On the other side of Medicine King Valley, two figures were running for their lives.
The once-imposing image of the middle-aged man had completely collapsed. Now, he looked like a defeated stray, dirt-streaked and with robes in tatters, barely recognizable as the grand elder of Wendaozong.
Beside him, the woman in yellow—her skin pale and porcelain, once brimming with confidence—now resembled a cornered rabbit. Her eyes darted anxiously, every twitch in her brow betraying the panic beneath.
They were none other than Fan Dezhen and An Miaoyi.
Fan Dezhen hadn't expected Medicine King Valley to hide such terrifying secrets. Upon entering, every cultivator, regardless of prior power, was suppressed to the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining—no exceptions, no explanations.
It was a cruel joke. A Great Ascension Completion expert, brought down to the level of a novice? From tiger to housecat in seconds.
Still, Fan Dezhen wasn't entirely shaken. He had weathered countless battles in his time. Even reduced to Qi Refining, he had the skills and cunning of someone who had once dominated an entire generation.
At least, that's what he told himself—until a handful of herbs suddenly emerged from the jungle and flipped his worldview upside down.
These weren't ordinary herbs. Every single one had developed intelligence and possessed frightening power, vastly different from their mundane counterparts outside the valley.
Just when the grand elder of Wendaozong was about to be dragged into the undergrowth and violated in ways that shouldn't be described, salvation came from an unlikely source.
An Miaoyi, usually protected like porcelain, stepped forward, unleashing her full strength to rescue her so-called Uncle Fan.
The irony was harsh. In this twisted realm, the younger generation held the advantage.
While outside the gap in cultivation made Fan Dezhen an untouchable force, here in Medicine King Valley, it was An Miaoyi's unique bloodline that gave her the edge.
Born with the Starry Immortal Body, An Miaoyi could tap into power far beyond her realm, even while restricted to the Qi Refining Stage.
Now it was her shielding Fan Dezhen, dragging him along through the woods like a clumsy bodyguard, dodging grasping vines and predatory flora.
They were jumpy at every sound, flinching at every rustle. Not out of fear for their lives—but their dignity.
Death wasn't the issue. Everyone in the valley knew that true mortal danger would trigger a forced teleportation out.
But here's the catch: that "safety net" only activated at the brink of death. It wouldn't save you from humiliation. From being mocked, stripped of pride, broken mentally and emotionally.
No one wanted to be caught by those deranged herbs.
Surviving wasn't the point—surviving with your sanity intact was.
A shattered Dao heart meant the end of your cultivation path. And that was worse than death.
So, the two of them could only pray that the valley would close soon, hoping for escape through forced expulsion.
"Miss, I'm sorry. It's my fault," Fan Dezhen said, eyes red with shame. "I dragged you into this, and now you're the one protecting me... I'm nothing but deadweight."
It was surreal, watching a revered elder look so defeated.
An Miaoyi's heart ached. "Uncle Fan, you've never been a burden. You brought me here, so now that we're in danger, it's my turn to look after you. That's how it should be."
Fan Dezhen was on the verge of tears. "Miss..."
"If you ask me, the real villain is this damn valley!" An Miaoyi huffed, punching the air in frustration. "All these herbs are abnormally strong! I used to think the Medicine Sovereign was some kind-hearted sage... but now? He's clearly just a twisted old monster."
Fan Dezhen managed a strained smile. He wanted to defend the Medicine Sovereign, but he couldn't find a single excuse.
Because she was right. There was no logical reason for the herbs here to be this strong. One of them could wipe out dozens of cultivators at the same level.
And if that wasn't the result of deliberate manipulation, what was?
Medicine King Valley belonged to the Medicine Sovereign. There was no way he wasn't behind it.
Worse still, the valley had been opened many times in the past. So how had no one ever exposed the truth?
It felt like a sick joke. A well-crafted trap.
Fan Dezhen nearly got strung up and humiliated by a bunch of medicinal plants. If news of that reached Wendaozong, he'd be the laughingstock of the entire cultivation world.
As the two continued their frantic escape, a thick blue vine suddenly shot out from the trees like a viper, whipping up dust and debris.
Before either could react, it wrapped tightly around An Miaoyi's ankle.
"Damn it!" she cursed.
Caught off guard, she raised her hand and summoned a blast of starlight.
Whoosh!
The radiant energy shot forward, aimed to sever the vine—only to fizzle out on contact. Blue lightning crackled along the vine's surface, surging into her body.
"Ahhh...!"
An Miaoyi cried out, her body convulsing from the electric surge, her hair bristling as she was yanked backwards.
"Miss!" Fan Dezhen shouted in horror, sending blades of sword qi slicing through the air in desperation.
But his attacks might as well have been a gentle breeze—the vine didn't even flinch.
Then, out of nowhere, another vine struck, slamming him square in the chest.
---
Send Powerstones.