22: A shocking change occurred in the herb garden, and a fist shook the four directions!

Shadows flowed, and the Void Realm rippled slightly.

Lu Qingxuan's figure moved like a ghost, weaving between shattered mountains and desolate ruins. The Shadow Void Evasion, combined with the newly acquired Concealment Technique (Purple), made him almost one with the shadows of this broken world. Even when he swept past some wandering remnants of ancient battle Souls, he didn't cause the slightest disturbance.

His target was clear: a dilapidated medicine garden about a hundred miles to the northeast, enveloped in a faint seven-colored glow.

According to the System scan and Divine Sense feedback, the Restrictions on the periphery of the medicine garden were severely damaged, but inside, many precious Spirit Medicine were still preserved, some thousands of years old, and a few even reached ten thousand years! The essence of life and the Dao rhyme of Law emanating from them would greatly benefit his Physical Body and Cultivation.

However, where there is Opportunity, there is also contention.

Before he even got close, Lu Qingxuan sensed several powerful Aura confronting each other at the edge of the medicine garden, their Swords drawn. Two of these Aura felt somewhat “familiar” to him.

With a thought, the System's vision extended into the distance.

At the entrance of the medicine garden, in front of a ruined Restriction light screen, three groups of people were in a standoff.

One side consisted of three Cultivator dressed in blood-red robes, their bodies wreathed in Evil Qi. The leader was a sinister-looking young man at the Golden Core Middle Stage, with the tags [Blood Fiend Demonic Technique (Purple)] and [Bloodthirsty Frenzy (Purple)] above his head. Judging by his Cultivation Technique, it was of the same Origin as the Black Fiend Cult, but seemed more refined and overbearing, indicating he was a true Prodigy secretly cultivated by the Black Fiend Cult.

Another side consisted of two Disciple dressed in Ten Thousand Swords Sect attire, one male and one female, both at the Early Golden Core stage. Their tags were mostly blue, primarily focused on Sword Dao. They stood back to back, nervously watching the other two parties. They clearly wanted to enter the medicine garden but were blocked.

And the last side had only one person. This person was dressed in luxurious brocade robes, with an arrogant expression. It was none other than the Young Lord of the Golden Splendor Sect, Jin Wufeng, who had been sent flying by Lu Qingxuan's Aura at the entrance and luckily survived! His face was still pale, and his Aura unstable, clearly indicating his injuries hadn't healed, but the resentment and greed in his eyes were stronger than before. He stared intently at a strange golden Spirit Plant within the medicine garden, resembling a coiling small Dragon, and the [Geng Metal Sword Body (Purple)] tag above his head was faintly glowing, indicating that the Spirit Plant held immense attraction for him.

“Jin Wufeng, your injuries haven't healed, yet you dare to interfere with this Dragon Saliva Golden Scale Grass? If you know what's good for you, scram!” The sinister young man from the Black Fiend Cult sneered, his tone chilling.

“Xue Li! Your Black Fiend Cult's claws are reaching too far! This Dragon Saliva Golden Scale Grass is a sacred medicine for Body Tempering my Geng Metal Sword Body, how can you demonic brats who Cultivate filthy blood techniques covet it?” Although Jin Wufeng was injured, his tone remained strong. His two companions were nowhere to be seen, likely having been separated or perished in the previous spatial turbulence.

The sinister young man named Xue Li's eyes flashed with bloodlust. “You're courting death! Since you're tired of living, this Young Lord will grant your wish. Your essence blood will be perfect for nourishing my Blood Fiend Demonic Technique!”

Before his words finished, the two Black Fiend Cult Disciple beside Xue Li had already attacked! Two streaks of Evil Qi, like blood pythons, carrying a pungent stench and a Soul-corroding shriek, coiled towards Jin Wufeng and the two Ten Thousand Swords Sect Disciple respectively!

“Senior Brother, be careful!” The female Disciple from the Ten Thousand Swords Sect cried out, her long sword emitting a clear glow, transforming into a circular Sword Screen to protect her body. The male Disciple also activated his Sword Arts, and streaks of Sword Qi crisscrossed, slashing at the blood pythons.

