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Chapter 130: Red Meadow

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

It was not dark outside. Yet even so, the rainforest remained engulfed in darkness. Muffled booming sounds traveled from far away, mixed with the roars and cries of beasts and birds. It was as if a huge change had occurred in the rainforest in the distance.

Su Ming stood at the side of the entrance to the cave and trained his gaze towards the location with a cool expression.

Time trickled by. The booming sound continued traveling out, and it sounded as if it was coming from very close to him. As it became clearer, it made Su Ming think that there was someone closing in on him at a terrifying speed.

He clenched his right fist, and a cold look appeared in his eyes, but he remained unmoving. It was as if he had turned into a statue at the entrance of the cave.

After a long while, once the booming sound was not far from where he was, it started quieting down. Yet the moment it started fading away, a huge bang far stronger than the previous sound rang out suddenly. Su Ming's eyes fell upon the gaps between the countless wide leaves, and he saw a figure skidding through the sky.

That figure was still far away from where Su Ming was, so he could only see him faintly.

That figure roared at the skies. His roar contained an indescribable fury, and he turned into a long arc that sped into the distance. Very soon, he disappeared.

That person was Xuan Lun.

When the person left, Su Ming felt his body relax. The cold look in his eyes disappeared. He had also doubted his decision to stay in the rainforest, but while the rainforest was the most dangerous place for him to stay, it was also the easiest place for him to be overlooked.

Besides, this place was too big. Even powerful Berserkers of the Transcendence Realm would find it difficult to search the entire forest. It was also highly feasible that it was not a possible feat.

Su Ming watched Xuan Lun leave, but he did not act rashly. He chose instead to return to the cave without making a sound. He had already made up his mind to not leave the cave unless it was completely safe.

In his silence, Su Ming sat down. He looked at the unconscious He Feng with a complicated gaze. Once he went through the incident with him, Su Ming had a deeper understanding of the sinister nature of the human heart.

Su Ming rubbed the center of his brows and fatigue appeared on his face as he sat in the dark and quiet cave. That fatigue did not stem from his body, but his heart.

After a while, he made himself focus and took up the beast skin which had borne him rewards during his observations just moments ago. He placed it under his nose and sniffed it once again. A stench of blood wafted into his nose.

'It's natural for beast skins to still contain the stench of blood, but as time passes by, this smell will grow fainter until it disappears. This beast skin has clearly been around for a long time. It's impossible for it to have such a thick stench of blood.'

Su Ming's eyes sparkled and he mumbled under his breath as he looked at the beast skin in his hands.

'But if the owner of the beast skin always sprays fresh blood on it, then the smell will stay for a long time. If he is just keeping the beast skin as a memento for his tribe, he wouldn't need to do this…'

Su Ming lifted his head and cast a glance at He Feng as a contemplative look appeared in his eyes.

'Perhaps my guess is wrong, but if I'm right, then this item is definitely not as simple as it looks!'

Su Ming stood up and went beside He Feng with the beast skin. There was a brief period of hesitation, but very soon, he jabbed He Feng's arm with one finger resolutely and opened up a wound, squeezing out a little of the small amount of blood remaining in the body. He hesitated for a moment and decided not to use all of it. He only took a little and spread it on the beast skin before withdrawing a few steps and focusing his gaze on it.

The moment He Feng���s blood was spread on the beast skin, it was immediately absorbed. When Su Ming backed away to look at it, the beast skin had already completely absorbed He Feng's blood. Bubbles appeared on its surface, and wisps of black mist spread out. It seemed to be covered by bubbles that quickly spread to all parts of the beast skin, and the black mist also increased as the bubbles increased.

Su Ming immediately let go and threw the beast skin on the ground, his eyes sparkling. Right in front of him, the black mist became incredibly thick and enveloped the entire beast skin within.

Su Ming circulated his Qi and remained alert, but as time passed by, the black mist did not seem to have sufficient energy to grow thicker. It gradually spread out and became smaller before it eventually dissipated, revealing an unchanged beast skin on the ground.

Su Ming frowned and swept his gaze across the beast skin. With just one glance, he saw that the drop of blood he spread on the skin moments ago had disappeared.

��Was the blood not enough..?'

He cast a glance at the unconscious He Feng and recalled the sight of the black mist on the beast skin. This time, he did not hesitate. He bit his tongue and coughed out a mouthful of his own blood on the beast skin.

The moment the blood landed on the beast skin, a large amount of bubbles appeared. At the same moment, black mist spread out and enveloped the entire beast skin. The time taken for this to happen was cut in half, a clear sign that this was because there was enough blood acting as a stimulant this time.

In an instant, the black mist that had enveloped the beast skin spread out and turned into a black ripple in the shape of a ring. Once it traveled dozens of feet outwards, the black mist disappeared into the walls of the mountain cave.

At the same time, Su Ming's breathing became rapid. Right before his eyes, when the mist spread out, the beast skin that had been hidden underneath was revealed. There were no longer any words on the beast skin, only a complex picture. The picture itself was completely red, but there was no way of knowing what was drawn since it looked as if there were still a lot of missing parts.

Just as Su Ming focused his gaze on the picture on the beast skin, it started to strangely expand rapidly. It spread all around, and in an instant, it went underneath He Feng's body and Su Ming's feet, covering an area of 100 feet around them, causing the area of 100 feet to turn into a red world.

Su Ming did not dodge. He stood in the 100 feet covered in red. During that instant, he fell into a trance, and a strange image appeared in his head.

When he saw the image, it was as if he had come to a strange world. He saw grass plains, and on the plains was a man whose body was obscured. He wore a long robe and on his face was a black mask. He had his hands behind his back and looked as if he was staring at the sky.

There were hundreds of long arcs whistling through the sky. In every single arc was a presence that was not weaker than Transcendence. Some of them even gave off a presence that far exceeded it.

The hundreds of long arcs in the sky caused the sky to be lit in bright colors when they closed in. Rays of light appeared when the Art was cast, and most of them descended upon the man down below. It was a shocking sight to behold.

Su Ming's heart trembled. He looked at the sights before him at a loss. Yet immediately, he saw the man wearing the familiar black mask on the plains raise his right hand. A gigantic beast skin appeared in his hand. He held it with one hand and laid it out horizontally before pressing it on the ground as it floated in the air.

The moment the beast skin was pushed onto the ground, the entire earth let out a rumble. The beast skin expanded rapidly and spread to its surroundings quickly. In an instant, it covered a circumference of 100 li.

The plains, which were a 100 li area, were no longer a green grassland, but a red meadow. There were also red plants growing on it, causing the area of 100 li inside to be vastly different to the area outside.

A ghastly presence spread out.

The rays of light from the hundreds of the Arts closed in on the man, but before they could even get near to the masked man, they faded away above him as if they landed on a formless barrier.

At that moment, the masked man grabbed at thin air with his right hand. Immediately, an eerie beast fang about seven feet long appeared in his hand, and he stabbed it onto the red meadow by his side.

The instant the giant fang stabbed the earth, the fang turned red. A three-headed blood dragon took shape and sped towards the hundreds of long arcs in the sky, roaring.

The masked man quickly brought out another sharp fang and stabbed it on the other side of the red meadow. The fang turned red instantly as well, and a shadow took shape. That shadow exuded a malicious presence, and it was somewhat similar to the Fallen God of Berserkers Bi Tu had summoned a few years ago.

The shadow took a step forward and charged towards the hundreds of long arcs in the sky.

A booming sound echoed through the world, and Su Ming opened his eyes. There was sweat beading on his forehead. His breathing was rapid, and his eyes gradually became clear. He looked at his surroundings and found that he was still inside the mountain cave. Yet a red meadow had appeared in an area of 100 feet under his feet.

Besides the size, the red hue of the meadow was exactly the same as in the illusion he'd seen when he was in the trance.

Su Ming's heart thumped against his heart, and he took a long while before he calmed down. He looked at the red meadow that spanned the area of 100 feet, and a bright light gradually appeared in his eyes. He stepped on the 100 feet of red land and walked towards the entrance of the cave.

When he looked back, there was not a hint of red in the cave, as if everything had been just an illusion. Even He Feng had disappeared without a trace. The cave was empty.

Su Ming withdrew and walked back into the area of the red meadow. Once he did so, everything returned to normal. He Feng still lay on the ground, unconscious.

'No wonder He Feng could survive till now after his tribe was destroyed and had escaped Xuan Lun's pursuit so many times. He may possess extraordinary intelligence, but if it weren't for this treasure, it would have still been hard for him to survive till now!

'This item might have really possessed the might I saw in the illusion, but now it's already torn. Even so, it still has shocking concealing powers.

'He Feng… is covered head to toe in treasures!'

Su Ming took a deep breath. This was the first time he had received so many precious items in his life, and all of these had originally belonged to He Feng.

