C265 Invaders

The figure sprawled on the ground was none other than Zhan Tianxiang, who had once fought shoulder to shoulder with Yu Yuan in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area. Among the young talents from the seven great cities who took part in the trials, it wasn't Lee Yu, Yan Lu, Su Yan, or any of the others who had earned Yu Yuan's appreciation and trust—it was Zhan Tianxiang.

Zhan Tianxiang, along with Zhao Yafu, had reaped the most significant benefits from Yu Yuan. Having journeyed thousands of miles on a golden eagle, Zhan Tianxiang now lay injured on the ground after his mount had crashed, leaving Yu Yuan deeply shaken.

"Who is he?" Yu Cann gasped.

"The young master of the Zhan family, Zhan Tianxiang," Yu Yuan quickly clarified, rushing to Zhan Tianxiang's side. He turned him over to find fresh blood still oozing from wounds on his chest and back—a dark brown blood.

Yu Yuan noticed two arrows lodged in the rear side of the golden eagle, previously unseen. The blood seeping from the arrow wounds and flesh was the same dark brown color.

"The young master of the Zhan family!" Yu Cann's voice was laden with concern. "His wounds are serious; he's unconscious. His escape must have been aided by the golden eagle."

"He's unconscious due to poisoning," Yu Yuan interjected.

Without having witnessed the event, Yu Yuan deduced from the injuries that Zhan Tianxiang had faced a formidable foe. Before losing consciousness, he likely fled on the golden eagle, which was also struck by several arrows and suffered grave injuries.

The golden eagle had managed to carry Zhan Tianxiang all this way, only to crash land—likely succumbing to the potent poison in the arrows.

"We need to detoxify him first!"

Yu Cann, with a worried frown, looked at the dark-brown blood and declared, "I must inform the guards of Darkmoon City and ensure the City Lord is made aware immediately!"

The Zhan family, the most powerful in Shadowhall, was on the verge of surpassing the Van family and entering the ranks of the top five families. After the trials in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, Zhan Tianxiang's reputation had been steadily rising.

The Zhan family placed immense value on the young man who had mastered the Demon Spell and earned the Golden Elephant Ancient God's endorsement. They pinned their hopes on him.

After departing from Shadowhall, he was ambushed in Elfview and poisoned. Yu Cann realized the urgency of informing Yuan Lianyao immediately.

Next, he planned to alert the Zhan family via the City Lord's Mansion's specialized communication array.

"Grandfather, you relay the message; I'll take care of him," Yu Yuan instructed.

Yu Cann paused, "What about the poison in his system?"

"Leave it to me," Yu Yuan reiterated.

Yu Cann gave him a penetrating look and nodded, advising, "Take care."

He couldn't fully grasp his enigmatic grandson, but he trusted that Yu Yuan's intentions were for the Yu family's benefit.

Without further questioning, he left, confident that clarity would come with time.

Once alone, Yu Yuan positioned himself between Zhan Tianxiang and the golden eagle, inhaled deeply, and summoned with his Heavenly Soul.

And then he waited.

As dawn approached, Yu Zhu arrived silently, ghost-like, her feet barely touching the ground.

Yu Yuan acknowledged her with a nod and a smile, "Thank you for your efforts, once again."

Yu Zhu's face, dark as if emerging from a bog, still carried the scent of damp earth. Her bright eyes slowly revealed a sweet smile as they shifted to a vibrant green.

A gleaming white bone, sharp as a sword, protruded from her left palm.

With a few effortless swipes of the crystalline bone, chunks of flesh detached from Zhan Tianxiang's chest and back, and the arrow embedded in the golden eagle was skillfully removed.

Unnoticed, the bone darkened to a rich brown before withdrawing into her palm.

Zhan Tianxiang's breathing steadied, the poison that had been ravaging his body miraculously vanished, no longer causing harm.

The golden eagle, wounded by the arrow, now shimmered with a golden radiance.

"All set. Keep a close eye on those exotic plants," Yu Yuan commended, his gaze approving. "Be cautious in your endeavors. Don't draw attention. I sense that something might unfold soon, especially to the north of Elfview Town, near our medicinal fields."

Liu Wei and Lei Xiao emerged unexpectedly, prompting Zhan Tianxiang's injuries to set off alarm bells in his mind.

Yu Zhu's eyes, a vibrant emerald green, suddenly reflected a mysterious vision, as if they were mirrors. The movements of Bai Shenshen from the Medicine Sect played out in vivid detail within the depths of her gaze. Since the discovery of the Void Spiritual Plant and the mid-lake island, every move Bai Shenshen made was rapidly retraced in Yu Zhu's eyes.

"What is she up to?" Yu Yuan exclaimed, taken aback. He was well aware of Yu Zhu's extraordinary ability to replay everything her eyes had witnessed. It was clear that Yu Zhu had been covertly observing Bai Shenshen since her arrival at the island.

Yu Zhu simply shook her head.

"Keep an eye on her," Yu Yuan instructed with a furrowed brow. "She's from the Medicine Sect. Could it be that she's here in Elfview because of your disappearance, or because of me? She recognizes those herbs; I doubt she'll leave without them."

Understanding his concerns, Yu Zhu departed gracefully, her feet barely touching the ground.

Before long, Zhan Tianxiang stirred back to consciousness.

