The Qingya Mountains are shrouded in mist and clouds, with steep and precipitous peaks. Since ancient times, they have been a sacred place for cultivators to seek treasures and hone their skills. Fu Shaoping and Nangong Wan stood at the foot of the mountain, looking up at the steep peaks that pierced the clouds.

"Shaoping, this journey is dangerous. Are you sure you want to come with me?" Nangong Wan gently touched the jade pendant at her waist, her bright eyes fixed on the handsome young man before her.

Fu Shaoping smiled slightly and took his Daoist partner's hand: "Wanmei, we have cultivated the Dao for so long, have we ever feared any hardship? Besides, there are rumors of ancient ruins in Qingya Mountain. If we can find even a trace of them, it will greatly benefit our cultivation."

Nangong Wan nodded, a resolute glint in her eyes. She wore a light purple dress, with only a jade hairpin in her hair, looking elegant and refined. As the daughter of the Xuantian Sect's leader, her status could have allowed her to cultivate peacefully, but she chose the arduous path of training alongside Fu Shaoping.

The two stepped onto a mountain path, surrounded by ancient trees and vines. Fu Shaoping held a cyan longsword, its scabbard engraved with mysterious runes; it was the "Azure Frost Sword" bestowed upon him by his sect. Nangong Wan, on the other hand, wore a slender "Purple Lightning Sword" at his waist; even before it was drawn, wisps of purple lightning danced across its blade.

"Huh?" Fu Shaoping suddenly stopped, his brows furrowing slightly. "There's a fluctuation of spiritual energy."

Nangong Wan immediately became alert; his Purple Lightning Sword hummed, as if it had sensed something. The two exchanged a glance and tacitly rushed towards the source of the aura.

After passing through a bamboo forest, a secluded valley suddenly appeared before us, with a clear spring in the middle. The water was crystal clear, yet it faintly shimmered with an eerie blue light.

“There’s something wrong with this water,” Nangong Wan said softly, gathering a wisp of true energy at his fingertips to probe the spring water.

The moment her true energy touched the water's surface, the spring water suddenly churned, and a huge blue snake-like shadow burst out of the water, opening its mouth to spew out a cloud of poisonous mist!
"Watch out!" Fu Shaoping shouted, and the Qing Shuang sword was instantly drawn, its light flashing like lightning as it went straight for the snake's head.

The serpentine creature was enormous, as thick as a water bucket, with two horns on its head; it was none other than the legendary Azure Scale Poisonous Dragon! Nangong Wan drew her Purple Lightning Sword, purple lightning coiling around the blade like a dragon. She turned and thrust the sword straight into the poisonous dragon's belly.

The venomous dragon let out a piercing hiss, and the poisonous mist it spewed was dispersed by the sword light. However, it was agile and moved freely in the valley, sometimes spewing poison and sometimes whipping its tail, making it difficult for the two to get close for a while.

"It seems to be guarding something." Fu Shaoping dodged the venomous dragon's attacks while observing their surroundings. "Let's split up and probe separately. You draw its attention, and I'll look for weaknesses."

Nangong Wan nodded, and the Purple Lightning Sword transformed into several sword shadows, leading the poisonous dragon to one side of the valley. Fu Shaoping took the opportunity to circle around to the other side and found that the poisonous dragon was guarding a stone platform, on which sat an ancient wooden box.

Just as Fu Shaoping approached the wooden box, the venomous dragon seemed to sense the threat and lunged at him recklessly. In the nick of time, Nangong Wan's Purple Lightning Sword pierced the dragon's back like lightning, and venomous blood gushed out.

"Now!" Fu Shaoping seized the opportunity, grabbed the wooden box, and leaped onto a large tree next to him.

The venomous dragon let out a final, unwilling roar before its massive body crashed to the ground, raising clouds of dust.

Nangong Wan leaped forward, landing on the ground alongside Fu Shaoping. She looked at the venomous dragon's corpse on the ground, frowning slightly: "This venomous dragon has cultivated for hundreds of years; why would it be guarding a wooden box here?"

