118: Fifth-tier peak

Jiang Donghua had originally planned meticulously, agreeing verbally to go to the Black-Corner Region, but in reality, he intended to find a remote mountain forest to hide for a few days until the commotion died down, then return.

After all, that old man Mo Xuan couldn't possibly keep an eye on him personally, right?

But who would have thought that just as dawn broke, his door would be kicked open?

“Bang!”

Red Silk stood leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, her expression calm, completely devoid of yesterday's shyness. She scanned Jiang Donghua from head to toe, a slight curve on her lips, her tone leaving no room for argument.

“Elder Mo Xuan said that for your safety, I will accompany you.”

He was about to argue, but then he turned his head and saw Gryphon Beasts already prepared in the courtyard, with luggage tied to their backs, clearly not a spur-of-the-moment decision.

They were determined to escort him there!

Jiang Donghua's mouth twitched, cursing inwardly.

“This old man, he's guarding me like a thief!”

Seeing him frozen in place, Red Silk raised an eyebrow and urged him.

“What, do you want me to carry you up?”

Jiang Donghua chuckled dryly.

“How would I dare trouble Senior Sister? I'll do it myself, myself...”

He resignedly climbed onto the Gryphon Beast, calculating the possibility of slipping away midway.

However, Red Silk seemed to see through his thoughts, directly mounting another Gryphon Beast and riding alongside him, a hint of warning in her eyes.

“Don't even think about running.”

She said indifferently.

“Elder Mo Xuan said that if you dare to sneak away midway, he'll settle the score with you for secretly taking many of his pills last time.”

This old man, he's ruthless enough!

The Gryphon Beast flapped its wings and soared high, streaking across the sky above Jia Nan Academy, speeding towards the Black-Corner Region.

Jiang Donghua sat on the back of the Gryphon Beast, feeling the whistling wind, his heart full of reluctance. He turned his head to Red Silk and tentatively asked.

“Senior Sister, are we going directly to the Black-Corner Region?”

Red Silk shook her head, her tone calm.

“No, the first stop is Peace Town.”

“Peace Town?”

Jiang Donghua was stunned.

“Isn't that the entrance to the Black-Corner Region? I heard it's a mixed bag of people, full of desperadoes.”

Red Silk glanced at him, a half-smile on her face.

“What, scared?”

Jiang Donghua immediately straightened his back and retorted stubbornly.

“Scared? When have I, Jiang Donghua, ever been scared? I just find it strange, what are we going there for?”

Red Silk said indifferently.

“Peace Town is the only place in the outer reaches of the Black-Corner Region that still ‘follows rules.’ We'll go there first to gather information and let you adapt a bit.”

Jiang Donghua mumbled inwardly.

“Adapt? Adapt to being hunted?”

But he still replied honestly.

“Oh, alright then.”

As soon as the Gryphon Beast landed in Peace Town, a strong smell of blood assailed them.

Jiang Donghua frowned and followed the scent, only to see a huge withered tree standing at the town entrance, the spirit death tree.

Its trunk was as black as iron, its branches twisted like ghostly claws, and three corpses hung from it, each exuding a chilling pressure.

Two Dou Kings, one Dou Emperor!

Their bodies were already shriveled, but the lingering Dou Qi fluctuations still sent shivers down one's spine.

Most horrifying was that their expressions were frozen at the moment of death—terror, despair, unwillingness.

Before they could observe more, several Law Enforcement Team members in Jia Nan Academy uniforms walked over quickly and saluted respectfully.

“Greetings, Senior Brother and Senior Sister! We are the Seventh Law Enforcement Squad. We'll take care of these Gryphon Beasts.”

The leader of the Law Enforcement Team member's gaze lingered on Jiang Donghua for a moment, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, then he smiled.

“So it's Senior Brother Jiang from the Outer Academy's Alchemy Department! I've long heard of your name!”

Jiang Donghua was stunned, not expecting his reputation in the Outer Academy to have reached here.

He chuckled dryly.

“You're too kind, too kind.”

Red Silk nodded faintly, handing over the Gryphon Beast's reins.

“Thank you for your trouble.”

The Law Enforcement Team member quickly waved his hand.

“It's our duty! Senior Brother and Senior Sister, if you need any help during your first visit to Peace Town, just let us know!”

Red Silk took out a yellowed parchment map from her storage ring, her fingertips lightly tracing several markings, her expression calm.

“Since the Blood Demon Sect's attack on Jia Nan Academy was deterred, the forces near Peace Town have become much more restrained.”

