Mortal Cultivator: Lin Tianzun

Chapter 30: Hiding at night to find a safe place, bloodbath in the forbidden land and disputes
Several hours slipped by quietly. Inside a hidden cave, Lin Fan's eyelids fluttered slightly, and he slowly opened his eyes. The faint light from outside filtered through the cracks in the cave entrance, casting mottled shadows on the ground, which shifted in shape and form as time went by.

Lin Fan took a deep breath and slowly stood up, feeling the spiritual energy filling his body. After several hours of dedicated meditation and cultivation, coupled with the magical effects of the healing pill, his body had recovered. But as his eyes inadvertently swept across the stone wall of the cave, his mind instantly flashed back to the thrilling life-and-death struggle not long ago, and a look of fear crept onto his face.

He subconsciously raised his hand and gently pressed it against his chest. Beneath his palm, his heart continued to beat violently, its rapid rhythm a recurring reminder of the near-death experience he had just endured. Recalling the black-robed man's cold, fierce gaze, and the impenetrable, wind-like, and impenetrable attack, Lin Fan felt a chill run down his spine, and cold sweat instantly soaked his back.

"It was so thrilling just now, it was just a little bit off..." Lin Fan muttered to himself, his voice echoing in the empty cave, carrying with it a bit of relief for surviving the disaster and an indescribable palpitation.

In his mind, a clear image emerged of those three meteor-like flying swords, shooting down from different directions with the force of thunder, blocking all his escape routes. At that moment, the shadow of death hung heavy over his heart like a thick, dark cloud, nearly suffocating him.

And then there was the surging spiritual energy emanating from the black-robed man. Every time he cast a spell, the air around him seemed to be torn and twisted, emitting a terrifying scream. Lin Fan clearly remembered that as he fended off wave after wave of deadly attacks, he was brushing against death every moment.

His hands trembled subtly, the mark of intense mental tension. If he hadn't forced himself to remain calm in this life-or-death situation, relying on his mastery of magical instruments, the carefully prepared high-level talismans, his accumulated combat skills, and his unwavering willpower, he would have already been lying dead in the wilderness, a cold, uncared-for corpse in the bloody forbidden land.

"This blood-red forbidden land is truly teeming with danger," Lin Fan sighed softly, his eyes gleaming with tenacity and determination. Despite having endured such a terrifying life-ordeal and a perilous battle, Lin Fan would be even more cautious and vigilant for the rest of his journey.

He took a deep breath, slowly calming his inner turmoil. He scanned the cave before methodically packing his magical instruments and storage bag. Each instrument carried memories of past battles, serving as a valuable companion on this perilous path to immortality. The healing elixirs and precious spiritual herbs were his lifeline in critical moments.

After finishing his tidying, Lin Fan once again looked around the cave to confirm that he hadn't missed anything. Then, with resolute steps, he walked towards the cave entrance. The moment he stepped out of the cave, the sunlight shone on him, bringing a long-lost sense of warmth and peace of mind.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, looking into the distance at the depths of the mysterious and dangerous forbidden area, and secretly swore in his heart: "Every step forward from now on must be more cautious. But no matter what awaits me ahead, I will never retreat." After speaking, his figure flashed, and he flew towards the deeper parts of the forbidden area like an arrow, leaving behind only a string of afterimages that gradually dissipated in the wind.

Several hours passed in a flash, and Lin Fan rushed to several spiritual herb growing sites without stopping. Along the way, he was full of anticipation, hoping to harvest some rare spiritual herbs to contribute to his cultivation path.

But when he arrived at the first spot, the sight before him was utterly disappointing. Where the spiritual herbs should have grown, only a patch of disturbed soil remained, with messy footprints still lingering around. It was obvious someone had beaten him to it and plucked all the herbs. Lin Fan frowned slightly, feeling a little disappointed, but he didn't take it too seriously, hoping that there might still be a chance at the next spot.

However, the rest of the journey remained uneventful. When they reached the second spiritual herb growing site, it was already occupied by several cultivators. Lin Fan watched from afar, weighed the pros and cons, and, out of the principle of avoiding further trouble, decided not to engage in further entanglement.

The situation at the next few locations was exactly the same. Either the spiritual herbs had already been picked, or they had been occupied by other cultivators. Lin Fan encountered obstacles one after another. Finally, Lin Fan sighed and reluctantly chose to retreat. He flashed away from this regretful area, ready to seek another opportunity to find the spiritual herbs he desired.

