OBS Chapter 26 Insect-Stealed Intelligence
Chapter 26 Insect-Stealed Intelligence
The fire in the blacksmith's shop seemed to sense the increasingly tense atmosphere in Black Mountain Pass, burning even brighter and more intensely than usual.
Yang Jin's days passed in a state of outward calm amidst inner turmoil.
He used the "furnace breathing method" with increasing skill and naturalness. Whether walking, sitting or lying down, his breath was deep and his steps were solid. Although his body shape did not change, he gave people the illusion of being as steady as a rock.
He dared not slack off in the integration of "mountain-splitting style" and "mountain meaning". The palm print on the back mountain stone wall became deeper day by day, and the edges changed from slightly rough to smooth as if cut by a knife.
His steady improvement in strength did not make him relax in the slightest.
The forces of the three martial arts schools were like three sharp swords hanging overhead. Although they did not strike directly, the invisible pressure constantly reminded him of the approaching danger.
Following his instructions, Atu abandoned its familiar area of activity and began exploring more remote and peripheral branches of the mine. The news it brought back, however, was not optimistic.
"Vibration... a lot... very strong..." The vague message transmitted through the mental link carried a clear sense of unease: "Red insects (fire centipedes)... are everywhere... and there's also a... very hard and cold aura... awakening in deeper places..."
At the same time, Atu also reported another thing: it discovered some fresh traces of "bipedal walkers" that did not belong to the original creatures of the mine, as well as... the bloody smell left by the battle.
Clearly, the exploration by the three martial arts schools has already clashed with the native "residents" deep within the mine.
Yang Jin felt a chill run down his spine.
The fact that even Ah Tu felt it was "very strong" and "very hard and cold" suggests that the dangers deep within the mine are probably far beyond imagination.
Even with thorough preparations, it's impossible for the three major martial arts schools to emerge unscathed.
Sure enough, the atmosphere in Heishan'ao became even more subtle and oppressive over the next two days.
The teams that went into the mountains to explore were returning later and later, and some even stayed out all night.
The returning teams mostly carried wounded soldiers, their faces grim, their bodies covered in dust, blood, and indescribable slime or scorch marks.
They spoke in hushed tones, their eyes revealing not only exhaustion but also a hint of wariness and... a subtle excitement.
Inside the Sun family mansion, the bitter smell of medicine being boiled permeated day and night.
Sun Mancang and his son were extremely busy. They had to take care of the three important figures, comfort their injured guard, and deal with the increasingly anxious inquiries from the villagers. In just a few days, Sun Mancang developed blisters on his lips from stress.
That evening, the setting sun was like blood.
Yang Jin was squatting at the shop entrance, tidying up the tools he had used during the day.
Ya Ya came again, this time without bringing wildflowers. Instead, she carried two steaming hot vegetable dumplings, which she carefully placed at Yang Jin's feet and whispered, "Brother Shi Tou, my mother just steamed these. You and Grandpa Chen can have some."
After saying that, his big eyes revealed fear of the unfamiliar martial artists outside, and he hurriedly ran away.
Yang Jin picked up the warm vegetable dumpling, feeling a warmth in his heart.
This small act of kindness seems especially precious in the atmosphere of impending doom.
However, this brief tranquility was soon broken by a series of hurried and heavy footsteps.
At the village entrance, Li Feng, the deputy master of the Iron Bone Martial Arts School, strode towards the Sun family mansion with a livid face. Behind him were several disciples with equally unfriendly expressions, two of whom were carrying a simple stretcher covered with a white cloth, the edges of which were stained with dark red blood.
Even more striking was that one of them was carrying a package wrapped in thick cloth, dripping a viscous green liquid and emitting a pungent, fishy stench.
Almost simultaneously, Shi Yue of the Rock Martial Arts School and Liu Wuying of the Gale Martial Arts School also returned from different directions with their respective groups. Although they did not carry stretchers, several people in their groups were injured and looked grim.
The three leaders met at the entrance of the Sun family mansion.
Even from a distance, Yang Jin could still sense the heavy atmosphere. The three exchanged a few words in hushed tones, then quickly walked into the house together, barely waving to Sun Mancang when he came out to greet them.
"Something's happened...and it's not a small matter," Yang Jin thought to himself.
