Chapter Sixteen: The Seven Deadly Shadows

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The sudden turn of events frightened Mu Feng to the very core.

The hand that had pierced Xiao Mo’s chest emitted a faint black aura beneath the moonlight.

Not only was it as withered as a dried corpse’s limb, it also bore claws of astonishing sharpness.

“Roar—”

A deep, sinister growl emerged from the dust.

Wave after wave of fiendish energy seemed intent on draining every drop of blood and devouring flesh, tearing a person apart and swallowing them whole.

Xiao Mo’s entire body trembled as he stared at the claws piercing his chest, his face filled with disbelief.

Bang!

With a violent sweep of its arm, the enormous hand flung Xiao Mo several yards away like a dead dog.

A withered figure slowly emerged from the dust.

It was tall and gaunt, its body rotten beyond recognition, its eyes glowing with a ghostly green light.

The thing before them was not alive!

It was like a corpse!

In the next instant, the corpse leaped forward. Its speed far surpassed Mu Feng’s—and even Xiao Mo’s, despite Xiao Mo being a Xuanhuang Realm cultivator.

Run!

That was Xiao Mo’s final thought.

Yet before he could even move his feet in the face of such a terrifying corpse, the enormous hand had already seized his head.

With a vicious tug, it wrenched him downward!

Under the pale moonlight, a withered corpse could be seen madly devouring Xiao Mo’s flesh and blood.

The abrupt change left Mu Feng afraid even to breathe.

The corpse before him was already beyond the limits of the Xuanhuang Realm.

“Roar—”

After consuming Xiao Mo’s flesh and blood, the corpse suddenly raised its head, as though it had sensed something.

It stamped one foot down and vanished into the forest at astonishing speed.

Hidden in the tree above, Mu Feng did not know whether it had failed to sense him or simply disdained to eat him.

In any case, Mu Feng had somehow survived.

Only after the surroundings had fallen completely silent did he cautiously leap down from the trunk and drag his battered body toward the pool of mangled flesh.

“No wonder the hunting resources around the edges of the Snowmoon Mountains have dwindled so much in recent years. So there was something like this lurking here.”

“Fairy, what exactly was that thing?”

“That was a Seven-Extinctions Yin Corpse. It is a terrifying type of corpse that can be born only when extreme yin energy gathers in one place. I once encountered a Seven-Extinctions Yin Corpse that had already developed intelligence. This one should have become a corpse only recently.”

“That is why it has yet to develop a mind and acts entirely on instinct.”

“Although it has only recently become a corpse, even an ordinary Heaven-Earth Realm cultivator would not be its match. Its corpse poison alone is troublesome enough. You should stay away from this place in the future.”

The fairy also relaxed and spoke in an unhurried tone.

At her words, Mu Feng could not help getting gooseflesh.

It had only recently become a corpse, yet it already possessed such strength. That was absurdly powerful. Relying on nothing but speed and strength, it had been able to overwhelm a Xuanhuang Realm warrior.

Whoosh—

After taking a deep breath, Mu Feng crouched down and searched Xiao Mo’s ruined remains for anything of value.

Several thousand taels in silver notes, a copy of the Profound Spirit Palm martial technique, and several bottles of pills.

That was everything Xiao Mo had been carrying.

“What a penniless wretch.”

Mu Feng tossed the martial technique aside in irritation and stuffed the silver notes into his robes.

He opened the bottles and poured the pills directly into his mouth.

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At that moment, he could not afford to worry about whether they were perfectly refined or not. As long as they could restore his strength, that was all that mattered.

“Next time, I absolutely have to get a storage ring. Otherwise, I won’t be able to carry anything once I have more possessions.”

As for the martial technique, it was a secret art of the Xiao family. Keeping it would only bring trouble, so he might as well burn it and erase every trace.

Before long, Mu Feng’s spiritual power had recovered by thirty percent.

Although his injuries were still severe, he had regained enough strength to use Spirit Shadow Wandering Trace.

Just as Mu Feng was preparing to leave, the fairy suddenly spoke.

“Don’t hurry away. This land of extreme yin is a wonderful place. In particular, the spot where that Seven-Extinctions Yin Corpse slept must contain something valuable. Go and take a look.”

“How do you know?”

“Of course I know. Everything in this world is born alongside something else. Since a Seven-Extinctions Yin Corpse could exist here, there must inevitably be another treasure as well.”

The fairy planted her hands on her hips as she spoke.

At her words, Mu Feng walked toward the pit from which the Seven-Extinctions Yin Corpse had emerged.

