The entry for cultivating immortality states that after dying a hundred times, I attained immortalit

When Jiang Bai led Jiang Wu out of the altar valley, the sword wound on Jiang Bai's right arm was still bleeding.

The wound wasn't deep, but the residual sword energy from the Azure Phoenix Sword had seeped into his meridians, causing him excruciating pain with every step he took.

Jiang Wu had already fallen into a semi-comatose state, with the weight of the whole person pressing on his shoulders.

Hang in there.

"Jiang Bai said in a low voice. He identified the direction and headed towards the rocky slope where they had agreed to meet earlier.

The poisonous miasma grew thicker, and the sky gradually darkened.

The time inside Black Wind Valley is different from that outside, seemingly forming its own little world.

Although it was only a short time past noon, the light in the valley was already as dim as dusk, the gray-black mist turned dark purple, and the field of vision was compressed to less than five zhang.

What's even more troublesome is that this layer of dark purple poisonous miasma seems to have the effect of disrupting the mind.

Even though Jiang Bai was protected by poisonous patterns, he still began to hear an inexplicable and chilling wailing sound.

It was like the wind blowing through the cracks in the rocks, or like someone weeping softly in the distance.

He activated the poisonous markings on his right wrist.

Three lines run under the skin, slowly absorbing and transforming the miasma that approaches.

Part of it was transformed into cool spiritual energy to replenish the energy consumed in the dantian, while the other part was stored in the poison pool.

This poisonous pattern can not only store the toxins it refines, but it can also absorb external poisonous gases for further refining.

The conversion rate is low, but it's better than nothing.

After walking about three miles, scattered white bones began to appear on the rocky ground ahead.

It wasn't from a monster; it was human bones.

Most of the skeletons were incomplete; some had their ribs completely shattered, and some skulls had obvious chopping marks.

Judging from its state of decay, it was left behind at least several decades ago.

Jiang Bai paused in his steps.

He recalled the small print on the jade slip map: "The 'miasma ghosts' are formed from the resentment left over from the ancient battlefield, and they devour souls."

Beneath the black veil on her right wrist, the third poisonous pattern with a blue background and blood vessels suddenly became slightly hot, as if it had sensed something.

Jiang Bai suppressed the strange feeling in his heart and continued forward.

After walking for about half an incense stick's time, they faintly heard footsteps ahead.

He immediately stopped, and with Jiang Wu, they crouched behind a boulder, the Shadow Cloak covering the two of them.

Looking through the crevice in the rock, three monks were walking along the mountain path.

The two were dressed in black, and one was wearing an indigo robe.

The one in black was a cultivator from the Li family, and the one in indigo robes was a member of the Chen family. The three of them walked and talked in hushed tones.

"No news from Miss Li yet?"

"The message talisman has been sent out for two incense sticks' worth of time, but there's still no reply."

"Could something have happened?"

"What could possibly happen? With six teams of men, plus Miss Li personally overseeing things, that Jiang fellow has no chance of escaping."

"But I heard... that the guy surnamed Jiang killed the team of One-Eyed Old Six."

"That was due to their carelessness." The indigo-robed cultivator sneered. "Once Miss Li captures Jiang Bai, we need to speed things up here too. That talisman-wielding brat from the Jiang family escaped; he'll most likely head towards the rocky slope."

"The rocky slope is to the north, should we go around to block it?"

"Why bother with the detours? Let's go straight there. If the rest of the Jiang family dare to regroup, we can wipe them all out in one fell swoop."

The three walked further and further away, disappearing into the depths of the dark purple poisonous miasma.

Jiang Bai waited until they were far away before carrying Jiang Wu on his back again and taking a detour in a different direction.

The wound on his right arm was still bleeding, leaving faint bloodstains on the ground with every step he took.

This won't do; we'll be tracked down sooner or later.

Jiang Bai tore off a piece of his shirt and, with the help of his teeth and left hand, tightly bound the wound on his right arm.

He then rummaged through his storage bag and pulled out a bottle of hemostatic powder, sprinkling it haphazardly on the surface.

As soon as the powder touched the blood, a sharp pain shot through him. He groaned, and a fine layer of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

At this moment, it became completely dark.

There were no stars or moon in the valley, only the occasional flickering, eerie green phosphorescent light deep within the poisonous miasma.

The location of Luanshipo on the map is an open rocky area where two passages intersect.

Jiang Bai barely managed to discern the direction by relying on his memory and the poisonous markings that allowed him to sense the miasma.

After rounding two more mountain passes, the familiar rocky forest finally appeared ahead.

The jagged rocks, like interlocking jagged teeth, cast distorted shadows in the dark purple miasma.

Jiang Bai stopped and took out a communication talisman from his pocket.