Fu Shaoping carefully opened the wooden box, inside which was a roll of yellowed silk and a blue jade slip. He first picked up the jade slip, infused it with a wisp of true energy, and words immediately appeared on the jade slip:

"There are ancient ruins in Qingya Mountain, containing magical treasures of immortals, but they are guarded by demonic beasts. Whoever obtains these treasures must uphold righteousness and not misuse their power."

“It’s a warning left by ancient cultivators.” Fu Shaoping put away the jade slip and then unfolded a silk cloth, on which was drawn a map, marking a certain location deep in Qingya Mountain.

Nangong Wan leaned closer for a look: "This is... a hidden cave? It seems we've made quite a haul today."

Fu Shaoping put away the silk cloth and jade slip, and said solemnly, "This journey is likely not limited to this. The object guarded by the poisonous dragon is so important; there must be more secrets within that cave. We need to hurry to the marked location; perhaps we can find an opportunity before the other cultivators."

After a short rest, the two continued deeper into Qingya Mountain, following the directions indicated on the map. As they progressed, the surrounding spiritual energy became increasingly dense, the vegetation grew more ancient, and some trees even emitted a faint spiritual light.

"Shaoping, look over there." Nangong Wan suddenly pointed into the distance, where a bright green spiritual herb grew on a cliff, its leaves like swords, emitting a faint blue light.

"That's the 'Azure Sky Sword Grass,' said to be able to be used to refine pills that enhance sword cultivators' abilities." A hint of joy flashed in Fu Shaoping's eyes. "This trip has yielded many unexpected gains."

Just as the two were about to go forward to pick the fruit, a sound of sword energy cutting through the air came, and then three figures descended from the sky, blocking their way.

"Fu Shaoping, Nangong Wan, hand over the treasures on the Azure Scale Poisonous Dragon, and I will spare your lives!" The leader was a man dressed in black robes with a sinister face, holding a black longsword.

“They are cultivators from the Black Wind Sect,” Nangong Wan said coldly. “You’ve been following us?”

The man in black robes sneered, "It's not so much about tracking; it's just that the Azure Scale Poisonous Dragon was something my Black Wind Sect elders specifically requested, but you beat me to it. However, if you hand it over now, I might spare your corpses."

Fu Shaoping shielded Nangong Wan behind him, his Azure Frost Sword already drawn: "If you want the treasure, let's see if you have the ability."

"You're courting death!" the black-robed man roared, his long, black sword flashing with an eerie black light as he thrust it straight at Fu Shaoping's throat.

Fu Shaoping met the attack with his Qing Shuang sword, and the two swords clashed, sparking dazzling flames. The black-robed man's sword aura was exceptionally sinister, with wisps of black mist swirling around the blade, clearly indicating that it had been coated with a potent poison.

Seeing this, Nangong Wan drew his Purple Lightning Sword, transforming it into several sword shadows that struck the other two Black Wind Sect disciples. Purple lightning and black mist intertwined in the air, erupting with bursts of roar.

The black-robed man's cultivation was clearly superior to Fu Shaoping's. After a few moves, Fu Shaoping was at a disadvantage, and his arm was corroded by the black mist, leaving a bluish-purple scar.

"Shaoping!" Nangong Wan was extremely anxious upon seeing this. He changed his sword technique, and the lightning on his Purple Lightning Sword intensified, instantly forcing the two Black Wind Sect disciples back. He then turned to come to their aid.

At that moment, a resolute look flashed in Fu Shaoping's eyes. He suddenly withdrew his sword and retreated, while taking out the cyan jade slip from his bosom and crushing it!
"What are you doing!" Nangong Wan exclaimed in surprise.

