Chapter 233: A Chance Encounter with Wen Yong, the Earth Spirit's Jade Marrow

Chapter 233: A Chance Encounter with Wen Yong, the Earth Spirit's Jade Marrow

Within the thicket of thorns and weeds, Xu Yan pushed his Light and Dust technique to its limits, using the vegetation to conceal his body.

His aura merged with the surrounding plants, becoming one with the brambles and overgrowth.

The little jade dragon coiled around Xu Yan's wrist was nearly strangled, its eyes bulging. Its body instinctively wanted to wriggle free, but it suddenly stiffened.

Its subconscious warned it that any movement could result in its neck being snapped!

In the air, an elderly man appeared in the distance, his spiritual power sweeping through the area, leaving no blade of grass untouched.

He carefully searched through the thorn bushes, making sure that the person he sought was not there, before swiftly departing.

A Refining God Immortal!

Xu Yan's expression turned solemn. He couldn't believe that a Refining God Immortal was chasing after him. Was Qing Tian Jiao really that important?

"It's probably because of his plan to turn himself into a corpse fiend after death. Do these Refining God Immortals also want to become corpse fiends after they die?" Xu Yan speculated.

Even someone as powerful as Qing Tian Jiao couldn't fully succeed. How many of these Refining God Immortals could achieve such a feat?

In the end, they would only degenerate into bloodthirsty and violent corpse fiend monsters.

Of course, it was uncertain if these Refining God Immortals had such intentions.

Xu Yan lay still in the bush of thorns, not moving a muscle. He did not get up and leave immediately.

Less than half an hour later, a spiritual power swept through the area once more.

The departing Refining God Immortal had returned.

The figure hovered in the air for a while before continuing to search in a particular direction.

Only when night fell and the Refining God Immortal did not reappear, did Xu Yan finally crawl out of the bushes. After quickly getting his bearings, he hurried away from that place.

At the same time, he loosened his grip on the little jade dragon's neck.

"Cough, cough... You almost strangled me!" the little jade dragon hissed.

"Don't you doubt me. If they found you, I wouldn't be able to escape death either. I'm a spirit beast, and I have the blood of a flood dragon. They wouldn't let me go just because I'm with you," the little jade dragon said, sounding very depressed.

"Don't I get a little trust?"

Xu Yan remained indifferent. "Better safe than sorry."

"You're my hope of realizing my dream. I won't harm you. You have to trust me," the little jade dragon said, poking its head out, looking very aggrieved.

"We'll talk about it later. With a Refining God Immortal on their tail, we can't be too careful," Xu Yan said solemnly.

Hearing this, the little jade dragon's eyes turned serious. "If the Jade Spirit Sect and the Su family have sent out Refining God Immortals, does that mean the person you killed had a very important identity?"

Then it dismissed that possibility. "No, they were just two ordinary stewards, heavenly pride cultivators. It must be because of Qing Tian Jiao."

"Most likely," Xu Yan nodded.

"Impossible," the little jade dragon denied. "Qing Tian Jiao turning into a corpse fiend is not enough to make a Refining God Immortal take action personally to capture you. Those Refining God Immortals are high above. There are plenty of Great Immortals in the sect. There's no need for them to make a move themselves."

"But the fact is, a Refining God Immortal has appeared!" Xu Yan said in a low voice.

The little jade dragon fell silent, its heart filled with doubt and confusion. However, the appearance of a Refining God Immortal was an undeniable fact.

"How much further is it to the Earth Spirit's dragon qi?" Xu Yan asked solemnly.

"Very far," the little jade dragon replied, its tongue flicking. "Now we can only take one path. It's hidden, but not easy to walk. There may be some hidden dangers along the way."

"How dangerous?"

"If we're unlucky, the dangers we encounter could be equivalent to four or five mid-to-late stage small immortal beasts, and there may even be poisonous gas..."

"That doesn't count as dangerous. As long as we can avoid the Refining God Immortals, we'll be fine," Xu Yan said.

"Okay, go in that direction from here. A hundred miles away, there's a big mountain with a deep pool. Dive into it and you'll find an underground current that leads to a thousand-mile-long underground passage... It was dug by a powerful spirit beast and is very hidden. No one should know about it."

Without hesitation, Xu Yan quickly arrived at the deep pool mentioned by the little jade dragon and dove into the water, entering the underground passage.

The passage was dimly lit, and at intervals along the wall, a moonstone was embedded, providing some illumination.

From the shape and marks on the passage, it seemed to have been dug by a serpentine creature.

"Be careful. There may be some spirit beasts living underground, and occasionally, poisonous gas may seep out," the little jade dragon warned.

Sword intent appeared on Xu Yan's body, enveloping him as he moved forward quickly.

Wen Yong leaned against the damp, dark wall of the cave, panting heavily. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and his face was deathly pale.

His trembling hand reached into his storage bag and pulled out several pills, which he popped into his mouth.

"Who killed Dai Yingying? Are they trying to frame me?" Wen Yong's eyes welled up with tears. He deeply regretted his impulsive outburst.

