Chapter 72: The Mysterious Woman

"What's wrong?" Bai Chou noticed Lin Hao's strange demeanor and asked in confusion. Lin Hao shook his head slightly. "It's nothing. I've been here before."

"Oh?" Bai Chou was surprised but, after a nod, fell silent and continued weaving through the forest with Lin Hao in tow. Every so often, Bai Chou would pause to contemplate their surroundings. After twisting and turning for nearly half an hour, the two finally arrived at a clearing beside a tranquil pool.

The area was small, one of the few open spaces in the forest. Not far from the pool, a thatched hut stood quietly. Gazing at the hut, nostalgia flickered in Bai Chou's eyes, and he said softly, "We've arrived."

Lin Hao looked from the hut to Bai Chou, a knowing look in his eyes.

"I've stayed here before," Bai Chou said with a bitter smile. "There are countless spirit beasts in the surrounding woods, most at the third or fourth level of Qi Condensation. We’ll likely have to hide here for a while."

"Is Chu Long another one like Zhao Long?" Lin Hao asked after some thought.

Bai Chou shook his head. "In the world of cultivation, strength is everything. I killed Zhao Long for you, which humiliated Chu Long. He’s a prodigy—how could he tolerate that?"

"With your power at the sixth level of Qi Condensation, are you really afraid of him?" Lin Hao asked, a peculiar look on his face.

Bai Chou coughed awkwardly, then looked at Lin Hao with a serious expression. "Above the third level of Qi Condensation, there are differences even within the same stage. Someone who spent months consolidating his realm is far stronger than one who just broke through. If I stayed there with you, Chu Long would soon come, and both our lives would be forfeit under his sword."

"So, you'd better go hunting," Bai Chou said, waving his hand dismissively before heading into the hut to lie down. Lin Hao stared at him helplessly, then, after some hesitation, walked east.

The area was shrouded in an eerie atmosphere, and Lin Hao dared not wander far, choosing instead to explore the vicinity slowly.

"Hiss..."

"Rustle... rustle..."

Soon, a strange sound came from nearby. Lin Hao looked toward the noise but saw nothing. As he pressed on, the sound returned, sending a jolt of alarm through him. Heaven’s Execution instantly transformed into a dagger in his hand as he scanned the area warily, his eyes narrowing suddenly.

"Hiss!!"

Not far ahead, what seemed a rock was, in fact, a monstrous python with an unnatural hue to its scales! Sensing Lin Hao, the python opened its gaping maw and lunged.

Lin Hao's pupils contracted sharply as he hastily hurled Heaven’s Execution, slapped his storage pouch, and drew a gleaming longsword, striking at the python.

"Hiss..."

The python dodged the thrown dagger with seeming disdain and lightning agility! At the same moment, Lin Hao’s sword struck its body.

A clang erupted—a sound like metal striking metal. Sparks flew where sword met scale, but the blade curled, and the python showed not even a scratch.

"Roar!!!"

Enraged, the python lunged, jaws wide. A surge of mortal danger swept through Lin Hao. In desperation, he activated the Energy-Guiding Technique. Behind the python, Heaven’s Execution—now exuding an ominous aura—shot straight for the serpent’s head.

At the instant the dagger struck, the python convulsed violently, as if in excruciating pain, thrashing madly.

Boom... boom...

The trees around them toppled under the creature’s spasms. In just two breaths, the python abruptly froze, standing rigid and motionless. Before Lin Hao’s eyes, its massive body shriveled rapidly. In moments, even the skin turned to ash, drifting away, leaving only a faintly glowing red core that fell to the ground.

"What..." Lin Hao stared blankly, utterly shaken. He knew Heaven’s Execution was sharp, but never expected it could drain the life from a giant python.

"Who crafted this thing..." He quickly collected the core, studying the weapon with a grave expression. It seemed more ferocious than before.

"Perhaps it only works on spirit beasts... After all, it didn’t act like this when I killed Mo Yuan..." Lin Hao pondered, then softly called, "Heaven’s Execution."

Before him, the weapon liquefied into silvery fluid, then reformed into a three-foot sword, cold light shimmering along its edge and exuding an aura of dread.

"Forget it..." He sheathed the weapon and, after a moment’s thought, returned to the pool.

