Chapter 53
Challenge
Duan Xuan led Liu Chunmei and Wang Qingyan back to the thatched hut.
When a person is about to die, their words are good.
Moreover, if Ma Jiancheng truly repented and wanted Duan Xuan to fight for his master once, he would never lie to him on his deathbed.
Following the specific location given by Ma Jiancheng, he picked up the tools from the thatched hut.
With a forceful shovel, a small part of a red wooden box was revealed.
After digging a few more times, Duan Xuan finally managed to lift the wooden box up.
The moment he got his hands on it, before he could even open it, Duan Xuan felt a heart-stirring aura rush into his mind.
It was a magical feeling that was full of wildness, stimulating the blood and qi, and at the same time causing the muscles, bones, skin and flesh to resonate.
Even Liu Chunmei and Wang Qingyan, two women who had never practiced martial arts, were greatly affected.
"Brother Duan, should we take the suitcase with us?"
"No, this thing is too big and too conspicuous. Besides, even the wooden box can't completely conceal what's inside; it'll be obvious at a glance!"
With a chop, he smashed the box, and three items fell out.
One was a jade box, another was a piece of kraft paper, and the last was a wolf skin half the height of a person.
The wolf howl that echoed throughout the valley and the giant wolf he had seen flashed quickly through Duan Xuan's mind.
"This must be its offspring, right?" Duan Xuan hesitated for a long time before putting the wolf skin under his clothes and then on the wet shorts.
As for whether this pelt has anything special about it, Duan Xuan believes it is completely different from ordinary wolf pelts.
Wolf pelts offer little more than wind protection and warmth, while the pelt of this creature, which appears to be from a demonic beast, is extremely tough.
When you wear it, you can feel your blood flowing.
The wildness deep within seems to be breaking free of its cage and being released.
It looks bulky, but as long as I can take it back, that's better than anything else.
He opened the jade box and took a look; inside was a crystal-clear jade.
The blood-red bead, still bearing traces of blood, was the source of the strange feeling that had just occurred to the three of them.
The moment the box was opened, a stench, despite the heavy rain and strong wind, was inhaled into the nostrils of the three people, causing the two women to cough.
The most dangerous thing is not the smell, but the fear it brings.
Liu Chunmei and Wang Qingyan only glanced at it before feeling as if they were being chased by a pack of wolves, retreating step by step towards the edge of the cliff.
Just as it was about to "fall," Duan Xuan closed the wooden box with a click and stuffed it into his arms.
Humanity rewards diligence, and Heaven rewards those who help themselves.
[Trap: Perfection (799/2000)]
【Hunting: Perfect (650/2000)】
[Breaking Mountain Stance Skill: Mastery (888/3000)]
[Broken Mountain Fist: Dacheng (624/3000)]
【Hidden Wolf Hunter: Mastery (135/3000)】
"Once I break through to perfection in the Mountain-Breaking Stance Technique, I will be able to smoothly enter the Transformation Realm. Only then will the Demon Core be of use to me. I won't waste it now!" Duan Xuan thought to himself.
"Brother Duan, is that the demon core Ma Jiancheng mentioned? It's truly incredible."
Wang Qingyan nodded obediently, but she was still shaken.
"Yes, this is the inner core of a demonic beast!"
The two items had been put away. Duan Xuan looked at the last one, which was a huge piece of kraft paper.
Upon opening, the top was covered with countless lines, many of which were marked in red: "This should be the mysterious gift that Ma Jiancheng mentioned."
"Just making things complicated!"
He had no interest in figuring out what the picture depicted. After searching the house for a long time, he sighed, "What a pity, I haven't found even half a tael of silver..."
Liu Chunmei sighed a few times and urged Duan Xuan to hurry up.
If this rain continues, the three of them will really catch a cold.
Wang Qingyan clasped her two small hands tightly together, and nodded gently after listening to Duan Xuan finish speaking.
……
Simply burying Ma Jiancheng's body under the thatched hut was a dignified way to give him a proper farewell.
Duan Xuan then led Liu Chunmei and Wang Qingyan back along another path.
Since we're going to take the demon core and demon belt back, we absolutely cannot let more people know about it, otherwise it will definitely cause unnecessary trouble.
Fortunately, Duan Xuan had planned an escape route in advance, using the clothes of the martial arts school disciples to cover the faces of the two women who were reasonably good-looking.
