114: Chapter 114 Hidden Dangers

Gao Pan clenched his fist, his gaze becoming incredibly firm.

“This batch of resources is our capital to be reborn! From today until the start of the Martial Examination, all of us will enter closed-door cultivation!”

His gaze swept over each person as he began the post-battle distribution.

“Wulu, although this Fifth-Rank Cultivation Technique, the ‘Wild God Tyrant Body Technique’, does not perfectly fit your style, you can learn from its Body Refining methods. Combined with this Blood Ginseng King, it is enough to raise your Physical Body’s strength to the next level!”

“Yue Changkong, this is the complete Fourth-Rank version of the ‘thunderclap spear Art’, and this ‘Dragon-Tiger Pill’ is for you! I hope that at the Martial Examination, I can see your spear move faster than real thunder!”

“Qin Fang, these rare Ores all belong to you. I don’t care what method you use; I need you to upgrade everyone’s weapons by a grade before the Martial Examination begins! Especially the Qi-Breaking Divine Crossbow; I need a smaller, faster, and more powerful version!”

“Du Kang, you can use these rare medicinal herbs as you please. I need you to refine Medicinal Pills sufficient for us to handle all kinds of emergencies! Antidotes, healing pills, potential-stimulating pills—I want them all! Especially medicine that can suppress the aftereffects of the ‘boiling blood powder’; prioritize that!”

“Gong Qianxue, Xu Changqing, Yan Qingyun, the three of you will focus on this Sixth-Rank fragment, the ‘Illusion Heart Technique’, to enhance your Divine Soul power. You will be responsible for intelligence, planning, and perception, serving as our team’s sharpest eyes and smartest brain!”

“Big Fool...” Gao Pan looked at Big Fool and handed him an ancient animal skin scroll. This was one of their greatest gains from this trip, another Fifth-Rank Cultivation Technique, the “Thick Earth Prison-Suppressing Scripture”. “Your Bloodline talent is limitless; this Cultivation Technique will allow you to go even further.”

After distributing the resources to everyone, Gao Pan took a deep breath and carefully put away the handwritten letter from Prince Ying. In the future, in the Imperial Capital, this letter might become an unexpected pawn.

“As for me...”

A raging fire, unprecedented in intensity, burned in his eyes.

“I will use the residual medicinal power of the ‘boiling blood powder’ and the nourishment of the Spirit Spring to completely integrate that violent energy into my own body, to perform a true... Marrow Cleansing and Blood Changing!”

“This time, I will step into the Fifth-Rank Great Master realm with dignity!”

“Brothers!”

Gao Pan’s voice echoed in the valley, filled with endless passion and ambition.

“Our journey has only just begun!”

“Imperial Capital, here we come!”

...

Since the day the plans were made in the valley, Gao Pan’s team had entered a months-long, nearly insane period of closed-door cultivation.

The massive amount of resources plundered from the Liu Family treasury acted like the purest fuel, thrown into the furnace of cultivation by everyone without reservation, erupting with astonishing energy.

Under the dual nourishment of the “Wild God Tyrant Body Technique” and the Blood Ginseng King, Wulu’s Physical Body strength broke through its limits once again. Every movement he made carried the terrifying oppressive aura of a primordial beast.

With the help of the “Dragon-Tiger Pill”, Yue Changkong successfully cultivated the “thunderclap spear Art” to Major Achievement. His spear strikes were like lightning, faintly accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder.

As for Gao Pan, whose strength was already unfathomable, he successfully completed the “Marrow Cleansing and Blood Changing” that Martial Artists dreamed of, thanks to the combined effects of the Spirit Spring and the residual power of the “boiling blood powder”. He tempered his Qi and blood until they were like a rushing river, vast and mighty, officially stepping into the Fifth-Rank Great Master realm!

On this day, when Gao Pan opened his eyes, two beams of tangible, sharp light flashed from his pupils, actually piercing two bottomless small holes into a giant rock in front of him!