He hadn’t wandered far. Soon, he arrived back at the hut. Bai Chou sat by a campfire, roasting meat; the smell made Lin Hao's stomach growl pitifully.

"Come eat," Bai Chou called with a strange smile. "I really can't figure you out. Haven't you gone two days without food?"

"Grr..."

Lin Hao coughed awkwardly, saying nothing. When the food was cooked, they ate quickly. Bai Chou retired to the hut, while Lin Hao sat by the water, rummaging through his storage pouch.

"So much..." He was surprised to find over a dozen spirit stones and a delicate vial containing several pills, each radiating a faint spiritual energy.

"This should be enough to break through to the third level of Qi Condensation..." After some thought, he swallowed a pill. It dissolved instantly, flooding his body with energy, which he calmly drew into his dantian.

Time slipped by as he cultivated through the night. By the hour of the tiger, he’d finished the entire bottle. After further reflection, he swallowed the beast core he’d acquired.

The core seemed even more suitable for him than the pills. The instant he swallowed it, his dantian’s vortex trembled, absorbing the core’s power at double speed. The previous pills had brought him to the peak of the second layer; now a flash of red light shot from his jade pendant as his vortex doubled in size, becoming even more sinister in hue.

Impurities flooded out of his body, which he cleansed with a quick spell before turning his spiritual senses inward.

"Something’s not right..." He scrutinized the vortex in his dantian, a heavy look in his eyes. For some reason, he felt a strange sense of unease—as if the vortex wasn’t entirely his own, as if something was missing... It felt flawed, impure...

What Lin Hao didn’t know was that while he cultivated, Bai Chou, though lying in the hut all night, never slept. Now and then, he opened his eyes to watch Lin Hao’s silhouette by the pool.

At dawn, as the first light crept across the land, Lin Hao finished cultivating and leapt into a tree, sitting quietly on a branch to watch the rising sun. A profound calm filled him as he gazed at the sky.

"Brother Lin, tomorrow is the day of the Pill Release. Will you go?" Bai Chou’s bright voice called out, his expression relaxed.

"Didn’t you say Chu Long is hunting us? Aren’t you afraid he’ll find you if you wander around?" Lin Hao gave him a peculiar look.

Bai Chou coughed. "Well, we’re out of wine. I need to get more—it shouldn’t be a problem."

"Alright." Lin Hao sighed, considered for a moment, then nodded.

"Settled then. I’ll find you here tomorrow," Bai Chou said as he left. Lin Hao watched the sunrise fully before looking for something to eat and delving into study of spells.

Upon reaching the third level of Qi Condensation, one’s spiritual energy reserves became sufficient to cast basic spells—like the Fire Serpent Technique. Though not as powerful as when cast by a fourth-level cultivator, it could still pose a threat to peers.

After some practice, Lin Hao quickly grasped the essentials. With a few hand seals, a small fire serpent the size of an earthworm appeared in his palm, radiating intense heat.

Unbeknownst to him, Bai Chou, after leaving, made his way toward the inner peaks. Soon, he encountered an elderly man with white hair and beard, who looked like an immortal sage. The old man’s kindly face hid inscrutable depths in his gaze.

At dawn the next day, Lin Hao opened his eyes, exhaled deeply, and waited quietly by the pool. Bai Chou soon arrived, and together they set off for a plaza on the outer peaks.

"After reaching the fifth level of Qi Condensation, ordinary pills no longer suffice. Only higher-grade medicines from the inner sect’s Pill Pavilion can further your cultivation. The only way for an outer sect disciple to advance is to win the disciple competition. That's why most who come for the Pill Release are at the fourth level; rarely do fifth-levels bother, and you’ll never see first or second levels here," Bai Chou explained as they walked, giving Lin Hao greater insight into the sect’s ways.

"Alright, the plaza is just ahead. The Wine Pavilion’s on the other side. Take this jade slip—if you run into trouble, crush it and I’ll come as quickly as I can," Bai Chou said, handing him a jade slip before leaving.

Lin Hao pondered a moment, then headed for the plaza. Strangely, the passersby all seemed to be watching him, some subtly, others openly. Even more unusual, nearly everyone present was at the third or fourth level of Qi Condensation; fifth levels were rare, and there wasn’t a single first or second level cultivator in sight.

