System: I Can Open Martial Arts Chests

Chapter 296 - 179: Mushroom? (2)

This was a huge relief.

Interacting with the ’Night Emperor’ felt like facing King Yama directly.

It was extremely dangerous, always giving a sense that this person could take one’s life at any moment over a disagreement.

In contrast, although the Third Young Master always wanted to sell him out, he wasn’t as cold-hearted.

"What are you so proud of? Just because you’re good at martial arts?"

Tie Chuming bit her lip:

"Someday, when I’ve mastered martial arts, I’ll beat you all until you’re searching for your teeth everywhere, making you bow to me!"

After saying this, she struck the window with great momentum to boost her spirits.

...

...

The next morning, everyone gathered in the inn’s main hall.

They noticed that Tie Chuming seemed exceptionally bright, but when asked why she maintained a mysterious silence.

Chu Qing looked at her look and was speechless, thinking anyone unaware might suspect she was hiding a huge secret.

"We are not far from Ghost God Gorge, Beitang Zun. I advise you to speak out now; once you fall into the Grand Hall Master’s hands, it won’t benefit you."

Cheng Tieshan asked this routinely.

Throughout this journey, he had been trying to learn something from Beitang Zun.

After all, this person could bypass the Iron Blood Hall’s territory and set traps silently along his path.

If someone inside the Iron Blood Hall wasn’t collaborating with him, it’d be surprising.

But Beitang Zun kept silent, refusing to utter a word.

Although he wanted to interrogate him with severe torture, Chu Qing stopped him.

So every day, he would ask once, pondering that maybe one day Beitang Zun would get annoyed and tell him.

Unfortunately, as they were approaching Ghost God Gorge, Beitang Zun remained unperturbed, showing no sign of discomfort and continued to eat in peace.

Cheng Tieshan, who was a hot-tempered person, was further agitated seeing this.

Thinking of making trouble, he glanced at Chu Qing sitting there, and suppressed his anger:

"I mean...you’ve caught this old man, so why not torture him for information?

"Letting him wander in front of me daily, without letting me punch him once."

"What would punching him once solve?"

"Leaving him here unsolved still doesn’t fix anything."

Cheng Tieshan spread his hands, showing complete incomprehension.

Chu Qing smiled:

"You’ll know when the time comes."

Beitang Zun suddenly raised his head to look at Chu Qing:

"What do you want to do?"

Beitang Zun didn’t care about a straightforward person like Cheng Tieshan.

But Chu Qing, who was quiet and clearly had ulterior motives, not knowing his intentions was what truly made people wary.

Chu Qing laughed again, but his answer to Beitang Zun was the same as to Cheng Tieshan:

"You’ll know when the time comes."

"..."

This time, Beitang Zun and Cheng Tieshan both felt frustrated.

Beitang Zun couldn’t remain calm, but Cheng Tieshan was pleased.

Cao Qiupu and Miss Ling Fei exchanged glances, finding the situation quite interesting.

Since they started traveling with Chu Qing, the pursuit from Mirror of Sin seemed to have ceased...

During this time, there hadn’t been a single encounter.

This worried Cao Qiupu somewhat:

"Third Brother, shouldn’t we go our separate ways?"

This wasn’t the first time he suggested it.

He truly didn’t want his issues to implicate others.

The last time, it cost Chen Zhengnan an acupuncture copper figure, and exhausted Chu Qing who carried him on his back for over a hundred miles to seek rescue from the Yin Yang Hermit, leaving him with a heavy heart.

So, despite knowing Chu Qing’s martial arts were formidable, he still worried about implicating him due to the Mirror of Sin.

If that happened, he would find it hard to atone with a hundred deaths.

Yet, Chu Qing was unconcerned:

"We’ve built a friendship; how can I stand by seeing you in trouble?"

"Though I can’t protect you for a lifetime, I can accompany you on this stretch of the journey."

"Besides, we’re already here; saying this now would be too indecisive."