The talisman ignited, transforming into a streak of light that shot deep into the rocky forest.

This was their agreed-upon code; if they arrived safely, they would use this wordless communication symbol to indicate their location.

If you encounter danger, use a blasting talisman.

I waited for a while.

Deep within the rocky forest, a similar stream of light responded.

Jiang Bai breathed a sigh of relief and carried Jiang Wu into the stone forest.

After circling around several giant rocks, two figures stood up in a natural stone hollow ahead.

It was Jiang Shan and Jiang Yurou.

Jiang Shan held a thick-backed knife in his hand, the blade stained with dark red blood clots.

Jiang Yurou's Taoist robe was torn open at the hem, and her left leg was hastily wrapped with a strip of cloth, making her walk with a limp.

"Brother Jiang Bai!" Jiang Shan rushed forward, and seeing Jiang Bai covered in blood, and then noticing the unconscious Jiang Wu on his back, his expression changed drastically. "You..."

"Save lives first."

Jiang Bai put Jiang Wu down. Jiang Yurou immediately knelt down to check Jiang Wu's injuries.

She tore open the bandage on Jiang Wu's shoulder and saw the deep, bone-revealing knife wound, her brows furrowing.

He took her pulse again to check her pulse, and her expression became even more somber.

"Corrosive Pulse Powder?"

Jiang Yurou's voice trembled, "He swallowed the Corrupting Vein Powder?"

"I gave him the antidote, but the injury is too severe." Jiang Bai sat cross-legged, took out a pill and swallowed it, then circulated his spiritual energy to regulate his breathing. "Do you have any usable medicine on you?"

Jiang Yurou rummaged through her medicine pouch and poured out several pills: "Heart-protecting pills, muscle-regenerating powder, and half a bottle of detoxifying liquid. But the antidote for the Corrosive Vein Powder requires 'Blood Toad Grass' and 'Bone-Corroding Flower' to be refined, which I don't have here."

"Stabilize the injuries first," Jiang Bai said.

Jiang Yurou nodded and quickly cleaned, applied medicine, and bandaged Jiang Wu's wounds. She also fed him a heart-protecting pill and used silver needles to seal several acupoints to slow the spread of the poison.

Only after doing all that did she have time to treat her leg injury.

Jiang Shan stood guard to the side, his eyes occasionally glancing towards the outside of the stone forest. "Where are Lu Qi and Jiang Lin?" Jiang Bai asked, opening his eyes after a moment of rest.

Jiang Shan turned around, his face grim: "Jiang Lin escaped, his injuries aren't serious. As planned, he's hiding in the Poison Ivy Cave further north, a place that's easy to defend and difficult to attack. Lu Qi... encountered Chen Lei."

Jiang Bai's eyes narrowed: "What was the result?"

"Both were badly injured," Jiang Shan said. "When I arrived, the two had just separated. Senior Lu had been stabbed in the left shoulder; the sword energy penetrated to the bone. Chen Lei's abdomen was slashed open, and his intestines were spilling out. They each retreated, and their whereabouts are now unknown."

Chen Lei's serious injury is good news.

However, Lu Qi was also injured, and their high-end combat force was reduced by more than half.

"Were you ambushed on the way?" Jiang Bai looked at Jiang Shan's knife.

Jiang Shan nodded: "Three teams, two from the Li family and one from Black Fiend Valley. We killed four and two escaped. Yu Rou's leg injury was sustained while saving me."

After bandaging her wound, Jiang Yurou looked up and said, "The Li family's hunting teams are mixed units, and each team is equipped with at least one Pure Heart Jade Pendant. Our advantage in the poison path has been greatly weakened."

Jiang Bai paused for a moment, then took out the blue deputy flag from his storage bag.

The flag gleamed against the dark background.

Jiang Shan and Jiang Yurou both widened their eyes at the same time.

"This is... a battle flag?"

"The deputy banner chief was taken from Li Yueyao."

The two of them gasped in unison.

"Li Yueyao is dead?" Jiang Shan asked in a low voice.

"He's dead."

Jiang Bai put away the deputy flag. "From now on, we will become the primary target of all enemies. The Li family should have already discovered her death and are searching for us like madmen."

A brief silence fell over the stone hollow.

A strange wailing sound came from afar, sometimes near, sometimes far.

Jiang Yurou shivered and moved closer to Jiang Shan: "This sound... it's been going on since nightfall, like a ghost wailing."

Jiang Bai looked out of the stone forest.

Dark purple miasma churned in the night, with a few wisps of eerie green phosphorescence faintly visible.

The sobbing sound came from that direction, shifting from left to right, unpredictable.

The third venomous vein on his right wrist started to feel hot again.