"Did you hear? This time, Senior Brother Chen Ping is in charge of the Pill Release!"

"You mean the top inner disciple?"

"That’s right. If you get on his good side, you can do whatever you want in the outer peaks!"

"As if he’d care about someone at the third level..." As Lin Hao stepped onto the plaza, he overheard such conversations. The square was about thirty yards across, surrounded by simple structures, beyond which stretched endless forest.

Over a hundred disciples crowded the area, making it feel cramped. Not far from the crowd stood a raised platform.

As the discussions swirled, a melodious bell sounded. All eyes turned as an ethereal figure rode a sword through the air and landed gracefully—Chen Ping himself.

"Quiet," Chen Ping said, exuding a gentle, jade-like aura true to his name. His soft voice brought silence over the crowd. Some looked on with awe or reverence, others with calm indifference like Lin Hao.

"For this Pill Release, as there is a new disciple among you, I am granting an Ice Spirit Pill. The rest will each receive a bottle of Qi Condensation Pills and a mid-grade spirit stone," Chen Ping announced. With a wave of his hand, hundreds of pill bottles and spirit stones appeared overhead, landing precisely in front of each disciple.

Lin Hao stowed his items and prepared to leave, but the others watched Chen Ping expectantly, waiting to see who would receive the Ice Spirit Pill.

"An Ice Spirit Pill! Its effects far outstrip Qi Condensation Pills! Whoever gets it mustn’t let it go!"

"If you try to snatch it from me, I’ll kill you!"

As Lin Hao squeezed out of the crowd, he overheard two disciples plotting. He understood well—the pill was not meant for him. To walk away with it from hundreds of others was all but impossible, even if he had the strength.

He had barely gone a few steps when Chen Ping, from within the crowd, casually flicked a pure ice-blue pill toward him. Lin Hao saw it coming and tried to dodge, but it was too late. The moment the pill touched him, it dissolved into a surge of chilling energy, sinking into his dantian and solidifying into a pill brimming with spiritual power.

Lin Hao’s heart sank as he noticed the crowd’s hostile glares. Some even looked murderous, as if he had stolen their fortune.

"The Ice Spirit Pill is sealed. The seal will vanish in twelve hours. Until then, the only way to use it is to cut it out of the body," Chen Ping said calmly, his soft voice drifting over the crowd.

Instantly, everyone’s eyes gleamed as they stared at Lin Hao, a predatory light in their faces. The outer peaks were ruthless—Chen Ping’s words had painted a target on Lin Hao’s back.

"Such a move is clearly meant to doom me..." Lin Hao thought grimly, cold sweat trickling down his back. He shot a frosty glare at Chen Ping before turning and fleeing.

Whether Chen Ping was telling the truth or not, there were surely those among the crowd desperate for a breakthrough, who would go so far as to kill him for the pill. But if he survived the twelve hours, there was still hope.

"After him!" someone yelled, and the crowd surged in pursuit.

Lin Hao’s expression darkened. He truly didn’t understand why Chen Ping had suddenly turned murderous. But now, none of that mattered. Survival was all that counted—surviving the hunt of a hundred disciples.

Behind him, pursuers drew their artifacts, some even hurling swords at him. Lin Hao felt the bloodlust at his back, his eyes bloodshot with fury and hatred. He didn’t flee through the plaza but darted into a side path—wherever the way was most dangerous, that’s where he ran.

His pursuers, though mostly a level above him, found the mountain paths crowded and difficult. Soon, Lin Hao had put some distance between them.

He ran with all his spiritual energy poured into his legs, outpacing the pack at the cost of draining his reserves.

"I have the edge in these woods, but they won’t give up. My only hope is the haunted mountains ahead... Even if Bai Chou arrived, he couldn’t withstand a hundred pursuers. I have only myself to rely on..."

He took a Qi Condensation Pill from his pouch and, seeing the relentless chase behind him, grew ever more cold and composed, his mind terrifyingly clear.

He raced through the forest, the fourth-level disciples hot on his heels.

"That kid’s running toward the Shadow Mountains!" someone shouted. The crowd hesitated—only a few third-levels stopped in doubt; most accelerated, determined to gut Lin Hao and claim the pill.

