Cultivation: I can see the proficiency level

Yangchang Gorge.

Because of its low-lying terrain and frequent rain, heavy fog always forms in Yangchang Gorge during rainstorms, sometimes so thick that visibility is less than nine feet, making travel extremely difficult.

As of today, Yangchang Gorge has been experiencing torrential rain for several days.

The torrential rain, like a gift from heaven, caused even the not-so-large river at the bottom of the gorge to grow larger and faster due to the rainwater, with its muddy yellow waters rushing out of the gorge with a roar.

In a secluded cave somewhere within the Yangchang Gorge, the entrance was hidden by tall weeds and bushes, and several coughs could be heard coming from inside.

In the dim cave, Ironbone Old Man finished coughing, wiped his lips, stared at the bloodstains on his palm for a moment, and then subtly put his hand behind his back and rubbed it on the dry soil.

His heart, lungs, and ribs were still aching in waves, and suddenly his throat felt unbearably dry and itchy, but he forced himself to endure it.

He turned his head to look at his burly disciple on the other side, only to see that the other looked haggard, with disheveled hair and beard, and was fast asleep in exhaustion from being chased for days.

Ironbone Old Man's violent coughing failed to wake him.

For over a month, ever since they discovered that someone was chasing them, the master and disciple had been hiding and avoiding each other whenever possible, but they still inevitably had several magical duels.

In one of their duels, the opponent severely injured Iron Bone Old Man, damaging his heart and lungs and breaking several ribs. He has not recovered to this day, and his injuries are showing signs of worsening.

"Cough cough..." Unable to suppress the tickling in his throat, he coughed a few more times. This time, even though he lowered his voice, he still woke Jiang Hao up.

Sitting up, Jiang Hao took out the healing pills from his storage bag. Of the two pills Wang Mian had given him, Iron Bone Old Man had only taken one, and he had kept the other as a life-saving pill, never touching it.

He handed the pill to the Iron Bone Elder: "Master, take this pill. You can't tough it out any longer with your injuries."

External injuries can be withstood, but internal injuries cannot.

Iron Bone Old Man thought he had wiped the bloodstains clean each time, but in fact there were still traces of blood on the corners of his mouth and beard. This was the third time, and Jiang could no longer keep the pills.

Iron Bone Elder leaned back and pushed the pill back, saying, "I know what I'm doing. Don't waste the pill."

Jiang ignored him completely.

Iron-Boned Old Man was too weak to hit him, so he just glared at him with his bull-like eyes.

In fact, Jiang Hao also had many external injuries at this moment, including those from collisions, smashes, cuts, and stabs, leaving him covered in wounds. However, none of these injuries had hit any vital organs.

"These people are determined to kill us, master and disciple." Jiang Hao looked at the torrential rain outside the cave.

Now, Iron Bone Elder has lost most of his fighting strength, and the Sheep Gut Gorge lacks spiritual energy, making it difficult for him to recover his magic power. Those scattered spiritual lands may have spiritual energy, but the opponent is pressing forward step by step, giving him no chance.

With his magic power nearly depleted and injuries sustained, he seemed to be at his wit's end.

"They won't kill us, so don't worry." Iron Bone Old Man shook his head. He already knew the other party's background and their purpose, and he had a guess in his heart.

If the goal was to kill them, they wouldn't have been chased like dogs for a month. Clearly, they wanted to be alive, hence the great effort.

In addition, he was indeed good at escaping and hiding, so the other side was not able to capture him and his apprentice easily.

"Master, is it that bastard from Songlintan last time?" Jiang Hao asked after a moment's thought.

He was just honest and simple, not stupid or foolish. After hearing what Tie Gu Sou said, he immediately had some guesses.

During this period, they were able to fight their way out each time, all because the other side was unwilling to fight to the death and did not kill them. They just wore them down again and again.

He had long suspected such behavior.

"It's them. Last time they said that Mian Ge'er committed a big crime, killing people from the Immortal Clan. They probably couldn't find Mian Ge'er, so they set their sights on us." Tie Gu Sou guessed the reason.

Having spent a long time in the world of cultivation, Iron Bone Old Man was able to deduce a great deal of information from the slightest clues.

The other party's objective was clear: to capture the hostage.

"Take hostages, or we'd rather be captured by them than have us, master and apprentice, eat grass roots and tree bark all day long." Being chased to the point of desperation is no pleasant experience.

Sleeping in caves, eating grass and drinking cold water, with no elixirs or spirit stones, running away like rats, hiding here and there, is worse than being a prisoner, at least a prisoner can eat something hot.

If they weren't caught, they had nowhere to escape; if they were caught, they might still have a sliver of hope.

"But we can't just capture us, master and disciple. I have to find a way to send you out, lest the incense of my Ironwood Ridge be cut off." Ironbone Old Man pondered.