Dai Yingying had gone too far, and in a fit of righteous indignation, he had been unable to hold back.

He had expected the Dai family to pursue him.

After all, the influential families were above the rest, and they would not tolerate a rogue cultivator threatening them.

But Wen Yong wasn't too worried about this. After all, he was a member of the Myriad Ages Alliance, and it wouldn't be easy for the Dai family to kill him.

Moreover, he could always fake his death to escape.

The Myriad Ages Alliance had prepared countermeasures for such a situation.

What he never expected was that Dai Yingying would be killed, and he would be the first suspect!

The Dai family was convinced that he was the murderer.

Not only had Great Immortals been deployed, but even the Refining God Immortal ancestor of the Dai family had taken action personally.

"I almost got caught!" Wen Yong's face was filled with fear as he recalled the close call.

"Why are the Jade Spirit Sect and the Su family chasing after him?" Wen Yong wondered as he took out a portrait.

During his escape, a rogue cultivator had almost mistaken him for the person in the portrait.

Fortunately, he had reacted quickly, killing the cultivator and taking the portrait.

"This fellow is more formidable than me. I'm just being pursued by the Dai family, but you're being chased by the Jade Spirit Sect and the Su family. I hope you can escape," Wen Yong said, looking at the youth in the portrait. He felt a sense of camaraderie with this unknown fugitive.

Staring into the dark tunnel, Wen Yong's eyes gradually hardened. "Dai family, I, Wen Yong, will definitely take revenge!"

His face was solemn as he considered the thousands of miles of tunnel filled with hidden dangers.

Injured as he was, his strength had diminished to only five or six tenths of its peak. Whether or not he could make it out of the tunnel alive depended entirely on luck.

"Cough, cough!"

Wen Yong coughed a few times, the sound echoing through the tunnel.

Leaning on a knife, he stood up, crumpled the portrait, and gazed into the depths of the tunnel, his eyes firm and his expression grave.

"I, Wen Yong, will not die here," he declared.

Having successfully entered this tunnel, his chances of survival had increased to eighty percent.

He had discovered this tunnel by chance from the remnants of a warrior's sitting place.

This tunnel was his only hope during his escape.

Otherwise, evading the pursuit of the Refining God Immortals would be almost impossible.

Wen Yong proceeded with caution, stepping forward one step at a time.

"You said this tunnel is very hidden. How did he know about it?" Xu Yan asked, looking at Wen Yong's figure in the distance.

The little jade dragon also looked puzzled. "That's strange. I only discovered this tunnel by accident. How does he know about it? And look at how miserable he looks. He must be fleeing from something."

"A fellow fugitive, huh? But my troubles are far greater than his, as even a Refining God Immortal is pursuing me."

Xu Yan sighed inwardly.

Since he had encountered a companion along the way, and this person's strength was inferior to his own, plus he was also badly injured, it would be a good thing to have company as they traveled through the long, dark, and treacherous tunnel.

Thus, Xu Yan took a step forward and clapped Wen Yong on the shoulder.

Wen Yong was so startled that his soul nearly fled his body. A hand had suddenly landed on his shoulder, and he hadn't sensed it at all. Could it be one of the Dai family's Refining God Immortals?

"Dai family, I'll fight you to the death!"

Wen Yong roared, his aura surging as he unleashed his full power and swung his knife backhand, slashing at Xu Yan.

Bang!

The attack was easily blocked, and a voice sounded out, "Fellow brother, are you also fleeing for your life?"

Wen Yong was taken aback. In the dim light, he recognized the figure behind him as a young man who looked somewhat familiar.

"Cough, cough..."

In that moment, Wen Yong started coughing, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth as his sudden outburst aggravated his injuries.

"Who are you?"

Once he regained his wits, Wen Yong's face turned grim. The fact that this person could clap him on the shoulder without him noticing was a clear message that the other party was stronger and that he shouldn't harbor any thoughts of resistance.

"Someone being pursued by the Jade Spirit Sect and prominent families."

Xu Yan replied with a smile.

"It's you?"

Wen Yong suddenly recalled something. Wasn't this the young man from the portrait?

"You know me?"

Xu Yan raised an eyebrow.

"The portrait!"

Wen Yong whispered.

He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his face turning even paler.

"Brother, your injuries are quite severe."

Xu Yan pondered whether he should offer a healing pill to the other man. However, they were not familiar with each other, and the pills were precious. Moreover, while Wen Yong's injuries were severe, they were not life-threatening.

Thus, Xu Yan dismissed the idea of giving Wen Yong a healing pill.

Subsequently, the two men journeyed together through the tunnel, both fugitives from those who pursued them. Yet, they each kept a wary eye on the other, cautious and vigilant.

"Brother Wen, why are you being chased?"

Xu Yan asked curiously.

As soon as this topic was brought up, Wen Yong's face filled with grievance, as if he had found someone to whom he could pour out his woes. "You know about the Dai family's heavenly pride cultivator, right? She's dead! Everyone thinks I killed her, but I didn't.