"Pack your things and let's find another place." Jiang Bai stood up. "The view here is too open; we'll easily get surrounded."

Jiang Shan carried Jiang Wu on his back, and Jiang Yurou followed with a limp.

The three moved north along the gaps in the stone forest, hoping to find a more secluded cave.

After walking about a hundred feet, a recessed rock wall appeared ahead, with a crack at the bottom that could only accommodate one person at a time.

Jiang Bai used his divine sense to explore and found that the crack led to a narrow passage and a small natural cave.

"Right here." He was the first to crawl in.

The cave was about two zhang square, with cracks in the ceiling for ventilation, and the ground was relatively dry.

Several pieces of animal bones were scattered in the corner, suggesting that a monster once lived here.

Jiang Shan put Jiang Wu down, and Jiang Yurou re-examined his injuries.

Jiang Bai placed two warning talismans at the entrance of the cave and sprinkled some insect repellent powder.

After doing all this, he sat down against the rock wall and closed his eyes to regulate his breathing.

The spiritual energy within his body has recovered to 40%, but the sword energy in his right arm is still causing trouble and needs to be gradually resolved.

What's even more troublesome is the depletion of spiritual energy.

He continuously activated [Killing Intent Perception], used [Swift Shadow Step], and manipulated the poison patterns to erupt, causing his sea of ​​consciousness to ache faintly.

This is a sign of mental exhaustion; it must be restored as soon as possible.

He took out a calming pill and swallowed it. The cool medicinal power dissipated, and he felt better.

Outside the cave, the sobbing grew closer.

Jiang Bai opened his eyes, signaling Jiang Shan to be quiet.

The three of them held their breath.

Looking through the cracks in the rocks, poisonous miasma churned outside, and a few wisps of eerie green light drifted close to the ground.

The light spots were blurry, and the outline of a human figure could be vaguely seen, but the limbs were twisted and the head was a hole.

It had no facial features, no physical form, only a phantom formed from poisonous miasma and eerie light.

"Miasma..." Jiang Yurou covered her mouth, her voice trembling uncontrollably.

The thing drifted to the vicinity of the cave entrance and suddenly stopped.

The hollow in its head turned toward the rock crevice, and a faint light flickered incessantly, as if it were observing.

Jiang Bai's right hand rested on the hilt of the dagger, but he did not move.

He didn't know if this strange thing could be damaged by physical attacks.

The miasma lingered at the cave entrance for a few moments before suddenly drifting towards the crevice in the rock.

Its body twisted and deformed like smoke, trying to squeeze into the narrow gap.

Just as Jiang Bai was about to make his move, Jiang Shan, who was on guard duty, suddenly let out a low roar and slashed out with his thick-backed sword!

The blade flashed across the demon's body, piercing through it like cutting through smoke, without causing the slightest damage.

But the miasma demon seemed to be enraged.

It abandoned the rock crevice, its entire body transforming into a cloud of eerie green mist, and suddenly pounced towards Jiangshan.

Jiang Shan swung his sword repeatedly, but the blade missed its mark each time.

The eerie green mist struck his chest and seeped right inside!

Jiang Shan's body trembled violently, and his eyes instantly became unfocused.

He threw down the knife, clutched his head with both hands, and let out a muffled groan of pain.

Veins bulged on his face, his eyes became bloodshot, and he muttered to himself, "Don't come any closer... I didn't kill him... It wasn't me..."

"Jiang Shan!" Jiang Yurou exclaimed in shock.

Jiang Bai stepped in front of him, pressed his right hand against his forehead, and poured spiritual energy into it, trying to force the thing out.

However, when spiritual energy was probed into Jiang Shan's body, it was like a stone sinking into the sea.

The miasma is formless and intangible, and it devours the soul; ordinary spiritual power cannot even touch it.

Jiang Shan struggled even more fiercely, and he began to bang his head against the rock wall, making a thud, and blood quickly appeared on his forehead.

Jiang Bai's mind raced, and the third poisonous mark on his right wrist suddenly lit up.

The blue-green veins shimmered faintly beneath the black veil, and a strange energy surged from his arm, passing through his palm and reaching Jiang Shan's forehead. In that instant, a sharp shriek echoed from within Jiang Shan's body!

Jiang Shan's body stiffened, and he opened his mouth to spew out a stream of black gas.

The black mist twisted in the air, reforming into the outline of a ghostly green miasma, but much fainter than before.

It seemed extremely frightened, hissing as it drifted backward, trying to escape the cave.

Jiang Bai wouldn't let it go. He activated the third poisonous rune, spreading the fluctuations outwards.

The blue-green veins and patterns shimmered with light, their ripples sweeping across the cave like waves.

The moment the miasma demon touched the fluctuation, its eerie green body rapidly dissolved.

