I stood there, drenched in sweat, enduring the intense pain. The agony and despair of being brutally stabbed and waiting for death were etched in my mind. It was hard to breathe until the phantom pain passed. Most of all, the absurdity of dying in such an unexpected place and manner was draining my mental strength.
I lay in the stable for a long time before I could catch my breath. My body was soaked with sweat. I propped myself up and muttered,
"... It's going to be tough."
I could understand being attacked by the Eight Demon Sect. They probably targeted me because I was alone, far from the Qinglong Martial Hall, wandering around. If I had just taken care of business quickly, I would have only had to deal with the Black Night Sect, and I wouldn't have died. But by lingering and attracting the attention of Wangliang, I gave the Black Path Sect the opportunity to gang up on me.
The problem was that I died at such an ambiguous time. I was frustrated that I had to start over from the beginning at the Qinglong Martial Hall.
How am I supposed to get in?
I had not only mastered the basics of the Thunder Shadow Style but also learned the Heavenly Pillar Kill and Heavenly Thunder Blade, which might be unique martial arts of Sanjie Ligang. I had even learned the secret techniques and the advanced Thunder Cloud Strength. I couldn't hide my achievements, so I would have to persuade Ligang all over again.
If Sanjie Ligang suspected me, I would be dead on the spot. Given his immense martial arts skills, regardless of my internal strength, I wasn't sure if I could escape him.
'If I had died after learning the advanced Thunder Shadow Sword Technique, it would have been better!'
I especially regretted not completing the techniques. Ligang had often mentioned that he still had 4 or 5 more things to teach me, making me realize that my current martial arts were incomplete. If I had fully mastered the Heavenly Pillar Kill as he claimed, I wouldn't have died.
I sighed deeply, feeling helpless.
"... Sigh, there's nothing I can do. I should get everything I can and then move on."
Time would continue to pass while I was pondering. I knew that I had gained a lot of information in my eighth life, so if I acted quickly now, I would have plenty of time.
Swoosh!
I ran out of the stable and tucked the Heavenly Rock Secret Book into my chest. Now, the arrow mechanism seemed like child's play after mastering the Thunder Shadow Style. This was evidence of how much my martial arts had improved.
After obtaining the Heavenly Rock Secret Book, I started running towards Mount Huang. This time, I didn't need to rush, so I took my time, walking leisurely. The "Tragedy of Taigeng Village" was sealed, so I didn't need to hurry before the Imperial Guard attempted another disaster.
I could feel that my lightness technique had become much more efficient. Unlike before, my movements and energy consumption were minimal, allowing me to move smoothly for a long time without expending unnecessary internal strength. Even though I didn't rush, I arrived at Mount Huang just four days later than my best record. My body barely smelled of sweat, a clear sign of how relaxed I had been.
Crack
"I've arrived."
I decided to gather supplies in the village below Mount Huang. I had already prepared to boil the black and white lotus together, and this time, I also bought a high-quality sword from the blacksmith. I had obtained the money by killing a few bandits on the way, so I wasn't short on funds.
I then went to the secret place inside Mount Huang and ate the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng.
Boom!!
"... A bit disappointing."
Despite the immense surge of internal strength, I felt a bit unsatisfied. Although I could feel the massive energy filling my body, the sense of fulfillment was less because my body had become much larger. However, it was still better than not eating it at all. I decided to be content with it.
I then entered the pond.
Splash!!
As expected, the secret of the Seven Stars was hidden there. I took out the pearl and entered the secret place. I had already placed the gold ingot box outside the pond in a hidden spot. It was a bit troublesome, but it was better than missing it like last time.
I knew that beyond the stone wall was the guardian giant spider, and the divine sword Moye, a secret treasure of the Seven Stars, which it guarded. I stared at it before pouring my blood, but I knew I had to deal with the guardian somehow to obtain Moye.
'Using the gold ingot and torch like last time probably won't work.'
