At this moment, Lie Feng was lying on the grass, breathing in the fresh air while adjusting his breath.
At the same time, he looked around, trying his best to understand this unfamiliar environment.He had thought his death was imminent, but unexpectedly, the teleportation jade slip in his bosom was triggered, and he was transported into this overgrown forest.
Once his breathing had steadied, spiritual power within his body finally became usable again. He immediately activated both water and wood healing techniques simultaneously. But his injuries were far too severe; it was absolutely impossible to recover in a short while.He lay there healing himself for quite some time, until his body at last returned to a state where he could barely move, though pain still coursed through every part of him.
He pulled out the teleportation jade slip from his chest. After being activated, it had not only lost its original luster but had also shattered into several pieces.
He wondered why the jade slip had automatically triggered—he had done nothing at that time.
Just then, a voice came from his chest.
"To be able to recover to this degree so quickly—remarkable."
Lie Feng was startled.
He immediately took out the ring from his bosom, staring at it in disbelief as he asked, "Was that you speaking?"
From within the ring came a voice: "Who else would be here besides us? Ah, right. Strictly speaking, I can no longer be considered a person—I should be called a soul-body."
Then the ring released layers of white mist drifting into the air. When the mist dispersed, before his eyes appeared an old man.This elder had white hair and a long beard, clothed in white, with an expression that carried an air of majesty.
Lie Feng looked at him with vigilance and asked, "Who are you? Why are you inside this ring?"
The old man replied, "Do not worry, I bear you no malice. On the contrary, you should be thanking me for saving your life. My name is Yao Fan—I am your martial uncle."
But at those words, Lie Feng's wariness toward Yao Fan only deepened. His voice carried a threatening tone as he said, "I have never once heard my master mention that I had a martial uncle. Who exactly are you?"
Yao Fan showed slight displeasure, his brows furrowing.
He thought this youth before him was too rude. But suppressing his irritation, he spoke flatly:"I am not deceiving you. I am the sect master of Medicine King Valley, one of the strongest in this world, and also Chang Qingzi's senior brother."
Yao Fan then began to explain the entire matter.
At present, there were two greatest cultivation sects under heaven. The first was the oldest sect in history—Longevity Sect. Medicine King Valley was second only to Longevity Sect.
Long ago, the Heavenly God bestowed upon the founding ancestor of Medicine King Valley a sacred land where spiritual herbs far stronger than ordinary ones could grow.
Its purpose was to aid cultivators in their training.Medicine King Valley was established upon this sacred land—that very land being the Central State Secret Realm.
Because Medicine King Valley occupied the secret realm and was skilled in refining pills, they held both immense financial resources and also enabled disciples of the sect to cultivate faster than those of other sects.
Thus they possessed strength sufficient to resist powers that sought to seize Central State.But good times did not last. The Great Qian Dynasty, a regime dominated by cultivators, in order to obtain better cultivation resources, launched multiple wars against Medicine King Valley.
Both sides had victories and losses, but in the decisive battle ten years ago, Medicine King Valley was defeated.
At that time, Yao Fan led Medicine King Valley against foreign enemies, fighting to a stalemate with one of the Four Pillars of Great Qian, who was also at mid-Seventh Realm. But Yao Fan never expected to be betrayed by his own disciple, and in the end he perished.
That traitor was none other than Xiao Ji, who is now one of the Four Pillars.
However, Yao Fan had cultivated a secret technique that allowed his soul to be bound to an object. So long as there was enough spiritual energy, his soul would not dissipate.
Fortunately, he had an extremely loyal disciple who carried the ring housing his soul and fought his way out.
But grievously wounded, that disciple used the last of his strength to hide within the secret realm.
"So that's how it was. Then that corpse in the secret realm was your other disciple. But here's the question—why does Xiao Ji want this ring? Surely not because his conscience was pricked and he wants to apologize to you?"
Lie Feng seemed to accept Yao Fan's account, but his tone remained disrespectful.
Yao Fan's brows creased—he was clearly somewhat angered, yet he still restrained his fury and continued speaking."It is because of this…"
He opened his palm, and a cyan flame appeared, emanating a strange aura.
"What is that?"
"A exotic fire—more precisely, the Green Lotus Demon Flame. Exotic Fires are among the rarest heavenly treasures in this world. If a cultivator possesses one, not only can it raise their cultivation, but it is also of tremendous help in pill refining. Without a doubt, that traitor sought this flame and thus schemed painstakingly to find me.
But though the flame is powerful, wielding it is extremely dangerous. To absorb it, one must cultivate a technique called the Devouring Fire Art. Otherwise, one will only be consumed by the flame and die from its backlash. I am the only person in this world who has mastered that art."
Yao Fan withdrew the Green Lotus Demon Flame and continued:"As for why that traitor betrayed me, it was none other than to seize the Devouring Fire Art, then take the Different Fire from me.
I was blind to have taken such a beast as a disciple. I poured my heart and trust into him, only to receive merciless betrayal."
Lie Feng said nothing, silently watching Yao Fan's despondent face. Yet, for some reason, his eyes grew sharper.
He asked, "Then why did my master get involved in the struggle between your Medicine King Valley and the Great Qian Dynasty?"
"Although Chang Qingzi was my junior brother, our ideals differed, and we often quarreled. Over a hundred years ago, he chose to leave Medicine King Valley of his own accord.
"After our defeat ten years ago, Medicine King Valley retreated to Quanzhou. This ring also happened to be a magical tool with remote communication functions.
Once I stabilized my soul within the secret realm, I immediately used the ring to contact the other elders to discuss how we might retake Zhongzhou State from our enemies. Zhongzhou State is our sacred land, passed down through generations, and it must not be lost in my lifetime.
Then we heard that the Great Qian Dynasty intended to use the secret realm as a reward for those who won the Grand Competition. So we devised a plan—to send someone to retrieve the ring and rescue me.
As I now only exist as a soul within this ring, I cannot touch physical objects nor move freely. Thus I needed someone to take me out.
Medicine King Valley, having lost my strength, cannot live peacefully while strong enemies remain. But they are already searching everywhere for materials to craft me a new body.
Once I return to Medicine King Valley, I can complete the refinement of a physical vessel and be resurrected to protect the sect.
"We feared this year's Zhongzhou State Competition might be a trap. Yet since the secret realm opens only once every ten years, we could not afford to miss the opportunity. As a compromise, we asked Chang Qingzi, who had long since left the sect, for help."
Hearing this, Lie Feng's eyes grew sharper still. The muscles of his face even twitched slightly.
But Yao Fan, absorbed in recounting the story, failed to notice the change in Lie Feng's expression.
"Since Chang Qingzi had left before the conflict between Medicine King Valley and Great Qian erupted, the dynasty most likely would not recognize his connection with us. We simply did not expect matters to be exposed anyway.
"At the moment of the sect's life and death, Chang Qingzi was willing to stand forward. Even though he died, it was an honorable death, worthy of admiration. You must now quickly heal yourself, and then come with me to Medicine King Valley."
Yao Fan assumed Lie Feng would agree, carrying the ring back to Medicine King Valley. But upon seeing the look in Lie Feng's eyes, he immediately sensed something was wrong.Only to hear Lie Feng say, with a trace of anger:
"So that's how it is. Then it seems I really should thank you all—for making me destitute and bereaved."