20: Ghost Hand's Deal, Murderous Intelligence

On the other side of the Mist Forest.

Two figures, like ghosts, appeared silently in the crown of a giant tree.

The leader was a graceful woman with a ferocious ghost mask on her face; it was Ghost Hand.

Behind her was the hunched old man, resembling a withered tree.

Shadow Tower's intelligence network spanned everywhere. The Golden Core Elder of Hundred Herb Valley, accompanied by the Spirit Beast guarding the valley, led dozens of Disciples to aggressively charge into the Mist Forest. Such a large commotion could not escape their notice.

"Quite interesting."

Ghost Hand's voice had a playful rasp.

Her gaze pierced through layers of mist, observing the chaotic Spiritual Qi fluctuations and the continuously extinguishing flames of life within the forest.

"That old coot Mu Changqing is like a mad dog. To push him to this extent, it seems our 'A Yu' has prepared a grand gift for him."

A Yu was Jiang Chen's codename in Shadow Tower.

The hunched old man spoke hoarsely: "This person's methods are ruthless, bizarre, and extraordinary. Hundred Herb Valley this time, I'm afraid, will suffer a great setback."

"It's good to suffer a setback."

Ghost Hand chuckled softly.

"Hundred Herb Valley prides itself on being a righteous Sect, but it has done quite a few dirty deeds. I'd like to see how far this A Yu can play them."

She was becoming more and more interested in Jiang Chen.

Not only could he accurately provide intelligence on the Child of Destiny, but he himself was a ruthless character who knew how to endure and was skilled at planning.

Such a person was the 'kindred spirit' that Shadow Tower appreciated the most.

Just then.

On the tree trunk in front of Ghost Hand, an inconspicuous vine suddenly moved.

It moved like a living spiritual snake, carving and slithering across the rough bark at an extremely fast speed.

Wood chips flew.

In just three breaths, a line of text clearly appeared on the tree trunk.

—Kill them all. The reward is the Storage Pouch of the Valley Master's Personal Disciple.

The mask on Ghost Hand's face hid her expression.

But in her exposed eyes, a strong glint of interest flashed.

They had been discovered.

Even Mu Changqing, a Late Stage Golden Core cultivator, might not have detected her and the old servant's concealment technique.

But this 'A Yu', from such a distance, not only discovered them but could even accurately transmit a message.

The most crucial part was the information he conveyed.

No nonsense, no probing.

Direct, straightforward—it was a transaction.

A transaction to exchange the lives of Hundred Herb Valley's Disciples for Su Qingxue's Storage Pouch.

He knew she was an assassin.

He also knew that she was more interested in money than in human lives.

"Hehe... hahaha..."

Ghost Hand chuckled lowly.

"Old man, he's using us as his blade."

The hunched old man was silent for a moment, then said: "This blade might cut its own hand."

"No."

Ghost Hand shook her head.

"He's not borrowing a blade; he's telling me that he has the qualifications to stand at the same poker table as us."

She greatly appreciated this style of conduct.

She extended her slender finger, clad in a black glove, and gently caressed the writing on the tree trunk.

Then, she said to the hunched old man:

"Tell him Mu Changqing's 'root of illness'."

"Tower Master, this is a gold-tier intelligence..."

"No matter. Consider it an early investment from Shadow Tower in an excellent newcomer."

Ghost Hand interrupted him.

"I'm curious to see what new tricks he can pull off with this information."

The hunched old man said no more.

He took out a palm-sized mechanical bird from his in my arms, and tied a Jade Slip to its claw.

With a flick of his fingertip, the mechanical bird flapped its wings and silently flew into the depths of the Mist Forest... beneath the crooked-neck tree.

Jiang Chen slowly opened his eyes.

Just now, his Myriad Laws Dao Body clearly sensed two extremely subtle but chillingly murderous Auras.

They were not people from Hundred Herb Valley.

They were professional assassins.

He almost instantly guessed their Origin—Shadow Tower.

Therefore, he unhesitatingly chose to conduct a remote transaction.

He needed help to clear out those annoying flies.

And Shadow Tower needed profit.

This was a perfect collaboration, where each got what they needed.

A mechanical bird quietly landed.

Jiang Chen took the Jade Slip and extended his Divine Sense into it.

