Chapter 305 - 149: Fortuitous Encounter
The bone-chilling water of the Dark River swept Liang Cheng downstream.
He had used his last ounce of strength to push Yang Wei onto the rocky bank. Now, he couldn’t muster even a shred of energy and was carried away by the current.
The water lapped at his wounds, sending waves of stinging pain through him.
Fortunately, the Medicinal Power of the Great Returning Pill had fully dissolved. A gentle, warm current protected his heart meridians, keeping him from the brink of death and sustaining his life force.
Liang Cheng’s consciousness was fading, but that final slash that had shattered the Barrier had allowed him to touch the threshold of Breaking Mortality!
In the end, his own Cultivation was still insufficient.
He regained a bit of strength, and with a trembling hand, he shoved the remaining Elixirs from the Jade Bottle in his robes into his mouth.
The Crossing the Sea True Intent Fragment in his body began to circulate wildly, forcibly Refining the Medicinal Power.
At that moment, deep within his Sea of Consciousness, the drop of Divine Soul Liquid he had obtained from the Secret Realm lit up once more!
A faint golden radiance spread out from his Sea of Consciousness. Wherever it passed, his chaotic Gang Qi gradually calmed. In concert with the Great Returning Pill and the Crossing the Sea True Intent Fragment, his shattered Meridians were gently enveloped.
...
On the cliff bank, Yang Wei lay among the shattered rocks, the Medicinal Power of a Warm Sun Pill protecting his heart meridians.
After an unknown amount of time, he faintly heard voices carried on the wind.
"Elder! There are bloodstains over here!"
"Quickly!"
Several figures zipped over.
The man in the lead was none other than Chen Xuanfeng, an Elder from the Main Courtyard’s Instructor Hall.
He knelt to check Yang Wei’s pulse. "He’s still breathing. Steward Li, quickly, give him a Heart-Protecting Pill."
"Yes, sir."
Once the Elixir took effect, Yang Wei’s eyelids fluttered and he slowly opened his eyes.
"Elder Chen? I am Yang Wei, the master of Yangwei Martial Arts Hall in Lin Wu City. I once taught Liang Cheng martial arts."
When the Secret Realm in Lin Wu City opened, he had seen Chen Xuanfeng from a distance because of his connection to Liang Cheng. He recognized him now, though his voice was weak.
"Martial Arts Hall Master Yang!"
"What happened here? Where is Liang Cheng?"
Chen Xuanfeng’s face was etched with anxiety.
Yang Wei tried to recall, his head throbbing. "I only remember Uncle Wang suddenly appearing in Lin Wu City. I chased him all the way to Yunhai City, right to Lost Soul Valley. After that, I was attacked and lost consciousness. I don’t know anything else."
"Uncle Wang?"
Yang Wei quickly explained the situation with Uncle Wang.
Chen Xuanfeng’s eyes turned cold. "A mole for Qian Wanjing of the Treasure Pavilion?"
He stood and surveyed the traces left in the valley.
The shattered Barrier...
The scorched earth...
And the lingering, chaotic aura.
He jerked his head up. "Qian Wanjing, damn him!"
"Qian Wanjing?"
The Steward beside him was taken aback. "Hasn’t he already lost power and fled back to the Treasure Pavilion Headquarters?"
"A cornered dog will leap over the wall."
Chen Xuanfeng sneered. "It seems he learned that Liang Cheng was about to join the Penglai Sect. If he didn’t make a desperate, last-ditch effort now, he would have no hope of survival in the future."
"But Qian Wanjing alone is no match for Liang Cheng."
A cold glint flashed in his eyes. "There must have been others involved. But Qian Wanjing is the key. We have to find him!"
"Elder, what about Junior Brother Liang...?"
Chen Xuanfeng gazed at the turbulent Dark River and took a deep breath. "Search along the river. Comb the area for ten li upstream and downstream. I want to see him alive, and if he’s dead..."
He paused, then said with iron certainty, "Liang Cheng doesn’t die that easily."
"Find Qian Wanjing first. He definitely knows the inside story and is the key to this whole affair. If he escapes or dies, this ambush will likely become a cold case!"
"Yes, sir!"
The Stewards accepted their orders and dispersed.
Chen Xuanfeng helped Yang Wei up. "Martial Arts Hall Master Yang, I’ll have someone take you back to the Main Courtyard to recuperate. As for Liang Cheng’s matter, I will get to the bottom of it."
Yang Wei grabbed his arm and said in a trembling voice, "Elder Chen, Cheng’er... he..."
"Don’t worry."
Chen Xuanfeng stared down at the Dark River at the bottom of the cliff. "That disciple of mine," he said, word by word, "is very hard to kill."
...
In the underground river, on the Cyan Jade Platform.
Liang Cheng’s consciousness gradually returned.
He opened his eyes to find himself lying face down on a warm Cyan Jade Platform. The blood on his body had dried. Although his injuries were severe, his heart meridians were stable, and the Medicinal Power of the Great Returning Pill was still continuously repairing the damage inside him.
He pushed himself into a sitting position. The Crossing the Sea True Intent Fragment inside him was circulating on its own, greedily absorbing the pure Spiritual Qi seeping out of the Cyan Jade Platform.
The golden radiance of the Divine Soul Liquid mingled with the Spiritual Qi, and his damaged Meridians began to reconnect and heal at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Broken Wave Technique, Fourth Layer: Minor Success (8697/22000)
’Not only have my injuries stabilized, but my Cultivation has also improved significantly.’
He glanced at the Cyan Jade Platform beneath him, feeling a cold energy continuously enter his body. Under the Refining of the Crossing the Sea True Intent Fragment, it nourished his entire being.
’What a stroke of heavenly luck.’
’To think I’d have such good fortune after just being swept away by the current.’
Liang Cheng seized the opportunity, closing his eyes to regulate his breathing for a moment. When he opened them again, clarity had fully returned to his gaze.
Only then did he take a closer look at the surface of the Cyan Jade Platform.
Where the blood had soaked in, faint, twisted patterns had appeared. Their rhythm was surprisingly similar to the Runes on the tombstone in the Secret Realm.
But before he could get a closer look, the patterns slowly faded away.
"..."
Liang Cheng didn’t dwell on it. His priorities now were to recover his strength, find his master, then improve his Cultivation, and finally—
Settle the score!
He sat cross-legged on the Cyan Jade Platform again and circulated his Cultivation Technique with all his might.
The Spiritual Qi from the Cyan Jade Platform was endless. Combined with the Crossing the Sea True Intent Fragment, the healing efficiency was astounding.
「Seven days later.」
At the bottom of the cliff in Lost Soul Valley, Chen Xuanfeng’s expression grew increasingly grim.
"Elder, we’ve scoured fifteen li downstream but found no trace of Junior Brother Liang. The upstream section has dangerous rapids and a waterfall, making it difficult to search further."
The Steward reported his findings.
"What about Qian Wanjing?"
"We’ve already sent word to the Main Courtyard to investigate. There’s no news of Qian Wanjing at any of the Treasure Pavilion branches in the various cities. It seems he was well-prepared and made a clean getaway."
Hearing this, Chen Xuanfeng couldn’t help but clench his fists.
’Can’t find Liang Cheng, can’t catch Qian Wanjing.’
’Both leads have gone cold.’
"Continue searching for Liang Cheng. As for Qian Wanjing, notify all our moles in the Four Islands Alliance. I want to know his last known location."
"Yes, sir!"
...
「Another eight days passed!」
In the underground lake, Liang Cheng’s eyes snapped open.