Chapter Ninety-Seven: The Hazy Mountain Valley

“Very well. I, Lu, will obey Brother Bai’s arrangements.” Lu Tiannan answered with deference. Being able to rid themselves of Jiang Yan also pleased Lu Tiannan greatly; after all, there was deep enmity between Mount Heaven and Mount Hua, and several attempts to wipe out the disciples of Mount Hua had instead ended with Mount Hua striking back. Borrowing the blade of the Golden Flame Sect to eliminate Mount Hua was an idea that moved Lu Tiannan considerably.

Brother Bai cast a strange glance at Lu Tiannan. This man had encountered the five of them while they were fleeing from the pursuit of the golden-furred flesh bear. Thanks to the cave he had found, the group had escaped the bear’s tracks, and since he too was a cultivator at the great completion of Qi Refinement, Brother Bai, then the highest-ranked person in the party after Elder Xie’s death, had agreed to his request to join the Golden Flame Sect’s team.

Yet after joining them, Lu Tiannan had been timid in everything he did, always walking at the rear on the road, and when it came time to slay demonic beasts, he merely kept watch. Of course, he did not dare ask the Golden Flame Sect’s people to share in the beast cores.

This time, however, Lu Tiannan was unexpectedly proactive, and Brother Bai found it rather curious. Curious as he was, though, with Jiang Yan and the others about to vanish into the depths of the narrow mountain path, Brother Bai waved a hand. “After them.”

Lu Tiannan took the lead and rushed to the front. Brother Bai, though not old, was highly capable as well, and closely followed behind Lu Tiannan as they chased after Jiang Yan and the others.

Disciple Song and the young man surnamed Yang were somewhat lacking. Though both were also at the great completion of Qi Refinement, they fell far short of Brother Bai and Lu Tiannan, and were left far behind.

Seeing Lu Tiannan and the disciple surnamed Bai in pursuit, a flash of intent crossed Jiang Yan’s face. He reached out and grabbed Tang Wan. “Junior Sister, go.”

The two no longer concealed themselves. Casting the Earth-Striding Golden Light Art, they turned into two streaks of gold and hurried through the Valley of the Man-Eating Flowers.

Swish, swish...

Within the valley, green trees stood in dense clusters and white blossoms filled the eye. Between the trees, along a narrow path, two golden rays flashed swiftly through the towering foliage, speeding toward the valley’s central reaches.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...

Behind the golden light, several yellow and white figures trailed after them, moving with considerable speed as they continued the pursuit.

Swish.

Jiang Yan landed from the golden light and stopped outside the entrance to a valley shrouded in thick fog. After carefully studying the land within, a resolute look crossed his face.

“Senior Brother,” Tang Wan also descended from the golden light and stood beside Jiang Yan. Looking at the valley ahead, she said with some hesitation, “This valley seems rather off.”

Jiang Yan turned his wrist, and the talisman map reappeared in his hand. Within his sea of consciousness, his spiritual sense surged outward from his body, enveloped the talisman map, and carefully examined the terrain inside the valley.

“This valley is indeed unusual. It is full of hidden dangers. Man-eating flowers comparable to Qi Refinement level seven cultivators are everywhere. If one steps into the valley and makes even the slightest mistake, there will be nothing left but bones.” Jiang Yan studied the talisman map as he spoke to Tang Wan.

On the talisman map, four red dots were rapidly closing in on Jiang Yan’s position. Their speed was quite fast, and they might reach this valley entrance very soon.

Jiang Yan turned his palm over, and the talisman map vanished once more into his hand. Taking a few steps forward, he entered the valley entrance and said to Tang Wan behind him, “Wan’er, once we’re inside the valley, stay right behind me. Don’t miss even a single step. If you do, the two of us may both perish here.”

Tang Wan’s brow tightened with solemnity. She took a few steps forward and stayed closely behind Jiang Yan. “Please rest assured, Senior Brother. I’ll stay right with you. If I take a wrong step, then Senior Brother should just escape alone.”

