Chapter 146: Rumors from the Grapevine

“To put it simply, they all have side effects.”

“Of course, each unique bloodline has its own different side effects.”

“I’m confident that the side effects of the bloodline in your body won’t be too severe.”

Upon hearing Second Uncle’s words, I suddenly saw things clearly. So, bloodlines come in so many varieties.

“People with bloodlines are extremely rare in this world. You’re quite fortunate, kid.”

I had always thought I’d gotten this far purely by luck, so this was somewhat reassuring.

As I spoke, I pulled a dagger from my ring and plunged it sharply into my arm.

The pain made me gasp for breath several times.

Then, I began to manipulate the blood inside my body with spiritual energy. With a focused thought, my blood surged restlessly once more.

Gradually, the wound on my arm healed quickly, but I noticed this consumed a great deal of spiritual energy. Such a simple wound had drained nearly a tenth of my energy.

Perhaps this was the drawback. But if I had more spiritual energy, I’d truly be invincible.

Brushing the blood off my clothes, I stood and resumed practicing my punches.

With this powerful advantage, my confidence soared. No matter what kind of opponent, I thought I should be able to hold my own in a fight.

Just then, my phone rang. It wasn’t a call but a familiar message.

Frowning, I picked it up, expecting it to be the Ghost King announcing another game update.

But to my surprise, it was from an unknown number.

The message read: “Lin Yao, this is Cui Yuyao. The Dong family is preparing to send strong fighters to your mountain tonight. I’ve heard there are several experts at the Spirit Lotus Realm. Be careful.”

Though brief, the message was precise, conveying all the crucial information.

I turned to tell Second Uncle and advised him to leave and lay low for a while.

But Second Uncle was stubborn about this matter.

“The Dong family... I’ve never liked them. If they come, we’ll wipe them out in one fell swoop!”

His words were resolute and righteous, so I didn’t back down either.

“Alright, I’ll find two others to help. We’ll kill them before they reach the mountain.”

After saying that, I took out my phone and called Chen Chen.

“Hello, Chen Chen. I’ll get straight to the point. I have a grudge with a cultivation family. They’re coming for me tonight. I need your help.”

Without hesitation, Chen Chen agreed.

“Okay, in half an hour, Li Zijian and I will come to you.”

---

After happily accepting, I hung up. The only ones I could turn to with real fighting power were Chen Chen and Li Zijian.

Second Uncle didn’t waste time either. He pulled a small paper crane from his ring.

It was my first time seeing such a paper crane—it seemed made from yellow paper, wrapped with a layer of spiritual energy.

I watched as Second Uncle made some gestures at the crane, then tossed it into the air. Miraculously, the crane flew forward a few meters before transforming into a streak of light and vanishing.

“Wow, that’s incredible! Teach me, Second Uncle!”

But he shook his head.

“This paper crane was a gift from the Vice Leader of Tianyang Mountain. With my current strength, I can’t create such effects.”

I nodded, impressed that Second Uncle knew the Vice Leader of Tianyang Mountain—quite prestigious.

After some tense waiting, footsteps came from outside the courtyard.

I stood up to see Chen Chen, Li Zijian, and Old Li arriving.

Li Zijian had only been gone a day but had already advanced to the fourth grade of the Spirit Flower Realm, just like Chen Chen.

I jogged over and lightly punched Li Zijian’s shoulder.

“Using cheats? Straight to fourth grade of Spirit Flower Realm?”

Li Zijian scratched his head awkwardly, unable to reply. Old Li explained.

“Li Zijian was possessed by a female ghost some time ago, which blocked some of his meridians, preventing his advancement. Yesterday, he sought out a Taoist priest from Longhu Mountain.”

I burst out laughing. I’d heard of possession by evil spirits, but never a female ghost.

I invited them into the courtyard. Second Uncle brewed a pot of good tea.

Li Zijian and the others bowed respectfully to Second Uncle, who stood and politely returned their gesture.

“Alright, let’s get down to business.”

“You’ve probably all heard of the Dong family. They rely on their sect’s backing to oppress men and women alike, committing all sorts of evil. Since they’re targeting me this time, I’ll teach them a lesson.”

Hearing this, both Li Zijian and Chen Chen were filled with fighting spirit.

Just as I was about to continue, my phone rang again.

I glanced down and saw it was another message from Cui Yuyao.

“They will split into three groups tonight. The strongest should be on the main road, led by two Spirit Lotus Realm experts. The other groups will take a small path behind the mountain and a path on the left side.”

Cui Yuyao was surprisingly reliable. It was good I trusted him.

“This evening, I’ll lead you three to intercept the main road.”

---

“When friends from Tianyang Mountain arrive, I’ll have them prepare on the other two routes.”

“Let’s head down now to check out the terrain.”

None of us had done this kind of mission before, so we were nervous yet excited.

With that, I led Chen Chen and the others down the mountain.

The main road was the usual path I took to the mountain. It was wide but rarely used as it was deep in the wilderness.

The road’s sides were broad and offered little cover, only a few small stones.

But these stones were too small to hide behind.

“This is troublesome...”

Walking further, I noticed with relief the dead trees lining the sides.

These trees must have grown for many years, standing over a person tall. Hiding behind them would make one hard to spot. Moreover, many such trees were nearby.

Seeing this, I drew a machete, cut some branches, and placed them near the dead trees.

“Perfect.”

Now, from any direction, people behind the trees would be concealed.

I repeated the process, placing branches near other trees.

“Alright, this will do for now. Let’s check the other paths.”

Just as I spoke, a figure flashed across from the left side in the distance.

If I guessed correctly, it was a scout sent by the Dong family. I took off after him.

Chen Chen and the others, seeing me run in one direction, followed without knowing why.

The scout wasn’t very high in cultivation but was the assassin type—extremely fast.

But since reaching the Spirit Lotus Realm, my speed was formidable. I quickly caught up.

When I was just a few meters behind, I threw my machete, hitting him squarely in the back.

The scout stumbled forward a few steps and fell face-first.

“Who sent you?”

I immediately drew my Snow Blade, pointing it at him. Li Zijian and Chen Chen caught up and drew their weapons as well.

The scout looked young, only a few years older than me, but had the remarkable talent of reaching the fifth grade of the Spirit Flower Realm.