Seeing the rain outside the cave getting heavier and heavier, and sensing the few breaths in the rain, he swallowed the healing pill, preparing to find an opportunity for Jiang Hao to escape.

The next moment, the stone wall was blasted open by magic, and rainwater poured into the cave. Outside, several figures stood suspended in the air on magical artifacts, surrounding the master and his apprentice.

In the torrential rain, the figure holding the judge's pen remained silent, yet the spell was already cast, crashing down on Iron Bone Elder and Jiang Hao.

Iron Bone Elder stood up abruptly, his magical staff gleaming as it shattered the incoming spell. He then channeled his remaining magical power to activate his iron body, grabbed Jiang Hao, and charged toward the weaker side.

Iron-Boned Old Man swung his staff down, sending the attackers staggering backward.

"You really think you can get away every time?" Immediately, people surrounded him and engaged him in close combat.

Iron-Boned Old Man, who had been charging left and right but failed to break through the encirclement several times and felt his magic power gradually dwindling, thought to himself that he was probably not going to escape today.

The sound of the rushing river reached his ears, giving the old man a sudden inspiration.

"Disciple, inhale." Iron Bone Old Man lowered his head to remind Jiang Hao, then circulated his magic power, pretending to fight desperately: "Yaaaa, I'll fight you dogs to the death and see who dies first."

Although Jiang Hao was puzzled, he obediently took a deep breath. The next moment, the Iron Bone Elder channeled his remaining magic power into his arms, shouted, and threw his disciple into the river below.

Jiang Hao felt a sudden lightness in his body as he plummeted downwards, the sound of wind filling his ears. In his vision, his master was getting farther and farther away, as were the figures carrying magical artifacts.

Then he saw a figure rushing down, and he himself had already crashed into the icy river.

The muddy torrent swept him away into the distance.

……

One-line gorge.

A towering mountain stretches across the north and south, separating Fenglei Valley from Luhua Ferry. As if by divine intervention, nature has cleaved the valley, creating a narrow valley known as Yixian Gorge.

As the only way to connect Fenglei Valley and Luhua Ferry, Wang Mian had been waiting here for several days, but his target had not passed by.

His patience was wearing thin as he waited. If Bian Zemin, that old tortoise, didn't show up soon, he was prepared to go to Taixi Lake and kidnap a Lü family cultivator to interrogate him and extract his cultivation techniques.

He couldn't possibly wait here for half a month or a month, and he didn't want to waste that much time.

Just as Wang Mian was pondering whether to change his plans, Bai Jiuniang, who was standing beside him, reminded him that the person they had been waiting for for several days had appeared.

Wang Mian stood up abruptly, gazing at the figure approaching in the distance, riding a magical artifact wielding a talisman. A smile gradually crept onto his lips.

Finally waited.

"I thought he was going to stay in the market for ten days or half a month." As he spoke, Wang Mian handed a protective talisman to Bai Jiuniang: "The opponent has a lot of talismans, remember not to fight head-on."

Alchemists, talisman masters, weapon refiners, puppeteers... these skilled cultivators have never been the weakest in terms of combat power among cultivators.

On the contrary, because these skilled cultivators are wealthy and have many spirit stones, they have greater purchasing power. When fighting an enemy, you never know how many magical artifacts, talismans, or pills the opponent has.

Having plenty of spirit stones often means having plenty of resources; such people are actually not easy to kill.

"What fellow Daoist is hiding here? Come out and show yourself!" Bian Zemin stopped at the mouth of the canyon, sensing the unfamiliar aura. While circulating his magic power, a stack of protective Xuanjia talismans quietly appeared in his hand.

Hearing the voice beside them, Bai Jiuniang and Wang Mian exchanged a glance.

Bai Jiuniang took the lead, rushing out in a flash of white light. Her demonic body gradually expanded, transforming into a giant dog ten feet long. Her sharp claws were covered with dense and condensed demonic power. She met Bian Zemin head-on and slammed down on him.

The sharp claws struck the magical artifact, knocking Bian Zemin down from the sky.

Bian Zemin had just landed and regained his footing when the sword light came fiercely again. The Jinghong Sword, carrying a gentle sword aura, pierced straight for vital points, breaking through multiple Xuanjia Talismans in succession.

As he concentrated his magic power and struck Wang Mian, Bian Zemin hurriedly retreated to avoid the attacking demonic beast.

"Is it you?"

Having created some distance and regained his footing, Bian Zemin's gaze lingered on Wang Mian and Bai Jiuniang for a moment before he instantly understood why they had appeared at Yixianxia.

They must have come to kill him.

He also thought of his nephew who had died tragically, and hatred quickly filled his eyes.

As hatred arose, killing intent surged forth, and Bian Zemin instantly produced a stack of talismans in his hand: "You mere ants at the third level of Qi Refining dare to surround and kill me? Today, if I don't make you die in Yixian Gorge, I swear I am not human."