Feeling the surging power in his body, which was several times stronger than before, a confident arc appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Now, even if he encountered a Sixth-Rank Grandmaster like Wei An, he would have the strength to fight, even without using his trump cards!

“It is time to set off.”

...

Half a month later.

On a main road a thousand miles away from Wangjiang City, a small caravan consisting of three carriages was moving slowly.

At the lead was a “caravan manager” with an ordinary face and dark skin; it was none other than Gao Pan, who had undergone a simple disguise. Beside him followed a “handyman” with a build as sturdy as an iron tower who looked a bit foolish, and a “guard” with a cold expression. Naturally, they were Big Fool and Wulu.

This was their new identity for their journey to the Imperial Capital—a traveling merchant caravan from the Northern Territory responsible for escorting rare Ores.

The uproar caused by their chaos in Wangjiang City had, just as Gao Pan expected, set off a massive wave throughout the entire Great Qian Dynasty. Both the government and Prince Ying had issued high-priced bounties and wanted posters. Although they did not know the true appearances of Gao Pan and his group, the hunt for the “Seven Righteous Warriors of Rock” team had reached a point of extreme tension.

To avoid unnecessary trouble and to protect the other companions, Gao Pan finally decided to only take Big Fool and Wulu, who had the greatest strength and were the easiest to disguise, to take the first step and brave the road to the Imperial Capital.

As for Yue Changkong, Gong Qianxue, and the others, they were led by Xu Changqing, carrying most of the resources, moving slowly toward the Imperial Capital along a more hidden trade route, to meet up when the time was right.

“Boss, we’ve been walking for almost a month now, why haven’t we seen a shadow of any pursuers?” Big Fool asked incoherently while gnawing on a roasted chicken. “I thought I’d get to have a few good fights.”

Wulu scanned the surroundings vigilantly and said in a deep voice, “This is not normal. The calmer it is, the more it means that a bigger storm is waiting for us.”

Gao Pan looked up at the sky. On both sides of the main road, tree shadows danced, and a breeze blew, bringing a refreshing coolness. However, with his [Eye of Delusion Breaking], he could clearly see that a faint, cold murderous intent was permeating the air.

“Wulu is right,” Gao Pan said calmly. “It seems some people have already grown impatient.”

He reined in his horse, glanced at the lonely post station not far away, and said, “It’s getting late. Tonight, we’ll rest at the ‘Wind-Facing Post’ up ahead.”

The post station looked completely normal. The postman at the door was lazily yawning, and a few passing merchants were watering their horses in the courtyard.

But Gao Pan knew that the seemingly peaceful post station had actually long since turned into a death cage carefully prepared for them!

As soon as the three of them walked through the gate of the post station, the postman, who had been yawning, suddenly flashed a snake-like, vicious glint in his eyes!

The broom in his hand shook violently!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Dozens of poisonous needles, as thin as ox hair and flashing with a ghostly blue light, shot silently towards the three men’s backs like a rainstorm!

At the same time, the few merchants who were “watering their horses” also launched their attack simultaneously!

The horsewhips and water buckets in their hands actually contained hidden, deadly mechanisms! Countless hidden weapons quenched with potent poison sealed off all of Gao Pan and his companions’ paths of retreat from all directions!

This was a long-premeditated, absolute kill!

“Court death!”

Wulu roared, his reaction speed reaching the extreme! He pulled the giant axe from his back, not bothering to look at the hidden weapons, and instead hacked fiercely at a wall beside him with even more violent force!

Boom!

The earth and stone wall collapsed with a roar!

He actually wanted to use this most unreasonable way to smash out a path to survival!

However, just as the wall collapsed, a large net flashing with green ghostly light covered down from behind the wall!

The net was actually covered with sharp barbs and bells coated with deadly poison!

“Petty tricks!”

Big Fool snorted coldly. His sturdy body did not retreat but advanced, actively meeting the poisonous net!

Clang! Clang!

The barbs, which could easily tear through iron armor, scraped against his body, actually emitting a sound of clashing metal that made one’s teeth ache! They only left shallow white marks on his skin!