"I was just angry and spoke impulsively. Who knew that someone would actually kill her, and now everyone believes I'm the murderer.

"Even my friends don't believe me!"

Xu Yan patted him on the shoulder, offering consolation. "Killing the heavenly pride cultivator of a prominent family is indeed a serious matter. Brother Wen, you were able to escape to this place, and that's already fortunate."

"She wasn't just any heavenly pride cultivator; she was Dai Yingying of the Dai family, the betrothed of the Second Prince of Zhenguo. Everyone thinks I killed her, but I really didn't."

Wen Yong was so aggrieved that he grabbed Xu Yan's arm. "You have to believe me. I didn't kill Dai Yingying!"

Xu Yan was a little bewildered.

Dai Yingying?

But wasn't she the one I killed? How did it become Wen Yong who killed her?

Then he remembered. This unlucky fellow had once vowed to kill Dai Yingying for the sake of the downtrodden rogue cultivators, even if it meant risking his life.

And because of that, he ended up taking the blame!

Xu Yan patted Wen Yong's shoulder solemnly, his expression sincere. "Brother Wen, I believe you. Dai Yingying definitely wasn't killed by you. Even if everyone else refuses to believe you, I do!"

Wen Yong was so moved that tears almost fell from his eyes. Finally, someone believed him!

A true friend!

In that moment, Wen Yong felt he had found a sworn brother!

"Of course, just by looking at Brother Wen, I can tell you're an honest person who wouldn't lie."

Xu Yan said solemnly.

He felt a little guilty, as he was the one who had killed Dai Yingying, and now Wen Yong was taking the blame.

So, Xu Yan took out a small bottle and decided to give Wen Yong some healing pills.

"Brother Xu, you are my dearest friend in this life!"

Wen Yong said solemnly.

Xu Yan patted his shoulder and sighed, "Brother Wen is truly a straightforward person. Seeing that your injuries are not light, I have some healing pills here that can aid in your recovery."

He poured out two healing pills into his palm.

"Thank you, Brother Xu!"

Wen Yong picked up one of the pills and popped it into his mouth.

The pill melted instantly, and a warm current flowed through his body.

His injuries began to heal slowly.

"This... This!"

Wen Yong's eyes widened in astonishment. "What kind of healing pill is this? It's incredibly effective!"

"It's just an ordinary pill. Brother Wen, you should carry a few with you in case of emergencies."

Xu Yan placed several healing pills into a jade bottle and handed it to Wen Yong.

"I can't accept this. It's too precious!"

Wen Yong shook his head.

Such a miraculous healing pill must be extremely valuable.

As fellow rogue cultivators, Xu Yan had likely obtained these pills through great difficulty!

"Brother Wen, don't be polite. Take it."

Xu Yan urged, placing the bottle into Wen Yong's hand.

"This..."

Wen Yong hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, "Brother Xu is so generous, gifting me precious healing pills and trusting me so. As your sworn brother, how can I be stingy?

"At the end of this tunnel, there is a secret place where Earth Spirit's Jade Marrow is hidden. I shall give it to you, Brother Xu!"

"Earth Spirit's Jade Marrow?"

Jade Little Dragon poked its head out from Xu Yan's sleeve, its eyes sparkling with excitement.

"What is that?"

Wen Yong was startled by the appearance of the fourth-stage spirit beast.

"It's a little snake I subdued. It's like a pet, so Brother Wen doesn't need to worry," Xu Yan explained, patting the little dragon's head.

Wen Yong breathed a sigh of relief.

"How did you know that there's Earth Spirit's Jade Marrow at the end of this tunnel? I didn't even know about it!"

Jade Little Dragon asked curiously.

"I found it by chance on the remains of a fallen warrior," Wen Yong replied without hiding the truth.

"Earth Spirit's Jade Marrow is incredibly precious!"

Xu Yan shook his head.

"No matter how precious it is, it's not as important as our friendship. This treasure, I gift to you, Brother Xu!"

Wen Yong said solemnly.

"Thank you, Brother Wen."

Xu Yan bowed in gratitude.

"Brother Xu is too kind. The Dai family's Refining God Immortal is chasing after me. Whether I can escape from Yuzhou, and even if I do, whether I can evade their pursuit, is all uncertain.

"Using this treasure would be a waste!"

Wen Yong sighed with emotion.

Xu Yan understood. The Refining God Immortal he had encountered was not pursuing him but was actually after Wen Yong.

He felt a bit embarrassed, as Dai Yingying was the one he had killed, and now Wen Yong was bearing the blame.

For a moment, he didn't know how to tell Wen Yong the truth.

Moreover, even if he told Wen Yong the truth, it wouldn't change his situation. Wen Yong's circumstances were already set in stone, and even if the Dai family learned the truth, given the arrogance of prominent families, they would not let Wen Yong live.

"Brother Wen, I have a concealment technique that might be of help to you."

Since Wen Yong was offering him the Earth Spirit's Jade Marrow, Xu Yan decided to teach him the Light and Dust technique to aid his escape.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end