Empty.

Someone who disappeared for a year suddenly appeared before us, wouldn't that be surprising?

Shen Xiaojun struggled to get up and politely bowed: "Thank you, Lin Shimei, for saving my life."

Similarly, he had some guesses about what happened back then, but no intention of asking.

He didn't share the same thoughts as Tan Yueqing; he was afraid of death.

A secret that could cause such a stir isn't something a lone, insignificant Qi-building cultivator like him could possibly find out.

Although Shen Xiaoyun had never openly discussed their identities with Tan Yueqing, he guessed on the first day they arrived at Luan Feng Cliff that they were not ordinary people and ended up there for a reason.

"Shixiong Shen, I haven't seen you in a year, why are you sick like this?"

When Lin Qi was tending to his wounds, she realized that Shen Xiaoxun didn't have many injuries. His pale complexion revealed a hint of illness.

She was thin as a bone, with dark circles under her eyes and no trace of color on her cheeks.

Like someone who is seriously ill and nearing death.

Shen Xiaoyun made no attempt to conceal it, "Someone planted a heart-eating worm inside me."

Lin Qi was startled after hearing this.

She knew that the Hundred Gu King, renowned throughout Ling Yao Valley, was a sixth-rank elixir cultivated only by Fu Shennong.

This gu (insect) is incredibly powerful. Once implanted in a human body, it will begin to devour their flesh and blood, attacking once a month.

Once poisoned with the Heart-Eating Worm, one's vital energy will gradually weaken. Each month, they will endure a heart-wrenching and bone-gnawing pain until their body becomes frail and hollow, ultimately leading to heart failure and death.

A very venomous species of centipede.

Lin Qi was still the same as when he heard it on Shou Lü Feng back then.

Shen Xiaoyun is a disciple of Ling Yao Gu, and she also has a grudge with Chunjun... Could this蚀心蛊 have been planted by Chunjun?

No!

Shen Xiaoyun entered Luanfengya six years ago. At that time, Chunjun should have been only about ten years old and couldn't possibly have learned such a difficult Gu technique.

Then it must be the Lingyao Valley Lord, Fushengnong…

Lin Qi guessed there might be some big grudge inside, so she kept quiet and didn't ask anymore.

"Let's go outside and rest for a while. It's not good to stay underground all the time."

Tan Yueqing and Shen Xiaoyun also nodded, "These people being killed, we can be safe for a while."

Shen Xiaoyun coughed softly, a coldness in her eyes. "With his current abilities, he won't be able to arrange another batch of foundation-building cultivators to flood into Luanfeng Cliff for some time."

Whom was Shen Xiaojun talking about?

Lin Qi wouldn't need to ask to know.

He, whose sworn enemy lived in legend—Chun Jun.

"Is the stone house area still safe? Should we head back there?"

At least there was shelter from the wind and rain. Lin Qi had spent some time on Luanfeng Cliff, so she felt somewhat familiar with that area.

Tan Yue nodded. "Okay."

Shen Xiaojun certainly has no objection.

The Sky-Reaching Green Vine secretly transported the three people to near the stone house.

Seeing that Tan Yueqing and Shen Xiaoyun both had injuries, Lin Qi allowed the two of them to rest and recover first. She planned to go for a stroll around the area.

Just as he stepped out the door, Tan Yue opened her eyes and said, "You... be careful."

She hasn't forgotten the last time Lin Qi walked out this door. It wasn't until a year later that they saw each other again.

Although Tan Yueqing didn't explicitly say it, Lin Qi understood what she meant. Her expression became a little awkward.

"Ahem, I'll be careful."

After leaving, Lin Qi first checked the area around Shi Feng.

In a year's time, the turbulent winds of Lunfeng Cliff have not ceased.

Except for Shen Xiaoyun's stone house which remained unchanged, everything else had transformed completely.

Lin Qi's original defensive array and illusionary array had long since been scattered by the wind, and the spirit stones buried underground were gone.

