Mortal: Starting by looting Han Laomo's entire herb garden

"Fine, you're ruthless." Xiang Zhili waved his hand, deflated like a punctured balloon: "Take the talisman, I admit defeat. Let's go our separate ways."

After saying that, he turned and walked deeper into the tower without looking back.

Lu Yan stood there, watching his figure disappear around the corner of the stairs.

He turned around and quickly left the stone tower.

Lu Yan took a deep breath, activated his escape light, and sped towards the exit.

------

Somewhere in the Crimson Forbidden Land, outside the stone palace.

The palace doors burst open with a roar, and two figures staggered out from inside.

Han Li was panting heavily, his face still flushed with an unnatural redness.

He subconsciously glanced back at the woman beside him. She was turning her back to him, adjusting her clothes with composure, as if nothing had happened.

Nangong Wan straightened her clothes, turned around, and the blush on her face had faded.

She looked at Han Li with a calm gaze, as if she were looking at a tool.

"Regarding what happened today," she said, her voice cold and clear, "if you utter a single word of it, I will kill you."

Han Li's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly cupped his hands in greeting: "Senior, rest assured, this junior would never dare to say another word."

Nangong Wan nodded and turned to leave.

Han Li hesitated for a moment before asking, "Senior...could you please tell me your name?"

Nangong Wan paused in her steps.

She didn't turn around, but just stood there, silent for a moment.

"No need." Her voice remained cold. "Between us, it was nothing but a mistake. Once we leave this forbidden area, let's pretend we never met."

After saying that, she moved and transformed into a streak of light, soaring into the sky.

Han Li stood there, watching the streak of light disappear into the distant horizon, feeling a strange emptiness in his heart.

He gave a wry smile and shook his head.

That's true. He's a senior cultivator in the Core Formation stage, while I'm just a minor cultivator in the Qi Refining stage. Our paths crossed by chance. What more do you want?

He sighed and was about to turn and leave when a clear, cold voice suddenly came from the sky.

"My name is Nangong Wan."

Han Li suddenly looked up.

The sky was empty and desolate, with nothing in sight.

He stood there stunned for a long while before a complex smile slowly appeared on his lips.

Nangong Wan.

He remembered it.

-----

Outside the Crimson Forbidden Zone, the last day.

Old Monster Qiong of the Hidden Moon Sect stood with his hands behind his back, looking relaxed, as if the Blood Thread Dragon's inner core and the Iron Essence were already his.

Li Huayuan stood on a blue stone, holding a palm-sized jade plate, his brows furrowed in a deep frown.

The jade plate displayed a cluster of light spots, each representing a disciple of Huangfeng Valley.

What did he just see?

There was a spot of light that suddenly disappeared for almost half an hour, and then it lit up again.

Li Huayuan scratched his head. What was going on? Could someone just disappear into thin air in a forbidden area? But the artifact didn't show who it was; there was only a point of light, no name.

He stared at the jade plate for a long time, but couldn't figure it out. In the end, he could only sigh and put the jade plate away.

Never mind, just getting out alive is enough.

Just then, a flash of light appeared at the exit of the forbidden area.

Lu Yan staggered out, deliberately making himself look disheveled. He even took off his shoes and magical artifacts to prevent anyone from noticing anything amiss.

Otherwise, what if someone recognizes his shoes and finds out that he is Su Huanzhen?

Li Huayuan's eyes lit up, and he quickly called out.

This kid is Lei Wanhe's disciple. If something happens to him in the forbidden area, Fatty Lei will definitely fight him to the death.

"You're out? How was it?"

Lu Yan cupped his hands in greeting and took out a spiritual herb from his storage bag: "This disciple has fortunately fulfilled his mission and obtained a three-hundred-year-old Jade Marrow Fungus."

Li Huayuan's lips twitched. A 300-year-old jade marrow mushroom would indeed be worth some money outside, but for the Crimson Forbidden Land, this harvest was only considered ordinary.