'But I wonder why he didn't use this treasure to hide himself when Xuan Lun was after his life.'

Su Ming looked at the red meadow that spanned the area of 100 feet. He walked out once again and left the cave. Before long, he dashed back, and behind him was a centipede about dozens of feet long. It chased after him ferociously. When Su Ming stepped into the area of the red meadow, that centipede, too, entered the area.

Su Ming's eyes flashed, and he withdrew a few steps, training his eyes on the centipede that he had lured in. When the centipede entered the area of the 100 feet, it started circling around as if unable to see Su Ming standing before it.

After a moment, the centipede let out a frustrated roar. An excited look appeared on Su Ming's face. He had already ascertained the concealing abilities of this beast skin—they should be incredibly strong.

At that moment, he raised his right hand and pointed at the centipede. The centipede's head exploded with a bang in an instant, and it died on the spot, its body twisting on the ground.

Yet the moment it died, Su Ming's eyes flashed, and surprise appeared on his face.

Chapter 131: The Change During Peaceful Times

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

He saw the carcass of the centipede melting after it died, wriggling strangely on the red meadow. Very soon, the carcass of the centipede melted and disappeared right before Su Ming's eyes as if it was absorbed into the meadow.

Su Ming was shocked when he saw this. Yet he did not feel any danger coming from the area. In fact, there was a warm and comfortable feeling radiating off it. He even had the feeling that this area of 100 feet completely belonged to him.

That feeling was not distinct, but it made Su Ming feel very safe.

He fell into silence and sat down cross-legged. His eyes fell on the unconscious He Feng. That person may be on the meadow, but there were no signs of him melting.

'Could it be that it only melts dead beings?'

Su Ming stroked his chin and the image of the masked man appeared in his mind.

'The mask he wore is the same as the mask in He Feng's bag, but I have a feeling that there's still a difference between them… He Feng mentioned before that the ancestor of Han Mountain Tribe was not from the Berserker Tribe. His origins were a mystery. Two of the things he used were on He Feng himself. Could it be… that the masked man is He Feng's direct ancestor..?'

Su Ming thought about it, but since there were no clues, he gradually stopped pondering over it. He sat in the cave calmly instead and brought out Mountain Spirits, swallowing them and silently increasing the power of his Qi.

In the blink of an eye, three months passed by.

During these three months, Su Ming felt the world outside trembling four times, a telling sign that Xuan Lun was still suspicious of the place and searched through the rainforest. Yet these four trembles all happened during the first two months. During the last month, the world outside was quiet.

Perhaps it was related to the danger brought by Xuan Lun, but during these three months, Su Ming's training speed increased by quite a bit. He had now 291 blood veins in his body. The requirement for the eighth level of the Blood Solidification Realm was 399. He only had to manifest a hundred something more blood veins to attain that level.

Yet during this time, Su Ming noticed a flaw in Mountain Spirit. Since he had been taking those pills for a prolonged period of time, the effects of the pill were gradually becoming weaker. Before long, it might completely lose its effects.

Su Ming could do nothing towards this, but he also understood why it happened. If its effects did not decrease, then if he continued taking those pills, he could attain as many blood veins as he wanted as long as he had enough time.

"From the rate of Mountain Spirit weakening, this pill should completely lose its effects once I reach the eighth level of the Blood Solidification Realm."

Su Ming sat within the area of the red meadow and mumbled under his breath as he sensed the circulation within his blood veins.

'Thank goodness the effects of South Asunder remain and I can use it to heal my injuries… As for my training… it's not as if I can't continue training without Mountain Spirit!'

Resolution appeared on Su Ming's face.

'I still have two drops of Berserker Blood… Apart from that, I could also cast the Art of burning my blood!'

The moment he thought of the burning of blood, Su Ming took a deep breath. Practicing that Art was incredibly difficult and the process was painful. It was hard for a person to endure through it.

'The power provided when I performed the fourth burning of blood that year stirred up all the Wings of the Moon to appear, but my blood veins did not increase… If I want to perform the fifth burning of blood, I'll have to be careful since I'm in the Land of South Morning. There're a lot of powerful Berserkers around here. If I'm discovered, it'll be troublesome.'

Su Ming lifted his head and looked towards the entrance of the cave. A chilling look appeared on his face.

'Xuan Lun, I don't know whether you've left this place or you're waiting patiently outside the rainforest. I don't care whether you're still around, I'm going to stay here.'

Su Ming stood up and went to He Feng's side. During these three months, He Feng remained unconscious. Even if he showed signs of awakening, Su Ming would disrupt his Qi once every few days and guide a large amount of miasma to surround He Feng's body, making him continuously absorb it. Once he did that, it would cause He Feng's injuries to never recover, yet because Su Ming healed him as well, he could not die.

There were no longer any injuries on his body, but the herbs Su Ming had planted in He Feng's body were getting nourishment from his flesh and blood. They had already taken root within his body and were growing healthily inside.

Two shoots had also sprouted out of the black and white bones beside He Feng. The white bone proved to be suitable for the herbs.

'I still lack three herbs and a beast bone… It's a pity I can't go out for the time being. But Fang Mu wouldn't give up so easily with his intelligence.'

Su Ming took care of the medicinal cauldron for Spirit Plunder and sat down cross-legged once again. He made an odd sign with his right hand and pushed forward a few times, but was left disappointed.

'Must I really wake He Feng up and ask him how to cast the Branding Art?'

Su Ming had tried casting the Art multiple times during these three months. He had already understood the Art, but just could not cast it.

Qi was not needed to cast the Art. It seemed like it needed another form of power to be activated, but Su Ming did not have it. He had even specifically observed He Feng's Qi circulation in an attempt to find the reason, but he could not obtain any clues from He Feng.

He Feng was the same as him. They only had the power of Qi within their bodies.

'Just how did he cast this Art..?'

Su Ming thought about it for a long time, but could not find any clues. He could only place the problem aside and immerse himself in consuming Mountain Spirit.

The rainy season had passed. The heat may still be around, but it had weakened by quite a large margin. The large leaves in the rainforest could not fight against time and started falling off the branches that formed the dense layers of the rainforest.

Another three months passed by without notice. Su Ming had stayed within the rainforest for half a year now. During this half a year, he had to constantly circulate his Qi. Only by doing so could he avoid the invasion of miasma.

He also noticed the benefits of doing so. The speed of his Qi increasing was much faster than when he was outside.

During this time, the shoots on the black and white bones had grown into tiny shrubs. The light green color from the herbs let out a piercing light. Yet as they continued growing, the two bones gradually became duller. It was as if all their essence was absorbed by the two shrubs.

As for He Feng… he had completely turned into a medicinal cauldron. There were shrubs upon shrubs of medicinal herbs growing on his body. The herbs had broken through his skin a few months ago like they had just sprouted out of the soil. They were growing healthily.

He Feng's body was in a withered state to begin with. Now, it was even more obvious.

He had been unconscious for half a year. Even if he had regained consciousness, his mind would remain in a muddled state. Besides, Su Ming did not allow him to have any chances of awakening. The invasion of miasma and healing that happened once every few days caused He Feng to become a living dead person.

Su Ming felt guilty, but when he thought about He Feng's sinister plans and the things that happened half a year ago… If he had not entered the strange dimension inside that piece of debris when he was in danger, then even if Su Ming was not dead, he would also be in a terrible state.

Su Ming gradually hardened his heart. In his eyes, He Feng was no longer a person, but a medicinal cauldron.

More importantly, Su Ming also slowly realized that if he did not prepare the medicinal pills to open the next door and forcefully entered the strange dimension, a repelling force would appear. He had thought that he could use this method to avoid danger during this half a year and tried multiple times, but he only succeeded once. That repelling force was incredibly strong, and as the blood veins in his body increased, it became harder.

During these three months, the blood veins in his body increased to 337. The effects of Mountain Spirit had also become much weaker. Sometimes, he would need to take in a few pills before he could produce the original effects of one pill.

Fortunately, Su Ming had enough herbs. By using the fire in his body to create the pills, he never ran out of them.

Sometimes, Su Ming would venture out during this half a year to lure in some insects and creatures before killing them within the area of the red meadow so that it could absorb the carcasses.

Besides wanting to see what would happen when the meadow reached its limit and could no longer absorb anymore carcasses, there was another reason why he did so. Once every few months, the area of the 100 feet meadow would decrease, and the color would become dull. Once it absorbed the carcasses, the color would return.

Sometimes, some insects and creatures would come into the cave on their own, a telling sign that they did not notice Su Ming had already occupied the cave and were just coming into the cave based on past habits of resting here.

Besides doing all these, Su Ming also spent his remaining time on the Branding Art. He continued trying and searching for a way to cast it until one day, when he had already comtemplated it for half a year and still had no clues, he thought of a way.

