Chapter 92: Huge Harvest

Chapter 92: Chapter 92: Huge Harvest

Far beyond Youlin County, above the mountain silhouettes already darkened by the total solar eclipse, a terrifying aura erupted, vast enough to swallow the world. It surged upward like a slumbering ancient beast awakening.

The aura was formless and intangible, yet it branded itself with absolute clarity upon the mind of every living being who sensed its presence.

Just being grazed by the distant aftershocks of this aura made Chen Yue and the other three feel their breath catch, their Qi Blood stagnating for a split second. In the distance, the mountain forests seemed to bow down in silence before it, and even the wind ceased to blow.

Chen Yue’s pupils constricted as he stared fixedly in that direction.

Suddenly, he felt an extremely faint throb and a burning sensation from the spot on his chest where the black patch had been, as if it were resonating with that terrifying aura in the distance.

’That direction... The ruined temple? The Mountain Monarch?’ Chen Yue instantly recalled his encounter that night at the ruined temple outside the city.

"Go!"

With no time to explain, Chen Yue fiercely grabbed Lin Quan’s arm, let out a low shout, and pushed off with all his might, breaking into a desperate sprint toward the distance.

He moved so fast that he left a faint afterimage in his wake.

Feeling that soul-shuddering, terrifying aura, how could Shen Dujiang and Hu Shaoyu dare to hesitate for even a moment?

The two immediately pushed their Body Techniques to the limit, desperately trying to keep up with Chen Yue’s retreating figure.

As Hu Shaoyu ran, he couldn’t help but glance back in the direction of the rising aura, his heart filled with lingering fear and relief.

’Thank goodness, thank goodness Boss Shen came to find me in time, and I decisively followed him out. It doesn’t even matter that I was only thinking about the money at the time.’

’Otherwise, with my meager Cultivation, even if I had gotten lucky and avoided the ordinary Ghostly Objects in the city, if that colossal aura that seemed capable of devouring heaven and earth had been aimed at Youlin County...’

’The fate of the entire county would have been unimaginable.’

The four of them didn’t dare to stop for a second, running headlong through the desolate and rugged wilderness. They ran like this for a full half-hour.

After sprinting at full speed for so long, the four of them inevitably began to slow down.

Hu Shaoyu, who had the weakest Cultivation, was the first to falter. His face was as pale as paper, his chest heaved violently like a bellows, and large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.

Clearly, such a prolonged, desperate sprint with no reservation was an immense burden for a Martial Artist of his level.

Shen Dujiang was in slightly better condition, but he was also panting for breath, his forehead glistening with sweat, and his breathing was no longer steady.

In contrast, Chen Yue, who had been sprinting all this way while carrying Lin Quan, was breathing long and steady. His complexion was normal, and there wasn’t even a fine sheen of sweat on his brow.

The abundant Qi Blood and powerful recovery granted by his Vast Firm Essence Technique, combined with the inhuman Physique and astonishing stamina forged by his Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield, were on full display.

For him, running at this pace for another half-hour would not be a problem.

They forced themselves forward for a while longer until the silhouette of Youlin County had long since disappeared below the rolling horizon, and even the dark cloud in the sky had become a distant blur. Only then did the four finally stop behind a small, leeward hill.

Hu Shaoyu practically collapsed to the ground, leaning against the hill and gasping for air, unable to speak.

Shen Dujiang also found a rock to sit on and silently regulated his breathing.

Lin Quan had been jostled so much that he was dizzy and disoriented. His face was pale as he struggled to stand firm.

As the four sat or leaned, finally free from their life-or-death flight, a sense of exhaustion and the relief of having survived a disaster slowly washed over them.

Lin Quan stared back the way they had come, terror still lingering in his eyes.

After catching his breath, Hu Shaoyu looked at Chen Yue and Shen Dujiang with a complex expression and suddenly spoke.

"Um... about that guide fee of one hundred taels we agreed on back in the county... Let’s just forget about it."