The next moment, a clear smile appeared on his face.

"Mu Changqing's Cultivation Technique, the 'Azure Wood Transformation Origin Art,' is a high-grade wood-element Cultivation Technique, ceaseless and best suited for prolonged combat. However, this Cultivation Technique has a fatal flaw: it is extremely repulsed by vile Death Qi. Once Death Qi invades the Meridians, the Azure Wood Qi will wither, and cultivation will be greatly damaged..."

Afraid of vile Death Qi?

Jiang Chen's gaze instantly turned to the black swamp that had just devoured a Hundred Herb Valley Disciple.

Beneath it, thousands of years of 'Earth Fiend Origin' had accumulated.

That was the condensation of all the death and decay in the entire Mist Forest.

It was an object of extreme Yin and filth.

His original plan was to use the Mist Forest's natural traps to slowly exhaust these pursuers to death.

But now, he had a bolder, more malicious idea.

He would take the initiative to attack.

He would prepare an unexpected 'grand gift' for that Late Stage Golden Core Elder Mu.

Jiang Chen stood up.

He no longer looked at the Hundred Herb Valley Disciples, whom he used as bait, now fleeing or fighting among themselves.

Those were just appetizers.

The real main course was about to begin.

His figure transformed into an afterimage, disappearing from his spot and heading straight for the black swamp that exuded the Aura of death.

Mu Changqing's patience was slowly being depleted.

Twelve Soul Lamp Jade Slips had shattered in less than half an hour.

The extinguishing of each name was like a heavy hammer, striking fiercely at his heart.

He had brought the elite Disciples of the Sect, the future Foundation of Hundred Herb Valley!

Now, they were being silently harvested like grass in this strange forest.

He finally abandoned the foolish idea of searching separately, gathered the remaining twenty-odd living Disciples, and, relying on his formidable Late Stage Golden Core cultivation, forcefully tracked the faint master-Disciple connection he had with Su Qingxue, pushing through everything.

Whether it was poisonous miasma or an illusion array ahead, he directly blasted them open with the most brute force of Spiritual Power!

Finally.

In the center of a clearing, ravaged by a swarm of bees, he found her.

He found his beloved Disciple, whom he had been thinking about constantly.

Su Qingxue.

She was curled up in the mud, her body bruised and swollen, her originally beautiful face completely ruined, her skin covered in holes from being gnawed, without a single intact spot.

Her cultivation was completely gone, making her even weaker than a Mortal.

Her Spiritual Roots were shattered inch by inch.

Her eyes were hollow and blank, containing only the most primal fear of this world.

She was still alive.

But her Soul was dead.

"Qing... Xue..."

Mu Changqing's voice trembled.

He walked over step by step, watching his most cherished Disciple, on whom he had placed his greatest hopes, turn into this inhuman, ghastly state. An indescribable fury and sorrow surged to his head!

"Ah—!!!"

A mournful roar, filled with endless killing intent, erupted from Mu Changqing's mouth!

Boom!

The pressure of a Late Stage Golden Core cultivator, no longer held back, swept out in all directions like a tangible furious tide!

Within a radius of several miles, all the trees were instantly crushed into dust under this pressure!

The earth trembled violently and cracked!

"Who is it?!!!"

"No matter who you are! Get out here!!!"

Mu Changqing's hair stood on end, his eyes blood-red, completely consumed by madness.

He wanted revenge!

He would tear the murderer who ruined his Disciple into ten thousand pieces and utterly annihilate his Divine Soul!

The only response was the dead silence of the forest.

"Not coming out?"

A ferocious smile appeared on Mu Changqing's face.

"Good! Very good!"

"Since you won't come out, then I will burn this forest, along with you, to ashes!!!"

He suddenly raised both hands to the sky.

Within his Dantian, the emerald-green Golden Core spun wildly!

Vast wood-element Spiritual Power was forcefully activated by him in an extreme manner, transforming into the most explosive fire!

Azure Wood Incineration!

The sky darkened.

Large swathes of fire clouds gathered above his head, illuminating the entire Mist Forest in a doomsday-like crimson.

The terrifying high temperature warped the air.

He would use absolute power to incinerate this strange forest and force out the rat hiding in the shadows!