Villain: Manipulating the Heroines into hating the Protagonist

The air in the Blood Forbidden Ground was a palpable entity, thick with the metallic tang of aeons-old slaughter and the raw, untamed thrum of potent Spiritual Energy.

It was a disquieting perfume, one that spoke of both immense danger and unparalleled opportunity.

Wang Jian stood firm on the blood-hued soil, the perpetual crimson twilight casting eerie, elongated shadows from the skeletal, black-barked trees and jagged monoliths of dark rock.

A profound silence reigned, disturbed only by the mournful sigh of a wind that seemed to carry the dying lamentations of ancient warriors and a subtle, almost sub-audible hum of ambient power.

His first act was to access the crudely drawn map provided by the Mystic Peak Sect, his sharp eyes cross-referencing the twisted, alien landscape around him with its markings.

'The Blackwood Thorn Thicket,' he quickly identified his location.

It was a region marked on the periphery of the Forbidden Ground.

His mind then flashed to the information contained within the jade slip.

'Blackwood Thorn Thicket...

known for two primary spirit herbs: Shadow Weave Grass, its fibers excellent for crafting illusion-warding talismans, and Bloodpetal Blossoms, a key component in several potent healing salves, particularly those effective against wounds tainted by demonic or blood-based energies.

' 'Beasts here are typically territorial, primarily mid-level First Rank.

The slip mentioned Shadowfang Wolves, known for their pack tactics and stealth, and Thornbacked Boars, whose hides are surprisingly resilient.

Manageable.

' A crucial detail: his Steller Demonic Meridian Scripture, with its unique affinity for varied energy types, hummed almost contentedly in this environment.

The tainted, blood-soaked Spiritual Energy, which might prove difficult or even corrosive for cultivators practicing standard righteous arts, was readily absorbed and efficiently refined by his technique.

The ambient power here, while wild, was far denser than in the outer sect of Mystic Peak.

His cultivation speed, even without pellets, would be significantly enhanced here.

'Good.

This environment itself is a resource,' Wang Jian thought, a flicker of grim satisfaction in his eyes.

He stretched, his Twelfth Stage Qi Condensation power flowing smoothly through his recently fortified meridians.

The Glacial Bite longsword felt like a natural extension of his arm.

There was no hesitation.

Opportunity awaited.

He moved with a silent, predatory grace, his senses heightened.

The Eagle Eye Spirit Pill he'd consumed before entering still lent a subtle sharpness to his vision, allowing him to pick out minute details in the gloom.

It didn't take long to find his first targets.

A guttural snarl echoed from a dense cluster of razor-sharp thorn bushes.

Five pairs of malevolent yellow eyes gleamed in the shadows.

Shadowfang Wolves.

Five of them.

Mid-level First Rank beasts, their coats the color of midnight, their bodies lean and wiry, promising speed and agility.

Wang Jian drew Glacial Bite.

The blade hummed faintly, its Frost Iron core reacting to his Steller Qi.

The wolves burst from the thicket, a coordinated rush.

They fanned out, attempting to encircle him, their movements fluid and practiced.

'Pack tactics.

As expected.

' He didn't wait for them to complete their encirclement.

He moved, not with a sudden burst of speed from a technique like Feather-Light Step – he was conserving Qi – but with the explosive power of his physically tempered body, augmented by the subtle flow of his cultivation.

The lead wolf lunged, its fangs bared, aiming for his throat.

Wang Jian sidestepped with deceptive ease, Glacial Bite becoming a silver streak.

'Flowing Metal Slash!

' He didn't roar the name; the technique was an instinctive part of his combat flow now.

His Qi, dense and cold, coated the blade.

SCHLICK!

The blade met the wolf's exposed neck, slicing through fur, flesh, and bone with minimal resistance.

The wolf let out a choked yelp, its attack cut short as it tumbled, lifeless.

The remaining four wolves paused, their yellow eyes widening with a flicker of animalistic surprise.

Their pack leader, dead in an instant.

That momentary hesitation was all Wang Jian needed.

He pressed his advantage.

Another wolf charged from his left.

He parried its snapping jaws with a swift upward block of Glacial Bite, then, in the same fluid motion, his left hand, balled into a fist, shot out, impacting the wolf's snout with a sickening crunch.

The beast howled in pain, momentarily stunned.

Glacial Bite descended, ending its misery.

He fought with a brutal, detached efficiency.

No wasted movements.