Hearing this, Shen Dujiang looked at Hu Shaoyu with some surprise. He hadn’t expected this rather mercenary-looking old traveling merchant to voluntarily give up such a windfall.

Shen Dujiang chuckled, his tone teasing. "Oh? You’re quite open-minded, Hu. One hundred taels of silver, and you’re just letting it go?"

Hu Shaoyu waved his hand, a look of embarrassment mixed with sincerity on his face.

"Don’t tease me, Boss Shen. I, Hu Shaoyu, may love money as I roam the Jianghu, but I also know the meaning of righteousness and, more importantly, I know my own limits.

If it weren’t for all of you today, I’m afraid I would have been trapped in that godforsaken Youlin County, my fate uncertain. You call it guiding, but in reality, we were all supporting each other. How could I have the face to ask for a guide’s fee? I’m not the kind of person who only cares about money and can’t recognize a favor."

A smile touched Chen Yue’s lips as he listened to Hu Shaoyu.

After a short rest, Chen Yue suddenly remembered the Spirit Soldier he had taken from the Alchemy Ghost. He reached into his robe, took out the pill furnace that had shrunk to the size of a fingernail, and held it in his palm to examine it closely.

Shen Dujiang, Hu Shaoyu, and even Lin Quan, who had finally caught his breath, were drawn by Chen Yue’s actions. They gathered around curiously, their eyes fixed on the tiny pill furnace.

Although Shen Dujiang and Hu Shaoyu had been knocking around the Jianghu for many years and had heard of Spirit Soldiers, they’d had few chances to see one in person.

These artifacts, originating from Ghostly Objects and other evil entities, were often accompanied by bizarre phenomena. Ordinary Martial Artists would avoid them like the plague, let alone try to understand them.

As for Lin Quan, he had never even heard of such things. He only felt that the small pendant exuded an air of mystery and didn’t dare to look too closely.

Chen Yue tried slowly infusing a wisp of Inner Strength into it. As the Qi Force flowed in, the pendant grew slightly warm, and its dull, blue-black surface seemed to brighten a fraction, but that was all.

Previously, when this Pill Furnace absorbed Qi Force, it had shrunk. Now, absorbing more Qi Force, it didn’t change at all.

However, Chen Yue could faintly sense a small space inside the pendant, but he had no clue how to open or use it.

It wasn’t like Hu Shaoyu had said, where infusing it with Qi Force would reveal its use.

’Am I using it wrong? Or does this Spirit Soldier require communication with the Heart Spirit?’ A thought struck Chen Yue.

He recalled the bizarre staring contest and the mental assault from the Alchemy Ghost at the very end. Since this Pill Furnace was its life-bound object, perhaps it was also related to the Power of Heart and Spirit?

Chen Yue reined in his stray thoughts and silently began to circulate the Heart Nourishing Technique.

A wisp of his Power of Heart and Spirit extended from his Sea of Consciousness, cautiously touching the dull pendant in his palm.

The instant his Power of Heart and Spirit touched the pendant’s surface...

"BUZZ..."

An extremely faint resonance bloomed.

A small space, roughly two feet in diameter with dull, blue-black walls, appeared clearly within the perception of his Heart Spirit.

The space was stable, devoid of any cold or sinister aura. Instead, it gave off a strangely docile feeling.

Slightly delighted, Chen Yue swept his perception across the space.

The space wasn’t large, and it was mostly empty, save for a corner where three dark-golden Elixirs lay quietly.

The Elixirs exuded a faint, cold aura, their purpose unknown.

With a flicker of his thoughts, Chen Yue tried to use his Power of Heart and Spirit to guide one of the Elixirs out.

In the next moment, under the astonished gazes of Shen Dujiang, Hu Shaoyu, and Lin Quan, an Elixir appeared out of thin air in Chen Yue’s open left palm, which had not moved an inch.

It was like a magic trick—sudden, bizarre, and without any warning.

"Where... where did that Elixir come from?" Hu Shaoyu thought his eyes were playing tricks on him.

Shen Dujiang was also full of astonishment, staring intently at Chen Yue’s hand.

