318 - Elasia Saga

In the vast expanse of the primeval forest, Fu Yan and Bai Yue Li were swiftly weaving through the dense terrain. In the blink of an eye, they landed within a thicket of lush shrubs. Fu Yan, slightly pausing, exchanged a glance with Bai Yue Li, frowning lightly. The faint trace of a blood-scented odor wafting through the air originated precisely from this spot. Realizing this, they promptly stepped through the shrubs before them, where a gruesomely blood-drenched corpse abruptly entered their sight. Fu Yan's frown deepened instantly. The corpse wore the attire of an unknown sect's disciple—likely an ordinary cultivator from the continent—with a horribly disfigured face corroded beyond recognition. The blood pooling around it was a sinister black and emitted a foul stench of its own. This marked the third time in a month Fu Yan and Bai Yue Li had come across a deceased cultivator. The manner of death for all three was strikingly similar, clearly signaling they were not victims to forest beasts but rather deliberate acts by a sinister hand. "Just like the previous two," Fu Yan remarked, casting a brief glance before turning to Bai Yue Li, explaining, "All of them died from poisoning. This looks like the handiwork of the Corpse Ghost Gate." "Could it... be the Corpse Strange Daoist?" She hesitated, spontaneously mentioning the name. Bai Yue Li, withdrawing her gaze from the ground, pondered briefly before voicing her thoughts, "Probably not. If the Corpse Strange Daoist is operating in secret, they wouldn’t be this blatant." Her reasoning was sound. Two years had slipped by without a hint of the Corpse Strange Daoist's whereabouts. Moreover, even the Demon Lord's domain was silent on the matter. Had the Corpse Strange Daoist made an appearance, the forest would be far from peaceful; a storm would have swept the land. Thus, these incidents were unlikely his doing. Hearing Bai Yue Li’s analysis, Fu Yan nodded in agreement and glanced once more at the corpse. "Even if the Corpse Strange Daoist isn't involved, it’s certainly someone from the Corpse Ghost Gate," she continued. Bai Yue Li nodded in agreement. With their conclusion reached, the pair didn't linger long, swiftly vanishing from sight. The following afternoon, Fu Yan's vast spiritual strength detected a vaguely familiar presence. She halted abruptly, stopping in her tracks. Bai Yue Li, noticing this, did not interrupt. After a while, Fu Yan suddenly raised her eyes, her pupils narrowing as she locked onto a direction deep within the forest. She turned to Bai Yue Li, announcing, "Senior Sister, it’s... the Ancient Corpse Daoist." Fate seemed to draw them to the Corpse Ghost Gate's Ancient Corpse Daoist repeatedly; this marked their third encounter, counting those at Longqi’s domain and Kunlongjian. Previously, Fu Yan and Bai Yue Li's focus had been on Longqi’s domain or Fang Yu, the manifestation of the Heavenly Dao, leaving them less attentive to him. Now, they wouldn’t allow the Ancient Corpse Daoist to escape again. Amusing the thought, Fu Yan chuckled gently, "The Ancient Corpse Daoist’s appearance might grant us clues about the Corpse Strange Daoist’s whereabouts." Currently, no one knows what the Corpse Strange Daoist intends. Determining his whereabouts is crucial. "Hmm," Bai Yue Li agreed with a sudden smile. With a plan set, they wasted no time, swiftly pursuing the Ancient Corpse Daoist’s location. As the distance between them shrank, Fu Yan suddenly noted an anomaly. The Ancient Corpse Daoist was fleeing in a particular direction, as though aware of their pursuit. Fu Yan and Bai Yue Li's prowess far exceeded the Ancient Corpse Daoist's, coupled with Fu Yan’s formidable spiritual strength. She doubted he could detect their tracking. "There’s a scent of blood." Bai Yue Li suddenly remarked amid their rapid movement. At this, Fu Yan swiftly returned to her senses. Narrowing her eyes, she too detected the subtle blood scent wafting through the air. She glanced ahead, a realization dawned on her. It seemed the Ancient Corpse Daoist was hunting cultivators on the continent. In no time, Bai Yue Li reached the same conclusion, exchanging a meaningful glance with Fu Yan, both nodding slightly in silent agreement. Swish! Swish! As the Ancient Corpse Daoist prepared to strike, Fu Yan, hidden in the shadows, raised her hand and firmly grasped her enchanted crossbow. Without any hesitation, she unleashed a luminous arrow towards the target. And