Peach Blossom Lake

Luo Zhengnan returned to the farmhouse and gathered everyone together. Among his ten subordinates, three were journey cultivators—one of the fourth tier and two of the third tier. Even within the Jiangxiang Gang, they were considered elites. Luo Zhengnan produced a spear and handed it to the fourth-tier journey cultivator, Chen Weiqin. "Old Chen, take the goods and head straight for Lüshui City to report to the gang leader. If pursuers catch up, do not linger in a fight under any circumstances. Run for it immediately, as fast as you can." "Hall Master Luo, what about you and the others?" With a calm expression, Luo Zhengnan replied, "We'll find a way to stall the pursuers for you. This is a matter of paramount importance to the gang. Even if it costs every last one of our lives, we must see this through!" "Hall Master Luo, everyone, take care!" Taking the spear, Chen Weiqin immediately set off with the two third-tier journey cultivators, their legs churning like the wind as they bolted out of the village. Wan Jinxian was right at the village entrance, still pretending to tell fortunes. He watched the three journey cultivators leave the village and spotted the spear in Chen Weiqin's hands. Although the spear was wrapped in oilcloth, judging by its silhouette, it was identical to the spear Wan Jinxian had seen in the fort. More importantly, the spear carried an aura of murderous intent—a spine-chilling murderous intent that reminded Wan Jinxian of the scene where Han Juncheng had been impaled before the doors of the auxiliary building. Wan Jinxian dismissed his fortune-telling customer and jammed a nail into the heel of his shoe. This nail was a magical artifact forged from the soul of an eighth-tier journey cultivator. Once the nail was embedded, Wan Jinxian moved so fast his figure blurred into a phantom, trailing the three journey cultivators into the mountain road. Speeding along the mountain trail, Chen Weiqin suddenly felt a fierce itch in his calves. At first it was bearable, but after traveling a dozen li, the itching became agonizingly intense. Chen Weiqin squatted on the ground, rolled up his trouser legs, and began scratching furiously. Not only did Chen Weiqin itch, but the two third-tier journey cultivators felt it too. There were no bumps or blisters on their legs, yet for some reason, the itch made them want to peel off a layer of their own skin. The three scratched their calves until fresh blood flowed. Realizing something was wrong, Chen Weiqin said to the other two journey cultivators, "Stop scratching! We have to move!" Enduring the itch, the three took a few steps forward when Chen Weiqin suddenly felt his throat constrict, coughing repeatedly. The two third-tier journey cultivators were coughing even worse; one began coughing up blood directly. They had fallen ill. Panting for breath, Chen Weiqin looked up ahead, only to see a middle-aged man wearing dark sunglasses, holding a blind cane, standing in the distance along the mountain trail, smiling at them. When did he arrive? Why hadn't they seen him earlier? Did he come to intercept them? Why hadn't they sensed any danger? How high was this person's cultivation? Chen Weiqin lowered his voice and told the other two journey cultivators, "Don't engage him. Run the first chance you get!" Hearing Chen Weiqin's voice, Wan Jinxian gave a chuckle. "Don't bother running. You can't get away. In another half an hour, you'll all be dead." Chen Weiqin was a seasoned veteran of the rivers and lakes; every person Luo Zhengnan selected was capable, possessing the wits to adapt in a crisis. Knowing his physical condition was poor, he tried to look for an opportunity to escape. "Friend, do we know each other?" Wan Jinxian shook his head. "We do not." "If we don't know each other, why harm us from the shadows?" "To be frank, I want to borrow something from you gentlemen. The blind cane in my hand has been used for too many years; the tip is already split, and I'd like to replace it with a new one. The one on your back looks quite nice. How about you name a price and sell it to me?" Chen Weiqin shifted the spear behind his back and said to Wan Jinxian, "Friend, your eyes have deceived you. This is no blind cane. We are itinerant martial performers traveling the underworld; this is the tool of our trade, and we can't part with it." Wan Jinxian frowned, then