He remembered there was a large amount of stone coins in He Feng's bag. There was also the stone box that contained the leaf that would be used for synthesis during Transcendence, which was created using a large number of white stone coins.

He had been uncertain and took a guess that stone coins could be used for purposes other than trading. Once he remembered it, an idea formed in his head.

'Could it be that external materials are needed for He Feng's Branding Art..?'

Su Ming took out the purple bag and brought out one white stone coin. The coin was round, and when he held it in his hand, there was some warmth coming from it. Su Ming never paid too much attention to it, but now that he scrutinized it, he gradually realized the difference in the stone coin compared to other stones.

'This type of stone is used among all Berserker Tribes and yet there has never been any previous record of a fake coin existing. It must be because there is a secret that people don't know about… I've always overlooked this…'

Su Ming's eyes flashed. Once he held the stone in his hand, he made the strange sign with his right hand with one well-practiced motion, then pushed forward lightly, just like how he did the previous hundreds of times he practiced this method.

The moment he pushed forward, something changed in Su Ming's mind. He could clearly feel his body absorbing a foreign sensation from the white stone coin. That sensation charged into his right hand through a path completely different from the path taken when his Qi circulated in his body. Once it went one round around his pinched fingers in his right hand, it immediately became much stronger before abruptly contracting and charging straight towards his head, faster than Su Ming could react to stop it. With a bang, the foreign sensation stormed into his mind.

His vision blurred for a moment, and then he saw a completely different world.

Within a circumference of 1,000 feet, all that existed appeared in his mind. He saw a centipede silently swimming in the mud 900 feet away.

He saw a flying insect the size of his palm hiding under a large leave 500 feet away. It was baring its teeth and staring at a small beast walking cautiously under the tree.

He also saw a dim light in the unconscious He Feng's head silently absorbing the medicinal properties from the roots of the herbs that were planted in his body and had now covered his body, as if it was using the power from the herbs to increase its own power. There was also one thread that went out of the cave from the center of his brows.

When Su Ming saw it, the dim light immediately trembled and he heard a faint, terrified scream.

"Hmm?"

Su Ming narrowed his eyes. At that moment, his expression suddenly changed and a strong sense of danger flooded his system. That danger did not come from He Feng, but from the borders of the 1,000 feet area that he could now sense with his mind. It came from a woman walking into the rainforest. She was dressed in white and covered her face with a veil.

Han Fei Zi!

Chapter 132: Han Fei Zi!

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

'He Feng, we did not know each other and had no grudges against each other. You were the one who provoked me first for your own personal gains. You wanted to use me and kill me, but I didn't kill you immediately. I even promised to take revenge for you, but even now, you still want to harm me?!'

A murderous look appeared in Su Ming's eyes. He not only understood the sinister nature of the human heart from He Feng, he also understood just how much he was lacking at that moment.

There was no way he would believe that Han Fei Zi was just passing by!

He Feng must have done all of this secretly.

Due to the Branding Art, Su Ming could see the ball of dim light in He Feng's head; that dim light was trembling. Without the Art, he could not hear that terrified scream either, only when he was in this condition could he hear it.

After what he saw, if Su Ming still did not understand, then he was no longer Su Ming!

If he hadn't figured out the method to cast that Branding Art, then he would have still been in the dark even when Han Fei Zi came right before him. He would not have known how she had found him.

Cold sweat trickled down his back.

Su Ming did not hesitate. He used the method to control the Branding Art and instantly contracted the 1,000 feet area till it was just 50 feet around him. He enveloped He Feng within that area and took a step forward, jabbing at the center of He Feng's brows harshly, immediately causing the dim light to become dull, as if it was heavily injured.

Yet it did not scatter. Still, the fine thread that stretched out from the center of his brows became duller.

Su Ming wanted to cut the thread off, but he stopped. His eyes flashed, and his thoughts raced in his head.

'Han Fei Zi is already 1,000 feet into the area. Even if I break the connection between He Feng and the outside world, it'll still be useless… It'll instead alert her, giving her time to prepare.

'He Feng is heavily injured. Even if he could connect to the outside world with this method, there's a six out of ten chance that he's just maintaining contact to guide her here.

'There's only a four out of ten chance that he told her everything about this place. Since he's heavily injured and worried that I'll notice his actions, the probability of her knowing is lessened by another one tenth of the chance.

'It's highly possible that Han Fei Zi doesn't know about my existence!

'It's also not likely that Xuan Lun told her the details of this place. If that's the case, then to Han Fei Zi, He Feng is the only one here. Since He Feng definitely can't go out in his wounded state and is hiding from Xuan Lun, he's using this method to call her here so that she could heal him.

'If that's the case, then Han Fei Zi should not have told anyone about this. She… might very likely be alone! From her expression when she entered the area within the 1,000 feet, she's not too cautious about this place. If that's the case, then that's another one tenth chance less that she knows I'm here. So I have an eighth of a chance that my analysis is correct!

'An eighth! That's enough!'

Su Ming was forced by the situation. In the span of a few breaths, he focused his mind to quickly analyze his circumstances until his head started hurting mildly, but he did not have time to dally.

He immediately lifted He Feng and moved his feet so that he was sitting cross-legged. Su Ming then crouched down, hiding behind He Feng.

He was originally smaller and thinner than a normal member of the Berserker Tribe to begin with, so now that he hid himself, no one could see him from the front.

At the same time, Su Ming commanded with his mind the red meadow under his feet to quickly contract. In an instant, it turned into a small piece that existed only under Su Ming's feet. Even He Feng was positioned outside the meadow.

Su Ming then quickly contracted the area of branding, but besides wrapping his own body inside its area of influence, he also enveloped He Feng. That was to prevent him from alerting Han Fei Zi. If He Feng tried to alert her, then with the branding, Su Ming could stop him immediately.

Once he was done, Su Ming took a deep breath. A cold glare appeared in his eyes. He circulated his Qi until it reached its peak condition. The souls of the Wings of the Moon spread out from inside him and stuck to his skin. This time, he used all the souls of the Wings of the Moon.

He even lifted his right hand and sensed the presence of the Three Evils, waiting for the crucial moment before he struck.

Within his mouth was a mouthful of blood. That blood was for him to cast Dark Blood Dust!

'She hasn't Transcended, it's not impossible for me to fight against her!'

Su Ming's heart rate gradually slowed down as he completely calmed down, remaining still.

Outside the cave, Han Fei Zi, who was dressed in white and had a white veil over her face, was 700 feet away from the mountain cave. She looked calm and her movements were beautiful. Even if she was walking in the rainforest filled with humidity and miasma and even if the ground was filled with mud and looked disgusting, she was an eye-catching sight that did not belong to this place. Nothing in this place could not stain her body.

Han Fei Zi's eyes were like stars that enticed people, making them unable to look away. Although there was a veil over her face, all those who saw her would be caught in a daze as if they had just seen the beautiful woman of their dreams.

She treaded lightly forward. Her beautiful eyes stared at a crack in the mountain before her. She could feel that the connection from He Feng came from that place.

To her, He Feng himself was more useful compared to his role in helping her obtain the great treasure. That strange connection itself was already extraordinary. On top of that, this person was a schemer. He never shared that strange Art with other people. This was also something Han Fei Zi admired about him.

However, that was just pure admiration. Once this person lost his value, she did not mind taking him under her wing. When she entered Freezing Sky Clan, he could still be of use to her.

As she moved forward, she suddenly frowned and lifted her hand. On her finger was a black ring. That ring might look like an ordinary ring, but there was a thread from the ring stretching out towards the crack before her, connecting her ring and the crack together.

At that moment, the thread rippled suddenly and became a lot duller.

That was the moment Su Ming jabbed at the center of He Feng's brows.

Han Fei Zi stopped and stood where she was. She still remained calm as she looked at the crack before her, seemingly immersed in her thoughts. After a moment, she floated towards the crack and stopped once again when she was 100 feet away.

"Brother He, I, Yan Fei, am here. Please come out."

Han Fei Zi's voice was as cold as ice, but there was a strange attractiveness to it that made those who heard it feel restless.

The cave was silent. Not a sound came out from within. A glint appeared faintly in Han Fei Zi's eyes. After a moment of hesitation, she lifted her hand and a light appeared in it. A small cloud the size of a palm appeared and floated forward, entering the cave through the crack.

Su Ming hid behind He Feng's body and remained still, as if he did not see the white cloud that entered the cave. The white cloud floated in midair. When it went around the cave once, it flew out of and landed in Han Fei Zi's hand.

Han Fei Zi gently held the cloud while it dispersed. The sights that the white cloud had seen appeared before her eyes. She fell momentarily silent and walked into the crack. Once she went in, she surrounded her body with cloud mist in an act of precaution.

Even as the sounds of footsteps got closer, Su Ming remained unmoving. However, the chill in his eyes became stronger.

