Chapter 353: Saving People

Figures moved, kicking up clouds of yellow sand.

Five Condensation Realm martial artists were locked in fierce battle with a giant scorpion.

All five were late-stage Condensation Realm: three at the seventh level, one at the eighth, and one at the ninth.

But clearly, the strength of that peak third-rank giant scorpion surpassed them all.

Fighting and retreating, all bore injuries, looking quite battered.

“Yanmei, take the Purple Blood Ginseng and hurry back to the tribe. We’ll hold off this damned thing!” said the strongest, a ninth-level Condensation Realm martial artist, as he pushed a woman out of the fray.

The one called Yanmei was the only woman among the five, and the ninth-level Condensation Realm fighter clearly intended to protect her.

“How can I! This Red-Tailed Scorpion is about to evolve into a fourth-rank beast; you’re no match for it!” Yanmei said, her voice choked with tears.

The ninth-level Condensation Realm martial artist gritted his teeth. “Go! If we all die here, what about the young chief?”

Hearing this, Yanmei’s face twisted with conflict, standing frozen, unsure what to do.

The young chief was the tribe’s top genius; if he died because of her, even a hundred deaths wouldn’t atone for it.

But abandoning her companions to flee alone—that, Yanmei couldn’t bring herself to do.

The Red-Tailed Scorpion was immensely powerful; her four companions were in constant danger. Even Li Hong, the strongest, could barely hold his ground.

“Ah!”

A seventh-level Condensation Realm fighter was struck in the chest by the scorpion’s massive pincer and sent flying backward.

Seeing this, Li Yan gritted her teeth and charged back in!

When Li Hong saw Li Yan rejoin the fight, he flew into a rage. “Li Yan! What are you doing! Don’t you know the young chief’s life is in your hands!”

Li Yan, tears in her eyes, said stubbornly, “I won’t leave! Brother Hong, you’ve cared for me since I was little. Now you want me to abandon you and flee alone? I can’t do it!”

“You! You’ll be the death of me! Watch out!” Li Hong swept his longsword, deflecting the scorpion’s giant pincer, saving Li Yan’s life.

Li Hong sighed. “Fine, since you’re back, be careful! You three keep it occupied; I’ll circle to its side and strike, aiming for a fatal blow!”

…

The five were completely focused on battling the Red-Tailed Scorpion, unaware that two people were observing them from not far away.

“Lan Feng, go deal with that Red-Tailed Scorpion,” Ye Yuan ordered Lan Feng.

“Yes, Master!” Lan Feng bowed in acknowledgment and vanished like the wind.

At that moment, Li Hong had finally circled to the scorpion’s side, waiting for an opening to strike its weak spot.

But just as Li Hong’s move was fully committed, the scorpion’s tail appeared before his eyes like a phantom!

Li Hong’s face changed drastically, but it was too late to change his move.

Li Yan and the others saw this too and cried out in despair, “Brother Hong!”

The Red-Tailed Scorpion’s tail was its strongest weapon, yet until now it had not used this deadly tool.

The outcome was predictable!

Knowing he couldn’t escape this calamity, Li Hong closed his eyes in pain.

At almost the same moment, Li Hong felt a powerful gust of energy whiz past his ear. He snapped his eyes open and saw the Red-Tailed Scorpion sent flying into the sky!

“Whoosh!”

A blast of wind swept by, and a blurry figure passed beside him, delivering another punch to the airborne scorpion!

“Boom!”

The Red-Tailed Scorpion was sent flying again!

Lan Feng followed up with another punch!

This time, the scorpion finally went still. It didn’t even let out a death cry before Lan Feng finished it off.

Seeing this, Li Hong was first stunned, then overjoyed.

At the brink of death, he had been saved!

“Thank you, senior, for saving our lives! I am Li Hong, and these are my clansmen. We are from the Tengyun Tribe. May I ask which tribe you belong to, senior? We will surely visit to repay your kindness!” Li Hong, along with Li Yan and the others, bowed to Lan Feng.

Lan Feng, now exuding the demeanor of a master, waved his hand. “Don’t thank me. It wasn’t I who saved you, but my master.”

Li Hong was startled but quickly asked, “May I ask who your master is…”

To have a Sea Transformation Realm expert as a servant—this person must be of great importance!

Lan Feng said calmly, “Follow me.”

Li Hong and the others naturally dared not disobey and followed Lan Feng.

Before long, a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old youth came into their sight.

Li Hong, clearly a man of experience, immediately knelt before Ye Yuan. “Li Hong and my clansmen thank you, young master, for saving our lives.”

Ye Yuan nodded and said lightly, “It was nothing. Which tribe are you from?”

“Reporting to you, young master, we are from the Tengyun Tribe,” Li Hong replied respectfully.

Facing Ye Yuan, Li Hong inexplicably felt a powerful pressure.

What had started as gratitude and reverence now became genuine awe.

This feeling was absurd—how could a ninth-level Condensation Realm martial artist feel pressure from a second-level Condensation Realm one?

This youth was no ordinary person!

“Does your tribe have a teleportation array?” Ye Yuan asked directly.

Li Hong was taken aback, clearly not expecting the question. But since Ye Yuan had saved their lives, he naturally wouldn’t hide anything.

“Is the benefactor going somewhere? Our Tengyun Tribe is the largest tribe within ten thousand li, so of course we have a teleportation array,” Li Hong said.

“I came out from the Central Royal City for training, and now that it’s over, I want to return to the Central Royal City by the nearest route. I wonder if your tribe could oblige me,” Ye Yuan fabricated a reason.

Li Hong hesitated slightly, then said, “To be honest, benefactor, only the chieftain can authorize outsiders to use the teleportation array. We dare not presume. But since you saved us, and thus saved the young chief, I believe the chieftain will agree. How about… you come back to the Tengyun Tribe with us?”

“Oh? How so?” Ye Yuan asked curiously.

“The young chief is the strongest of our tribe’s younger generation. He was exceptionally skilled and had the bearing of a leader—an idol and goal for us youth. But a month ago, his temperament suddenly changed. He lost all appetite for food and tea, locked himself in his room, and wouldn’t come out. Half a month later, he fell ill, and now he’s on the verge of death. We came out this time to find Purple Blood Ginseng to refine a Blood Serum Pill for him, which led us to provoke that beast and nearly lose our lives. By saving the five of us, you have effectively saved the young chief’s life!” Li Hong explained.

“Temperament change? Loss of appetite?” Ye Yuan pondered the symptoms Li Hong described.

Clearly, his old habit was acting up again.

“Yes, does… the benefactor know of this illness?” Li Hong asked.

Ye Yuan changed the subject and laughed. “Since you came here to save your young chief, what are we waiting for? Let’s go!”