Chapter 118: The Void

Crouching Ox Ridge, Herb Fields.

After dinner, Yang Xing asked Wu Dali to accompany him on an inspection of the fields.

Wu Dali gestured toward the fields ahead and said, "Crouching Ox Ridge holds one hundred and seventy acres of herb fields. Because it backs against the mountain and receives little direct sunlight, we grow a potent medicinal plant here called Red Angelica. It doesn't require much light."

Following the direction of Wu Dali’s finger, Yang Xing looked out. The fields were filled with vibrant red flowers, each with five petals, appearing quite bewitching. This was the Red Angelica.

These potent medicinal plants were far more precious than ordinary herbs. They contained vast amounts of essence, which, whether refined into pills or ingested directly, provided immense benefits to practitioners of martial arts. However, because the essence within these plants was typically so dense, most people could not withstand the sheer power if taken raw—often leading to their bodies bursting from the strain. Thus, most chose to have them refined into pills.

Wu Dali continued, "The Red Angelica takes two years to grow before it can be refined into Four-Absolute Pills. That batch ahead is nearly mature; next month, it will be sent to the sect’s Alchemy Hall, where specialized alchemists will refine it. Our duty is simply to guard the fields and ensure they are delivered to the foot of the mountain once they are ready."

Wu Dali then provided a detailed overview of the precautions. There were specialized herbalists working the fields, and they needed to be monitored closely. Furthermore, they had to remain vigilant against thieves. After all, matured Red Angelica was extremely valuable, and it was inevitable that people with ulterior motives would attempt to steal from the mountain. The intricacies of the job were many; if they failed to deliver the required quota of herbs, the Deacon would be held accountable.

Yang Xing asked, "Besides Crouching Ox Ridge, how many other herb fields are there?"

Wu Dali replied, "There are seven or eight others. A Great Deacon is stationed at Green Moon Cliff."

Yang Xing nodded upon hearing this. A Great Deacon was typically a master at the Mid-Dan-Energy stage, holding a status higher than his own. After all, Floating Cloud Mountain was vast and served as the cornerstone of the Four-Absolute Sect; it would be strange if there were no formidable experts stationed there.

After the inspection, Yang Xing patted Wu Dali on the shoulder. "From now on, I will have to rely on your guidance here at Crouching Ox Ridge, Brother."

Wu Dali gave a bitter smile. "Brother, you joke. It is I who should ask for your guidance."

Yang Xing chuckled. "We shall look out for one another!"

In the days that followed, Yang Xing settled into life at Crouching Ox Ridge. With the herbalists handling the cultivation, he only needed to conduct daily inspections and arrange for the delivery of the matured herbs to the foot of the mountain. He spent all his remaining time quietly practicing his martial arts.

As he cultivated the "Xuanwu Sutra," the Xuanwu energy within his body grew slowly each day. However, having only just opened the first primary meridian, it would take some time to clear the second. Having established a foundation, Yang Xing also began practicing the "Xuanwu Seal," a superior martial art from the "Xuanwu Sutra." The Xuanwu Seal relied heavily on the sutra, and as a superior technique, its complex movements and applications of energy were far more refined than the Gale Legs or the Cleaving Palm he had practiced previously. The Xuanwu Seal consisted of seven forms and forty-nine variations, each requiring the application of Xuanwu energy.

When Yang Xing practiced the Xuanwu Seal, his "Heavenly Destiny" interface showed no updates. It was evident that the progress of the Xuanwu Seal was linked to the "Xuanwu Sutra," or perhaps it was considered an integral part of the sutra itself. Meanwhile, his progress in the "Azure Dragon Sutra" remained equally slow, with some distance yet to go before he could reach the second level and manifest Azure Dragon energy.

His greatest progress was in the "Iron Cloth Shirt." Before obtaining the complete version, he had already reached the "Diamond Body" stage. After another half-year of grueling cultivation, he was now nearing the completion of the Diamond Body, only one step away from the "Myriad Phenomena" stage.

Time flew, and in the blink of an eye, half a month had passed.

Yang Xing sat cross-legged in an open field, eyes slightly closed, his breathing steady and deep, as if he had merged with his surroundings. His body began to tremble slightly, and a faint golden light flickered across his skin. As his internal energy circulated, the light grew brilliant and dazzling, rippling across his skin like golden waves. His skin became as hard as steel, seemingly capable of resisting any attack, while his blood surged like a torrential flood, scouring his body. This process was agonizing, feeling as though blades were scraping the flesh from his bones. This was precisely why the "Iron Cloth Shirt" was so difficult to cultivate—the pain was nearly impossible for an ordinary person to endure.

Yang Xing’s body gradually adapted to the agony, and his skin became smoother, resembling silk. He could clearly feel his strength growing steadily.

*Hoo!*

Yang Xing exhaled a breath of turbid air. In less than half a month, he would reach the fourth stage of the Iron Cloth Shirt: Myriad Phenomena.

"Deacon Yang! Your bathwater is ready."

At that moment, a maidservant entered. As a Deacon of Crouching Ox Ridge, he not only had a private residence but also two maidservants to attend to his daily needs.

"I understand," Yang Xing nodded, then ordered, "Go and prepare dinner."

"Yes!"

The maidservant nodded. She knew that the Deacon before her was a martial arts fanatic who always ate after his training sessions.

...

In a dense forest on Crouching Ox Ridge, Wu Dali was practicing martial arts, though he was clearly distracted. His movements were sloppy and disorganized.

*Swish!*

Before long, a figure clad in black descended. "How is it? What has that lad been doing lately?"

Wu Dali glanced around and whispered, "My junior brother is a martial arts fanatic. He inspects the fields twice a day and spends the rest of his time training. He has left all the matters to me."

The figure in black revealed a hint of a smile at this. "That is good. It shows he trusts you completely. That makes our task much easier."

Wu Dali said in a low voice, "After all, we are fellow disciples from the same lineage; he naturally trusts me."

The figure in black replied indifferently, "In the face of profit, even fathers and sons can turn against each other. What are fellow disciples?"

Wu Dali frowned, worried. "But the hole in the accounts is too large. A careful look would reveal the truth, and I would surely be implicated..."

"What is there to fear? The connections in the Alchemy Hall have already been greased." The figure in black took a deep breath. "The lease for Floating Cloud Mountain is expiring soon. Once this treasure-filled mountain falls into the hands of the Heavenly River Sect, we must grab as much as we can while we still have time. Even if the deficit isn't covered and things go wrong, they will only investigate the Deacon. Who would suspect a mere patrol guard like you?"

Wu Dali remained silent.

The figure in black grew impatient. "This is our last chance to make a big score. Are you in or not?"

"I'm in!"

Wu Dali gritted his teeth, the veins on his forehead bulging like a desperate gambler.