Chapter 114: Inquiry at Dry Water Ridge

  That grey-clothed disciple took his leave first, and Xiao Baiyi called over Fang Ziyuan, telling him to take Li Ruo's sword to the Gongsun family, and have Fang Ziyuan bring it as the one in charge of the Thirteen Peaks. Leading Li Ruo out of the cave mansion, with a flicker of his divine sense, a surge of golden light burst forth from within his body, grabbing onto Li Ruo's arm, and with a whooshing sound, he took a step into the sky, riding the wind and clouds, flying far away like a flowing ray of light.

  The Gong Sun family was less than a hundred miles away from the Wang River, and it would take twenty days to get there on foot from Xuanji Mountain. Li Ran's knife was wrapped in a golden light and flew beside Xiao Baiyi. Ten thousand great mountains were like a long river of sunset under their feet, flowing backwards. Two figures swiftly soared through the sky.

  This kind of breakthrough from physical bondage, the thrill of flying in the air made Li Ranno extremely excited.

  Less than a day later, a magnificent mountain villa appeared in the distance, which was exactly where the Gong Sun family lived.

  Xiao Baiyi, who had been enraged, brought Li Ruo directly to the Zhuangyuan and landed, releasing his overwhelming pressure. In an instant, the entire Gongsun family was in chaos, with all the clan members startled awake.

  More than a dozen people who seemed to have some status in the clan came running over with their clothes disheveled, and Xiao Baiyi looked around, but didn't see even one strong practitioner in the Spiritual Movement stage. They were all just Qi Refining stage cultivators who claimed to be officials, stewards, or instructors of the Guardian Institute, which made him even angrier.

  One of them, with a bitter expression, took a step forward and replied: "This immortal, the Xian Family Alliance will hold a family evaluation within the year. My family head and the elder heads are all out traveling to prepare for that evaluation. There is no strong person in our clan to receive you, please forgive us."

  Xiao Baiyi and Li Ruo were both seething with anger, but they had no outlet for their pent-up fury.

  The Gong Sun family's move is quite clever, the strong ones have all come out, leaving only some old, weak, sick and disabled people behind. With Xiao Baiyi's identity, would they dare to make a move on them?

  For the sake of his own father, the Gong Sun family actually went to such great lengths, and Li Ran's expression also changed involuntarily. It seems that Gong Yi wants to cultivate the Flowing Clouds Sword Classic, but it is impossible without his father by his side. What is on his father's body that has caught Gong Yi's attention?

  His heart's desire was right in front of him yet he couldn't achieve it, Li Rou had a feeling of using all his strength to punch but hitting nothing, he was so angry that he almost spat out blood.

  Xiao Bai's face turned iron-green, and with a flick of his sleeve, he said: "Tell Gong Sunyi that tomorrow is long, I, Xiao Mou, have recorded this account."

  With Li Ruo's dagger, he walked out of the Gongsun residence in anger.

  His most beloved disciple, unable to fulfill even this one request for himself, Xiao Bai's short-tempered personality flared up, and he took Li Feng directly into the Wind City, landing in the spacious city lord's mansion.

  A golden light dispersed, and the two people who had descended from the sky were stared at by the City Master's guards, who were frightened into a state of panic. Some instructors came up to pay their respects with trembling hearts, while others rushed off to report that the City Master had arrived.

  In a short while, the majestic-looking Pang Chengzhu was covered in cold sweat, running and tying his belt at the same time. Panting heavily, he ran from the back hall to the front, and before he could approach, he knelt down on the ground: "Disciple Pang Yuancheng greets the Supreme Immortal."

  Xiao Baiyi said faintly: "No need for formalities, Lord Pangcheng. I am Xiao Baiyi, the master of Ziyan. I have come today to ask for something."

  Pang Cheng's master heard that it was an old friend and respected teacher, only then did he feel greatly relieved in his heart. He stood up straight, carefully lifted his head to see Li Ran's knife, and once again took a cold breath, his face turning pale.

  "Last time, your younger brother had gravely offended this grey-robed golden sword wielder. Today, he comes with Dan Sheng Upper Immortal; could it be that they want to seek justice?"

  Pang Cheng's cold sweat flowed again, and a difficult smile was squeezed out on his face: "Immortal, please enter the mansion to discuss in detail. Reng Jian brothers, you're here too!"

  Xiao Bai Yi nodded and walked in, saying lightly: "Pang City Master, I want you to issue a city master's order. All hunters who enter the mountain, if they find any trace of Gong Sun Jia Shen Dong Qi's elder, will be rewarded heavily. If it is your subordinate who discovers the clue, I can pass on another set of breathing exercises to you."

  Pang Chengzhu was both shocked and delighted upon hearing this, only to realize that it wasn't because of his own doing. A huge stone in his heart finally fell to the ground. The fact that Xuanji Mountain and the Gongsun family were at odds with each other was truly unimaginable. After some deliberation, Pang Chengzhu decided that he couldn't afford to offend the Upper Immortal under any circumstances.