Sure enough, a patch of deep-blue herbs was swaying gently in the breeze, each plant radiating a faint glow.

“This is… Profound Yin Grass!”

Mu Feng’s eyes filled with excitement.

Profound Yin Grass possessed the ability to nourish the body and prolong one’s life.

It was also the primary ingredient in several precious pills.

There were at least fifty or sixty stalks in this patch.

Bringing them back would not only help with his own cultivation but would also allow him to restore Xiao Yutong’s health.

With no bag available, Mu Feng simply stripped off his clothes, bundled the Profound Yin Grass inside them, and quickly left the dense forest.

By the time he returned to the Alchemy Hall, it was already deep into the night.

Mu Feng quietly set down the medicinal herbs. Exhausted, he took out his bedding and prepared to sleep on the floor.

“Why aren’t you getting into bed tonight?”

A sudden voice rang beside Mu Feng’s ear.

“You’re still awake?”

“I was waiting for you to come back.”

“I’m filthy, so I won’t get into bed.”

“Did you get into another fight?”

“It was nothing. Just a minor problem.”

Mu Feng lied casually, but the thick smell of blood filling the room proved that it had been anything but minor.

Sensing the scent of blood and vitality, Xiao Yutong slowly rose to her feet.

After becoming familiar with the place over the past several days, Xiao Yutong could now move freely around the Alchemy Hall without using her hands.

She brought over hot water and a towel, then gently began wiping Mu Feng’s body.

“I can do it myself.”

“Let me.”

Xiao Yutong pushed Mu Feng’s hand away. Her tone was calm, but it allowed no room for refusal.

One sat while the other stood behind him.

The warm, intimate atmosphere allowed Mu Feng to relax completely.

Before long, a teardrop fell onto his back.

“What’s wrong?”

Realizing that Xiao Yutong was crying, Mu Feng turned around and gently drew her tearful figure into his arms.

“How did you get hurt so badly?”

“Next time, don’t fight with anyone, all right? I’m afraid something will happen to you.”

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Caressing the scars across Mu Feng’s body, Xiao Yutong wept so hard she could barely speak.

Looking at his wife’s tear-streaked face in his arms, Mu Feng smiled faintly and gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.

“I promise. From now on, I absolutely won’t be the one to start a fight. Don’t worry.”

At his words, Xiao Yutong broke into a smile through her tears.

“All right. I believe you.”

“Come on. Let’s go to bed.”

With that, Xiao Yutong took Mu Feng by the hand and led him toward the bed.

One had fought bitterly for a long time, while the other had already been exhausted and drowsy.

The moment they touched the soft mattress, they both drifted into a deep, hazy sleep.

No one knew how much time had passed before a series of piercing calls rang in Mu Feng’s ears.

“You brat! Wake up! You brat!”

“What is it?”

Hearing the fairy’s cries, Mu Feng lazily opened his eyes and looked toward the window.

The sky was not even light yet. Why was she shouting?

“Someone is here!”

“And he’s an expert!”

At those words, Mu Feng’s pupils contracted sharply. He seized his robe, draped it over his shoulders, and gripped his long sword tightly.

“Could the Xiao family have sent someone again? They really are impossible to shake off.”

“How powerful is this expert? Is he stronger than Xiao Mo?”

Mu Feng asked inwardly.

“He is far stronger than that old man!”

The fairy’s reply was grave.

Mu Feng carefully pushed open the window and cast his gaze over the surrounding streets.

Two slow-moving figures entered his sight.

A young girl was supporting an old man with an ashen complexion as the two limped along the street.

Four evenly spaced wounds pierced the old man’s chest, gaping open and streaming with blood. The sight was horrifying.

“This is the expert you were talking about?”

Mu Feng was speechless.

That man looked as though he were on the verge of death. In what sense was he an expert?

“Don’t underestimate him. He is a genuine Heaven-Earth Realm warrior!”

The Heaven-Earth Realm!

That was a realm said to exist only in legends!

It was revered as the pinnacle of martial cultivation.

But why would a Heaven-Earth Realm warrior be injured to such an extent?

As he studied the wounds, Mu Feng’s heart jolted.

Those injuries had clearly been inflicted by the claws of the Seven-Extinctions Yin Corpse!

“That old man actually survived the Seven-Extinctions Yin Corpse’s attack. No wonder he’s a Heaven-Earth Realm expert.”

Mu Feng could not help exclaiming in admiration.

“Who is that?”

Though the voice had been faint, the young girl still caught it.

She abruptly raised her head, and her eyes met Mu Feng’s through the window.