Jiang Yan frowned and turned back to look at her, his face full of reproach. “Wan’er, as the leader of Mount Hua, your senior brother will not abandon you to flee alone. You only need to remember to keep closely with my steps. If anything happens in between, I will handle it myself.”

The moment he stepped into the thick fog, Jiang Yan’s brows drew together. Visibility within the mist was extremely poor; with the naked eye, one could barely see half a meter ahead. Jiang Yan glanced down, but because the fog was so dense, even the ground beneath his feet was indistinct.

“Aah.”

As Tang Wan stepped into the valley, the tip of her shoe struck the back of Jiang Yan’s heel, and before she could react, she fell forward against his back.

“Senior Brother,” Tang Wan struggled to regain her footing.

“Jiang Yan of Mount Hua, I see you.” Lu Tiannan’s voice rang out at the valley entrance. Though Lu Tiannan’s movement technique was far inferior to Jiang Yan’s Earth-Striding Golden Light Art, he had reached the great completion of Qi Refinement, and his speed was still quite fast. Soon after, the voices of the Golden Flame Sect disciples echoed from not far behind Jiang Yan.

There was no time. Jiang Yan reached out and caught Tang Wan, who was still struggling to steady herself, then used force at his wrist to haul her up onto his back. “Wan’er, the situation has changed a bit. The fog in this valley is too thick, and the ground cannot be seen with the naked eye. I’ll carry you now. Pay attention to the people from the Golden Flame Sect behind us.”

Tang Wan was suddenly lifted by Jiang Yan and her heart gave a violent start. If Lu Tiannan had not already been close behind, she would almost have cried out. Only after hearing Jiang Yan did she understand her senior brother’s intention. She lowered her body slightly and pressed herself against Jiang Yan’s back, but her gaze never left the few people behind them until she was completely swallowed by the dense fog.

The moment Tang Wan lowered her head, a distinct masculine scent struck her nose, carrying a bit of sweat and a faint fragrance of spiritual energy—yes, a fragrance... Her cheeks flushed red as her supple, graceful body lay against Jiang Yan’s back.

Jiang Yan, however, had no mind for anything else. He was driving himself at full force, mobilizing the spiritual sense in his sea of consciousness. This was the first time since forming his sea of consciousness that Jiang Yan had called upon his spiritual sense without reservation.

Hum...

Jiang Yan felt a violent tremor at his brow. A powerful spiritual sense burst from his body in an instant, spreading around him in all directions. The fine threads of spiritual sense turned with his will, forming arrow-like points that revolved around him in circles.

His neck suddenly tightened. Jiang Yan caught a faint fragrance of a woman, and then saw Tang Wan’s arms already looped around his neck. Turning his head, he saw her lovely face bearing a trace of alarm, and within that inexplicable fear was a fragile expression that made Jiang Yan’s heart quiver.

After the spiritual sense had swept around once and clarified the situation ahead, confirming a place to step, Jiang Yan finally took a step forward. Carrying Tang Wan on his back, he disappeared completely into the thick fog of the valley.

“Wan’er, what is the matter?” Jiang Yan could not help but feel concerned at her expression, though his steps never ceased.

Tang Wan’s soft, fragrant arms encircled Jiang Yan’s neck. She lifted a hand to smooth the bangs before her forehead and said with a hint of fear in her voice, “Senior Brother, just now Wan’er felt terribly afraid—afraid from the bottom of my heart, as though something here could harm us.”

Jiang Yan kept moving, taking another step forward as his spiritual sense continued to revolve around his body in search of the next foothold.

“That is only your senior brother’s spiritual sense surrounding us. You need not worry, Wan’er. Your senior brother is now also a talisman apprentice, with the ability to contend with great completion Qi Refinement cultivators. In this mist-filled valley, we must use spiritual sense to find the way. I have a great advantage over them, and they will not be able to catch up.”

Whoosh...

A black shadow flashed into the fog and sped past Jiang Yan in an instant.

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