Chapter 822: The Effortless Victor
Deep within the Qinling Mountains, ancient trees towered toward the heavens, their branches so lush and leaves so verdant that the forest floor was cast in a perpetual twilight. Even in broad daylight, the woods remained dim, a silence broken only by the intermittent roars of unseen beasts and the ceaseless chirping of insects.
A thick carpet of fallen leaves, over half a meter deep, covered the ground, rustling softly with every disturbance.
Tie Lengcan moved across this leafy sea with a frigid expression. His mastery of lightness techniques was so deep that he left not a single crushed leaf or whispered sound in his wake. Each step was weightless, a proof of his remarkable skill.
As the future heir of the Tieshan Martial Arts School and the most favored eldest son of Tieshan himself, Tie Lengcan had begun his martial training at the tender age of three. He had broken through to the early Grandmaster stage at only thirty-two, a display of excellent talent that gave him a glimmer of hope of one day reaching the legendary Heavenly Being realm.
His eyes, sharp as an eagle's, scanned the dense surroundings. Suddenly, his voice boomed through the quiet forest.
"The signature ultimate technique of my Tieshan Martial Arts School, the Black Poison Iron Sand Palm, not only possesses formidable palm force but also carries a debilitating cold poison. Your shoulder was struck by my father's palm; your injuries are not light. If you don't receive timely treatment, you will surely die."
His voice echoed, carrying a clear threat. "Hand over the Spirit Medicine, and I, Tie Lengcan, can spare your life."
Though Murong Jieyu was a stunning beauty, Tie Lengcan had little interest in women. He valued the Spirit Medicines far more. With those precious herbs, both he and his father could achieve a great leap in their cultivation, bringing the Heavenly Being realm within their grasp. Once both father and son reached that pinnacle, they could finally dare to explore the treacherous Baiwu Mountain Valley and seek the opportunities hidden within.
At that moment, Murong Jieyu was leaning against a thick branch of a towering tree, perched about twenty meters above the forest floor. She wore a simple jade-green robe and black cloth shoes, her appearance elegant, clean, and utterly spotless despite her flight.
Her exquisitely refined face, with its perfectly proportioned features, held not a single blemish. Yet, her complexion, usually as vibrant as a blooming peach, was now a concerning shade of pale, and her lips were drained of all color.
'This injury is not light,' Murong Jieyu thought, her gaze falling to her left shoulder. She lifted the green fabric of her sleeve slightly, revealing a patch of skin as white as jade, now marred by a bluish-black mark the size of half a palm print.
Her delicate brows furrowed slightly. She let the sleeve fall, covering the wound, and sighed softly in her heart.
If only she had been ruthless from the start, no one would have ever known about the Baiwu Mountain Valley. But she did not regret letting the members of the Tieshan Martial Arts School go, even though that act of mercy had led to this disaster. Casually taking lives was not the way of a healer.
Among her seven senior and junior sisters, the Goddess Doctor Murong Jieyu was arguably the kindest-hearted.
However, she was no pedantic fool. If someone was intent on killing her, she would not simply surrender and await her fate. If others showed her no mercy, she would return the favor in kind.
After all, she was a disciple of the Sword Palace, not the Saintess Temple.
'Medicine and poison are inseparable,'Murong Jieyu thought, a cold glint in her eyes.'I, Murong Jieyu, am capable of more than just saving people…' A faint, almost imperceptible snort escaped her.
"I've found you!" Tie Lengcan's face lit up with a triumphant joy. He stomped down, the fallen leaves crunching under his boot for the first time, and launched himself into the air, soaring toward the branch where Murong Jieyu was perched.
A brief, furious exchange of blows followed. A moment later, a graceful figure in green fell from the branch, stumbling back several steps upon landing on the forest floor.
"Heh heh, you're no match for me," Tie Lengcan gloated as he landed heavily, a cruel smirk on his face. "And that's before we even account for the fact that you've been struck by my father's Black Poison Iron Sand Palm!"
He scanned her person, but his smirk faltered into a frown when he found no sign of the Spirit Medicine.
"Be sensible and tell me where you've hidden it. I'll spare your life. Otherwise," his voice dropped, turning menacing, "a beauty like you won't have a very pleasant end. Don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit."
Tie Lengcan's gaze swept over Murong Jieyu's form, becoming invasive. Her slender waist, cinched by a white silk sash, looked as if it could be encircled by a single hand. His eyes followed the graceful curve of her body down to her full, rounded buttocks, a sight that made his breath catch.
Even though Tie Lengcan wasn't one for women, he had to admit that the woman before him was the most beautiful he had ever seen. A flicker of lust stirred within him.
A sinister, cruel smile spread across his grim face. Perhaps a bit of sport wouldn't be so bad after all.
'If I weren't injured, I wouldn't fear him,'Murong Jieyu thought, her mind racing.'Unfortunately, he pursued me too closely, leaving me no time to treat my wound.'
