abnabooks Chapter 45: The Deadly Intent of Eagle's Beak Gorge
Chapter 45: The Deadly Intent of Eagle's Beak Gorge
Lin Yan seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. Without turning his body, his left hand, which had just crippled the second-in-command's arm, seemed to have a life of its own. It drew a mysterious arc in mid-air, its five fingers spread out, and in the nick of time, it grabbed the blade of the slender sword that was thrusting towards him! The gray-black true essence at his fingertips pulsed, completely blocking the cold sword energy.
Qian Lu felt the sword suddenly stop, as if it had pierced into ancient ice, unable to advance any further. He was terrified and tried to pull back with all his might, but the slender sword remained motionless, as if welded to his opponent's fingers.
With a slight flick of his wrist, Lin Yan unleashed a stream of seemingly gentle, yet powerful, gray-black true essence that surged upwards along the slender sword, like a venomous snake burrowing into Qian Lu's sword-wielding hand!
Qian Lu immediately felt a cold, eerie force, as if it could freeze his blood and corrode his meridians, surge through his arm. Wherever it passed, his arm ached, numb, and throbbing. His true energy, already sluggish from his hasty escape and chaotic state of mind, suddenly stagnated. He felt a sweet taste in his throat and almost spat out blood. He made a quick decision, let out a strange cry, dropped his sword, and staggered back several steps, trying to create distance.
But how could Lin Yan allow him to escape? With a shift in his steps, his figure followed Qian Lu like a shadow, instantly catching up to him. His right hand, with its five fingers slightly bent into a claw, silently struck Qian Lu's chest acupoint, carrying a wisp of condensed, lingering gray-black energy! This claw, seemingly slow, sealed off all of Qian Lu's escape routes. Before the claw even arrived, a suffocating sense of oppression had already enveloped Qian Lu's entire body.
Qian Lu was terrified. At the critical moment of life and death, he suddenly bit his tongue and spat out a mouthful of blood. At the same time, he took out a handful of lime powder mixed with iron filings that he had prepared beforehand from his pocket and threw it at Lin Yan's face! This was a dirty trick of a street ruffian, but he used it at this moment just to gain a breather.
Lin Yan frowned slightly, seemingly disgusted by the filth. He did not dodge, but simply waved his free left sleeve forward, and a gentle yet powerful true energy burst forth, like an invisible wall of energy, shattering and repelling the filthy lime and iron sand, which instead covered Qian Lu's head and face.
In that fleeting moment of distraction, Lin Yan's right claw print ultimately landed on Qian Lu's left shoulder acupoint, Jianjing, but failed to strike the vital point of the chest.
"puff!"
A muffled thud. Qian Lu was struck as if by a heavy hammer. The bones in his left shoulder made a clear cracking sound. He was thrown backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the rock wall behind him with a "bang." The impact sent pebbles and dust flying down the rock before he slid softly to the ground. His face was ashen, blood gushing from the corner of his mouth. His breath was instantly exhausted, clearly indicating that he had suffered severe internal injuries. His left arm was now completely useless.
Just as the palm touched Qian Lu's shoulder and the true essence entered his body, Lin Yan's Soul-Devouring Body trembled slightly on its own! A weak but relatively pure blood energy, mixed with the mixed true essence that Qian Lu had accumulated over many years of cultivation, which was biased towards the cold attribute, as well as a large number of chaotic fragments of will—the greedy obsession with power and wealth, the fear and despair of losing his backer and status, the deep-seated resentment towards Lin Yan and Su Qingyao, and the lingering shadows of all kinds of conspiracies, schemes, and petty scheming—was forcibly extracted like a stream of filthy mud and flowed into Lin Yan's meridians through the point of contact.
"Hmm?" Lin Yan felt a slight chill.
This "nourishment" from a human cultivator felt completely different from when he had devoured the demonic wolf and even the wolf king's blood and demonic power. While demonic power was violent and wild, it contained vibrant life force and primal power, making it relatively pure. However, Qian Lu's true essence and blood were mixed with too many complex desires and negative emotions inherent to "humans." These impurities, like filthy silt, mixed into Lin Yan's originally pure and refined gray-black Devouring Spirit True Essence. Although they were immediately suppressed, decomposed, and diluted by the more powerful refining ability, the subtle stagnation and faint restlessness he felt at that moment still heightened his vigilance.
So this is the hidden danger of devouring human cultivators. It's not just a matter of energy attributes, but also the "impurities" rooted deep within human nature. A slight misstep could affect one's character. Lin Yan secretly noted this down, deciding to use this method cautiously in the future unless absolutely necessary or if the opponent truly deserves to die.