No flashy spells.

Just pure, refined swordsmanship, honed over countless battles in a past he no longer dwelled upon, now seamlessly integrated with his growing cultivator abilities.

His body, passively enhanced by the Steller Demonic Meridian Scripture, absorbed the jarring impacts of the wolves' desperate lunges with surprising ease.

The remaining three Shadowfang Wolves, their pack instincts overridden by a primal fear of this silent, deadly two-legger, broke and tried to flee.

Wang Jian was faster.

He dispatched two with swift, accurate thrusts.

The last one, he disabled with a cut to its hind leg, then ended its life with a quick, merciful stab.

Five mid-level First Rank inner cores, small and faintly warm, were added to a simple collection pouch.

He found what they had been guarding: a patch of Shadow Weave Grass, its dark green, almost black, fronds swaying gently in the eerie wind.

The grass felt cool to the touch, its fibers surprisingly tough.

'Good for illusion-warding.

Lingshan will appreciate this for her talisman practice.

' He carefully harvested the mature stalks, placing them into one of the many small, carved wooden boxes he had prepared beforehand – essential for preserving the spiritual properties of delicate herbs.

The boxes then went into one of his newer, emptier storage pouches.

His next encounter was with a solitary Thornbacked Boar, a high-level First Rank beast, easily the size of a small bull, its hide like dark, gnarled wood, a ridge of sharp, bone-like thorns running down its spine.

It was rooting furiously at the base of a cluster of twisted, blood-red trees.

The boar spotted him, let out an enraged snort, and charged, its tusks like ivory daggers.

Wang Jian stood his ground, Glacial Bite held ready.

The boar's charge was a thunderous rush of muscle and fury.

He sidestepped at the last possible moment, the wind of its passage ruffling his robes.

As it thundered past, he brought Glacial Bite down in a powerful, two-handed chop, aimed at the less protected area just behind its thorny shoulder ridge.

CLANG!

Sparks flew.

The blade bit into the tough hide but didn't penetrate as deeply as he'd expected.

The boar shrieked in pain and rage, skidding to a halt, then spun, surprisingly agile for its bulk.

'Resilient.

The jade slip wasn't exaggerating.

' This time, he used a touch more finesse.

He met its next charge with a series of quick, deflecting parries, using its own momentum against it, guiding its tusks away.

Then, as it momentarily overbalanced, he lunged.

'Azure Serpent Strike!

' A whip-like tendril of frigid water Qi, tinged with the Steller Demonic Scripture's coldness, lashed out from his sword tip, not aiming for the hide, but for the boar's eyes.

The boar squealed, momentarily blinded, shaking its massive head.

Wang Jian seized the opening.

Glacial Bite found the softer flesh of its underbelly.

A deep thrust, a guttural roar from the beast, and it collapsed, thrashing, before finally going still.

Another inner core, this one larger and pulsing with a stronger earth-based energy.

The boar had been guarding a small cluster of Bloodpetal Blossoms, their petals a startling, vibrant crimson, almost like congealed blood.

They pulsed with a faint, warm energy.

'Potent healing properties, especially against tainted wounds.

Excellent.

' He harvested them with the same meticulous care.

He continued his systematic sweep of the Blackwood Thorn Thicket, moving from one herb location marked on his map to another.

He encountered several more packs of Shadowfang Wolves, more Thornbacked Boars, and even a nest of Giant Spine-Tailed Scorpions, their venomous stingers a constant threat.

He dealt with them all, his combat skills becoming smoother, his understanding of Glacial Bite deepening.

He rarely used his elemental spells, relying primarily on his swordsmanship and the Flowing Metal Slash technique to conserve his Twelfth Stage Qi reserves.

His body felt tireless, the passive Steller Body Enhancement subtly repairing minor strains and bruises almost as fast as they occurred.

He was just finishing the careful harvest of a patch of rare Nightshade Root – its dark, gnarled tubers said to be ingredients in potent paralysis poisons – when his senses, honed by countless life-or-death encounters, picked up a subtle shift in the air, a faint killing intent.

He didn't react outwardly, continuing to place the Nightshade Root into a wooden box.

A figure, cloaked in the dark blue robes of the Azure Sword Clan, emerged silently from behind a massive, blood-stained boulder.

The disciple was male, his face sharp and arrogant, his eyes holding a predatory gleam as they fixed on the herbs Wang Jian had just collected.