Lin Hao glanced back at his pursuers, then ahead at the ominous mountains, his heart sinking as he plunged into the misty range.

The Shadow Mountains were infamous for their peril. Though the beast cores within were useful for cultivation, few dared enter. The terrain was treacherous, the beasts powerful, and the deeper reaches... no one who ventured there ever returned, no matter their strength.

Survival in the outer peaks was hard but not impossible; people would take risks for power, but no one wished to die an inexplicable death.

Seeing Lin Hao disappear into the mountains, the weaker disciples lingered at the edge, hoping to scavenge some benefit, while the more ambitious plunged after him.

Lin Hao, frustrated but resolute, circled the outer reaches, leading his pursuers through the treacherous terrain. Soon, his spiritual energy dwindled and his supply of pills ran low. At this rate, he would either be killed when his energy failed or be forced deeper into the mountains.

"Killers are always killed in turn..." Blood streaked his eyes as a fierce resolve overtook him.

"It’s almost time..." Noting his pursuers growing thinly spread, he took another pill and ran to a rocky hollow. The pursuers fanned out, each wary of the others, for the outer peaks were dangerous, not merely in their rules, but in the hearts of men.

Everyone wanted the pill for themselves, so while they seemed united, they kept their distance, wary of betrayal.

To them, Lin Hao was just a lowly third-level disciple. The gap between third and fourth levels was not easily bridged—a fourth-level cultivator’s energy was several times that of a third, and their physical abilities were vastly superior. Rarely could a third-level kill a fourth, save for acknowledged prodigies like Chu Long.

Now, Lin Hao crouched in a tree, Heaven’s Execution dagger in hand, eyeing a plain-clothed man creeping below.

As the man drew near, Lin Hao’s eyes flashed murderously. Using the Energy-Guiding Technique, he sent the dagger flying at the man’s skull.

The man sensed danger but reacted too late—the dagger killed him instantly.

After confirming the area was clear, Lin Hao dropped down, retrieved the man’s storage pouch, and found a new hiding place to wait out the twelve hours.

Had he not been driven to desperation, Lin Hao would never have acted so ruthlessly. His recent experiences in the outer peaks had chilled him, but he still believed in the distinction between good and evil. He would not hesitate against those set on killing him.

As time passed, Lin Hao’s ambushes yielded rich spoils—over a dozen artifacts, countless pills and spirit stones.

The remaining pursuers grew nervous as their companions vanished one by one. Then, an excited cry rang out.

Looking up, Lin Hao saw a massive azure eagle dive at him.

"There he is!" The crowd recognized him at once and surged after him.

"You... you!" Lin Hao’s heart pounded as the giant bird swooped at him. Bitterness and hatred flashed in his eyes as he turned and fled anew.

The chase resumed, and after hours of pursuit, the disciples grew more adept at navigating the mountains. The persistent eagle shadowed Lin Hao, bringing the pack ever closer.

"Where do you think you’re going?" A rough voice boomed ahead, and a burly man blocked Lin Hao’s path, grinning ferociously.

"Heaven’s Execution!" Lin Hao’s eyes flashed with killing intent. As he spoke, his dagger morphed into a long blade, exuding a savage aura, and he slashed at the man.

The man, unfazed, countered with a chilling blade of his own. As the weapons clashed, the man’s blade snapped with a crisp crack, and Lin Hao’s weapon cut him down before he could react.

It wasn’t that the man was weak, but that, accustomed to hunting those beneath him, he had grown careless—underestimating Lin Hao’s ferocity and weapon, to his fatal cost.

Wasting no time, Lin Hao seized the pouch and fled. Shortly after, a white-robed figure appeared, inspected the corpse, and gave chase in the direction Lin Hao had gone.

"Six hours left..." Lin Hao glanced at the darkening sky and felt a small measure of relief. With nightfall, the place would be even more eerie—some would surely lose their nerve, making his survival a little more likely.

"Brother, you look exhausted," a clear voice called out. Ahead stood a young man in white, slowly approaching.

"Who are you?" Lin Hao asked, dagger in hand, wary. He sensed the man's cultivation—fifth level of Qi Condensation.