chuckled. "I've laid all my cards on the table, yet you're still playing word games with me. Trying to stall for time? Fine by me. Dally all you want. My words stand: in another half an hour, your lives are forfeit." Taking advantage of Wan Jinxian speaking, Chen Weiqin suddenly closed the distance, executing Treading Ten Thousand Rivers with a stomp that sent a shower of crushed stone spraying out. Wan Jinxian retreated swiftly, dodging the flying rocks. This was the advantage of a journey cultivator: given the slightest opening, they had a chance to slip away. While Wan Jinxian dodged, Chen Weiqin took the two journey cultivators and continued sprinting forward. Wan Jinxian followed behind at an unhurried pace. He knew journey cultivators moved with extreme speed, and even though he could crush the three in cultivation, he didn't want to take unnecessary risks. Ten minutes later, the three halted one after another; they could run no farther. Wan Jinxian gave them one last chance: "Brothers, I have no desire to make an irreconcilable feud. Hand over the goods, and I will cure your affliction. When we meet another day, we can still be friends." Chen Weiqin nodded and unstrapped the spear from his back. The two journey cultivators watched from the side without a word. Who among men did not cling to life? With things having reached this point, the gang's affairs could be set aside; they all just wanted to live. Wan Jinxian smiled. "Set the spear on the ground and be on your way. Walk a hundred paces, and your illness will naturally subside." Chen Weiqin complied, placing the spear on the ground, and staggered away with the two journey cultivators. After walking over a hundred paces, they indeed felt their condition improve substantially. No coughing, no wheezing, and their dizziness had cleared. Chen Weiqin glanced back at Wan Jinxian, who was still standing where he was. He smiled at Chen Weiqin, the meaning unmistakable: If you're not convinced, you can always come back and try. Chen Weiqin didn't dare provoke Wan Jinxian, and continued walking forward with the two journey cultivators. As for how to account for this to the gang, they could think about that later. If worst came to worst, they wouldn't return to the Jiangxiang Gang; with the cultivation of the three of them, they could earn a living somewhere else... His train of thought was abruptly severed. Chen Weiqin's nose tickled, and he sneezed. With that sneeze, saliva and snot flew everywhere. Closing one's eyes when sneezing was human instinct. When Chen Weiqin opened his eyes, he found only pitch darkness before him. He had sneezed out both of his eyeballs. The two journey cultivators beside him were dumbfounded. Sneezing out two eyeballs—they had never encountered such a thing in their entire lives. Agony shot through his eye sockets, and Chen Weiqin couldn't help letting out a wail. The moment he opened his mouth, the next sneeze followed immediately. Anyone who sneezed often knew that sneezes frequently came in pairs. This sneeze was even more forceful than the first. From his mouth, nasal cavity, and the two hollow eye sockets, a blast of blood erupted, followed by brain matter. Chen Weiqin swayed and collapsed to the ground, having sneezed himself to death in just two sneezes. The other two journey cultivators still didn't understand what had happened when their own noses began to tickle. In a panic, they clapped their hands over their mouths to hold the sneezes back. "Don't hold it in; it's so uncomfortable," Wan Jinxian chuckled. "Sneeze freely and comfortably, and your deaths will be much cleaner." The two journey cultivators' eyes grew bloodshot, tears streaming incessantly. A minute later, unable to hold it in any longer, they sneezed one after the other. The longer a sneeze was suppressed, the greater the force behind it. With those sneezes, their skulls shattered outright, splashing red and white matter in all directions. Wan Jinxian had always been cautious in his dealings; how could he possibly leave witnesses alive? Picking up the spear from the ground, Wan Jinxian sensed the churning spirituality and murderous intent within its shaft. Using his blind cane, he sent a message to He Jiaqing: "Jiaqing, I've got the goods." He Jiaqing was overjoyed. "Old Wan, examine it carefully. Whatever you do, don't let your eyes play tricks on you." "The item is