Chapter 1238 Bai Jingjing

The open space returned to silence, leaving only Liu Yang and Li Qingyue. Li Qingyue looked at the burly man lying on the ground, barely alive, then at the expressionless Liu Yang, her heart filled with shock. Although she had been tense, she had clearly witnessed the entire process—Liu Yang hadn't used his full strength from beginning to end, nor had he even fully released his aura, yet he had easily defeated a cultivator in the early Golden Core stage. Such strength was simply terrifying.

"Thank you for saving my life, fellow Daoist. I am Li Qingyue. May I ask your esteemed name?" Li Qingyue composed herself, bowed to Liu Yang, and spoke with respect and gratitude in her tone.

"Liu Yang," Liu Yang replied calmly, his gaze falling on the Ice Soul Grass in Li Qingyue's hand. "This Ice Soul Grass, young lady, is presumably for refining pills, right?"

Li Qingyue nodded, a hint of sadness on her face: "Fellow Daoist has discerning eyes. This Ice Soul Grass is what I used to refine Body Tempering Pills. In Xiao Zhang Village in the city, a cultivator was injured by a demonic beast, his spiritual energy was disordered, and only the Body Tempering Pills could save his life. I just didn't expect..."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yang's heart stirred slightly. Along his journey, he had witnessed too much treachery and the survival of the fittest in the cultivation world. He had rarely seen a medical cultivator like Li Qingyue, who was kind-hearted and willing to risk her life to gather herbs in the mountains to treat low-level cultivators.

“Your kindness is admirable,” Liu Yang said. “The Burning Heaven Valley acts tyrannically. You will need to be extra careful when you go into the mountains to gather herbs in the future.”

Li Qingyue gave a wry smile: "Thank you for the reminder, fellow Daoist. However, spiritual herbs are becoming increasingly scarce near Qingyang City. If we don't venture deep into the mountains, we simply won't find any rare herbs. I know it's dangerous, but those injured cultivators... I can't just ignore them."

Looking into Li Qingyue's determined eyes, Liu Yang felt a growing fondness for her. He pondered for a moment and said, "I am heading to Burning Heaven Valley this time, and the journey may pass through some areas rich in spiritual herbs. If you don't mind, you can travel with me. If we encounter any danger on the way, I will protect you."

Li Qingyue paused for a moment, then a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes. She had just realized that Liu Yang was extremely powerful. If she could travel with him, not only would her safety be guaranteed, but she might also be able to find more rare herbs and save more people. However… she hesitated, worried that she might be a burden to Liu Yang.

“Fellow Daoist, wouldn’t this be too much trouble for you? I’m just a healer with weak combat skills, and I’m afraid I’ll become a burden to you,” Li Qingyue said.

Liu Yang shook his head: "It's alright. I'm all alone, and it would be more interesting to have someone to travel with. Besides, you are skilled in medicine, so if we encounter any injured fellow travelers along the way, you can lend a helping hand. That would be a good thing for me as well."

Seeing Liu Yang's sincerity, Li Qingyue no longer hesitated. She bowed to Liu Yang again and said earnestly, "Since you don't mind, then I will respectfully accept your offer. If you ever need anything in the future, I will do my utmost to help you, even at the cost of my life!"

After saying that, Li Qingyue took out a white porcelain bottle and a yellowed ancient book from her medicine box and handed them to Liu Yang: "Fellow Daoist, this is the 'Hundred Herbs Detoxification Pill' that I refined. It contains the essence of a hundred kinds of herbs and can detoxify a hundred kinds of toxins commonly found in the cultivation world. Perhaps it can help you. Also, this 'Hundred Herbs Classic' is an heirloom of my ancestors. It records the usage and detoxification methods of a thousand kinds of spiritual medicines. Please accept it as well."

Liu Yang took the porcelain bottle and the ancient book; they felt slightly heavy in his hands. He opened the porcelain bottle, and a refreshing herbal fragrance wafted out, clearly conveying the pure spiritual energy contained within the elixir. As for the "Hundred Herbs Classic," although the pages were yellowed, it was well-preserved, with neat and elegant handwriting, clearly indicating that it had been carefully protected.

"This gift from you is far too precious, young lady," Liu Yang said.

"Fellow Daoist saved my life and is willing to take me with you. This little thing is nothing to repay you with," Li Qingyue said, her eyes filled with a hint of shyness and anticipation. "But... I wonder if you would be willing to let me stay by your side, to take care of your daily life and refine pills for you? Although my combat strength is weak, I can still do what I can."

Seeing the affection in Li Qingyue's eyes, Liu Yang understood. Throughout his journey, he had never had anyone close to him. Li Qingyue was kind-hearted and skilled in medicine; keeping her by his side would indeed be a good choice.

He smiled slightly and said, "If the young lady is willing, that would be best."

Upon hearing this, Li Qingyue's face instantly blossomed into a radiant smile, like the warm and bright sunshine after a rainstorm. She knew that from this moment on, her life would enter a new chapter.

