93: Deep Pit
"Now, if I were to encounter that pack of wild dogs again, I believe I wouldn't be in such a sorry state..."
But Han Yi thought of Elder Li's strength during the Tongmai Stage, which ranged from '105-160', and sighed inwardly.
"It's not enough, keep cultivating!"
With a 'pop', Han Yi opened the medicine bottle, and a delicate fragrance entered his nose.
Gulp!
An Essence Blood Pill went down. After a moment, waves of warm currents surged up and merged into the turbulent blood and qi within Han Yi's body like a river. Subsequently, the river became even mightier and more vigorous.
Han Yi made a decisive move and circulated the Yang Yuan Skill.
[Realm]: Refining Blood (19/100)
[Cultivation Methods]: Yang Yuan Skill (Incomplete, Trait: Rejuvenation, Minor Accomplishment 5/50, Can be improved); Jade Bone Skill (Mortal Grade, Traits: Strong Bones, Body Protection, Great Accomplishment, Cannot be improved)
"Hoo..."
Han Yi let out a long breath and calmed his breathing. He stretched his limbs and bones, and as he stretched and loosened them, his entire body's bones made 'crackling' sounds.
This Essence Blood Pill truly lived up to its reputation as the most suitable pill for Martial Artists in the Refining Blood. Just one pill was equivalent to a month of arduous cultivation.
There were three Essence Blood Pills in this bottle. He had used one Class C-Midachievement (merit) from the Bureau of Unusual Matters to exchange for them. Calculating it, this bottle of pills cost three hundred taels of silver!
Rustle, rustle
The ingredients of this Essence Blood Pill contained the essence of demonic beast flesh and blood, along with precious medicinal herbs like ginseng. It was most effective in nourishing the spleen, benefiting the lungs, promoting fluid production, and invigorating the blood.
At first, Han Yi didn't notice, but after the medicinal effect fully took hold and the blood and qi in his body became stronger, he felt his face turn red and his ears burn, and his whole body became unbearably hot. So, he went to the well in the courtyard to take a cold shower.
"I... want to go back and see Mother..."
With a creak, the courtyard gate opened.
Qian Xue and Han Yi, who was taking a shower, happened to meet each other's eyes.
Han Yi's eight-pack abs, like they were carved by a knife and axe, were fully exposed. Fortunately, he was only naked from the waist up.
"Ah!"
"Han Yi, you, you..."
Qian Xue, who had been feeling a bit melancholic, instantly had her tender little face turn crimson with embarrassment.
She ran a short distance, covering her eyes, and like a startled deer, she dashed into her room.
"Hehe..."
Bai Sanren stroked his long beard, squinted his eyes, and slowly walked into the courtyard with a smile.
"Han Boy, it's late now, get some rest early. I'll tell you some things tomorrow..."
"Okay."
Han Yi nodded in response and returned to his room. Before falling into a deep sleep, he felt a bit tired from fighting Iron Kill for a long time that day.
In a dense forest, the breeze was cool, the moonlight was bright, and a large jade disk-like moon hung in the sky, showering the earth with countless moonbeams. The night scenery here was beautiful and pleasant, truly a time of beautiful scenery and good fortune.
Caw, caw, caw
In the dense forest, a flock of crows suddenly took flight. Their hoarse and unpleasant cries, however, disrupted the tranquil atmosphere. They flapped their black wings and circled in the air, reluctant to land, and several feathers fell from the sky.
"Those behind, hurry up and follow!"
Moo, moo, moo
"Damn it, hurry up!"
Crack!
The cart driver flicked his whip and lashed out fiercely.
Moo!!
The old ox cried out in pain, mooing miserably, and the caravan started moving again.
Creak, creak!
The wheels of the ox cart were deeply embedded and moved with a 'creaking' sound from the hubs, as well as the 'clanking' sound of iron chains...
On the ox carts were some wooden cages about two meters high, all covered with black cloth.
Although it was impossible to see what was inside, occasionally when the old ox stumbled and the cart swayed, a corner of the black cloth would be revealed.
Inside, some women were sitting, and some young men and strong laborers were also sitting. But regardless of gender or age, everyone had their heads covered with black cloth, their mouths stuffed with rags, and their hands and feet bound with iron chains. The chains were rusty and even had traces of blood, seemingly having been used for a long time.
Inside the cages, the smell was incredibly foul. The smell of sweat, foot odor, and saliva mixed together, and there was even a faint smell of feces and urine from those who had lost control of their bladders and bowels.
This moving convoy consisted of a total of five ox carts. Each ox cart had one cage, and each cage was packed full with seven or eight people!
Crack!
Another whip came down.
The old ox cried out in pain, mooing sorrowfully, its four hooves moving wildly, but it still refused to move.
Crack, crack, crack!!
The cart driver became enraged and whipped it fiercely several times in a row.
Fresh blood oozed from the ox's back, staining the whip. The old ox kept mooing piteously, but its hooves wouldn't move an inch!
"Forget it, you guys go back first..."
At the front of the caravan, a short, thin, and expressionless man said softly.
His voice wasn't loud, but it covered the roars of the animals, and everyone heard it clearly.
It was strange to say, even though the leader's pace didn't seem fast, like he was taking a stroll, the ox carts simply couldn't catch up.
"Yes, Big Brother..."
The cart driver hastily agreed. He quickly called his companions to get off the carts and unload the wooden cages.
Under the bright moonlight, it was revealed that these busy cart drivers were dressed like mountain bandits. However, these mountain bandits, who usually killed, set fires, robbed homes, and committed all sorts of evil, now only had fear on their fierce faces.
"B-Big Brother, all the 'goods' have been unloaded..."
"Okay, you guys go back first. If there is any news of Iron Kill, notify me immediately..."
"Yes, Big Brother!"
The cart-driving bandits, who had been timid and felt like they were sitting on pins and needles, felt as if they had been granted amnesty upon hearing this and scurried back onto the ox carts.
The cart-driving bandit quickly turned around and headed back. Inadvertently, he glanced back and saw that the Black Rock Mountains behind him seemed like a colossal beast in slumber. With each breath, the surrounding light dimmed slightly.
Thump!
The cart-driving bandit's mind was almost intimidated by the darkness behind him. His arm went soft, and the whip in his hand fell onto the ox cart.
He hurriedly picked it up, whipped the ox several times, and sped up.
It's not that I'm timid, it's that 'Lord' in that deep pit is too terrifying...
The cart-driving bandit excused his actions, but then he thought of the scene at that time, and his face turned deathly pale again.
The leader, called 'Big Brother', didn't hesitate. He gently pinched the iron chains connecting the wooden cages and exerted a little force with his arm.
One wooden cage weighed over a thousand catties, and five wooden cages combined were probably six or seven thousand catties.
But in the hands of this expressionless man, these heavy objects moved quickly and steadily as if they were weightless.
Swish!
He walked as if taking a leisurely stroll, turning towards the deep darkness behind him, which was the direction towards the depths of the Black Rock Mountains.