And those deadly poisons couldn’t even penetrate his flesh!

“Monsters! These two guys are monsters!” A scream full of shock came from the shadows.

“Don’t panic! Use the ‘Scorpion Tail Needles’! Break their defense!” A cold and steady voice quickly issued a new order.

As soon as the voice fell, seven black streams of light shot out simultaneously from the roof, windows, and even the ground of the post station!

The seven streams of light were as fast as lightning, and the angles were extremely tricky, shooting separately at the relatively weak joint vitals on Big Fool and Wulu’s bodies!

This was the combined technique that the “Poison Scorpion” team of the Green Clothes Tower was famous for—the Seven-Star Scorpion Tail Needles!

It is said that these needles were crafted from extraterrestrial meteorite iron, then tempered with forty-nine types of extreme poisons. They were indestructible and lethal upon contact! Even a Fifth-Rank Great Master, if caught off guard, would have to drink hatred on the spot!

Wulu and Big Fool simultaneously felt a fatal crisis!

They wanted to dodge, but the seven poisonous needles seemed to have eyes, following them like shadows!

It looked like both of them were about to die on the spot!

Just at this critical moment!

A golden figure suddenly appeared in front of them!

It was Gao Pan!

In the vision of the [Eye of Delusion Breaking], the trajectories of the seven poisonous needles were so clear and slow.

He didn’t even draw his weapon.

He just stretched out his right hand.

Then, with a speed that the naked eye could barely follow, he reached out like lightning! Grabbed!

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

A series of crisp sounds of clashing metal!

In the eyes of everyone, filled with horror, the seven terrifying poisonous needles that could instantly kill a Fourth-Rank Peak expert were actually steadily caught between Gao Pan’s two fingers!

“What?!” The cold voice finally carried a hint of uncontrollable panic! “Bare-handed... caught the ‘Scorpion Tail Needles’? This... this is impossible!”

“Is this all the Green Clothes Tower’s assassins are capable of?” A cold, mocking arc appeared at the corner of Gao Pan’s mouth.

His gaze pierced through layers of obstacles, locking accurately onto the Man in Black on the post station’s roof beam, whose aura merged with the surrounding darkness.

“The game should end now.”

Before the words fell, his figure suddenly disappeared from where he stood!

[Phantom Steps Without a Trace]!

The next moment, he appeared like a ghost in front of that Man in Black leader.

"So fast!" The captain's pupils constricted violently!

Without a second thought, he crossed the two poison-coated Judge's Pens in his hands to protect his chest!

However, what greeted him was Gao Pan's terrifying punch, which had long been ready and contained the power of wind and thunder!

"Wind and Thunder Annihilation!"

Boom—!!!

There were no flashy tricks!

Only the purest, most extreme power and speed!

The captain's body couldn't even put up a decent resistance before being blasted into a mist of flying flesh and blood by Gao Pan's overwhelmingly domineering punch, weapon and all!

One punch!

Instant kill!

As the thick blood mist slowly dissipated, Gao Pan stood alone on the roof beam, his clothes not even slightly disheveled.

His cold, knife-like gaze slowly swept over the remaining killers, who were already scared out of their wits.

"Now, it's your turn."

Half an incense stick later.

The entire post station returned to peace once again.

Only the thick, inseparable smell of blood in the air indicated what a tragic and one-sided massacre had just taken place here!

"Green Clothes Tower..." Gao Pan found a bronze token representing identity on the captain's corpse and frowned tightly.

He had originally thought the pursuit would come from the government or Prince Ying, but he hadn't expected the first to find him to be this top Jianghu assassin organization, known for being "omnipresent and unyielding"!

It seems that he was fated to take the blame for the destruction of the Wang Family and the theft of their Cultivation Technique.

"My Lord, what should we do now?" Wulu walked over and asked in a deep voice, "The Green Clothes Tower never gives up until they see their target. I fear we will face even crazier pursuit from them next!"