They sacrificed a sable as bait to lure away their pursuers and successfully escaped down the mountain.
The rainstorm came fiercely but also went away quickly.
As soon as they emerged from the jungle, the sky cleared, and a ray of sunlight shone down, illuminating the three of them and making them feel warm and cozy.
This experience was thrilling and dangerous; I almost lost my life on two or three occasions.
At that moment, a row of black figures suddenly appeared at the foot of the mountain. It was none other than the fourth wife of the Wang family and a group of servants who came together.
"It's Mother who's here."
"Chunmei, Brother Duan, thanks to your help this time. Brother Duan, would you like to come with me to the Wang family later?" Wang Qingyan's voice was barely audible.
Liu Chunmei covered her mouth and chuckled, "Miss, is this your way of confessing your feelings to Brother Duan?"
It's a pity he's gone!
Wang Qingyan quickly turned her head away, and sure enough, she didn't see the boy whose face she hadn't even had a chance to see clearly.
What was deeply imprinted in the girl's mind were those wolf-king-like eyes and his resolute back.
Her face flushed, and the girl said coquettishly, "Chunmei, you're so mean! I'm not talking to you anymore..."
"Qingyan, I'm late. I'm sorry you were frightened. Let me see if you're hurt!" Shen Yu looked at Wang Qingyan, who had lost a lot of weight and looked quite haggard, and felt a pang of heartache.
"Chunmei, you have done a great service in protecting Qingyan this time. I will definitely reward you handsomely when we get back. Come, let's talk as we mount our horses."
"By the way, where's your Grandpa Ma Jiancheng?"
Although Liu Chunmei and Wang Qingyan did not rehearse their statements beforehand.
However, both of them understood that since Duan Xuan had left quietly, he must not want to expose himself.
So, with each of you adding your own words, you revised the cause and effect all over again.
They deliberately concealed Duan Xuan's existence.
"I see. It's a pity about Ma Jiancheng. He pursued the realm of perfection his whole life, but he couldn't achieve it before he died."
Sigh, let's go. I've temporarily settled things with the third and seventh households, and the master will be returning soon.
"This kind of thing will never happen again." Shen Yu turned around and gave a wink to her trusted confidant beside her.
The latter quietly retreated to the back and said in a very soft voice, "Madam has ordered a thorough investigation into the background of everyone who rescued the young lady!"
The two guards were taken aback for a moment, then immediately clasped their hands in a fist and bowed, accepting the order: "Yes!"
……
"Mother, I'm back!"
Duan Xuan walked into the house, looking travel-worn. The moment Zhou Fang saw her son, her nose stung with tears: "Xuan'er, you're injured? How did you get so badly hurt?"
Duan Xuan's clothes were all torn, but he had treated his wounds beforehand. With the help of the rain, the wounds showed marks but no blood.
He chuckled and took out the demon core from his pocket: "Mother, don't worry, I'm not injured. It's the smell of this pill. You can smell it if you don't believe me."
Only after the box was taken out did Zhou Fang believe Duan Xuan's words.
After searching several places, Duan Xuan finally placed the demon core at the bottom of the jar of pickled meat.
With the strong smell of cured meat as a cover, the odor of the demon core was indeed masked quite a bit.
He also hid the other piece of parchment in a place known only to himself.
As for the hide he wore, he didn't dare give it directly to his mother, after all, it was the hide of a demon beast's cub. If the wild wolf demon beast he saw deep in the mountains followed the scent, he would be in trouble.
"Perhaps we can send this piece of leather to Renhetang for processing. Young Master Ren Yun should be able to handle it properly!" After thinking for a moment, Duan Xuan decided to hide it.
It was covered with a thick layer of soil, and then covered with mugwort leaves that had been brought in not long ago.
It wasn't that he didn't trust Ren Yun and Renhetang, but rather that one had to be careful in everything.
Moreover, he needed to find out more about the demon beast from Renhetang before he could take out the information about it.
"Mom, I'm going to take a nap first."
Zhou Fang hesitated, and two full hours passed before Duan Xuan finally opened his eyes in the afternoon.
I immediately felt refreshed and my energy was mostly restored.
"Xuan'er, do you have a disciple named Liu Tie at your martial arts school? He came looking for you this morning and seemed quite anxious."