Very soon, Han Fei Zi appeared in the mountain cave and saw He Feng sitting on the ground cross-legged. She also saw the herbs growing all over He Feng's body. She narrowed her eyes.

She stood where she was and did not continue forward. After a span of a few breaths, the cloud mist around her suddenly spread out and turned into a force that filled the entire cave, causing the mountain cave to seemingly shake. It was followed quickly by Han Fei Zi herself retreating hastily. Judging by her looks, she had already noticed something and was about to leave the mountain cave.

The moment she retreated, Su Ming almost reflexively attacked. When Han Fei Zi entered the cave, he had focused all of his attention on her. She might have been standing there for a few breaths, but she stood at a location that did not allow Su Ming to have the best position to attack her. If she got closer, he would have a higher chance.

Her act of retreating seemingly drew out his Qi, causing Su Ming to almost attack due to his natural reflex, but he subdued his impulse. Sweat beaded on his forehead.

'Han Fei Zi is like He Feng. They're both schemers… She had already used the white cloud to investigate the cave beforehand. There's no way she did not know that He Feng was covered in herbs. There's no reason for her to be surprised when she entered the cave!

'Her retreat was a test. The woman's act of standing there was also very brilliant… During the span of a few breaths, she could make people pay full attention to her actions. Once they did so and she retreated suddenly, she could make the person attack on instinct…

'You can do this as a test? Lesson learned.'

The reason why Su Ming did not fall into the trap was largely due to his experience during the battle of Dark Mountain Tribe. That devastating battle made his convictions stronger.

He had already decided to wait until the crucial moment before he attacked. There was no way he would change that plan easily. That was why he could subdue his impulse, and not because he got an inkling of what she was planning.

Han Fei Zi retreated a few steps and her eyes flashed. When she saw that nothing happened, she relaxed marginally and stopped before moving forward again. This time, her distance between He Feng gradually closed down.

'Looks like He Feng was attacked by some unknown Berserker Art Xuan Lun had casted. His life is almost gone. He must have managed to escape after a lot of difficulty but could only hide here. Before he fell unconscious, he contacted me so that I could save him,' Han Fei Zi thought as she looked at He Feng sitting cross-legged in the cave.

She took another few steps forward, wanting to take a closer look.

In her eyes, the space behind He Feng was empty. There was no one there. As she continued onward and was only 10 feet away from He Feng, a thought struck her head and she widened her eyes suddenly before quickly withdrawing.

'That can't be right. This crack is right in the deeper parts of the rainforest. The miasma should be thick here. He Feng is obviously unconscious and cannot get rid of the miasma, but the miasma here is thin…

'The cracks in the rainforest are usually the resting places for insects and beasts, but there's nothing here. He Feng is unconscious, how could those insects and beasts not dare to come forward?

'This place is a trap!'

Han Fei Zi's heart trembled, knowing that she was not in a good situation. She was just about to retreat when Su Ming's eyes glinted where he hid behind He Feng.

The moment Han Fei Zi retreated, the red meadow under his feet spread out abruptly.

Attack!

Chapter 133: Learning Deceit

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Both things happened almost at the same moment. When Han Fei Zi retreated, the red meadow under Su Ming's feet spread out rapidly. In the blink of an eye, it went past Han Fei Zi and covered the ground past her feet, covering the area of 100 feet within the mountain cave.

Han Fei Zi was within those 100 feet.

She felt her vision blur for a moment. Everything before her instantly changed. No one could know what she saw, but from the shocked look in her eyes, it was easy to guess that she must certainly be stunned.

Su Ming could remain still if he did not attack, but once he did, his strike was akin to a bolt of lightning!

He had no grudges against Han Fei Zi, but he knew that if he had not known about the danger beforehand, then when she entered the mountain cave and encountered him, he would have definitely been caught off guard and certainly killed.

This had nothing to do with strife but was a battle stemming from gains!

He Feng himself was a gigantic gain. The benefits brought by the items in Su Ming's pockets alone were enough to make a lot of people go mad with desire, and that was not counting the great treasure!

The moment Han Fei Zi was covered by the red meadow, Su Ming immediately lifted his right hand. He had already found the location of the Three Evils a long time ago, hence he swiftly slashed downwards towards the direction northwest.

The moment his right hand slashed down, Su Ming's blood veins gathered into one and rushed out of his body in an instant towards northwest before disappearing without a trace.

Yet the moment his right hand slashed downwards, killing intent appeared in Han Fei Zi's eyes, who was standing within the red meadow, and whose expression had changed. She raised her hand, and her body was immediately enveloped by clouds of mist. However, at that moment, the clouds of mist let out a loud bang, and a giant crack appeared in their center. Han Fei Zi could be clearly seen through the crack.

Although her face was hidden by the white veil, it had become pale, and shock appeared in her eyes. She knew that the white mist she casted may look ordinary, but it was actually very difficult to breach. Even the seniors in the tribe would find it hard to tear through the cloud if they did not use a powerful Berserker Art.

Yet this invisible enemy used an unknown method to do so. She could not underestimate him. It was even more shocking for her when the clouds of mist were sliced apart and a strong sense of danger came crashing forth, as if there was a formless vent coming to swallow her whole.

Han Fei Zi did not have time to cast any powerful Berserker Art. Everything happened in a heartbeat. During the moment of danger, she bit her tongue and coughed out a mouthful of blood, which turned into a blood-red statue of the God of Berserkers before her.

More accurately speaking, that statue was in the form of a woman. Her face could not be seen clearly, but the moment it appeared, a piercing light erupted forth from her body. As the light collided with Su Ming's Execution of the Three Evils, a huge crash rang in the air.

At the same time, Han Fei Zi raised her right hand and tapped the center of her brows. Immediately, a golden light shot out from her brows. As it showered down, her whole body turned gold. When the golden color appeared, she quickly retreated. With one step, she seemingly stepped on air and moved out of the 100 feet area of the red meadow that Su Ming had spread out.

However, it was clear that using the golden light to move out created a great burden on Han Fei Zi. The moment she got out, blood trickled down the corner of her lips. Yet she did not stop. She rushed out of the mountain cave.

She had already made her decision. As long as she could leave the trap laid down by her opponent in the mountain cave and regain her breathing outside, then she would definitely tear apart that person who had dared to ambush her!

But there was no chance that Su Ming would let her leave so easily. The red meadow could not lock her in, and the Execution of the Three Evils was dispersed by the female statue of the God of Berserkers, but Su Ming's attack continued.

The instant Han Fei Zi was only dozens of feet away from the entrance of the cave, about to rush out, Su Ming took one step forward and closed in on her at an incredible speed. His eyes were cold, and as he moved forward, he pointed towards Han Fei Zi with his right hand.

The moment he did so, the souls of the Wings of the Moon that surrounded him let out a howl that normal people could not hear and rushed out. They gathered together and formed a gigantic fist.

This fist was invisible, but Han Fei Zi could sense it clearly. Her eyes flashed, and she quickly drew a circle before herself with her right hand. Immediately, clouds of mist appeared out of nowhere and formed a circle that was about to clash into the fist formed by the souls of the Wings of the Moon.

However, at that moment, a cold smirk appeared on the corners of Su Ming's lips. As he rushed out, he quickly spread the Branding Art outwards. When the circumference of 1,000 feet appeared in his mind, he contracted that area towards Han Fei Zi.

This was the only attack recorded in the Branding Art, though Su Ming could not tell what its effects were. It may be his first time using it, but he had no choice but to use it at that moment.

The speed with which the branded 1,000 feet area shrank was so quick that it was done in the blink of an eye. The moment it completely covered Han Fei Zi's body, she trembled and a pained look appeared on her face.

She felt as if there were needles stabbing into her head, and due to that sudden appearance of the pain, the cloud ring before her showed signs of dissipating. Before she could forcefully stabilize it, the fist formed by the souls of the Wings of the Moon crashed into it.

A muffled bang rang in the air, and the cloud ring crumbled. The fist formed by the Wings of the Moon blasted through and crashed into Han Fei Zi's chest.

The golden light shone on Han Fei Zi's body once again. Blood trickled out of the corner of her lips, but the cold glare in her eyes became stronger. She tumbled backwards and used that force to escape from the cave.

The moment she managed that, Su Ming rushed out along with her. His figure was a blur in Han Fei Zi's eyes. This was connected to Su Ming's speed, but more importantly, it was also due to his Branding Art that was focused on her body right now.

The only form of attack of this Art was very powerful. It continuously stabbed into Han Fei Zi's head and caused her pain as well as made her vision cloudy. Her face was twisted by great pain.

These two people rushed out of the crack one after the other, but Su Ming's speed was greater. Once he caught up to her, he did not say a single word, but swiftly spat out the mouthful of blood that he had kept within his mouth.