Lin Fan tilted his head slightly upward, gazing at the crimson sun sinking into the west. Its afterglow cast a shimmering orange-red veil over this mysterious and dangerous forbidden land. However, Lin Fan had no time to admire this rare sight. He knew that as the sun gradually set, darkness would quickly descend. And at night, the hidden dangers within the forbidden land would multiply exponentially, making it unsuitable to continue on this journey.

Thinking of this, Lin Fan stopped and began to look around, trying to find a relatively safe and secluded place to rest. His gaze wandered over the surrounding mountains, forests, and boulders, finally settling on a nearby cave. The cave entrance was partially obscured by vines and weeds. From the outside, it appeared pitch black, deep, and quiet, a suitable hiding place.

Lin Fan cautiously approached the cave, using his spiritual senses as he walked, carefully scanning the surroundings and the interior for any danger. After confirming that there was no immediate danger, he slowly stepped into the cave. The cave was filled with a damp, moldy smell, and the ground was uneven, but fortunately, the space was relatively spacious and more than enough for him to fit in.

Lin Fan first removed a concealing aura talisman from his storage bag and placed it at the cave entrance. Once affixed, the talisman emitted a faint wave of spiritual energy, blending with the surrounding aura, effectively preventing monsters or other cultivators from detecting the area through their presence. He then removed a fluorescent stone and injected a trace of spiritual energy into it. The stone immediately emitted a soft glow, illuminating the cave slightly.

After taking these precautions, Lin Fan found a relatively dry spot to sit down and breathed a sigh of relief. After all, the whole day had been filled with fighting, traveling, and constant vigilance against others. He was truly exhausted.

However, Lin Fan didn't rest immediately. Instead, he began to sort out his gains from the day. He pulled out the storage bag he'd taken from the two cultivators and examined the contents one by one. There were a considerable number of low-level spirit stones, talismans, and elixirs, as well as several mid-level spirit stones, several high-level magical instruments, and several basic cultivation techniques. These gains gave Lin Fan a sense of relief, and he felt that the day's adventure had been worthwhile.

After sorting out the harvest, Lin Fan sat cross-legged on the ground and began to practice his skills, absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to replenish the consumed spiritual power, while remaining alert to prevent any unexpected situations.

After all, in this forbidden area, even resting couldn't be a slack job; he didn't want to encounter any unexpected events in his sleep. After his spiritual power recovered a little, Lin Fan slowly closed his eyes, preparing to recuperate and continue his journey towards the center of the forbidden area during the day.

Not long after, the Blood Forbidden Land's first major purge began. Elite disciples from all major sects emerged in droves, hunting down those who attempted to exploit the situation. Most of these elite disciples possessed the thirteenth level of Qi training, each possessing two top-tier magical instruments, and some even possessed talismans.

You should know that talismans are crafted from the magical treasures of Jindan-stage cultivators, and their power is truly terrifying. While their power is only 10% to 30% of that of a magical weapon, they are still significantly more powerful than ordinary top-tier magical instruments, often playing a decisive role in a duel, swaying the entire outcome. Near a swamp in the Blood Forbidden Land, a thick, inky fog permeated the air. A deathly silence reigned, broken only by the occasional stench of decay, signaling the danger. A faint green glow shone from the swamp's surface, and bubbles occasionally emerged, bursting with a gurgling sound, emitting a sickening odor.

In this deadly silence, a thrilling battle unfolded. On one side was a disciple of the Giant Sword Sect, clad in black, his hems rustling in the wind. He stood tall and straight, his eyes as cold as a thousand-year-old pond, brimming with chilling murderous intent. As a master of the thirteenth level of Qi training, his spiritual energy surged like an invisible shield, shaking the surrounding mist slightly.

The two top-level magic weapons in his hands were emitting dazzling light. One was a pitch-black heavy sword with mysterious runes engraved on the sword body. There was faint flashes of lightning, as if it would erupt with devastating power at any time; the other was a black token emitting a faint light, with runes on it looming, as if telling ancient secrets.

Facing them was a Taoist from the Qingxu Sect, dressed in a Taoist robe and holding a whisk. His face was resolute, yet his eyes were filled with tension. As a Qi training level twelfth, his spiritual energy fluctuations were slightly inferior to those of the Jujian Sect disciples.

He held two high-level magical weapons in his hands. One was a jade ruyi that emitted a soft blue light, with the gems on the ruyi gleaming faintly. The other was a peach wood sword with a restrained glow, with Taoist runes engraved on the sword. Although it was also an extraordinary item, it seemed to be a bit inferior to the opponent's top-level magical weapon.