so, within mere breaths, the scene unfurled as it did. Once the Ancient Corpse Daoist was thoroughly ensnared by the laws’ binding power, Fu Yan looked down at the figure, long poisoned unconscious, with an unmistakable expression of surprise. That person was none other than Tong Zhen's elder brother, Tong Xiu Ning. Having emerged from the Northern Region, Fu Yan had first visited the Tong Family in the Central Capital. Owing to Tong Zhen, Fu Yan had met her brother, Tong Xiu Ning, several times. During Fu Yan’s stay at the Tong residence, he was always polite and courteous. Tong Xiu Ning was considered one of the distinguished within the Tong Family. The last time, Fu Yan heard Tong Zhen mention his name in passing, yet never imagined their paths would cross here in the forest, especially with him narrowly escaping death from the Ancient Corpse Daoist. Once she recognized Tong Xiu Ning's cultivation had reached the Great Ascension peak, Fu Yan realized his presence in the forest was likely in pursuit of opportunities to ascend to immortality. Noticing Fu Yan’s startled expression, Bai Yue Li approached, recognizing the figure, "Tong Xiu Ning?" Bai Yue Li recalled the tea gathering, hosted by none other than Tong Xiu Ning at the Tong residence, leaving her with some impression and knowledge of Tong Zhen’s elder brother. At this, Fu Yan nodded, slightly creasing her brows. "Like the previous three, he’s been afflicted by the Corpse Ghost Gate’s unique corpse poison, and..." she paused before reluctantly continuing, "the poison has reached his heart." Setting a quick restriction, Fu Yan had halted the poison’s flow as a temporary measure, yet a thorough detoxification was imperative to prevent him from suffering the same fate as the earlier victims, with faces decayed beyond recognition. Even as an ordinary cultivator, Fu Yan and Bai Yue Li couldn’t ignore the distress; particularly since he was Tong Zhen’s brother, they couldn’t stand idle while he succumbed to the poison. Fu Yan turned her attention back to the Ancient Corpse Daoist. "What is this?" The Ancient Corpse Daoist was equally shocked, finding his power inexplicably restrained after being captured by the binding force, "My... power..." This stark reality left him in disbelief. Fu Yan, abstaining from commentary, abruptly reached out and seized his storage ring. "You..." The Ancient Corpse Daoist, regaining his composure only to see his wealth stripped away, gritted his teeth. Yet, realizing something, he swallowed further retorts. Continuing, Fu Yan scanned through the storage ring, removing its imprint swiftly. However, there seemed to be no antidote to the corpse poison within. Seeing Bai Yue Li's questioning eyes, Fu Yan could only shake her head. Then, meeting the Ancient Corpse Daoist's gaze, she coldly inquired, "What is the antidote for the corpse poison?" Upon hearing, the Ancient Corpse Daoist seemed unfazed by his restraint, chuckling lightly. "Do you think someone would carry their own antidote after poisoning others?" he replied leisurely. "Besides, this is our specially crafted poison, different from ordinary corpse poison—it's incurable," he added with a smile. Yet, Fu Yan merely returned his smile with a colder one, calmly saying to Bai Yue Li, "Senior Sister, isn't there a place called the Demon Cavern in the Demon Realm?" The Demon Cavern brimmed with fragments of ancient malevolence, relishing in consuming souls bite by bite. Rumor had it, the Demon Lord delighted in casting the living inside, allowing the feasts, recovering their souls, and repeating eternally—a perpetual cycle of soul-consuming agony. Smiling, Bai Yue Li nodded, "Indeed, such a place exists." The Ancient Corpse Daoist: "..." He had heard of the Demon Cavern’s notorious reputation, shudder-inducing with its characteristic cycle of torment—truly, a hell on earth. Certainly, soul-searching would be the most direct way, yet given Fu Yan's current level, searching an immortal’s soul carried significant risks. For now, coaxing the antidote from him seemed prudent. After all, the Ancient Corpse Daoist still held some utility. Fu Yan still had the Ice Spirit Eight-petal Celestial Orchid at her disposal, but she wasn't reluctant to use it due to sentimentality. The real issue was Tong Xiu Ning's precarious state; undoing the restriction she'd just placed might result in his immediate demise from the poison, giving the orchid no time to work its magic. Consuming the orchid required a calm