Chapter 176 - 117: At the Gate
The Heart-Devouring Demon’s Seal, the Mind-Shattering Funeral Rite.
The mere mention of these two martial arts was enough to make people’s faces pale.
And besides these two, he likely possessed other ultimate techniques.
Not only that, but he was knocked off Broken Heart Rock many years ago.
Who knew what kind of peerless divine techniques he might have perfected during his years of secluded cultivation?
Jiang Ran wasn’t worried about the depth of his Inner Energy, but rather the treacherous nature of his martial arts...
The Creation and Heart-Straightening Sutra had the ability to rectify the mind, making one immune to all evils.
It should be the perfect counter to this Shi Pingzhang.
However, that was just judging by conventional logic.
Without having met the man in person or truly crossing blades, who could be one hundred percent certain of taking him down?
Of course, thinking this way didn’t mean Jiang Ran intended to give up.
But he had to at least take this Heart Demon a bit more seriously.
If he had the chance to encounter him later, it was naturally best to take him down if he could.
After that, Huang Xuan also told Jiang Ran and Ye Jingshuang that because of Shi Pingzhang, the Five Great Sword Sects had mobilized in full force, spreading out across the Golden Cicada Dynasty to search for his trail.
The affair at Red Maple Manor was no small matter. Besides the Liuyun Sword Sect, members from the other four sects would likely arrive as well.
Ye Jingshuang was taken aback.
She had thought only the Liuyun Sword Sect and the Yun Mountain Sword Sect were nearby.
She hadn’t expected all five of the Great Sword Sects to gather.
"Well, that’s good too..."
Jiang Ran said, rubbing his chin.
"A single Shattered Gold Saber has drawn out a whole bunch of clowns..."
He had just spoken when a series of THUDS were heard.
Several bruised and swollen Jianghu People were thrown to the ground by a few young Liuyun Sword Sect disciples. They landed in the mud, looking around in terror.
One of them said:
"Brother Jiang, these guys were skulking around and spying on us."
"We don’t know what they’re up to."
Huang Xuan felt a little hurt.
’Have my junior brothers and sisters all started ignoring me, their senior brother? Is there no one but Jiang Ran in their eyes anymore?’
Jiang Ran smiled.
"These few have been following us ever since we left the inn today."
"They thought no one had a clue..."
He hadn’t even finished his sentence, but the men were already blushing with shame.
They really had thought they were being stealthy, believing Jiang Ran and the others had no idea they were being followed.
But it turned out Jiang Ran had known all along... Weren’t they just being played for fools?
To be so utterly humiliated while trying to make their way in the Jianghu... it was a complete disgrace.
One of them shouted angrily:
"You... Now that we’re in your hands, kill us or cut us up as you please, but stop with the mockery!"
As soon as he said that, the others glared at him.
’What the hell is he talking about?’
All they did was follow Jiang Ran, hoping to get a piece of the pie.
Why did that mean they had to be killed or cut up?
If Jiang Ran hadn’t intended to, but this guy’s outburst gave him the idea, and he just waved his hand and said ’kill them all,’ wouldn’t they have died for nothing?
Jiang Ran also gave the man a surprised look.
"It’s not so serious as to warrant killing or cutting you up... After all, your crime doesn’t deserve death."
"How about this? I’ll give you something good."
As he spoke, he fumbled around inside his robes.
Everyone heard a CLINKING and CLANKING sound; he seemed to have many small medicine vials in his robes.
Huang Xuan glanced over, and his eyes suddenly lit up, as if he’d thought of something.
Jiang Ran mumbled to himself:
"This one is the ’Four Seasons Pill’... this is the ’Effort-Saving Pill’... oh, here it is!"
He produced a small bottle as if from an endless pocket, casually opened it, and after a glance at their numbers, shook out a few pills.
"One for each of you. Don’t get greedy."
Jiang Ran said, "If you take too many, you’ll be in for a world of hurt."
When Li Tianxin saw this, he almost burst out laughing.
But then he remembered he was supposed to be angry, so he forced the corners of his mouth into a cold sneer.
A curious young disciple from the Liuyun Sword Sect couldn’t help but ask:
"Brother Jiang, what is that?"
"Poison."
Jiang Ran said bluntly.
"It’s called the ’Sun-facing Pill’."
"Just like a sunflower, it loves the sun."
"After you take it, you must constantly run toward the sun. As you run, you have to circulate your Inner Strength all through your body. The combined force of the sunlight and your Inner Strength is what expels the poison."
"If you turn your back to the sun, the poison will activate and you’ll die."
He looked up at the sun. It was still far from noon, so the sun was still in the east.
Then he said to the men:
"Hurry up. One pill each."
The men hesitated, unwilling to take the pills.
But it wasn’t up to them. The group of young Liuyun Sword Sect disciples were fascinated by Jiang Ran’s description of the pill. Several of them immediately stepped forward, grabbed the men, and pried their mouths open.
Jiang Ran popped a pill into each of their mouths, and with a push of his Inner Strength, forced them to swallow.
At this, Li Tianxin’s eyes lit up.
"Jiang Ran... give me one!"
Zhang Zhihua quickly covered his mouth.
"Don’t give him one!!"
Jiang Ran ignored the two of them and said to the Jianghu People:
"Start running toward the sun. Otherwise, it’ll be too late."
The men didn’t know if Jiang Ran was telling the truth or not, but they decided it was better to be safe than sorry.
After exchanging glances, they scrambled to their feet, activated their Lightweight Technique, silently circulated their Inner Strength, and sprinted madly toward the sun, wishing they’d been born with more legs.
Jiang Ran watched them, thoroughly amused.
Li Tianxin shot him a puzzled glance.
"Is it really that funny?"
"Yes, it is."
Jiang Ran nodded. "Because I was lying to them."
There was no such thing as a Sun-facing Pill.
It was just a lie he’d concocted because he didn’t want them following him.
The group from the Liuyun Sword Sect looked at one another. They had all thought the Sun-facing Pill was some miraculous thing, but hearing what Jiang Ran said now, they didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.