That mouthful of blood was for Su Ming's Berserker Art – Dark Blood Dust. The moment he spat it out, the blood immediately turned into a large veil of red mist that covered the area before him. With a shocking scream and piercing strength, the mist charged towards Han Fei Zi.

Han Fei Zi's expression changed. Only a few breaths had passed since she came out of the mountain cave. She had not even clearly seen her enemy's face yet, and she had already been injured multiple times. This sort of thing was unacceptable for her ego.

Su Ming's mouthful of blood rushed towards her. As Han Fei Zi retreated, she swung her right hand forward. As long as she could block this for even a moment, then she could turn the tides of the battle and wrestle back a sliver of initiative instead of remaining defensive in the battle. As long as she could do that, she could counterattack.

Nevertheless, she did not have the chance to obtain the initiative since the start. Her enemy's attacks were like a storm, and it looked as if there was no hint of it letting up; it was only growing stronger.

'If I can just get one chance!'

Han Fei Zi swung her right hand forward and mist appeared abruptly, forming a mist of five colors. The moment it crashed into the blood mist, the latter let out sizzling sounds and instantly dissipated.

Han Fei Zi was about to counterattack, but Su Ming had gone to great trouble to create this battlefield so that he could have complete initiative. He would not let her have the chance.

When he coughed out the mouthful of blood earlier, he spread out his hands and the surrounding souls of the Wings of the Moon gathered around him, enveloping him.

It may have seemed like he was alone, but he rose into the sky as if he was stepping on air. He then clenched his fist and, without making a sound, threw a punch towards Han Fei Zi, who was behind the mist formed by the Dark Blood Dust.

Not only did that punch contain all the power of Su Ming's Qi, but the formless souls of the Wings of the Moon outside his body had also turned into a giant fist that came down along with it.

That punch crushed Han Fei Zi's chance to counterattack, forcing her to defend once again. Her entire body was surrounded by clouds when Su Ming's fist collided with her.

Booming sounds echoed continuously in the air.

Su Ming's body was unclear in the sky. Each of his fists thrown was faster than the last as they rushed towards Han Fei Zi, who was completely forced into the defensive. As she resisted each attack, she retreated. The cold glare in her eyes could practically freeze the sky, but she had to withdraw.

She could feel that each punch thrown by the enemy contained two forces. One was the power of Qi, which could be ignored, but the other was a power that was both strange and terrifying.

That power did not attack her body but her soul. It caused Han Fei Zi, who was in constant pain due to the Branding Art, have the feeling as if her soul was about to be scattered.

At that moment, Su Ming threw a punch out, and the souls of the Wings of the Moon in his body moved together outward, forcing Han Fei Zi to once again retreat hundreds of feet away. Once he did so, he spoke for the first time, and his voice, which was ghastly and hoarse, echoed around them.

"He Feng, you were the one who lured her here, and you're still not attacking! How long are you going to wait?"

If He Feng could hear his words, then he would definitely call him a despicable person, but the man could not hear him.

When Han Fei Zi heard those words, panic and anger appeared on her face. She had suspected that before, and now, without any hesitation, she retreated quickly on instinct, turning into a ray of golden light to charge out.

She was of high status and did not want to take risks. The mysterious enemy that was at the level of Transcendence already made her lose her initiative and forced her into the defensive. If He Feng attacked as well, then unless she gave up on attaining completion for her blood veins and immediately chose to Transcend, she would find herself hard-pressed to win.

Su Ming did not chase after her. His face was pale and blood trickled out of his mouth. He might have obtained the initiative during this battle, but every single time his attack landed on Han Fei Zi, the golden light outside her body would absorb and reflect his attacks with a strange force, causing Su Ming to continuously be injured.

'That woman was in constant pain due to the Branding Art, and she was also shaken by the souls of the Wings of the Moon. If adding the fact that she fell into the trap and was forced into defending only, she was thrown into disarray. She retreated due to that and the shock of hearing those words I spoke regarding He Feng. But she's definitely not a simple person. She'll soon realize that it was a lie.'

Su Ming charged back to the cave and put away the two bones into his bag before grabbing He Feng's body and rushing out. He dashed deeper into the rainforest.

After the time it takes for one incense stick to burn down, a cloud of mist whistled through the sky. Han Fei Zi's face was as cold as ice on the cloud. She landed where the battle had taken place and glared into the deepness of the rainforest.

A ferocious look appeared in her eyes.

Ever since she was young, she had never suffered such a great loss. This was also the first time she had been forced to retreat, and she did not even manage to see her enemy's face. It was unacceptable for her pride.

'This person's power wasn't great, but his attacks were very strange. The level of his attacks could compare with that of Transcendence… He's also very intelligent… but no matter who you are, as long as you're around Han Mountain City, then I'll definitely find you!'

Han Fei Zi's expression gradually calmed down, but the anger she felt towards Su Ming remained in her eyes, and it did not leave even after a long time.

Chapter 134: It's Called a Storage Bag!

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Su Ming held He Feng and ran through the rainforest at full speed. As he continued running, he consumed South Asunder to heal his wounds. He continued moving for an entire day before slowing down.

The deeper he was in the rainforest, the more danger he was exposed to. Once he was there, Su Ming saw numerous plants and wild beasts that made his skin crawl. Fortunately, he was extremely fast, which was why he could avoid them from the distance.

Su Ming no longer looked for small mountains in the seemingly endless rainforest. There were mountain caves for him to rest, but there were a lot thick of tree stumps too. Some of those stumps were so thick that ten people would need to hold hands, stratching out their arms, before it could be completely surrounded.

Su Ming searched for a big tree like this, then emptied out its inside, forming a place where he could stay. Once he spread out the red meadow to protect himself, he placed He Feng by the side and sat down cross-legged with his eyes closed to heal his wounds.

Yet as he healed his injuries, he held a stone coin in his hand and kept the Branding Art active in an area of 1,000 feet around himself, constantly remaining alert of his surroundings.

When the sky darkened and the world outside was enveloped in darkness, Su Ming opened his eyes and glared darkly at the unconscious He Feng.

The man was entirely covered in herbs. If he was placed in the rainforest, he would look like a plant. Even if people passed him by, it would be difficult for them to recognize him as a living dead person.

Su Ming stared at He Feng for a moment before he jabbed at the center of He Feng's brows. Immediately, a dull ball of light floated out from the center of his brows. Without the Branding Art, Su Ming would not be able to see that dim light.

Yet now, right before his eyes, he could clearly see a small person in that dim light. That small person was obviously He Feng. However, He Feng's face was filled with terror. He trembled as he continuously prostrated himself before Su Ming, his acts of begging for mercy clear as day.

"I originally intended for you not to feel any pain. Once I was done creating the pills, I would have let you die, and I would have taken revenge for you… but now, I changed my mind," Su Ming spoke slowly.

The small person trembled even harder. With a look of terror, he opened his mouth, and He Feng's weak voice appeared in Su Ming's head.

"Brother Xu, please have mercy. I was wrong, I really did wrong this time. Brother Xu, please give me a chance. Please give me a chance!" He Feng's voice was weak, but the pleading tone in his voice was very strong.

"Give me a reason why I shouldn't kill you!" Su Ming lifted his right hand, and on his index finger, he gathered a thread of the Branding Art.

When He Feng saw Su Ming's actions, he immediately let out a sharp cry. Every single time he got into contact with Su Ming, he would suffer great losses. He was now terrified of Su Ming, and now, when he saw the dark look on his face, a feeling of great danger overwhelmed him.

"Brother Xu, if… if you kill me, then you won't be able to get that location for the great treasure. The location I gave you before is fake…"

Su Ming stared at He Feng coldly and slowly pushed his right index finger forward. Precisely because his actions were so slow, it created a greater amount of stress for He Feng. That sort of stress that stemmed from being caught between life and death made He Feng's convictions crumble. He could feel that the young man before him was different from the first time he saw him. It was as if he had matured after experiencing all these things.

"Don't kill me, I'll give you the treasure. I'll give it to you… I also know some secrets regarding the place where the ancestor of Han Mountain died. Not even the three tribes understand these things completely…" He Feng quickly said, but Su Ming's index finger did not stop. It was now not even seven inches away from He Feng.

That formless pressure made He Feng fall into despair, and he immediately spoke once again.

"I know the correct method to use the red meadow… I also know the secret of the mask, I… I… I'm useful to you. I know the relationships between the three tribes in Han Mountain City, and the important people within each tribe.

"I have a house in Han Mountain City, and I also have a cave abode nearby. It's hidden well and other people won't be able to find it. I'll give it to you…

"I…"

He Feng had already ran out of words. He trembled and saw that Su Ming's finger was closing in on him. There were only three inches between them now.

"I have more experience than you. I can help you. I know everything around this place. With my help, you can be like a fish in…"

He Feng was shouting by the end, his eyes closed in despair.