She whispered.

“Currently, the strongest lurking around here are only Dou Ling Level.”

Jiang Donghua glanced at the map, which was densely marked with the distribution of various forces, and even simple strength assessments.

He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

“Senior Sister, your intelligence gathering is quite detailed, isn't it?”

Red Silk put away the map, her tone calm.

“When traveling, one must always be prepared.”

Jiang Donghua shrugged, leaning lazily back into the dilapidated wooden chair in the inn.

“Alright then, I'll listen to you anyway. We'll rest for a night today, and tomorrow, we'll pick any direction—north, south, east, or west—and just go for it.”

Red Silk gave him a faint glance.

“Don't be careless. People in the Black-Corner Region won't play by your rules.”

The night passed quietly. Jiang Donghua had just stepped out of Peace Town's boundary, a blade of grass still in his mouth, mumbling indistinctly.

“Senior Sister, it seems this Black-Corner Region isn't as sinister as the legends say. We've been walking for half a day, and there hasn't even been a single bandit...”

“Whoosh—!”

Before he finished speaking, a pitch-black arrow grazed past his ear and embedded itself in a tree trunk behind him, its fletching trembling violently.

Jiang Donghua froze, slowly turned his head, staring at the still-vibrating arrow, his Adam's apple bobbing.

“I take that back.”

Red Silk had already flashed in front of him, a short sword sliding into her palm from her sleeve, her cold eyes sweeping towards the shadows of the dense forest.

“Get out.”

“Jie jie jie...”

A hoarse, strange laugh came from the bushes, and five or six ragged men slowly emerged.

The leader was a one-eyed strong man, carrying a rusty great axe on his shoulder, two front teeth missing from his grinning mouth.

“Little brat, you've got guts, daring to step on our ‘Bloodfang Gang’s’ territory?”

Jiang Donghua secretly poked Red Silk's back and whispered.

“Senior Sister, they don't even have all their teeth. How about we...”

“Shut up.”

Red Silk's sword tip lifted, its cold gleam causing the one-eyed man's pupils to contract sharply.

“Oh ho!”

The one-eyed man plunged his axe into the ground, kicking up three feet of dust.

“Little girl, you're quite arrogant, aren't you? Do you know what happens when you draw your sword recklessly in the Black-Corner Region?”

He suddenly tore open his clothes, revealing a hideous scar on his chest.

“The last one who was this arrogant is still hanging on that tree!”

Jiang Donghua suddenly poked his head out from behind Red Silk.

“Big brother, that scar of yours is quite unique. Was it from your own axe?”

“Bullshit...”

The one-eyed man flew into a rage.

“Swish—!”

Red Silk's sword tip was already pressed against his Adam's apple.

The entire scene fell silent.

A bead of cold sweat trickled down the one-eyed man's temple. He stiffly tilted his neck to glance at the sword's edge, then suddenly grinned.

“Heroine, what excellent skill! We'll scram right away!”

With that, he took three steps back, turned, and ran.

Red Silk spoke indifferently.

“If you kill yourselves, I won't have to lift a finger.”

However, the one-eyed man grinned ferociously and pulled out a crimson pill from his In my arms.

“Little bastard, do you really think the Black-Corner Region is your Jia Nan Academy's child's play?”

He swallowed the pill in one gulp, and his muscles instantly swelled, veins bulging, his Dou Qi actually skyrocketing from peak Dou Practitioner to Dou Master Level!

“Frenzied Blood Pill?!”

Jiang Donghua's pupils contracted.

“Senior Sister, be careful. This stuff can temporarily boost your strength.”

“Too much nonsense.”

Red Silk coldly interrupted, her figure already darting out like a ghost!

“Swish—!”

The sword light was like snow, flashing and gone.

The one-eyed man still maintained his ferocious grin, but a hair-thin bloodline had already appeared on his neck.

“Pfft!”

Blood spurted, and his head rolled.

The remaining few bandits hadn't even reacted when Red Silk's sword tip, like a venomous snake, continuously thrust out.

“Chh! Chh! Chh!”

Several heads flew almost simultaneously, and the headless bodies swayed twice before crashing to the ground.

The entire process took less than a breath.

Jiang Donghua opened his mouth, and after a long while, managed to squeeze out a sentence.

“Red Silk, you kill people more efficiently than chopping vegetables.”

Red Silk flicked the blood drops from her sword and said indifferently.