He originally had high hopes for Lu Yan. With his Thunder Spirit Root and Molten Metal Body, he should at least have some good stuff.

But seeing Lu Yan's indifferent face, Li Huayuan didn't know what to say.

"Hmm, not bad." He gave a dry compliment: "Go and rest first."

Lu Yan nodded, walked to the side and stood still, his gaze sweeping towards the exit.

After a while, Nangong Wan came out.

The people from the Hidden Moon Sect's eyes lit up, and Old Monster Qiong approached even closer, his lips moving slightly as he transmitted his voice.

After a while, Qiong Laoguai's face darkened, and he strode towards Fuyunzi.

"Fellow Daoist Fuyunzi, does your Qingxu Sect have a disciple named Su Huanzhen?"

Fu Yunzi was taken aback: "Su Huanzhen? No, there's no one with that name on the list of disciples who entered this time from my Qingxu Sect."

Old Monster Qiong sneered, "No? My disciples from the Hidden Moon Sect told me personally that that brat claimed to be Su Huanzhen of the Pure Void Sect and had several of my disciples killed by him! Floating Cloud Child, your Pure Void Sect dares to do it but not admit it?"

Fu Yunzi was also bewildered, his brows furrowed: "Senior Qiong, I've truly never heard of this person. Could it be a disciple from another sect impersonating my Qingxu Sect?"

The two stared at each other, completely confused.

Lu Yan remained calm, thankfully he had put away all the magical artifacts he carried.

Moreover, when he used the alias Su Huanzhen, he collected all the spiritual herbs in the stone hall. Even if the other party suspected him, they would focus their attention on the disciples who brought out large quantities of spiritual herbs.

They won't focus their attention on themselves, a nobody who only contributed a single medicinal herb.

And because the seven sects have spirit-smelling beasts, it is impossible for anyone to secretly hoard spirit medicines.

In any case, the goal was achieved this time, and there were also quite a few extra gains.

After returning, I will accelerate my cultivation and strive to reach the late Foundation Establishment stage before the demonic invasion.

Just then, another figure emerged from the exit.

Han Li came out looking tired. Li Huayuan glanced at him and curled his lip.

Eleventh level of Qi Refining? It's a miracle they even made it out. As for spiritual herbs? They wouldn't dare count on them at all.

Han Li glanced unconsciously at the Hidden Moon Sect, and then heard Li Huayuan's urging voice in his ear.

"Hurry up and show us your haul."

Upon hearing this, Han Li walked up to Li Huayuan, cupped his hands in greeting, and patted his storage bag.

Splash!

Seventy or eighty medicinal herbs fell to the ground with a clatter, instantly filling the air with their fragrance.

Various spiritual herbs were piled up into a small mountain, which made the elders of several surrounding sects stare in disbelief.

Li Huayuan's mouth was so wide open it could fit an egg.

"You...you picked all of these?"

Han Li respectfully replied, "This disciple is quite lucky; I have found several medicinal herb gardens."

Li Huayuan took a deep breath, suppressing the elation in his heart. This was not just good luck; it was as if they had emptied the entire medicinal garden in the forbidden area.

The elders from various factions around them cast envious and jealous glances their way.

Just then, an old man came out of the exit and bowed to him.

Seeing Li Huayuan's expectant look, the old man chuckled and took out a five-hundred-year-old Heavenly Spirit Fruit.

Li Huayuan pursed his lips, waved his sleeve, and gestured for him to return to the team.

He looked at Fuyunzi and Qiong Laoguai, and said with a smile, "Fellow Daoists, is our bet still valid?"

Fu Yunzi's face stiffened.

Old Monster Qiong's face darkened even more.

Li Huayuan's eyes narrowed with laughter: "My disciple Han Li from Huangfeng Valley contributed eighty-three spirit herbs, and the disciples of Qingxu Sect contributed... um, Fellow Daoist Fuyunzi, how much did your Qingxu Sect contribute again?"