"Relax. I just want the pill," the youth said with an amused smile, as if Lin Hao was no threat at all.

Lin Hao’s eyes flashed with cold intent. He flung his dagger and fled deeper into the mountains.

The youth dodged easily, intrigued by Lin Hao’s technique. He laughed aloud, "Run, boy! It’s been ages since I’ve enjoyed a hunt!"

Lin Hao shot him a venomous glare but stopped attacking, focusing instead on escape.

No matter how fast he ran, the youth followed, always just behind, herding him further into the mountains.

"You go too far..." Lin Hao muttered, darting into a dense thicket. The youth noticed his icy glare, chuckled, and pursued.

"Brother Fang, just as you predicted," a rough voice sounded ahead. A burly man in black appeared, smirking. He, too, radiated the aura of the fifth level.

Lin Hao’s heart sank. As he turned to escape, a cold female voice called from the woods, "Still trying to run?"

"Three fifth-levels..." Lin Hao looked at the approaching sword-bearing woman and felt a wave of despair.

Fang, the white-robed youth, sauntered over, grinning. "I told you, you couldn't escape. Kneel and beg, and maybe I’ll spare you and extract the pill another way. What do you say?"

"Heh..." Lin Hao glared at him, his expression grim. He’d calculated every step, just to survive. But these people pressed him relentlessly—pushed to the brink, a hidden madness and ruthlessness came forth...

A red gleam flickered deep in his eyes as Heaven’s Execution condensed into a broadsword. Fierce killing intent surged outward. He swiftly produced two pill bottles, emptied the pills into his mouth, and charged at Fang with a single, desperate slash.

Fight!

Even if it meant death, he would fight!

So what if they were fifth level? Lin Hao was no coward.

Fang’s eyes shone as he formed a hand seal. A serpent of fire coiled in his palm and shot toward Lin Hao.

Lin Hao swallowed half the pills, flooding his body with spiritual power. Agony tore at him, but he formed a seal and fired back a slightly weaker fire serpent.

Boom!!

A blast of searing heat swept the area. The three third-levels nearby hastily formed shields to protect themselves.

But Lin Hao, grinning through the pain of his burning skin, burst through the heat wave, closing in on Fang for a killing blow.

Fang's face twisted with shock. He never expected Lin Hao to risk his own life for the attack. Still, as a fifth level, he reacted quickly, producing a green compass to block.

But Lin Hao, driven by madness, swallowed the rest of his pills, channelled all his energy into Heaven’s Execution, and slashed down with reckless abandon.

The compass shattered on contact. Fang had no time even for terror before Lin Hao cut him down—his eyes forever frozen in horror.

All of this happened in a flash—barely a few heartbeats from the fire serpent's casting to Fang’s death.

The black-clad man and the woman stared in shock. Who could have imagined a third-level cultivator killing someone two stages higher?

"Do you still want to kill me?" Lin Hao asked, a red glow flickering in his eyes as he grinned at the pair, a maniacal resolve filling the air.

The black-clad man shuddered, feeling a chill at the blood-soaked figure before him. Lin Hao was gravely wounded—the heat alone had seared most of his skin, and fire had invaded his organs. The double dose of pills had further damaged him.

Yet, as they met his crazed gaze, both felt an involuntary fear.

"Madman..." the man muttered, backing away, then fled. The woman, after a moment’s hesitation, also left.

It wasn’t that they truly couldn’t kill Lin Hao, but for a single Ice Spirit Pill, it wasn’t worth the risk. Fang’s death had come from Lin Hao’s willingness to risk everything, seizing the right moment.

If Lin Hao hadn’t charged through the searing heat, the outcome would have been very different.

Besides, both were shrewd enough to weigh the risks—who knew what other tricks Lin Hao might have, or if the other would suddenly betray them? Better to give up the hunt.

Opportunities for advancement would come again; life, once lost, could not be regained.

"Hiss..."

Only after watching them disappear did Lin Hao breathe a sigh of relief. As he bent to pick up Fang’s pouch, pain shot through his wounds, and he gasped.

Feeling the agony, Lin Hao’s expression twisted in hatred, and deep in his eyes was a sense of grievance.