They said if you come back, remember to visit the martial arts school.
When a person is about to die, their words are good.
Moreover, if Ma Jiancheng truly repented and wanted Duan Xuan to fight for his master once, he would never lie to him on his deathbed.
Following the specific location given by Ma Jiancheng, he picked up the tools from the thatched hut.
With a forceful shovel, a small part of a red wooden box was revealed.
After digging a few more times, Duan Xuan finally managed to lift the wooden box up.
The moment he got his hands on it, before he could even open it, Duan Xuan felt a heart-stirring aura rush into his mind.
It was a magical feeling that was full of wildness, stimulating the blood and qi, and at the same time causing the muscles, bones, skin and flesh to resonate.
Even Liu Chunmei and Wang Qingyan, two women who had never practiced martial arts, were greatly affected.
"Brother Duan, should we take the suitcase with us?"
"No, this thing is too big and too conspicuous. Besides, even the wooden box can't completely conceal what's inside; it'll be obvious at a glance!"
With a chop, he smashed the box, and three items fell out.
One was a jade box, another was a piece of kraft paper, and the last was a wolf skin half the height of a person.
The wolf howl that echoed throughout the valley and the giant wolf he had seen flashed quickly through Duan Xuan's mind.
"This must be its offspring, right?" Duan Xuan hesitated for a long time before putting the wolf skin under his clothes and then on the wet shorts.
As for whether this pelt has anything special about it, Duan Xuan believes it is completely different from ordinary wolf pelts.
Wolf pelts offer little more than wind protection and warmth, while the pelt of this creature, which appears to be from a demonic beast, is extremely tough.
When you wear it, you can feel your blood flowing.
The wildness deep within seems to be breaking free of its cage and being released.
It looks bulky, but as long as I can take it back, that's better than anything else.
He opened the jade box and took a look; inside was a crystal-clear jade.
The blood-red bead, still bearing traces of blood, was the source of the strange feeling that had just occurred to the three of them.
The moment the box was opened, a stench, despite the heavy rain and strong wind, was inhaled into the nostrils of the three people, causing the two women to cough.
The most dangerous thing is not the smell, but the fear it brings.
Liu Chunmei and Wang Qingyan only glanced at it before feeling as if they were being chased by a pack of wolves, retreating step by step towards the edge of the cliff.
Just as it was about to "fall," Duan Xuan closed the wooden box with a click and stuffed it into his arms.
Humanity rewards diligence, and Heaven rewards those who help themselves.
[Trap: Perfection (799/2000)]
【Hunting: Perfect (650/2000)】
[Breaking Mountain Stance Skill: Mastery (888/3000)]
[Broken Mountain Fist: Dacheng (624/3000)]
【Hidden Wolf Hunter: Mastery (135/3000)】
"Once I break through to perfection in the Mountain-Breaking Stance Technique, I will be able to smoothly enter the Transformation Realm. Only then will the Demon Core be of use to me. I won't waste it now!" Duan Xuan thought to himself.
"Brother Duan, is that the demon core Ma Jiancheng mentioned? It's truly incredible."
Wang Qingyan nodded obediently, but she was still shaken.
"Yes, this is the inner core of a demonic beast!"
The two items had been put away. Duan Xuan looked at the last one, which was a huge piece of kraft paper.
Upon opening, the top was covered with countless lines, many of which were marked in red: "This should be the mysterious gift that Ma Jiancheng mentioned."
"Just making things complicated!"
He had no interest in figuring out what the picture depicted. After searching the house for a long time, he sighed, "What a pity, I haven't found even half a tael of silver..."
Liu Chunmei sighed a few times and urged Duan Xuan to hurry up.
If this rain continues, the three of them will really catch a cold.
Wang Qingyan clasped her two small hands tightly together, and nodded gently after listening to Duan Xuan finish speaking.
……
Simply burying Ma Jiancheng's body under the thatched hut was a dignified way to give him a proper farewell.
Duan Xuan then led Liu Chunmei and Wang Qingyan back along another path.
Since we're going to take the demon core and demon belt back, we absolutely cannot let more people know about it, otherwise it will definitely cause unnecessary trouble.
Fortunately, Duan Xuan had planned an escape route in advance, using the clothes of the martial arts school disciples to cover the faces of the two women who were reasonably good-looking.
