232: Turbulent times at the inn, murderous intent in the dark.

Yao Chen led Li Ao and Medusa through several iridescent, suspended jade bridges to an elegant guest house nestled in a secluded mountain valley.

The environment here was tranquil, with Spiritual Qi and medicinal power intertwined, making it an excellent place to Cultivate; it was clear Yao Chen had put thought into the arrangement.

“Young friend Li Ao, Your Majesty, please rest here for the next few days.

Should you need anything, feel free to instruct the attendants outside,” Yao Chen said, his attitude still polite, but his eyes now held more caution and scrutiny than before.

“In three days, this old man will come to escort young friend to the Ancestral Shrine Secret Realm.”

“Thank you, Elder Yao Chen,” Li Ao nodded in gratitude.

Yao Chen hesitated for a moment, then whispered, “Young friend, Elder Yao Wanhuo has an arrogant temperament, and today’s incident will likely not be easily dismissed.

His faction holds considerable power within the Clan, so young friend must be careful.

Furthermore, not everyone in the Clan is prejudiced against outsiders; there are also enlightened individuals like the Clan Chief, but…”

He did not finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear: the Medicine Clan’s internal affairs were complex.

“Thank you for the Elder’s reminder; I know what I’m doing,” Li Ao’s expression remained unchanged.

When soldiers come, use generals to block; when water comes, use earth to cover.

Before absolute strength, petty schemes are nothing more than a clown’s antics.

Seeing this, Yao Chen said no more and cupped his hands in farewell.

Only Li Ao and Medusa remained in the guest house.

“This Medicine World is quite a good place,” Medusa said, sensing the rich energy around her and nodding slightly, “However, there are also many insects lurking in the shadows.”

Her Seven-Colored Dou Qi eyes coldly swept over several inconspicuous corners outside the guest house, where a few extremely subtle Auras were probing, clearly sent by certain individuals as their eyes and ears.

Li Ao paid it no mind, sat cross-legged, and connected his mind with the fragment of the “nirvana ancient talisman” in his embrace.

After entering the Medicine World, the fragment’s sensation had indeed grown a trace stronger, subtly pointing towards the deepest part of this continent, the core area shrouded in dense energy mists—the direction of the Yao Clan Ancestral Shrine.

“We’ll just wait and see,” Li Ao closed his eyes, continuing to comprehend the Guixu Great Dao, while simultaneously extending a wisp of Divine Sense to envelop the entire guest house; no disturbance could escape his perception…

At the same time, in the core area of the Medicine World, within a magnificent hall.

Yao Wanhuo’s face was ashen, and he slammed his palm onto a white jade tea table beside him, shattering it to pieces.

“Arrogant! Utterly arrogant!” he roared, furious.

“A junior from the outside dares to be so presumptuous in my Medicine Clan’s territory!

And that Yao Chen, a traitor!”

Below him, several of his trusted Elders and disciples were silent, trembling.

“Father, are we just going to let this go?” a young man with a face somewhat similar to Yao Wanhuo’s asked unwillingly; he was Yao Wanhuo’s son, Yao Tian.

“Let it go?” Yao Wanhuo’s eyes were sinister.

“How is that possible!

If this child is not dealt with, what face will my faction have left?

Moreover, that strange power he displayed… is far from ordinary; if we can force it out of him…”

A hint of greed flashed in his eyes.

At his Realm, power that he found incomprehensible was immeasurable in value.

“But his strength is unfathomable; even your Aura…” another Elder hesitated.

“Hmph, a powerful Dragon doesn’t oppress a local snake!

In the Medicine World, it’s not for an outsider like him to run wild!” Yao Wanhuo sneered.

“If overt means don’t work, we’ll use covert ones!

Within the ‘Medicine Stone Heart Inquiry’ Secret Realm, with the Formation isolating it, a little ‘accident’ happening would be perfectly normal…”

He lowered his voice and gave a few instructions to his confidantes, and their faces all revealed knowing, sinister smiles…

That night, the moon and stars were sparse, but the Medicine World was not entirely peaceful.

Outside the guest house, those probing Auras still lingered.