A beam of azure light erupted from the jade slip fragment, forming an ancient rune that instantly entered Fu Shaoping's body. His aura suddenly changed, the sword energy on the Azure Frost Sword surged, and the rune on the blade glowed with a dazzling azure light. "Azure Frost Sword Technique - Sword Howl Through the Mountains and Forests!" Fu Shaoping shouted, and the Azure Frost Sword transformed into a streak of azure lightning, piercing straight at the black-robed man.

The man in black robes was shocked and hastily raised his sword to parry, only to see the azure sword light erupt like a torrent, unstoppable. With a crisp sound, his jet-black sword was severed in two!
The Azure Frost Sword, its momentum undiminished, pierced straight through the black-robed man's chest. Fu Shaoping withdrew his sword and retreated, coldly watching the black-robed man fall to the ground, dead.

Seeing the situation was dire, the other two Black Wind Sect disciples turned and fled. Nangong Wan snorted coldly, and his Purple Lightning Sword transformed into two bolts of lightning, striking the two men precisely in the back, sending them flying several feet away, where they collapsed to the ground severely injured.

After the battle, Nangong Wan immediately went to Fu Shaoping's side to check on his injuries: "Are you alright? What is that jade slip? Why does it possess such powerful energy?"

Fu Shaoping shook his head: "I don't know either. Besides the map and warnings, that jade slip seemed to also seal a mysterious power. In that critical moment, I instinctively crushed it, and unexpectedly released such powerful sword energy."

Nangong Wan frowned: "This power is strong, but it seems to be putting a strain on your body. Look at your arm; the injury is more serious than before."

Sure enough, the purplish-blue marks on Fu Shaoping's arm were spreading, even beginning to extend towards his shoulder. He tried circulating his internal energy to expel the toxins, but found it had little effect.

"This is caused by the clash between the venom of the poisonous dragon and that mysterious power." Nangong Wan took out a pill from his storage bag. "Take this antidote first, and we'll leave this place as soon as possible to find a safe place to heal your wounds."

Fu Shaoping took the medicine, which slightly eased his injuries, but did not cure them completely. The two decided to temporarily abandon their trip to the cave marked on the map and instead find a secluded cave to rest.

As night fell, a campfire was lit in the cave. Fu Shaoping sat cross-legged to regulate his breathing, while Nangong Wan stayed by his side, occasionally channeling a wisp of his inner energy to help him detoxify.

"Shaoping, how are you feeling?" Nangong Wan asked softly.

Fu Shaoping opened his eyes and smiled bitterly: "The poison has been temporarily suppressed, but not eradicated. The power in the jade slip has merged with my internal energy, forming a new sword energy, but it doesn't seem stable enough yet."

Nangong Wan pondered for a moment: "Perhaps that jade slip is a legacy left behind by an ancient cultivator. When you crushed it, you may have triggered some kind of inheritance mechanism, but the process was too intense and put a burden on your body."

Fu Shaoping nodded: "That's possible. However, that sword technique is indeed powerful. If one could fully master it, it would be of great help in dealing with cultivators of the same level."

"Healing your injuries is the priority," Nangong Wan said gently. "The opportunity is good, but you need to be alive to enjoy it."

Just as the two were talking, a commotion suddenly arose outside the cave. Fu Shaoping sprang to his feet, his Green Frost Sword in hand: "Someone's coming."

Nangong Wan also gripped the Purple Lightning Sword tightly, and the two quickly extinguished the flames, hiding on either side of the cave entrance.

Before long, several figures appeared outside the cave. The one leading them was none other than the Black Wind Sect elder—an old man with white hair and beard, his eyes gleaming with a sharp light, and his aura astonishing.

"You despicable brat, how dare you kill my beloved disciple!" the old man roared, waving his whisk and sending a cloud of black mist spreading out. "Search! Find him alive or dead!"

The Black Wind Sect disciples scattered and quickly discovered the cave entrance. Just as they were about to enter, a sword's cry suddenly rang out from inside the cave, followed by a beam of azure sword light shooting into the sky, aiming straight for the old man's throat!
The old man reacted with lightning speed, using his whisk to block the fatal blow. However, the sword energy still had considerable force, sending several disciples flying.

