Nine Desolate Records

The crisp sound of a dead branch snapping was particularly jarring in the silent maple forest.

Lu Li leaned against the cold rock wall of the stone house, his left eye's dark golden light restrained to its limit, while his right ear caught every sound outside: the wind, the falling leaves, and the footsteps that were deliberately kept quiet but could not escape the perception of a cultivator.

Seven people.

They surrounded the maple forest from three directions, forming a standard hunting formation. Their steps were steady, their spacing constant, and their breathing long and even—they were well-trained veterans of battle. More importantly, Lu Li caught a familiar "scent" in their auras—a unique scent mixed with the filth of the earth's veins and the stench of blood.

The Turbid Abyss Sect.

Moreover, they are combat units that are even more elite than the puppet soldiers led by Zhou Xuan.

Lu Li's fingers tightened slightly on the hilt of the Dragon-Suppressing Dagger. He couldn't use the dagger's power here. Only an hour had passed since the Apricot Grove Valley teleportation array was activated, and even if Zhou Duanyue's Thousand-Mile Soul-Chasing Technique was affected by the Sword Tomb array, it might still have residual effects. If he were to unleash a power fluctuation exceeding the True Talisman Realm, his location could be immediately revealed.

But the other party clearly didn't intend to give him a choice.

"Friends inside," a deep, hoarse voice came from directly ahead, carrying a mocking cruelty, "come out yourself, or we'll burn this house down and smoke you out like a rat."

The moment the words left his mouth, Lu Li heard the sound of bowstrings being pulled taut. At least three powerful crossbows were aimed at the doors and windows of the stone house.

He did not answer.

His right hand still gripped the Dragon-Suppressing Dagger, while his left hand stealthily reached for another item in his robes—the medicine pouch Lin Qingyuan had given him before leaving Xinglin Valley. His fingertips touched several rough-surfaced black pellets.

"Exploding Miasma Pill" is one of Elder Su's masterpieces from Baicaotang. It explodes upon contact with the ground, releasing a dense, pungent, paralyzing poisonous mist that can interfere with vision, smell, and the flow of internal energy, but is harmless to the user.

The stone house has only one door and one window. The front of the house is blocked off, and there is a person on each side of the door.

Lu Li was calculating the distance.

With his left hand, he pulled out three Miasma-Expelling Pills, and with his right hand, he drew the Dragon-Suppressing Dagger, gripping it in reverse so the blade was pressed against his forearm. Simultaneously, he pushed off the ground with both feet, propelling himself like an arrow shot from a bow, crashing into the back window of the stone house!

The moment Lu Li landed, he threw three Exploding Miasma Pills in three different directions with his left hand!

Three thick, dark green clouds exploded in the maple forest, instantly enveloping an area of ​​ten feet in radius. From within the fog came several suppressed coughs and angry curses.

"Damn it! It's poisonous fog!"

"Hold your breath! Spread out!"

Lu Li didn't stop. Using the poisonous fog as cover, he moved like a ghost among the maple trees, each step landing precisely on the thickest layer of fallen leaves, making almost no sound. His left eye, radiating a dark gold light, pierced through the fog to pinpoint the enemy's location: seven people, three in front, two on the left flank, and two on the right. The one in front possessed the strongest aura; he was likely the leader.

He chose the right wing.

It wasn't about picking the weaker one, but rather because the two people on the right wing were relatively spread out, and there was an ancient maple tree that three people could barely encircle as cover.

The poisonous fog began to dissipate in the night wind.

The cultist from the Turbid Abyss on the right wing leaned against Gu Feng, warily surveying his surroundings. He wore a dark brown leather outfit, a black mask that only revealed his eyes, and held a long, narrow curved blade in his hand. Suddenly, he heard a very faint rustling of falling leaves from his left.

The curved blade instinctively slashed to the left!

It pierced through the air.

The real danger comes from above.

Lu Li silently swooped down from the sprawling branches of the ancient maple tree, the Dragon-Suppressing Dagger drawing a cold arc in the moonlight, aiming straight for the gap between the back of the opponent's neck and the helmet!

The cultist reacted with lightning speed, suddenly ducking and lunging forward at the last moment, the tip of his dagger barely slicing through the helmet strap. He rolled over, his curved blade slashing back at Lu Li's lower body.

But Lu Li is faster.

Missing his first strike, he pushed off the tree trunk with both feet, his body twisting strangely in mid-air, dodging the blade while his left leg lashed out like a steel whip at his opponent's waist!

A crisp cracking sound of breaking ribs. The cultist groaned and staggered. Lu Li landed, spun around, and thrust his dagger upwards. This time, it precisely pierced the opponent's jaw, penetrating the skull.

He died.

The whole process took less than two breaths.

Another cultist on the left had just rushed to the foot of the tree when he saw his companion's corpse, a look of horror flashing in his eyes. Without hesitation, he retreated, pulling a dark red bone whistle from his pocket and putting it in his mouth.