Su Ming's finger stopped when it was only one inch away from him.

"I don't trust you," Su Ming said languidly.

He Feng immediately opened his eyes, and the desire to live was evident in his eyes. It was as if Su Ming's words were the final straw he could cling onto before his death. He could not let go.

"You can believe me. I can acknowledge you as my master. This is very easy. You… you can gather the Branding Art into one mark and imprint it on my body. Once it fuses with me, I will become a part of your Branding Art. You will only need one single thought to kill me, and I will be unable to resist.

"Besides, I'm about to reach Transcendence. I'll be of great help to you. We can kill Xuan Lun together and you can use his body as a puppet… I…"

Before He Feng could finish speaking, Su Ming pressed his finger onto the center of the brows of the small person formed from the dim light. He Feng let out a shrill, pained cry, and right before Su Ming's eyes, quickly faded away.

In the span of a few breaths, the light would completely dissipate. Once it dissipated, He Feng would truly die. Even if his physical body had signs of life left, there would no longer be a person called He Feng left in this world.

"Up till now, you still want to harm me?!" Su Ming growled.

"I did not… I truly did not…"

As He Feng cried out, his voice became weaker. Half of the dim light had already disappeared. A bitter expression appeared on his face, and he slowly closed his eyes.

The moment the small person formed from the dim light almost completely dissipated, a light appeared in Su Ming's eyes, and he formed a small mark with the Branding Art, fusing it with the dim light.

He Feng immediately started stabilizing from his dissipating state. There was pain on his face, but the joy and desire to live was evident in his opened eyes. He did not struggle and let the light fuse into him. After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, his small form transfigured from dissipation stabilized, and he knelt down before Su Ming with a respectful face.

At the same time, a new line of thought arose in Su Ming's mind. That thought seemed to be connected to He Feng. With one thought, Su Ming could completely destroy it.

"I know that you do not want to resign yourself to this."

Su Ming looked at He Feng's small form and spoke unhurriedly.

"I… wouldn't dare…"

He Feng smiled wanly and looked at Su Ming before lowering his head once again.

"I'll give you a chance. If you assist me with a sincere heart, then after 100 years, I'll return you your freedom," Su Ming said coolly as he looked at He Feng.

When He Feng heard those words, he immediately lifted his head and looked at Su Ming.

"Do you mean it?"

"There is no deep enmity between us. You were the one who had been scheming against me, and I was only resisting. Why should I lie to you?" Su Ming stated coldly.

He Feng fell silent. He felt bitter, but a moment later, a resolute look appeared in his eyes.

"Master, you can take the mask from my… my storage bag. The mask is an imitation of an item of my ancestor. It might not be able to compare, but once you wear it, you don't need to use spirit stones when you cast the Branding Art."

"Storage bag? Spirit stones?" Su Ming was momentarily stunned.

"It's not strange that you don't know about this. Very few people know about this bag. I only learned it when I read about it in the ancient records in my tribe. It's an item left behind by my ancestor. It's called a storage bag.

"The spirit stones are the stone coins we members of the Berserker Tribe use." He Feng explained by the side.

Su Ming cast a glance at He Feng and took out the purple bag from his bosom, bringing out the mask from within.

"Master, you are indeed a cautious man. If you had worn this mask before…"

He Feng laughed bitterly and spoke honestly. Even if he did not finish speaking, Su Ming already understood. He saw He Feng struggling to lift his right hand to touch the mask.

Immediately, the mask also let out a dim light from the center of its brows. Once it was absorbed by He Feng into his body, it caused his dimmed body to have a lively hue.

"Master, please take a red spirit stone from the storage bag," He Feng said softly.

"What's with your appearance now?"

Su Ming did not immediately take it out. He looked at He Feng instead and spoke unhurriedly.

"I don't understand it clearly myself. This is what happened after I used the Branding Art for a long time. The ancient records left by the ancestors spoke about this condition as well. This is called a Spirit Body. It may be weak, but it only exists for those who practice this Branding Art and have reached the Transcendence Realm.

"If we reach the Bone Sacrifice Realm, then the spirit within people who practice this Branding Art will be known as a Spirit Infant. If the Berserker becomes stronger and reaches the legendary Berserker Soul Realm, it'll be known as an Origin Spirit.

"It's a pity that a lot of ancient records were seized by the three tribes. The ones remaining were stolen by Xuan Lun, or else you could take a look at them," He Feng said in a low tone.

"Why did you ask for the red spirit stone?"

Su Ming fell into a pensive silence for a moment, his eyes growing cold.

"Master, don't worry. I've already acknowledged you as my master and we made the 100 year promise. I won't betray you. I want to use that red spirit stone so that I can fuse my spirit body in it, then use its power to fuse into the mask. Next time, when you use the mask, you won't need to use spirit stones to cast the Branding Art anymore. You will just need to get another spirit stone to replace it once that red spirit stone is shattered.

"That mask also has an effect of changing a person's presence. I've used it twice, and the people who saw me use it have been killed. Even if you wear it, you don't need to worry that people will make any connections between you and me.

"I can also attach myself to the mask and help you with my experience."

He Feng presented his case logically. It was clear that he had already recovered from his panicked breakdown and once again turned into the pensive He Feng.

Su Ming's eyes flashed, and he stared at He Feng. After a long while, he spoke suddenly.

"Don't need. I've already gotten used to using stone coins to cast it. I'll have other uses for the mask as well. As for your dwelling place…"

Su Ming swung his right hand in the air and a large amount of souls of the Wings of the Moon appeared immediately. No outsider could see the souls of the Wings of the Moon, but the moment He Feng saw them, his expression immediately changed.

Yet he did not dare resist. He let the souls of the Wings of the Moon charge towards him with ferocious expressions. They entangled him and formed a tight seal before pulling back into Su Ming's body.

With the large amount of souls of the Wings of the Moon, Su Ming was not afraid that He Feng would cause any trouble. Besides, with the seal from the souls, he could make sure that He Feng's connection to the outside world was completely cut off, allowing this person to not notice some of his secrets.

Once he was done, fatigue appeared on Su Ming's face. All the things that had happened with He Feng during the past few months tired Su Ming out. Not just his body, but his heart was exhausted, too.

Chapter 135: The Eighth Level of the Blood Solidification Realm!

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"It should be safe here," Su Ming mumbled and put away the black mask.

He closed his eyes and immersed himself in his meditation.

Several days passed by. With the help of a large number of South Asunder, the injuries in Su Ming's body were healed.

He fell into contemplative silence for half a day, then gave up on the idea to leave the place. Instead, he chose to stay in the trunk. The red meadow spread out into an area of 100 feet around him. Once it completely covered the place, Su Ming was hidden.

Time trickled by slowly. One month, two months, three months… Four months passed by. Su Ming did not venture too far from where he was. He took Mountain Spirit to increase his power within the tree trunk.

During these past few months, he often talked to He Feng and learned a lot of things. He also heard about He Feng's deeds in the past few years, things which made the man proud of himself.

The red meadow remained an area of 100 feet. He Feng may have told Su Ming that the meadow would increase its area once it absorbed enough flesh and blood, but he also told him that the meadow would absorb the controller's Qi rapidly once it was spread out. That frightening absorption rate was not something a normal person could endure, and the bigger the area, the more astounding the absorption rate would be. He Feng could not withstand it, that was why he rarely used it.

He also told Su Ming that the meadow that was transfigured from the beast skin originally stretched out to a circumference of ten li. Yet at that time, besides the Elder and a few other people in Han Mountain Tribe, no one else could withstand its Qi absorption rate. They would practically die in an instant because all their Qi was absorbed.

Even the Elder and the others could not use the red meadow for a long period of time. As time passed by, the red meadow formed from the beast skin started withering, and more people from Han Mountain Tribe gradually started to use it. However, as the area of the red meadow became smaller, its use was also reduced to merely defense and could not be used for anything else anymore.

That made Su Ming curious. He had already used the red meadow for a year without stopping once, but not once had he encountered the situation where the red meadow would absorb his Qi. Still, Su Ming was only curious about that in his heart. He did not ask He Feng.

Su Ming also learned about the origins of the red meadow formed from the beast skin. As expected, that thing was one of the items left behind by the ancestor of Han Mountain Tribe. But because few people could withstand the horrifying rate of absorption, it was slowly forgotten over time.

Su Ming also discovered something he did not understand through a series of seemingly thrown out questions. The illusion that appeared in his head during the instant he spread out the red meadow formed by the beast skin was never experienced by He Feng or by anyone else who had used the red meadow before him. It was the same for generations upon generations of people from Han Mountain Tribe. They were all like He Feng, otherwise it would be impossible for there to be no clues left behind.

'Either He Feng is hiding it from me, or I'm somehow connected to the red meadow formed by the beast skin.'

Su Ming could not understand the cause of it, and could only find two reasons as to why it had happened.

