Immortality Begins With Internal Breathing-Chapter 151: Disguise (II)
Lin Zheyu handed over his handwritten copy of the Toxicology Codex. He planned to focus mainly on martial cultivation in the future and study the poisonous arts only enough to enhance his ability to recognize and identify poisons and guard against ambushes. As for founding a sect or building a force to pass the Toxicology Codex on, he did not have the energy for that.
Han Mo took the Toxicology Codex and began to leaf through it. His eyes brightened, and his expression filled with astonishment and shock.
A treasure!
The Toxicology Codex was exceedingly precious; the knowledge it contained represented the labor of more than a dozen generations and was worth a fortune.
"Whew... It is too valuable. Such a precious thing, I—"
Han Mo took a long breath, suppressed his desire, and began to refuse. He was honest and simple and never entertained thoughts of profiting from his junior brother; the Ten Thousand Troop Steps and the Blood Pill had originally been bought with real money.
"Please don't refuse, Senior Brother. I promised that elder I would select a successor to inherit the Toxicology Codex. Since it must be passed on, it should go to someone close and trustworthy; one should not let benefits flow to outsiders.
"Having Tianshu and Tianmin learn it would be a small favor that saves me the trouble of finding someone else. Otherwise, I would have to test a person's character, temperament, and aptitude, which is too troublesome." Lin Zheyu smiled and said, "If you agree, I will hand the Toxicology Codex to you."
The nature of the parents shapes the nature of their children. Senior Brother Han Mo's parents and his wife were all kind and upright people, and the children they raised shared those same virtues. That was also the reason Lin Zheyu chose to pass the legacy to Han Mo's son.
"Very well then. Tianshu's temperament is a bit reckless and impulsive in his actions. That's why I arranged for him to train within the City Guard. Tianmin, on the other hand, takes after me. Though his aptitude for martial arts isn't exceptional, he's honest and steady. You can pass the Toxicology Codex to him," said Han Mo after a moment of pondering.
He understood his junior brother's nature; if Lin Zheyu had already said this much, refusing again would only make things awkward.
"Junior Brother, this Toxicology Codex is too valuable. It could be passed down as a family heirloom, yet I can't just take it for free..." Feeling uneasy, Han Mo wanted to offer some silver in return.
"Senior Brother, you're being too polite. You're helping me, really. I promised that elder to ensure the codex's inheritance. By allowing Tianmin to study it, you've saved me the trouble of finding another candidate." Lin Zheyu smiled and said, "No need to dwell on it. Say your goodbyes to your family, I'll be waiting for you in Bafang City. Senior Brother, don't act rashly out there. Your parents, wife, and children are still waiting for your safe return!"
"Haha, I'm old enough to know better. You should worry more about yourself!" said Han Mo with a laugh.
This evacuation involved many people. All the families of those willing to follow the Feihong Gang to Bafang City were part of it. The total number was nearly two thousand, a grand and impressive procession. Lin Zheyu scanned the crowd, spotting several familiar faces, and walked over toward Jia Yanyong and the others.
"Lord Qiu, how is your injury recovering?" Lin Zheyu asked Qiu Gaoxuan.
This time, Qiu Gaoxuan, Jia Yanyong, and several others whom Lin Zheyu knew were all part of the escorting force. In fact, nearly four-fifths of the Feihong Gang's members were among them, with only a few top experts and volunteers remaining behind to guard Songyi City.
Although few believed Songyi City could be defended, they still had to prepare in case of an unexpected victory. Those remaining would hold the line until the final moment and only withdraw once all hope was lost.
"It's mostly healed. By the way, there's no need to call me Lord Qiu; just use my name," said Qiu Gaoxuan expressionlessly. The man had always been stoic-faced, so Lin Zheyu took no offense.
"I'll just call you Brother Qiu then! I'll be counting on your help during this journey," said Lin Zheyu with a smile.
"No need for courtesy. A few months ago, you had already reached the peak of the Bone Forging Realm. You might have even advanced to the Organ Forging Realm by now. With your natural talent, your combat ability must already surpass mine. I should be the one relying on you instead," replied Qiu Gaoxuan calmly.
Lin Zheyu chatted with him for a bit but didn't continue the conversation. Qiu Gaoxuan was a reserved man who spoke without expression. Though Lin Zheyu was used to it, it still tended to kill any desire to talk.