A piercing, sharp whistle tore through the night sky.

Lu Li's expression changed. It was a signal whistle!

He tossed out a poison pill, blocking the opponent's retreat, and charged forward at the same time. But the cultist was unusually decisive, neither dodging nor avoiding, and charged straight into the poisonous fog, swinging his sword in a suicidal attack!

The dagger clashed with the scimitar, sparks flying.

Lu Li sensed the power emanating from the blade—a mid-stage True Talisman Realm cultivator, and the technique was strange, the blade carrying a chilling, corrosive force that seeped into his arm along the weapon. He snorted coldly, the Flame Emperor bloodline within him slightly warming up, instantly dispelling the chill.

Just as he was about to exert his strength to shake off his opponent.

A bloodied blade tip protruded from the cultist's chest.

The owner of the blade was another member of the Turbid Abyss Cult. He had somehow gotten behind Lu Li, and the blade was originally aimed at Lu Li's back, but it was blocked by his companion's body.

Lu Li's heart skipped a beat. The fighting spirit and teamwork of these people far surpassed that of ordinary cult followers.

He drew his dagger and retreated, his gaze sweeping over his surroundings. The poisonous fog had dissipated, and the remaining five men formed a semi-circle around him. The leader was a tall, burly man wearing a bronze demon mask and carrying a heavy halberd.

"Not bad." The masked burly man's voice came from behind the mask, buzzing, "No wonder that good-for-nothing Zhou Xuan fell into your hands."

Lu Li gripped his dagger tightly, remaining silent. He was calculating—five people, one in the late stage of the Dharma Aspect Realm (the masked strongman), and four in the late stage of the True Talisman Realm. A direct confrontation was hopeless; he had to create chaos and defeat them one by one.

"But that's all." The masked, burly man raised his mountain-splitting axe. "The leader has ordered: capture him alive. Sever his limbs, cripple his cultivation, and leave him barely breathing."

As soon as he finished speaking, all five of them started simultaneously.

The axe, powerful and heavy, cleaved down, sealing off the airspace above. A sword and a saber flanked from either side, targeting the lower body and ribs. Two more men circled around to the sides and rear, preparing a sneak attack.

A decisive situation.

A ruthless glint flashed in Lu Li's eyes. He could no longer hide it.

He slammed his feet into the ground, advancing instead of retreating, charging towards the mountain-splitting axe! Just as the axe blade was about to strike, his body suddenly twisted like a fish, slipping through the gap between the axe blade and the swords on either side, the dagger slicing towards the masked strongman's wrist holding the axe!

"You're courting death!" the masked giant roared, his mountain-splitting axe transforming from a cleaving motion to a sweeping one, cleaving through the enemy ranks.

But Lu Li's charge was a feint. The moment the axe blade swept across, he flipped in mid-air, pulled out the last two Exploding Miasma Pills from his pocket with his left hand, and instead of throwing them at the enemy, he slammed them hard into the ground!

An even denser cloud of poisonous fog exploded, but this time Lu Li did not take the opportunity to attack. Instead, he used the fog as cover to retreat swiftly and rush into the depths of the maple forest!

"Chase him!" The masked, burly man swung his axe, cleaving through the poisonous mist. "He can't escape!"

The five men gave chase.

Lu Li sprinted through the forest. He wasn't much faster than his pursuers, but he had the advantage of utilizing the terrain. Every change of direction was achieved by using the ancient maple trees for cover, and every leap was taken in a blind spot. His left eye's dark gold light was fully activated, making every root and every dent in the maple forest clearly visible.

But running like this isn't a solution. There are five of them who can take turns surrounding him, but his stamina is limited.

We must fight back.

He suddenly turned and rushed towards a low-lying depression. The depression was covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves, exuding a putrid smell.

"He's trying to use the terrain to his advantage!" one of the pursuers shouted. "Three men to flank him, two to face him head-on!"

The five men immediately split up.

Lu Li rushed into the center of the depression, then suddenly stopped and turned to face the masked strongman and another person who had been chasing him.

"Not running away anymore?" The masked, burly man grinned maliciously. "You're smart to know what's good for you."

Lu Li slowly raised the Dragon-Suppressing Dagger, its tip pointing at the other party: "I ran away so I could choose a good place to bury you."

"Arrogant!" the masked, burly man roared, and his mountain-splitting axe cleaved down again.

But this time, Lu Li did not dodge.

He took a deep breath, his consciousness sinking into his body. The scene of the confluence of three rivers appeared: the crimson-gold river surged, the dark blue-black current churned, and silver-white specks of light shone like stars. He activated the Mind-Stabilizing Technique at full power, "standing" on the bank, guiding a point of silver-white will from the perspective of an observer, sinking it into the confluence of the crimson-gold and dark blue-black.

The collision paused for a moment.

It's now!

Lu Li's left eye suddenly blazed with a dark golden light! It was no longer the faint glow of before, but a light that flowed like molten gold! The aura around him surged instantly, not because of an increase in cultivation, but because some kind of violent power was briefly released!

