Midway on the journey.

Jiang Shi was seated atop a steed, with an Entering Strength Pill in his mouth. His gaze continued to scan the panel in front of him, pondering as he observed.

Since he could not obtain any ordinary Horizontal Training Secret Manual, he had to focus all his energy on the Elephant Flame Fury Technique and Red Sun Dominating Body Technique.

Fortunately, the exchange for medicinal herbs on this trip had gone smoothly, without any trouble.

Once he returned, he could attempt to train the Red Sun Dominating Body Technique to the Third Realm and simultaneously condense the second and third heads of Flame Elephant Qi Blood within his body.

This way, his power could still increase by another measure.

However, whether he could approach the 300,000-jin mark remained uncertain.

"Blood Exchange... Could it really be like an insurmountable gap, separating humans from immortals..."

Jiang Shi couldn't help but mutter to himself.

He had calculated it meticulously; without relying on any cultivation technique or any medicine, purely based on his Dragon Elephant Talent, he would have to wait at least four more years to reach a power of 300,000 jin.

However, the world was about to fall into chaos.

Waiting four more years would mean bearing four more years of risk.

Perhaps one day he would suddenly encounter a formidable enemy and be captured...

Clatter, clatter...

As Jiang Shi was pondering, abrupt hoofbeats came from ahead. A minor bandit on horseback was swiftly approaching.

Upon seeing Jiang Shi and his group, his eyes lit up, and he shouted loudly while speeding up. He then quickly dismounted and kneeled on the ground.

"Eldest Master, the stronghold is in trouble. It has been infiltrated by a group of strangers who claim to have important matters to negotiate with you. The Second Master and Third Master prepared to take action but were subdued in just one move. Now, all our brothers in the stronghold have been detained, and no one has come out yet."

The mountain bandit shouted in panic.

"What?"

Gongsun Yi's face changed slightly and he was the first to speak, "Who are these people?"

"I don't know. I've never seen them before. They don't seem like ordinary Jianghu folk."

The mountain bandit responded quickly.

Gongsun Yi was furious and quickly cast his gaze over to Jiang Shi.

Jiang Shi appeared expressionless, as usual, showing no signs of disturbance as he stroked his chin, lost in thought.

Could what he feared have truly happened?

In their search for the treasure of the Great Dragon Dynasty, someone had begun to take an interest in Black Cloud Mountain.

"Eldest Master, should we return quickly to see what's happening?"

Gongsun Yi asked cautiously.

He had painstakingly managed Black Cloud Stronghold for seven to eight years and poured his heart into it, unlike Jiang Shi who had only arrived recently.

Jiang Shi glanced back at the several carts of medicinal herbs behind him and finally nodded slowly.

"Very well, let's hurry back."

With four full carts of medicinal herbs, apart from returning temporarily to the stronghold, there was truly no way for him to handle them.

He couldn't just leave with the herbs, could he?

"Advance at full speed, return to the stronghold!"

Gongsun Yi shouted.

The group quickly accelerated, their horses galloping forth.

An hour later.

Jiang Shi and the others finally reached the vicinity of Black Cloud Stronghold.

The large Black Cloud Stronghold seemed indeed much quieter. Normally, there would be many bandits patrolling the gate, but at this moment, not a soul was in sight.

On the ground, faint traces of blood could be seen, indicating that a fight had occurred not long ago.

As they crossed the entrance of Black Cloud Stronghold, it seemed even more deserted inside.

Gongsun Yi immediately ordered to set the herbs aside and then led Jiang Shi and the remaining mountain bandits toward the Juyi Hall in the front.

Outside the hall, they found it no longer guarded by their men.

Instead, two strangers stood there, with long sabers at their waists, tall and solid figures unmoving, their breathing steady, clearly experts in inner strength.

"Stop, who goes there?"

One of the strangers shouted harshly, gripping the hilt of his saber.

"You dare to ask who we are after taking our place? Such audacity!"

Gongsun Yi spoke with a cold tone.

Both strangers' expressions changed.

The lord of Black Cloud Stronghold, Gongsun Yi?

"Hahaha..."

Suddenly, hearty laughter boomed from inside the Juyi Hall, ear-piercing, and the voice said, "Gongsun Village Chief has finally returned. I've been waiting a while, excuse me for coming uninvited!"

Gongsun Yi's face darkened as he immediately looked over.

It was a middle-aged man in his forties, dressed in a dark blue robe, tall and robust, about one meter eighty or more, with a broad smile, striding out of the Juyi Hall.

The burly middle-aged man laughed, saying, "Gongsun Village Chief, if there's anything to discuss, why not come inside?"

"Such insolence, occupying my territory and daring to act as the master of the house, you must be underestimating us!"

Gongsun Yi's voice was icy, his hand clenched, veins bulging, surging with energy, ready to strike.

"Gongsun Village Chief, wait!"

The middle-aged man's face changed slightly, and he spoke, "No one in your stronghold has been killed. To prevent any leaks, we only temporarily inconvenienced them."

"Easy for you to say, temporarily inconvenienced. Then today, I shall inconvenience you temporarily as well!"

Gongsun Yi's tone was cold.

With a whoosh, his body almost instantly appeared before the burly middle-aged man, delivering a fierce palm strike to his chest.

The middle-aged man quickly gathered his entire power, his palm turning black, neither dodging nor retreating, and struck back with a palm.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.