All of this, from the crippling of Scarface's second-in-command to Qian Lu's severe injury and collapse, took only a dozen or so breaths. The valiant second-in-command clutched his severed arm and howled in agony, while the resourceful strategist Qian Lu lay dying against the cliff face. This scene had a devastating impact on the remaining bandits and servants.
"Second-in-command!" "Master Qian!"
Amidst the gasps of alarm, the bandits' ferocious attack halted, their eyes filled with fear. The three servants of the Chen family were even more pale, their legs trembling.
"Kill!" Li Tie roared, thrusting his shield forward and knocking a stunned bandit off balance. He then swung his broadsword, leaving a trail of blood. Wang Dashan, Zhou Fu, and the others seized the opportunity to counterattack, their swords and shields working in tandem, their spears thrusting forward, forcing the enemy in front of them to retreat in a flash.
Seeing their leader fall in an instant, the bandits who had been flanking them lost all will to fight. They let out a shout and turned to flee into the plank road.
"Lu Ling!" Lin Yan said coldly.
"Understood!" Lu Ling, perched atop the boulder, already had his arrows nocked. Upon hearing the command, a cold glint flashed in his eyes, and the bowstring twanged repeatedly! "Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!" Three white-feathered arrows flew almost in a straight line, precisely catching up with the three bandits running in the front and striking them in the back. The arrows pierced through their bodies, spraying a cloud of blood. The three men collapsed to the ground, twitched a couple of times, and then lay still.
Another archer shot down one of them. The remaining bandits were terrified, wishing they had two more legs, and ran for their lives into the depths of the plank road.
"Chase them! Leave no one alive!" Lin Yan ordered. Li Tie, Wang Dashan, and Zhou Fu each led their squads, pursuing the bandits like tigers released from their cages. The bandits, demoralized and confined by the narrow plank road, pushed and trampled each other. They were no match for the well-coordinated and disciplined Black Stone Iron Guards. In a short time, they were either killed one by one or forced into the deep ravine. The three servants knelt and kowtowed repeatedly, begging for mercy with tears streaming down their faces. Zhao Si and his men rushed forward and bound them tightly with ropes.
The battle quickly subsided. The once desolate and noisy Eagle's Beak Gorge was now only filled with howling winds, roaring waters, and an overwhelming stench of blood in the air. On the gravel beach, more than a dozen corpses lay scattered about, blood slowly seeping into the cracks in the rocks, gathering into dark red streams that flowed down to the bottom of the gorge.
Lin Yan walked up to Qian Lu, who was slumped against the rock wall. Qian Lu's eyes were unfocused, his chest was rising and falling weakly, and blood mixed with foam kept spilling from the corner of his mouth. His left shoulder was sunken, and he was clearly dying. But when he saw Lin Yan approaching, a last trace of resentment and madness gathered in his eyes, and he made strange "hoarse" sounds in his throat, struggling as if he wanted to say something.
Lin Yan bent down and searched his pocket, finding a small package tightly wrapped in oilcloth. Inside were several silver notes of considerable value, some loose gold and silver coins, and... half a letter with charred edges, clearly burned.
The letter paper was of excellent quality, still faintly scented with incense, and the handwriting, though delicate, possessed a touch of strength, clearly indicating it was written by a woman. The content made Lin Yan's gaze suddenly sharpen:
"...The three boxes of blood crystals supplied to Blackstone Town have been delivered, but recently there seems to be some change in the town. Mayor Chen's communication has been interrupted, and his words are often ambiguous...Please make a decision quickly, Master Liu...If things don't go well, cut it off immediately and don't leave any trouble...The sacrificial offering is related to the Lord's great plan, and must not be leaked in the slightest...I am terrified, and I hope Master Liu will understand..."
The signature area was mostly consumed by flames, leaving only a blurry stroke of the character "芸".
Master Liu. Liu Xiong, the head of the Demon Suppression Division of Qingzhou Prefecture.
When Qian Lu saw the tattered letter in Lin Yan's hand, the last glimmer of light in his eyes vanished, replaced by a bizarre expression that mixed with mockery, despair, and smug satisfaction. He struggled, using his last ounce of strength to force out broken words: "You...you think...you've won? Chen Fuhai of Blackstone Town...was long ago...a pawn...Master Liu...was long prepared...for you to take this path...cough cough...This Eagle's Beak Ravine...was prepared...as your graveyard...the road ahead...was long ago..."
Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly coughed violently, gushing out mouthfuls of black blood, which seemed to be mixed with fragments of internal organs. His head lolled to the side, and he breathed his last. Only the lingering malice and a strange "pleasure" in his still wide-open eyes sent a chill down one's spine.