However, he remained cautious. He did not find creatures to expand the area of the meadow, but his interest towards the ancestor who had died in the canyon under Han Mountain City was piqued.

During these months, the blood veins in Su Ming's body increased by quite a large margin. The reasons for that were not only related to the dangers lurking outside, but also due to the increasingly more thick miasma in the deeper parts of the rainforest, which affected Su Ming's Qi circulation.

Due to the constant circulation, the blood veins in his body had increased to 370 something blood veins. He had gotten closer to reaching the 399 blood veins required for the eighth level of the Blood Solidification Realm.

Nonetheless, the effects of Mountain Spirit had become extremely weak. Based on Su Ming's analysis, the pill could at most help him increase around 20 something more blood veins before losing its effects completely.

The herbs in the medicinal cauldron formed from He Feng's body were growing healthily during these past few months, gradually fulfilling the requirement for him to use them for quenching. If it were not because he was lacking a beast bone and three more herbs, he could have already started seeking the miasma of corpses to begin creating the pill.

His life in the deeper parts of the rainforest was very quiet. Ever since Su Ming came to the Land of South Morning, he had spent most of his time alone and had gotten used to this feeling of loneliness.

He quietly trained inside the tree trunk, and another three months passed by. On this day, the blood veins in Su Ming's body increased to 398. He had his eyes closed and his body shone brilliantly with a blood-red light. The light was so bright it almost pierced through the big tree. If it were not due to the red meadow concealing Su Ming, those outside would have seen the light clearly.

It did not last long before the 399th blood vein manifested on Su Ming's body. The moment it appeared, a strong presence immediately erupted forth from Su Ming's body. When that presence appeared, Su Ming opened his eyes, and there was a calm look on his face.

He reached the eighth level of the Blood Solidification Realm.

"Four years…" Su Ming mumbled.

Four years had passed ever since he woke up in the Land of South Morning. He used four years to go from the seventh level of the Blood Solidification Realm to the eighth level. This speed was not fast, but most of the time had been spent for him to heal his wounds.

'Mountain Spirit lost its effects a month ago when the 397th blood vein manifested. During this month, I did not rely on Mountain Spirit and increased two more blood veins at a very slow speed, only then did I reach the eighth level of the Blood Solidification Realm…

'The path of self-cultivation is indeed difficult.'

There was a resolute look on his face as he sensed the strength of his Qi within his body.

'No matter what, there's a limit to how much the pills can offer me. I can't reach the peak with their help. It's also a good thing that Mountain Spirit lost its effects. From here on, I can avoid being too dependent on it!

'Besides, I have two more drops of Berserker Blood. These two drops of Blood should be able to increase my blood veins by a large amount once more! After that, I'll have to search for a place to perform the burning of blood!

'I wonder how many blood veins will I be able to increase once I perform the fifth burning of blood���'

Su Ming had first-hand experience of the overbearing might of the burning of blood. The last few times, his blood veins had increased by several fold, but at the same time, the level of difficulty and danger of the execution of the Art was also incredibly high.

Su Ming fell into a moment of pensive silence before he brought out a small bottle from his storage bag. He looked at the small bottle, and the cold in his eyes melted, exchanged for a gentleness and nostalgia.

The small bottle was personally given to him by the elder. There were two drops of Berserker Blood within that belonged to Jing Nan, the Elder of Wind Stream Tribe.

Su Ming held the bottle and closed his eyes. He could not help but remember the elder, his tribe, Lei Chen, Xiao Hong, and the petite figure who held his hand and smiled beautifully at him on the snowy land all those years ago.

"Su Ming, will we continue walking like this in the snow until our hair turns white..?"

Su Ming trembled. The scar on his face seemed to be suddenly filled with blood, and it became clearer. It did not fade away for a long time.

He opened his eyes, and there was dead stillness within. There was no longer any gentleness in his eyes, instead, the placid look had returned. Yet hidden within that collected gaze was a pain that no one could notice.

'It's over…'

Su Ming lowered his head and uncorked the small bottle in his hand before tilting the bottle by his mouth. Only one drop of Berserker Blood fell down and melted in his mouth. Once again, he sensed the elder protecting him, afraid that he would drink all the Berserker Blood in an act of impulse. That was why he could only use one drop each time.

"Elder, I'm no longer as reckless as I was when I was young…" Su Ming mumbled. He circulated his Qi to absorb the strength of the one drop of Blood so that his blood veins could increase once again.

Days passed by. One month, two months… Very soon, three months passed by once again.

On one of the mornings three months later, Su Ming retrieved the red meadow under his feet and put away the two bones that had completed their task of serving as fertilizer for the herbs along with the medicinal cauldron. Once he was done, he walked out of the tree trunk.

He did not turn back as he walked farther into the distance. Every single time his feet landed, the mud on the ground would shudder, as if there was a pressure coming from Su Ming's body that caused the insects in the mud to run away from him.

One year and six months passed by, and Su Ming looked as if he had been reborn. When he was forced to run away to this place, he only had 200 something blood veins in his body. However, with the help of Mountain Spirit, his blood veins had increased to 399.

When Mountain Spirit had lost its effects, he completely absorbed the two drops of Berserker Blood in the past three months. As of now, his blood veins…

"He Feng, how far is the location where you hid the treasure?"

Every single step Su Ming took in the rainforest was about dozens of feet long. He wore a long blue robe, and as he walked, the strange insects on the ground avoided him. Some of the odd plants and creatures around him also did not dare approach him due to the pressure he exuded.

"Master, if you continue in this direction, then in half a month, you'll arrive at a cave abode of mine. But that place is well hidden. It'll be hard for people to find the place."

He Feng's voice echoed in his mind in a respectful tone. Besides respect, there was also shock and bafflement in his voice, as if he was surprised by the change in power within Su Ming.

Su Ming's expression remained indifferent. He did not say another word on the way and walked silently for a few days before eventually walking out of the deeper parts of the rainforest. As he walked out, the miasma also became thinner until it complete disappeared by the end.

He could see the mountain cave in which he had settled down to cure his wounds a few years ago.

Xuan Lun was not here. Han Fei Zi was also not here. The rainforest was very big, and there were multiple paths that could be used to exit the forest. Few people could completely monitor the forest. More importantly, once He Feng was assimilated into Su Ming's brand, Su Ming could also feel the brands that He Feng had previously left on Xuan Lun and Han Fei Zi. If the two of them got closer to him, he would notice them beforehand.

If He Feng had not listened to Han Fei Zi's words and plotted to use danger to Transcend, he would not have been chased down by Xuan Lun and fallen into this state.

Su Ming was about to walk out of the rainforest and head to the place where He Feng hid the treasure when his footsteps suddenly faltered. He thought for a moment before leaping up a big tree and sitting down cross-legged on the branch. He closed his eyes and spread out the branded area around him before starting to meditate.

He Feng could see what Su Ming was doing, and he could not understand it, but he did not bother him. He had been very careful during this past half a year, but he was still gradually beginning to be unable to guess what was on Su Ming's mind.

The sun rose and set, and days passed by. Su Ming continued sitting cross-legged, unmoving. It was as if he was waiting for something. He Feng became increasingly curious, and there were a few times where he was tempted to ask, but when he remembered Su Ming's morose attitude during this half a year, he withheld his question.

Half a month later, a voice traveled from a distance in the rainforest. Su Ming opened his eyes and a smile appeared on the corners of his lips.

"Senior… Senior…"

Chapter 136: The Great Treasure of Han Mountain

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Fang Mu felt dejected. He did not know why, but the mysterious senior Mo had been ignoring him for more than a year now. He had been calling out to him multiple times every time he came to the forest, but every single time, he would return dispirited.

He did not know where he went wrong, and kept recalling every single thing that had happened the last time he met the man. No matter how many times he analyzed it, he still thought that it was related to the bone blade.

He had brought this up to his father half a year ago, and his father fell silent. He did not speak, but several days later, his father told him that the man had already left the rainforest in a hurry, as if an accident had happened.

When Fang Mu heard those words, he fell silent for a long time. He had thought about giving up, but the probability of seven Su Ming had spoken about during the last time they had met made Fang Mu reluctant to give up his chance to get cured completely.

Even if his father had told him clearly that the man had left, Fang Mu still went there every month and called out to him for several days, hoping that one day he would get a response.

Not once did he stop coming into the forest during the past year. He had a feeling that this was his only chance.

Fang Mu knew that his father was aware of his actions. He knew about it since his father still ordered the powerful Berserkers in the tribe to accompany him to the rainforest and wait outside, just like every single time Fang Mu had come to the rainforest in the past.

He recalled everything that had happened in his head, and Fang Mu let out a long sigh. He went into the rainforest alone and called out as per usual.

"Senior… Senior…"

Fang Mu went to the last place he had met Su Ming and looked around. A dejected look appeared on his face.

