Chapter One Hundred Eleven: The Strange Man Falls Unconscious

A massive python, as thick as a water bucket, slowly slithered into the cave, its head held high. The python’s scales shimmered with a bluish hue, and around its neck spread a giant fan-like frill adorned with four sharp spines on each side, giving it a terrifyingly fierce appearance. Especially striking was the single vertical eye emblazoned on its forehead, within which stars seemed to swirl, mesmerizing anyone who gazed upon it.

“Is this the Evil Wind Beast? Could I be this unlucky? My very first time in the Evil Wind Cave, and I’ve encountered the legendary Evil Wind Beast. Didn’t they say it sleeps most of the year?” Lu Han muttered under his breath.

The Evil Wind Beast was the most mysterious demon beast of the Chaos Soul Land, unrivaled by any other. Since its discovery in the Evil Wind Cave, there had always been one lurking within, its age unknown to anyone.

The beast appeared to be a second-tier innate demon beast. Many strong warriors, intrigued by tales of the Evil Wind Beast, ventured into the cave seeking it, yet none succeeded. The creature mostly remained in slumber; some spent a whole year inside the cave without crossing paths with it. Over time, the Evil Wind Beast became a legend, with only a few lucky ones claiming to have glimpsed it before escaping the cave. Apart from being identified as a serpent, little else was known.

“Roar!”

The Evil Wind Beast let out a wild roar, its eyes expressing a human-like mockery.

A chill sank into Lu Han’s heart. Old Master Ling had not appeared for a long time, and Lu Han knew his situation was dire; in the end, he had to depend on himself. The beast seemed to regard them as prey. Perhaps every time it awakened, it was just to feast.

Suddenly, a change occurred in the cave. The strange man first glanced at the Evil Wind Beast, then tilted his head as if recalling something.

“Let... let us out!”

“Let me out!”

The strange man pounded his head, shouting loudly.

“Ah... ah!!!”

He slammed his head forcefully against the rocky edge of the cave, cracking his skull—but he seemed unfazed.

The Evil Wind Beast, seemingly intelligent, gazed at the man with its large, copper-colored eyes filled with curiosity.

The strange man appeared to remember something, continuously beating his own head before suddenly pressing both palms against his forehead and collapsing unconscious.

“Bang!”

He fell to the ground, out cold.

The Evil Wind Beast withdrew its large, coppery eyes and fixed its gaze on Lu Han.

“Sss!”

Its enormous forked tongue flickered out.

Lu Han’s heart sank; it seemed the beast had marked him as its next meal.

In an instant, the Evil Wind Beast moved.

“Roar!”

Lu Han reacted swiftly, drawing the Greenfall Sword and crossing it before his chest. The beast’s arm-thick fangs clashed against the blade.

He was thrown backward, crashing against the rocky wall before tumbling down.

“Cough, cough...”

Lu Han picked up the Greenfall Sword and slowly propped himself up.

His whole body felt like it was about to fall apart. The Evil Wind Beast’s sheer force upon collision was terrifying.

In contrast, Tan Jun, who had been holding the Beautiful Princess captive, showed no sign of worry since the beast’s arrival.

As Lu Han was struck away, the giant serpent turned its massive head and glared fiercely at Tan Jun, its eyes glinting with menace as it charged forward.

“Beast! Take this!”

Tan Jun flicked his storage ring, producing a handful of golden powder, which he swiftly cast toward the Evil Wind Beast.

“Roar!”

Upon contact with the golden powder, the beast showed clear aversion, quickly retreating from the cave, its massive body undulating rapidly.

“This...” Lu Han was dumbfounded. What was this powder that drove away the Evil Wind Beast?

“Not good!” Lu Han’s heart raced.

Now that the strange man was unconscious, Lu Han’s greatest ace was gone. Tan Jun, as the young sect leader of the Flying Serpent Sect, was undoubtedly one of the Empire’s rising prodigies. Lu Han had no confidence in facing him head-on.

“Haha! It’s truly fate! Who would have thought the Evil Wind Beast would come to my rescue in the end!” Tan Jun laughed wildly.

With the strange man unconscious and the Evil Wind Beast gone, who in this cave could challenge him?

Tan Jun released his grip on the Beautiful Princess’s neck, strode up to Lu Han, and kicked him hard. Lu Han wanted to dodge, but after the beast’s impact, his entire body felt as if it were about to shatter, unable to move.

Tan Jun’s kick sent him sprawling to the ground.

“Kid, with your strength, you still want to play hero and save the beauty? You really don’t know your limits!” Tan Jun sneered.

Lu Han’s mind raced.

His only hope now was to stall. If the strange man awoke, there might still be a chance. He had to buy time.

“I’m curious—what was that golden powder you used earlier to drive off the Evil Wind Beast?” Lu Han asked.

At mention of the golden powder, Tan Jun’s face swelled with pride.

“Well, since you’re on the brink of death anyway, I might as well tell you. That’s Tianyang Powder. It’s incredibly precious. Even our entire Flying Serpent Sect has only a small amount. Luckily, I had some on me this time.”

Tan Jun’s heart still held a trace of fear. The Tianyang Powder was entrusted to him by his father through Elder Jiang Yuan. Without it this time, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

“Tianyang Powder?” Lu Han had never heard of it.

“You country bumpkin,” Tan Jun sneered. “Tianyang Powder is the essence of the utmost yang energy. Snakes belong to the yin element and naturally detest this powder, which is why they flee from it.”

He continued, “Though the Evil Wind Beast is incredibly mysterious, our Flying Serpent Sect’s research on serpents ranks second in the empire—who dares claim first? Through our studies, we believe the Evil Wind Beast carries the bloodline of the ancient supreme serpent, Xiangliu. Our sect has long sought to capture it and make it our guardian beast. After all these years, we finally acquired this little Tianyang Powder. It’s a pity to use it now, but if it secures the cooperation of the Third Prince and a Beautiful Princess, it’s not a bad trade.”

Tan Jun glanced slyly at the Beautiful Princess nearby.

“Swish!”

Suddenly, a snake-shaped throwing dart appeared in Tan Jun’s hand, flying toward the unconscious strange man and striking his shoulder.

“You...” Lu Han exclaimed.

“Don’t think I don’t know your plan—stalling for time, waiting for him to wake up? Even if he’s a King of the Earth level expert, this dart will keep him asleep for a full day and night. Don’t worry, I won’t kill him—at least not yet. But I want to make your lives miserable!” Tan Jun bit his teeth and declared.

If the Evil Wind Beast hadn’t intervened today, Tan Jun might have been trapped here.

Lu Han’s spirit plummeted to its lowest point.

Their last hope was gone.

Yet Lu Han felt no regret, only a tinge of sorrow. The blood of the Soul-Capturing Marten had not been brought back to Maple Leaf City to cure his father Lu Tianhong’s Tiger Toad Poison.

“Father, would you support my actions? You taught me to repay a drop of kindness with a fountain of gratitude,” Lu Han thought.

There was also Lie Ruge, to whom he had recently been betrothed, Old Master Ling, who promised to help the master obtain soul-related cultivation techniques, and his mother...

In an instant, his mind swirled with thoughts, but his heart grew calmer.

“There must be a way. There must be.”

“Huh?”

A smile flickered across Lu Han’s face as the mysterious Cold Pearl, long residing in his Dantian, suddenly stirred. It spun rapidly, releasing waves of energy that began healing his wounds.

...

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