"Yu Yuan!" he cried out upon seeing him. "I was ambushed on my way to Elfview and nearly lost my life! Darkmoon City is under Yuan Lianyao's control, isn't it? Why are there strangers lurking outside, committing murder?"

"Do you know who they are?" Yu Yuan inquired.

"It's unclear. There were six of them, clad in heavy armor and sinister masks, exuding a fierce and icy aura—more like seasoned warriors than sect cultivators," Zhan Tianxiang explained, his expression grim. "It's bizarre. They had no reason to target me. I sensed their presence and descended on a golden eagle to confront them, but they turned on me without warning."

"Heavy armor and masks, like battle-hardened soldiers?" Yu Yuan pondered, then asked, "What about their levels of cultivation?"

"They ranged from the Yellow Court Stage to the Profound Break Stage, with the leader at the Penetrating level," Zhan Tianxiang detailed. "Their assault tactics were clearly strategic. Their blades were coated with poison. I felt the onset of weakness and numbness soon after the injury and knew it was serious. I had to summon the golden eagle to escape quickly."

"The poison has been neutralized from your body. What brings you to Elfview?" Yu Yuan inquired with a hint of surprise.

"I got word that you emerged from the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area. We're brothers, after all, so I had to come and check on you," Zhan Tianxiang said, flashing a bright smile despite the blood spurting from the wound on his chest, which he seemed to ignore. "Impressive, you've attained the combat prowess of the Yellow Court Stage. Your training in that forbidden land must have been intense."

He had always held onto the belief that Yu Yuan would make it back alive after their parting at the forbidden area.

Despite the Zhan family elders and everyone else suggesting that Yu Yuan had likely perished, he had argued against them time and again, advocating for his family to extend the support to the Yu family that he had hoped for.

Regrettably, there had never been any prior contact or dealings between the Zhan and Yu families.

With the Lim and Van families deliberately targeting them and the Su family's subtle oppression, the Zhan family weighed their options and chose not to extend a helping hand to the Yu family, despite the camaraderie shared with Yu Yuan in the forbidden area.

This decision had led to a falling out with the Yu family.

"There's been sightings of heavy armored soldiers with unidentified affiliations lurking around Darkmoon City."

Yu Yuan squinted, his mind racing with thoughts. He sensed an unsettling calm, a sign that something unknown was unfolding.

"Focus on healing. Once you're better, make your way back to Shadowhall City as soon as you can," Yu Yuan advised.

"I'll be alright. Without the threat of deadly poison, my constitution will have me back on my feet in no time," Zhan Tianxiang assured, casting a glance at the golden eagle. "It'll be up and about soon, too. I've visited Shadowhall City before without incident. But after being ambushed and nearly losing my life just outside its gates this time, I can't just let it slide."

Knowing Zhan Tianxiang's stubborn streak, Yu Yuan didn't press further.

They continued their conversation until the break of dawn, when the sun began to crest the horizon. That's when Lih Feng, the captain of the guard for Darkmoon City, arrived with Yu Cann, both wearing grave expressions.

"The Zhan family's young master has been gravely injured? What's the story there?" Lih Feng demanded.

Near Darkmoon City, there were strangers clad in heavy armor and masks who nearly killed him," Yu Yuan said with a furrowed brow. "Brother Li, have there been any activities involving outsiders near the city lately?"

"No," Lih Feng replied, his voice tinged with sudden concern. "I'll get to the bottom of this. Yu Yuan, it's best not to linger in Elfview for now. Return to Darkmoon City. Inside the city, we can handle matters more swiftly; outside, we might not be as timely."

After a brief pause, he added, "That's the City Lord's wish as well."

Hearing about the peculiar circumstances, Yu Cann chimed in, "Little Yuan, perhaps we should... head back to the city first?"

"No, not just yet," Yu Yuan shook his head.

...

Two days later, Yu Yuan and a rejuvenated Ning Ji departed from Elfview Town, roaming the northern lands.

Thanks to a "Golden Sun Pill," Ning Ji not only neutralized the chill but also seized the chance to advance to the Profound Break Stage with remarkable success.

Now at the Profound Break Stage, Ning Ji's dantian began to amass Qi and blood, nourishing his body and significantly extending his lifespan.

The leveled terrain and charred remnants of shrubs told Yu Yuan that this was Yu Zhu's handiwork.

Suddenly, his brow twitched. "This isn't good!"

"What's wrong?" Ning Ji asked, brimming with vigor.

"We've got trouble," Yu Yuan said after a moment's hesitation. "Come with me!"

"Let's go!" Ning Ji exclaimed.

Before long, in a sparse woodland, they came upon six figures besieging Bai Shenshen of the Medicine Sect.

Each was armored and masked, their presence heavy with the scent of blood.

Bai Shenshen stood at the center, an arrow lodged in her shoulder and a long, narrow wound across her waist that bled profusely with each evasive move she made.

The blood was the same hue as Zhan Tianxiang's had been.

With just one glance, Yu Yuan recognized them as the assailants who had nearly slain Zhan Tianxiang and the golden eagle outside the city.

"Yu, Yu Yuan?" Bai Shenshen gasped in surprise upon seeing him, then urgently cried out, "Run! Get back to Elfview and inform Yuan Lianyao of the attack!"

"Flee?" Yu Yuan chuckled dismissively. "Why would I need to flee? It's them who ought to be running away."

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