That was a one-in-a-hundred chance. Hitting the spider's eye with the gold ingot from such a dark and deep pit was impossible with my current skills. I pondered for a long time but finally gripped the long sword I had brought.
"There's no choice. I have to test my strength once."
I trusted myself, who had trained hard in my eighth life. If that time wasn't wasted, I might be able to survive a confrontation with the guardian giant spider. I firmly resolved and poured my blood on the altar.
Rumble...
The stone wall opened. I stared at the wooden bridge beyond and gathered my strength.
The blood of the Heavenly Pillar surged, and thunder energy spread throughout my body. My reflexes and movements accelerated for a brief moment. The thunder energy crackled, and my body condensed an incredible amount of power, similar to a cat coiling its body before leaping.
"Maximum deployment!"
Crack
My body shot out like lightning. After just two steps, I had already moved over 20 feet. I was consuming a tremendous amount of internal strength for each step, but in exchange, I gained incredible speed. By the third step, I was almost across the wooden bridge, and I could hear the wind rushing past my ears.
Clang!
My body skidded along the ground, leaving a trail of sparks. As I regained my balance, I saw the divine sword Moye in front of me. I clenched my teeth and deployed the Thunder Shadow Step Heavenly Pillar Kill again while holding Moye.
Whoosh
I was in mid-air, and the guardian giant spider finally leaped, revealing its massive, dark body from the pit. I almost closed my eyes at the sight of the enormous form, but I steeled my resolve and swung the sword in my hand.
The Heavenly Thunder Blade extended to a yard in length and struck one of the spider's legs. A loud, metallic sound echoed.
Clang!
"Ugh..."
I was stunned. Even the elder of the Zhongnan Sect had turned pale and shown a deathly expression when trying to block my Heavenly Thunder Blade, which was infused with overwhelming internal strength. Yet, I felt a tingling sensation in my arm. Although blue blood spurted from the spider's leg, it was probably just a minor cut given its size.
I felt a chill run down my spine.
' This, this thing is a real monster...!!'
I realized how futile it was to think of facing it head-on. If I had the time to gather the maximum Heavenly Thunder Blade, it might be different, but the spider's reaction was faster and more agile than most peak experts. I would be dead in less than 100 seconds if I fought it head-on.
However, I had caught it off guard. I took advantage of the spider's hesitation and bounced off the air to land safely at the exit. Without looking back, I started to escape from the secret place.
Rustle
A massive web flew from behind, but I could handle it now. My internal strength and the precision of my sword energy had improved. I climbed the stairs without stopping and emerged from the pond.
Thud
"Ah... I'm alive."
The situation was the same as last time. The difference was that I had obtained Moye through my own strength, not by chance. Although I had a bit of luck, it was a good sign that I had achieved it through skill. Additionally, I had a significant side income from the gold ingot box I had taken out in advance.
I lay there for a moment, recovering my strength, and then thought.
What should I do now?
I had obtained everything I could, so I needed to decide my next move. After lying there for a while, my gaze fell on the pond, and I had a good idea.
"... Right! Let's gather the roots of the black and white lotus and leave!"
Why hadn't I thought of this before?
The roots of the black and white lotus, though less known due to the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng, were also a precious medicinal herb with extreme yang energy. Its potency was on par with the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng. The only problem was that it was very difficult to consume while enduring the extreme yang energy, but if the person knew in advance, they could prepare.
I dug up about three roots of the black and white lotus and carefully placed them in my bag. Until now, I hadn't needed to give them away, but things were different now. I thought to myself as I put the lotus roots in the bag.
' I need a companion.'
I realized this during my death. I had no information about the Eight Demon Sect's coordinated attack, no time to prepare, and no one to fight alongside me. When Wangliang became my companion, we survived many life-threatening situations. I realized the limitations of relying solely on my own strength.
These roots of the black and white lotus would be a great help when I needed to create a companion. I slung my bag over my shoulder and started to leave the secret place of Mount Huang.
"Let's go!"