His cultivation was at the Twelfth Stage of Qi Condensation, his spirit sword already drawn, humming with power.

"Well, well, a Mystic Peak disciple, all alone and finding such… interesting treasures," the Azure Sword Clan disciple sneered, his voice laced with contempt.

"Hand over the Nightshade Root and that pouch of yours, little herb-picker, and I might grant you a quick death.

" He didn't wait for a reply.

He lunged, his spirit sword a streak of azure light, a classic Azure Sword Clan opening move – fast, direct, and overwhelmingly aggressive.

"Azure Sky Flash!

" Wang Jian spun, Glacial Bite already in motion.

The Azure Sword Clan disciple expected to cleave through a startled, slower opponent.

He did not expect Wang Jian's reaction speed.

CLANG!

Their blades met in a shower of sparks.

The Azure Sword disciple's eyes widened in surprise.

The Mystic Peak disciple hadn't just blocked; he'd met his Azure Sky Flash head-on, and the force behind the block was… substantial.

The cold energy radiating from Glacial Bite sent a shiver up his arm.

"You're faster than you look, herb-picker," the Azure Sword disciple grunted, his arrogance undiminished.

"But speed alone won't save you!

" He pressed his attack, his sword a blur of azure light, each strike infused with the sharp, cutting Qi characteristic of his sect's techniques.

Wang Jian met him blow for blow.

Glacial Bite danced, a ribbon of silver against the Azure Sword disciple's furious assault.

He was using pure swordsmanship, his Flowing Metal Slash technique enhancing each parry, each riposte.

He gave ground slowly, deliberately, luring his opponent further into the clearing, away from the dense thorn bushes.

'His technique is aggressive, but lacks finesse.

All power, no subtlety,' Wang Jian assessed, his mind calm amidst the storm of steel.

'And his Qi, while strong, feels… diffuse compared to my Steller Qi.

' The Azure Sword disciple, frustrated by Wang Jian's unexpectedly tenacious defense, roared and unleashed a more powerful technique.

"Azure Dragon's Tooth!

" His sword seemed to split into three illusory blades, all aimed at Wang Jian's vital points.

Wang Jian's eyes narrowed.

He didn't try to block all three.

Instead, he sidestepped with a burst of Feather-Light Step, allowing two of the illusory blades to pass harmlessly, then met the true blade with a precise, angled parry that deflected it upwards.

As the Azure Sword disciple overextended, momentarily off-balance, Wang Jian lunged.

His Glacial Bite, coated in a layer of frigid, dense Steller Qi, shot forward like a striking serpent.

Not a flashy technique, just a perfectly timed, brutally efficient thrust aimed at the disciple's exposed chest, just below the sternum where his Qi defenses were thinnest.

The Azure Sword disciple gasped, his eyes bulging in disbelief.

He tried to bring his sword back, to erect a stronger Qi shield, but it was too late.

Wang Jian's blade, empowered by Qi that felt almost twice as dense as his own, pierced through his hastily formed defenses, sinking deep.

A choked gurgle escaped the Azure Sword disciple's lips.

His spirit sword clattered to the crimson soil.

He stared at Wang Jian, his arrogant expression replaced by one of shock and dawning horror.

"Your… Qi… so… dense…" he stammered, before collapsing, lifeless.

Wang Jian calmly withdrew Glacial Bite, wiping the blade clean on the dead disciple's robes.

He picked up the man's storage pouch.

A quick scan revealed a decent haul: about thirty low-grade spirit stones, a few common healing pellets, and a jade slip containing the Azure Sword Clan's foundational Qi Condensation sword art.

'Useful for reference,' he thought, pocketing it.

'Foolish.

The Blood Forbidden Ground is no place for arrogance without overwhelming strength to back it up.

' He glanced around.

'This area is picked clean now.

And a dead Azure Sword disciple might attract unwanted attention if found too soon.

' He quickly disposed of the body, using his remaining Sparking Ember spells to reduce it to ash, then scattered the remains.

Time to move.

He had other herb locations marked on his map within the Blackwood Thorn Thicket, and he intended to visit them all before heading towards the central rendezvous point.

The next few days were a relentless cycle of hunting, gathering, and, increasingly, fending off other cultivators.

The Blood Forbidden Ground was living up to its name.

Competition for resources was fierce, and often lethal.

Wang Jian systematically cleared out several more promising herb patches, his storage pouches steadily filling with rare ingredients.