It's unclear whether it was blown away by the strong wind or dug up by someone.

She felt a twinge of sadness.

Despite the pain, Lin Qi still set up a double defense array around the stone house.

As she took her position, she sensed a powerful divine consciousness sweeping over her. Lin Qi was so frightened that she froze, unable to move a muscle.

That divine consciousness scanned her body three times before slowly moving away.

Lin Qi also finally understood the danger and chaos that Tan Yueqing had said.

After setting up the trap, Lin Qi felt a surge of security. She walked into the stone house to deal with the stolen goods.

Speaking of which, her storage space still has the two corpses from when we first entered the Windswept Cliff... Hope they haven't gone bad.

Seven corpses laid out together, the once-small stone house instantly became unbearably cramped.

The two initial bodies had already decayed, and the stone house was filled with a strange smell.

Shen Xiaoyun weakly leaned against the bed, watching Lin Qi happily rummage through the trash.

The robber couple who robbed Luan Fengya were very poor. Lin Qi took ten spirit stones and some miscellaneous items from them.

But then again, who would be foolish enough to guard a desolate path in the wilderness if they weren't poor and desperate?

It's rare to come in once a year.

The work is totally out of proportion to the pay.

It's not because they like to be dry, it's because they can only do this.

After tidying up, Lin Qi immediately threw the two bodies outside, waiting for the wind and currents to take care of them.

Amitabha Buddha, it wasn't that she wanted to be so cruel, leaving no trace of the body. There was simply no other way to handle it. She couldn't keep it in storage forever, could she?

After dealing with two individuals, Lin Qi's target shifted to another five people.

She first put away the weapons of the five people.

Shen Xiaoyun reminded her, "Although many outsiders have entered Luanfengya, the market is still bustling. You can sell these things in the market and should be able to exchange them for a batch of spirit stones and elixirs."

Lin Qi received the reminder, kept it in mind, and also put away her weapon.

After that, he rummaged through the five people's storage pouches like peeling skin.

The harvest is abundant!

These five people were all carrying a large amount of spirit stones, numbering in the tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands, as well as countless pills, herbs, talismans, magical artifacts, and cultivation scrolls.

However, the techniques they use are all tailored to their own bodies and are miscellaneous and disorganized.

Lin Qi learned the authentic martial arts of Taijiquan and didn't intend to learn some random things, for fear of disrupting the lineage.

She carefully picked and chose the items, and packed up the rest to sell.

Besides the nearly twenty thousand spirit stones, what's truly useful are several attribute spirit orbs, two fourth-rank Burning Heart Fiery Flame talismans, and a fourth-rank formation disk.

Lin Qi saw these things and couldn't help but feel a little scared.

I never expected these people to still have four-grade talismans and formations on them. Luckily, I acted fast enough at the time, or else I wouldn't have been able to deal with them. I'm afraid I would have been killed in retaliation!

Lin Qi previously still felt heartache over her talismans and formation disks, but now she has let go.

Before, Shen Xiaoyun would see such a scene and couldn't help but envy.

This year's ordeal has worn away his passion and fighting spirit.

For six years, the last shred of pride has been crushed. There's only a resentment burning in my heart, keeping me alive and struggling to this day.

Lin Qi hadn't seen wrong. On Shen Xiaojun, there was not only the qi of illness, but also the qi of death.

But she had always been one to mind her own business, and Shen Xiaoyun's life and death were of little concern to her.

She has made a schedule and is ready to begin cultivating wholeheartedly.

Tan Yue Qing just finished recuperating his spiritual energy after sitting in meditation, and then he saw Lin Qi take out a piece of paper from her pocket mysteriously. She carefully opened it.

On the paper, a few large characters were written in vermilion ink: "Excavate Dan, Countdown Begins [One Hundred Years]."

She is full of question marks.

Chapter 1

(The End)