  Xiao Baiyi didn't believe the rumors about going out and traveling, the strong ones from the Gong Sun family would probably not be far from their families. Using hunters as informants, searching in the distant mountains, as long as they found a Gong Sun elder, they should be able to find some clues.

  This is the only way Xiao Baiyi can think of for now.

  Li Ran Dao couldn't calm his mind waiting at the City Master's mansion, so he asked his master for a transmission token and prepared himself before joining the search party in the mountains.

  Deep in the mountains, Li Ran wore a hurry mountain clothes, carrying a medicine bag, along the mountain to visit spider silk horse track, seeing mountain medicine also picked down, met with mountain hunters, aside knock ask, but did not hear any clues about the Gong Sun family.

  So many days have passed, and in the map of Rushan that Li Ruo bought, four mountain ridges have been crossed out with a pen, and he has already gone deep into the mountains, rarely seeing any signs of human activity.

  Shi Zun is a Dan Sheng Upper Immortal, and Labor Shi Zun has been waiting outside for so many days. Li Ran's heart is extremely anxious. If he doesn't take this opportunity to rescue his father once and for all, the hope will be very slim afterwards.

  His lips were a bit dry and cracked, Li Ruo took out the map of the mountain, the next area to search was called Kuishui Ridge, the mountain trend was winding and deep, Li Ruo raised his head to determine the direction, passing through the dense forest, suddenly smelling a fragrance coming from the front, taking a few more steps, looking down through the trees, three hunters put their knives and bows aside, setting up a fire on the rocks, half a wild boar was being roasted, sizzling with oil, the fragrance had spread far away.

  Li Ran's heart moved slightly, the path to the mountain at Kuishui Ridge was quite difficult to find, and if he wasn't careful, he would take a wrong turn, so he went to ask around.

  He took strides out and walked quickly towards those three hunters.

  The three of them heard the footsteps at the same time and were startled, turning their heads to look towards Li Ruo's knife. For a moment, their eyes narrowed, one person secretly tightened his grip on the knife that had been placed aside, another person was full of vigilance, slowly standing up from the ground.

  Li Ranno didn't even get close before he slightly hesitated, these three people hadn't activated their blood and energy, but Li Ranno's divine sense was sharp, comparable to the Divine Movement period, and discovered that these three people actually all had refined yuan power of six or seven layers, which in the mountain hunting people was already considered extremely strong.

  He stood still with his hands clasped together and said loudly, "Excuse me, I'm going to the Drought Cliff to gather herbs. The road is unfamiliar, so I'd like to ask how to get there."

  The man's face showed even more hesitation, and in a low voice he said: "Young brother, you want to go to Kuishan Ridge? That place has always been forbidden to mountain climbers. The mountains are dense and treacherous, with ferocious beasts lurking about. You're still young, aren't you afraid of going there and never coming back?"

  Li Ran shook his head slightly: "There is someone in the clan who is ill, and only the root of the Winter Solstice vine can be used to make medicine. I heard that it can only be found on Dry Water Ridge, so I have no choice but to go."

  To make things convenient, Li Ruo had long since come up with an identity and a reason for his previous actions.

  The man who stood up nodded slowly: "I've indeed heard that there's such a plant in the Dry Water Ridge, little brother, are you an herbalist?"

  Li Ran nodded.

  The man beside the fire heard this, and quietly withdrew his hand grasping the knife, stood up. The man's face also had a smile on it, beckoning to Li with his hand: "Young brother, come over and sit down, let's have a detailed conversation."

  In the depths of the mountain, a young man dared to venture so deep that the three people couldn't help but be surprised. Upon hearing that he was a medicine master, they relaxed a bit, but still felt astonished at his boldness.

  Li Ruo walked over, sat down, and one of them smiled as he tore off a piece of cooked meat and handed it to him: "The little beast outside the mountain is no longer interesting. The three of us are also going to Kuoshui Ridge, let's go together."

  Li Ran Dao smiled: "That's great."

  He could tell that these three hunters were bold and skilled, daring to enter places where others did not dare to tread. Traveling with them would also reduce the risk of taking a wrong path. However, once they entered the mountain pass, Li Ran would still bid farewell to them, not wanting to be slowed down by the trio.

  Another person slightly frowned and then said to Li Ruo Dao: "Little brother, let's make it clear, we can only bring you into the mountain range. Once inside, we won't be able to take care of you fully, so you won't be able to follow us anymore. The mountain is treacherous, you need to be careful on your own."

  Li Ran's eyes sparkled with amusement in his heart, and he didn't expect that both groups of people would think of it together. He nodded and said, "That's natural."

  The wild boar was cooked, and the three of them were not afraid of being scalded. They tore at it with their hands, exerting an astonishing amount of strength. With a light tear, a large piece of meat would be ripped off, and they would swallow it without chewing. Several pounds of cooked meat disappeared into their stomachs in the blink of an eye.

  Three people watched Li Neng eat slowly with his knife, and he said he was full before finishing half of it, causing them to burst out laughing.

