I Grind to Martial Saint

Besides, with the recent surge in Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, the emergence of a terrifying new poison was also plausible.

”Don’t worry,” Han Yuan said. ”As long as I’m here, nothing will happen to the Wuhuo Tribe. Just keep helping me ask around for news about this Chunyangzi.”

Han Yuan’s reassurance put Liao Tu at ease.

After all, with his strength, he could ensure the Wuhuo Tribe remained safe and sound, even if the one who destroyed the Cyan Tiger Tribe came attacking.

”Thank you, Hero Han!” Liao Tu said gratefully. ”As for Daoist Chunyangzi, I took the opportunity today to ask people from the various tribes... We should have news very soon.”

”That’s good.”

Han Yuan nodded, then left the stone house with Ding Zihu.

”Meow... It’s not that simple,” the fat Orange Cat on Han Yuan’s shoulder suddenly spoke. ”I, Lord Meow, can sense a disgusting aura.”

Ding Zihu had been hanging out with the Orange Cat for the past few days and already knew it could talk, so he wasn’t surprised. He just chuckled and said, ”You’re just a cat, you don’t have a dog’s nose. You can smell that?”

”Of course... Lord Meow is no freeloader,” the Orange Cat scoffed.

Hearing this, Han Yuan couldn’t help but ask, ”What kind of disgusting aura did you smell?”

”I don’t know... Lord Meow can’t remember,” the Orange Cat answered. ”In any case, it’s a truly nauseating aura... like the stench of a salted fish that’s been dead for over a dozen days.”

”It seems Taicang Mountain... won’t be peaceful after all,” Ding Zihu lamented upon hearing this.

He had originally thought that by following Han Yuan into Taicang Mountain to escape the pursuit of Ash Tower, he could live a peaceful life for a while.

He hadn’t expected something like this to happen just a few days after their arrival.

”The world is in upheaval... It’s the same no matter where you go,” Han Yuan said softly.

”I just don’t know if this Cyan Tiger Tribe incident... is really the work of an Evil Demon Seed, like you guessed,” Ding Zihu said.

”The Cyan Tiger Tribe has been burned to the ground... It’s hard to investigate now. However, the chaos in Taicang Mountain... might force some hidden things out into the open.”

Han Yuan didn’t think this was entirely a bad thing.

To be honest, he had seen the Wuhuo Tribe’s efforts these past few days. They had indeed been constantly sending people to search for news of Chunyangzi.

Yet, even tribes that had lived in Taicang Mountain for who knows how many years couldn’t find Chunyangzi.

Now that this incident had occurred... it might just shake things up.

”That does make some sense,” Ding Zihu said, looking thoughtful.

”Let’s head back for now... and see how things develop,” Han Yuan said gravely. ”If it really is an Evil Demon Seed, it won’t end this easily.”

”In that case, I’d better hang my Eight Trigrams Mirror on the door tonight,” Ding Zihu muttered. ”It’ll be a problem if the Evil Demon Seed decides to pay a visit.”

”A pretty boy like you should be extra careful,” the Orange Cat teased.

”Get lost. From now on, I’m not catching fish for you anymore,” Ding Zihu sneered.

”Then Lord Meow will just have to shred all your Talisman Paper!” the Orange Cat shot back, undaunted.

”You dare!” Ding Zihu shot back, squaring up with the Orange Cat.

Han Yuan clamped the Orange Cat’s mouth shut, picked the creature up, and walked off.

...

Just as Han Yuan predicted, the following days brought no peace to Taicang Mountain.

Following the Cyan Tiger Tribe, another tribe was wiped out overnight.

The manner of their deaths was identical to that of the people from the Cyan Tiger Tribe.

This time, after hearing the news, Han Yuan went to take a look.

By the time he arrived, many leaders and Priests from different tribes had already gathered at the site.

When they saw Liao Tu approaching with Han Yuan, their expressions flickered.

They had all heard about what had happened to the Wuhuo Tribe.

Facing the incredibly powerful Red Flame Sect, the Wuhuo Tribe had invited an expert from the outside world to resolve their crisis.

Judging by Han Yuan’s attire and demeanor, he must be that expert.

This greatly surprised the various tribal leaders and Priests.

Han Yuan was far too young.

It was hard to imagine that such a young man had defeated the Sect Leader of the Red Flame Sect.

’And on his shoulder... is that a big orange cat?!’

