Chapter 139: Escaping and Returning

Having temporarily suppressed his injuries, Chen Luo let out a long breath.

He stood up, directing his gaze towards the spirit herb garden where the dried-up old ghost had gone earlier. The sounds from that direction had significantly diminished; it was unclear if they had met their end.

With no intention to investigate further, Chen Luo retrieved a medicinal pill. After replenishing some spiritual energy, he turned and began walking downhill. With the experience gained, he was now confident in finding the path off the mountain.

The Foundation Establishment array master’s mind sprang into action.

‘Stop.’

As Chen Luo approached a bend, ready to continue onward, his Foundation Establishment brain suddenly detected something amiss.

He halted, noticing a golden mark beneath a small stone. This mark closely resembled the immortal script he had studied but with slight variations. It was currently emitting a faint power, influencing the environment of the path. Earlier, this very mark had guided him to the hut’s courtyard.

With Chen Luo’s current knowledge, he couldn’t dismantle the mark, but he could use it to determine his direction.

‘Thirty steps to the left, then straight ahead.’

After searching briefly, Chen Luo’s Foundation Establishment intellect successfully determined the correct direction.

Looking that way, he found it filled with shattered stones and toxic mists, devoid of any clear path to step on.

He cautiously approached, then gritted his teeth and ventured forward, braving the broken rocks and poisonous haze.

As soon as he entered this area, a familiar sensation washed over him, indicating the formation’s effect. Once the feeling dissipated, Chen Luo discovered he had returned to Guo Mountain County.

His feet stood precisely at the end of the street.

The dilapidated restaurant appeared just as it did when he first ascended the mountain, its sign swaying and wooden doors creaking open.

“Wang Tianji, you treacherous dog! I won’t go down quietly—ahh!!”

Before Chen Luo could leave, an enraged roar echoed from behind on the mountain. Moments later, Lu Zhaotian burst out of the formation, Feng Shui compass in hand, followed closely by two others—the dried-up old ghost and Wang Tianji.

Sun Ji, wounded earlier, was nowhere to be seen.

Wang Tianji emerged with a grim expression, visibly thinner, and bloodstains on his hands. Considering the screams heard earlier, one could surmise what might have transpired.

Upon emerging from the formation, these two individuals didn’t spare even a glance for Chen Luo and immediately sprinted towards the entrance of Guo Mountain County.

“Hurry, escape! There’s a massive creature right behind us!”

Only when the dried-up old ghost spotted Chen Luo did a flicker of surprise cross his eyes, quickly turning into anxiety. After issuing a warning, he joined the others in their flight.

Chen Luo was no fool; witnessing this scene, he swiftly took to the air, following the trio ahead. With Lu Zhaotian holding the Feng Shui compass, they stood a strong chance of successfully leaving Guo Mountain County.

Roar!!

Moments after the three fled, waves rippled through the formation behind them, and a colossal monster shrouded in black mist emerged. Standing nearly eight meters tall, its body appeared composed entirely of jagged rocks, with a twisted, deformed corpse clutched in its grasp.

It was none other than Sun Ji, who had gone missing.

As the monstrous ogre materialized, the entire ground of Guo Mountain County began to tremble violently. The nearest inn collapsed instantly, its shattered wooden debris enveloped by the black aura and fused onto the monster, increasing its already imposing height by another two meters.

The fleeing group instinctively glanced back, feeling even more unnerved at the sight.

The monster’s aura now surpassed Peak Qi Refinement entirely. Under its influence, half of Guo Mountain County’s sky turned pitch-black. Within the swirling darkness, glimpses of the Mountain Spirit woman and the young scholar could be seen, along with a multitude of other malevolent spirits, resembling a chaotic dance of demons.

“How did you escape?” The dried-up old ghost glanced back at Chen Luo, who had caught up to them, and asked.

He recalled that Chen Luo didn’t possess a formation Feng Shui compass. If not for their good fortune in following Lu Zhaotian, they would have undoubtedly met their demise. Once fully activated, the formation became akin to a labyrinth, requiring a formation disc to navigate through safely.

Lu Zhaotian’s ten years of painstaking preparation proved immensely valuable.

“I guessed my way out,” Chen Luo replied, unwilling to explain further.

“Where is your refined corpse? And why does Fellow Daoist Wang look so emaciated?”

The dried-up old ghost noticed the changes among the trio; compared to when they parted ways at the second medicine garden, they appeared significantly worse off.

