I attained sainthood through alchemy on the cliff.

Chapter 43 Silver Knife Approaching the Mountain

Old Zhang, the village head, practically stumbled back from Qingshi Town, his face a mixture of fear, awe, and an indescribable sense of satisfaction.

He immediately found Yang Jin, who was in the backyard of the blacksmith shop, familiarizing himself with Atu's new abilities and comforting Ah Huo in his arms.

"Yang... Yang boy! Master Chen! Big, big news!" The village headman gasped for breath, his voice low, but his eyes gleamed. "Liu Zhenwei... Liu Zhenwei, the master of the Iron Bone Martial Arts School, has been captured!"

Yang Jin raised an eyebrow, and Chen Shan also came out from the inner room, looking calmly at the village head.

"The Imperial Court... the Imperial Court's Pacification Commission has arrived! What a show of force! They just arrived in Qing Shi Town yesterday, and today... today they've dragged Liu Zhenwei and all his remaining Iron Bone Martial Arts School followers out of their hiding places!" The village head gestured excitedly, "They went straight to the market in the town center, read out the charges against him in front of the whole town: 'harming the people, plotting rebellion, illegally possessing weapons, colluding with evil spirits'... a whole bunch of things! And then, snap! They were all beheaded!"

"Liu Zhenwei... just like that, he's dead?" Yang Jin asked in a deep voice, his heart not feeling much.

Liu Zhenwei's fate was sealed the moment his plan failed and he fled with serious injuries.

I just didn't expect it to come so quickly and so decisively.

"Dead! Utterly dead! His head is still hanging on the flagpole as a warning!" The village head nodded repeatedly. "Not only him, but all the remaining managers and instructors from the Rock and Gale martial arts schools who were involved have also been arrested, killed, or imprisoned! The three major martial arts schools have been completely wiped out of Qing Shi Town! I heard that all their properties have been seized and confiscated by the government!"

These swift and decisive actions are indeed in line with the Jing'an Division's style of operation.

The decisive and ruthless action served not only to punish the ringleader but also to deter others and swiftly quell the incident.

"Who came from the Jing'an Division? Do you know their names?" Chen Shan asked slowly, posing the crucial question.

The village headman's face showed awe: "I heard... I heard the officials and magistrates in town say in private that the 'Silver Knife Guards' from the Jing'an Division have arrived! The leader is an extremely young young master, I don't know his specific name, but his demeanor... wow, incredible! He's accompanied by a maid who looks like a fairy, as cold as ice."

Silver Knife Guards!

Yang Jin and Chen Shan exchanged a glance, both seeing the seriousness in each other's eyes.

Within the Jing'an Division, ranks are based on "swords," with iron swords as the foundation and silver swords considered mid-level backbone personnel, which cannot be held by anyone other than a martial artist at the Refining Realm!

Its authority, strength, and insight far surpass those of local martial arts schools.

"That Silver Knife Guard, after dealing with the matter in Qing Shi Town, led his men... towards our Black Mountain Pass!" The village head finally revealed the most alarming news, "I reckon... he'll arrive in a day! He said he wants to personally inspect the mine site and understand the people's situation."

What was bound to happen has finally happened.

Moreover, the one who arrived was a ruthless and unfathomably powerful Silver Blade Guard.

After seeing off the village head, who was both worried and somewhat expectant, the atmosphere in the blacksmith shop became slightly tense.

"Silver Blade Guards... Refining Realm," Chen Shan murmured. "The elite among the court's henchmen. They came here for more than just closing the case. Liu Zhenwei is dead, the case is closed, they didn't need to come to this remote mountain village."

Yang Jin nodded: "They came from the mine, or rather, they came for the Earth Core Fire Lotus in the mine. Of course, it's also possible... they came for me, the 'sowary'."

His perception was correct.

The Jing'an Division's sense of smell and efficiency far surpassed those of local government offices.

"Don't panic." Chen Shan regained his composure. "Your strength has greatly improved, A-Tu has completed his evolution, and you've acquired the Crimson Flame Centipede. You're more than capable of protecting yourself in the Black Mountain region. As long as you don't actively reveal the Earth Core Fire Lotus and the large amount of Earth Vein Jade Marrow, they won't be able to find any fault with you. Remember, you are the 'victim,' the 'lucky one caught in the crossfire,' and the 'young hero who saved the villagers.' This identity is your best protection."

Yang Jin deeply agreed, but he still had to be wary.