unmistakable. The shaft is one zhang two chi, the spearhead seven chi seven cun. The murderous intent is extraordinarily heavy, and the spirituality is overflowing. It's identical to the one I saw at Tiemenbao." "How is the spear's imposing aura?" This was what He Jiaqing cared about most. Imposing aura was different from murderous intent and spirituality; it was the foremost hallmark of Zhao Xiaowan. If speaking purely of imposing aura, it was indeed somewhat different from what he had observed in Tiemenbao. Wan Jinxian explained, "The imposing aura has been diminished quite a bit. Luo Zhengnan probably used some method to seal it." "No matter. Whatever method he used, I have ways to unravel it!" He Jiaqing praised him. "Old Wan, splendidly done. Return to the Outer States right away—don't let the Jiangxiang Gang tangle with you." Wan Jinxian broke off communication. Holding the spear, he gave it a few flourishes, the one-foot red tassel fluttering in the wind. Wait! The spear he had seen at Tiemenbao didn't seem to have a red tassel. Was it just added? Why add something like this? Luo Zhengnan wouldn't do something so superfluous. Wan Jinxian gripped the spear tightly, his chest tightening with unease. This spear might not be Zhao Xiaowan. Could it be a magical artifact or a spiritual item of such high caliber that it had fooled him?! He had guessed correctly. To accomplish this mission, Luo Zhengnan had spared no expense, risking two high-tier spiritual items. One spiritual item was a spear named Cloud Flood Dragon. It was the relic of a famous ancient general, and because it had slain so many, its murderous intent was extraordinarily heavy; ordinary weapons would be destroyed upon clashing with it. But this was not the same as an imposing aura. Yet why did this spear look identical to the one Wan Jinxian had seen in the fort? Wan Jinxian untied the red tassel from the spear and discovered the seam of a lizard skin. He finally understood why Luo Zhengnan had added a red tassel to the spear. That wretched bastard is so treacherous! The outside of the spear was cloaked in a layer of lizard skin. This lizard skin was also a spiritual item. Luo Zhengnan had wrapped the lizard skin around the Bluffing Tiger spear once, and then wrapped it around the Cloud Flood Dragon spear. For a single day, the Cloud Flood Dragon spear would appear identical to the Bluffing Tiger spear; after that day passed, the lizard skin would slough off, and the disguise would vanish. And because the Bluffing Tiger spear looked identical to Hong Ying, Wan Jinxian had been completely deceived. When he tore off the lizard skin, a completely different spear was revealed. The spear in Tiemenbao had a pitch-black shaft, whereas this spear was entirely gleaming white. Wan Jinxian threw the spear to the ground and held his head in his hands. He had been duped. Luo Zhengnan was truly no ordinary figure. With something so crucial, Luo Zhengnan would never casually hand it off to someone else, and he shouldn't have fallen for the trick! Wan Jinxian jammed the nail into his heel and hurried off to chase Luo Zhengnan. After traveling a dozen li, his right foot gave way, and he crashed to the ground. This was the price of using the nail: it did not merely pierce through the shoe, but plunged into the flesh, devouring the user's flesh and blood. To enter Tiemenbao, Wan Jinxian had used the artifact once. Leaving Tiemenbao, he had used it a second time. Pursuing Chen Weiqin, he had used it a third time. Now, wanting to use it once more, Wan Jinxian's foot simply couldn't take it. Even if it could, it would be useless—he had no idea where Luo Zhengnan would flee. Luo Zhengnan hadn't headed for Lüshui City at all; he had never counted on the Lüshui City branch being able to protect such a treasure. He jumped into Peach Blossom Lake, lingered at the bottom for a long time, and followed an unknown path until he surfaced. The lake water was icy, chilling to the bone. Luo Zhengnan sneezed twice and traversed the boundless, dark wilderness for a day and a night. Up ahead, a faint glimmer of light appeared—neither sunlight nor moonlight, but the shimmering ripples of a lake. Yet another lake. Luo Zhengnan jumped into the water once again. When he surfaced, a Western-style house appeared before his eyes. The Western-style house in Flower Lake Park, Yuezhou, Yuedong Province.