The Dragon-Suppressing Dagger sensed this power, and the dragon patterns on its blade lit up, emitting a deep dragon roar!

"What?!" The masked burly man's pupils contracted.

Lu Li moved.

So fast that only a blur remains.

With a single dagger, he deflected the mountain-splitting axe, his figure flashing like a ghost as he slashed into the arms of the masked strongman. His left hand, fingers joined like a knife, had a faint yet incredibly sharp bluish-black light condensing at the fingertips, aiming straight for the opponent's heart!

The masked strongman was, after all, at the Dharma Aspect Realm, and his reaction was extremely fast; he used the handle of the Mountain-Splitting Axe to block.

"clang!"

The blade clashed with the handle of the axe, producing a metallic clang. But the next moment, the masked strongman's expression changed drastically. The bluish-black light, as if alive, spread up the handle of the axe and instantly invaded his arm!

He screamed in agony as his entire right arm turned ashen and withered at a visible speed, as if all life had been drained away in an instant!

It is a fragment of the power of "tyranny"! Although it is only a trace, its status is extremely high, and it has a natural destructive power over living beings!

Having landed a successful blow, Lu Li retreated without hesitation. The dark gold in his left eye quickly dimmed, and his face turned ashen. That brief burst of power had nearly drained all his mental energy, and the balance established by his Mind-Strengthening Technique almost collapsed.

The masked, burly man's entire right arm was useless, and his mountain-splitting axe fell from his hand to the ground. Even more terrifying was that the violent power that had invaded his body was still spreading upwards, forcing him to exert all his strength to suppress it, temporarily rendering him unable to fight.

"Boss!" The other four pursuers were shocked and furious, and their attack intensified.

Lu Li endured the excruciating pain that felt like his soul was being torn apart, fighting and retreating. He could no longer use his source power, otherwise he would lose control before his enemy could kill him.

However, the attack by four late-stage True Talisman Realm cultivators was still fraught with danger.

Lu Li gritted his teeth, his Dragon-Suppressing Dagger flashing as it transformed into a ball of azure light, barely protecting his vitals. But at this rate, he wouldn't last more than thirty breaths.

Just now.

Three silver beams shot out from the depths of the maple forest, accurately hitting the throats of three pursuers!

It was an arrow. But the shaft was as thin as a cow's hair, and the arrowhead emitted a ghostly blue light, clearly indicating it was coated with a deadly poison. The three pursuers didn't even have time to scream before they clutched their throats and collapsed, their bodies rapidly turning black and rotting.

The last pursuer was terrified and turned to flee.

"Stay."

A cool, clear female voice rang out.

Immediately afterwards, a white figure swept across the maple forest like a startled swan, a flash of sword light.

The pursuer's head flew high into the air, and blood spurted out like a fountain.

A white figure landed, revealing a woman wearing a silver mask. She was dressed in plain white, holding a slender sword whose blade was as clear as autumn water, untouched by blood. The mask covered only the upper half of her face, revealing her beautifully shaped jawline and pale lips.

She glanced at the heavily injured, masked man, then at Lu Li, who was covered in blood, and asked in a cold voice, "Can you still walk?"

Lu Li, leaning on his dagger, gasped for breath: "You are...?"

"I'm here to meet you on someone's behalf." The woman walked up to the masked, burly man, her sword tip pressed against his throat. "Tu Gang, the 'Black Axe Envoy' of the Turbid Abyss Sect? I didn't expect even you to be involved."

Tu Gang (the masked, burly man) stared intently at her: "Silver Mask...you're from 'Listening Snow Tower'?! How dare you interfere in our sect's affairs!"

"Shut up." The woman thrust her sword tip forward.

Tu Gang stared wide-eyed, then breathed his last.

The woman sheathed her sword, walked up to Lu Li, and tossed him a small jade bottle: "Healing medicine, for external and internal use. Meditate for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, then come with me."

Lu Li took the medicine bottle, but didn't use it immediately. Instead, he stared at her and asked, "Who asked you to do this?"

"You'll know when you get there." The woman turned around. "You still have a 20-day appointment at the Sword Tomb, and you've already been delayed for two days on the road. If you don't want to break your promise, you'd better recover quickly."

Lu Li's mind raced. The other party knew about the Sword Tomb Pact, knew his whereabouts, and even came to his rescue... It was more likely that they were a friend than an enemy.

Without further hesitation, he poured out the medicinal powder and applied it to the wound, then swallowed a pill. The medicinal properties dissolved, leaving a cool and soothing sensation; it was indeed a top-grade wound medicine.

After an incense stick had burned, Lu Li managed to suppress his injuries and stand up.

The woman, who had been keeping watch nearby, said when she saw him get up, "Follow me. We can't stay at Falling Maple Slope any longer; the reinforcements from the Turbid Abyss Sect will be here soon."

The two disappeared into the depths of the maple forest, one after the other.