Zanxing (Retranslated)

Chapter 34 - Gufeng Mountain Encounter (2)

The mountainous terrain there was vast, and searching for a specific herb within it was no easy task, except for the Night Vine Branch.

The Night Vine Branch grew on the edge of the Black Marsh, where poisonous gases continuously emerged from the marsh’s depths, gradually spreading to poison trees within a radius of about ten li. So, as long as one headed towards the baldest part of the mountain, they should be able to find it.

After bypassing a clear stream and climbing a few hundred steps of stairs, a distant cliff in the forest suddenly appeared with a golden light.

This golden light, misty and ethereal, enveloped the forest canopy. Looking at that area of the forest, where the trees were withered and emitting a faint musty smell, Zanxing knew that this should be the right place.

She took a deep breath. Who would have thought that after spending whole days as an office worker, confined to a desk, she would become an enthusiast for hiking and exploration upon crossing into the world of a book? Cultivating immortality involved not only mental strength but also physical endurance.

Zanxing paused for a moment, then continued forward. The closer she got to the forest, the heavier the hot and humid air became, soaking even her green gauze robe with mist. A stream meandered out from the forest, half of it red and half green, vibrant yet murky, unsettling to see.

As she ventured deeper, the discomfort grew more pronounced. She took out a prepared bag of cinnabar and held it to her nose, taking a breath to alleviate the foul stench, but still felt a lingering heaviness in her chest, accompanied by nausea and chills.

This place was definitely not suited for humans.

After laboriously walking a few hundred steps more, the stream of red and green water came to an end, revealing a pool of black swamp.

The swamp seemed alive, with a swirling vortex forming in its center, as if it wanted to engulf everything around it. Looking around the swamp, there was not a single blade of grass. Golden miasma continuously steamed from the vortex in the swamp, the more vivid the color, the more dangerous it appeared.

On the slanted edge of the black swamp grew a tree. It was not tall, about the height of a person. The entire tree grew at an angle, with a trunk as thick as a human arm. At the end of the trunk, a blood-red branch extended, dangling above the black swamp.

This was the Night Vine Branch.

The Night Vine Branch had branches but no flowers, with only one branch growing on each tree, and it only grew once a year. After picking one branch, you had to wait until the next year.

Zanxing estimated the distance between herself and the tree and found it somewhat challenging.

To harvest the Night Vine Branch, she had to climb the tree first. Regardless of whether the tree was sturdy enough or if she could climb it safely, just getting close to the vortex, the source of the miasma, was difficult.

She touched her chest, hoping the Xiao Yuan Pearl would give her some inspiration. However, since the last time it briefly erupted with “illusory beauty,” the pearl had been unresponsive, as if it had died, showing no reaction, possibly entering a dormant state.

With no other choice, Zanxing covered her face with a prepared cloth, blocking her nose and mouth, and chewed on a few grains of barley in her mouth. Then she approached the Night Vine Branch and started climbing the tree.

It had to be said that since she started practicing cultivation, her physical fitness had improved significantly. Climbing the tree went smoothly enough.

The tree didn’t look thick, but it was very sturdy to climb. Zanxing felt quite stable once she reached the tip of the branch. However, even so, the overwhelming miasma made her feel like she could barely hold on, and sweat instantly soaked through her clothes.

She tightly gripped the tree trunk with one hand and pulled out a small knife from her waist with the other, intending to cut off the branch. However, after a couple of attempts, not even a mark was left on the branch. Zanxing paused in confusion, then decided to wrap the blade with elemental force and give it a strong chop.

Clang! The knife was bounced back, and the blade showed a dent.

“Is this branch made of iron?” Zanxing exclaimed in disbelief.

She tried chopping forcefully several more times, but the branch remained unmoved, as if mocking her incompetence.

Zanxing was dumbfounded. She had found what she was looking for, but if she couldn’t take it with her, what should she do?

Just as she was pondering, she suddenly felt a strong gust of wind behind her. Zanxing furrowed her brows and swiftly dodged as a flash of sword swept horizontally towards her chest. As she stepped back, she found herself faced with the Night Vine Branch, which was only as long as a finger. Her footing slipped, and she plunged towards the black swamp. In a critical moment, Zanxing grabbed onto the Night Vine Branch with one hand, suspending herself in mid-air.

Below her was the constantly emitting miasma of the black swamp, and before her stood a man in a golden robe, wielding a long sword and looking down at her with disdain.

“Hua Yue?” Zanxing was shocked. “What are you doing?”

Hua Yue stood on the tree trunk, staring down at Zanxing with a gloomy expression. “What am I doing?” he replied coldly.

Zanxing frowned. “I have no grudge against you. Why are you harming me?” She thought to herself and asked, “Are you trying to stand up for Duan Xiangrao?”

“Tch,” Hua Yue toyed with the ring on his finger. “I have no time to meddle in women’s squabbles. Hand it over.”

Zanxing was taken aback. “Hand what over?”

He stepped closer, his eyes filled with undisguised greed. “The treasure you’re hiding.”

“Treasure?”

“In just a month’s time, you’ve progressed from the early stages of Qi Refining to the early Foundation Establishment stage, advancing three levels in a row, and even defeated Xiangrao who was above your level. How could that be possible without the assistance of a treasure?” He chuckled ominously. “If you obediently hand it over, I might spare your life. Otherwise…” He gestured towards the Night Vine Branch, as if he were about to cut it.

Zanxing’s heart sank.

Hua Yue had guessed almost exactly right.

In the original story, the plot of Hua Yue holding a grudge against Mu Cengxiao had not yet unfolded. However, the plot that should have involved Mu Cengxiao seemed to have occurred with herself instead. But in the original story, there was no mention of this black swamp. Would the ensuing plot involve her disturbing some monster here, leading to a battle for survival?

“What are you staring at?” Hua Yue frowned. “Why don’t you hand it over?”

Zanxing gathered her thoughts and looked at him. “I don’t have any treasure on me, and I don’t know where you heard such rumors. But if you’re framing fellow disciples, aren’t you afraid of being exposed and expelled from the sect?”

Hua Yue shrugged indifferently. “Few people venture into this black swamp. Fellow disciples are busy collecting spirit herbs elsewhere. It’s just the two of us here. But…” His smile faded. “You really don’t know what’s good for you. In that case…” He suddenly drew his sword forward, causing Zanxing’s heart to skip a beat.

She felt a chill run through her body as her robe was unexpectedly split open by the sword’s edge. Hua Yue, wary of the black swamp, didn’t dare to approach but used the sword’s wind to shred her robe. Zanxing’s Qiankun Bag flew into Hua Yue’s hands, and he scanned her body with elemental force, his expression suddenly turning grim. “How can this be?”

“I already told you,” Zanxing said, holding onto the branch and dangling in mid-air. “I don’t have any treasure. Hurry up and pull me up.”

Hua Yue stared at her for a moment before laughing. “You injured my woman during the sect assessment. Now, you’ve wasted my time with this fruitless trip. It’s already merciful of me not to kill you. Yang Zanxing, how dare you ask me for help?”

Zanxing retorted, “You schemed against me first.”

“So what?” Hua Yue stepped back. “If you have the ability, come up on your own. But you probably won’t have that chance anymore.”

Zanxing followed his gaze and suddenly noticed a crack appearing at the top of the previously unbreakable Night Vine Branch, which was as hard as iron.

“No way.” Zanxing muttered, “You gotta be kidding me.”

The next moment, there was a crisp crack, and the Night Vine Branch snapped in half, falling into the black marsh filled with miasma along with the person who had been hanging on the branch.