Gou Zai Wudao Shi Lian Shen

night.

The group from the yam shop were arranged to rest in the guest courtyard on the east side of Gaojiazhuang.

This courtyard was specifically used to entertain pharmacies and alchemists from other counties. The walls were not high, but they were exquisitely constructed. Several lanterns hung under the eaves, their flames swaying gently in the night breeze, casting flickering light on the bluestone floor.

The hustle and bustle of the daytime medicine gathering subsided, leaving only the occasional sound of footsteps and the hushed conversations of the night patrol guards.

Because Zhao Yiting had specifically instructed him to protect Master Ge closely before leaving, Lu Chen simply didn't stay in a separate guest room, but instead slept on a makeshift bed on the floor in Ge Ye's room.

Kuzuha was very dissatisfied with this.

"I'm not a three-year-old child; do I need someone to watch over me while I sleep?"

He sat at the table, studying the human blood pill he had borrowed from Pharmacist Luo during the day by lamplight, his brows furrowed tightly.

Lu Chen laid out the bedding and said calmly, "Chief Zhao instructed me to stay by Master Ge's side at all times."

Ge Ye snorted: "That brute Zhao Yiting is just making a mountain out of a molehill."

Sun Shun stood to the side and whispered, "Master, things have been quite unsettled in Gaolin County these past few days. There are flower thieves and human blood pills everywhere..."

Ge Ye glared at him, and Sun Shun's face fell; he dared not say another word.

Lu Chen glanced at the small porcelain bottle on the table.

The porcelain bottle had been resealed, but a faint smell of blood still lingered in the room.

"Master Ge, what results have been found regarding that human blood pill?"

Ge Ye remained silent for a moment, then said, "The refining method is crude, and the medicinal properties are violent. It can indeed strengthen one's qi and blood in a short period of time after taking it."

He paused, a hint of disgust and disdain flashing in his eyes, "But its medicinal properties are complex."

"If you eat this cheap stuff, the unrefined medicinal power will settle and turn into blood poison, corroding your internal organs. You'll have no hope of advancing in the future."

Lu Chen frowned slightly: "It seems that this pill is ruining the future of the lower-level martial artists in Gaolin County."

Although lower-level martial artists lack resources, they are not without exceptional talent. With diligent study and practice, they may one day have an epiphany and become masters.

However, if these human blood pills were to flood the market in large quantities, it would completely ruin the chances of lower-level martial artists becoming experts.

Ge Ye looked up at him, her expression unusually serious.

"You're not stupid."

"If this kind of pill were to circulate in large quantities, it could indeed ruin a number of low-level martial artists. Who knows whether it's demonic cultivators causing trouble behind the scenes, or someone deliberately trying to muddy the waters in Gaolin County..."

The room fell silent for a moment.

A night breeze blew through the window, and the shadows of the trees swayed gently on the paper windowpane.

After studying it for a while, Ge Ye finally put the porcelain bottle back into his medicine box and waved his hand, saying, "Alright, go to sleep."

He lay down on the bed, muttering to himself, "At my age, you guys are still making it hard for me to sleep."

Lu Chen did not respond.

He sat cross-legged on the floor mat, not lying down immediately. Martial artists possess vigorous blood and energy far surpassing that of ordinary people. With Lu Chen's current strength, he could last three days and nights without sleep under extreme conditions.

After turning off the lights, Sun Shun said to Ge Ye, "Teacher, please rest well," and then left.

The night grew deeper.

Sun Shun, who lived in the next room, was already snoring softly. Ge Ye's breathing gradually became steady, and she seemed to have fallen asleep.

Suddenly, Lu Chen's eyelids twitched slightly.

He didn't open his eyes.

But he caught a slight sound in his ear.

Lu Chen's heart sank.

The body's Qi and blood circulate rapidly, converging in the palms and legs, ready to unleash their power.

The next moment, the lamplight outside the window flickered slightly.

A dark figure appeared near the paper window.

The shadowy figure did not immediately break the window, but paused for a moment.

It seemed to be listening to what was happening inside the house.

Lu Chen clenched his fist, his body tensing silently.

A few breaths later, a black needle as thin as a cow's hair slowly peeked in through the crack in the window paper.

The needle tip trembled slightly, and a wisp of smoke drifted into the room.

Sleeping smoke.

Lu Chen's eyes suddenly turned cold.

He held his breath, his blood surging, suppressing the strange smell that had been inhaled.

The shadowy figure waited for about ten breaths, seemingly confirming that no one inside reacted, before silently climbing in through the window.

A man in black landed in the house like a cat.

He was short, his face was covered with a black cloth, and he held a narrow-bladed short knife in his hand. The blade was painted jet black, without any reflection.

After the man in black entered the room, the first thing he looked at was Ge Ye on the bed.

But just as his toes touched the ground, he paused slightly.

In the pitch-black room, a pair of eyes were wide open, staring at him.

The man in black felt a chill run down his spine.

Lu Chen activated instantly.

He emerged from the deep pool like a dragon suddenly rising from the water; with a stomp of his foot, the bedding on the floor was lifted by a strong wind, and the thin blanket was flipped up.

Azure Dragon extends its claws!

Lu Chen's right hand shot out like a dragon's claw, grabbing the black-clad man's wrist that was holding the knife.

The man in black reacted even faster.

With a flick of his wrist, the short knife sliced ​​through Lu Chen's fingers, the blade silent, yet its cold light flashed and disappeared in the darkness.

