Starting from the pharmacy, he grew into a martial saint among men.

On the other side...

Old Wang and Old Li followed the firelight to investigate, and from a distance they found no one by the fire.

Unexpectedly, a huge snake-like shadow suddenly pounced out of the darkness.

The giant snake opened its blood-red maw, a foul stench filled the air, and its fangs were menacing as it charged straight at Old Li.

If it weren't for Old Li's quick reaction, that bite would have killed him on the spot, even if the poison hadn't been injected.

Fortunately, with Old Wang's support, the two narrowly escaped an attack.

However, visibility was extremely poor in the dead of night, and there were rustling sounds all around. The two did not know whether there were more monsters coming from the darkness, so they dared not fight them head-on.

The two men, their minds turning to retreat, abandoned all semblance of martial arts prowess and fled.

This escape further piqued the giant snake's interest.

It followed and inadvertently stumbled into the group's camp.

The group was thrown into chaos. Some quick-witted people followed Elder Li and Elder Wang to escape, while others scattered in different directions.

The piercing screams would occasionally rise and then abruptly cease.

After a long while, everything fell silent, and everyone gathered again under the firelight summoned by Old Wang.

A quick count revealed that the five martial artists with internal strength had vanished, leaving only the lingering stench of blood in the air as proof that they had been there.

Most of the martial artists were pale-faced and still shaken, and dared not pursue any further.

Old Wang's face was also extremely ugly. He really didn't expect that the pursuit would end like this.

"Old Wang, our actions have surely alerted them, and there's no point in continuing to track them."

With a gloomy face, Old Li stared at the flickering firelight and made a brief analysis.

Old Wang nodded and said:

"In that case, we'll stop following them!"

He took out a simple map, placed it in front of everyone, and pointed to the entrance of Black Dragon Abyss.

"Let's take a shortcut directly to Black Dragon Abyss and wait for Chu Hong!"

"If we arrive first, we will ambush and capture him upon his arrival; if he has already entered the Black Dragon Abyss, he will eventually come out, and we will ambush him outside."

"Wait for his return, then ambush and capture him, take the spiritual herb, and return to report."

"It would be even better if he didn't come back!"

"Great idea!" Old Li nodded and loudly agreed.

With their whereabouts exposed, it's unknown what kind of trap Chu Hong might have set ahead.

Instead, it would be better to directly control the key routes, take full advantage of the terrain, and wait patiently.

In this way, it can be considered as acting in accordance with the instructions from above, and no matter how you look at it, it can be justified.

-----------------

The first hint of dawn appeared on the horizon.

It had just rained last night, and the wind still carried a hint of dampness.

Xiao Cui gently woke Chu Hong.

The two didn't talk much, quickly packed their bags, and set off again under Xiao Cui's guidance.

Along the way, knowing that pursuers were coming from behind, Chu Hong left several misleading traces from time to time, which would definitely delay the pursuers even more if they came.

He never expected that the other party would take a shortcut and prepare to ambush at the entrance of Black Dragon Abyss Valley ahead of time.

During the day, with a wide field of vision, even if the two noticed a monster approaching, they could react from a distance and quickly leave using their movement techniques.

The journey was fraught with danger but ultimately safe.

They sped along until dusk once again descended upon the mountains, when the two figures finally arrived at the entrance to Black Dragon Abyss Valley.

The entire Black Dragon Abyss is actually a huge valley, like a giant beast with its mouth wide open, devouring creatures from all directions.

The valley is shrouded in a thick layer of dark clouds all year round, making it difficult for sunlight to penetrate and resulting in extremely low visibility below.

Herbaceous trees also grow in the valley, and fallen leaves cover the ground, but there is not a trace of birds or animals.

Only the occasional insects taking flight proclaim who belongs here.

The valley is surrounded by cliffs on all sides, as if it had been cleaved open by a knife, smooth as a mirror, with nowhere to gain leverage.

The only way to enter and exit is through the valley entrance.

The valley entrance is flat and open, with scattered rocks, but there are no towering ancient trees, only low shrubs interspersed among them.

