C258 Dark Hand

Ning Ji was the first elder Yu Yuan felt a genuine fondness for after the repositioning and rebirth of his heaven soul and earthly soul. Ning Ji had been close friends with his grandfather, and upon awakening, Yu Yuan found himself relying heavily on Ning Ji, feeling very comfortable and reassured in his presence.

Moreover, Ning Ji had assisted him in getting accustomed to his youthful body in Thylethlume, aiding him in strengthening his physique.

Yet, Ning Ji was not a member of the Yu family. He should have left Asvetaesi long ago, after Yu Yuan awoke and journeyed to the Moonfall Sanctuary for his trials.

So why, after all this time, was Ning Ji still here?

And not just in Asvetaesi, but in Thylethlume.

Yu Yuan, puzzled, furrowed his brow and scrutinized Ning Ji, his expression subtly shifting. Having honed his heaven soul through the practice of Soul Forging through Enlightenment, Yu Yuan could discern strands of cold fog entwined around Ning Ji's lower elixir field, the Golden Sanctum.

This cold fog appeared to be emanating from Ning Ji's lower elixir field, forming a faint sheen of ice and frost.

The presence of the cold fog seemed to prevent Ning Ji from drawing in the divine force from the outside world and from consistently channeling spiritual energy into his lower elixir field.

Likewise, he was unable to release the spiritual energy that had entered his lower elixir field through the use of spells.

With a cultivation base at the Golden Sanctum level, the fact that Ning Ji's lower elixir field was inaccessible meant that his potential for further advancement was seemingly severed.

Beyond the inability to cultivate, the cold fog's presence allowed a chilling Qi to permeate his flesh and organs, continuously inflicting harm.

"After you left for the Moonfall Sanctuary trial, I saw that the Yu family was back on course, so I took my leave from your grandfather," Ning Ji explained calmly, with a smile. "I traveled to another city, heard some news about you, and kept busy with my own pursuits, seeking a breakthrough in my cultivation, aspiring to reach the Veil Breaking stage."

"I'm getting older, and I must progress to the Veil Breaking stage, to open the middle elixir field, ensuring abundant vitality, and to fill my organs with the essence of life, in order to break through the limits of my lifespan."

"I had already reached the late period of the Golden Sanctum cultivation. I was just one step away from achieving Veil Breaking."

"But..."

Ning Ji suddenly let out a bitter laugh.

"Just as I was in seclusion, striving to break through to Veil Breaking, I was blindsided by an invasive cold stream. The cave where I was meditating was deep in the wilderness, miles from any soul. The cold stream struck without any warning."

"My attempt to break through not only failed, but the acupoint in my lower elixir field was also overrun by the cold flow."

"That cold stream was chilling and harsh, eroding my being day and night."

With a somber expression and a heavy voice, Ning Ji continued, "After much reflection, I began to piece together what had happened."

"Winter's Bite!" Yu Yuan exclaimed.

"That seems to be the case." Ning Ji sighed deeply, his voice tinged with melancholy. "I've pondered it over and over. In recent years, the only conflicts I've had were with Yin Jue in Thylethlume, which likely interfered with Winter's Bite's plans. Afterwards, it seems they harbored resentment towards both you and me, marking us as targets."

"Your grandfather, the Yu family, is under the protection of the mayor of Asvetaesi. She has expressly forbidden any harm to come to your family within her city. Even the Lin family and Winter's Bite wouldn't dare to be too brazen in Asvetaesi. I, on the other hand, am merely an independent cultivator who's been drifting from place to place."

"So, Winter's Bite seized the opportunity during my breakthrough to give me a lesson I'll never forget."

Ning Ji laid out his suspicions of the events that had transpired.

Before returning, Yu Yuan had learned much about the Ruby Hand from the state preceptor of the Crimson Sun Empire.

Yuan Qiufang was taken by Faang Yao to join the Ruby Hand, creating a bond between the Yuan family and the sect.

Moreover, the Silvermoon Empire and the Ruby Hand had been closely interacting of late. Even the Lin family and Winter's Bite would adhere to the fundamental moral codes, not daring to openly cause trouble in Asvetaesi.

However, employing underhanded tactics in secret was certainly not beyond them.

As an outsider who had previously sided with the Yu family against the Lin family and Winter's Bite, Ning Ji was vulnerable to a stealthy attack by Winter's Bite during his solitary travels after leaving Asvetaesi.

The assailant hadn't intended for Ning Ji to die. Rather, his goal was to thwart Ning Ji's breakthrough, using a persistent cold flow to ravage his elixir field, subjecting him to the relentless torment of the chill both day and night. It was a malicious act, undoubtedly meant to send a message about the dire consequences of crossing the Lin family and Winter's Bite.

"How long have you been in Thylethlume?" Yu Yuan inquired once more.

"Not too long. I always held firm to the belief that you would surely make it back alive!" Ning Ji inhaled deeply, his shoulders quaking. Beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead. Suddenly, he sat down, offering Yu Yuan an apologetic smile through his discomfort, "It's happening again..."

Invisible wisps of cold smoke began to seep out from his lower elixir field.

The cold smoke, with its chilling aura, permeated his organs and traveled along his meridians towards his neck and the mud pellet acupoint of his upper elixir field.

Seated on the ground, Ning Ji couldn't stop shaking, his cold sweat crystallizing into sparkling beads of ice.

Despite his obvious agony, he clenched his teeth, refusing to utter a sound.