"Have you prepared the herbs I asked of you?"

A calm voice traveled languidly from behind him. The voice may have appeared suddenly, but it sounded as if it had existed in the rainforest from the start. It sounded as if it had blended into the place.

Fang Mu was momentarily stunned. He turned around swiftly and saw the familiar figure standing in the same place as the previous year.

"Se… Senior!"

A shudder traveled through Fang Mu's body and extreme joy filled his eyes. His breathing became rapid, and there was disbelief on his face.

"I've prepared the beast bones that are equivalent to the power of Transcendence, but…"

Fang Mu looked at Su Ming. He was afraid that the man would disappear once again. When he finally appeared, Fang Mu immediately explained anxiously.

"But the three herbs are rare items. My father searched for a long time for me, and only managed to obtain two. The last is an herb named Sky Flute Branch. It has gone extinct in the Land of South Morning for a long time. Besides a few special places, it's difficult to find this herb elsewhere."

As Fang Mu spoke, he immediately brought out a black bell from his bosom and crushed it before Su Ming.

Black mist scattered out and two purple beast bones appeared before Fang Mu, as well as two herbs that glowed brilliantly.

Most of Su Ming's body was hidden in the darkness. He looked at Fang Mu, the beast bones, the herbs, and then fell silent.

"Senior, please give me some more time, I…"

Fang Mu's heart thundered against his chest. Nervousness flooded his body.

"I asked you to search for these herbs to create a medicinal concoction. That medicinal concoction is very useful to me, and it'll also allow me to get rid of the injuries in your body caused by the Berserker Art," Su Ming said unhurriedly.

"If I lack even one of them, then it'll be difficult for me to create that medicinal concoction."

Fang Mu gritted his teeth and with his fist against one palm, he bowed towards Su Ming. When he lifted his head, his expression was grave.

"Senior, my father once said that it's not impossible to obtain Sky Flute Branch. There are three hidden locations in the canyon under Han Mountain City. Decades ago, including the people of my tribe, the three tribes entered those places before and obtained a Sky Flute Branch from there, but that herb was taken by Lake of Colors Tribe. I heard that it has already been used for another medicine.

"But according to my father's analysis, there should be other Sky Flute Branches in the canyon. It'll be the Day of Eternal Creation half a year later, and it'll also be the day of the Great Fog of Han Mountain that only happens once a decade. Every single time during this day, the people of the three tribes will open the tunnel leading to the underground of Han Mountain, and the three tribes will send representatives of their tribes and their guests to go into the tunnel…

"My father will use that time to send some tribe members to go and search for a Sky Flute Branch… I ask of you, please wait for another half a year!"

"Oh?"

Su Ming's expression remained blank, but in his mind he was asking He Feng about it.

"Master, the boy is right. There is a powerful seal on the grave of Han Mountain Tribe's ancestor. It's not just the tribes, even I cannot enter the place during other times. Only during the Day of Eternal Creation that happens once a decade will the entire Land of South Morning be covered in fog. During that time, the seal on my ancestor's grave will be weakened by an unseen force, and only then can other people enter.

"The three tribes should have entered the place multiple times over the centuries. Their aim is to obtain the legacy left behind by my ancestor. After all, besides the four great treasures left behind by him, the other treasures are all resting beside him in his grave.

"I've only heard about this in the past, so I don't know the details. I only know that when Han Mountain Tribe's ancestor died, the three tribes betrayed us, but it's not so easy to breach the grave of my ancestor, or else the three tribes would have taken away all the treasures a long time ago. They wouldn't have to go in that place so many times. It's clear that they haven't obtained a lot of rewards.

"Master, this might be a chance. If you enter my ancestor's grave, and with my help, you should be able to obtain the things you want. Besides, the three tribes have been taking in guests for a long time to prepare for this.

"The three tribes were, after all, affiliated with Han Mountain Tribe a long time ago. I heard that my ancestor ordered them about and left the brand of slavery on them. To my ancestor, the three tribes would forever be slaves, that's why when they enter my ancestor's grave, they would feel uncomfortable, but if it's an outsider, then they would not feel that limitation."

He Feng's mood was slightly down as he explained.

'Even so, why would the three tribes destroy Han Mountain Tribe in the past?'

Su Ming projected his thought in his mind.

"It's not just you, even my tribe members and I have been wondering about it for a long time. But it's something that happened centuries ago. There are few people left who know about the details of what had happened that year… But my guess is that there were outsiders who participated that year!" He Feng fell silent for a moment before he whispered.

A contemplative look appeared in Su Ming's eyes. He was not too interested in the grave of Han Mountain Tribe's ancestor, but the mystery of the red meadow and the difference of its effects towards him and others not only made him amazed but also allowed him to form some theories regarding Han Mountain Tribe's ancestor.

"I'll wait for you for half a year. If you can bring me the Sky Flute Branch half a year later, then I'll fulfill my end of the promise!"

Su Ming looked at Fang Mu and spoke coolly.

"Before you go to the three hidden locations, you can come here. I have some things to ask of you."

Su Ming took one step forward and Fang Mu's vision clouded for a moment. He could not see Su Ming clearly, but he could feel a cold sensation in his mouth, as if a foreign object melted in his mouth and spread throughout his body.

Once he reacted to the situation, all was quiet around him. Su Ming had already left, and the beast bones and herbs on the ground were gone.

Su Ming turned into a long arc, but he did not travel in the sky, he was dashing through the rainforest instead.

"Master, why didn't you ask to enter the canyon?" He Feng could no longer hold it in and asked.

'You want me to go?'

Su Ming moved forward with big steps at an incredible speed as he asked in his mind, seemingly casual.

"Master, you misunderstand. I did not mean that."

He Feng shuddered and quickly shut his mouth.

He Feng no longer spoke about the matter on the way but provided directions and told Su Ming the location where he had hidden the great treasure. Half a month later, Su Ming stood at one of the summits of a long and continuous stretch of mountain range located far away from Han Mountain City, and looked down.

This was a desolate area. There was no one around. The place was secluded, so few people came here. The wind was great, and as it blew against his body, Su Ming's long hair floated in the air. His robes let out ceaseless flapping sounds.

Before him were various valleys formed by mountain ridges. There were a lot of valleys that were covered by plants and trees. This might not be a rainforest, but it was still a remote mountain.

"Master, my cave abode is the seventh valley from the front."

He Feng's voice echoed in Su Ming's head. Su Ming's eyes flashed, and after a momentary silence, he lifted his feet and ran towards the seventh small valley.

The seventh valley looked sunken in the distance, and there were a lot of plants within, along with a large number of birds and beasts. Su Ming carefully went into the valley and surveyed his surroundings. His surroundings were quiet, and there were a lot of cracks on the mountain stones. Plants had made their home within those cracks.

He swept his gaze across the valley and a white stone coin appeared in his hand. Once he held it in his right hand, he made a sign, and all within the circumference of 1,000 feet appeared in his mind in an instant. All the movements of the wind blowing against the grass and the traces of the creatures in the valley appeared profoundly in his head.

Very soon, he focused his gaze on the middle section of the mountain stone towards his right. There was a crack that was not too big. A brief sparkle appeared in his eyes.

Su Ming saw two big eagles inside the crack. It was clear that the birds treated the place as their abode.

"You hid this place well. Is this the cave abode you spoke about?" Su Ming asked flatly.

"It's easy for people to find the resting places of birds and beasts, but it's also very easy for them to overlook them, especially in a secluded remote mountain like this. There are a lot of eagles like these here."

He Feng's voice appeared with a cautious tone in Su Ming's head.

Su Ming focused his entire Branding Art on the crack. After careful observation, he noticed nothing out of place. Only then did he charge into the crack. In an instant, he entered the crack, startling the two eagles inside. They flew up and were about to screech when Su Ming used the Branding Art to stab their heads. They struggled out of the crack and fell into the valley unconscious.

Su Ming went to the right side of the cave and crouched down. He looked at the ground and smacked his right hand down. The moment he struck, the ground trembled and cracked open. There was a jade box the size of a palm hidden within.

There was nothing unusual about the jade box, only some decorative patterns were carved on the box. Su Ming did not pick it up immediately, but chose to observe it for a few moments. However, his expression gradually became more serious with each passing moment.

The box was also created from stone coins.

'The great treasure left behind by Han Mountain Tribe's ancestor... just what is it..?'

Su Ming sat down and looked at the box. He had asked He Feng about the treasure before.

However, He Feng's answer was rather ambiguous. He had opened it once, but only saw a ray of virescent light. Once the virescentlight disappeared, the box also closed up on its own. After that, no matter how much he tried opening it, he could not.

He was also worried that he would die because he did not have the power to control the treasure. That was why after careful consideration, he hid the treasure over here, thinking that he would try opening it once again after he Transcended.