"Young Master Chu, I know nothing about the situation inside Black Dragon Abyss, and my strength is limited, so I won't go along and burden you."

While munching on the dry rations in her hand, Xiao Cui took a sip of water and whispered.

She gazed at the flat ground at the mouth of the valley, her expression resolute:

"But rest assured, Young Master Chu, I will not turn away. I will keep watch for you again."

"When Young Master Chu returns, I will warn you and make sure those pursuers do not succeed."

She had visited Black Dragon Abyss several times before, but only reached the valley entrance before turning back.

We really don't know what's going on inside.

Moreover, it is a fact that she is not strong enough. If she rashly follows Chu Hong inside, it will only make Chu Hong feel constrained.

It would be easier for Chu Hong to do it alone.

Of course, this was information that Gu Jin had given him beforehand.

Chu Hong nodded, then shook his head, and said:

"Don't worry, Sister Cui, I will definitely be able to retrieve the Purple Cloud Grass."

"Sister Cui, there's no need to wait here. There are experts at the Transformation Realm among the pursuers behind you. If you are discovered, it will be dangerous for you. It's not worth it. Just go back to the city."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Cui was unwilling to leave just like that, and she quickly said:

"Young Master Chu, I cannot leave. I must ensure your safe return to the city!"

Xiao Cui was Gu Jin's maid and the person she trusted most.

For her, Gu Jin's life was more important than her own.

She was determined to see Chu Hong bring back the Purple Cloud Grass to cure Gu Jin, even if it cost her her life.

Seeing this, Chu Hong knew that the woman's mind was made up and he could not persuade her otherwise.

He didn't say anything more at that moment, only opening his mouth to say:

"In that case, Sister Cui, you must hide well then. I'm waiting for you to warn me."

Xiao Cui nodded and said, "I understand."

The two agreed on a simple warning signal, which Xiao Cui would use to send a message when Chu Hong returned, so that Chu Hong could use it to break through the encirclement.

If things become truly difficult, Xiao Cui will have to personally step in and draw the fire away from Chu Hong.

As night fell, to avoid any unforeseen complications, Chu Hong checked and packed the wooden crates before stepping into the Black Dragon Abyss.

It wasn't that he didn't want to rest outside, but rather that there were pursuers behind him. If he were blocked tomorrow, it would take a lot of effort to break through.

It would be better to enter Black Dragon Abyss beforehand.

Since we had prepared the medicine powder, we weren't afraid of being bothered by poisonous insects.

The world changes rapidly in the deep mountains. Half an hour after Chu Hong entered the Black Dragon Abyss, a light drizzle began to fall from the gloomy sky.

He completely concealed the traces of his movements.

Before long, the rain stopped, the clouds dispersed, and a crescent moon hung in the sky, casting a faint glow.

At least it's not as dark as it was yesterday, when you can't see your hand in front of your face.

About two hours later, Xiao Cui, who was hiding on the cliff halfway up the mountain, saw Old Wang and Old Li arrive at the entrance of Black Dragon Abyss Valley in a sorry state, with their ragged clothes and two more members missing.

Upon arriving at this place, the group did not immediately rest, but instead quickly dispersed to check for traces such as smoke, footprints, etc.

After confirming that no one was coming, Old Wang finally breathed a sigh of relief:

"It seems we made the right gamble by taking the shortcut; Chu Hong hasn't arrived yet."

"Tonight, let's rest up and prepare for tomorrow's ambush, waiting for him to walk right into our trap. Then we can head back tomorrow."

Everyone perked up upon hearing this.

After two days of travel and being chased by monsters, the journey was fraught with danger, but fortunately, we made it in time.

If they can capture Chu Hong tomorrow, they will soon be able to return to Qinglong Mansion, where they can live a life of luxury and no longer suffer. Who wouldn't be happy about that?

But at this moment, Old Li approached Old Wang with a map in hand, his brow furrowed:

"Old Wang, is it possible that Chu Hong has already arrived and is currently hiding somewhere, observing us?"