The dried-up old ghost’s prized refined corpse was missing, Wang Tianji had drastically lost weight, transforming from a plump figure into a gaunt one, and even the leader, Lu Zhaotian, wasn’t faring much better. Despite his current overwhelming presence, it was the result of employing a life-threatening secret technique. Once its power depleted, he might struggle to remain airborne.

“A monstrous creature slumbered within the third medicinal garden - it’s that thing right behind us. We were all caught off guard by its ambush.”

The dried-up old ghost wore a grim expression. This venture had proven disastrous for him; nearly all his refined corpses in the Corpse Nurture Bag were destroyed, including his lifebound zombie puppet, which was devoured by the colossal beast trailing them.

Suddenly, he glanced at Chen Luo.

Among the group of five, only Chen Luo hadn’t entered the third medicinal garden. Recalling how Chen Luo had earlier inquired about ‘evil fiends’ before entering, the dried-up old ghost felt increasingly uneasy.

‘Could this thing following us be the evil fiend?’

However, there wasn’t much room to question further at this moment. After all, they four had fled first, and falling victim to such circumstances could only be blamed on their misfortune.

“We’re here!” Lu Zhaotian, holding the formation disc, announced as he charged straight towards the stone wall ahead. His figure shimmered like light, distorted momentarily, and then vanished into thin air.

“Halt, you wretches!!!” Sun Ji, gripped tightly by the ogre, glared with bloodied eyes, his venomous gaze seemingly tangible. Unfortunately for him, none of the quartet, including Chen Luo, were weaklings, easily dismissing his malevolent stare.

The other three swiftly followed Lu Zhaotian, colliding with the stone wall.

Behind them, the ogre’s palm finally struck down, its terrifying black aura slamming fiercely against the wall. However, no matter how enraged it was, its strength could not penetrate through. The formation repelled everything back.

A familiar sensation of distortion washed over them, and when they regained their senses, the four individuals found themselves outside Guo Mountain County.

Bright sunlight streamed down from above, momentarily disorienting them.

Within Guo Mountain County, day and night had been indistinguishable, but upon emerging, they realized that dawn had already broken outside.

“Hahaha! Finally escaped.”

Wang Tianji, his expression grim, collapsed onto the ground and burst out laughing uproariously. On the other side, the dried-up old ghost sat panting heavily.

Lu Zhaotian fared worse; using a secret technique to flee Guo Mountain County, he crashed into a nearby tree immediately after escaping and fell unconscious.

“Mind-Focusing Grass, yes! My Mind-Focusing Grass.”

After his laughter subsided, Wang Tianji hastily reached for his chest and pulled out a bloodstained spirit herb.

Unbeknownst to Chen Luo, as he reached for the Mind-Focusing Grass, his pupils subtly turned dark red. The crimson glow flickered briefly, unnoticed by anyone present. It was not just him; the dried-up old ghost and Lu Zhaotian experienced similar effects, albeit with varying intensities—the red aura around the old ghost being the faintest.

“Evil fiends possess them; their days are numbered. Foundation Establishment cultivators specializing in divine souls can suppress it, but only Gold Core cultivators can ensure safety,” a thought from the mummified brain echoed in Chen Luo’s mind.

“Evil fiends possess them?” Chen Luo felt a chill, discreetly distancing himself from the trio.

“You didn’t find any Mind-Focusing Grass?”

The dried-up old ghost, oblivious to these subtle actions, was immersed in the relief and joy of surviving near-death and obtaining the Mind-Focusing Grass.

“No, I didn’t.” Chen Luo shook his head.

He mentally checked his bag of holding for the Mind-Focusing Grass, only relaxing once he confirmed its presence.

“I managed to grab an extra portion here, take it.” As the dried-up old ghost spoke, he retrieved a piece of Mind-Focusing Grass from his bag of holding and handed it to Chen Luo. This gesture caught Chen Luo off guard, indicating that the dried-up old ghost genuinely considered him a friend.

After glancing at the Mind-Focusing Grass in the dried-up old ghost’s hand, Chen Luo shook his head and declined.

“No need, I have other sources.”

Seeing this, the dried-up old ghost didn’t press further and put away the Mind-Focusing Grass.

The four rested for some time, gradually recovering their strength. Lu Zhaotian also regained consciousness, his face unnaturally pale, resembling someone ravaged by excessive indulgence or illness. Wang Tianji fared little better; during their escape, he had separated his flesh to evade a certain-death blow, inadvertently sacrificing Sun Ji in the process.

Although he survived, the injuries left their mark.

