed evenly matched. How could he be beaten to the point of vomiting blood by the Valley Master with just one blow? A trace of doubt crossed Ling Zheng's mind.
There was no time to ponder the reasons. Judging the situation this way, they were already at a disadvantage. Wen Rensu said that if they couldn't withstand the Valley Master's attack, and if they didn't flee, they would probably die here...
Ling Zheng was panting heavily, his eyes filled with a strange and heart-pounding coldness. He stared at Wen Rensu for a long time, then decisively stepped away.
The wind blowing in his face made the hem of his clothes rustle. Ling Zheng's face was as cold as ice, as if nothing could reach his heart.
Even if he indulges for a while, he can always withdraw. Ling Zheng is indifferent and heartless. All past entanglements are gone, and nothing remains.
The Valley Master who witnessed this scene sneered, "How heartless! After hearing this, don't you regret it?"
Wen Rensu stroked the blade with two fingers, reflecting his solemn eyes. He then swung the sword, continuing his fierce battle with the Valley Master. His swordsmanship became increasingly fierce, each stroke imbued with determination.
The Valley Master saw that Wen Ren Su was suffering from a hidden injury, so he took advantage of his illness to kill him, and attacked the affected area specifically. His internal organs showed signs of rupture, and in a blink of an eye, Wen Ren Su's face turned pale.
It was like adding insult to injury. A jet-black poisonous insect flew up behind him and quietly bit his neck. Wen Rensu felt a sharp pain radiate through his limbs, followed by a general weakening of the body, and nearly dropped his sword.
It was the Soul Prisoner Gu. Once infected with this insect, one's internal energy would be gradually sealed, and it would take an hour to release it. But with the situation imminent, Wen Rensu couldn't wait any longer.
The Valley Master laughed loudly towards the sky: "God helps me! It looks like you will die here." After that he shouted loudly, and the silver needles in his hand poured out like a rainstorm.
Feeling that his strength was constantly draining away, Wen Rensu felt cold sweat running down his forehead, stinging his eyes.
He gritted his teeth, resisting the wave after wave of silver needles. However, his movements became increasingly strenuous.
In the end, Wen Rensu was hit in the chest by a hidden weapon and staggered back to the stone wall, half-kneeling on the ground with his sword, bloodshot eyes.
Just when the Valley Master thought he had victory in his grasp and still had a smile on his face, he suddenly felt a numbness in his body.
Wen Rensu keenly caught the eye of this change. Although he didn't understand the reason, he had already made a decision. He gathered his remaining internal strength into the tip of his sword and pounced towards the Valley Master like an arrow, with a glint of madness in his eyes.
The Valley Master's face changed drastically. He suppressed his fear and summoned more poisonous insects to block the attack. However, his movements were a moment slower than before.
When masters clash, a slight error can lead to a huge loss. The sharp tip of the sword broke through the Valley Master's defenses and headed straight for his heart.
I was delighted when I heard the story.
Just as it was about to pierce the Valley Master's skin, the Valley Master suddenly let out a roar.
Suddenly, a black mist emerged around the Valley Master's body, and countless tiny poisonous insects quickly gathered together to form a thin layer of armor, blocking Wen Rensu's sword.
The tip of the sword pierced the insect's armor until it penetrated an inch into the skin and could no longer go deeper.
Because a dart had already pierced Wen Rensu's chest.
“Puff!”
Blood instantly stained the white collar of his shirt. His body fell backward like a kite with its string cut. Wen Rensu's focus faded, and he felt an immense, biting chill.
I didn't expect that my first experience of human death would be here. It was a bit cold...
The Valley Master looked at Wen Rensu lying on the ground, a smug smile on his face. Then, his body began to stagger and he fell not far from Wen Rensu.
At the same time, a paralysis insect flew out of the secret passage and returned to its master.
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