All he needed to do was play his role well while secretly observing the Silver Knife Guard's intentions.

One day later, just past noon.

At the entrance of Heishan'ao Village, an unexpected guest arrived once again.

There was no large force, only two riders.

The first rider was a young gentleman dressed in a moon-white brocade robe with a silver-trimmed cloak; it was none other than Shen Qingyun.

He had a handsome face, a faint smile on his lips, and clear, bright eyes. He exuded a natural charm, but the calm and collected aura that he emanated from a martial artist at the Refining Realm made the air at the village entrance seem to freeze.

Trailing half a horse's length behind was a maid in green, none other than Qingluan.

Her face was stunningly beautiful yet cold as ice. She carried a slender, sheathed sword on her back, her aura concealed, but her eyes were sharp as knives when they swept across the surroundings.

The two rode slowly into the village, ignoring the villagers who were peeking and looking on with awe, and their eyes were fixed on the mountain road leading to the abandoned mine.

Their arrival was silent, yet it carried a suffocating sense of oppression.

Soon, the two arrived at the alley where the blacksmith's shop was located.

Shen Qingyun reined in her horse, her gaze seemingly "casually" sweeping over the inconspicuous shop. It lingered for a moment on Chen Shan, who was sweating profusely and working meticulously on the iron, before passing over Yang Jin, who was bent over sorting iron materials and covered in charcoal ash.

His eyes were deep, as if they possessed a certain penetrating power.

Yang Jin lowered his head, but he could clearly feel the scrutiny of that gaze.

He tried his best to suppress his aura, calming his internal energy and blood, and even adjusting his breathing to be no different from that of an ordinary tired apprentice.

Ah Huo in Yang Jin's arms seemed to sense the aura of the powerful figures outside and showed a hint of tension, which Yang Jin calmed down with his thoughts.

Shen Qingyun watched for a moment, her smile seeming to deepen, but she said nothing. She turned her horse around and, together with Qingluan, headed towards the mine.

Only after the two figures disappeared at the alley entrance did Yang Jin slowly raise his head, looking sharply in the direction they had left.

"They're here." Chen Shan put down the hammer and said in a low voice, his tone calm but containing a subtle, complex emotion. "This Silver Blade Guard is no ordinary man. His goal is very clear."

Yang Jin nodded silently.

He could sense that this young master of the Silver Blade Guard was not just there for show.

The secrets of the Black Mountain mine, and himself as an "unexpected factor," have probably already come into his view.

"I hope he knows what's good for him and doesn't mess with me!"

-----

Deep within the mine tunnels, at the entrance to the underground cave.

Shen Qingyun stood with his hands behind his back, his moon-white brocade robe spotless in the dim environment, as if it had its own faint glow.

His gaze was sharp as he slowly swept across the battlefield that had just witnessed a bloody battle.

The massive carcass of the Crimson Flame Centipede King still lay there, its carapace removed, and its dark green blood congealed into eerie patches.

The scattered remains of martial arts school disciples and broken weapons silently testify to the ferocity of that battle.

The stench of decay, burnt odor, and sulfur permeating the air seemed to have no effect on him.

His gaze finally settled on the sunken area in the center of the cave—a small pool that should have been a gathering place for the earth's vein jade marrow.

The jade stones by the pool remain warm and lustrous, but at the bottom of the pool, only a thin layer of turbid liquid remains, with nine-tenths of the pure energy gone.

More importantly, the naturally formed stone platform in the center of the pool is completely empty.

"The Earth Core Fire Lotus... has indeed been taken away." Shen Qingyun's voice rang out in the empty cave, calm and even, yet it made the Azure Phoenix behind her lower its head slightly.

"Young Master, before Liu Zhenwei died, he insisted that it was a strange worm, dark gold in color and shaped like a giant earthworm, that stole the Fire Lotus and sucked up the Jade Marrow right before his eyes." Qingluan replied coldly, with a hint of doubt in her tone. "His words were incoherent and his hatred was boundless, but he repeatedly mentioned this incident."

"Strange insect?" Shen Qingyun's lips curled into a playful smile as she slowly walked to the edge of the jade pool, squatted down, and gently ran her slender fingers over a tiny scratch on the edge of the pool that was almost blended into the rock's texture.

The scratches were very fresh, with sharp edges, unlike anything that could have been formed naturally, much less something that could be left by the mouthparts or legs of a centipede.

"Look here." Shen Qingyun paused slightly with her fingertips. "These marks are neither from a knife nor a sword, but rather resemble... the marks left by some kind of extremely hard, spiral-patterned horny mouthparts when they were dragging a heavy object."