Lin Zheyu took a stroll around and saw Jia Yanyong and the others busy carrying luggage. Their families were also leaving this time, and there was a large amount of baggage of all sorts.
Soon, the group was organized, everyone returned to their assigned places, and they prepared to set out.
"Senior Brother, take care. We'll meet again in Bafang City!" said Lin Zheyu solemnly.
"Take care!" Han Mo nodded, his gaze filled with reluctance as he looked at his wife, children, and parents. Unfortunately, as a member of the City Guard, he could not leave with his family.
Under Han Mo's wistful gaze and the reluctant farewells of his family, the caravan began its journey toward Bafang City. The two-thousand-strong convoy was an impressive sight. This time, many powerful individuals were among them. There were at least eight Blood Qi Realm experts, including two who had reached the third transformation.
Rumble, rumble...
The wheels rolled over the official road, creaking and crunching against gravel and branches. Lin Zheyu rode on horseback alongside the convoy, which mainly consisted of ox carts. In this era, horses were expensive. Only a few experts above the Bone Forging Realm rode them, while ordinary family members traveled in ox carts.
"Uncle, Moher told me to bring you some water and pastries." Little Tianshun climbed out from the ox cart, handing over a water pouch with a cheerful grin.
Aside from a brief spell of sadness during their initial farewell, the excitement of the journey soon took over. Everything felt new to Han Tianshun. Whenever the road grew dull, his favorite thing was to ride with Lin Zheyu on horseback and enjoy the scenery.
"Thank you, Sister-in-law." Lin Zheyu smiled at the gentle-faced woman who had leaned her head out of the cart and thanked her.
It had been 4 days since they left Songyi City, and they hadn't encountered any bandits or ambushes along the way. Apart from a bit of boredom, nothing unusual had happened. A convoy with so many Blood Qi Realm warriors was far too formidable, so ordinary bandits wouldn't dare make a move.
As dusk fell, the group stopped at a flat clearing. Traveling at night was unsafe, so they had to rest.
"Lord Lin, come join us for some roasted meat. It smells amazing!" Jia Yanyong called out to Lin Zheyu. They had just hunted down a large wild boar, big enough to feed several people.
Night patrols were dull and monotonous. Before taking their watch, they would usually wander around hunting beasts to roast later, passing the long night that way.
"No need; you all go ahead and eat. That small one won't be enough for everyone anyway. I'll go out for a bit and hunt a bigger one for you," said Lin Zheyu with a smile.
"Alright, we'll be counting on you then," replied Xie Jiang with a grin.
The group sat around the campfire as the flames crackled and the scent of roasting meat filled the air. Meanwhile, Lin Zheyu took up his saber and quietly walked into the forest. The others weren't surprised as they had long grown used to this. Whenever it was Lin Zheyu's turn to keep watch, he would often disappear for a while, only to return carrying a large beast.
Once inside the dense forest, Lin Zheyu carefully surveyed his surroundings. When he confirmed no one was around, he suddenly unleashed his blood qi, his body shooting forward like an arrow. His shadow flashed swiftly through the darkness.
Lin Zheyu sprinted through the forest as blood qi surged violently within him. Soon, more than 2 hours had passed. He emerged from the forest carrying a beast over two meters long, his clothes drenched in sweat as he exhaled deeply.
"Impressive, Lord Lin!"
Seeing this, Jia Yanyong and the others raised their thumbs in admiration.
"Clean it up and roast it. Please save me a portion. I'll come eat after some training," Lin Zheyu told them.
After four days on the road, Lin Zheyu's essence, qi, and spirit had once again reached their peak. He had deliberately chosen tonight's watch so he could train through the night, push his body to its limits, and obtain Origin Force.
Earlier, upon entering the forest, he had not only exhausted all his blood qi but also cultivated for over two hours before coming back out. All he needed now was to keep training until he broke through his limits.
He had already scouted the area; it was safe for several kilometers around, with no sign of bandits, so there was nothing to fear in the night. It was the perfect environment for pushing himself.
To avoid disturbing the others, Lin Zheyu moved further away to a clearing and began practicing the Barbaric Ox Fist. Training only the Barbaric Ox Fist meant his breakthrough would come slower, but to avoid revealing his astonishing movement techniques, a slower pace was acceptable. After all, he had the entire night for his watch; time was something he had plenty of.
