18

CHAPTER 318
Another Side
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Su Cheng didn't know how to describe this scene. Truthfully, he rarely encountered situations like this.

His previous chambers had always been guarded; girls seeking favors like this rarely got close.

"Do you think I'd use this to blackmail you? Or do you want me to blackmail you with this?"

Cang Jue's face was flushed crimson. She hadn't even taken the medicine yet, and her cheeks were redder than if she'd downed two pounds of liquor!

But… she didn't know how to answer such a question.

"You want my help, right?"

Cangjue nodded with a look of grievance. He had no choice, and she didn't know what to do either.

But she understood one thing clearly: on her own, she couldn't manage it.

"Yes… as long as… you help me… I'll be good…"

Su Cheng couldn't help but laugh. Cang Jue's pitiful little face created such a stark contrast, mixed with that sense of transgression, it was utterly captivating.

[Elder~ You don't want your little brother to be in danger, do you?~]

Though he thought it, Su Cheng had no intention of saying it aloud.

"Alright, I can help you."

Cangjue clearly hadn't expected Su Cheng to agree so readily. She wondered if this guy had already planned how to take advantage of her?

"Really? What do you want me to do?"

"First, I need you to take a sip of tea and calm down."

Cang Jue was utterly baffled. Wasn't she calm enough already?

She was too calm right now!

She grabbed the teapot and took a swig—yes, that's right, not a teacup, but the teapot itself.

"I am calm, so you will help me, right?"

"Mm, Xiushan, correct? We'll depart immediately."

Cang Jue stared blankly at Su Cheng, thinking to herself, He agreed just like that?

Next door, Li Shiyu…

"Senior Sister, look! I told you Shiyu drinks potions like crazy!"

Dongfang Jue and Ye Qinghan were also stunned. This guy…

How incredibly convenient!

It was as if he'd come here specifically to drink the medicine!

The scene shifted to Xiu Mountain…

Su Cheng and Cang Jue flew on swords, soon arriving above Xiushan.

Su Cheng felt something was off the entire journey…

"Cangjue, could you… stop groping me?"

"Uh… okay…"

Cangjue thought to herself: We're both standing on the same flying sword—of course I have to hold on tight!

But that thought only lasted until Su Cheng pulled her hand out from under his clothes…

"Look below—that's the Dead Ground."

"Mm, that golden formation is the barrier array set up by Ling Mountain to suppress and seal off the death zone."

Su Cheng smiled bitterly. This was an enemy unlike any this world had ever seen.

Hunters, as the name implied, existed solely for slaughter.

It was their job. Mercy didn't exist in their vocabulary. Their indestructible bodies could withstand most divine abilities.

Their sharp claws and fangs could effortlessly tear apart their prey—a single scratch meant certain death.

To the Hunters, this so-called barrier was nothing more than a mere formality.

Beyond eliminating the "leader monster" at the heart of the black mist, Su Cheng had no viable means to halt its advance.

"Heh, this barrier can only keep you out. It won't stop the creatures inside."

"The creatures inside?"

"Remember to stay behind me. Those things have a nasty temper."

Su Cheng used this moment to briefly check his system points—just over 1.5 million remained…

He'd only just returned from the Northern Realm, yet so many system points seemed to vanish in the blink of an eye…

If he encountered any troublesome opponents in this black mist, he'd likely have to sell everything he owned!

These skills charge by the minute!

It wasn't that he couldn't defeat them—it was that he couldn't afford to fight them!

Su Cheng felt he needed to prioritize finding disciples as soon as possible.

His enemies were only going to get stronger. Getting by with half-hearted efforts was becoming increasingly difficult.

Only by rapidly expanding his influence and acquiring system points could he ensure his invincibility.

Earlier, Su Cheng had already instructed the system to locate Cang Jue's younger brother. His vital signs were currently stable—otherwise, Su Cheng wouldn't have guaranteed with such certainty that he could save him.

"Cang Jue, what happened to your face?"

Cang Jue looked puzzled and asked back, "My face? What's wrong with it?"

"Why is it so red?"

Red?

Cang Jue hadn't noticed, as there was no mirror in this place.

Flying on the sword all this time, she'd only felt a bit warm, perhaps because they were nearing Su City. He also felt a little uneasy all over…

Wait a minute…

This symptom…

Just as she was pondering this, Su Cheng spoke up to explain.

"This is a neurotoxin. If left untreated, it could cause serious problems."

Su Cheng had expected Cang Jue to hold his breath or use magic to block it, but he hadn't anticipated the guy having absolutely no defenses!

Su Cheng hastily pulled out two antidote pills. He didn't have a specific antidote for this black mist poison; these were just ordinary Immortal-grade supreme antidote powders from the system store.

"What are you standing there for? Eat them!"

"What is this?"

"It's antidote powder. This black mist is highly toxic. If not neutralized promptly, even Elder Loli would die given enough time."

Cang Jue thought to himself, Is this poisonous mist really that potent?

She had clearly set up a barrier array! How could she have been poisoned without even realizing it?

She swallowed the two pills Su Cheng handed her in one gulp. "What does Luo Li mean?"

"Nothing. We must hurry. Finding your brother is the priority."

Cang Jue nodded and quickened her pace behind Su Cheng, continuing deeper into the mountains.

The so-called path into the mountains wasn't really a path at all—just a trail worn bare by countless footsteps, where grass no longer grew.

"Master Su, look over there!"

Following the direction of Cang Jue's finger, a human silhouette could be discerned through the thickening black mist as they drew closer. A figure lay sprawled on the ground.

Su Cheng stopped Cang Jue, who was about to rush to the rescue, gesturing for him to stay behind.

This black mist was far from simple.

Even someone like Cangjue could easily get lost and never find their way out.

Su Cheng gripped Cangjue's wrist—partly to prevent the youngster from getting lost, partly to stop her from doing something reckless.

"It's a person! Judging by the clothes, someone from a nearby village."

Lying in the woods was a man who looked like a farmer. His complexion showed he worked the fields often. He appeared to be around fifty, though the system said he was only thirty-one.

"Master Su, he's still alive!"

Su Cheng said nothing and made no move, merely staring at Cangjue.

They were now close to the edge of the black mist, indicating the man had already fled a considerable distance.

His clothes were stained with blood, yet he bore no obvious wounds.

Su Cheng deduced he'd likely escaped from the Hunter's grasp. Heh, to evade that creature's pursuit took considerable luck. Still, his journey ended here.

In the end, he fell just short.

"Master Su?"

"He's beyond saving, and we don't have time for unnecessary actions."

"He's still alive!" Cang Jue seemed desperate to save the man, hoping Su Cheng would intervene.

Didn't Su Cheng have that antidote powder?

This man wasn't even injured! As long as the poison was neutralized, he should be fine!

The jet-black greatsword rose high, piercing the man's body without resistance.

Su Cheng showed no hesitation, cold-blooded as the role he played demanded.

"Why?" Cang Jue's eyes widened in shock!

She couldn't believe Su Cheng had killed an innocent man right before her eyes!

"I told you, he was beyond saving. Besides, we came here to rescue your brother."

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