Gao Pan looked at the map in his hand and fell into deep thought.

Continuing along the official road as originally planned was safe, but it also made them the biggest target. The Green Clothes Tower's assassins could calmly set one trap after another.

But if they changed their route...

His gaze landed on a vast green area on the map.

[Yunmeng Marsh]!

That forbidden land located in the heart of the Great Qian Dynasty, nearly a thousand miles in radius, known as "nine deaths for every ten who enter"!

It was filled with venomous insects, permeated with miasma, and had an incredibly complex terrain, with marshes, dense forests, and underground rivers crisscrossing. What was even more terrifying was that countless powerful and terrifying Yao Beasts inhabited the depths of the marsh!

Even the most elite armies dared not easily step foot inside!

But precisely because of this, it was the best place to avoid pursuit!

"We won't take the official road anymore." Gao Pan quickly made his decision. His finger pressed heavily on the green area on the map.

"We will cross the Yunmeng Marsh!"

...

Three days later.

Yunmeng Marsh, outskirts.

A strange, hot, humid, and fishy-sweet smell rushed towards them.

Before them was an endless expanse of dark green marsh and strangely shaped, towering ancient trees.

From time to time, strange, unknown bird calls came from the air, adding a sense of gloom and eeriness.

"Goodness... this place makes my skin crawl just looking at it." Big Fool scratched his head and said, feeling a bit uneasy.

"Watch your step; every inch of land here might hide deadly danger." Gao Pan gave a reminder and took the lead, stepping into this land of death.

After entering the marsh, they truly realized its terror.

Ubiquitous deadly venomous insects.

Man-eating leeches hidden under the murky water.

And those elusive, ambush-prone marsh Yao Beasts.

If an ordinary person were to rush in, they probably wouldn't survive even a day.

But for the three of them, these were just minor troubles.

Big Fool's monstrous Physical Body almost ignored most physical attacks and toxins.

Wulu's rich wilderness survival experience and keen combat intuition allowed them to avoid the vast majority of dangers.

And Gao Pan's powerful [Eye of Delusion Breaking] was like a human radar, able to predict all traps and ambushes in advance!

Just like that, the three of them traveled through the marsh for five days without any major incidents.

On this day, they were resting on a relatively dry highland.

Suddenly, the sound of violent water churning and a girl's terrified scream came from a huge lake not far away!

"Help! Help!"

"There... there's a monster!"

The three looked at each other and immediately rushed towards the sound.

They saw that in the vast lake, a giant crocodile over a dozen meters long, its entire body covered with scales as hard as steel, was opening its bloody maw and frantically chasing a petite figure lying on a tattered wooden board!

That was a Peak Fourth-Rank Yao Beast—the Iron-Armored Crocodile King! It was the undisputed overlord of this water area!

The girl being chased was about fifteen or sixteen years old, wearing her hair in double buns, and dressed in a strange, brightly colored outfit that had long since been soaked and tattered. Her delicate, doll-like face was currently filled with terror and despair.

Seeing that the Iron-Armored Crocodile King was accelerating and about to swallow her and the wooden board in one bite!

"Vile beast! Cease your arrogance!"

A roar like a thunderclap!

Big Fool's sturdy figure leapt directly from the shore, drawing an exaggerated parabola in the air, and smashed into the water like an extraterrestrial meteorite!

Boom!

A huge splash of water shot into the sky!

The Iron-Armored Crocodile King was slightly stunned by this sudden turn of events.

Just at this moment, Big Fool's burly body emerged from the water, blocking perfectly in front of the girl!

"Roar—!"

Having its prey snatched, the Iron-Armored Crocodile King was instantly enraged! Its giant tail, like a steel whip, carried the terrifying force of tearing through the air as it fiercely lashed out at Big Fool!

Bang!

A deafening muffled sound!

Big Fool did not dodge or evade, taking this terrifying blow—which was enough to break a multi-story ship in two—head-on with his chest!

His body only swayed slightly before stabilizing.