Chen Yue didn’t explain. With another thought, the Elixir in his palm suddenly vanished. In his Heart Spirit’s perception, the Elixir had returned to its original spot inside the pill furnace’s space.

’It really is a storage ability!’ Chen Yue’s eyes couldn’t help but reveal his pleasant surprise.

This seemingly broken Pill Furnace Spirit Soldier actually had such a practical function. Although the internal space wasn’t very large, it was more than enough to store daily necessities, precious medicinal herbs, Elixirs, and Secret Manuals.

Chen Yue’s thoughts turned again, and he tried to extend his Power of Heart and Spirit toward the large, bulging bundle on his back.

Without a sound, under the ever-widening eyes of Shen Dujiang and Hu Shaoyu, the rather conspicuous large bundle on Chen Yue’s back suddenly vanished.

The Little Pill Furnace in Chen Yue’s hand remained unchanged in size and shape, but its weight had increased slightly, to less than a tenth of the original bundle’s weight.

"This... This is..."

Shen Dujiang sucked in a sharp breath, a glint flashing in his eyes as he cried out, "Sleeve Universe? No, it’s the ability of Jiezimina Sumeru! What a treasure, what a truly amazing treasure! I never thought the Alchemy Ghost’s Pill Furnace would be so miraculous."

Hu Shaoyu nodded repeatedly, his face full of envy and amazement. "Boss Shen is right. This type of Spirit Soldier with its own space, while lacking any offensive power to harm enemies, is incredibly practical. Only the merchant caravans and escort agencies that travel far and wide have them.

When roaming the Jianghu, having a treasure like this saves you from countless troubles. I never imagined I’d get to see one with my own eyes today."

Chen Yue’s eyes were also filled with unconcealed satisfaction. He hadn’t expected to gain such an unexpected prize from killing that troublesome Alchemy Ghost.

From now on, many inconvenient items to carry, like large quantities of medicinal herbs, spare weapons, precious Elixirs, and even gold and silver, could be stored on his person. They would be easy to access and not at all conspicuous.

Although storing and retrieving items consumed a small amount of Qi Force and Power of Heart and Spirit each time, this cost was negligible compared to the immense convenience it offered.

’If only I’d had this Pill Furnace back at the Chen Mansion...’ A faint trace of regret passed through Chen Yue’s mind.

If he had possessed this item then, he could have taken far more of the precious medicinal herbs and valuables from the Chen Mansion’s storerooms that he’d been forced to leave behind. Still, he was lucky to have it now, and what he had was enough.

Chen Yue put the Little Pill Furnace away securely. Shen Dujiang and the others stopped watching and went off to the side to rest.

Inside Chen Yue’s body, the Vast Firm Essence Technique began to circulate slowly on its own, nourishing the Heart Spirit and Qi Blood he had just consumed.

Chen Yue planned to use the break to carefully study the Secret Manuals he had. He had brought quite a few Secret Manuals and Pill Formulas from the Chen Mansion, all of which required time to study and comprehend. If he found a suitable one, he could begin cultivating it to further increase his strength.

About thirty minutes later, the group had recovered a good deal of their stamina and mental energy.

Chen Yue put away his Secret Manual and stood up. "We’ve rested enough. Let’s get back on the road. Although we’re far from Youlin County now, this place still isn’t completely safe."

The others nodded, and they set out once more.

Having distanced themselves from the suffocating core area of Youlin County and with no pursuers in sight, the four of them no longer sprinted for their lives. They slowed their pace considerably to conserve stamina for the potentially long journey ahead.

After walking for about another half-hour, the total solar eclipse had passed, yet the sky remained dim and gloomy.

"BOOM!"

Just as the four were walking along a dirt road, a terrifying shockwave, seeming to originate from the depths of the earth yet also from the highest heavens, suddenly boomed over from the direction of Youlin County behind them.

Even at such an extreme distance, the shockwave was clearly perceptible, and the ground beneath their feet trembled slightly.

All four of them stopped in their tracks and subconsciously turned to look back.