He found clusters of Ironbone Root, its gnarled appearance belying its ability to strengthen sinews when refined into a paste.

He harvested several Seven-Mist Flowers, their delicate petals releasing a disorienting, sweet-smelling pollen perfect for confusion poisons.

He even located a small grove of Sunflare Berry bushes, their bright orange fruits pulsing with a warm, fire-resistant energy.

He fought more beasts – high-level First Rank Stone-Skinned Apes whose hides were like granite, and flocks of Venom-Quilled Gryphons whose poisonous feather-darts required constant vigilance.

Each encounter honed his skills, increased his collection of inner cores.

He also encountered more disciples.

Some, seeing his calm demeanor and the Glacial Bite sword that radiated a subtle chill, chose to give him a wide berth.

Others, driven by greed or overconfidence, attacked.

One memorable encounter involved a group of three disciples from the Hundred Beast Manor.

Two were at the Eleventh Stage, one at the Twelfth, and each had a contracted spirit beast – a snarling Shadow Cat, a venomous Jade-Eyed Viper, and a screeching Ironbeak Hawk.

They tried to ambush him near a patch of valuable Soul-Nourishing Ferns.

The ensuing battle was chaotic.

Wang Jian used the terrain, his superior speed, and his precise swordsmanship to separate the disciples from their beasts, then dealt with them systematically.

"His Spiritual Energy!

It's like fighting a peak Thirteenth Stage cultivator!

" one of the Eleventh Stage disciples shrieked as Glacial Bite shattered his hastily erected Qi shield.

"My Ironbeak Hawk's talons… they can't even scratch his robes properly!

" the other lamented as Wang Jian seemed to shrug off a diving attack, his Steller Demonic Meridian Scripture's passive body enhancement proving surprisingly effective against low-powered physical blows.

Wang Jian defeated them, though it took a considerable amount of his Qi.

He looted their pouches – which contained several interesting beast-taming scrolls and a few unusual beast cores – and then continued on his way, his expression impassive.

His journey towards the central rendezvous point, the Bone Dragon Peaks, was a bloody tapestry woven with the threads of slain beasts and fallen cultivators.

He skirted the edges of larger conflicts, avoiding confrontations with groups too numerous or powerful for him to handle alone efficiently, always prioritizing resource acquisition and stealth.

Then, near the foothills leading up to the jagged, bone-like spires of the Bone Dragon Peaks, he sensed a powerful, almost overwhelming aura.

It was a Peak First Rank beast, something far stronger than anything he had encountered so far.

He found it in a hidden, mist-filled caldera: a colossal Crystal-Horned Rhino, its hide like overlapping plates of smoky quartz, a single, massive translucent horn on its snout pulsing with concentrated earth energy.

It stood guard over a small, shimmering pool, around which grew a cluster of truly extraordinary spirit plants.

Wang Jian's breath caught.

He recognized them instantly from the most esoteric sections of the Compendium and the sect's jade slip on rare herbs.

Five stalks of Nine-Cycle Spirit Ginseng, each with nine distinct rings indicating at least nine centuries of growth, their roots shaped like miniature humans, radiating an incredibly pure life essence.

And beside them, a patch of Thousand-Year Moon Dew Fungus, their caps like clusters of solidified moonlight, emitting a soft, ethereal glow.

'These… these are prime ingredients for the Foundation Establishment Pill!

And for high-grade body tempering elixirs or longevity pellets!

This find… is monumental!

' The Crystal-Horned Rhino snorted, its intelligent eyes fixing on Wang Jian.

It knew he was a threat.

This battle was different.

The Rhino's earth-based attacks were devastating – it could stomp the ground and send shockwaves of force, or charge with the power of an avalanche.

Its crystalline hide was almost impervious to his normal Flowing Metal Slashes.

Wang Jian was forced to use his elemental spells more liberally.

Azure Serpent Strikes to distract and bind its legs.

Crimson Sparrow Darts aimed at its eyes.

Earthen Wall Barriers to block its devastating charges, though they shattered quickly.

He danced around the massive beast, his Glacial Bite seeking the small chinks in its crystal armor, primarily the joints and the softer underbelly.

It was a long, grueling fight.

Wang Jian expended a significant portion of his Qi, his robes were torn, and he sustained several bruises from near misses.

But his superior combat intellect, his relentless precision, and the sheer density of his Steller Qi eventually wore the beast down.