I couldn't afford to waste any time after leaving Mount Huang. The large-scale movement of water energy would soon cause a catastrophic storm in this area. It was better to move quickly before being caught in the flood.
I started running without rest, and my speed was comparable to a thousand-mile horse. I rarely pushed myself to run this fast, but now I could cross a mountain in less than half an hour. I even thought that there might be very few humans with better lightness techniques than me.
Whoosh
Rustle
I ran and ran and ran. The storm clouds had started to gather about seven days after I obtained Moye last time. My goal was to get as far as possible before then, but unexpectedly, I arrived at Taigeng Village in just four days.
"Huff huff... Oh, I'm dying."
I sat down in front of the Taigeng Village stele, catching my breath, and couldn't believe it.
"Wow... I really have gotten faster..."
There was no significant change in my internal strength, but my lightness technique had improved several times over because I had learned the secret techniques of the Thunder Shadow Style and how to apply the Heavenly Pillar Kill. This was proof that my previous cultivation wasn't in vain.
I realized that I could now easily reach Jinlang Valley in a day if I ran diligently from Taigeng Village. I quickly went to the shed behind the village to do what I needed to do.
Creak
I entered the Huo family's residence through the secret passage by the well without delay. After confirming that no one was around in the kitchen, I sneaked into Huo Zhongzhe's room. It wasn't difficult because almost no one was moving around the mansion at night.
Huo Zhongzhe was sleeping, embracing another concubine naked. He must have just finished his bedroom activities before I arrived. I pressed the sleep point again to ensure they wouldn't wake up and calmly searched Huo Zhongzhe's room.
' There it is.'
I saw the silver phoenix fragment in the inner part of Huo Zhongzhe's study. The first time I broke in, it was in the kitchen, which seemed strange, but now it was here. It wasn't hidden but placed in a visible spot, possibly for Huo Zhongzhe to show off to guests. The security was lax, likely because he didn't worry about petty thieves.
"I'm sorry, but I'll take this. The secret of this Bohai sculpture needs to be revealed."
Holding the silver phoenix fragment, I thought it was useless for Huo Zhongzhe, who didn't understand its value. Since I had received it as a gift in my previous life, I put it in my bag and left through the secret passage without a trace.
Rustle
Rustle
I ran!
I started running to Jinlang Valley without wasting any time. I swear, this was the first time in my reincarnations that I had arrived at Jinlang Valley so quickly. I broke into Wangliang's house, penetrated the Wangyun Formation, and woke him up forcefully.
"Wangliang! Wake up!"
"Whaaaat?! Save meee!!"
Wangliang screamed and sat up. He looked like he had been struck by lightning in the middle of a good night's sleep. I ignored his reaction and quickly explained the situation.
Clang
I placed the divine sword Moye in front of him and infused it with internal strength to reveal the oracle bone script. Wangliang showed great curiosity even in his disoriented state and then looked shocked.
"This is Moye, the divine weapon symbolizing Shuiyao among the Seven Stars' treasures."
"......?!?!"
"Because I took it from the sealing ground, a water disaster will likely strike. If you know how to stop it, please teach me."
"J-Just a moment... This is Moye, the divine weapon of the Seven Stars?! How can a world-class divine weapon like this..."
"I don't have time. Hurry up!"
Wangliang tried to calm his heart and gather his thoughts. After taking the Wu Huang Qingxin Pill he had hidden in his study, he said with a drained expression,
"Although I don't know who, the movement of the water energy hidden in Moye has indeed caused an anomaly in the celestial phenomena. To prevent this, we need to build an altar for Moye and perform a celestial ritual."
There is a way! I felt a surge of hope and asked,
"Can you do it?"
"... I lack the magical power to do it. But, um, my disciple..."
"Let's go! We can reach Luoyang in a day or two!"
"Whaaat?! How do you know where my disciple is?!"
Wangliang hastily dressed himself. I smiled and said,
"Because I've been through a lot with that kid!"
"......?"
Wangliang's disciple, Tian Wujin.
He would likely be able to stop the disaster caused by Moye.