Chapter 163: Union of Heaven, Earth, and Man (1)

Chapter 163: Union of Heaven, Earth, and Man (1)

As Wu Yuan's physical constitution grew stronger, his body’s consumption of the blood-red mist also rose. It was currently fueled by the astounding amount obtained from slaying Grandmaster Wang Huang and three Savant experts, and was still in abundant supply.

However, I must ensure that my stock of blood-red mist remains ample throughout my journey, rather than waiting until it runs low before seeking replenishment.

Who could foresee what lay ahead? Perhaps he would find himself clashing with a Grandmaster. Hence, it was necessary to maintain peak combat power at all times.

After numerous experiments, Wu Yuan also began to form a hypothesis about the origin of the blood-red mist. It seemed unlikely that it was produced by the deceased, and more likely the black pagoda itself.

As my power continues to grow, it is only when I encounter enemies with strength on par with mine that the blood-red mist emerges in significant quantities. Wu Yuan realized.

Weaker foes provided only meager amounts of the mist, as demonstrated by the slaying of a dozen bandits who were predominantly martial novices and martial virtuosos, with barely any third-rate Adepts among them. There was a stark difference in blood-red mist production compared to when Wu Yuan killed a third-rate Adept two years ago.

In essence, the amount of blood-red mist released depends on the human aspect of the equation. It factors in my own power and the strength of my adversaries.

The black pagoda's ability to discern the relative strength between Wu Yuan and his foes was truly mysterious.

This has the unmistakable touch of some higher-order existence. I suspect it is somehow linked to extremely powerful qi refiners. Follow current novels at novelhall.com)

He dismissed these thoughts for the time being. For a long time now, Wu Yuan had been diligently trying to decipher the secrets of the black pagoda and the blood-red mist. With his growing strength, he gradually unraveled more information.

I’ve only acquired a little blood-red mist so far, but there’s no need to rush. This Great Spirit Mountain Range stretches across hundreds of li, serving as an essential passage from the Yuan Continent, through Eastdream, and into the Jiang Continent. It's only natural that it attracts a horde of bandits. Wu Yuan smiled.

Certain conditions bred a hotbed for bandits: first, a constant flow of traveling merchants. Bandits were driven by greed, and their love for silver taels knew no bounds. Second, treacherous terrain that allowed for quick escapes. Plains were rarely favored by land bandits. Third, an area situated at the crossroads of various major powers. This often led to lax oversight and created fertile ground for banditry.

Given that the Great Spirit Mountain Range fulfilled all three of these conditions, it was no surprise that it was infested with bandits.

According to Wu Yuan's knowledge, there were seven notorious gangs that held significant sway in this region.

Given that he intended to keep his true identity concealed as he roamed the world, Wu Yuan had no interest in accepting missions from the Pleiades Guild, nor did he feel the need to decide who deserved to live or die. He devised a simple solution—eliminate anyone who came seeking his life!

This was where the Bluethunder Horses came into play. The mere presence of two Bluethunder Horses, valued at nearly 10,000 silver taels, was enough to lure any ordinary bandit.

...

The Great Spirit Mountain Range was a long stretch of majestic peaks and undulating terrain.

Wu Yuan, riding one of the two Bluethunder Horses, carried an ample supply of food and fodder in his storage ring, enough to last several months. Furthermore, Wu Yuan, having mastered qi consumption, did not require daily sustenance. Carrying food and seasonings was simply to satisfy his occasional cravings.

He traveled leisurely, covering distances that ranged from a few li to several dozen li each day. Wu Yuan traveled at his own pace along the mountainous official route, with the sky as his blanket and the earth as his bed. Occasionally, he would pause to refine his fist techniques and hone his techniques with the saber.

As he ventured forth on this journey of carefree abandon, his mind and heart grew increasingly tranquil.

Heaven and earth are vast and boundless!

Wu Yuan's soul swelled with power. With each passing moment, his perception of the world deepened and sharpened.

As bandits, they did not fear death, having long prepared themselves for such an outcome. However, the absence of hope could fracture even the sturdiest wills.

But how could Wu Yuan allow them to escape?

Boom! Boom! Boom! Each earth-shaking impact sent a bandit crashing to the ground.

"Have mercy!"

"Run!" Desperate cries filled the air as the bandits sprinted even faster, cursing their ancestors for not bestowing them with an extra pair of legs.

In the end, out of the hundreds who challenged Wu Yuan, only a meager dozen or so managed to flee. This was largely due to Wu Yuan testing out the new concepts he had learned on them rather than focusing on massacring them. Otherwise, none of these bandits would have survived.

Immersing myself in the vastness of the world, attuning my soul to the rhythms of nature, and trekking through majestic mountains and winding rivers truly works. If I continue to improve at this rate, it won't be long before I can harness spiritual qi.

Wu Yuan was filled with anticipation. This result was not solely from the journey this past half a month. It was also the result of a year's worth of tireless exploration through the Jiang Continent, as well as the accumulation of many sessions of contemplating the majesty of the world on Cloudhill.

"Let's continue," Wu Yuan declared, urging his horse forward. The act of eliminating these bandits didn't stir any emotions within him.

Little did he know that by leaving a dozen or so survivors, he had unwittingly provoked the wrath of a formidable foe.

Blackwind Fort, the dominant force in the vast Great Spirit Mountain Range, was shaken to its core by the heavy casualties inflicted upon its bandit brethren. The survivors, having witnessed their leader's demise and the suffering of their comrades, wasted no time in reporting the incident.

The head boss of Blackwind Fort seethed with anger. "How dare some trash run amok in my territory! Even if he’s a Savant expert, he’s dead meat!"

"Contact the other major factions immediately!" he commanded. "We must put an end to this farce. The reputation of the Great Spirit Mountain Range is at stake!"

Despite their internal rivalries, the seven major bandit groups of the Great Spirit Mountain Range unified in the face of external threats. Swiftly, messages were exchanged, and scouts from Blackwind Fort reported back that they had found traces of Wu Yuan.

This development was to be expected. Wu Yuan, who was focused on his cultivation and traveled unhurriedly, did not go out of his way to conceal his whereabouts.

With the Blackwind Fort as the core fighting force, the head bosses of three prominent bandit groups had gathered their main forces. In addition, three other head bosses, though absent, had sent a formidable contingent of their elite bandits. Their combined strength amounted to nearly 10,000 land bandits, including hundreds of Adept experts. This massive ambush was set up for a single Wu Yuan.

Unbeknownst to them, Wu Yuan had long detected the presence of these land bandit scouts through his soul sense. However, he paid them no heed, utterly devoted to his cultivation. It was only when the 10,000 bandits launched their all-out assault that Wu Yuan finally halted his cultivation and opened his eyes.

He adhered to a simple creed: should anyone seek to harm him, he would retaliate without hesitation. He would feel no remorse in slaughtering these bandits.

“Kill him!” The thunderous battle cries of the almost 10,000 land bandits reverberated through the forest, echoing through tens of li.

A colossal clash erupted, soon descending into a one-sided massacre. It was a scene of bloodshed and brutality.

Wu Yuan did not rush his killing spree; he was not concerned with the number of enemies he dispatched. Rather, he utilized these bandits as a means to validate his epiphanies.

There’s no need to wield the saber. My fists can also harness spiritual qi. There wasn’t a ripple of emotion in Wu Yuan as he engaged in the carnage with unparalleled focus.

One punch, one kill! Regardless of whether they were martial novices, martial virtuosos, second-rate Adepts, or first-rate Adepts, anyone foolish enough to charge at Wu Yuan would swiftly meet their demise.