Qingluan stared intently, her eyes flickering slightly: "Young Master means..."

"Liu Zhenwei wasn't lying; there really is a 'strange insect.'" Shen Qingyun stood up, dusting off non-existent dust, but her gaze fell on the seemingly seamless rock wall on one side of the cave. "But he probably didn't see everything clearly. No matter how 'strange' an insect is, how could it accurately grasp the perfect moment when three parties are locked in a chaotic battle, both sides are exhausted, and the stalemate is deadlocked? And how could it know the exact location of this Jade Marrow Pool and find this…?"

Before he finished speaking, he had already moved gracefully to a spot on the rock wall and gently placed his palm on it.

The rock face was rough and cold, seemingly without any abnormalities.

However, Shen Qingyun released a slight force from his palm, and a trace of extremely subtle, almost imperceptible energy seeped into the rock strata.

A moment later, he withdrew his hand, a knowing glint in his eyes.

"Inside the rock strata, there are extremely fine, newly formed cavities and loosely structured areas. Although the surface has been reinforced and camouflaged very well, even utilizing the residual heat of the geothermal fire to accelerate the solidification of the rock surface..." Shen Qingyun chuckled, "but it is still 'new' after all. There should have been a passage here, a passage that led directly from the ground to the side of this Jade Marrow Pool. Moreover, it was hastily sealed and concealed after that great battle."

Qingluan instantly realized: "Someone manipulated that strange insect to steal the Fire Lotus and most of the Jade Essence at the last moment through this secret passage? That person... is very likely in Black Mountain Pass!"

"The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind." Shen Qingyun turned around and looked towards the entrance of the cave, as if she could see the quiet little mountain village through the layers of rock walls. "What a well-hidden 'oriole.' To be able to control such strange insects, one must be meticulous, decisive, and have a thorough understanding of the underground environment... This pool in Black Mountain Pass is more interesting than I thought."

"Young master, should we search immediately? Since this person can control insects, he may be related to witchcraft in the Southern Frontier or some reclusive beast-taming sects." Qingluan's hand was already on the hilt of her sword, exuding a cold aura.

"Search?" Shen Qingyun shook her head, her smile deepening. "Why search? It would be pointless to alert them. Besides, the Fire Lotus is gone; searching now would at most yield some remnants of jade marrow."

He walked slowly out, his voice echoing in the cave: "Qingluan, you've been trapped at the peak of the Bone Refining Realm for a year and three months now, haven't you?"

Qingluan trembled slightly and lowered her head: "It is because Qingluan is dull-witted that I have failed your cultivation, young master."

"It's not your fault. The 'Ice Heart Sword Soul Technique' is inherently difficult to master, requiring extremely high levels of internal organ tempering. Ordinary breakthrough pills are insufficient and may even damage your foundation." Shen Qingyun's tone was calm. "While the Earth Core Fire Lotus is good, it is extremely yang and intense, clashing with the attributes of your technique. Even if you obtained it, you would need to go to great lengths to harmonize it. On the other hand, this Earth Vein Jade Marrow..."

He stopped and turned to look at Qingluan: "Jade marrow is the essence of the earth, with a neutral and peaceful nature, gentle and nourishing, and is the best for replenishing the foundation of the five internal organs. If you can obtain a sufficient amount, and supplement it with the three precious medicines 'Snow Jade Ginseng,' 'Cold Pool Orchid,' and 'Hundred-Year Mysterious Ice Dew,' you can refine it into the 'Ice Marrow Nourishing Organ Pill,' which can help you smoothly break through to the Refining Organs stage. Moreover, the effect of tempering the five internal organs far surpasses ordinary methods, which will greatly benefit your future sword soul condensation."

Qingluan suddenly looked up, a fierce emotion flickering in her icy eyes for the first time: "Young Master! Those three precious medicines..."

"I have prepared the Snow Jade Ginseng, and the Cold Pool Orchid was sent from home last month. Although the Hundred-Year-Old Mysterious Ice Dew is rare, it is not without hope." Shen Qingyun interrupted her, her tone leaving no room for doubt. "Now, all that is missing is this medicinal ingredient—a sufficiently pure earth vein jade marrow. That little thief stole the Fire Lotus, so there must still be some left in the jade marrow pool."

His gaze deepened: "So, we won't search. We'll stay, settle down, and wait for that little thief to come to us..."