“In the Black-Corner Region, speak less nonsense, and kill if you can.”

Jiang Donghua nodded silently, but mumbled inwardly.

“This Senior Sister usually looks cold, but she's really decisive when she acts.”

He squatted down, rummaged through the one-eyed man's corpse, and pulled out a few blood-red pills from his pocket, clicking his tongue in wonder.

“Oh, still got some stock? Although this Frenzied Blood Pill has big side effects, it can save your life at a critical moment. I'll take it, I'll take it.”

Red Silk frowned.

“What are you taking that for?”

Jiang Donghua grinned.

“To study it, of course. Maybe I can improve it and refine a version without side effects.”

Red Silk followed Jiang Donghua without much concern; he could do whatever he wanted or go wherever he pleased.

In the surrounding mountains, Jiang Donghua tiptoed, carefully parting the bushes, his eyes lighting up.

“Senior Sister! Look quickly!”

Red Silk stood with her sword, her cold eyes sweeping over. On the rock wall ahead, a crimson blood ganoderma, completely red, glowed with a bloody luster under the sun, surrounded by spiritual energy, clearly not an ordinary item.

“crimson blood ganoderma, at least three hundred years old.”

Jiang Donghua rubbed his hands, excited.

“Refining this into a ‘Blood Spirit Pill’ can help a Dou Ling break through a minor realm!”

Red Silk frowned slightly.

“Our mission is to go to the Black-Corner Region, not to gather herbs.”

“It's just a quick detour!”

Jiang Donghua had already squatted down, pulling out a jade shovel from his storage ring.

“We'll leave as soon as I'm done, no delays!”

Red Silk was about to speak when her pupils suddenly contracted.

“Wait—!”

“Crack!”

The ground beneath Jiang Donghua's feet suddenly collapsed, and a foul, pungent gust of wind swept out from underground!

“Roar—!!!”

The rock wall exploded, and a colossal creature burst out of the earth!

Its pitch-black scales gleamed with a metallic luster, its crimson vertical pupils locked onto the two of them, and with a sweep of its thick tail, the surrounding boulders instantly shattered!

A Fifth-Tier Magical Beast—the Earth Fiend Demon Lizard!

“Dou, Dou King Level?!”

Jiang Donghua's face turned pale, and the jade shovel in his hand fell to the ground with a “clank.”

Red Silk reacted extremely quickly, grabbing him by the collar and retreating rapidly!

“Boom—!”

The Demon Lizard's giant claw slammed down, directly creating a deep pit several zhang where they had just stood!

“Jiang Donghua! You dug up its symbiotic spirit herb!”

Red Silk gritted her teeth.

“The book didn't say that!”

Jiang Donghua was on the verge of tears.

“The Myriad Herb Compendium says crimson blood ganoderma is naturally formed by heaven and earth!”

“That's ordinary crimson blood ganoderma!”

Red Silk wished she could throw him away.

“This one grew above the Demon Lizard's lair; it's clearly nourished by its own blood essence!”

The Demon Lizard roared skyward, black mist churning around its body, its four claws digging into the ground as it charged again!

Red Silk's eyes sharpened, and she drew her sword with a backhand motion.

“Zheng!”

A fierce sword qi slashed out, causing the Demon Lizard to yelp in pain and its movements to stall slightly.

But the next second, it became even more enraged, a strange Red Light glowing on its scales, and its speed suddenly increased!

“Oh no, it's gone berserk!”

Red Silk's expression changed slightly. She grabbed Jiang Donghua by the back of his collar and turned to flee!

“Senior Sister! Aren't you a Dou Ling? Fight it!”

Jiang Donghua flailed in Red Silk's arms.

“Fight my ass!”

Red Silk rarely cursed.

“This is a peak Fifth-Tier Magical Beast, equivalent to a human peak Dou King! How am I supposed to fight that?!”

“This herb might be the key for it to break through to Dou King.”

Flee!

The two, one after the other, frantically weaved through the dense forest.

Behind them, the Demon Lizard charged wildly, trees toppling and the ground cracking wherever it passed!

“Se-Senior Sister! It's catching up!”

Jiang Donghua looked back and almost lost his soul.

Red Silk gritted her teeth and flung out several packets of medicinal powder from her storage ring.

“Bang! Bang! Bang!”

Thick smoke billowed, and the Demon Lizard temporarily lost its target, roaring in anger.

“Now's our chance, go!”

Red Silk dragged Jiang Donghua, quickly changed direction, and swept towards another valley.