Enlightenment: Beginning as a Disposable Warrior

The resounding and powerful words echoed inside the room, separating the image of the Yan Family girl in memory from the Yan Xiaolan before him. People do grow.

"Aren't you afraid that I'll get the Fire Sparrow Blood but won't do the task?"

If someone else had Su Mu's level of skill, it wouldn't be entirely impossible for them to kill Yan Xiaolan directly after obtaining the Fire Sparrow Blood.

"I have no other way out now. I rely on the Fire Sparrow Blood to advance to Seventh-Grade Yijin, and solely from my own strength, I find revenge difficult. Besides, my life was saved by Elder Lin; without him, I would have died at the hands of those three. Even if Elder Lin chooses not to act after acquiring the Fire Sparrow Blood, I would bear no resentment."

Yan Xiaolan confessed openly.

At that moment, Su Mu suddenly understood why in his past life, people often said sincerity is the greatest weapon.

"I have never made a habit of taking things from others without compensation. If you trust me, tell me everything about Gongsun Xin, and once my old ailment recovers, I will fulfill our agreement."

Su Mu's eyes glimmered. He had already slain three Muscle-Enhancing Martial Artists from the Demon Dao, thus provoking the faction. He decided to take out their base in Canghe County, as he always concealed his identity; no one would know it was Su Mu's doing.

Receiving Su Mu's answer, Yan Xiaolan was filled with joy and relayed all the information she had gathered over the years.

Canghe County, Shanshi Town, Changping Escort Agency, Gongsun Xin.

Su Mu noted down the crucial information. On that day, Yan Xiaolan took over Qinghe's position, pushing Su Mu's wheelchair away from Wuniu Village.

Baihe Town is not far from Canghe County, while Yan Family Ridge is adjacent to Changfeng County. The two towns are separated by over one hundred and fifty miles. Yan Xiaolan is now being pursued by the Demon Dao, whereas Su Mu is traveling incognito, his injuries unresolved.

Two wanderers at the end of their ropes, journeying through this precarious storm together.

After several days of travel, Su Mu was composed, spending his days with eyes closed, sitting upright in the wheelchair, as if Yan Xiaolan truly became his attendant, entrusting her with his back.

Outside observers likely perceived Su Mu as someone with mobility issues, but only Yan Xiaolan understood Su Mu's strength.

"Even with Elder Lin's old injuries unhealed, he slew three Seventh-Grade Muscle-Enhancing Martial Artists as if killing chickens and dogs... How strong will he be once recovered?"

Pushing the wheelchair, Yan Xiaolan was filled with expectation, a genuine hope for revenge now encircling her heart. At present, hatred is one of the forces keeping her alive.

Two mornings later, Yan Family Ridge was in sight; Yan Xiaolan gazed at the familiar town, her eyes filled with sorrow and hatred. Taking a deep breath, she turned and pushed Su Mu up Great Mist Mountain.

As the mountain winds and snow intensified, the Yan Family Ridge's woodcutters hesitated to enter the mountains under such conditions, leaving the two to traverse the solitary white mountain. At one point, Yan Xiaolan halted, prompting Su Mu to open his eyes slowly, revealing an abandoned temple.

"Elder, that is the Mountain Lord Temple, where a righteous knight once saved me," mentioning the knight enlivens Yan Xiaolan's once somber mood slightly.

Su Mu nodded at her words; Yan Xiaolan was unaware that the Su Mu on the wheelchair was the knight she spoke of.

Life sometimes unfolds thus - coincidental, meeting briefly, then forgetting each other in the Jianghu.

"Elder, I want to enter the temple to pray for your recovery."

"Thank you."

Su Mu on the wheelchair nodded lightly.

Once inside the temple, Yan Xiaolan wore a solemn expression, kneeling and bowing before the broken clay statue of the Mountain Monarch, silently reciting prayers. After a few breaths, she rises and departs.

They proceed beyond the Mountain Lord Temple into the mountain's depths, accompanied only by the sound of the wheelchair rolling across the snow amid the whistling cold wind.

After a lengthy trek through the white wilderness, a hint of red suddenly appeared deep in the mountains. It was a seven-foot tree, slender as a dragon's spine, its body suffused with faint crimson color, barely thicker than an arm. Upon closer inspection, the redwood's trunk bore small, faint gold spots.

Su Mu narrowed his eyes slightly, noticing circles of crimson and faint golden glowing orbs encircling the tree, an assembly of wandering Fire Spiritual Qi and Metal Spiritual Qi. The natural gathering of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi by redwood surpasses the complete activation of the Red Flame Spear by three-fold.

He also glimpsed a flash of destiny brilliance as the red little tree's trunk exhibited its potential.

Destiny relates to individuals with inherent good fortune.

"Relating to an object is akin to Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures... this wood is extraordinary!"

For Su Mu, a blacksmith, his eyes sparkled, recognizing the redwood as superlative Artifact Refining material. Naturally containing the fire and metal attributes, the two Five Elements possessing the most destructive qualities. Forging doesn't exclusively require iron or stone, highlighting the scarcity of encountering such Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.

Yan Xiaolan noticed Su Mu's focused gaze on the redwood, subtly perplexed. She had previously discovered the small red tree with faint gold spots - upon contact, the tree emitted heat.

While sensing the tree's exceptional nature, she remained unable to leverage it immediately.

"Elder, that redwood is extremely hard. My brother and I tried infusing power, slashing it with swords, but only left shallow marks on the bark. Within breaths, the marks vanished."

Yan Xiaolan commented timely, with Su Mu's eyes growing more ardent. Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures are destined for those aligned, as Yan Xiaolan and her brother's attempts bore no fruit.

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