Jin Wufeng roared, forcibly suppressing his injuries, and activated his Geng Metal Sword Body. A metallic luster appeared around his body, and he pointed his fingers like a sword, unleashing a condensed but slightly unstable Geng Metal Sword Qi towards the incoming blood python.

Boom! Bang!

The roar of colliding energy erupted.

Although the Sword Light of the two Ten Thousand Swords Sect Disciple was sharp, their Cultivation was insufficient. They were repeatedly forced back by the blood python's Evil Qi, their Sword Screen on the verge of collapse. Jin Wufeng's Sword Qi and the blood python annihilated each other, but he himself was shaken by the recoil, his Qi and blood churning, and a trace of blood once again spilled from the corner of his mouth, aggravating his injuries.

“Too weak to withstand a single blow!” Xue Li grinned hideously, his figure shifting into a blood shadow as he personally attacked. A palm covered in viscous blood light shot straight for Jin Wufeng's crown, its palm wind foul-smelling, clearly containing potent poison and corrosive power!

A trace of despair flashed in Jin Wufeng's eyes. Even at his peak, he was no match for Xue Li, let alone now, severely injured.

Just at this critical moment—

“So many people, bullying an injured person. The Black Fiend Cult is as despicable as ever.”

A calm voice suddenly sounded, as if right beside everyone's ears.

Immediately after, a blurry phantom appeared in front of Jin Wufeng as if teleporting. Facing Xue Li's malicious blood palm, it didn't dodge or evade, but simply, with a straightforward punch, struck out!

This punch had no dazzling light, no earth-shattering momentum, only a sense of pure, extreme power, as if it could shatter mountains and penetrate stars!

Bang!!!

Fist met palm!

The anticipated scene of flesh and blood splattering did not occur.

To everyone's horror, Xue Li's blood palm, which could corrode metal and shatter Magic Treasure, upon contact with that seemingly ordinary fist, was like hitting an unshakeable divine iron barrier!

The viscous blood light instantly dispersed, and the grating sound of bones cracking was clearly audible!

“Ah—!” Xue Li let out a tragic scream, his entire right arm twisted and broken at an unnatural angle. He was sent flying backward faster than he came, as if struck head-on by a savage giant elephant, slamming heavily into the dilapidated wall dozens of feet away, raising a cloud of dust. His fate was unknown!

Silence!

A deathly silence!

The two Black Fiend Cult Disciple froze in place, their faces filled with terror and disbelief. The Young Lord... the Golden Core Middle Stage Young Lord, was actually... instantly killed with one punch?!

The two Ten Thousand Swords Sect Disciple also widened their eyes, their hands clutching their swords trembling slightly. They hadn't even seen how the newcomer had appeared!

Jin Wufeng's mouth hung open as he looked at the back of the figure in front of him. Although the person was wearing an ordinary black robe and their Aura was restrained, he instantly recognized the familiar feeling—it was the mysterious person from the entrance!

He... he actually saved him?

Lu Qingxuan slowly withdrew his fist, as if he had just done something insignificant. His gaze swept over the two terrified Black Fiend Cult Disciple, then glanced at the wary Ten Thousand Swords Sect Disciple, and finally rested on Jin Wufeng, whose expression was complex, behind him.

“Scram.”

One word, plain and unremarkable, yet it exploded in the ears of the two Black Fiend Cult Disciple like a thunderclap from the Nine Heavens.

As if granted a great pardon, the two didn't dare to utter a single harsh word. They scrambled towards where Xue Li had fallen, propped up the unconscious Xue Li, and fled in a panic, instantly disappearing into the horizon.

The two Ten Thousand Swords Sect Disciple exchanged glances, realizing that this mysterious person was not to be trifled with. They cupped their hands towards Lu Qingxuan: “Thank you, Your Excellency, for your assistance. We shall take our leave.” With that, they also quickly departed from this troubled place.

In a flash, only Lu Qingxuan and Jin Wufeng remained in the field.

Jin Wufeng's expression flickered, but he finally gritted his teeth and bowed to Lu Qingxuan: “Thank you... thank you, Your Excellency, for saving my life. I was blind and offended you at the entrance earlier. I hope you can forgive me.”