"The Azure Frost Sword Technique? You're Fu Shaoping!" The old man recognized the sword technique and was furious. "Today, I will take your life!"

Fu Shaoping leaped out of the cave, with Nangong Wan close behind. Facing the Black Wind Sect elder whose cultivation far surpassed his own, Fu Shaoping showed no fear. Runes flashed on his Azure Frost Sword as he once again unleashed the "Sword Howling Through the Mountains" technique!
A massive battle unfolded in Qingya Mountain. Under the moonlight, cyan and black sword energies clashed and intertwined, erupting with deafening roars. Nangong Wan, meanwhile, restrained the other disciples of the Black Wind Sect, creating an opportunity for Fu Shaoping.

The battle lasted for nearly an hour. Fu Shaoping, relying on his newly acquired sword techniques, fought back against the Black Wind Sect elders. Although he was at a disadvantage, he never completely lost the upper hand. However, the effects of the poison gradually became apparent, and his movements began to slow down.

At the critical moment, Nangong Wan seized the opportunity, his Purple Lightning Sword transforming into a bolt of lightning that pierced straight at the old man's back. Sensing the danger, the old man was forced to divert his attention to defense. Fu Shaoping seized this fleeting chance, channeling all his true energy into the Azure Frost Sword, unleashing his strongest attack!
"Azure Frost Sword Technique - Frosty Snow Dance!"

Countless sword energies fell like snowflakes, instantly enveloping the old man. He reacted hastily, but several sword energies still pierced through his defenses and struck his vital points.

"Pfft!" The old man spat out a mouthful of black blood, his body swaying, clearly seriously injured.

Fu Shaoping, also exhausted from exhaustion of his inner energy, knelt on one knee, the poison on his arm rapidly spreading throughout his body. Seeing this, Nangong Wan immediately stepped forward to support him, simultaneously pointing his Purple Lightning Sword at the Black Wind Sect members: "Anyone who dares to take a step forward, I'll let them taste the pain of Purple Lightning piercing their heart!"

The Black Wind Sect disciples exchanged hesitant glances, not daring to make a move. The old man gritted his teeth, glaring at the two, and finally said hatefully, "This grudge will be avenged one day! Let's go!"

After the Black Wind Sect members left, Nangong Wan immediately helped Fu Shaoping into the cave and took out all the pills to heal him. It wasn't until the first light of dawn that Fu Shaoping's poison was mostly cleared, but he was still very weak.

"Shaoping, we need to leave Qingya Mountain as soon as possible," Nangong Wan said worriedly. "The Black Wind Sect won't let this go, and your current condition is not suitable for further fighting."

Fu Shaoping nodded: "Alright, let's return to the Xuantian Sect first, inform our master about this, and then make further plans."

The two packed their belongings, taking with them the treasures they had obtained from the poisonous dragon and the map, and set off on their journey back to the Xuan Tian Sect. However, unbeknownst to them, shortly after their departure, the Black Wind Sect elder had not left but was secretly following them, and a greater crisis was quietly approaching.
Fu Shaoping and Nangong Wan looked particularly exhausted in the morning light. They walked side by side, glancing back every now and then, wary of potential pursuers. Fu Shaoping's face was pale, and although the purplish-blue marks on his arms had mostly faded, they were still faintly visible; every step required considerable effort.

"Shaoping, hang in there a little longer. The Xuantian Sect's welcoming formation is just ahead," Nangong Wan comforted softly, while quietly supporting Fu Shaoping's arm to share some of his weight.

Fu Shaoping forced a smile: "It's alright, this injury isn't enough to knock me down." Despite saying that, his steps were clearly unsteady, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Just as the two were about to reach the Xuan Tian Sect's mountain gate, a sharp whooshing sound suddenly came from the sky. Nangong Wan's expression changed, and he quickly shielded Fu Shaoping behind him: "Be careful!" (End of this chapter)

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