Chapter 48: Traveling a Thousand Li Alone, Shadow in the Dark Night

The moment Lin Xuan's figure disappeared among the mountains, Wang Mang's eyes turned red.

This man, built like an iron tower, was usually careless and feared nothing under heaven, yet now he was like a child with tears swirling in his eyes. He bit his teeth hard, refusing to let himself make a sound.

Li Dali patted his shoulder without speaking. He simply gazed in the direction Lin Xuan had departed, his gaze as deep as a pool.

After a long while, Wang Mang asked in a raspy voice, "Brother Li, do you think Brother Lin... can come back?"

Li Dali was silent for a moment before slowly saying, "He can."

"How do you know?"

"Because he is Lin Xuan." Li Dali turned around and walked toward the Guest Elder Courtyard. "Let's go. We have to live well and wait for him to return."

Wang Mang dithered for a moment, then nodded vigorously and followed him.

...

A journey of a thousand li begins with a single step.

After Lin Xuan left Bailian Villa, he did not fly through the sky—the target would be too large and easily exposed. He chose a rarely trodden mountain path, following the mountain range's trend as he sped toward the northeast.

With the Ancient God Body Refining Technique operating at full power, his blood and Qi surged like a Dragon. His speed was several points faster than an ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivator flying through the air. With every step he took, a shallow footprint was left on the ground, but it was scattered by the mountain wind in an instant.

The sun rose and the moon set as day and night alternated.

He was like a lone wolf traveling through the high mountains and lofty ridges. When hungry, he chewed on dry rations; when thirsty, he drank mountain spring water; when tired, he would find a hidden spot on a cliff to meditate for an hour before continuing his journey.

On the evening of the third day, he arrived at a nameless cliff and stopped.

Looking from here toward the northeastern horizon, the outlines of several Peaks towering into the clouds were vaguely visible. That was the location of the Yunni Sect's main headquarters—the Yunni Seven Peaks.

The seven Peaks were like seven sharp swords piercing the clouds. The main Peak, Tianshu Peak, was the highest and was said to be the residence of the Sect Master and the Grand Elder. The place where Su Qingyue was under house arrest should be on one of those Peaks.

Lin Xuan gazed for a moment, withdrew his gaze, found a hidden spot on the cliff, and sat cross-legged.

After three consecutive days of travel, even with his physique, he felt a trace of fatigue. He needed to adjust his state because what came next would be the true test.

Closing his eyes to regulate his breathing, the spiritual energy core within his body rotated slowly. Nine hundred and ninety-nine strands of Source Martial Spiritual Energy flowed through his Meridians like small streams in a continuous cycle. The feeling of fatigue faded bit by bit, replaced by an abundance of power.

An hour later, he opened his eyes, a sharp light flashing through them before vanishing.

Just as he was about to get up and continue his journey—

Suddenly, his brow furrowed.

In his perception, behind a rock fifty paces away, there was a faint, indistinct aura quietly approaching.

That aura was extremely subtle. If not for the great increase in his perception after practicing the Divine Forging Record, he wouldn't have noticed it at all. More strangely, the aura was elusive, appearing and disappearing like a ghost.

Lin Xuan did not move, he only heightened his perception to the limit and locked onto that aura.

Fifty paces... forty paces... thirty paces...

When the aura approached within twenty paces—

Lin Xuan suddenly turned around, his right hand's five fingers grasping at the air as a dark-gold fist gale blasted out!

"Boom!"

The fist gale slammed into that rock, causing the giant stone to explode and sending fragments flying!

Amidst the flying debris, a black shadow drifted back like a ghost, landing on a rock ten paces away and quietly watching Lin Xuan.

It was a thin, small person in black, completely shrouded in a black cloak, their face invisible. Only a pair of eyes were exposed, currently flashing with an eerie light.

"To be able to discover me, you truly have some skill." The person in black spoke, their voice raspy and ear-piercing, like metal grinding together.

Lin Xuan stared at him, his gaze cold. "Who are you? Why are you following me?"

The person in black chuckled. "Who I am isn't important. What's important is that I know where you're going—the Yunni Sect, right?"

Lin Xuan's pupils constricted slightly.

The person in black continued, "Don't be nervous, I'm not here to kill you. I'm here to... help you."

"Help me?" Lin Xuan sneered. "Why should I believe you?"

The person in black took a token from his bosom and tossed it to Lin Xuan.

Lin Xuan caught it and looked down; his pupils constricted once more.

The token was entirely pitch-black. On the front was the ancient seal character for 'Shadow', and on the back was the outline of a nine-story pavilion—it was exactly a token from the Xuanji Pavilion, and of a higher Rank than the Guest Elder token in his hand!

"You're from the Xuanji Pavilion?" Lin Xuan looked up.

The person in black nodded. "To be precise, I am a Xuanji Pavilion 'Shadow Guard'. That girl Liu Yanran asked me to bring a message to you—things have already become chaotic inside the Yunni Sect."

Lin Xuan frowned. "What do you mean?"

The person in black jumped onto a rock beside Lin Xuan and sat down, crossing his legs in a leisurely manner.

"That Grand Elder is named Grand Elder Yun Tianque, a Nascent Soul Early Stage who has been in seclusion for thirty years and has just emerged. Do you know why he wants to capture that Su Qingyue?"