With a final, desperate roar, the Crystal-Horned Rhino collapsed, a deep gash in its throat where Wang Jian had finally managed to pierce its defenses with a fully empowered Flowing Metal Slash, his Glacial Bite gleaming with frigid power.

He was panting, his Qi reserves low, but a triumphant grin spread across his face.

He collected the massive, pulsating earth-element inner core – a true treasure.

Then, with utmost care, he harvested the Nine-Cycle Spirit Ginseng and the Thousand-Year Moon Dew Fungus, placing them reverently into his best wooden preservation boxes.

'With these, and a few other key ingredients… refining a Foundation Establishment Pill is no longer a distant dream.

' He didn't linger.

He knew such a potent spiritual aura from the herbs, and the lingering scent of the battle, would soon attract other powerful cultivators or beasts.

He quickly consumed a Swift River Qi Pill to replenish some of his energy, then set off again, heading for the highest spire of the Bone Dragon Peaks, the agreed-upon rendezvous with Yue Lingshan.

His storage pouches were now heavy with spoils.

He hadn't even had time to properly sort through all of them.

The Blood Forbidden Ground was proving to be even more bountiful – and dangerous – than he had anticipated.

And he hadn't even needed to use his Ether Pulse Surge or his most powerful single-use talismans yet.

Meanwhile, Princess Yue Lingshan found herself teleported into the Weeping Willow Mire, a vast, swampy expanse shrouded in a perpetual, damp mist.

The air was heavy with the scent of decay and stagnant water.

Twisted, weeping willow-like trees, their branches trailing into the murky pools, created a disorienting, claustrophobic environment.

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'This terrain… it's treacherous,' Yue Lingshan thought, her hand resting on the hilt of her Verdant Willow Blade.

She recalled Wang Jian's constant advice: 'Use your surroundings.

Adapt.

Survive.

' The sect's jade slip indicated this mire was rich in Water-affinity herbs like the Mirebloom Lotus, whose petals were used in clarity-enhancing potions, and Dewdrop Cattails, which stored pure, spiritual water.

Beasts here were stealthy: Swamp Lurkers, agile, reptilian creatures that blended with the murky water, and Giant Mire Toads, whose croaks could disorient and whose sticky tongues were dangerous weapons.

Yue Lingshan moved cautiously, her senses alert.

Her Sixth Stage Qi Condensation, honed by Wang Jian's modified technique and top-grade pellets, flowed smoothly.

She soon encountered a pack of Swamp Lurkers, their scaled bodies emerging silently from a dark pool.

She didn't panic.

She drew her Verdant Willow Blade and the Nightwind Terror Fan Wang Jian had acquired for her.

Her movements were graceful, yet deadly.

She used her Azure Serpent Strike, the water serpents lashing out, augmented by the damp environment.

The Nightwind Terror Fan became a whirlwind in her other hand, its sharpened ironwood ribs deflecting attacks, its silk surface, when infused with her Qi, creating disorienting gusts of wind and shimmering, illusory patterns that confused the Lurkers.

She defeated them, collecting their small, water-aspected inner cores and a few Mirebloom Lotuses they seemed to be guarding.

Her journey through the mire was a constant series of such encounters.

She fought off aggressive Giant Mire Toads, using her Five Elements Defensive Ward array plate (a small, activatable artifact) to block their powerful tongue strikes and her newly crafted Minor Lightning Spark talismans to stun them before finishing them with her blade.

She was becoming a seasoned combatant, her initial royal delicacy replaced by a cultivator's pragmatic ruthlessness.

She gathered herbs efficiently, always mindful of her surroundings, her Qi reserves, and the path towards the Bone Dragon Peaks.

One late afternoon, as she skirted a particularly dense section of the mire, she heard the distinct sounds of a fierce battle – screeches, roars, the clang of steel, and the sharp crackle of spells.

Curiosity, and a sense of duty towards fellow righteous sect disciples, urged her to investigate, albeit cautiously.

Peering through a curtain of weeping willow branches, she saw a sight that made her breath catch.

A lone female cultivator, her robes the soft, medicinal green of the Crimson Pill Sect, was desperately fighting off a massive flock of Crimson-Eyed Vultures – high-level First Rank beasts known for their vicious aerial attacks and razor-sharp talons.

There were at least twenty of them, their red eyes burning with feral hunger.

The Crimson Pill disciple was incredibly skilled.