”Everyone,” Liao Tu explained, ”this is Hero Han Yuan. He was the one who helped the Wuhuo Tribe resolve our previous crisis. I invited him here today hoping he might discover something new.”

Hearing this, the leaders and Priests of the other tribes expressed their gratitude toward Han Yuan.

After all, he was here to help, so it was only right to show some appreciation.

Han Yuan gave a simple response before following Liao Tu into a wooden house to inspect the situation.

The others, having learned from previous experience, chose not to enter and instead waited by the door.

After Han Yuan entered the wooden house, he suddenly sensed something and turned around.

He saw the Orange Cat’s fur standing on end, its tail erect, as if it had encountered danger.

He hurriedly gave the Orange Cat a look, and the creature finally calmed down.

”Hero Han, be careful,” Liao Tu warned. ”Whatever you do, don’t touch the bodies. Yesterday, even a highly venomous centipede was instantly poisoned to death.”

Remembering the state of the centipede’s corpse, he couldn’t help but feel a little scared.

”Mm... I’ll be careful.”

Han Yuan nodded, his gaze locking onto a corpse that had been gruesomely gnawed upon.

”It looks like... they were probably bitten to death by some kind of insect,” Han Yuan said softly, observing carefully from two meters away. ”There’s a faint, almost unnoticeable stench in the air...”

After a moment’s thought, he drew his Dragon Sparrow Cloud-Splitting Saber. He channeled Great Demon Gang Essence into the blade, conjuring a dense Sword Evil.

’This way, I won’t have to worry about getting contaminated by anything nasty.’

Meanwhile, Liao Tu, who was also in the room, felt his heart palpitate and cold sweat break out on his back.

The Sword Evil was so terrifying that he struggled to steady his Heart Spirit.

SCHLICK!

A vicious black light fell.

The corpse’s head was instantly split in two.

Han Yuan narrowed his eyes to look.

Even the skull was covered in dense gnaw marks.

Han Yuan looked for a long time before shaking his head. ”I can’t tell anything either...”

Hearing this, the light in Liao Tu’s eyes dimmed. ”Not even Hero Han can figure it out...?”

”No... Let’s leave,” Han Yuan said. He felt there was no point in staying any longer.

When Tuoba Ming and the others saw Han Yuan and Liao Tu emerge from the wooden house in silence, they instantly understood the situation, and no one said a word.

”Let’s do the same as yesterday... Burn it all,” Sang Qing said in a raspy voice, leaning on his Wooden Staff. ”Everyone must be on high alert tonight...”

Soon, another raging fire consumed the tribe, turning it to ash.

Han Yuan and Liao Tu returned to the Wuhuo Tribe.

When Ding Zihu heard Han Yuan was back, he immediately came to his wooden house to ask for news.

”I originally thought it was the work of an Evil Demon Seed...” Han Yuan admitted, a puzzled look on his face. ”But after investigating the scene... I couldn’t find any definitive traces. It’s truly strange.”

”So you’re saying... it wasn’t an Evil Demon Seed?” Ding Zihu frowned.

”Not necessarily...” Han Yuan said. He had a gut feeling. ”It’s possible this Evil Demon Seed is just hidden more deeply...”

He felt it was highly probable that an Evil Demon Seed was still behind it.

”When Lord Meow saw that corpse just now... I had the sudden urge to tear it to shreds,” the Orange Cat piped up. ”It seems I might have... had a feud with those things in the past.”

”If only you could get your memory back,” Ding Zihu chuckled. ”Then we wouldn’t have to be so worried.”

Speaking of which, the Orange Cat sighed. ”I want my memory back too... I can’t even remember my own name right now.”

”There will be a chance in the future...” Han Yuan said.

”Enough talk... Lord Meow is going to eat fish!”

After saying this, the Orange Cat leaped onto all fours and shot out of the wooden house.

”That fat cat... all it does is eat, day in and day out,” Ding Zihu grumbled. ”No wonder it’s so fat!”

...

「Late at night.」

After what had happened to two tribes in a row, the Wuhuo Tribe did not fall silent as night descended.

Numerous braziers were burning, making the area unusually bright.

Liao Tu even personally led patrols, terrified that something might happen.

The first half of the night passed without incident.

This allowed Liao Tu to breathe a small sigh of relief, but just then...

He heard a strange weeping sound.

The weeping... seemed to be coming from not far outside the tribe.