Liu Yang put the Hundred Herbs Detoxification Pill and the Hundred Herbs Classic into his storage bag and said, "This place is not safe to stay for long. Let's leave as soon as possible."

Li Qingyue nodded and followed Liu Yang's footsteps, the two walking side by side towards Burning Heaven Valley. The morning mist gradually dissipated, and sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting long shadows on the two. In the woods on both sides of the official road, birds chirped merrily, as if blessing this new companion.

Liu Yang could sense that Li Qingyue, though still somewhat reserved, had become noticeably more relaxed. She would occasionally point to roadside herbs, explaining their effects and uses to Liu Yang with professionalism and enthusiasm. Liu Yang listened patiently, occasionally asking questions, and their conversation gradually increased, the atmosphere becoming increasingly harmonious.

He knew that this trip to Burning Heaven Valley might be more interesting than he had imagined. And Li Qingyue's addition added a touch of warmth to his perilous journey.

Less than half a day after leaving the outskirts of Qingyang City, the road ahead was blocked by a swamp stretching for dozens of miles. The swamp was shrouded in a thick, grayish-white fog year-round, with a faint, fishy smell mixed in with the fog. Even at noon, the sunlight could hardly penetrate the fog layer, only casting a weak halo on the top of the fog. This place was the "Misty Swamp," famous in the cultivation world. Due to the illusions caused by the miasma and the bottomless silt, it had become the first dangerous obstacle for many cultivators on their way to Burning Heaven Valley.

Liu Yang stood at the edge of the swamp, his spiritual sense forming an invisible net that instantly enveloped the entire swamp. Beneath the mist, several second-tier "Poisonous Swamp Crocodiles" lurked in the mud, and the aura of third-tier demonic beasts could be faintly felt from the depths of the swamp. Even more troublesome was that the pervasive miasma was not naturally formed, but rather mixed with an "illusion array" set up by the cultivators of Burning Heaven Valley. Ordinary cultivators who entered would be swallowed by the illusion in just a moment, eventually becoming lost in the mud and food for the demonic beasts.

“Fellow Daoist Liu, the illusion of this Misty Swamp is quite strange. I have heard that a cultivator in the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm has wandered into it and has not been able to come out since.” Li Qingyue stood beside Liu Yang, looking at the white mist in front of her, her brows furrowed slightly. “Should we take a detour? Although it will take a few more days to travel, at least it will be safer.”

Liu Yang withdrew his spiritual sense and shook his head slightly: "Taking a detour will cause us to miss the shortcut to Burning Heaven Valley, and there may be other dangers along the way. Although this illusion is troublesome, it is not insurmountable. Just follow me closely."

Having said that, Liu Yang took the lead and stepped into the swamp. The moment his feet touched the shallow water at the edge of the swamp, mist surged forth as if alive, attempting to entangle his limbs. A faint aura of spiritual energy emanated from Liu Yang's body; the mist, upon touching the aura, dissipated like melting snow. He walked with extreme steadiness, each step landing precisely on the hidden, hard clods of mud. Even when he occasionally stepped into the silt, he could use his spiritual energy to leap lightly back up, remaining completely untouched by mud.

Li Qingyue followed closely behind. Protected by Liu Yang's aura of spiritual energy, the surrounding miasma could not get close, and the illusion could not invade her consciousness. Looking at Liu Yang's tall and straight back, she felt even more admiration for him—this person was not only powerful, but his control over the environment was also extremely precise. It was as if this dangerous misty swamp was nothing more than an ordinary courtyard in his eyes.

The two had traveled no more than three miles when Liu Yang's spiritual sense suddenly detected an unusual aura—deep in the swamp, two spiritual energies were colliding fiercely. One of them carried the unique agility of the fox clan, but was clearly at a disadvantage; the other was more domineering, faintly mixed with the pressure of a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator.

"There are cultivators fighting ahead, let's go take a look." Before Liu Yang finished speaking, his figure had already darted off like a ghost towards the direction from which the aura was coming. Li Qingyue quickly circulated her spiritual energy to follow, and fortunately, with the spiritual energy imprint left by Liu Yang as a guide, she did not lose her way.

Through layers of mist, the scene gradually became clear. On a relatively dry mudflat, a girl in a pink dress was being attacked by three cultivators dressed in gray. The girl was extremely pretty, with two fluffy pink fox ears standing upright on her head, and a snow-white fox tail swaying warily behind her. Her body was surrounded by a pale pink aura of spiritual energy—clearly, she was a fox-clan cultivator.

The three gray-robed cultivators were all at the early stage of the Golden Core realm, wielding specially made "Demon-Locking Nets" and continuously attacking the girl. The leader was an old man with a sinister face, exuding the pressure of a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator. He also held a staff inlaid with black gemstones, from which black spiritual energy bullets were occasionally fired, forcing the girl to retreat repeatedly.

"Bai Jingjing, you have stolen the 'Fox Clan Guiding Talisman' from the clan without permission, and you even dare to collude with outsiders and betray the Fox Clan. If you do not surrender today, I will definitely cripple your cultivation and expel you from the Fox Clan!" the old man shouted sternly, and waved his staff again, a black spiritual energy chain wrapping around the girl.