Although he was arrogant, he wasn't a fool. The other party's strength was unfathomable, and he had saved him. To put on airs now would be courting death.

Lu Qingxuan turned around, the shadow under his hood obscuring his expression from Jin Wufeng, who could only hear his calm voice: “The Dragon Saliva Golden Scale Grass is useless to me.”

Jin Wufeng was stunned at first, then overjoyed! The other party meant... they wouldn't compete with him for it? He quickly said, “Your Excellency's great kindness, Jin Wufeng will never forget! In the future, should you ever need anything, the Golden Splendor Sect will definitely...”

“No need.” Lu Qingxuan interrupted him. “I have no interest in the Golden Splendor Sect. You may do as you please.”

After speaking, he no longer paid attention to the overjoyed Jin Wufeng, his gaze turning towards the medicine garden enveloped in seven-colored light. What he was interested in was not the Dragon Saliva Golden Scale Grass, which only had miraculous effects on Geng Metal Physique.

In his System scan, deep within this medicine garden, a wisp of extremely subtle but high-quality Life-Death Dao rhyme lingered around a seemingly withered, inconspicuous gray sapling! Its tag displayed: [reincarnation sapling (Damaged) (Gold)]!

[reincarnation sapling (Damaged) (Gold): An Innate Spiritual Root sapling containing a trace of Reincarnation and Life-Death Law fragments. Although damaged, its Origin value is immeasurable. It can help one comprehend the mysteries of life and death, nourish the Divine Soul, and has a certain chance of Awakening special Physiques or Divine Abilities related to Reincarnation.]

This was his true goal for this trip!

As for saving Jin Wufeng, it was merely done out of convenience, to prevent this noisy fellow from disturbing him while he retrieved the treasure, and also to slightly compensate for the “Karma” of previously stripping his Geng Metal Sword Body Origin (although he felt there was no Karma to speak of).

Without further delay, Lu Qingxuan's figure flickered. He ignored the broken Restriction light screen, passing through it as if through water, and directly entered the interior of the medicine garden.

Inside the medicine garden, Spiritual Qi misted, and exotic flowers and rare herbs grew everywhere, their medicinal fragrance assaulting the nose. Thousand-year ganoderma, ten-thousand-year vermilion fruits, seven-colored glazed flowers... Spirit Medicine that would drive Golden Core cultivator mad in the outside world grew here like weeds.

Lu Qingxuan didn't even look at these, heading straight for the deepest part of the medicine garden.

There, the soil was an eerie grayish-white, as if all life had been drained from it. A small sapling, about three feet tall, entirely gray and withered, with only a faint, almost invisible tender green bud remaining at its tip, grew solitarily. Within three feet around it, not a single blade of grass grew, forming a stark contrast with the vibrant life outside.

But Lu Qingxuan could feel the immense and profound power of life, death, and Reincarnation contained within the withered trunk!

He extended his hand, cautiously reaching towards the reincarnation sapling, while simultaneously circulating his Chaos Core Essence to envelop his palm, lest he be harmed by the inherent Life-Death Law.

However, just as his fingertips were about to touch the trunk—

“Buzz!”

A sudden change occurred!

The seemingly lifeless reincarnation sapling suddenly erupted with monstrous gray light! A terrifying suction force, capable of reversing life and death and devouring everything, burst forth from the sapling! At the same time, the grayish-white soil around the sapling instantly animated, transforming into countless grotesque gray ghost hands, wreathed in dense death Qi, grabbing towards Lu Qingxuan!

This Innate Spiritual Root, even if damaged, had its own sentience and would not tolerate desecration!

“Hmph! A mere remnant spirit dares to resist?”

Lu Qingxuan's eyes turned cold; he had been prepared. He didn't retract his hand; instead, he sped up. In his palm, the newly refined Ice Soul Annihilation Divine Thunder suddenly erupted!

Hiss—!

The grayish-white Annihilation Thunder Light, carrying the terrifying power to freeze Souls and annihilate life, fiercely collided with the monstrous gray light!

There was no loud bang, only a grating sound of erosion and dissipation.