Since that conversation with Miss Ling Fei in the Yin Yang House, Chu Qing developed different thoughts about these two people.

Mirror of Sin acted ruthlessly and had vast influence.

Though he wasn’t afraid, he was inevitably alone.

If Cao Qiupu and Miss Ling Fei could become visible targets, drawing the Mirror of Sin’s attention...

He could act in secret, which would make things smoother, wouldn’t it?

Moreover, if handled well, the benefits could extend far beyond.

So at this juncture, these two could not come to harm; they must be delivered safely into Tie Lingyun’s hands.

Cao Qiupu had no idea what Chu Qing was planning, feeling nothing but deep gratitude.

Once breakfast was finished, they continued their journey.

Cheng Tieshan’s injuries stabilized thanks to the youth’s medicine; though not fully healed, he now moved freely.

The closer they got to Ghost God Gorge, the more familiar Cheng Tieshan became with the path.

Suddenly, Cheng Tieshan pointed at a wooded area ahead:

"Once we pass through this dense forest, we can overlook Ghost God Gorge from a high point."

Chu Qing was about to nod when Gentle suddenly grabbed his wrist:

"A familiar scent..."

"Can you recall whose it is?"

"That man in black."

Gentle spoke softly:

"The one we saw at Seven Plum Manor, his scent has a medicinal bitterness."

Chu Qing nodded slightly, glancing at everyone present:

"Be careful, everyone; there’s likely something strange in this forest."

At that time, Mirror of Sin impersonated the Xu Family of the Golden Hook to assassinate Cao Qiupu and Miss Ling Fei.

Their swift intel made one suspect the man in black’s identity.

If he truly was Deceitful Poison, then he likely used some method in this forest!

Everyone was stunned upon hearing this; although they didn’t know how Chu Qing assessed there was an issue with the forest, they knew he wouldn’t speak without reason.

Miss Ling Fei, however, thoughtfully glanced at Gentle.

She paid attention to this young girl who silently followed Chu Qing.

Although Gentle dressed as a boy, she couldn’t fool Ling Fei.

She had been secretly speculating about her identity, and Chu Qing’s sudden warning gave her some judgment.

As for someone like Cheng Tieshan, simple-minded as he was, he lacked such keen observations.

Scratching his head, he said:

"Is there really something strange? I don’t see it."

Chu Qing inquired:

"Is this path through the forest the only way? Are there no other routes?"

Knowing there was something suspicious, it would be best not to take it.

Avoidance would be the better strategy.

Cheng Tieshan shook his head:

"The terrain here is complex, with cliffs all around. To bypass it from either side would take several more days’ journey."

Given the unknown situation at Ghost God Gorge, and having accepted Tie Chuming’s ’Unsigned on the Board’ commission, who knows when Mirror of Sin will strike?

Under such circumstances, it was better to proceed as soon as possible.

Thinking of this, he retrieved a small bottle from his pocket.

This was taken from the Yin Yang Hermit before leaving the Yin Yang Forest.

An Antitoxic Pill personally prepared by the Hermit.

While not a cure-all, it was more than adequate against common poisons.

He distributed the elixir to everyone, one pill each:

"Keep it under your tongue, swallow immediately if anything’s amiss."

"Alright."

Everyone nodded.

After making preparations, only then did Chu Qing enter the forest first.

The world inside and outside the forest seemed as two different realms.

Outside, there was wind, snow, and traces of living creatures on the ground.

However, inside the forest, it felt like a silent world.

The wind stopped, animal traces vanished, leaving only jagged trees with lost leaves and pristine white snow.

The air even brewed an unusual scent... Chu Qing decisively instructed everyone to swallow the elixir.

At that moment, Chu Qing suddenly felt an intense gaze upon him.

Following the gaze...

In the next moment, Chu Qing almost couldn’t believe his eyes.

Even after roaming the Martial World for years, witnessing countless bizarre events...

He never dreamt that one day, he would see a colorful mushroom, hiding behind a tree, peeking at him in the snow-laden forest!?