The memories of all humanity are awakening, except for mine.

"Jiang Chuan has already left Heyang City and is currently on his way to Dushan," Qing'er said softly. "In addition... Lord Mu Suifeng has already set off for Handan with ten attendants to report back."

Yu Youwei narrowed her eyes slightly: "Mu Suifeng... is he going to his death?"

"I suspect that Lord Mu has a backup plan for this trip," Qing'er said. "However, the specific arrangements are not yet clear."

Yu Youwei pondered for a moment: "Send someone to secretly monitor Mu Suifeng's movements. Also... have Huang Laoxie and Uncle Long prepare to infiltrate the city lord's mansion and assassinate the prince and princess after Mu Suifeng leaves Heyang City."

Qing'er was slightly taken aback: "This..."

“This is my order.” Yu Youwei’s voice turned icy. “Remember… don’t leave any trace.”

Qing'er lowered her head and replied, "Yes."

Inside the city lord's mansion in Heyang, Mu Suifeng was preparing to depart for Handan. There was no hesitation on his face, as if he had already disregarded life and death.

"My lord..." Lu Qian walked to his side, "Are you really going to Handan to report back in person?"

Mu Suifeng sneered: "Does He Zongtang think he can get rid of me in the name of the imperial edict? Dream on!"

“But…” Lu Qian said worriedly, “What about Handan…”

“I’ve made all the arrangements.” Mu Suifeng patted Lu Qian on the shoulder. “You will stay in Heyang City to assist the Crown Prince in governing the city. Remember… no matter what happens, you must protect the Crown Prince’s safety.”

Lu Qian nodded: "Yes."

Mu Suifeng turned to look out the window: "He Zongtang... just you wait! I will make you pay for what you've done!"

Upon entering Dushan, Jiang Chuan immediately sensed the unusual nature of the mountain.

The damp air was filled with the fresh scent of grass and trees, and strange noises could be heard from all around from time to time.

He released the nine-colored deer from the sword without edge as a scout beast.

The spirit deer moved freely through the mountains and forests, as if it knew the area like the back of its hand. Jiang Chuan followed closely behind, practicing the Five Elements Sword Manual and the Righteous Qi Sword Manual as he went.

However, his understanding of the metal and fire attribute sword energy was still not deep enough, and he had not fully mastered the sword moves of the "Righteous Qi Sword". Whenever he tried to use these sword moves, he always felt powerless.

"Sigh..." Jiang Chuan sighed, "It seems I need more practice."

Just then, the nine-colored deer suddenly stopped and sniffed the surrounding air warily. Jiang Chuan immediately became alert: "Something's up!"

Jiang Chuan held his breath and gripped the bladeless sword tightly. A faint, metallic scent filled the air, as if some danger was approaching.

"Shh!"

A dark shadow suddenly leaped down from the treetop and landed heavily on the ground. Jiang Chuan looked closely and saw a huge venomous scorpion baring its fangs at him. Its stinger glowed with an eerie purple light, clearly indicating that it was extremely venomous.

"It's you again!" Jiang Chuan recognized the scorpion—it was the same one that had confronted him on the Qinghe River last time.

The scorpion let out a low hiss, its stinger raised high. Jiang Chuan quickly took a step back and drew his bladeless sword to meet the attack.

"Golden Qi Sharp!"

Jiang Chuan circulated his metal-attribute true energy, and a layer of golden light immediately condensed on the sword's edge.

He swung his sword, the sword energy cutting through the air like a knife.

The scorpion was forced back several steps by the sword energy, but it did not back down.

It suddenly flicked its tail stinger, and a drop of purple venom shot towards Jiang Chuan.

Jiang Chuan quickly dodged, but the venom still grazed his arm.

A sharp pain instantly spread throughout his body, and his vision began to blur.

"Damn it!" Jiang Chuan gritted his teeth, enduring the pain. "I can't fall here!"

He took a deep breath and channeled his inner energy to expel the poison. The golden energy circulated through his meridians, gradually forcing the toxins out of his body.

Just then, the Nine-Colored Deer suddenly let out a long cry. Jiang Chuan looked up and saw several giant wolves slowly emerging from the woods…

Jiang Chuan was in dire straits—enemies were on all sides. He knew he had to resolve the crisis as soon as possible.

"Five Elements Sword Qi - Wood!"

Jiang Chuan circulated his wood-attribute true energy, and a green energy condensed on the blade of his sword. He thrust his sword forward, and the sword energy wrapped around the scorpion's tail like vines.

The scorpion hissed angrily, trying to break free of its restraints. However, Jiang Chuan had already seized the opportunity: "Five Elements Sword Qi - Fire!"

A burst of scorching flame erupted from the sword tip, instantly engulfing the scorpion. The scorpion let out a piercing scream and was reduced to ashes in the flames.