Lin Yan clutched the half-written letter, his knuckles turning slightly white. He slowly stood up and looked towards the other end of the plank road. There lay the only "official road" shortcut leading out of the mountains and into Qingzhou Prefecture.
Su Qingyao had already walked to his side. Glancing at the contents of the letter, her expression changed, and she whispered, "This letter... not only confirms that Liu Xiong is the mastermind, but also points out the 'grand plan' and the 'sacrificial ceremony,' suggesting their intentions are far beyond our imagination. Qian Lu's dying words... could there be a trap ahead?"
Lin Yan did not answer immediately. His gaze was like lightning as he swept into the depths of the plank road again. His spiritual senses, which were at the Tongxuan Realm, expanded to the fullest extent, like an invisible tide, washing over every wooden stake, every rock, and every shadow.
There was no sign of life.
but……
His gaze suddenly stopped at the middle section of the boardwalk, at several seemingly ordinary seams between the wooden planks. There, it seemed a little too "clean," with very little even moss. Upon closer inspection with his spiritual sense, he could vaguely detect extremely weak residual spiritual energy fluctuations of different natures, seemingly concealed by some method, but they could not escape his focused perception at this moment.
It's talismans! And a large number of low-level talismans with explosive properties, cleverly placed in the key load-bearing parts of the plank road and the weak points of the rock walls on both sides! Once detonated simultaneously, they would be enough to completely collapse this plank road, which has been in disrepair for many years, and even trigger a small-scale landslide, burying everything in its path!
What a vicious contingency plan! If Qian Lu hadn't been seriously injured and on the verge of death, his mind hadn't been clouded, and he hadn't been swiftly defeated before he could launch his attack, or if he had deliberately left himself to perish with the enemy... they would probably have met their demise when they were chasing the remaining bandits deep into the plank road!
Lin Yan's back instantly broke out in a cold sweat. He abruptly raised his hand and shouted sharply, "Everyone! Retreat immediately! Get away from the plank road! Quickly!"
The sound was like thunder, exploding in the ears of the Blackrock Iron Guards. Though they didn't understand why, their absolute trust made them carry out the order without hesitation, supporting the wounded, dragging the prisoners, and quickly retreating to a more open area behind the riverbank.
Just as everyone had retreated more than twenty feet and looked back in shock—
"BOOM—!!!!!"
A series of deafening explosions suddenly erupted from the middle section of the Eagle's Beak Ravine plank road! Blazing flames and thick smoke shot into the sky, and countless fragments of rocks and broken wood rained down in all directions! Amidst the earth-shattering explosions, the entire plank road collapsed and broke off in large sections, as if being devoured by a giant beast, starting from the middle. Large swathes of the already weathered rock walls on both sides also peeled off and collapsed! The rumbling continued for more than ten breaths, and the smoke and dust filled the air, obscuring half of the ravine.
As the dust settled, everyone looked on in horror to see that the ancient plank road, which had been barely passable before, had completely vanished from the middle, leaving only a huge, jagged gap. The broken section was charred black, and below lay a misty, bottomless abyss. The rock walls on both sides were also blasted beyond recognition, piled with boulders, making them impossible to climb.
The road ahead... is completely cut off.
The riverbank was deathly silent, save for the heavy breathing of the crowd and the distant, still-sounding crash of falling pebbles.
Su Qingyao's face paled slightly as she gazed at the ruins, still shaken: "It really was a plot to wipe out the family line... If Brother Lin hadn't noticed in time..."
Li Tie, Wang Dashan, and the others were filled with lingering fear. Had they pursued further, they would likely be buried under the rubble by now. Their gazes towards Lin Yan held a mixture of awe and unwavering faith.
Lin Yan's expression was solemn. Qian Lu's last words had been confirmed. Liu Xiong not only knew that they might be heading to Qingzhou Prefecture, but he had even predicted the route they might take and had set up a double ambush there in advance—first, Qian Lu would lead his men to intercept and kill them, and if that failed, he would detonate a large number of pre-buried explosive talismans to completely destroy the road, trapping them to death or forcing them onto a more dangerous path.
"My lord, the road ahead is blocked, what... what should we do?" Zhou Fu rushed forward a few steps, his voice filled with barely concealed anxiety. Beads of sweat mixed with dust on his forehead glistened in the afternoon sun.
Lin Yan didn't answer immediately. His gaze swept over the ruins of the ravaged plank road, then slowly moved to the other side of Eagle's Beak Ravine—where the mountains were even more precipitous, the forests lush and dark, appearing unfathomable behind the rising steam and lingering dust. He seemed to be weighing something, or perhaps waiting for something.