In no time, it vanished completely.

Jiang Shan collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, his forehead covered in cold sweat.

His eyes were still somewhat unfocused, but he had become more lucid.

"Just... just now," he said in a hoarse voice.

"Don't speak, calm your mind and regulate your breathing." Jiang Bai withdrew his hand, only to feel a sharp pain in his own mind.

The fluctuations that activate the poison patterns do not consume spiritual power, but rather the power of divine sense.

Outside the cave, the other clusters of eerie green light seemed to sense the demise of their companions, letting out mournful wails before retreating into the depths of the poisonous miasma and disappearing from sight.

Jiang Yurou helped Jiang Shan sit down and fed him a calming pill.

Jiang Bai walked to the cave entrance and looked out through the crack in the rock.

The night was deep, and the poisonous miasma was as black as ink. The miasma demons had temporarily retreated, but who knew how many remained in the valley?

He retreated back into the cave and sat down against the rock wall.

The third poisonous mark on his right wrist was still slightly hot, as if it had been awakened by something.

"Ancient cultivation techniques have a restraining effect on miasma..." Jiang Bai thought to himself, "It seems that the cultivation method that ancient cultivator practiced back then was definitely not simple."

He suddenly remembered the two halves of the jade pendant he had obtained from Li Yueyao and Jiang Wei.

Take it out of the storage bag and put it together in your palm.

The intertwined poisonous vine patterns fit together perfectly, forming a complete round jade pendant.

Fine, blood-red lines appeared on the surface of the jade pendant, spreading out like blood vessels.

Jiang Bai infused a wisp of spiritual energy.

The jade pendant glowed with a dark red light.

The halo projected a fragmented topographical map into the air—a portion of Blackwind Valley, but far more detailed than the jade slip map. The map clearly marked the course of mountains, the distribution of poisonous miasma, and even several hidden caves.

In the northeast direction of the map, in a deep valley marked "Desperate Zone", there is a striking blood-red marker.

Next to it is a small inscription in ancient seal script: "Ancient Blood Pool".

Jiang Bai's eyes suddenly narrowed.

He recalled the words carved beside the skeleton in the cave at Tianhen Mountain: "I betrayed the Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons, and fled south with the true teachings... I left a blood pool in Black Wind Valley, awaiting those destined to meet."

So this is where the blood pool is.

"Brother Jiang, what is this?"

Jiang Yurou stepped closer.

Jiang Bai handed the jade pendant to her.

Jiang Shan also came to his senses and joined them.

Both of them looked surprised when they saw the map and markings.

"Ancient Blood Pool... Could it be that the true legacy of the senior you once told us about is hidden here?" Jiang Shan asked in a low voice.

"Possibly."

Jiang Bai put away the jade pendant. "Li Yueyao and Jiang Wei both want this. It seems that there are other benefits besides the inheritance in the blood pool."

"Should we go?" Jiang Yurou asked.

Jiang Bai remained silent for a moment.

Going to the Blood Pool means venturing into the most dangerous area of ​​Blackwind Valley, where one may encounter countless ambushes and miasma along the way.

They now had only four people left: Jiang Wu was seriously injured and unconscious, Jiang Shan's soul was damaged, Jiang Yurou had difficulty walking, and he himself was also injured. If they stayed with the deputy flag officer until the twelve hours were over, they might be able to save their lives, but the share of the mine... He looked at the unconscious Jiang Wu, then at Jiang Shan and Jiang Yurou.

"Go," Jiang Bai said. "Jiang Wu's Corrosive Vein Powder requires Blood Toad Grass and Corrosive Bone Flower to counteract it. These two items might only be found near the Blood Pool in Black Wind Valley. Moreover..."

He paused, then added, "The Li and Chen families are definitely searching for us throughout the valley right now. Sometimes the most dangerous place is the safest."

Jiang Shan gritted his teeth and said, "I'll listen to you."

Jiang Yurou nodded in agreement: "Jiang Wu's injury cannot be delayed."

"Alright." Jiang Bai put away the jade pendant. "We'll set off before dawn. You all need to focus on recuperating and recovering."

Jiang Shan and Jiang Yurou each found a corner to sit cross-legged.

Jiang Bai walked to the cave entrance and sat down with his back against the rock wall.

Outside the cave, the night was as dark as ink, and poisonous miasma surged.

Occasionally, the wailing of miasma spirits could be heard from afar, but no one dared to approach this area again.

What exactly is hidden in this ancient blood pool?

Jiang Bai closed his eyes and focused his consciousness into his dantian.

The barrier remains, like a gate sealed deep within.

As the spiritual energy of the poisonous pattern flowed through, a heartbeat-like pulse could still be heard behind the door, awaiting awakening.