However, the giant wolves behind him began to attack. Jiang Chuan quickly turned around and swung his sword at the nearest giant wolf.

The golden sword energy sliced ​​through the giant wolf's body like a knife.

The remaining two giant wolves retreated upon seeing this, seemingly intimidated by Jiang Chuan's imposing presence. After letting out a few low growls, they turned and disappeared into the woods.

Jiang Chuan breathed a sigh of relief, but his clothes were already soaked with sweat.

He looked down at the wound on his arm: "That was close... I almost died."

As night fell, Jiang Chuan found a relatively safe place to set up camp. He lit a tinderbox to ward off mosquitoes and sat cross-legged by the campfire.

The nine-colored deer nestled beside him, seemingly also processing the day's events. Jiang Chuan drank several mouthfuls of water from his water bag before regaining some strength.

He took out the Five Elements Sword Manual and began to study the parts he had not yet fully mastered. However, his eyelids gradually grew heavy, and he eventually fell into a deep sleep by the campfire.

Meanwhile, in Heyang City, Yu Youwei stood by the window of the Chamber of Commerce's study, her gaze still fixed on the distance. Her fingers gently traced the poem on the desk: "Warm wine awaits your return, I pluck flowers to compose a poem for my wife's joy."

"Qing'er," she called softly.

"My subordinate is here."

"Go and inform Huang Yaoshi and Uncle Long," Yu Youwei's voice remained calm. "We'll make our move in three days."

Qing'er was slightly taken aback: "Three days later?"

“Yes.” Yu Youwei’s gaze deepened. “I want to see what Mu Suifeng has up his sleeve.”

Jiang Chuan slept soundly by the campfire.

The next morning, he continued his journey deeper into Dushan. The Nine-Colored Deer continued to lead the way, but he had gained a deeper understanding of the dangers of Dushan.

“My master once said…” Jiang Chuan murmured to himself, “The land of Kyushu has never been a pure land. It is full of dangers and opportunities.”

He gripped the bladeless sword tightly in his hand: "I will definitely find the Heart of the Mysterious Serpent in Hidden Spirit Mountain! I will not let my master down!"

Outside Dushan Mountain, He Zongzheng stood on a high point, gazing in the direction of Heyang City. A hint of doubt crossed his face: "Why would Mu Suifeng go to Handan alone? Does he really think he can escape unscathed?"

“My lord…” a subordinate stepped forward, “Our men have found a trace in Lefeng Town.”

"Speak!" "It seems someone is following Jiang Chuan..."

A glint of light flashed in He Zongzheng's eyes: "It seems that Yu Youwei has also begun to take action."

He sneered, "Then let's see... who will have the last laugh in this game."

Meanwhile, in a dense forest outside Heyang City, Huang Yaoshi and Uncle Long were crouching on a large tree. Their eyes peered through the gaps in the leaves towards the direction of the City Lord's Mansion.

"The target is right there," Huang Laoxie said softly. "As long as Mu Suifeng leaves Heyang City..."

Uncle Long nodded: "Let's get started."

Jiang Chuan led the nine-colored deer, traversing Dushan Mountain along the route on the parchment scroll. His steps were light yet steady, sword techniques flowing between his fingers, and he remained constantly vigilant.

The mountain paths of Dushan were rugged and steep, overgrown with weeds, and the air was filled with a damp, humid smell. Despite his thorough preparations, the mountain's danger far exceeded his expectations.

"Boom!"

A deafening roar came from afar, as if some enormous creature was rampaging through the mountains and forests.

Jiang Chuan's heart tightened, and he scanned his surroundings warily.

He could sense a strong beastly aura permeating the air, clearly indicating that a powerful magical beast was approaching.

"It's a big bear," Jiang Chuan muttered to himself. "The Jade Bear King deep in Dushan?"

Without hesitation, he immediately took out a talisman from his robes and affixed it to his body, while simultaneously sealing the Nine-Colored Deer within the seal of his Bladeless Sword. Jiang Chuan knew that if he rashly confronted this demonic beast head-on, he would likely find himself in a desperate situation.

He decided to observe first and see if he could find any clues.

Meanwhile, in a valley on the other side of Dushan Mountain, Qing Tian, ​​a young alchemist from the Heyang City Pharmacist Pavilion, was leading five mercenaries on a difficult journey.

Her forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat, and she held a long-handled copper hoe used for gathering herbs in her hand.

Although she had been in and out of Dushan many times before, this mission still put her under immense pressure—she needed to collect an extremely rare white jade lingzhi mushroom, which only grows near Cangling Mountain, one of the most dangerous places in Dushan.

"Miss Qing, the terrain ahead is complex, we need to proceed with caution," Qian Feng, the mercenary leader, warned. He was a cultivator at the Other Shore Realm, dressed in coarse cloth and with a bronze longsword at his waist.

