From a loser to an immortal sage

Chapter 157 The First Glimmer of Hope for Immortal Medicine

Wen Chen's fingers were icy cold, yet they carried a reassuring strength. I swallowed hard; my throat was parched, like it was on fire. "I...I'm fine..."

"You said you were fine, but you've been unconscious for two days." Wen Chen's voice carried a hint of reproach, but it was more like doting affection. He helped me sit up and handed me a fragrant pill. "This is a Mind-Concentrating Pill; it can quickly restore spiritual energy."

I took the pill and swallowed it without hesitation. The pill melted instantly in my mouth, and a warm current flowed through my entire body. My previously depleted dantian gradually regained some warmth. I took a deep breath, feeling much better, and struggled to get out of bed.

"Don't move," Wen Chen pressed down on my shoulder, "Your injury hasn't healed yet."

I shook my head and pointed to the entrance to the Immortal Medicine Valley that was faintly visible outside the window: "I have to go. The Immortal Medicine Valley only opens once every ten years. If I miss this time, I'll have to wait another ten years."

A hint of worry flashed across Wen Chen's brow. He knew how much effort I had put in to find the elixir that could completely cure my congenital deficiency. "But your body..."

“I’m fine, really.” I interrupted him, my eyes resolute. I had been preparing for this opportunity for far too long.

I forced myself out of bed and stretched my limbs. Although they were still a little sore, I could move freely. "Let's go." I looked at Wen Chen, and he finally nodded, accompanying me towards the Valley of Immortal Medicine.

As soon as I stepped into the Valley of Immortal Herbs, a rich spiritual energy enveloped me, instantly invigorating me. The valley was shrouded in mist, with exotic flowers and rare herbs blooming everywhere, resembling a fairyland. I took a deep breath, suppressing my excitement.

"Xiao Yao! You really came too!" A rough voice broke the silence of the valley. I turned around and saw Lei Hu, with Zi Ling by his side.

Lei Hu looked at me with a mocking expression: "In your current state, you think you can steal the elixir? You're just daydreaming!"

Zi Ling covered her mouth and chuckled: "Brother Lei is right. Sister Xiao Yao should go back and recover from her injuries, lest she lose her life in vain."

I glanced at them coldly, ignored them, and continued deeper into the valley. I knew they were deliberately provoking me and trying to exhaust my strength. My spiritual energy was nearly depleted, making each dodge of the monsters' attacks increasingly difficult, while they lurked like two hungry wolves, ready to pounce and take a share of the spoils.

The terrain of Immortal Medicine Valley is complex, filled with miasma and traps. I proceeded cautiously, constantly on guard for any movement around me. Lei Hu and Zi Ling worked together to create chaos and distract me. They threw out poison smoke balls one moment and released poisonous insects the next, keeping me constantly on my toes.

"Ling'er, where are you?" I murmured to myself, hoping the spirits of Immortal Medicine Valley could guide me. Legend has it that only by gaining Ling'er's approval can one find the true immortal medicine.

Just when I was about to despair, a clear voice rang in my ears: "Xiao Yao, I'm here."

I looked in the direction of the sound and saw a girl dressed in green emerge from behind a huge ancient tree. She had a pair of crystal-clear wings, like a beautiful butterfly.

"Ling'er!" I exclaimed in surprise.

Ling'er smiled slightly at me and pointed to a valley shrouded in mist ahead: "The elixir is there, but..." She paused, her expression becoming serious, "It's very dangerous there, you must be careful."

I nodded and was about to set off when I suddenly felt the air around me become unusually oppressive. A powerful pressure emanated from the mist, making it almost impossible for me to breathe.

“Someone’s coming…” Ling’er’s expression changed, and she said in a low voice.

A chilling voice echoed from the mist: "Heh, it seems the clues to the elixir have been exposed..."

My heart sank, and I gripped my sword tightly. That voice... I knew it all too well... it was Elder Xuanfeng!

Elder Xuanfeng's figure slowly emerged from the mist, a sinister smile on his face, his eyes fixed on me greedily. "Xiao Yao, I didn't expect you to make it this far. It seems you've had good luck. However, your good fortune ends here."

As soon as he finished speaking, the surrounding poisonous fog instantly intensified. I felt short of breath, as if a huge rock was pressing on my chest, and my vision began to blur. Damn it, this poisonous fog is more potent than any I've encountered before! I quickly held my breath and circulated my meager spiritual energy to resist the toxins, but with little effect.