The battle was about to break out, and the disciple of the Giant Sword Sect took the lead. He suddenly raised the heavy sword in his hand high, causing the surrounding air to make a "whoosh" sound, and then slashed towards the Taoist priest of the Qingxu Sect with a thousand pounds of force. Wherever the sword passed, the air seemed to be cut by the sharp blade, and a clear black crack appeared in the air.

Seeing this, the Qingxu Sect Taoist priest hurriedly waved his Jade Ruyi to block the blow. The Jade Ruyi emitted a layer of blue light, attempting to resist the fierce attack. With a loud "bang", the powerful impact made the ground tremble, and the surrounding swamp water was splashed high into the air, forming a series of black sprays.

Under this impact, the Qingxu Sect Taoist retreated repeatedly, his footsteps leaving deep footprints in the muddy swamp. Before he could regain his balance, the Jujian Sect disciple swung his black token, and several black rays instantly shot out from the token, like sharp arrows, swiftly shooting towards the Taoist.

The Taoist reacted quickly, swinging the peach wood sword in his hand quickly to form a sword net, trying to block the light. However, the power of the black light was too strong, and several rays of light broke through the sword net and hit the Taoist's arm, leaving several bloody marks on his arm.

"Puff!" The Taoist couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of blood, his face turning even paler. But he didn't give up. He muttered something and swung his whisk fiercely. A gust of wind spread out from him, attempting to disrupt the attack rhythm of the Giant Sword Sect disciples.

The Giant Sword Sect disciple snorted coldly, unmoved. Knowing he had the upper hand, he launched an even more ferocious attack. He quickly formed seals with his hands, and the heavy sword and black token in his hands glowed brightly. Then, the two merged together, forming a massive black energy ball that roared towards the Qingxu Sect Taoist priest.

Wherever the energy ball touched, the air seemed to ignite, emitting a sizzling sound. Sensing this powerful threat, the Qingxu Sect Taoist priest summoned all his spiritual power, unleashing the Jade Ruyi and Peach Wood Sword in his hands. The Jade Ruyi and Peach Wood Sword rapidly spun around him, forming a blue protective shield.

"Boom!" The black energy ball collided violently with the blue shield, emitting a deafening explosion. The powerful energy surge instantly caused the surrounding swampland to boil, sending countless black mud splattering like cannonballs. Under this impact, cracks began to appear in the shield, and the cracks grew larger and larger. Finally, with a "crack," the shield shattered completely.

The defenseless Qingxu Sect Taoist priest had no time to dodge and was struck by the black energy ball. His body flew backward like a kite with its string cut, landing heavily in the swamp. Before he could struggle to his feet, a disciple from the Jujian Sect was already in front of him, holding his heavy sword high in his hand, a cold light flashing.

"No—" the Qingxu Sect Taoist cried out in despair, but it was too late. The Jujian Sect disciple's heavy sword fell mercilessly, instantly severing his head. Blood splattered everywhere, staining the surrounding swamp water red. The Qingxu Sect Taoist's body slowly fell, sinking into the pitch-black swamp.

The disciple of the Giant Sword Sect put away his magical weapon and glanced at the corpse on the ground, his eyes devoid of any sympathy. He reached out and plucked the storage bag hanging from the man's waist. Then he turned and plucked several spiritual herbs from the area and placed them in a jade box. With this done, he flashed and quickly disappeared into the swamp filled with the smell of blood.

In this mysterious forbidden area, fierce battles like this were taking place everywhere. In a naturally formed cave, there were two disciples of the Yanyue Sect. The man was handsome and had reached the twelfth level of Qi training, while the woman was beautiful and had reached the thirteenth level of Qi training.

At this moment, they were engaged in a fierce battle with two disciples from Spirit Beast Mountain. The tension was at its peak, and the atmosphere was extremely tense.

The man from the Moon-Blanking Sect brandished his spirit sword, gleaming with light and employing ferocious moves, forcing a Spirit Beast Mountain disciple to retreat repeatedly. Meanwhile, the woman from the Moon-Blanking Sect, with her lithe form, cast spells with a radiant spirit, leaving another Spirit Beast Mountain disciple struggling to cope.

The disciples of Spirit Beast Mountain were not to be outdone. One of them activated a magical instrument, emitting bursts of cold light, attempting to break through the defenses of the Yanyue Sect men. Another muttered something and cast a mysterious spell, attempting to suppress the Yanyue Sect woman's offensive.

In the cave, lights intertwined and spells roared. It was unknown when this fierce battle would be decided.

……

(End of this chapter)