Just then, Lu Ling, who had been keeping watch and observing the surrounding terrain, suddenly put away his bow and strode over. His face was dark, and his eyes, honed by years of hunting in the mountains, were exceptionally sharp. At that moment, his eyes gleamed with a light that only came from familiarity with the terrain.
"Lord Lin," Lu Ling clasped his hands in greeting, his voice steady and carrying the deep understanding of the mountains and fields unique to hunters, "the destruction of the official road does not necessarily mean it is a dead end."
He pointed to the misty, green mountain ridge to the northeast: "Cross over that ridge and head towards the shady side. There's a wild path known only to the older generation of hunters and herb gatherers. It was carved out of the rocks and dense forest by the mountain people in the early days to avoid the rapids and treacherous shoals of Eagle's Beak Gorge. It's extremely narrow and dangerous, completely unknown to outsiders, and not even marked on maps. Follow that path, and you'll reach the calmer area downstream of the gorge. Then turn southeast, and you'll be able to get out of the mountains."
Lu Ling paused, a serious look crossing her face, and lowered her voice: "But... the latter half of that path goes through an old forest. We mountain people call that place 'Mist-Hidden Forest'."
"Hidden Mist Forest?" Upon hearing this, Su Qingyao immediately looked up at Lu Ling, her delicate brows furrowing slightly.
Lu Ling nodded, her expression filled with a natural reverence for that land: "That forest is incredibly eerie. It's shrouded in mist all year round, so thick you can't see a face more than ten steps away. The old trees are intertwined with gnarled roots, the vines are tangled like a net, and the ground is covered with a thick layer of decaying leaves and mud, making it impossible to tell which way is which. My grandfather's generation said that the forest is very ancient, it's been there since the time of Canglang Mountain. Of the hunters who have entered that forest, only three or five out of ten would come out unscathed. Many would simply disappear without a trace, and when they were found again... they were mostly just skeletons. They say the mist can bewitch the mind, there are ghost walls in the forest, and there are even rumors that something unclean is hiding deep inside, or some kind of ancient bewitching array..."
His words, though simple, carried a chilling, almost eerie quality, reminiscent of a mountain legend. The Black Stone Guards around him couldn't help but tense up upon hearing them.
Su Qingyao took a light breath and continued, "The 'Hidden Mist Forest' that Lu Ling mentioned should be the 'Hidden Mist Ancient Forest' mentioned in my father's notes. My father once speculated that it might be one of the ancient nodes in the Canglang Mountains where spiritual energy is stagnant and the earth's veins are intertwined. Due to the abnormal flow of spiritual energy, coupled with its antiquity and lush vegetation, it forms a dense fog that never dissipates and a natural maze. There are also scattered records that suggest there might be traces of ancient formations left there. Those who do not understand the secrets or possess special tokens are indeed very likely to get lost, confused, or even encounter misfortune."
With explosive talismans blocking the way ahead and pursuers looming behind, the only possible path to survival now points to this ancient forest, which is even more unpredictable and fraught with danger.
Lin Yan's gaze slowly swept over the crowd. The twenty Black Stone Iron Guards, having endured bloody battles and witnessed the collapse of their path, still wore expressions of fear, yet also a fierce determination and resolve that had gradually risen from being forced into a desperate situation. They looked at him, awaiting his final decision.
The silence did not last long.
"Clean up the battlefield and rest here for an hour." Lin Yan's voice was calm and clear, drowning out the roar of the stream. "Re-bandage the wounded and feed them. Zhou Fu, take two men and interrogate the survivors. Make sure to find out the whole story of the Black Wind Stronghold's collusion with Qian Lu, and whether they knew about any other ambushes." He paused, then turned his gaze to Lu Ling. "Lu Ling, in this hour, carefully recall as much as possible the features of the entrance to the path leading to the Misty Forest, the possible forks in the road along the way, and any useful clues you've heard about passing through that forest. Tell Miss Su everything, and she will write it down."
"Yes!" Lu Ling and Zhou Fu solemnly responded.
Lin Yan gazed one last time at the northeastern mountain range shrouded in a light gray-white mist, which remained hazy even in the afternoon sunlight, his eyes deep and unfathomable like an ancient well.
"An hour later, we will change course to the northeast and take the hunter's trail that Lu Ling knows to explore the Misty Ancient Forest." His voice was not loud, but it carried a decisiveness that cut off our retreat. "Liu Xiong wanted to cut off our path and eliminate our chance of survival, but he may not have expected that there are wild trails in these mountains that are not recorded on the official roads, and he certainly did not expect that... we would dare to venture into this notoriously dangerous place."