Sunny nodded: "I know. The magical beasts here are much fiercer than those in other places."

"boom!"

Just then, a violent earthquake struck. Qingtian staggered and nearly fell. Looking up, she saw a huge cave suddenly appear on the hillside not far away.

“There…” Her heart sank suddenly, “Oh no!”

Qian Feng keenly sensed the danger: "Everyone, be careful! There's the aura of a magical beast!"

Before the words were even finished, a massive magical beast suddenly burst out of the cave!

It was nearly two zhang tall, its entire body covered in icy silver-white fur, and it had a single, prominent horn on its head. Its eyes gleamed with a blood-red light, and the white breath it exhaled from its nostrils condensed into ice crystals in the air.

"The Jade Frost Bear King!" Qian Feng's voice trembled. "A peak second-tier magical beast!"

Qingtian's heart nearly stopped beating. She knew how terrifying the strength of a peak second-tier magical beast was, especially in a complex terrain like Dushan, where death was almost certain.

"Run!" she shouted. "Everyone, scatter!"

However, the Jade Bear King's speed far exceeded their expectations. It let out a deafening roar and swung its enormous claws at Qian Feng.

"boom!"

Qian Feng managed to parry with his sword, but the power of the Frost Jade Bear King far exceeded his expectations.

The sword light was easily crushed, and Qian Feng was thrown away by the enormous force, tracing a tragic parabola in the air.

"Captain Qian!" Jiang Wei shouted, brandishing his nine-ringed broadsword as he charged forward.

He was Qian Feng's most capable assistant, also a cultivator at the Other Shore Realm. Jiang Wei knew that he was no match for the Frost Jade Bear King on his own, but he still chose to charge forward—he wanted to risk his life to buy Qing Tian a chance to escape.

Jiang Chuan was hiding behind a boulder, watching the sudden battle from afar.

His brow furrowed slightly: "Who are these people? Why have they ventured deep into Dushan?"

He could clearly sense the powerful aura of the Frost Jade Bear King. This magical beast was far stronger than ordinary second-tier magical beasts, clearly a result of its long-term residence near Hidden Spirit Mountain.

"They're going to die," Jiang Chuan muttered to himself. "Should we help?"

His fingers gently caressed the hilt of the bladeless sword. He knew what helping these people meant—revealing his presence could bring more trouble.

However, when he saw Jiang Wei rushing towards the Cold Jade Bear King to cover Qing Tian, ​​a strange emotion suddenly welled up in his heart.

“Perhaps… I should intervene,” he said softly.

The Jade Bear King's attacks grew increasingly fierce. Although Jiang Wei's broadsword had wounded its forelimbs, this only enraged the beast. A ball of icy energy condensed on its single horn, forming an ice spike-like attack in the air.

"boom!"

The icicle struck Jiang Wei in the chest, pinning him to the ground. Blood flowed down the icicle, staining the snow crimson.

"Jiang Wei!" Qing Tian let out a heart-wrenching scream.

Seeing this, the other mercenaries rushed forward, trying to buy Jiang Wei a last chance to survive. However, the power of the Jade Bear King was too terrifying; each strike easily shattered their defenses.

Just then, Jiang Chuan finally made his move.

"Five Elements Sword Qi - Metal!"

He leaped out from behind the boulder, brandishing his bladeless sword, and unleashed a golden sword aura that slashed towards the side of the Jade Bear King like a knife.

The Jade Bear King clearly hadn't expected to be ambushed. A deep wound was sliced ​​open in its body by the golden sword energy, and it let out an angry roar.

"You all run!" Jiang Chuan shouted. "I'll hold it off!"

Qingtian paused for a moment, but didn't hesitate: "Go! Go quickly!"

The mercenaries quickly helped the severely wounded Jiang Wei to his feet and hastily withdrew under Qing Tian's leadership. The Jade Bear King turned to look at Jiang Chuan, a bloodthirsty glint in his eyes.

"Interesting." Jiang Chuan sneered. "Perfect for practicing my sword skills!"

The Frost Jade Bear King opened its blood-red maw, and a cloud of icy air condensed into an ice spike within its mouth. With a roar, it hurled the ice spike at Jiang Chuan.

"Five Elements Sword Qi - Wood!"

Jiang Chuan circulated his wood-attribute true energy, condensing it into a green barrier in front of him. The ice spike struck the barrier and shattered, turning into countless ice crystals that scattered all over the ground.

However, the Jade Bear King didn't give Jiang Chuan much of a chance to catch his breath. It once again swung its massive claws and pounced on Jiang Chuan.

Jiang Chuan quickly retreated, simultaneously channeling the fire attribute of the Five Elements Sword Qi: "Five Elements Sword Qi - Fire!" (End of Chapter)