and open mind, making it a risky gamble. Fu Yan didn’t want anything to happen to Tong Xiu Ning and thereby fail Tong Zhen. Eventually, under Fu Yan's pressure, the Ancient Corpse Daoist relented and listed several medicinal herbs necessary to concoct an antidote for the corpse poison. Fu Yan reviewed the list; she had most of the herbs except for Minghan Grass and Serpent Blood Fruit. Fortunately, in the vast primeval forest they were navigating, these two weren't exceedingly rare. With some diligent searching, they could likely locate them. Originally, Fu Yan and Bai Yue Li intended to extract information about the Corpse Strange Daoist from the Ancient Corpse Daoist. However, detoxifying Tong Xiu Ning took precedence. With the Ancient Corpse Daoist under their control, escape was impossible, making the pursuit of the Corpse Strange Daoist a non-urgent affair. "You want me to carry him??" the Ancient Corpse Daoist stared at Fu Yan in disbelief, gesturing at Tong Xiu Ning on the ground, clearly dumbfounded. "I have the body of an immortal, and you want me to carry someone from the Great Ascension stage?" Watching the almost hopping mad Ancient Corpse Daoist, Fu Yan remained calm, nodding at him under his reluctant gaze. Ancient Corpse Daoist: "..." With Tong Xiu Ning unconscious, he couldn’t move independently, and being women, Fu Yan and Bai Yue Li naturally couldn’t carry him. Thus, the task fell to the Ancient Corpse Daoist, though he was less than pleased. Ignoring his discontent, Fu Yan and Bai Yue Li proceeded forward, and he had no choice but to bend and carry the unconscious Tong Xiu Ning. Nearly stumbling with his constrained powers, he almost toppled over with Tong Xiu Ning on his back. "Remove this restriction; how can I keep up without my strength?" he huffed, glaring at Fu Yan and Bai Yue Li. Unperturbed, Fu Yan merely glanced at Bai Yue Li and said, "Let's go, Senior Sister." Bai Yue Li nodded lightly, "Okay." With that, they set off into the depths of the forest, unconcerned about the Ancient Corpse Daoist's potential escape. Unable to resist, he silently fumed but had no choice but to follow with Tong Xiu Ning in tow. Bound by the laws' power, the Ancient Corpse Daoist was akin to a slightly agile mortal, unable to muster any spiritual energy. Escape under such constraints was impossible right under Fu Yan and Bai Yue Li's watchful eyes. Thus, for several days, the trio journeyed swiftly through the forest. The Ancient Corpse Daoist, carrying Tong Xiu Ning the whole time, received slight relief in restrictions from Fu Yan whenever he appeared exhausted. The moment his spiritual energy was replenished, he was revitalized, persisting tirelessly as if he were an inexhaustible laborer. This left him internally seething yet utterly helpless. Minghan Grass, a type of water grass, typically grows beneath icy ponds, translucent as if sculpted from frost. Serpent Blood Fruit grows near clusters of serpents, though its conditions are exceptionally stringent, requiring some luck to encounter. Neither herb is easily found. Several days passed with no icy pond in sight, and while numerous serpent groups abounded, the Serpent Blood Fruit remained elusive to Fu Yan and Bai Yue Li's efforts. Swish! Swish! Two more days elapsed, and as Fu Yan returned yet again from a serpent enclosure, she shook her head toward Bai Yue Li, clearly denoting another fruitless search. The forest's vastness made their brief search negligible, and they remained unhurried, recognizing the need for a strategy beyond aimless searching. Sparks of inspiration shone in Fu Yan's eyes as she suddenly smiled. She stowed away her spirit sword and quickly wove a pattern with her hands, summoning an azure-blue glow that spread outward in gleaming flashes. With a "whoosh," points of light scattered in all directions. This technique, learned from Lu Xiaowen at Shuanghua Palace, allowed for swift, effective reconnaissance without unguided wanderings. Explaining to Bai Yue Li, Fu Yan said, "If there are traces of Serpent Blood Fruit, I can quickly detect them. But as for Minghan Grass, we'll need to find an icy pond." At least with one herb, they could relax a bit. After a short rest, they prepared to continue their search for an icy pond. At that moment, the Ancient Corpse Daoist showed an expression of sudden recollection, looking at Fu Yan. "I remembered," he stated, "not long after entering, I came across an icy pond." Fu Yan and Bai Yue Li didn't