In the quiet room, Li Ao suddenly opened his eyes, a cold glint flashing within them.

“They’re here.”

Medusa also rose at the same time, her Seven-Colored Dou Qi hidden but ready to erupt, like an ancient venomous python poised to strike.

Around the guest house, a layer of extremely faint gray mist, almost blending with the night, had silently spread at some point.

This mist was soundless, yet carried a strange power that corroded the Soul and numbed perception, slowly seeping towards the guest house.

At the same time, four shadowy figures, like ghosts, quietly emerged from the Void Realm.

They wore night-cloaks, their Auras completely contained, and their movements caused no spatial fluctuations, clearly indicating their mastery of stealth and assassination techniques.

Their strength had clearly reached around the Five-Star Dou Zun Realm!

The four cooperated seamlessly; one controlled the gray poisonous mist, while the other three held short daggers, poisoned and glinting with a cold, ghostly blue light.

Like venomous snakes in the dark night, they struck from three incredibly tricky angles, aiming directly for the vital points of Li Ao and Medusa in the quiet room!

This strike was silent, yet utterly ruthless!

Even a high-level Dou Zun, caught off guard by such a sneak attack, would find it extremely difficult to survive!

However, they were facing Li Ao.

Just as the poisonous mist touched the guest house’s barrier, and the three assassins’ daggers were about to reach their targets—

Li Ao didn’t even get up.

He merely brought his fingers together like a brush, using the Void Realm as paper, and casually made a few strokes.

There was no earth-shattering commotion, only a subtle ripple, as if rules were being forcibly rewritten.

The first stroke: the encroaching gray poisonous mist was instantly wiped away as if by an invisible hand, vanishing without a trace, leaving not even a hint behind.

The second, third, and fourth strokes were directed respectively at the three dark figures attacking with daggers, and the hidden individual controlling the poisonous mist in the distance.

The four powerful assassins, their faces still holding the cold determination of their ambush, had their eyes instantly replaced by boundless fear and bewilderment.

Their bodies, starting from the point where Li Ao’s finger had traced, silently disintegrated and crumbled like weathered sand sculptures, turning into the finest particles and returning to nothingness.

Along with the poisoned daggers in their hands, the clothes on their bodies, and all traces of their existence, everything was utterly “returned to nothing” under that single gesture!

From the start of the attack to the complete annihilation of the four, the entire process took less than a breath, so fast that it seemed as if nothing had happened.

The night breeze was still gentle, the moonlight still clear and cold; only the few probing Auras outside the guest house instantly became chaotic and terrified, then fled in panic like startled rabbits.

Li Ao withdrew his fingers, his eyes as still as an ancient well, as if he had merely brushed away a few flies.

“It seems someone doesn’t want us to peacefully participate in the ‘Medicine Stone Heart Inquiry,’” Medusa’s voice was icy, laced with killing intent.

“Mere clowns,” Li Ao said indifferently, “This debt, we’ll temporarily record it.

After the ‘Medicine Stone Heart Inquiry,’ we’ll settle it all at once.”

He closed his eyes again, returning to meditation.

But this brief and bizarre assassination tonight, and Li Ao’s incredible method of resolving it, were like giant stones thrown into a calm lake, stirring up even greater waves and… apprehension in the hearts of certain high-ranking members of the Medicine Clan.

Yao Wanhuo soon received reports of the failed assassination and the disappearance of the four individuals.

He stood stunned for a long time, a chill rushing from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.

“Rule erasure… it really is rule erasure…” he muttered, his face pale, “This child… is he human or ghost?!”

For the first time, he felt a hint of regret for provoking Li Ao.

Meanwhile, in the deepest part of the Medicine World, within a simple and unadorned ancient hall.

An old man dressed in sackcloth, his face blurry as if merged with the surrounding space, slowly opened his eyes; within them, sun, moon, and stars seemed to be born and perish.

He looked in the direction of the guest house and murmured to himself:

“The Aura of Returning to the Void… and the fluctuations of the nirvana ancient talisman…”

“After so many years of waiting, finally… a variable has appeared…”

“It seems this Medicine Ceremony won’t be boring after all.”