The fact that these three parties could meet so hastily to discuss matters while clearly wary of each other suggests that they must have discovered something significant during their investigation that could change the current situation, or... suffered an unbearable loss.
He continued packing up his tools without making a sound, but several thoughts were already flashing through his mind.
The three martial arts schools have clearly made a major discovery, which has temporarily lowered their guard against each other, necessitating urgent consultations.
What could it be? Have they really found a concrete clue to the "precious medicine"? Or have they encountered a danger that even they cannot overcome?
Either way, it is of utmost importance to him.
He immediately sent a new command via mental link to Atu, who was resting in a secluded spot on the back mountain and ready to respond at any moment: "Atu, sneak up to the area below the main hall of the Sun family mansion, get as close to the ground as possible, concentrate your senses, and listen to the conversation of those 'bipedal walkers' up there! Be careful, absolutely do not expose yourself, and evacuate immediately if there is any danger!"
Atu conveyed a clear message, along with a hint of instinctive fear of facing a gathering place of powerful individuals, but its loyalty to Yang Jin outweighed everything else.
Soon, Yang Jin sensed that A Tu's smooth, cold body was stealthily making its way towards the Sun family mansion with astonishing speed and stealth.
Yang Jin quickly finished packing up his tools, returned to the shop, gave one of the vegetable dumplings to Chen Shan who had just come out of the inner room, and kept the other for himself, but he couldn't taste it.
He found a corner near the back wall, closed his eyes, and immersed himself in the spiritual connection with Atu, sharing the vague sensation of Atu's underground movement.
The dark, damp layer of soil receded rapidly.
Atu's familiarity with the terrain far surpasses that of humans. It avoids the possible underground brick and stone foundations and hard rock layers, choosing instead to quietly pass under the soft courtyard flowerbeds.
The guards at the Sun family mansion were all in the open and on the walls. Who would have thought that something would sneak in from several feet underground?
About fifteen minutes later, Atu sent a message saying that he had arrived below the main hall.
It carefully adjusted its position, pressing the most sensitive vibration-sensing organ at the front of its mouthparts against the bottom of a relatively thin stone slab directly beneath the hall floor.
In an instant, despite the thick layers of soil and stone slabs separating them, through Atuna's far more acute vibration perception than humans, and Yang Jin's highly integrated spiritual connection with him, the indistinct voices from the hall above intermittently entered Yang Jin's mind.
"...We must send a message back to the headquarters immediately!" This was Li Feng's slightly hoarse yet authoritative voice, carrying a clear sense of urgency and... a hint of barely perceptible fear? "That thing... requires at least the peak of the Bone Refining Realm to deal with! If it weren't for the three of us joining forces, setting up the 'Three Talents Demon-Locking Array' beforehand, Elder Liu's 'Wind Chasing Thrust' striking its vitals, and Brother Shi's 'Mountain-Slaying Armor' withstanding the direct attack, we would all have perished here today!"
"Hmph, your Iron Bone Martial Arts Academy lost an outer court instructor, and my Rock Martial Arts Academy's 'Stone Armor Formation' is mostly destroyed, with two elite disciples seriously injured." This was the anger hidden beneath Shi Yue's seemingly honest voice. "Brother Li, your previous intelligence didn't mention such a ferocious beast down there!"
"Intelligence? The geomantic energy in that godforsaken place is so chaotic that ordinary investigation methods are completely useless!" Liu Wuying's shrill voice rang out, tinged with lingering fear and greed. "But talking about that now is useless! The key is, what did we find behind the nest of that 'Mysterious Yin Earth Lizard' after we fought it off? That precious light! Although it was just a fleeting glimpse, it was definitely not wrong! The aura of 'Earth Vein Jade Marrow'! And the swarm of centipedes guarding it... There's definitely something even more powerful lurking at the source of this precious light!"
Earth Vein Chalcedony!
Yang Jin was shocked!
Although he wasn't very knowledgeable, he could tell from the name that this person was extraordinary!
Chalcedony is rare to begin with, let alone chalcedony nurtured by the earth's veins!
This is absolutely a top-tier natural treasure that can refine one's constitution, solidify one's foundation, and even help one break through bottlenecks!
No wonder the three major martial arts schools are so crazy!