Her movements were fluid, her alchemical spells potent – clouds of green, corrosive mist enveloped some vultures, while shimmering pellets she threw exploded into bursts of searing light or healing radiance that seemed to selectively harm the demonic beasts.

She wielded a delicate-looking short sword with surprising ferocity.

But she was clearly outnumbered and overwhelmed.

Her green robes were torn in several places, her breathing was ragged, and her veil, though still in place, was askew, revealing a glimpse of a smooth, determined chin and exquisitely shaped lips.

Yue Lingshan recognized her instantly – it was Liu Ruyan, the ethereal beauty that she didn't know but Wang Jian had noticed.

'She's in grave danger,' Yue Lingshan thought.

'Those vultures… they'll tear her apart.

' A brief, almost unnoticeable flicker of something complex – was it doubt?

Whether she should help this person out?

But then she thinks to herself.

This was a fellow righteous disciple.

And Wang Jian had taught her the value of strategic alliances.

Without hesitation, Yue Lingshan burst from her cover.

"Sister from Crimson Pill Sect!

Hold on!

" She activated her Nightwind Terror Fan, sending a powerful, focused gust of wind infused with her Spiritual Energy directly into the densest part of the vulture flock.

The unexpected blast scattered them, breaking their attack formation.

Several vultures shrieked as they were slammed into trees or into each other.

She then launched a volley of Azure Serpent Strikes, her water whips lashing out, ensnaring two vultures and slamming them into the murky swamp water.

Liu Ruyan, startled by the sudden intervention, spun around, her short sword ready.

Seeing Yue Lingshan, her initial surprise turned into relief.

"Fellow Daoist!

Your timing is impeccable!

" "Yue Lingshan, Mystic Peak Sect!

" Yue Lingshan called out, already engaging another vulture with her Verdant Willow Blade.

"Focus on fighting!

We can talk later!

" The two women, though from different sects and with different fighting styles, found a surprising rhythm.

Yue Lingshan, with her direct combat prowess, her fan's versatile attacks, and her water-based spells, took on the brunt of the aerial assaults.

Liu Ruyan, her alchemical spells providing powerful area-of-effect damage and support, crippled groups of vultures with corrosive mists or blinded them with flash pellets, then picked off the weakened ones with her swift short sword.

It was a desperate, bloody battle.

Feathers flew, screeches filled the air, and the scent of blood and strange alchemical concoctions mingled.

Both women sustained minor cuts and bruises, but their coordinated defense held.

Finally, the last Crimson-Eyed Vulture fell, its red eyes glazing over.

Yue Lingshan and Liu Ruyan stood panting, their weapons dripping, surrounded by the carnage.

"Thank you, Sister Yue," Liu Ruyan said, her voice a little breathless but still melodious.

She offered a grateful bow.

"You saved my life.

I am Liu Ruyan of the Crimson Pill Sect.

I… I underestimated the ferocity of these Forbidden Ground beasts when they attack in such numbers.

" "It is a dangerous place indeed, Sister Liu," Yue Lingshan replied, returning the bow.

"I was on my way to the Bone Dragon Peaks to rendezvous with my sect brother.

This mire is treacherous to navigate alone.

" She paused, then made a decision.

"Perhaps… it would be mutually beneficial if we traveled together towards the central region?

Safety in numbers, as they say.

" Liu Ruyan's veiled face tilted, considering the offer.

This Mystic Peak disciple was clearly powerful, her combat skills impressive.

And her companion… if he was as capable, their chances of survival, and success, would increase dramatically.

She had been foolish to attempt to explore the Blood Forbidden Ground alone, relying solely on her alchemical skills.

"That… that is a most generous offer, Sister Yue," Liu Ruyan said, a hint of warmth in her voice.

"I would be honored to accompany you.

This place… it is indeed too perilous for a solitary cultivator.

" Yue Lingshan smiled beneath her veil.

'Good.

I can reach Jian quickly now.

' Before they set off, Yue Lingshan, with her usual efficiency, quickly harvested the inner cores from the fallen vultures and also gathered a few rare, crimson-tipped feathers that seemed to pulse with a faint fire-aspected energy.

Liu Ruyan watched her, a flicker of admiration in her eyes for the Mystic Peak disciple's practicality.

Two powerful, beautiful female cultivators, one vibrant and increasingly assertive, the other ethereal and skilled in the alchemic arts, now joined forces, their path leading towards the heart of the Blood Forbidden Ground, and an inevitable meeting with Wang Jian.