At the same time, he suddenly struck out with his left palm, aiming straight for Lu Chen's chest.

boom!

Their palms and fists collided.

Lu Chen felt a surge of powerful energy rush up his arm, the continuous force surging into his shoulder and arm. His shoulder jolted, and he slid back several steps, his shoes leaving two shallow marks on the ground.

A minor success in blood transfusion!

Lu Chen's heart sank.

This man's qi and blood were more abundant, and his strength was continuous. If it weren't for his mastery of stance training, the strengthening of his muscles, and the increased ability to withstand blows, this palm strike could have crippled his arm.

A hint of surprise flashed in the man's eyes.

Clearly, they hadn't expected there to be other people in the room.

However, he is not a novice.

In just one hasty exchange, he was able to discern Lu Chen's true strength and weaknesses.

"The little guy who's just entered the Blood Transformation Realm."

The man in black had a hoarse voice, tinged with coldness.

"I'll finish you off in three breaths!"

Before he finished speaking, he lightly touched the ground with his foot, his figure as elusive as a ghost, and his short knife slashed upwards, aiming straight for Lu Chen's throat.

Lu Chen dared not engage in a direct confrontation.

His eyes turned cold, his feet stomped heavily on the ground, his shoulders and back slumped, and his fists moved like a dragon coiling around a pillar, avoiding the blade's front, while his right arm wrapped around the black-clad man's knife-wielding arm.

The blade grazed Lu Chen's sleeve, leaving a crack; the cold blade almost brushed against his skin.

Lu Chen then seized the opportunity to suddenly strike his opponent's ribs with his left fist.

The man in black was hit by a punch and only let out a muffled groan.

The next instant, he slashed out with his short sword.

The blade was silent, yet it flashed with a cold light, heading straight for Lu Chen's neck.

Lu Chen's eyes narrowed, and he shifted his feet to the side to avoid it.

The blade grazed his chest, cutting a long, thin slit in his clothes.

The chill brushed against his skin, and Lu Chen could even feel the hairs on his neck standing on end.

He dared not be careless in the slightest, and his right hand reached out, his five fingers gripping the wrist of the man in black holding the knife.

Iron Wire Grappling Technique!

This move isn't meant to actually lock down the opponent, but rather to intercept their point of attack.

Just as the man in black was about to switch to his knife, Lu Chen grabbed his wrist with his five fingers, causing his momentum to falter.

Lu Chen seized the moment, his shoulders and back slumped, and he unleashed the Azure Dragon Tongbei Fist, punching the black-clad man's elbow.

boom!

The man in black's arm trembled slightly, forcing the short knife to deflect half an inch.

"court death!"

A flash of anger appeared in his eyes, his blood surged violently, and he forcefully broke Lu Chen's fingers apart, then swung his knife down with a backhand.

Lu Chen didn't fight him head-on. Instead, he coiled his body around the blade like a dragon circling a pillar, and then used his left hand to grab the man in black's shoulder from a tricky angle.

The momentum the man in black had just built up was disrupted once again.

This feeling is extremely uncomfortable.

Lu Chen's strength was clearly inferior to his, and his blood and qi were not as abundant, but whenever he tried to exert force to suppress someone, the other party could always use two or three strange grappling techniques to intercept his joints, and then strike his weak points such as the shoulder, elbow, and wrist with the Azure Dragon Tongbi Fist.

It made it difficult for him to find his own rhythm.

Soon, three breaths had passed.

An incredulous glint appeared in the man's eyes.

He had originally thought that even if someone at the initial stage of the Blood Refining Realm was somewhat wary, he could be dealt with in just a few moves. But the person in front of him was like a slippery dragon in the water, always managing to restrain him with unexpected moves.

The man in black felt a chill run down his spine.

He knew he couldn't linger with Lu Chen for too long.

His target is Kuzuha.

So he ignored Lu Chen and lunged at Ge Ye, who was sleeping on the bed.

Lu Chen's expression changed drastically.

"Don't even think about it!"

He quickly closed in and caught up, reaching out with both hands at the same time.

One hand is on the shoulder.

One hand grips the elbow.

He used the grappling technique of the Iron Wire Grappling Hand to its fullest extent at this moment. His five fingers were like iron wire, tightly gripping the black-clad man's shoulder and elbow, trying to drag him back by force.

The man in black indeed paused.

Suddenly, Lu Chen's heart skipped a beat.

wrong!

The next instant, the man in black suddenly turned around.

His initial lunge at Ge Ye was actually a feint!

His right arm erupted with energy, and with a simultaneous jerk of his shoulder and elbow, he forcefully broke free from Lu Chen's grip. His short sword swept horizontally, its blade carrying a chilling killing intent, aiming straight for Lu Chen's throat.

A sinister smile appeared in the man's eyes.

"Hehe, you fell for it!"

That cut was too close.

Too fast.

Lu Chen's muscles tensed up instantly. He didn't have time to back away and could only tilt his head back with all his might.

Swish!

The dagger narrowly grazed his neck.

A cold, sharp pain came from the front of my throat.

Lu Chen felt a chill in his throat, a few strands of hair fell down, and a shallow bloodstain appeared on his neck.

It was so close.

He was just a hair's breadth away from being decapitated.

Instead of pressing his advantage and finishing off Lu Chen with a single strike, the man in black used the momentum of his horizontal slash to turn around.

Without Lu Chen's obstruction, the man in black stepped forward and slashed at Ge Ye on the bed.