They sacrificed a sable as bait to lure away their pursuers and successfully escaped down the mountain.
The rainstorm came fiercely but also went away quickly.
As soon as they emerged from the jungle, the sky cleared, and a ray of sunlight shone down, illuminating the three of them and making them feel warm and cozy.
This experience was thrilling and dangerous; I almost lost my life on two or three occasions.
At that moment, a row of black figures suddenly appeared at the foot of the mountain. It was none other than the fourth wife of the Wang family and a group of servants who came together.
"It's Mother who's here."
"Chunmei, Brother Duan, thanks to your help this time. Brother Duan, would you like to come with me to the Wang family later?" Wang Qingyan's voice was barely audible.
Liu Chunmei covered her mouth and chuckled, "Miss, is this your way of confessing your feelings to Brother Duan?"
It's a pity he's gone!
Wang Qingyan quickly turned her head away, and sure enough, she didn't see the boy whose face she hadn't even had a chance to see clearly.
What was deeply imprinted in the girl's mind were those wolf-king-like eyes and his resolute back.
Her face flushed, and the girl said coquettishly, "Chunmei, you're so mean! I'm not talking to you anymore..."
"Qingyan, I'm late. I'm sorry you were frightened. Let me see if you're hurt!" Shen Yu looked at Wang Qingyan, who had lost a lot of weight and looked quite haggard, and felt a pang of heartache.
"Chunmei, you have done a great service in protecting Qingyan this time. I will definitely reward you handsomely when we get back. Come, let's talk as we mount our horses."
"By the way, where's your Grandpa Ma Jiancheng?"
Although Liu Chunmei and Wang Qingyan did not rehearse their statements beforehand.
However, both of them understood that since Duan Xuan had left quietly, he must not want to expose himself.
So, with each of you adding your own words, you revised the cause and effect all over again.
They deliberately concealed Duan Xuan's existence.
"I see. It's a pity about Ma Jiancheng. He pursued the realm of perfection his whole life, but he couldn't achieve it before he died."
Sigh, let's go. I've temporarily settled things with the third and seventh households, and the master will be returning soon.
"This kind of thing will never happen again." Shen Yu turned around and gave a wink to her trusted confidant beside her.
The latter quietly retreated to the back and said in a very soft voice, "Madam has ordered a thorough investigation into the background of everyone who rescued the young lady!"
The two guards were taken aback for a moment, then immediately clasped their hands in a fist and bowed, accepting the order: "Yes!"
……
"Mother, I'm back!"
Duan Xuan walked into the house, looking travel-worn. The moment Zhou Fang saw her son, her nose stung with tears: "Xuan'er, you're injured? How did you get so badly hurt?"
Duan Xuan's clothes were all torn, but he had treated his wounds beforehand. With the help of the rain, the wounds showed marks but no blood.
He chuckled and took out the demon core from his pocket: "Mother, don't worry, I'm not injured. It's the smell of this pill. You can smell it if you don't believe me."
Only after the box was taken out did Zhou Fang believe Duan Xuan's words.
After searching several places, Duan Xuan finally placed the demon core at the bottom of the jar of pickled meat.
With the strong smell of cured meat as a cover, the odor of the demon core was indeed masked quite a bit.
He also hid the other piece of parchment in a place known only to himself.
As for the hide he wore, he didn't dare give it directly to his mother, after all, it was the hide of a demon beast's cub. If the wild wolf demon beast he saw deep in the mountains followed the scent, he would be in trouble.
"Perhaps we can send this piece of leather to Renhetang for processing. Young Master Ren Yun should be able to handle it properly!" After thinking for a moment, Duan Xuan decided to hide it.
It was covered with a thick layer of soil, and then covered with mugwort leaves that had been brought in not long ago.
It wasn't that he didn't trust Ren Yun and Renhetang, but rather that one had to be careful in everything.
Moreover, he needed to find out more about the demon beast from Renhetang before he could take out the information about it.
"Mom, I'm going to take a nap first."
Zhou Fang hesitated, and two full hours passed before Duan Xuan finally opened his eyes in the afternoon.
I immediately felt refreshed and my energy was mostly restored.
"Xuan'er, do you have a disciple named Liu Tie at your martial arts school? He came looking for you this morning and seemed quite anxious."
They said if you come back, remember to visit the martial arts school.