And the Iron-Armored Crocodile King, on the contrary, had its tail somewhat numbed by the impact!

"What a hard rock!" The girl, lying on the wooden board, looked at the burly back in front of her, which seemed like a Heavenly God descending to earth; her large, lively eyes were almost popping out.

At this time, Gao Pan and Wulu had also arrived at the shore.

"My Lord, it's an Iron-Armored Crocodile King! This guy has thick skin and dense flesh, and it's incredibly troublesome in the water!" Wulu said in a deep voice.

Gao Pan nodded, but his gaze fell on the crocodile king's abdomen. There was a huge wound there, deep enough to see bone, seemingly caused by some Sharp Weapon. It seemed this beast was not in its prime state.

"Wulu, get in the water and restrain it!"

"Big Fool, main attack!"

"I will find an opportunity to deliver a fatal blow!"

Gao Pan quickly issued the combat orders.

"Yes! My Lord!"

Wulu roared and also jumped into the water! He was actually more agile in the water than on land! Like a true water dragon! The giant axe in his hand constantly left deep wounds on the crocodile king's body!

A tragic battle between man and beast broke out!

Big Fool transformed into the sturdiest meat shield, crazily wrestling and biting with the crocodile king from the front! Wulu, like the deadliest assassin, constantly harassed and bled it from the flank!

Gao Pan stood on the shore, his eyes fixed on the battle. He was waiting. Waiting for a chance to kill it in one blow!

Finally, under the crazy siege of the two, the Iron-Armored Crocodile King gradually became exhausted, revealing a huge flaw!

Now is the time!

A flash of light appeared in Gao Pan's eyes! The power of thunder within his body operated crazily, gathering at his fingertips!

"Thunderclap Finger!"

Whoosh!

A faint golden electric light crossed the distance of dozens of meters in an instant, as if teleporting! It precisely drilled into the old wound on the crocodile king's abdomen!

"Roar—!!!"

The Iron-Armored Crocodile King let out an unprecedented, miserable howl! The power of thunder raged and destroyed crazily within its body! It caused its massive body to instantly fall into a brief paralysis!

"Die!"

Gao Pan's figure had appeared above the crocodile king's head before anyone knew it! The iron spear in his hand had long been completely enveloped by that overwhelmingly domineering blood-red aura! He thrust the spear fiercely through the crocodile king's crown!

Pfft!

The spear tip pierced through its lower jaw!

The massive body of this Fourth-Rank overlord that rampaged through the marsh suddenly stiffened, the vitality in its eyes quickly faded, and it finally slowly sank to the bottom of the lake.

"Wow—! So amazing! So amazing!"

On the shore, the rescued girl had long been rendered speechless by the thrilling scene just now.

She looked at Gao Pan, who was walking slowly from the water, holding a huge Yao Beast core, her large, lively eyes filled with glittering little stars.

"Big Brother! What's your name? You are so handsome! You're ten thousand times more amazing than those bragging Elders in our Sect!"

The girl jumped off the wooden board and ran to Gao Pan, chattering with a face full of admiration.

Her personality seemed extremely lively and cheerful; having just experienced a life-and-death crisis, she had already recovered her spirits.

"Gao Pan." Gao Pan spat out the two words indifferently.

"Brother Gao Pan!" The girl immediately called out affectionately, "My name is Qin Yueyao! Hehe, you can call me Yaoyao!"

"I snuck out of the Sect to play. As a result, I accidentally got lost in this marsh. Then I met that ugly giant crocodile." She stuck out her tongue mischievously as she spoke, looking extremely cute.

"Brother Gao Pan, are you guys here to play too? This place is so dangerous. Why don't you come with me? I know a little bit about mechanism Formations, I can protect you!"

Looking at this girl who was clearly a bit "familiar upon first meeting," Gao Pan shook his head helplessly. He took out some dry rations and handed them to her.

"Eat something first."

"Wow! Thank you, Brother Gao Pan!" Qin Yueyao took it without hesitation and started eating in big mouthfuls.