Despite the danger, her expression remained calm. Seeing Tie Lengcan advance with undisguised ill intent, she made her move. A short sword slid from her sleeve, its cold steel pressing against the fair, slender column of her neck.
"Take one more step, and I will kill myself immediately," she declared, her voice steady. "You will never get those Spirit Medicines."
"Heh heh, you think suicide is that easy?" Tie Lengcan sneered. "The Spirit Medicine must be hidden somewhere along this path. At worst, I'll just spend a little more time and have my men search for it. As for a great beauty like you… even if you're dead, it's not like I can't have some fun while you're still warm."
His expression grew even more cruel, his grin turning into a vicious leer. His steps did not falter as he continued to press closer.
"You… you beast!"
Indignation and despair finally flooded Murong Jieyu's face. With no other choice, she turned and fled into the dense woods.
"Heh heh, trying to kill yourself won't be that easy," Tie Lengcan scoffed, giving chase.
As one fled and the other pursued, they moved as fast as their bodies would allow, no longer concerned with stealth. Their feet pounded heavily on the thick layers of fallen leaves, sending them flying.
Just as Tie Lengcan rushed past the large tree where Murong Jieyu had been hiding, he stepped on a seemingly ordinary patch of leaves. With a deafening bang, the ground exploded. A dense, greenish-blue mist erupted from beneath the leaves, instantly engulfing him.
At the same instant, Murong Jieyu, who had been fleeing for her life, spun around. With a flick of her wrist, she unleashed dozens of poisoned silver needles, which shot through the air like a deadly swarm, blanketing Tie Lengcan's position.
Caught completely by surprise, Tie Lengcan let out a roar of pain and fury.
"You wretched bitch! You dare to trick me?"
"Hmph." Murong Jieyu's elegant, gentle face no longer showed any trace of despair. Instead, a hint of smug satisfaction touched her lips. "Your Tieshan Martial Arts School repays kindness with enmity. I spared your lives, yet you ambushed and injured me. Why shouldn't I trick you?"
When the greenish-blue mist finally dissipated, Tie Lengcan's figure was revealed. He was pierced from head to toe by countless poisoned silver needles. The potent toxin had already seeped into his internal organs, leaving him beyond any hope of a cure.
He glared at Murong Jieyu, his eyes filled with rage and unwillingness, but he could no longer move. He could only growl through clenched teeth, "You dare to kill me? My father, Tieshan, will never let you go!"
Murong Jieyu's delicate brows furrowed. The Tieshan Martial Arts School held considerable power; this would indeed be troublesome. She supposed she would have to retreat to the Sword Palace's secluded valley to lie low for a while. Her Senior Sister, Pei Changli, was a Heavenly Being Female Sword Immortal who had been cultivating in seclusion there. The people from Tieshan Martial Arts School would never dare seek revenge in such a place.
Ignoring the shouting and cursing of the dying Tie Lengcan, Murong Jieyu leaned against the base of the tree, panting gently.
She had already been struck by the Black Poison Iron Sand Palm, poisoned and grievously injured. The recent exchange and the effort of setting her trap had exacerbated her wounds. Her vision began to blur at the edges.
'No, I can't faint yet,'she thought desperately.'To be eaten by wild beasts… what an unworthy end. I haven't even mastered the Shennong Nine Needles… and I'm still a maiden…'
Biting her lip so hard her pearly teeth drew blood, Murong Jieyu gathered the last dregs of her strength. She sprinkled a pouch of medicinal powder in a circle around herself to repel snakes, insects, rodents, and other beasts. Then, she forced down a detoxification pill. Only then did she allow her head to tilt to the side as she finally succumbed to the darkness, falling unconscious.
Nearby, the Grandmaster Tie Lengcan's curses and grumbles gradually weakened, until they ceased altogether. He could not withstand the virulent poison and had died, his eyes wide with fury.
...
"Someone is fighting ten li away. It might be Murong Jieyu and Tie Lengcan. I'll go have a look."
Shen Anyu heard the distant commotion. He gently set down Liu Ruyan and Zhong Lingyin, and with a flicker, his body vanished, breaking the sound barrier as he rushed toward the site of the battle.
When he arrived and took in the scene—the dead Tie Lengcan bristling with needles and the unconscious Murong Jieyu slumped against a tree—a slow, satisfied smile curved Shen Anyu's lips.
"And just like that," he murmured to the silent forest, "I've won without lifting a finger."
[Akarin's Note:
Enjoying the story? Dropping a quick review, comment, or Power Stone means the world to me!
Want to read ahead on our official home, or unlock 50 advanced chapters to feed your addiction? Help keep this shameless translator alive here:
🌐 Read on our site: Search for Elysian Reads on Google or Check the link in my Webnovel Profile bio!
✨ Patreon (50 Advanced Chapters & Ad-Free): Search AkarinTL on Patreon
Thank you so much for reading and keeping this project alive!]