A stubborn glint flashed in the eyes of the fox-girl known as Bai Jingjing. She conjured a pink foxfire in her hand and hurled it at the spiritual energy chains: "Elder Hu, it was clearly you who colluded with Burning Heaven Valley to lead the fox clan to extinction! I stole the guiding talisman only to stop you! I will never return this talisman to you!"

The foxfire clashed with the spiritual energy chains, producing a hissing sound. The foxfire was instantly shattered, but the spiritual energy chains, still powerful, wrapped around Bai Jingjing's ankle. Bai Jingjing cried out in alarm, lost her balance, and fell heavily onto the muddy ground, a trickle of blood escaping from the corner of her mouth.

"You won't listen to reason, so you'll have to suffer the consequences!" Elder Hu sneered, holding his staff as he walked towards Bai Jingjing. "Since you refuse to hand it over, then I'll take it myself! Once I deliver the guide talisman to the adults of Burning Heaven Valley, the Fox Clan will receive the protection of Burning Heaven Valley. At that time, who in the entire cultivation world will dare to look down on our Fox Clan?"

Bai Jingjing struggled to get up, but was tightly bound by spiritual energy chains and unable to move at all. She looked at Elder Hu approaching step by step, her eyes filled with despair—she was originally a genius cultivator of the fox clan. Because she discovered that Elder Hu was colluding with Burning Heaven Valley, she stole the "Fox Clan Guiding Talisman" that could avoid the outer restrictions of Burning Heaven Valley. However, she did not expect that she would be caught up by Elder Hu and his men as soon as she escaped the fox clan's territory.

Just as Elder Hu's staff was about to touch Bai Jingjing's forehead, a cold voice suddenly rang out: "Using numbers to bully the few, colluding with outsiders, the elders of the fox clan have quite the airs."

Elder Hu paused, then abruptly turned his head. He saw Liu Yang and Li Qingyue standing on a clod of mud not far away, their gazes coldly fixed on him. Elder Hu sensed the spiritual energy emanating from Liu Yang, and a hint of disdain flashed in his eyes: "Where did this wild brat come from, daring to meddle in the affairs of my Fox Clan? If you know what's good for you, get out of here, or don't blame me for dealing with you both!"

Liu Yang ignored Elder Hu's threat and instead focused his gaze on Bai Jingjing, asking gently, "Miss, are you alright?"

Bai Jingjing was stunned for a moment, then quickly shook her head: "Fellow Daoist, leave this place quickly! He is Elder Hu of the Fox Clan, and he is very powerful. You are no match for him!"

"Very strong?" Liu Yang's lips curled into a faint sneer. He slowly released the pressure of a late-stage Golden Core cultivator; though not at full power, it was like an invisible mountain, instantly enveloping the entire mudflat.

Elder Hu's disdain froze instantly, replaced by deep shock and fear. He could clearly feel that the pressure Liu Yang released was more than one level stronger than his own; only a cultivator in the late Golden Core stage could possess such pressure! He never expected that this seemingly ordinary human cultivator would have such formidable strength.

"Who...who exactly are you?" Elder Hu's voice trembled, and he involuntarily tightened his grip on his staff. "I am an elder of the Fox Clan. If you dare to lay a hand on me, the Fox Clan will never let you off!"

"The Fox Clan?" Liu Yang sneered. "An elder who colluded with Burning Heaven Valley and betrayed his own clan is worthy of representing the Fox Clan?"

Before he finished speaking, Liu Yang raised his hand and condensed a stream of fire-elemental spiritual energy, then flicked his finger. The fire-elemental spiritual energy flew towards Elder Hu's staff like a meteor, its speed reaching its limit.

Elder Hu's pupils constricted sharply; he tried to dodge, but it was too late. He could only instinctively circulate his spiritual power, attempting to protect his staff. However, his spiritual power was as fragile as paper in the face of Liu Yang's fire-based spiritual power.

"Click——"

The black gem at the top of the staff was instantly incinerated, and a large hole was burned into the staff itself. The spiritual energy fluctuations dissipated instantly. Elder Hu felt a scorching heat rush towards him, and his arm was hit by the aftershocks of the spiritual energy, instantly turning black. The intense pain made him scream in agony.

"Elder!" Upon seeing this, the three gray-robed cultivators immediately rushed towards Liu Yang, wielding their demon-locking nets. Although they were afraid, they dared not disobey Elder Hu's orders.

A cold glint flashed in Liu Yang's eyes. He condensed three more streams of ice-elemental spiritual energy in his left hand and flicked them towards the three gray-robed cultivators. The ice-elemental spiritual energy struck the three men's dantian with pinpoint accuracy. There was no earth-shattering sound; the three men only felt a sharp pain in their dantian, and their spiritual energy instantly dissipated. They collapsed to the ground, losing their fighting ability.

Elder Hu looked at the three fallen cultivators, then at the expressionless Liu Yang, and his heart was filled with fear. He knew that he was no match for Liu Yang, and if he didn't leave now, he might not even be able to save his life.