Having confirmed the abilities he now possessed, Yin Shiren had not rushed to complete his mission—to deliver a devastating blow to the Grand Academician.
For Yin Shiren understood all too well that even with mastery of the complete ten forms of Bodhisattva's Seal and the Corpse Concealment Art, he would not last two rounds against the Grand Academician.
Thus, Yin Shiren needed external assistance.
And so, he adjusted the flight path of the golden giant eagle beneath him and set course for the Thousand Evils Cave.
This Thousand Evils Cave had once been the territory of the Corpse Concealer, but after the latter's subjugation by Qin Jiaxian, it had become a storage place for Qin's treasures.
Every weapon, artifact, or martial manual retired from the stage could be found within the Thousand Evils Cave.
This was why it was jokingly referred to as the Thunderbolt Production Team's Prop Recycling Room.
If anyone exited the stage only to find their weapons or treasures missing, they could search the Thousand Evils Cave—nine times out of ten, the items would be there.
Mounted upon the golden giant eagle, Yin Shiren arrived swiftly at the Thousand Evils Cave, where he immediately began his frantic search.
Time was not on his side.
To accomplish his mission—to strike the Grand Academician hard—he had only two optimal opportunities.
The first was when Liu Zhu Yi and Ye Xiao Chai confronted the Grand Academician.
The second was when Ye Xiao Chai, Wan Gu Chang Kong, Su Huanzhen, and Qian Ye Chuanqi joined forces to eliminate the Grand Academician.
The second scenario, however, was one in which Yin Shiren might not be able to intervene.
Forcing his way in could introduce variables, potentially preventing the Grand Academician's demise.
Thus, Yin Shiren's best chance lay with Liu Zhu Yi and Ye Xiao Chai's battle against the Grand Academician.
And even that confrontation had ended in failure.
If Yin Shiren could save Liu Zhu Yi and seize the moment to wound the Grand Academician severely, the impact would be undeniable.
Knowing this opportunity would arise in mere days, Yin Shiren had to act quickly.
The first treasure he located was the Dragon Bone Sacred Blade.
After all, Yin Shiren was well aware of the terror wrought by the Grand Academician's demonic blade, Apocalypse Myth.
Though the Dragon Bone Sacred Blade now lacked the dragon energy from Su Huanzhen's body—rendering it incapable of full power and somewhat outdated—it was still forged from the bones of the Blood-Horned Three Qings, one of the Three Great Dragon Beasts of the Bitter Realm.
Even if it could not unleash its full might, it could withstand a few strikes from Apocalypse Myth.
Next, Yin Shiren found another treasure within the Thousand Evils Cave]: the Traceless Heavenly Garment.
This Traceless Heavenly Garment had once belonged to the Ugly Hero, Wu Ren'ai.
After Wu Ren'ai's death, it had naturally fallen into Qin Jiaxian's hands.
True to its name, the Traceless Heavenly Garment allowed its wearer to vanish without a trace.
With time short, Yin Shiren abandoned any thought of collecting martial manuals, focusing instead on treasures he could use immediately.
Taking only the Dragon Bone Sacred Blade and the Traceless Heavenly Garment, he departed the Thousand Evils Cave.
He had considered taking gold and silver as well.
But though the cave overflowed with martial manuals and treasures, it held no wealth of the monetary kind.
Qin Jiaxian knew that if he stored gold and silver there, the Corpse Concealer and Ye Tuling would simply steal it.
Mounted once more upon the golden giant eagle, Yin Shiren left the Thousand Evils Cave and headed straight for Deer Garden Monastery.
He did not know the exact location where Liu Zhu Yi, Ye Xiao Chai, and the Grand Academician would clash.
But he did know that the Grand Academician had first sought to annihilate Deer Garden Monastery, only to be thwarted by the combined efforts of Po Xia Qiu Chan and Jiu Zhou Yi Jian Zhi.