"If not for that bastard Chen Ping, I wouldn’t be in this state. If, in the future..." He trailed off, brooding for a long time before sighing, "Wherever you are, strength is all that matters. Complaining is just ignorance. If I were as powerful as Chen Ping, would he have dared treat me this way? Only by becoming strong can one survive the chaos of this world and seek the truth!"

"The truth..."

He gazed at the blood-red jade pendant at his dantian, resolve shining in his eyes.

Meanwhile, high above, an elder with white hair and beard stood silently, his gaze fixed on Lin Hao. If one looked closely, beneath the appreciation in his eyes lay a deep-seated greed.

Below, a white-robed figure with a wine gourd at his waist leaned against a shadowy tree—it was Bai Chou.

"Have you tested him enough?" Bai Chou suddenly called up to the elder.

The old man glanced at him with a trace of disdain. His ancient voice rang out, "Not yet. When the boy forms his foundation, your sister will return."

"I want to see her now!" Bai Chou’s eyes flashed cold, his voice emotionless as a vast aura surged from his body.

"Qi Condensation—complete..." The elder’s gaze flickered with surprise, then with a strange look he asked, "Do you think completion of Qi Condensation qualifies you to bargain with me?"

He shook his head, then rose into the air, his fading voice echoing, "Finish this task, and you’ll be reunited..."

Bai Chou watched him go, his face grim, a killing intent smoldering in his eyes.

...

Meanwhile, Lin Hao was hidden in a secluded spot, healing his wounds. Thankfully, Fang’s pouch contained some restorative pills, and the worst of his injuries had scabbed. The internal damage from overusing pills would take time and gentle cultivation to heal.

"Still lacking... but it’s not too serious," he murmured, opening his eyes with a rare smile.

Lin Hao was not ruthless by nature; he had once preferred the carefree life in Mangshan Village. But after all he’d endured, he understood—only by growing strong could one control their fate in the ruthless sect.

He gazed at the gloomy sky and sighed. "Though the mortal world is as beautiful as snow, it will never again welcome this fallen soul..."

Even if he returned to Mangshan Village someday, it would no longer be home.

"Woo..."

A chill wind blew, making Lin Hao shiver, a sense of foreboding rising within him.

Though night had fallen, a mist began to spread around him.

Silvery moonlight filtered through the dense forest, illuminating the flowing mist. Somewhere, the sound of a zither drifted to his ears, winding and ethereal.

Sensing the sudden change, Lin Hao’s pupils contracted, a chill creeping down his spine. He dared not move a muscle, his expression grave.

"Woo..."

Another gust of wind swept the mist away, but it quickly returned, thicker than before.

Suddenly, a bizarre figure appeared in Lin Hao’s vision.

Not far ahead, a figure in white robes sat at a table, gently playing a wooden zither.

"Is this the source of the mystery here..." Lin Hao stared, his scalp tingling. Energy surged around him, and Heaven’s Execution appeared as a dagger in his hand.

After a long time, the zither playing ceased. Lin Hao’s breath grew shallow, not from the music’s effect, but from the oppressive silence that followed—eerily unnatural.

Suddenly, a clear, ethereal female voice called out, "Young master..."

Lin Hao jumped. He felt a cold wind at his back and, turning carefully, found Fang’s corpse right behind him, their faces almost touching.

Staring into the corpse’s empty eyes, Lin Hao’s hair stood on end, his scalp prickling with terror. He kicked the body away and fled in panic.

The zither player, watching his frantic escape, looked momentarily puzzled, dispersing the mist with a wave. "He didn’t panic when hunted by a hundred, so why now..."

She sighed softly, and as the mist gathered again, her figure faded.

Lin Hao, fleeing through the thinning mist, finally relaxed. Just as he thought he was about to escape, a white-robed figure appeared ahead.

"To the end, then..." he muttered, eyes burning with hatred as Heaven’s Execution transformed into a halberd. Fierce killing intent swirled about him as he stared at the woman, forcing down his fear. "What do you want?"

She was breathtakingly beautiful, dressed all in white—a celestial maiden, perhaps, but in this haunted place, she inspired only dread.

She glanced at his trembling legs, a strange look in her eyes. After a moment’s thought, her crisp voice rang out, "I’d like to make a deal with you..."

Lin Hao hesitated, wary, his mind racing...