"Ling'er!" I tried to call out to Ling'er for help, but found that she was trapped by Elder Xuanfeng's magic and could not move. She looked at me anxiously, her eyes filled with worry.

"Don't count on that little sprite," Elder Xuanfeng said with a sinister smile. "She's barely able to protect herself right now."

I gritted my teeth, enduring the discomfort in my body, gripped my sword tightly, and assumed a defensive stance. Even if my spiritual energy was almost exhausted, I would never surrender!

"Overestimating yourself!" Elder Xuanfeng sneered, and a black whip suddenly appeared in his hand, lashing out fiercely at me. I barely dodged the attack, but the force of the whip still made me stagger a few steps and almost fall.

"Cough, cough..." I couldn't help coughing. The poisonous mist was eroding my lungs, leaving me feeling weak all over. This can't go on. I must find an antidote as soon as possible, or... find a miraculous elixir!

I braced myself, dodging Elder Xuanfeng's attacks while carefully observing my surroundings. The Immortal Medicine Valley had a complex terrain, filled with exotic flowers and rare herbs; perhaps among them lay hidden spiritual medicines capable of neutralizing poison.

"Give up, Xiao Yao," Elder Xuanfeng's voice rang in my ears like a ghost, "You have no chance of finding the elixir. Hand over everything you have obediently, and I might consider giving you a quick death."

I sneered, ignoring his words. Even if I die, I will fight with all my might! As I dodged his attacks, I silently recited the clues about the elixir that Ling'er had told me earlier.

"Immortal herbs grow in places with the most abundant spiritual energy, and are usually accompanied by special phenomena..." I tried hard to recall Ling'er's words, my eyes constantly scanning the surrounding plants.

Suddenly, my gaze fell upon an inconspicuous corner. There grew a small, vibrant green grass, its surroundings radiating a faint golden light, standing out starkly from its environment.

A thought suddenly struck me: could this little plant be...?

Just then, Elder Xuanfeng's attack came again. I quickly dodged, but accidentally stepped on a loose stone, lost my balance, and fell towards the small grass.

"Ah!" I exclaimed, closed my eyes, and awaited the pain of intimate contact with the ground.

However, the expected pain did not come. I felt myself fall into a soft embrace, and a faint fragrance wafted into my nostrils, invigorating me.

I opened my eyes and saw a familiar face.

"Wen Chen!" I exclaimed in surprise.

He smiled gently, helped me to my feet, and then his gaze fell on the small blade of grass behind me.

"It seems we've found it." There was a hint of barely perceptible excitement in his voice.

Following his gaze, I noticed a faint golden halo surrounding the small plant, and within that halo, I could vaguely make out a shape resembling a medicine bottle…

"This...this is..." I stared wide-eyed at the scene before me in disbelief.

“That’s right,” Wen Chen’s voice was deep and firm, “This is the…trace of the immortal medicine.” He suddenly looked up, his gaze sharp, staring in a certain direction, “Someone is coming!”

As soon as Wen Chen finished speaking, a powerful demonic aura swept over us. A massive demonic beast, resembling a giant python and covered in hard scales, burst out from the depths of the dense forest, its scarlet eyes fixed on us, letting out a deafening roar.

"Oh no, it's a fourth-tier demonic beast, an armored python!" My heart sank. This armored python has extremely strong defense, and my attacks are almost ineffective against it.

Wen Chen shielded me behind him, the long sword in his hand gleaming with a chilling light. "You go first, I'll hold it off."

"No!" I grabbed his arm. "We'll go together!"

“Listen to me!” His tone left no room for argument. “You’ll only be a burden if you stay.”

I knew he was right; with my current strength, I was no match for a fourth-tier demonic beast. I gritted my teeth, turned, and ran.

However, the armored python was incredibly fast; its massive body struck me like a bolt of lightning. I tried desperately to dodge, but I was still struck by its enormous tail, and I was sent flying like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the ground.

"Pfft—" A mouthful of blood gushed out, and I felt as if my internal organs had shifted, and I was in excruciating pain all over my body.

I struggled to get up, but found myself unable to move. The armored python approached step by step, opening its blood-red maw, and a stench assaulted my nostrils.

Am I going to die here?

Just at that critical moment, I caught a glimpse of a familiar green out of the corner of my eye. It was a small grass growing in a crack in the rock, its entire body emerald green, emitting a faint golden light.