Lin Xuan shook his head.

The person in black lowered his voice. "Because the mark inside her isn't an ordinary mark. It is a 'legacy brand' left by a Martial God Realm powerhouse from the ancient era. Whoever can obtain that imprint can gain that Martial God's entire Legacy."

Martial God Realm!

Lin Xuan's heart shook violently.

He naturally knew what the Martial God Realm represented. That was the Peak of the ancient Martial Dao, an existence on par with the Mahayana stage of the Immortal Dao!

"That Martial God was named Martial God." The person in black continued, "It is said he was the last Martial God of the ancient era and fell during that Great War of Immortals and Martial Artists. Before dying, he struck his legacy brand into the Bloodline of his descendants to be passed down through generations. And Su Qingyue is his direct descendant."

Lin Xuan was silent for a long time before slowly saying, "So, the Yunni Sect put her under house arrest to seize the Legacy?"

"Smart." The person in black nodded. "However, that legacy brand is not so easy to take. It requires a special ritual and needs to be activated at a specific time with a specific technique. Otherwise, forcibly extracting it will only cause the Legacy to be destroyed."

He paused and looked at Lin Xuan. "Do you know when that specific time is?"

Lin Xuan shook his head.

The person in black said word by word, "Seven days from now, the night of the full moon."

The night of the full moon.

Seven days.

Lin Xuan understood instantly. The reason the Yunni Sect hadn't made a move on Su Qingyue yet was that they were waiting for this time!

"So, you only have seven days." The person in black stood up and patted the dust off his clothes. "Within seven days, you must infiltrate the Yunni Sect, find Su Qingyue, and rescue her before she is sacrificed. Otherwise..."

He didn't finish, but the meaning was already very clear.

Lin Xuan looked at him with a deep gaze. "Why are you telling me all this?"

The person in black grinned, revealing forest-white teeth. "Because that girl Liu Yanran thinks highly of you. Because the Xuanji Pavilion wants to take a gamble. Because..."

He paused, a trace of complex light flashing in his eyes. "Because that Martial God was an old friend of the Xuanji Pavilion's founder. The Pavilion Master wants to repay this Karma."

After saying that, he took a Jade Slip from his bosom and tossed it to Lin Xuan.

"Inside this are detailed maps of the Yunni Seven Peaks, as well as the specific location where Su Qingyue is held—a courtyard called 'Orchid Pavilion' in the back mountain of Tianxuan Peak. Guard conditions, shift times, and Formation layouts are all inside."

Lin Xuan took the Jade Slip and said solemnly, "Thank you."

The person in black waved his hand. "Don't be in a hurry to thank me. I'm just the messenger. Whether you can succeed depends on yourself."

He turned to leave. After walking a few steps, he suddenly stopped and looked back at Lin Xuan.

"By the way, one more thing. That Zhao Yuanzhen is also at the Yunni Sect. Having suffered such a big loss, he will definitely not let the matter rest. If you run into him, be careful."

With that, his figure merged into the night and disappeared without a trace.

Lin Xuan gazed in the direction he disappeared for a long time.

He looked down at the Jade Slip in his hand, then looked up at the seven looming Peaks in the northeast.

Seven days.

The night of the full moon.

The Martial God Legacy.

He gripped the Jade Slip tightly, a look of determination flashing in his eyes.

...

At the same time, Yunni Sect, Tianxuan Peak back mountain.

Orchid Pavilion.

This was an exquisite small courtyard built against the mountain, surrounded by orchids. Under the moonlight, those orchids emitted a faint fragrance that mixed with the mountain mist, creating a dreamlike scene.

But around the retreat, an invisible killing intent permeated.

Four deacons at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage guarded the four directions. On the periphery of the retreat, there was also a Formation covering the entire courtyard; once someone intruded, an alarm would be triggered immediately.

Inside the retreat, Su Qingyue sat alone by the window.

Her face was even paler than before, and her aura was even weaker. The activity of that imprint was consuming her vitality bit by bit. But her eyes were brighter than ever before.

She looked up toward the moon outside the window, which was gradually becoming full.

Seven days left.

Seven days later would be the night of the full moon.

At that time...

She didn't know what would happen.

But she knew someone was waiting for her.

"Lin Xuan..." she murmured softly, a faint curve appearing at the corner of her mouth, "Will you come?"

The night wind blew gently, swaying the orchids in front of the window.

No one answered.

Only the moon, gradually rounding, hung quietly in the night sky like a silent countdown.

(End of Volume 2, Chapter 48)

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[Next Chapter Preview]: Traveling a thousand li alone, a shadow in the dark night! The Xuanji Pavilion Shadow Guard brings shocking news—the imprint inside Su Qingyue is actually the legacy brand of the ancient Martial God, Martial God, and the Yunni Sect intends to hold a sacrifice ritual on the night of the full moon to seize the Legacy! The seven-day countdown officially begins! Lin Xuan, holding the map of the Yunni Seven Peaks, infiltrates the dragon's pool and tiger's den alone. Meanwhile, in the Orchid Pavilion, Su Qingyue gazes at the rounding moon, waiting for the person who might come... Next Chapter: Dragon's Pool and Tiger's Den, Infiltrating Alone!