“Fellow Daoist Chen, you’re an alchemist?” Lu Zhaotian asked, looking at Chen Luo. The peculiar behavior of the dried-up old ghost earlier hinted at something significant.

“Yes,” Chen Luo affirmed.

“Can you concoct Foundation Establishment Pills?”

“I can,” Chen Luo nodded, understanding the implication behind Lu Zhaotian’s question. He saw no reason to hide it. These three had been cultivating longer than him, with considerable resources, making them potential high-value clients.

This Guo Mountain County expedition had taken a heavy toll on him, requiring extensive recovery upon return. The residual effects of the Foundation Establishment cultivator’s divine ability from the hut still lingered within him. Although he managed to suppress the injury, healing would necessitate substantial resources.

“Once I’ve recovered, I’ll seek you out for pill concocting, Fellow Daoist Chen.” Lu Zhaotian rose and solemnly bowed to Chen Luo. “I will pay double the market price.”

“That sounds fair.”

“I’ll join as well,” Wang Tianji also stood up, exchanging pleasantries with Chen Luo. After a brief conversation, they exchanged contact information before departing together. This left Chen Luo and the dried-up old ghost standing alone.

A cold wind swept past, lifting their garments.

“Now that everyone’s gone, can we discuss it?” The dried-up old ghost suddenly spoke. “Did you notice something earlier? And what about the evil fiend…”

Chen Luo glanced at the dried-up old ghost but did not elaborate fully. “Let’s return first. Just be cautious.”

He wasn’t sure of the state caused by the evil fiend’s possession; after the mummified brain’s warning, there had been no further reaction. Without knowing the specifics, he could only advise caution.

Hearing Chen Luo’s warning, the dried-up old ghost felt his heart sink.

It confirmed his suspicions; the entity within the hut had indeed left behind some lingering influence on them.

However, having reached this point, there was little he could do. They would have to proceed cautiously, one step at a time.

The two figures took flight, channeling their spiritual energy as they headed back towards Woodmount City.

Half a month later…

At Woodmount City.

Emerging from his secluded cultivation, Chen Luo assessed his physical condition.

The divine abilities left by the hut’s Foundation Establishment cultivator had been completely expelled, and his body had regained its peak state. The only lingering issue was the curse—the finger strike on the straw figure’s forehead posed a significant problem.

During this time, he had continually suppressed it with his Soul Technique. However, even then, he couldn’t fully eradicate the residual power of the curse. Despite persistent efforts, he managed to diminish it just slightly, leaving him far from complete recovery.

The most troublesome aspect was the ‘Soul Nourishing Pill’ mentioned by the mummified brain. Upon returning, Chen Luo asked Zhu Jie about it. He discovered that the Soul Nourishing Pill was actually a second-tier medicinal pill, which only Foundation Establishment alchemists were qualified to concoct. Its market price outside was exorbitantly high, often making it unavailable regardless of one’s spirit stone wealth.

For Chen Luo, this option instantly lost any practicality.

If he already possessed Foundation Establishment strength, there would be no need for such risky endeavors in Guo Mountain County. Realizing the tier of the Soul Nourishing Pill, he promptly abandoned this approach.

“By infusing Ink Dragon Tendril decoction with the Soul Technique, the recovery process can be accelerated.”

Fortunately, the mummified brain provided a second option.

The Ink Dragon Tendril was significantly cheaper and could be purchased even at the Qi Refinement stage. Over this period, Chen Luo had asked Zhu Jie to acquire quite a few for him.

“I’ll just have to endure it gradually.”

With a sigh, Chen Luo walked over and tossed the Ink Dragon Tendril into a furnace, gently heating it with low flames. After a short while, the water inside slowly turned ink black, releasing a strong aura of demonic energy. Chen Luo lifted the liquid, downing it in one gulp.

Cross-legged, he began circulating his spiritual energy, focusing the Soul Technique on his forehead.

Harnessing the power of the potion, he slowly eroded the curse lingering near his brow. After two hours, the potency of the potion waned, and Chen Luo gradually emerged from his cultivation state. Sensing that the curse’s presence had slightly diminished, he prepared another batch of the medicinal brew.

“It’s about time to start refining the Foundation Establishment Pill.”

Three days later, Chen Luo ceased his efforts to dispel the curse. The divine ability implanted by the Foundation Establishment cultivator wasn’t easily countered, so taking advantage of these favorable conditions, he decided to first refine the Foundation Establishment Pill.

He retrieved Mind-Focusing Grass and other ingredients, placing them on the table.