Just as the two were on the verge of defeat, Tianlang Xing and Yan Wang Suo had appeared to challenge the God of Death once more.
At that time, the Grand Academician—having lent Apocalypse Myth to Wan Gu Chang Kong—had found himself outmatched by the duo.
Unwilling to accept defeat, he had reclaimed Apocalypse Myth from Wan Gu Chang Kong.
With the blade in hand, the Grand Academician had swiftly regained the upper hand, effortlessly overpowering their combined Death God's Passage.
The wounded Tianlang Xing and Yan Wang Suo had fled in haste through the forest.
Eventually, they reached a dead end—a sheer cliff face.
There, Liu Zhu Yi and Ye Xiao Chai had lain in wait, fully prepared.
This was the place Yin Shiren sought.
Finding it, however, would not be easy.
Thus, Yin Shiren resolved to monitor the situation at Deer Garden Monastery until the Grand Academician launched his assault.
Only then would he follow the fleeing Tianlang Xing and Yan Wang Suo.
Wounded, they would not move quickly—only stumbling desperately through the trees.
The Grand Academician, like a cat toying with mice, would follow at a leisurely pace.
Meanwhile, Yin Shiren would ride the golden giant eagle ahead, locating the cliffside ambush point.
Concealed by the Traceless Heavenly Garment, he would observe the battle between Liu Zhu Yi, Ye Xiao Chai, and the Grand Academician.
And as Liu Zhu Yi and Ye Xiao Chai unleashed their Three Heavenly Sword Extremes, Yin Shiren would edge closer to the fray.
Fortunately, the Traceless Heavenly Garment masked his presence, and with all three combatants fully engaged, none noticed his approach.
When Liu Zhu Yi and Ye Xiao Chai failed to kill the Grand Academician—when Liu Zhu Yi, stunned, faced the Grand Academician's fatal counterstrike—Yin Shiren intervened.
With the Dragon Bone Sacred Blade, he parried the Grand Academician's blow.
Seizing that fleeting instant, Yin Shiren altered Liu Zhu Yi's fate, sparing him from death before swiftly extracting both him and Ye Xiao Chai from the battlefield.
Now, Yin Shiren intended to deliver them to Deer Garden Monastery, where the healer Medicine Tathāgata could tend to their wounds.
Soon, he arrived at Deer Garden Monastery.
Yet, to his surprise, the monastery's defenses were lax, and Yin Shiren entered with ease.
Carrying Liu Zhu Yi on his back and cradling Ye Xiao Chai in his arms, he found not a single monk in sight.
"Is anyone here?" Yin Shiren called.
"Come out! We need help—Liu Zhu Yi and Ye Xiao Chai are wounded and coughing blood!" Yin Shiren shouted.
"Hurry! Liu Zhu Yi and Ye Xiao Chai are about to die!" Yin Shiren urged.
"Quick! They're on the verge of kicking the bucket!" Yin Shiren yelled.
Since no one appeared, Yin Shiren opted for the fastest solution: shouting at the top of his lungs.
If anyone remained in Deer Garden Monastery, the names Liu Zhu Yi and Ye Xiao Chai would surely draw them out.
"Where are Liu Zhu Yi and Ye Xiao Chai?" a voice demanded.
The effect was immediate. After only three calls, a figure materialized before Yin Shiren.
"Right here!" Yin Shiren replied.
With a jerk of his chin toward his back and a nod toward his arms, Yin Shiren indicated the two injured men.
Recognizing the newcomer as Medicine Tathāgata, he watched as the man hurriedly took Ye Xiao Chai from his arms.
"Follow me," Medicine Tathāgata said.
Without waiting for a response, Medicine Tathāgata rushed toward the Medicine Platform, Ye Xiao Chai in tow.
Yin Shiren followed closely behind.
Upon reaching the Medicine Platform, Medicine Tathāgata laid Ye Xiao Chai down, and Yin Shiren did the same with Liu Zhu Yi.
Medicine Tathāgata immediately began examining their injuries.
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