respond immediately. Clearly, the Ancient Corpse Daoist wouldn’t assist them without ulterior motives, and seeing this, they exchanged a glance, settling back into calm anticipation. "You know where the icy pond is?" Fu Yan asked, smiling slightly. He grinned back, leisurely replying, "Of course, though whether you trust me or not is another matter." Unbothered by his tone, Fu Yan simply commanded, "Lead the way." Surprised by her readiness, the Ancient Corpse Daoist quickly composed himself. With Fu Yan's resolution evident, he didn't refuse, maintaining a seemingly harmless demeanor. "Then follow me." With that, he led the way in a set direction. "Be cautious," Bai Yue Li transmitted gently as she watched his figure. Fu Yan nodded, aware of possible deception, yet intrigued by his intentions and confident the icy pond’s existence was genuine. Quickly, they set off after him. In just half a day, the Ancient Corpse Daoist halted by an icy pond, turning back to them with a smile. "Here's the pond. Whether there's Minghan Grass below, I don't know." Fu Yan approached, observing the small pond no wider than several dozen feet. Even from afar, the biting chill was palpable. Perhaps due to the pond’s aura, no creatures stirred nearby. With spiritual power ineffective below, Fu Yan, taking in the scene, turned to Bai Yue Li, "Senior Sister, wait here. I’ll take a look." "Alright," Bai Yue Li agreed. Despite the potential dangers below, Fu Yan’s prowess, bolstered by the Xu Youyu Seal, reassured her. The Ancient Corpse Daoist remained silently amused without objection. "Splash" Surrounded by a protective true essence barrier, Fu Yan leapt into the pond. In the dim underwater light, as Fu Yan descended, the burbling water surrounded her, ignored as she accelerated. Deeper waters grew colder, nearing freezing point, yet the pond's current flowed undeterred. The protective barrier shielded Fu Yan from the biting cold. Nearly an hour of descent finally delivered her to the pond’s bed, where even guarded by her essence, a bone-chilling cold pierced through. Not delaying, she quickly scoured for the Minghan Grass. "Blurble, blurble" After some time passed, the water stirred, revealing a lush patch of Minghan Grass within a cavern. A rare, valuable herb, seizing the opportunity, Fu Yan gathered all of it. The tranquility below remained undisturbed upon departing the cave. Initially suspecting a trap involving ferocious beasts, Fu Yan was relieved to find no such threats. Pausing briefly, she swiftly ascended. With a "splash," Fu Yan emerged from the water, landing gracefully by the pond's edge, her outfit unscathed by moisture. Everything had proceeded smoothly. "Minghan Grass," Fu Yan declared, presenting several herbs to Bai Yue Li with a smile. "I found it below, fortunately..." At that moment, Fu Yan suddenly felt a sharp pain in her palm, and the Minghan Grass slipped from her grasp. Instinctively, she clutched her wrist. "Fu Yan!" Bai Yue Li quickly took hold of Fu Yan’s hand. As she looked down, a layer of icy frost appeared on Fu Yan’s meridians, rapidly spreading upward. Bai Yue Li’s eyes widened in alarm as she exclaimed, "This is... cold poison!" The Ancient Corpse Daoist, observing the scene, suddenly realized and said, "Ah, I forgot to mention, Minghan Grass naturally carries an extremely potent cold poison. It requires a specific technique for harvesting, or else..." The result of using one's hands to harvest it was already apparent. Frowning slightly, Fu Yan felt a chill spreading through her body. However, she shook her head at Bai Yue Li’s concern, smiling, "Don’t worry, Senior Sister. I’ll be fine." Bai Yue Li was less convinced, preparing to help expel the cold poison. Yet again, the Ancient Corpse Daoist chuckled, saying ominously, "Cold poison can’t be easily dispelled. It will gradually freeze your heart meridians, turning you into an ice statue before you die." Fu Yan gestured calmly for Bai Yue Li to hold on, then turned a smiling gaze toward the Ancient Corpse Daoist. “Is that so? Cold poison sounds quite dreadful.” The Ancient Corpse Daoist raised an eyebrow, meeting Fu Yan’s gaze. "I don't know how to remove it, you—" his words halted in shock, staring at her wrist. The cold poison had stopped spreading! Fu Yan remained unfazed. While cold poison might terrify others, for her, it was a gift of strength, brought right to her doorstep. After all, her cultivation was based on the Frost Tempering Body Technique.