The gray light, imbued with the power of life, death, and Reincarnation, seemed to have met its nemesis before the extremely cold and desolate Ice Soul Divine Thunder, and was rapidly frozen, disintegrated, and purified! The grabbing gray ghost hands, upon touching the thunder light, instantly turned into ice crystals, then shattered into nothingness!

The reincarnation sapling trembled violently, and the tender green bud at its tip dimmed somewhat, clearly suffering significant damage.

Lu Qingxuan seized this Opportunity. His Chaos Core Essence transformed into a large hand, ignoring the residual resistance, and directly seized the reincarnation sapling along with a meter of surrounding soil, quickly sealing it and storing it in his System space.

[Obtained special item: reincarnation sapling (Damaged) (Gold)]

Success!

Lu Qingxuan's heart settled. With this item, his comprehension of the Life-Death Law, strengthening his Divine Soul, and even resisting Heart Demons when he forms his Nascent Soul in the future, would all receive immense assistance.

He scanned the other Spirit Medicine in the garden. Although precious, their usefulness to him was relatively limited. He wasn't greedy to take them all, only selecting a few ten-thousand-year Spirit Medicine with the most potent medicinal properties, suitable for Body Tempering or refining special Medicinal Pill, before preparing to leave.

Just as he turned, his brow furrowed slightly.

His Divine Sense perceived several powerful Aura rapidly approaching the medicine garden from a distance! One had Sword Qi soaring to the heavens, another had Buddha Light shining everywhere, and another... was bone-chillingly cold!

“Ling Tian, Jingang, Xuenu... they arrived quickly.” Lu Qingxuan instantly recognized the identities of the newcomers. Clearly, the energy fluctuations from his earlier clash with Xue Li and his retrieval of the reincarnation sapling had attracted these top Prodigy.

He didn't want to clash with these people at this moment. Although he wasn't afraid, there was no need to waste time.

The Shadow Void Evasion was activated again. His figure, like ink dissolving in water, instantly faded, about to completely vanish into the Void Realm.

However—

“Fellow Daoist, please stay!”

A voice, clear as an icy spring, rang out, accompanied by a chill that seemed to freeze space, instantly enveloping the entire medicine garden area. It was Xuenu!

At the same time, a Buddha Light, radiant as the great sun and carrying the supreme will to subdue demons, and an incomparably sharp Sword Intent, as if capable of cutting through everything, also locked onto this space from two other directions!

The Aura of the three parties intertwined, subtly forming an invisible cage that temporarily solidified and sealed the space in this area!

Lu Qingxuan's figure, which had just merged into the Void Realm, was forced to reappear.

He slowly turned to look at the figures slowly approaching from three directions.

From the east, Xuenu stepped on an ice lotus, her face peerless, her eyes cold and clear, snowflakes drifting around her, and the temperature plummeting.

From the west, Monk Jingang held a demon-subduing staff, his body radiating golden light, like a golden Arhat, his Aura fierce and unparalleled.

From the north, Ling Tian held an ancient sword, his eyes sharp as an eagle's, his entire being like a drawn divine weapon, his Sword Qi tearing through the Void Realm.

The three most top-tier Prodigy of the Eastern Domain formed a triangular formation, surrounding Lu Qingxuan in the center.

The atmosphere instantly became tense!

Ling Tian's gaze was like a sword, directly at Lu Qingxuan: “Your Excellency has excellent methods, able to silently infiltrate this place and retrieve treasures. I wonder if you would show yourself, so that we may witness which Fellow Daoist possesses such Divine Ability?”

Monk Jingang's voice was like a grand bell: “Amitabha, Benefactor's body possesses both Evil Qi and Buddha Light, and even harbors the true intent of my Buddhist Arhats. This truly piques this monk's curiosity.”

Although Xuenu didn't speak, her cold gaze already said it all.

Lu Qingxuan stood amidst the encirclement of the three, the shadow under his hood concealing his face. Only his calm voice emerged:

“Witness?”

“Curiosity?”

He gently shook his head, his tone carrying a hint of indifference and disdain.

“With just you... are you worthy?”