"Ning Ji, it's my Yu family, it's me, Yu Yuan, who have brought this suffering upon you."

Yu Yuan's expression grew somber as he extended his left hand toward Ning Ji's lower elixir field acupoint, "Stay calm, I'm going to see if I can alleviate some of your pain."

"Yiya! Yiya!"

Before he could even begin to channel the Nine Glories Wheel, the thin little girl behind him emitted a high-pitched sound that was barely discernible to the human ear.

Yu Yuan's face registered a sudden shock!

In an instant, he sensed a frigid and sinister energy erupting from Ning Ji's lower elixir field, the Golden Sanctum acupoint, as if it were a sentient force targeting his own elixir field's acupoint.

Seconds later, the cold stream solidified into a silver-scaled python, its appearance menacing.

Yu Yuan, through his mental perception, could tell that the python was laden with deadly venom!

The little girl was on high alert, not because of the python's cold current, but because of its venom.

"Puff!"

A cold and chilling current of energy surged toward Yu Yuan's lower elixir field, clashing fiercely with the brilliant and intense light of the Nine Glories Wheel.

A terrifying, piercing pain erupted in his lower abdomen, and Yu Yuan groaned as blood splattered from the wound.

The poison, concealed within the cold current, invaded his body as his skin and flesh tore open.

At that moment, the little girl Yu Yuan had brought from the Serpent Spine Mountains and Gloomhollow Valley appeared beside him, seemingly out of nowhere.

Her eyes shifted from their normal hue to a vivid green!

She inhaled softly.

The poison lurking within the silver-white python condensed into a silvery-white wisp of smoke, as if yanked out by an unseen force.

Whoosh!

She inhaled the smoke through her nose, transforming it into a fine, hair-like poisonous python that vanished without a trace.

The silver-white python, still wreaking havoc in Yu Yuan's elixir field, suddenly seemed to lose its essence and drive, and after a chaotic struggle, it was dissolved by the intense light of the Nine Glories Wheel.

The girl's emerald eyes sparkled briefly as she consumed the remnants of the poison's essence, returning to normal.

She glanced at Yu Yuan's bloodied and torn lower elixir field, deeming it a mere flesh wound, and dismissed it with indifference.

"Yiya, yiyayi..."

She lifted her hand, waving it with a fierce glint in her eyes.

Yu Yuan, fighting through the pain, said, "It wasn't him."

She instantly grasped that it wasn't the old man who had set a trap for Yu Yuan; it was another matter entirely.

Whoosh!

A massive, blazing red lotus drifted swiftly over like a crimson cloud.

At dusk, the residents of Thylethlume witnessed the spectacle, exclaiming in awe.

"Lord Mayor!"

"The mayor himself has graced us with his presence!"

"Judging by the direction, he's heading to the Yu family's medicinal garden! Why would the mayor, who has been in seclusion for so long, suddenly visit?"

Yu Yuan, seated on the ground, watched the striking red lotus approach and felt a twinge of surprise. "Her information network is incredibly fast. I've only just arrived in Thylethlume and instructed the herb slaves to keep quiet, yet she managed to find out so swiftly."

"Brat!"

Before the burning red lotus could reach him, Yuan Lianyao's voice, filled with dissatisfaction, preempted its arrival.

With a flash of arc light, the blazing red lotus froze in front of Yu Yuan.

Yuan Lianyao, tall and bewitchingly beautiful, radiated joy from her smile and sparkling eyes. She reached out, eager to embrace Yu Yuan.

"What's the matter?" The stunningly beautiful mayor came to an abrupt halt, her outstretched arms falling back to her sides. Her alluring face was a mix of surprise and irritation. "You're injured? Even though Thylethlume isn't within Asvetaesi, I specifically instructed Le Feng to keep a close eye on any suspicious characters around Thylethlume. How could someone be so foolish as to harm you there?"

The bloodstain on the Golden Sanctum acupoint of Yu Yuan's lower abdomen was starkly evident, and his complexion was poor.

Seeing Yu Yuan injured after such a long time apart unexpectedly pained Yuan Lianyao's heart. "It would be one thing if this happened in the Moonfall Sanctuary, but here in Asvetaesi, under my watch? Who is responsible?"

The concern etched between her brows was genuine, warming Yu Yuan's heart.

Memories flashed through his mind like a swift storm. Yu Yuan smiled and explained, "It's merely a flesh wound. The Winter's Bite has been undermining Ning Ji in secret, poisoning him and sealing the Ice Venom in his elixir field. Anyone who attempts to heal Ning Ji will succumb to the venom."

"Winter's Bite?" Yuan Lianyao's expression chilled. "In the past, I had to tread carefully around Winter's Bite, but now, I fear them no more! Here in Asvetaesi, even Winter's Bite wouldn't dare to cross the line!"

"The current state of the Yu Family seems quite dire," Yu Yuan remarked.

"Don't be upset with me, little brother. The Lin family, the Van family, and the others have been targeting your Yu Family in ways that don't involve direct force," Yuan Lianyao said with a sense of helplessness. "If they had the audacity to openly confront the Yu Family here in Asvetaesi, I would never let them off the hook."

"They're using their family's influence to oppress you, making it impossible for the Yu family's medicinal herbs to find a market."

"I'm unable to intervene in this matter. Even as the mayor of Asvetaesi, I can't force those people to purchase the Yu family's medicinal herbs."

"So, it's not that I'm unwilling to help; it's just that in this situation, my hands are tied."

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