Swish, swish, swish

The group stepped on the fallen leaves, creating a rustling noise.

Ah!

A refugee, weakened by prolonged hunger, stumbled and fell.

The road to Lion Valley was difficult to travel. Besides being wary of poisonous miasma, venomous insects, and wild beasts, even the journey itself was not easy.

The path was rugged and narrow, and some parts were muddy. A slight misstep could lead to a hard fall.

This area was unsuitable for large-scale military battles, serving as a natural protective barrier for the bandits.

"Lend a hand, everyone will be part of the Nine Nether Sect from now on. We must help each other!" the leading man said.

"Yes!"

A burly man walked over and effortlessly picked up the frail man who had fallen, like lifting a chick.

The journey was quite long. The bandits could have made it in about half an hour on their own, but the refugees were slowing them down.

They walked nearly two hours before reaching the entrance of Lion Valley and encountered several companions who had brought refugees from elsewhere along the way.

There were guards posted at the entrance.

The bandits, mostly familiar with one another, exchanged greetings and then entered the valley.

Lin Zheyu stopped at the entrance of Lion Valley.

"There's actually a guard!"

Lin Zheyu paused and discreetly searched, noticing several sentinels.

There were four sentinels in total, hidden in different spots, covering the road into the valley.

He pondered for a moment and took out a packet of powder from his pouch.

This was Night Orchid, which he had acquired from two Zhao Family members back then. It's an upgraded version of Purple Begonia, with a stronger effect and harder to detect.

Previously, he had used Night Orchid in the traps laid in the courtyard. Inhaling a small amount would quickly render an ordinary person unconscious.

When inhaled in small doses, practitioners at the Qi Blood Realm could use their qi and blood to alleviate the symptoms and resist unconsciousness, though it would affect their combat state.

The ingredients for concocting Night Orchid were extremely rare and unavailable in the market.

According to Mr. Chen, the Night Orchid powder he obtained from the Zhao Family members could sell for at least a hundred taels of silver if put up for sale.

This illustrated the high cost and rarity of Night Orchid.

"Let's use Purple Begonia. Night Orchid can't be found on the market, using a bit means having less left."

"Amidst the poisonous miasma in the mountains and forests, though Purple Begonia has a slight scent and weaker effect, it won't be easily noticed here."

Lin Zheyu thought it over, put away the Night Orchid, and took out the Purple Begonia.

Night Orchid was extremely precious, even effective against Qi Blood Realm experts, making it a rare and valuable poison not to be wasted here.

Swish, swish, swish~~

The gentle breeze rustled the leaves creating a swishing sound.

Identifying the wind's direction, Lin Zheyu moved to the upwind spot.

Holding his breath, he grabbed a handful of Purple Begonia powder and released it into the wind.

Lin Zheyu didn't use too much powder. If he knocked people unconscious directly, it would be obvious that someone had infiltrated secretly.

He intended to sneak in unnoticed to find out what was happening inside.

Lin Zheyu was particularly interested in the Blood Elixir mentioned by the bandits.

If it could elevate a Martial Artist at the Peak of the Refining Internal Realm directly to the Qi Blood Realm level, the medicinal power must be extremely potent.

If he could seize some, it would last him a while.

...

In the woods, the man on sentry duty shook his head feeling slightly dizzy.

"Hmm, is the miasma in the forest stronger today? My head feels a bit dizzy. Did any of you bring extra Antitoxic Elixirs? Give me one."

He called out to a nearby companion.

"I'm feeling dizzy too. Leng Hua, didn't you keep Antitoxic Elixirs with you? Give us one," another person said, their voice slightly feeble.

"Phew..."

"Come a bit closer. I'm feeling dizzy and weak too."

"Damn, everything about Lion Valley is fine except for the annoying poisonous mist." Leng Hua took out a small bottle from his pocket, poured out a black pill, and swallowed it.

While they were talking, Lin Zheyu seized the opportunity, lightly tapping the tip of his foot, and dashed into the valley.

Along the way, he encountered several more sentinels and used the same tactic to get inside.

The valley was expansive, lush with towering trees all around.

As soon as he arrived, he heard the sound of axes chopping wood, a series of thuds.

Following the sound, Lin Zheyu saw many men cutting down trees together.

They seemed lean and dark-skinned, likely refugees.

Lin Zheyu stealthily followed the men to the construction site where they were building wooden houses.

He wandered around and discovered numerous refugees.

"So many refugees, probably four or five thousand!"

Lin Zheyu lamented that there were too many refugees gathered here.

The daily necessities for so many people must cost a considerable amount.

"Everyone, stop your work and gather at the square. The Priest is about to start the sermon, and those attending will receive a bowl of meat soup!"

A robust man approached and spoke to the working refugees.

Under the bandits' organization, the refugees had clearly defined roles, with some building houses, others picking wild fruits or planting crops, and some going out hunting, while the bandits engaged in robbery.

"The Priest?"

"The Nine Nether Sect?"

Lin Zheyu was filled with curiosity.

From the conversations among the refugees, he gathered a lot of information.

He had a vague memory of the Nine Nether Sect from reading about it in some historical records during his studies.

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