143: escaped a disaster

Lin Chuping lay sprawled on the stone steps of the temple, covered in injuries, not even wanting to move a finger.

His voice was somewhat weak.

"System, are you sure this thing is called a 'mini-boss'? I've run back and forth five times and haven't even seen the main boss."

"Host, this System is very certain. Please, Host, look for reasons within yourself. Perhaps it's just your bad luck!"

Lin Chuping could barely accept this explanation.

If he encountered a mini-boss every time, his luck was definitely not good.

A typical unlucky person.

No, Lin Chuping, a seasoned internet debater, suddenly realized. The first rule of anti-internal friction: firmly oppose finding reasons within oneself.

"System, are you sure these mini-bosses can't communicate with each other, or be directly commanded by the boss?"

"..."

"System, you hesitated. What does your hesitation mean?"

Lin Chuping sprang up from the stone steps, the movement pulling at his wounds and making him grimace in pain.

"You're not serious, are you?"

"Damn it! System, were you feeling guilty just now?"

"Ding! This System is merely retrieving data from its database..."

"Ding my ass! You haven't 'dinged' much lately, so don't tell me you're not feeling guilty?"

Lin Chuping gritted his teeth, "Confess honestly, do these mini-bosses share vision?"

"Ding! According to the latest scan results... the three mini-bosses do indeed possess some form of psychic link..."

"I knew it!"

Lin Chuping was so angry he kicked a pillar in the temple, "No wonder every time I get close to the volcano, a mini-boss appears on cue!"

Even with the worst luck, it shouldn't be impossible to succeed even once.

"Host, but this cannot be blamed on this System..."

"If not you, then who?!"

Every time success was within reach, a wrench was thrown into the works.

Back and forth, five times!

Don't you understand the saying 'things don't happen more than three times'?

Fortunately, his inner core was strong enough; any ordinary person would have become reclusive by now.

After this summary, Lin Chuping felt pain everywhere, even old wounds that had fully healed were throbbing.

"System, if the mini-bosses are this powerful, what level must the main boss be?"

Just thinking about it filled him with despair.

He could currently fight a mini-boss to a standstill, neither able to kill the other, which sounded decent.

But! But!

With the Black Mist's enhancement, this thing was a perpetual motion machine!

But Lin Chuping got tired.

If the mini-bosses were so abnormal, what level must the main boss be?

"Host, the main boss's strength cannot be assessed."

"System, I don't want to hear your voice right now. I'm going to meditate and heal my injuries."

Lin Chuping wanted to do nothing but Cultivate right now.

This time was truly too stimulating. He didn't expect to leave the novice village and step directly into the ultimate realm.

"These injuries won't heal in less than ten days to half a month."

Lin Chuping mumbled, then continued to absorb Incense Value to heal. Usually, when injured, he would always think about rushing to clear monsters, but this time he was determined to remain calm.

"This time, until I Breakthrough, I will not emerge from seclusion!"

After saying this, Lin Chuping went directly into seclusion.

Leaving the System to continue maintaining the operation of the territory.

* * *

While Lin Chuping was in seclusion, Li Shun and his group stumbled along the winding mountain path of Qinglan Mountain.

The late autumn mountain wind carried a chill, making everyone's robes flap, and loose stones occasionally rolled down the cliff, eliciting a few suppressed gasps.

"Your Majesty, over a dozen people in the team have contracted corpse poison."

Wang Guanli, holding a medicine box, approached. His white hair was disheveled by the mountain wind. "Their wounds are blackened and festering; ordinary herbs can't suppress it at all."

The Black Mist was too potent. Even though everyone promptly covered their mouths and noses, just a slight skin contact or a small amount inhaled was enough to be uncontrollable.

Li Shun frowned and lifted the carriage curtain. Injured people lay haphazardly inside, their skin covered in dark green veins spreading like spiderwebs.

He reluctantly took out the jade bottle from his embrace—it contained the Nine Revolutions Soul Return Pill bestowed by Lord Chuping.

He hadn't even been willing to take it out when the Grand Tutor was so severely injured before.

Now, there was no other choice.

"Crush the Medicinal Pill into water, and everyone gets a bowl."

"We'll be in Qingzhou soon. Everyone, hold on a little longer."

Li Shun handed the jade bottle to Li Dequan, then turned his head, seemingly very reluctant.

"This is a divine medicine bestowed by Lord Chuping. If you want to give thanks, thank Lord Chuping."

Li Dequan trembled as he took the jade bottle. The moment he pulled out the stopper, a golden light spilled from the bottle's mouth, and a rich Medicinal Pill fragrance instantly overpowered the bloody smell in the carriage.

The injured people's ashen faces visibly improved somewhat.

"This, this..."

Wang Guanli's beard trembled violently. "No, Your Majesty, such a divine medicine... Your Majesty should keep it for emergencies."

"Crush it."

Li Shun stood with his back to the crowd, his voice tight. "This medicine was bestowed by Lord Chuping. Lord Chuping's magic power is boundless; he might have already foreseen this day."

"Now that I share the medicine with everyone, it does not dishonor Lord Chuping's prestige."

* * *

Immediately, a large iron pot was set up in the center of the camp.

The moment the Medicinal Pill entered the water, the entire pot of clear water turned into an amber elixir, with fine golden light floating on the surface.

The first veteran to receive the medicine had barely drunk half a bowl when he suddenly coughed violently, spitting out a pool of foul-smelling black blood.

"Poison!"

Someone cried out in alarm.

But the veteran wiped his mouth and joyfully moved his arm: "It doesn't hurt anymore! My wound doesn't hurt anymore!"

He tore open the bandages, and the previously festering flesh had already formed a layer of tender new skin.

"Incredible, this is expelling all the poison!"

"Long live Lord Chuping, long live His Majesty!"

The entire camp erupted.

Those who had taken the medicine knelt and kowtowed towards Qinglan Mountain, some crying and shouting Lord Chuping's name, while more turned towards Li Shun's tent and remained kneeling.

* * *

A day later, Li Shun led everyone to Qingzhou.

They had narrowly escaped disaster.

Other places were not so fortunate.

Due to the expansion of the Black Mist, the entire Great Yan south of the Wei River had descended into chaos.