  One of them said in a loud voice, "Young brother, I also have an alchemist friend, so I know it's not easy for you guys. You often go into the mountains and need to be skilled. How can you climb mountains and jump ridges with such little food, let alone deal with wild beasts?"

  Li Ran shook his head with a bitter smile.

  He cultivated day by day, and although he couldn't live without eating, he could go for several days without feeling hungry. His heart was filled with worries, and he had no appetite to eat anything.

  The three of them smiled and shook their heads. Another one asked: "Chong Shan, the pharmacist friend you mentioned, is it not Chang Yao Shi from Feng Yi Tang?"

  Chongshan smiled and nodded.

  Another person nodded heavily and sighed, "Chang Yao Shi is indeed a master of his craft. His actual strength surpasses even the most skilled hunters, but what's truly exceptional is his medical skills. Whether it's treating injuries, relieving pain or detoxifying, he's always effective as if by magic. Yesterday, I was bitten by that golden thread snake and the remaining venom hasn't been fully eliminated yet, my middle finger still feels numb. When we get back, I'll have to ask Chang Yao Shi for a prescription."

  He nodded: "Yes, it was a narrow escape yesterday. Even now, I still have lingering fears. When we get back, you and I will go find Chang the medicine master together."

  Speaking of which, I suddenly thought of something and turned to look at Li Ruo Dao: "Little brother, you are also a pharmacist, do you have any herbs on hand that can temporarily suppress snake venom?"

  The man bitten by the snake also looked at Li's knife, but obviously didn't have much hope.

  Li Ran Dao slightly furrowed his brow and said to that person: "Let me see where you were bitten."

  That man stretched out his left hand, with a large bruise on the back of his hand, slightly swollen, and the skin was shiny. His middle finger had two thick lines as usual. The man smiled: "The venom has been squeezed out, it should be fine, I used Jingyuan Jin to force the remaining poison here, go back and ask Changyao Shi for a prescription, no need for any expensive herbs."

  Li Ran Dao suddenly smiled slightly and raised his head, saying: "I really have a kind of herbal medicine, but I don't know if you're afraid of pain?"

  Afraid of pain?

  That man and the person next to him looked at each other and burst out laughing: "I, Wei Lao San, really don't know how to write the word 'fear'."

  "Good!"

  Li Ruo drew out a sharp dagger from his leg strap with one hand, and grabbed Wei Lao San's left hand with the other. Wei Lao San was full of suspicion, while the two men beside him narrowed their eyes again, quietly gripping the knife in their hands, the veins on their palms throbbing.

  Li Ran's knife didn't move, and with a light stroke of the dagger on Lao San's swollen left palm, a small cut was made, and a thread of black blood seeped out from inside. He then put away the dagger.

  Wei Lao San saw the loss of smile, shook his head and said: "Little brother, you don't put me Wei Lao San in your eyes at all. You ask if I'm afraid of pain with just a small mouth?"

  Li Ran Dao smiled, took out a finger-thick fresh tender stem from the medicine bag behind him, grasped Lao San's left hand with one hand, and squeezed hard with the other. Several drops of milky yellow liquid dripped continuously from the stem, instantly soaking into Lao San's wound.

  Just then a loud shout was heard, and Wei Lao San felt as if his hand had been branded with a hot iron, it hurt so much that he broke out in a cold sweat, and suddenly jumped up and retreated a step back, shaking his hand vigorously.

  The other two men's faces changed color at the same time, and with a "hiss" sound, they drew out their knives.

  At this time, Wei Lao San held up his left hand with a joyful expression. A drop of black blood dripped out from the wound, and in a short while, the entire palm was red and swollen, completely disappearing.

  Wei Lao San shouted loudly: "Refreshing, too refreshing! The pain is so cool! My hands are completely numb-free. This snake venom has actually been forced out!"

  The other two looked at Wei Lao San's hand with a shocked expression, and put away their knives. Wei Lao San walked to Li Ran's knife and made a deep bow: "Young brother, it's really amazing, this herbal medicine is too effective, I'm convinced."

  The other two were overjoyed at the same time, took a deep breath and gathered around, praising with joy. They did not expect that Li Ranno would have such skills at such a young age. From now on, the three of them had no more doubts about Li Ranno's identity as a pharmacist.

  They extinguished the bonfire and set off towards the depths of the mountain, accompanied by a doctor who was delighted to be traveling with them. Along the way, they asked questions about medicinal herbs, health preservation, emergency treatment for injuries, detoxification methods, and various magical recipes, which Li Ruo explained clearly and concisely, leaving the three men in awe.

  ………

  Tonight at 12 o'clock, the first three chapters will be updated at midnight, these three chapters are a bit of a relief, and then on the evening of the 1st, around 8 o'clock, there will be two more chapters, preparing to continue the hot-blooded journey all the way.

  The Sword Immortal, in the process of writing this book, I strive to squeeze out all the water content, absolutely no dragging, focusing on the plot being clean and concise. After entering V, the update will speed up, and after reading a few chapters together, everyone will feel the characteristic of dense plot.

  Get the monthly ticket in advance here.