Chapter 31: Death by Heavy Blade

After a brief rest, the caravan resumed their journey, having consumed some dry provisions.

Navigating treacherous mountain paths under the cover of darkness.

It was unclear what these people were protecting or why they were hurrying so urgently. However, Chen Luo remained unconcerned; he continued studying the jade booklet and wouldn’t leave until reaching their destination. In the short time earlier, he had already allowed three ‘brains’ to comprehend it. Apart from the Imperial brain, none showed any response, suggesting that his initial guess was correct—the cultivation method within the jade booklet had inherent limitations, likely tied to spiritual roots.

These restrictions probably stemmed from one’s innate spiritual roots!

Under the protection of the caravan, Old Tian visibly relaxed, even humming a tune midway through the journey, feeling quite content.

“Up ahead is Yanzi Ridge with its dense forest. Everyone, stay alert,” came the voice of Old Tian’s nephew, Tian Daniu, leading the caravan.

At this warning, everyone heightened their vigilance, gripping their weapons tightly, ready to react instantly to any sign of danger.

“If not for the caravan’s protection, could we be traveling this comfortably?” Old Tian, trailing behind, seemed even more pleased.

The ancient forest lay dark and silent.

“Sometimes, being in a large group doesn’t guarantee safety.” Chen Luo, who had been lying quietly on the cart, suddenly sat up without anyone noticing.

His voice startled Old Tian.

However, Chen Luo paid no heed to him and focused his gaze ahead towards the dense black forest.

Advancing to the Third Realm of Bone Tempering not only increased raw strength but also enhanced overall perception significantly.

Just moments ago, amidst the wind, he detected the faint sounds of clashing blades. Though subtle, they did not escape his ears. As the caravan moved forward, the noises grew clearer. Additionally, the scent of blood mixed in the air became more pronounced.

A confrontation was taking place up ahead!

Who is the target?

Could it be this mysterious caravan?

Chen Luo’s thoughts raced as he cautiously tucked the jade booklet securely into his chest pocket.

“W-What do you mean?” Old Tian, already timid by nature, began trembling with fear at Chen Luo’s words.

“Stay vigilant.”

With a swift leap, Chen Luo disappeared from the caravan procession.

In the jianghu, survival often depended on caution. The caravan, being conspicuous, made concealing one’s presence difficult. Sneaking away would be easier; darkness served not just as cover for enemies but also for oneself.

Until the intentions of those ahead were clear, the wisest course was to remain hidden.

“Great Hero?!” Old Tian’s voice trembled with shock. When he turned back, Chen Luo had vanished from the ox cart, causing his heart to leap with anxiety.

“Oxie, Oxie!!”

At this moment, disregarding his nephew’s pride, Old Tian resorted to calling out Tian Daniu’s childhood nickname.

“What is it, Fifth Uncle?” Tian Daniu, who was on guard nearby, quickly approached upon hearing Old Tian’s call. As he moved, he glanced at the rear wagons and felt a sudden jolt - the young guest was missing! Could there be something suspicious about him?

“Danger ahead!”

Old Tian wasn’t foolish; he pulled his nephew aside, ensuring no one could overhear before whispering urgently.

“Fifth Uncle, did you discover something? Is it about your guest…” Tian Daniu’s heart skipped a beat as he checked around, making sure they were not overheard, then lowered his voice to ask.

“No, my guest is highly skilled. He warned me of danger just now and disappeared into the woods.” As Old Tian spoke, he began tugging his nephew along, ready to flee together. Having witnessed Chen Luo’s abilities earlier, he trusted his warning without doubt. Knowing the gravity of the situation, he couldn’t let his nephew face certain death.

“Hurry and hide with me; we’ll come out once it’s safe.”

“Fifth Uncle!” Tian Daniu firmly grasped his uncle’s arm.

As the caravan guard captain, he couldn’t simply run away based on Old Tian’s words; doing so would tarnish his reputation forever. Moreover, unlike his uncle, Tian Daniu wasn’t particularly convinced by the young man’s warning.

“If there truly is danger, we should stay here. The caravan has skilled protectors. Venturing into the dark outside only increases our vulnerability and puts us at greater risk,” argued Tian Daniu.

His logical reasoning gave Old Tian pause. Glancing at the pitch-black forest around them, fear instantly surged within him. While the youngster could navigate safely through the darkness as a martial arts expert, Old Tian knew he was not similarly equipped. A mere venomous snake lurking in these woods could easily claim his life.

“Let’s remain here for now and reassess after passing the old forest.”

Having calmed Old Tian, Tian Daniu resumed his patrol ahead.

With one last look at the ominous darkness of the forest, Old Tian felt utterly intimidated. Initially unconcerned, his nephew’s caution had now made him perceive even more peril beyond their current position.

In the shadows…

Leaving the caravan behind, Chen Luo ventured ahead into the forest.

He was determined to seize the spirit mine at all costs.

This endeavor directly impacted his future path. Acting before Prince Ning’s reinforcements arrived offered him the best opportunity; otherwise, once their main forces reached it, any chance of claiming the unique spirit mine would be lost.

The Bone Tempering Realm, though formidable, is not invincible. The imperial court also had numerous experts within this realm, and even beyond, reaching Zongshi level. For an individual to challenge a nation’s might is nearly impossible in low-level martial realms.

One must never underestimate the resources of a state apparatus. As a high-ranking authority within the nation, Prince Ning undoubtedly commanded substantial assets.

Precisely for this reason, Chen Luo needed the spirit mine to break through the current impasse. Moreover, he harbored a suspicion deep inside:

The mine in Qingya County could potentially be an immortal spirit mine! Only such a valuable resource could explain why Prince Ning risked assassinating royalty and slaughtering civilians. When the stakes are high enough, these individuals wouldn’t hesitate to betray even their ancestors, let alone just killing a few people.

After traversing through the old forest for some time, Chen Luo encountered a fork in the path.

He paused to observe his surroundings.

To the left was a dry dirt road, while to the right lay a damp, watery trail with faint sounds of flowing water audible. The clashing noises of weapons he had heard earlier originated from this direction.

‘Blood scent carried by the wind - follow the right path,’ one of the minds suggested within his thoughts.

Despite similar knowledge, different brains provided varying insights. Chen Luo glanced briefly to the left before ultimately deciding; with a swift movement, he headed towards the right.

As he continued deeper, the path became increasingly muddy.

The moist air saturated the ground, mixing with fallen leaves, causing soft squelching sounds beneath each step.

After proceeding further, Chen Luo abruptly halted.

Before him lay a corpse.

His choice proved correct; this was indeed the site of the recent battle. Initially, he suspected it might have been an ambush targeting the caravan, but now it seemed more like a vendetta between jianghu travelers. He had witnessed numerous such feuds during his days as a grave digger with Third Uncle.

The first batch of ‘brains’ that kickstarted his fortune was provided by individuals like these.

“Died from a heavy blade, truly unfortunate.”

Skilled as ever, Chen Luo put on deerskin gloves and flipped the body lying face-down in the mud. The person appeared remarkably thin and frail, with slightly roughened finger joints, suggesting they might have been a master of claw techniques. However, their death was gruesome - the head had been cleaved open, splitting the face in half from the nose down, resembling a cracked gourd split apart left and right. White brain matter mixed with the surrounding dirt, creating a horrifying sight.

‘Damage to brain: 100%, unable to retrieve memories.’

This was the first time Chen Luo encountered a brain completely unreadable. He surmised that this individual likely wasn’t a formidable warrior; otherwise, there should have been at least 1% retrievable information.