This... isn't this the herb we saw at the entrance of Immortal Medicine Valley before?

A thought suddenly struck me, and a bold guess popped into my mind. Could it be... that the elixir of immortality is nearby?

This thought instantly filled me with strength. I endured the excruciating pain, channeled the last of my spiritual energy, and abruptly stood up.

The armored python seemed to be enraged by my actions, letting out a deafening roar and lunging at me again.

I took a deep breath, my eyes fixed on the armored python, my mind racing as I calculated its attack trajectory.

Just as the armored python was about to touch me, I leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding its attack.

Then, I circled behind the armored python with astonishing speed, poured all the remaining spiritual power in my body into the sword in my hand, and fiercely stabbed it at its weak point—the seven-inch spot!

"Roar—" The armored python let out a shrill scream, its massive body trembling violently before crashing to the ground.

I staggered back a few steps, grabbed a tree trunk beside me, and gasped for breath.

The surrounding chaos subsided somewhat.

I looked at the little grass again and noticed that the golden halo around it was even more pronounced. Within the halo, I could vaguely make out a shape that resembled a medicine bottle...

"The elixir... is right here..." I murmured to myself, my eyes gleaming with excitement.

Suddenly, a cold voice came from behind me, "It seems you've found it."

I turned around abruptly and saw Elder Xuanfeng walking slowly towards me with a sinister smile... "You... how did you get here?"

I forced myself to stay upright, my body nearly falling apart, and watched Elder Xuanfeng warily. His sinister gaze darted back and forth between me and the small blade of grass, his greed undisguised. "Looks like you're in luck, Xiao Yao." His tone was laced with sarcasm, yet he couldn't hide his inner excitement.

"Luck?" I sneered. "I almost died here, and you call that luck?"

Elder Xuanfeng shrugged dismissively. “The victor is king, the loser is villain. The cultivation world is inherently cruel. It’s a dog-eat-dog world, survival of the fittest. If you die, you can only blame yourself for not being skilled enough.” He paused, his gaze greedily fixed on the golden herb. “However, since you’ve discovered a clue to the elixir, you can say you died a worthy death.”

He closed in step by step, the immense spiritual pressure making it almost impossible for me to breathe. I gripped my sword tightly, mustered my strength, and prepared to fight to the death. Even if I couldn't win, I would make him pay!

Just then, a clear voice rang out: "Stop!"

I turned my head and saw a girl dressed in emerald green, flying out of the forest like an elf, landing between Elder Xuanfeng and me. The girl had exquisite features and a spiritual aura between her brows; she was none other than Ling'er, the elf of Immortal Medicine Valley.

"Miss Ling'er?" A glimmer of hope ignited in my heart.

Ling'er glared coldly at Elder Xuanfeng, "Elder Xuanfeng, have you forgotten the rules of Immortal Medicine Valley? No one is allowed to fight privately in the valley. Anyone who violates this rule will be expelled from Immortal Medicine Valley!"

Elder Xuanfeng's expression changed, a hint of apprehension flashing in his eyes. Although he was powerful, he dared not openly defy the rules of the Immortal Medicine Valley. He gave me a gloomy look and snorted coldly, "Consider yourself lucky today, but you won't be so lucky next time!" With that, he turned and left, his figure quickly disappearing into the dense forest.

Ling'er turned around and looked at me with concern, "Miss Xiao Yao, are you alright?"

I shook my head and looked at her gratefully, "Thank you, Miss Ling'er."

"No need to thank me," Ling'er smiled slightly. "I was just following orders. But you should be careful, Elder Xuanfeng won't give up easily."

I nodded, understanding in my heart. The appearance of the elixir would inevitably cause a bloodbath. And I, now, had become the target of everyone's wrath.

I looked at the herb again; the golden halo was even more intense, and the shape of the medicine bottle was clearer. I took a deep breath, cautiously approached, and reached out to pluck it.

Suddenly, a gust of wind howled, and a tall figure descended from the sky, blocking my path. It was Lei Hu, his eyes gleaming with greed as he stared intently at the immortal herb in my hand. "Little girl, this immortal herb is mine!"

My heart sank. It seemed a fierce battle was inevitable... I gripped my sword tightly, my gaze icy as I met Lei Hu's fierce eyes. "If you want it, let's see if you have the ability!"

I sensed several more presences approaching rapidly from behind me...